Mark 9: 38-50 New Living Translation 38 John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.” 39 “Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. 40 Anyone who is not against us is for us. 41 If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded. 42 “But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands. 45 If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’ 49 “For everyone will be tested with fire. 50 Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.” We live in very selfish and divided generation. People think of what is best and beneficial for themselves. The saddest part is that this includes the Church. We set aside the unity we should have in our Lord Jesus Christ and rather than being light in a dark world we bite and devour one another even as we were warned in scripture. 13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. Galatians 5:13-15
As Jesus followers our aim is for God's best. As new babes in Christ we learn what is good and bad and try and do good but in time we learn what is better and ultimately best not just for us but for the whole Church, the Body of Christ. Jesus warned them to aim for the better because it's better to spend eternity with Him having denied yourself on earth rather than indulging yourself on earth and paying for it for eternity. Good Works will never save us but they will reveal who we really are. Jesus said,"You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other." Let us do just that.
1 Comment
Alan Cruz
11/20/2016 11:08:25 pm
Amen! I enjoyed this passage and the summery of the leasson you told me in the youth room😇. Where we should be careful that we are not living for self. It is okay to be prideful, but prideful of being humble. It sounds funny when you say it but it is so true 😇 .
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