Mark 9:42-50 - Skip Heitzig

[Music] welcome to expound our weekly worship and verse by verse study of the Bible our goal is to expand your knowledge of the truth of God as we explore the Word of God in a way that is interactive enjoyable and congregational would you turn in your Bibles please to the Gospel of Mark chapter 9 mark chapter 9 it's a chapter that last time we were together before I went to Lebanon I I purposed in my heart to finish with you and I didn't get to finish it because I wanted to just go Altru chapter 10 but because we're taking the Lord supper tonight it just seemed appropriate to slow down finish chapter 9 and then take chapter 10 as a chunk next week when we're together why don't we pray father for us to hear how you have moved in the lives of rebellious people and how patient you are and how your love extends to the depths we take heart because right now in our minds though maybe that's not our experience we know somebody that is their experience I pray father that we would be prompted emboldened that you would set up the opportunity for us to share the hope that can be people's by trusting in Jesus and our Lord for this time together read our minds and our hearts of distractions of thoughts Lord that are not edifying that take us away from what we're here to be about and I pray we would be consumed with your story and the celebration of your love in Jesus name Amen I've been waxing a bit nostalgic the last couple of weeks and here's the reason why for my birthday I was given a book by one of our assistant pastors on the Jesus Movement it's one of the first academic books put out by I think it's oxford press and it's filled with research about how the Jesus Movement started in the San Francisco Bay Area worked its way down into Southern California swept across different parts of the nation and it's very interesting to me because I lived through part of that and so my mind went back and I started thinking and and one of my fond memories is soon after I came to know the Lord in the San Francisco Bay Area and I went back down to my home in Southern California I did one motorcycle trip on one day in the Blazing Sun from north to south came back with a sunburn and went to a Bible study in a Christian commune and I remember this Bible study and how filled with love it was and how I was received by people even though I only knew one or two people in that Bible study but how refreshing it wasn't compelling it was and all of those kinds of memories have been filling my mind the last week the last couple of weeks one of the memories I have of those earlier days is when we took communion in a commune and being raised in a formal Church a formalized church where communion was done by somebody with robes and a collar with incense and candles to be now in a Christian commune in a more informal relaxed and he had a very reverent setting made a great impact on my life I really really enjoyed getting together and taking the Lord's Supper so when we moved here and we had a group of people together at a local apartment complex and that started growing and I announced that we're gonna be having communion in a couple of weeks I went out the following week to buy our first communion tray all we needed was one because there weren't that many people I don't know 75 people but 50 people so I got a communion tray and I just thought man we've arrived were a bona fide real church now that we have one of these babies you know the communion trays it kind of look like like hubcaps on an old Mustang that's how I viewed it but I just thought look at this is awesome worth for real and I've always enjoyed gathering together for the Lord's Supper so what we're going to do is look at some verses where we left off in chapter 9 and examine these things before we take the Lord's Supper because I think there's some nuggets in now let me just begin by saying before we start reading these verses I am amazed that our Savior spoke these words to a general audience children included because there's some pretty tough things that he had to say there's some hard things that he had D that he had to share and people had to hear but it was a general audience there was men there were women and there were children in fact if you look at verse 36 it says 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 and my name receives me and whoever receives me receives not me but him who sent me now let me just give you the quick background of this occasion Jesus own disciples had been arguing about who would be the greatest in the kingdom so jesus said whoever is the greatest among you has to act like he's the lowest among you and to be your servant then he picked up a child in his arms and he used this little child as an example now it's curious to just ask who this child might be or who this child may be related to because back in verse 33 it said when they had come into the house if you have your Bible you can look at it in that verse they're back in Capernaum and they go back in the house now typically this refers to Peter's house where Peter lived with his wife his family his mother-in-law and Jesus stayed so often when they are back in Capernaum and in the house Jesus picked up a child it could have been Peters own child it's just an interesting thought no I have no idea what Peter's child would look like I just sort of picture a little three-year-old with a beard kind of a hefty little guy you know and I know that's popping well I know that's not what it looked like but it's what comes to my weird mind when I think these things the word for child is the Greek word pie Dion which means a little child a toddler and I love it I love watching children relate to the Lord don't you don't you love the simplicity of a child when it's time to pray I love watching my grandson pray he just knows he folds his little hands and he vows his little head and he'll mumble a few things and he'll say amen sometimes they'll say it before the prayers even then just amen but I love the heart of a child so simple so open so totally and utterly dependent and Jesus took a child and used the child as an example and he says whoever receives one of these little children in my name receives me verse 37 whoever receives me receives not me but him who sent me in that verse it's like a metaphor of faith that you become humble enough like a child to receive Jesus because you have to do that to enter the kingdom of God you have to be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven okay that's really our background verse 42 to the end of the chapter is what we want to look at before we take the Lord's Supper Jesus speaking here 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 keep in mind this is a general audience and I am sure that little child in the house or the other little children maybe Jesus was still holding I was kind of like mouth was open like whoa that was heavy if you're a parent there's somehow some way you can relate to this as a dad when my son Nate was growing up whenever anyone took a special liking to him or showed attention to him displayed love to him it warmed my heart but on the other hand I was always annoyed with anyone who wouldn't love my son because to love my son is to show respect and love to me and that's how it is with parents that's how it is with God God loves it when we show respect to his children and whoever causes one of these little ones who believes 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 do you remember that scripture I'm sure you do in Zechariah chapter two where the Prophet says about Israel whoever whoever touches you touches the apple of God's eye remember that scripture you ever thought about what that means the apple of one's eye it's the cornea it's that that clear covering on the front of your eye that's the apple of your eye so if you mess with God's kids it's like poking God in the eye how does that make you feel when you attack another Christian it's like poking God in the eye who ever touches you touches the apple of my eye do you remember when saul of tarsus was coming down on the damascus road and who's entering damascus and he was knocked off his beast or he fell to the ground whatever it was some people make a big deal about that either way or got his attention and Jesus spoke to him and you remember the question he asked Saul Saul why do you persecute me now here is Saul of Tarsus on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians to hassle Christians to persecute Christians but evidently Jesus takes that very personally and says hey dude you're persecuting me why are you persecuting me that that arrested him when he heard those words you mess with God's kids and you are messing with him and notice what he says whoever causes him to stumble scandal is Imai scandal is oh it means to bait a trap to cause somebody to be enticed or to fall into sin to influence a person into sin Jesus said it would be better to tie a stone around his neck throw him into the sea and drown him that's very mafia sounding that's like saying case the guy in cement and throw him into the forum into the drink when he said that those who were listening to him knew exactly what he meant because the Romans had actually done that from time to time as a means of capital punishment they would tie a stone around people throw them in the WA in the water in the Sea of Galilee or in the ocean and kill a person and the word that is used here for millstone is the upper millstone literally the millstone of a donkey weighs a hundred pounds it's the upper stone that takes an animal to turn to grind the grain underneath it pretty heavy-duty you should go what does this have to do with communion hold on to that thought verse 43 it gets worse remember general audience kids included if your hand causes you to sin cut it off now about that time mrs. Peters going honey run along to your room it's getting pretty hot and heavy in here it is better for you to enter into life maimed rather than having two hands to go to hell into the fire that shall not be quenched we're quoting Isaiah their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched and if your foot causes you to sin cut it off it is better for you to enter into life lame rather than to have two feet to be cast into hell into the fire that shall never be quenched where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched and if your eye causes you to sin pluck it out it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched any normal person reading this or in the case of the disciples and the original audience hearing this would immediately think that's gross that's gross that was the intended effect just as it grosses you out to think of somebody cutting off their hand or feet or gouging out and I sin should gross you out it is such an offense to God that the only remedy was to send his spotless son out of heaven to bleed and die a painful death and when you look at the cross you see that's the extent to which God was willing to go to save me to put all of that punishment upon him so that I wouldn't have to face it I'll give you a little historical note one of our early church fathers named Origen from Alexandria in northern Africa Egypt Alexandria Egypt in reading this verse had himself emasculated so that he wouldn't face what he thought he wouldn't face lustful temptation in his flesh because he thought that was the only only means to do it though he took this literally and had himself castrated emasculated but listen you can be - a hand - a foot - and I and be totally neutered and still be the most libidinous materialistic selfish and prideful person in town because it's a matter of the heart and because Deuteronomy 14 prohibits the removing of an appendage that's not what Jesus is speaking about he's not saying go out and and actually cut off your hand or actually cut off your footer actually gouge and eye out the right hand or the right eye or the right foot in Judaism always represented the best I'm sorry for you left-handed folks but those are just the stats between 75 and 90 percent of the world is right-handed so because of that fact the right hand or the right eye or the right foot is considered the best it's the arm of strength it's the foot of strength it's the dominant eye that's just metaphorically how it's used so here's the idea the eye represents what you see the hand represents what you do the foot represents where you go there are places you have no business going as a believer there are activities you have no business doing as a believer there are pictures you have no business seeing as a believer even if it's painful even if it hurts you must get even if it inconveniences you you must get rid of those things in your life nothing is worth any kind of separation between you and God and certainly nothing is worse the absence of God using you as his instrument get rid of it gouge it out lose it in first Corinthians 9 Paul said I discipline my body lest having preached to others i myself would become disqualified so what do you do when you're tempted what are you doing it's right here why not just turn the other way and walk away or run away oh but at that's so rude well imagine Joseph when mrs. Potiphar grabbed him and was very bold and said come to bed with me the Bible says he turned around and and ran and she was still holding his clothes so he literally streaked out of the house I imagine but he got out of there he could have thought well this is an opportunity for me to witness to her or I don't want to be impolite for me just to turn away from my boss's wife may not be a good thing he immediately instinctively spiritually thought I'm out of here nothing is worth this kind of temptation so he cut it off verse 49 and then we'll tie it together for everyone will be seasoned with fire and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt 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 now I want you to notice a contrast between two things between two verses verse 48 and 49 look at verse 48 where it says and the fire is not quenched and then compare that with verse 49 for everyone will be seasoned with fire in verse 48 it's the fire of punishment in verse 49 it's a different kind of fire this is the fire of purification now these two verses are are enigmatic they're difficult to understand they're difficult to interpret and that's why I've noticed that most commentaries commentators that give comments on the scripture just tend to bypass these verses and say some little lame thing and then move on but here it is and we're left with what it means well the Jews had a saying they said the world cannot survive without salt that was their quote here's what they meant salt was important to them for two reasons it was a preservative number one number two it was used in a sacrifice in the temple number one a preservative in those days there was no refrigeration no ice houses no freezers the only way to preserve meat was to take salt and rub it into the meat rubbing salt into the meat would stop retards slow down the Putra fication process and allow you to keep it for a while that's why all the meats back then were very very salty because you had to rub salt in to preserve it so it was used as a preservative a cleansing agent number two this was especially important to the Jews it was used in one of the sacrifices in the temple and before that the tabernacle in Leviticus chapter one we're told about the burnt offering you remember when we went through Leviticus we discussed that the burnt offering was an unblemished bull or a ram or a bird that was wholly consumed on the fire and salt was sprinkled on the fire of the altar of sacrifice as that animal was totally consumed for the Lord so salt was a preservative and was also used for sacrifices let's apply this Paul says to us in Romans chapter 12 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that you present your body as a living sacrifice holy or totally holy and acceptable which is your reasonable service and be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind I think the idea behind these two verses is that of the life of discipleship and the sanctification or purifying process as we walk through this world consecrated to God you and I are to be as believers totally surrendered and consecrated to God and to God's purposes on this earth once you get saved once you've been bought with a price the blood of Jesus Christ I got a news flash you're not your own the Bible says you've been bought with a price remember when Paul wrote that you're not your own you've been bought with a price when you surrendered your life to Christ when you invited Christ in you gave him the pink slip the owner's certificate you on me Lord you're the boss you're the master what that means for you and I is that when Jesus tells you to jump you don't go I'll think about it or you'll go well it depends how high now you just say yes sir how high he's the Lord you're bought with a price now if salt loses its savour or its flavor it says how will you season it have salt in yourselves and have peace with one another as your life is lived being consumed for God's purposes as it says in Romans 12 as hard and painful and purifying as that is you're gonna find that you become a preservative in this rotted world that you live in I think one of the only things is holding back the absolute undiminished judgment of God in this world and in this country is the presence of God's people that's where his mercy comes in toward us we are preserving the evil onslaught that is all around us if we're not doing that we're really worthless as far as God's purposes on earth were concerned if we're not consumed with his glory surrendered to his purpose and doing our job and staying back that course of evil what good are we so that's that's the end of chapter 9 that's the end of the narrative as Jesus gave these hard words to a general audience including kids now I want to close by giving you three overarching principles to apply as we take the Lord's Supper number one be purposeful about entering heaven that's overarching principle number one be purposeful about entering heaven notice that three times Jesus said it's so important that you enter into life even if you enter in maimed rather than go to health getting to heaven in any condition is better than going to hell your best condition be purposeful about entering heaven jesus said what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but he loses his own soul see that's what the cross is all about the cross of Jesus Christ that very event that we celebrate here tonight taking the Lord's Supper is about this truth no matter how made you are no matter how broken up you are by this world no matter how chewed up and spit out you feel you come just as you are he's been looking for you as we heard in the testimony he will receive you and by His grace and mercy he will use you come as you are be purposeful make sure that is your priority am i right with God be purposeful about entering heaven principle number two overarching principle number two be careful how you treat the fragile faith of young believers jesus said you know what get a millstone for some of these folks it'd be better because there's few things that disturb Jesus more than somebody hindering the impressionable faith of a young believer I think of all those college professors some of whom I sat under who made it their aim to undermine my faith to undermine your faith or false teachers that try to hinder or lead people astray the principle is that we must be very careful how we treat the fad fragile faith of young believers which means on a practical note that though I'm a believer and I have freedom in Christ and we love to tout the fact that we have Liberty and we can sort of do whatever we want and that's who I am before the Lord that's just who I am man don't judge me you know we love that kind of personal liberty Paul said all things are lawful for me but not all things build up or edify other other people so there's certain things I won't do simply because if some young believer sees me doing it it might entice them do something against their conscience before God let's just imagine that every now and then I get a hankering for a good old scotch whiskey and a cigarette at the local bar now I'll just say right off the bat I never do people ask me do you drink I drink as much as I want I don't want to so that's over but let's just say I have a hankering to do it and I say well I am free I can do whatever I want yes but then let's say you're walking by and you've struggled in that area of alcoholism and you take a double look as you look inside you go hey that's Pastor skip up there at the bar having that drink and smoking that cigarette and getting sort of a little loose around the edges honey you wouldn't believe who I saw tonight at the local bar as I walked by it was our pastor now maybe deep inside you felt this was wrong but suddenly by seeing my example I've been bold and you to sin against your conscience in the name of liberty and freedom I haven't considered you that's not very loving to you I should think through my actions as how that would be displayed what that would cause others to think so be purposeful about entering heaven be careful how you treat the fragile faith of young believers an overarching principle number three from this section be influential without being hostile be influential without being hostile the end of verse 50 says have salt in yourselves and have peace with one another the reason Jesus would say have peace with one another is because the disciples just had an argument about who would be the greatest in the kingdom that's why he had to bring the child up you a child in his example then launched into this diatribe and share what we've just read have peace with one another these disciples were getting salty with each other in their speech I'm the greatest no I'm the greatest no I'm the greatest jesus said have salt in yourselves but have peace with one another in other words be separate from the world but don't be separated from one another as brothers and sisters in Christ yeah be holy be separate be individual be bold be holy all that stuff but don't be puffed up with pride so as to be separated from one another be at peace with one another jesus said blessed are the peacemakers they will be called children of God we have to try even though it's not received and I can just tell you from personal experience there are some people you try to be at peace with no matter what you do not gonna happen not gonna happen you can try and the Bible says that you should try but the Bible also says it's not always going to happen Romans chapter 12 says if it's possible be at peace with all men as much as lies in you I'm glad it said if it's possible because I've tried to do it with some people they'll have none of it they make their own stories their own narrative it spins out of control but do your best do your utmost to bring peace between brother and sister so to sum it all up with this whole thing about cutting off and in cutting your hand your foot gouging etc be tough on yourself but be tender with others be tender with others you're going to have to set up regulations and restrictions to honor God in this world parameters of what you'll see and what you'll do and where you'll go and what you won't see or do and where you go in that case be tough on yourself but with others be tender and as much as lies in you be at peace with all men

Channel: Calvary Church with Skip Heitzig

Views: 2,852

Rating: 4.8431373 out of 5

Keywords: Calvary Church, Skip Heitzig, Mark, John the Baptist, John Mark, synagogue, missionary, New Testament, clergy, baptism, satan, devil, King of the Jews, kosher, law, disciples, Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John

Id: vVfnfy2QNX0

Length: 32min 20sec (1940 seconds)

Published: Wed Jul 11 2018