July 9, 2023
Evening Service

Chapter 8 included two miracles and also some very important teaching from Jesus.  He fed the four thousand with 7 loaves and a “few small fish” and had 7 baskets of left overs. The second miracle was the healing of a blind man in Bethsaida.  Jesus did not heal him in the city in front of everyone, but took him outside town and healed him there because of their unbelief. 

His teaching included a warning of the disciples about the teachings of the Pharisees and He was frustrated with them for their lack of understanding in this.  We also saw Mark’s writing on what I believe is the most important question we will answer in our lifetime.  Jesus asked them (and us), “Who do you say that I am?”  Peter in his bold manner answered quickly and decisively that “You are the Christ!”  He did not stay in good graces very long as Jesus then shared with them for the first time that He would “suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes and be killed and after three days rise again.”  Peter took Jesus aside and tried to persuade Him otherwise and Jesus called him out for not looking at things from God’s perspective, but from the view of man.

Jesus then was very transparent in the commitment needed to follow Him.

  Mar 8:34-38 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  (35)  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.  (36)  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  (37)  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  (38)  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

            Jesus is transparent to them and us in that if we choose to follow Him, we must die to ourselves.  He expects us to be “all in” giving our lives to Him to use in whatever manner He chooses.  He calls us and it is He that provides us our cross to bear, whatever that may be.  He is leading and we are following.  He is the Potter and we are the clay.  As Paul says in Gal 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and now He lives in me.”

Mar 9:1-10 And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."  (2)  Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  (3)  His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.  (4)  And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.  (5)  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"— (6) because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.  (7)  And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"  (8)  Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.  (9)  Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.  (10)  So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.

·        Notice Jesus only took the inner circle of three to witness this.

·        Verse 1 is fulfilled in this transfiguration as these disciples were allowed to see Jesus in His full glory as we will also see Him one day.

·        Here Elijah represents all the prophets of the OT and Moses represents the Law.  They stood and talked among themselves, wow would I love to hear that conversation.

·        Peter, being Peter and “greatly afraid” may have thought I have to say something, so he blurts out the first thing he thinks about building three tabernacles.

·        A cloud (representing the presence of God) appears and His voice booms out from inside of it; “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”

·        This again confirms what we have said here many times lately that Peter said to the Sanhedrin:

Act 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

·        Jesus is the only way to God, not through the prophets or the Law, only through Him.  Peter made this statement, but it originated from God Himself speaking from a cloud as we read here.

·        Jesus here again asks them an almost impossible task, to not tell anyone what they have seen.

·        The disciples now begin to engage and ask questions.

 

Mar 9:11-13 And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  (12)  Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?  (13)  But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him."

·        The question’s root comes from a prophecy by Malachi 4:5 where he predicts that Elijah must come first to earth to begin the coming of the kingdom.  Jesus answers that he has already come through John the Baptist.

·        Jesus now walks into a mess.

 

Mar 9:14-29 And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them.  (15)  Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him.  (16)  And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?"  (17)  Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.  (18)  And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not."  (19)  He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me."  (20)  Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.  (21)  So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.  (22)  And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."  (23)  Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."  (24)  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"  (25)  When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"  (26)  Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead."  (27)  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.  (28)  And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"  (29)  So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."

·        This situation frustrates Jesus again as it shows in them a lack of faith.  He however uses this failure to teach them.  He often uses our failures to do the same in our lives.

·        Notice Jesus does not immediately touch him and heal him, but questions the father.  Jesus tells him “If you can believe, all things are possible.”  I love the father’s answer; “Lord I believe help my unbelief!”

·        How many times and situations I have felt that same way desiring that my faith would grow greater than it is.

·        Sam spoke on this a few weeks ago as when we engage with the spirit world, never take it lightly.  We must be prayed up and even fast in anticipation of such an interaction.  We are commanded to be on guard at all times and be ready to engage in spiritual battles that occur.

·        Jesus now again predicts His future to the disciples.

 

 Mar 9:30-32 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  (31)  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  (32)  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.

·        The news continues to be beyond their understanding at this time, but when He does rise again they recall that He predicted it.

·        Jesus now confronts the disciples over a dispute.

 

Mar 9:33-37 Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  (34)  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  (35)  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  (36)  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, (37) "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."

·        These men Jesus had chosen were not yet the spiritual giants that they would one day become.  They sometimes got caught up in all that was going on and allowed the human part of them to desire to be recognized for their part in it.

·        To follow Jesus, as was stated in chapter 8, we must not strive to be the leader of everyone, but the servant.  Jesus again reminds them that we must have a child like faith, not seeking our own glory, but simply following the One who has called us.

·        This attitude again surfaces as we continue.

 

Mar 9:38-41Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  (39)  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  (40)  For he who is not against us is on our side.  (41)  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.

·        It is very possible with the disciples’ struggle for position and also seeing others who were able to cast out demons when they earlier failed, jealousy could be brewing inside them.

·        Jesus states that “he that is not against us is on our side.”  These things do not happen by mistake; the hand of God must be present for them to be successful.

·        We too, as a church and as a Jesus follower, must be careful to remember that we are on the same team as other Christians and other churches.  We are not in competition to be the first to fill our church, we are on the same mission; to spread the Good News of the Gospel message to the world.  We should rejoice at a brother or sister’s impactful ministry and be glad we serve the same God.  Likewise, we should rejoice with another church successful preaching the Word.

·        Jesus now warns us of the consequences of ignoring our sin.

 

Mar 9:42-50 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.  (43)  If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— \ (44) where 'THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.'  (45)  And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— (46) where 'THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.'  (47)  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire— (48) where 'THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.'  (49)  "For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.  (50)  Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."

·        Jesus here is not recommending self-mutilation but the importance of doing what it takes to actively oppose sin.  If being in a certain place or with a certain person causes you to be tempted, remove yourself from that situation.  If you are tempted to watch pornography on your computer, get rid of the computer.  We must again recognize what things, situations, places and even people place us in a place of temptation and go to great extent to avoid them.  We do this because we recognize the gravity of sin in our lives.

·        He finishes this teaching with mentioning that “everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.”  Each of us are walking in ways of trials that prove our worth or reveal our shortcomings, a trial by fire.  We must have the property of salt that not only preserves what it comes in contact with, but make is taste better.

·        Are your reactions to the trials in your life making things better?

 

Heavenly Father, thank You for faithfully teaching us through Your Word.  May we be found faithful in being doers and not hearer only!