A Fierce Protectiveness

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. Mark 9:42

There lives something in us that wants to see Jesus as always nice. It is a self-serving thing, because for Jesus to be constantly nice would mean no judgment or hell - especially that eternal punishment thing. However, we see here in our verse for today a fierce protectiveness from our Lord for the little ones who believe in Him. He gives the 1st century version of the old concrete overshoes as a better option for those who would cause His little ones to stumble. Most of us would say that isn't much of an option, sort of final. Better that, our Lord says, than to face His wrath!

Pray for His loving protection,

Bucky

Our Exclusive Club?

Now 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.”  Mark 9:38

It was there for just that brief moment - the 'what day is it?' senior moment struck me. See, it happens to the worst of us too. 

The scholars tell us that John was not senior during his time with Jesus, but in this verse he does seem to be gatekeeping for Jesus. Could there be a personal envy problem here since we saw a few days back where the disciples failed to cast out a demon, and now this stranger is doing it?  Of course it is possible. All the fallen behaviors and feelings that you or I might have were present in the Lord's disciples. Pride, unbelief, envy, lust, and many others came to Jesus in His twelve disciples. And He dealt with them in His way. This time will be a correction, as in the next verse Jesus tells John and his mates, "Do not forbid him..."  

Be ready, correction will come from our Lord to us as well. John is not the only one down through the years to think that faith in Christ belongs to an exclusive club. 

Love to you in Christ our Lord,

Bucky

Receive Them All

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, “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.” Mark 9:36-37

This is not about regrets. It is a lesson to the greatness-desiring disciples about who to receive as they go out spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. A humble apostle would have no problem ministering to the children of a village. A great apostle might only go to the town square or center of whatever worship the town had, ignoring the children. And once the 'great' disciple ignored the children, he might go on to ignore the old folks, and the sick or infirm, and many other groups. And those Jesus sent out were to spread the good news of Him to all the people.

We all need salvation, and God wants none to be lost. Love to you in Christ our Lord!

Bucky

They Kept Silent

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?” But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. Mark 9:33-34

Hey, you disciples, your Rabbi asked you a question. There are those times when a teacher will catch us students in a place we should not have gone. We know it, and like the disciples we may not want to speak the answer for fear of incriminating ourselves. Setting the students on the right path goes with the job of teacher or rabbi, and Jesus has a lesson for His greatness-seeking disciples: be the servant of all. In the Gentile world, we tend to think it would be great to be the top dog and be served by all. (And of course get the most loot to spend from that position.) There is an interesting question in this world. How can we be servants of all and not taint it with a desire for wealth and fame? Maybe I will keep silent until I can answer that one.

Good thing Jesus has an answer!

Bucky

Stalwart Heroes Of The Faith

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.” But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him. Mark 9:31-32

With the story in hand from all four gospels, it seems hard for us to understand the disciples' lack of understanding in this. However we might understand the fear of asking they felt as we have known an 'afraid to ask' moment or two ourselves. We have also known persons who did not go to the doctor to get something checked out because they feared the diagnosis. You or I might even know that fear personally. The disciples may be feeling a similar sort of fear in this scripture we read today. Jesus stated it plainly, but ignorance felt better than acceptance to His stalwart heroes of the faith. Yes, they were anything but that in this moment of scripture. And yet, eleven of these twelve would be there when the Spirit of truth arrived on a day known as Pentecost.

Jesus can work big changes in us too. Have faith in Him!

Bucky

Became As One Dead

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!” 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.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.  Mark 9:25-27

Jesus used His authority to rebuke and expel the demon. But for that brief moment he appeared as one dead, hardly the result the kid's dad wanted, I would think. Jesus was there though, and the child was raised up by the hand of our Lord. Was the man's son dead or just mostly dead? We may wonder in circles over it, but Jesus was there, the child lives. 

Find Jesus there with you in prayer, and live!

Bucky

Him Who Believes...And The Rest Of Us

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:23-24

"If you can believe, all things are possible." That has been used to pad quite a few pockets and stomp on some heads on the way up the ladder of worldly success. However, grab just a tiny bit of the context of the story and we find the man who represents all of us when it comes to belief and doubt. That great, earnest, and appropriate for you and me, prayer comes with tears from the father of a child the disciples could not set free of an evil spirit. "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" It says all we need to know of that battle within us between the newborn faith in Jesus we have and the old crusty doubts of worldly experience. What we think we know is easy and right here; who we believe in is up there, somewhere, invisible. We think how much it would help if Jesus were back right here. But for the man in the story, Jesus was right there - and still he begged for help with his unbelief.

So, you and I are not alone in this fight of faith versus doubt that prevents us from doing those great things Jesus promised. Let us pray together for help with our unbelief.

Bucky