Fig Tree Object Lesson (Mark 11:12-22) I. INTRODUCTION You are listening to a message by Dr. David Wolfe at Bensenville Bible Church, a culturally mixed community on the outskirts of Chicago. Our study today comes from Mark’s Gospel, chap 11, vs 12-22. The focus is on a fig-tree that Jesus uses as an object lesson as to the spiritual make up of Israel. As Mark tells the story, Jesus approaches a fig tree with the intent of having a snack, (v12), but there are no figs. Seeing that there are no figs, Jesus does the oddest thing, He curses the tree to never bear again. Now a casual reading makes it appear that Jesus cursed the tree simply because He was hungry and He couldn’t have a fig. To add to the confusion, Mark tells us that it wasn’t even the season for figs. Seems a bit extreme, don’t you think, for Jesus to curse the fig tree because there simply was no figs?! Yet tucked in this story is an object lesson about God’s thoughts on empty spirituality that we need to process and apply to our own lives. To help us extract the lesson, we have to ask a couple of question, questions such as ‘Why did Jesus curse the fig tree in the first place?’ And why did He make a big deal that it never again produce fruit? I think inquiring minds would like some insight. Let’s take a moment and ask God to guide us as we wrestle with Jesus’ Fig Tree Object Lesson. Heavenly Father, we pray for your help as we study this thought provoking lesson. Keep us from error, open our eyes that we might learn, with the disciples, lessons from the fig tree that will help us stand faithfully in the midst our own nations decay. And we ask this in your Son’s name. Amen. II. THE STORY Open our Bibles to Mark 11:12-22 and follow along as I read the story of the cursed fig tree. 12 The next day, when they left Bethany, Jesus became hungry. 13 In the distance he saw a fig tree with leaves. He went to see if he could find any figs on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves because it wasn’t the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “No one will ever eat fruit from you again!” His disciples heard this. 15 When they came to Jerusalem, Jesus went into the temple courtyard and began to throw out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the moneychangers’ tables and the chairs of those who sold pigeons. 16 He would not let anyone carry anything across the temple courtyard. 17 Then he taught them by saying, “Scripture says, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a gathering place for thieves.” 18 When the chief priests and scribes heard him, they looked for a way to kill him. They were afraid of him because he amazed all the crowds with his teaching. 19 Every evening Jesus and his disciples would leave the city. 20 While Jesus and his disciples were walking early in the morning, they saw that the fig tree had dried up. 21 Peter remembered ⌊what Jesus had said⌋, so he said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has dried up.” 22 Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God! III. THE CONTEXT I don’t know about you, but this whole ‘fig tree thing’ is a mind twister. In fact, it seems to dominate everything from v11 to chap 13. If we are to make any sense out of this incident, we must absolutely grasp the context. The drama begins in v11, with Jesus scoops out temple activities. This is followed by an in-depth temple cleansing, and ending with the foretelling of the destruction of the temple in chap 13. The staggering truth of the fig tree is that it is about destruction, and stands in sharp contrast to the healings and transformative acts that have taken place previously. Jesus’ driving out the chaos in v15 graphically portrays God’s rejection of the culture surrounding the temple and looking forward to the coming destruction. [i] The incident is designed to picture the absence of true spirituality as set forth by God throughout the Old Testament. The point is, the fig tree became a visual object lesson as to the dangers of a lifeless spirituality. In Jesus day the temple had become a nationalistic symbol that drew a distinction between Israel and the nations. While at the same time it was never meant to be treated as a national shrine. Further, another twist to the drama is that in the Bible God uses the fig-tree and the grape vine routinely as metaphors for spirituality. For example, Hosea 9:10 (GW) ⌊The Lord said,⌋ “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert. When I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the first figs of the harvest. IV. THE SYMBOLISM OF THE FIGTREE Let’s take a moment wrestle with this withered up fig tree and its lesson on spirituality. I am told that in Israel, because of climate, etc., that it’s possible to harvest figs two or three times each year. Each harvest crop cycle goes through the same process. The tree first produces its fruit and then leaves form. So if you see a fig tree with its leaves, one can assume its figs have already grown. [ii] As Jesus and disciples meandered along the path, there’s a beautiful fig tree all filled out, giving the impression fruitfulness. So in application, the worship in the temple gave the impression of rich spirituality, when in actuality it was ceremonial empty. As Isaiah the prophet said in Isaiah 29:13 (NASB95) These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; they teach as ‘God’ doctrines the precepts of men. So when Jesus came to the Temple that day, what did He see? Based on v15, Alistair Begg points out that it was a place of total chaos, where the glory of God was to be obviously evident, and the prospect of living water and fruit brought satisfaction. But upon close examination, it was absolutely useless in terms of what it had to offer. [iii ] When Jesus cursed the fig-tree for its lack of figs, v14, Mark puts out for us that the disciples were listening. That’s is, they heard every word. Jumping down to vs19ff, 1 9 When evening came, they would go out of the city. 20 As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21 Being reminded, Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.” Don’t miss this: the barren fig tree is not reformed or cleansed, it is cursed. It’s barrenness represented the barrenness of Israel’s spirituality. As Jesus clearly says in John 15, when there is no fruit, destruction follows. To quote Ray Stedman, The cursing of the fig tree represented God’s cursing of the heart of this nation, because it had nothing but leaves. It appeared to have life, but in reality did not. It appeared to offer hope to men and women of the nations of earth. From all over the earth people were coming to the temple at Jerusalem, hoping to find an answer to the emptiness and the burden of their heart, but finding no help there at all. So Jesus cursed the spiritual center of the nation. [iv] In this story I believe there are two take away lessons that we need to pay close attention. A. Be Careful of False Spiritual Appearances. The first take-away-lesson of the fig tree is this—be careful of false spiritual appearances. Jesus cursed the fig tree because it had the appearance of seasonal fruitfulness. It was full. It was beautiful. Much like the worship in the temple. Full. Rich. Lots of pomp and circumstance. Jesus entered the temple, the center of Israel’s religious life, looking for prayerfulness, fruitfulness (v17), and what does He find? Empty Charades. Worship had become a shame. Alistair Begg writes: The barren fig tree, emblematic of a ceremonial, religious legalism that created the notion of satisfying the hungry heart—but when the people got up to it, there was nothing there to satisfy. And for some of us, that is all that we’ve known in our own worship settings: lots of ceremony and what might be called religious jargon. [v] Kent Hughs warns us that Just because we look good, because our leaves are large and shiny, does not mean that we are bearing fruit pleasing to God. This is a valuable image for us. [vi] Listen carefully: As the story unfolds, Mark adds a twist to the drama by telling us that it wasn’t the season for figs. Diane Shirlaw, in her blog writes: from the distance the tree appeared to be more advanced than the others, and made it seem at a distance to offer something substantial, but in actuality offered nothing but leaves. [vii] This tree was a vivid depiction of hypocritical spirituality. It had the appearance of substance, but in actuality was fruitless. Jesus had some sharp words for those who faked spirituality in Matthew 23:27–28 (GW) 2 7 “How horrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You are like whitewashed graves that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead people’s bones and every kind of impurity. 28 So on the outside you look as though you have God’s approval, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. In Jesus’ day tombs were often white-washed to make them look attractive to the passer-byer—but inside dead people’s bones and every kind of impurity. Donald Hagner, in his commentary writes: The fundamental flaw of the Pharisees, their hypocrisy, was in their concerted attempt to appear to be what they unfortunately were not. While they wanted to appear righteous, in fact they were unrighteous. [viii] . I lived for a number of years on a dairy farm. Every so often we would come and white-wash the walls. White-wash is mixture of lime and water to whiten the walls. [ix] It is designed to conceal flaws, imperfections, blemishes and manure splashes from the cows. When done, the walls look pearly white, sparkly clean, and beautiful. It gives the impression of nice clean barn walls. But on close inspection the flaws and manure spits from the cows can be seen. The White-wash does nothing more than to cover. A casual glance gave the appearance of cleanliness. But upon close inspection not so much. Mark makes it a point that it was not the season for figs, but the tree gave the appearance that it was the season. The point for us is that we need to be careful we don’t give those around us an appearance of fruitfulness, when in actuality we are no different than the culture in which we live. Underneath the fancy cloths and beautiful smiles is a barren life. Such portrayals are not acceptable to God. B. There Is A Way To Live That brings me to a second take away lesson—To live spirituality true takes real faith in God. Vs21–22 21 Being reminded, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. What a polar opposite conversation—withered dead tree vs faith in God. It only makes sense when we keep the events in context. I love how Ray Stedman lays it out: Jesus was not telling Peter and us the secret of how to curse fig trees; Instead He is telling Peter and us the secret of how to live so as not to be cursed. [x] We don’t want to miss what Jesus was telling the disciples. The nation of Israel was cursed because they had lost faith in God. In their worship they were too busy mimicking the meaningless rituals of the nation’s around them and caught up in performance, which produced a religious glaze, if you well, that glossed over their inward emptiness. And so, like the tree Jesus cursed, they were withered from the roots up. The point Jesus is making is, to keep from being spiritually withered, we need an active faith in God. I believe the point Mark wanted us to get a hold of is that, despite the withered up fig tree (a picture of Israel’s own spiritual decay), we are called to center our faith in God, not ceremonial pomp and circumstances that often occur in our churches. V. TRUTHS THAT SHAPE OUR LIVES This incident should cause us to examine our own spiritual behavior. In closing I want to leave us with two challenges for the week. A. Heart Of Worship Years ago Matt Redman wrote a song entitled The Heart of Worship. [xi] The song flowed out of a ministry moment. As Matt Redman tells it: In the late 1990s, the preaching pastor at his church in Watford, England sensed that their worship gatherings were going flat spiritually, that the congregation was going through the motions, and worship wasn’t flowing from the heart like true Christian worship must. “There was a dynamic missing,” says Redman , “so the pastor did a pretty brave thing. He decided to get rid of the sound system and band for a season, and we gathered together with just our voices. His point was that we’d lost our way in worship, and the way to get back to the heart would be to strip everything away.” [xii] The point is, when we worship . . . We’re to bring to God more than a song For a song in itself Is not what God requires For God searches much deeper within Through the way things appear Looking deep within our hearts “The heart of worship is not music and song, but heads and hearts in joyful awe of the real Jesus.” So I must ask, to what degree is your spirituality, my spirituality, our spirituality together built on performance and music rather than heart felt worship? B. The Centrality Of Faith That brings us to v22 where Peter is astounded by the withered up fig tree. Jesus’ answered Peter . . . if you want to live, really live, you have to have faith in God!! Reading Jesus’ response caused me to reflect for a moment on Hebrews 11:6 (NASB95) And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Faith is rooted in our 100% belief that God exists. If we don’t have total trust in His existence, we don’t have faith. It is impossible to please God without having faith that He exists and will reward those who seek Him. As Bruce Barton reminds us in his commentary, real faith begins in the heart. To have a strong, vibrant, living faith requires a personal relationship with the risen Christ. Jesus is Lord; we are his disciples. We are being called to move beyond the veneer and trappings of Christianity to genuine faith in Christ. Faith puts fruit on our trees; it fills life’s shell with love forever. [xiii] To have faith is to know God. John 17:3 (NASB95) “ This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. Real genuine faith is rooted in a real genuine knowledge of God that is rooted in absolute trust. As we are told in Galatians 3:6 (NASB95) A braham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. And that my friends is absolutely true. Would you join me now in prayer? Heavenly Father, thank you that Your Word demands the best of us—that at its very core, when we stand back from it, it presents a wonderful picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we stand up close to the scriptures and examine the details, we find much to be challenged by it. That it makes demands upon our thinking. May we not be like the fig tree, robust and full on the outside, but empty and barren on the inside. As we come to the Lord’s Table may our lives be enriched, and we sense the wonder of Your forgiveness given to us in Christ Jesus. Transition To Communion I would like today’s communion to be a response to our hearing God’s Word today. This is really meant to be a special thing for us as a culturally mixed body of believers. Communion is meant to be a communal experience, not a private alone. This is probably going to be a little awkward for us, but here are our instructions: We’ll pass out the bread and the cup the normal way. Pastor Ricardo will read 1 Corinthians 11:23–24 (NASB95) and then lead in prayer. Then we’ll open the packet with bread, then please turn to the person next to you and say to them The body of Christ, broken for you . . . then the person next to you will repeat . . . the body of Christ broken for you . . . then we eat the bread together We’ll do the same with the cup. I will read 1 Corinthians 11:25-26 and lead in prayer. Then we’ll remove the seal and you’ll turn to the person next to you and say to them This is the blood of Christ, poured out for you . . . then the person next to you will repeat . . . This is the blood of Christ, poured out for you . . . then we’ll drink the cup together. As we come to the table of our Lord we’ll now pass the ‘elements’. Pastor Ricardo Scripture & Prayer: 1 Corinthians 11:23–24 23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” The body of Christ, broken for you Pastor Dave Scripture & Prayer: 1 Corinthians 11:25-26 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (ESV) The blood of Christ, poured out for you [i] David E. Garland, Mark , The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996), 436. [ii] Diane Shirlaw-Ferreira, Lessons From the Cursed FigTree –Why Did Jesus Curse The Fig Tree and the Fascinating Answer! (Mark 11:11-14, 20-25) https://www.worthbeyondrubies.com/why-did-jesus-curse-the-fig-tree/ [iii] Alistair Begg, Lessons From The Fig-Tree (Mark 11:11-25, Pt1), https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/sermon/lessons-fig-tree-part-one/ [iv] Ray Stedman, The King Is Coming (Mark 11:1-25), https://www.raystedman.org/new-testament/mark/the-king-is-coming [v] Alistair Begg, Lessons From The Fig-Tree (Mark 11:11-25, Pt1), https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/sermon/lessons-fig-tree-part-one/ [vi] R. Kent Hughes, Mark: Jesus, Servant and Savior , vol. 2, Preaching the Word (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1989), 86–87. [vii] Diane Shirlaw-Ferreira, Lessons From the Cursed FigTree –Why Did Jesus Curse The Fig Tree and the Fascinating Answer! (Mark 11:11-14, 20-25) https://www.worthbeyondrubies.com/why-did-jesus-curse-the-fig-tree/ [viii] Donald A. Hagner, Matthew 14–28 , vol. 33B, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1995), 671. [ix] https://duckduckgo.com/?q=white+washed&atb=v241-1&ia=definition . A mixture of lime and water, often with whiting, size, or glue added, that is used to whiten walls, fences, or other structures. Concealment or palliation of flaws or failures. Whitewash, or calcimine, kalsomine, calsomine, or lime paint is a type of paint made from slaked lime or chalk calcium carbonate, sometimes known as "whiting". Various other additives are sometimes used. [x] Ray Stedman, The King Is Coming (Mark 11:1-25), https://www.raystedman.org/new-testament/mark/the-king-is-coming [xi] Matt Redman, The Heart Of Worship, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/michaelwsmith/theheartofworship.html [xii] David Mathis, Back To The Heart Of Worship, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/back-to-the-heart-of-worship [xiii] Bruce B. Barton, Mark , Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1994), 319.

36- The King Visits His Father's House (Mark 11:1-11)

34 - Living In Servitude (Mark 10:32-45)

33 - The Man and His Riches Watches Eternal Life Slip through His Fingers Like Dry Sand. (Mark 10:17-31

The Kingdom Of Heaven Is For Those Who Are Child-like (Mark 10:13-16) I. INTRODUCTION Hello. This is Dr. David Wolfe, one of the pastors at Bensenville Bible Church. Thank you for joining us. Our study today comes from Mark’s Gospel, chap 10, vs13-16. This event is also recorded in Matthew 19:13-15 and in Luke 18:15-17. Mark tells us in V13 that the local people were bringing children to Jesus . . . In Luke’s gospel we are told that it wasn’t just children, it also included infants. The point is, as Kent Hughes observes, the Gospel narrative is telling us that Jesus places children as young as babies on par with adults, and lifts up their faith as something to be sought after. [i] In summary, Jesus was pointing out for us that for the Kingdom of Heaven to become our reality, we must have the mindset of a child. In that context I have entitled our study—The Kingdom Of Heaven Is For Those Who Are Child-like Let’s take a moment and ask God to help us move beyond our cultural views of little children and infants. “Heavenly Father, thank you for this time you’ve given us to open your Word. I pray that we will be responsive to Your Word for us today. And that like little children we will obey the truth given, and not quibble with it or delay our response to it. Thank you for the clarity, encouragement and hope Your Word brings. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.” II. CONTEXT As we delve into vs13-16 there are a couple of highlights worth mentioning. Though our focus is on Mark’s account, we will also keep in mind Matthew and Luke’s record. A. Two Stories—Children & Rich Young Ruler—Meant To be Studied Together First, as we delve into these four verses, we need to keep in mind that Mark intends Jesus’ encounter with the children to stand in stark contrast to the story of the Rich Young Ruler that follows in vs17-31. These two events serve as bookends to v16 where we’re told that Jesus took the children into His arms and began blessing them. We will not grasp the fullness of either story without the other. Jesus is placing the faith of children in stark contrast to the money, riches and the pursuit of wealth highlighted by the Rich Young Ruler’s lifestyle. B. The Value Of Children In God’s Eyes Second, in these four verses Jesus places great value on children. Ray Stedman sees Jesus’ blessing of the children as the Children’s Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights for Children if you please, that would be for children everywhere in the world. Jesus is highlighting little children as an object lesson of great spiritual significance. [ii] C. Hope In A Child’s Death A third observation that is worth noting is that in these verses we are given some insight as to what happens to infants that die--a huge issue for those who have given birth, only to lose their child, whether in the womb or out of the womb. [iii] D. Overall Context And lastly, as we take a closer look at these verses, it is helpful to remember two basic lines of thought that flow through Mark’s Gospel. First, Mark’s Gospel is following Jesus through the eyes of Peter. The events recorded capture the most significant life changing Peter moments with Jesus. Jesus’ interaction with the children had a huge impact on Peter’s physic, as well as the other 11 disciples. He was being shown that young children and infants were more than irritants. They had huge value as person’s, whether in the womb or out of the womb. Jesus is giving a huge lesson on Kingdom of God citizenship. Second, we must also keep foremost in our minds that what Mark describes here is a continued unfolding of the message of the Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus preached. When it comes to Kingdom issues, children have a profound worth. III. THE BLESSING As we unpack these verses, we need to ask ourselves: what lesson did Jesus want for His disciples to learn that would shape their lives and our lives as Kingdom messengers? The story opens in v13 with Mark telling us that the people were bringing children to Jesus so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. In Luke’s account it wasn’t just children, but infants were also being brought to Jesus. [iv] We can imagine a long line of people, not necessarily in an orderly fashion, bringing their children to Jesus. With each one, or perhaps two or three at a time, Jesus would take them into His arms, stroking their heads, lift His eyes to heaven as was His habit, and bless them. The line must have been massive. V13 tells us that the disciples were irritated by what was happening and ‘began’ rebuking the fathers and mothers, ie., turning them away. In their own way, it would appear that they were trying to protect Jesus. It was as if they had the idea that there were better things for Jesus to do other than cuddle children. For them, blessing children was an insult to Jesus’ dignity. [v] John MacArthur points out for us that the religious worldview of the disciples was that children had no place in their system of religious thought, no place before God until they became gown-ups where they could do things needed to gain God’s favor. [vi] And by-the-way, this was not the first time that the disciples sought to interfere with the message of the Gospel of the Kingdom by sending people away. They did this with hungry crowds in Matthew 14:15ff, and with the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21. However, V14, Jesus would have none of their seeming ‘acts of mercy.’ In fact, Mark tells us that Jesus, upon seeing what the disciples were doing, became indignant. That’s another way of saying that Jesus became very angry with His disciples when He realized what they were doing. This would be a good place to highlight the Gk word indignant . It’s a word filled with great negative emotion. Jesus was really angry with His disciples. The point for us, as Kent Hughs points out, is that the things which grieve us or tick us off, or irritate us reveal much about the kind of people we are. And what Jesus said and did here tells us volumes about Him. [vii] For Jesus, this was only one of many righteous outrage moments. To say the least, Jesus was angry hot, and made it plain to His disciples that He disapproved of their actions. Basically He blurted out, "Don't do that; stop it! Let the children come unto me; for to such as these belongs the kingdom of God." Remember back in chap 9:34, in the midst of Jesus’ explaining His coming death on the cross, the disciples were actually carrying on a private discussion as to which of them was the greatest. This whole greater-than-you-attitude now pops out again with their handling the crowds wanting Jesus to bless the little ones. In Luke’s account Jesus over-rules the disciple’s interference by calling the parents back, and to keep bringing their children to Him. As He was want to do, Jesus turns the negative moment into a powerful teaching moment. And in rebuking the disciples, Jesus rebuked their self-righteous-better-than-thou attitudes. The point for us to consider is, in the Gospel narrative, there is a place for anger. According to Ephesians 4:26 we are told, to be angry and sinned not. What Paul is telling us here is that there is a place for the emotional anger. The problem for us is, what do we do with our anger. Jesus uses His anger to bring transformation, not destruction of lives and property. Back to v14, what was the issue at hand that the people, the disciples, and us need to know? The key is caught up in the phrase, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Don’t miss what Jesus said—the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these little ones. His point, Infants and little children have a place in the Kingdom of God. That’s part of the message of the Gospel of the Kingdom. Infants, in the womb or out of the womb have supreme value in the eyes of God. Ray Stedman points out that this was a highly significant moment—that is, children have a huge part in God’s program. Ray Stedman writes, You cannot read this without seeing how attractive Jesus must have been to children. They loved Him immediately, and wanted to come to him. And He indicates here clearly that it is easy to come to Jesus when you are a child. He is the one they needed above anyone else. More than anything else, like the children we also need Jesus above anything and anyone else. This is what Jesus is saying. The one thing adults ought to concern themselves about, with respect to children, is to get out of the way and let them come to Jesus, and not to put roadblocks in their path, obstacles arising out of our own selfishness, but to let children come. [viii] V15, Jesus drives His point home— “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” Jesus says there is a child quality that we need to have a focus on. However, He doesn’t elaborate what receiving the kingdom of God like a child might be. He leaves that up for us to figure out. We need to note that when Jesus speaks about receiving the kingdom of God like a child, I do not believe He is referring to innocence as the quality for entering into the Kingdom of God. Children are not born in innocence and they are not without sin, even in their early years when they are so cute. Make a note of this, innocence is not the qualifying factor for entering God’s kingdom. If it were, none of us would qualify. There are no innocence people, whether adults or infants. In fact, Romans 3 tells us that there are none that are good, not even one (Romans 3:10-18). Children are born in sin (Psalm 51:5). They need Jesus as their Savior as much as any adult does. IV. TRUTHS THAT SHAPE OUR LIVES So let’s pause here and put our thinking caps on. By Jesus’ burst of anger, we clearly see that Jesus loves and cares for children. And second, in the teaching moment, Jesus affirms and marks infants, whether in the womb or out of the womb, as persons and spiritually adept. In saying, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these, Jesus affirms their full spiritual temperament. I came across a great story by Steven Cole about an encounter that Luis Palau had with a child. He was in Bolivia for one of his crusades. As the story goes . . . Luis Palau started his day with a breakfast where he shared Jesus with a number of top government officials, and looking forward to a luncheon with the Bolivian President. At mid-morning, he was in the middle of a press conference in his hotel room when there was a knock on the door. A team member walked in with a small Bolivian girl, about eleven, who had seen Palau on TV and was anxious to talk to him. As Palau tells it, he felt a bit irritated with the team member for bringing this girl into his room in the middle of a press conference. But he greeted the girl, picked up a book, signed it, and gave it to her saying “Lord bless you, sweetheart.” He then began to usher her to the door. She took two steps, looked back, and said confidently, “Mr. Palau, I came because I really wanted to receive Jesus into my heart.” What a powerful moment for Mr. Palau. He was caught totally off guard. He immediately dismissed the newsmen, sat down, and led that little girl to Jesus. [ix] Vs 14-15 are stand out verses for us when it comes to Kingdom of God thinking— 14 . . . do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” Here are a number of take-a-ways for us: A. First, in these verses Jesus helps us work through the death of an infant, whether in the womb or out of the womb. Infants are a great illustration of those who enter the kingdom . . . they can do absolutely nothing to earn it. Remember, Jesus came preaching the good news about the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15). The Kingdom of God is the sphere in which God rules over those who belong to Him. It’s the spiritual domain in which souls exist under His special care. Jesus did not say that Infants, little children, will possess the kingdom of God if they are baptized. He simply says the Kingdom of God belongs to them. John MacArthur helps us here. What we’re saying here is that babies, when they are babies, before they reach a point in time when before God they become accountable for believing or not believing, are under special divine care. They have a place of care in His kingdom. He doesn’t say elect babies are in the kingdom, as some would espouse, and non-elect babies are not. He doesn’t say that. He doesn’t say elect babies being in the kingdom will go to heaven; non-elect babies not being in the kingdom will go to hell. He doesn’t say that. He simply says categorically babies are in the kingdom, the kingdom belongs to them. [x] The point is, until children can consciously follow the intents of their heart which is morally corrupt and evil [xi] (Mark 7) they belong to the Kingdom of God because of God’s grace. Until they come of age, they are not responsible for their spiritual choices between sin and righteousness because they are utterly helpless to make any kind of choice. When an infant, a little child dies, they receive salvation at the point of death only because of God’s sovereign grace. B. Second, in these verses Jesus hammers home the condition of one’s heart/mindset for entering into the Kingdom of God. No one will get into the Kingdom of God unless he or she receives God’s salvation like a child—absolutely no one! This is huge for us. How are we to understand and apply this? Jesus is not talking about innocence. And I don’t think He is talking about such things as trust, receptivity, simplicity, or wonder, . . . as amazing as these qualities might be in a little child. [xii] When Jesus highlights receiving the kingdom of God like a child, He has in mind helpless dependence-- regardless of race, culture, or background, every child is helplessly dependent. In the words of Kent Hughes, Every single child in the world is absolutely, completely, totally, objectively, subjectively, existentially helpless! And so it is with every child who is born into the Kingdom of God. Children of the Kingdom ones for whom everything must be done enter it helpless,. [xiii] That is the point of the Gospel of the Kingdom. Without the news of Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection, there is no hope. We come to God not on our terms, but with nothing to offer as an infant. In the words of the song Rock of Ages by Augustus Toplady Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling; Naked, come to Thee for dress: Helpless, look to Thee for grace. [xiv] The question we must all answer, Have you, have I come to Jesus like this? Jesus also makes a note in Matthew 18:3-4 that Helpless dependence nurtures an attitude of humility. 3 “Truly I say to you, unless you are transformed and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Robert Stein sums this up like this: "Jesus did not say that God’s kingdom belongs “to these” but “to such as these.” Luke 18:17 (NASB95) “ Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” Jesus was appealing to a quality possessed by little children that is essential for entering God’s kingdom. That quality is to come to Him with an attitude of helpless dependence, like an infant or small child who lacks anything to boast of and therefore can make no claim on God (cf. Lk 18:9–14 ; Matt 18:4 ), [xv] C. Further, as a side note, in the formative years of infants, little children, come with a ‘follow thru attitude’. In addition, by nature children respond to what they are taught. In general they put it into prompt and immediate action. They do not delay, wait, or even say, Hold on, I have to think this over, like us adults have a habit of doing. If you tell the child something, or they see something being done, they will do it without delay. This principle is huge in light of the story that follows with The Rich Young Ruler. Hudson Taylor, the pioneer missionary to China, scrawled this note as he neared the end of his life: “I am so weak that I cannot work; I cannot read my Bible; I cannot even pray. I can only lie still in God’s arms like a child . . . helpless dependence. [xvi] . I found a poem that says it well Make me, O Lord, to be a child again, So tender, frail, and small, in self possessing nothing, and in You possessing all. O Savior, make me small once more, that downward I may grow, and in this heart of mine restore the faith of long ago. With thee may I be crucified-No longer I that lives- O Savior, crush my sinful pride by grace which pardon gives. Make me, O Lord, a child again, Obedient to Your call, In self possessing nothing, and in You possessing all. [xvii] And that my friends is absolutely true. Let’s close in prayer …Heavenly Father, We pray that we will be responsive to this word. That like little children we come as helpless dependence on the life and work of Jesus, who took our just judgement, exchanging His righteousness for our unrighteousness. May those who hear this message bow in hopeless dependence on you, accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Amen. Well, as you go this week, keep ever in mind that infants, little children are of supreme importance to God. The greatest ministry we can have is to lovingly evangelize our children. That should be our life’s priority because when children reach the ability to choose sin or righteousness, they become stewards of their lives. Because their hearts are corrupt, they will gravitate to do evil. Without Jesus they are lost. That’s all for today. Don’t forget, In the midst of the swirling difficulties, God is walking with you. Remember we offer Live-worship on Sundays on Facebook and YouTube. And BTW, we are going to open up for worship gatherings beginning Sunday, May 2 nd . If you are hesitant about being with a crowd, I invite you to continue worshiping with us from the comfort and security of your home with FaceBook and YouTube. If you would like to contribute to this ministry, go to our website: Bensenvillebiblechurch.com, click on the Donation Drop down and pick your donation preference. Looking forward to meeting up with you again at next week’s posting. May God bless you this coming week. [i] R. Kent Hughes, Mark: Jesus, Servant and Savior , vol. 2, Preaching the Word (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1989), 56. [ii] Ray Stedman, The Plight Of The Over Privileged (Mark 10:13-31), https://www.raystedman.org/new-testament/mark/the-plight-of-the-overprivileged [iii] Cf., John MacAthur, Why Jesus Blessed The Little Children (Mark 10:13-16), https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/41-50/why-jesus-blessed-the-little-children [iv] (plural of paidíon were “infants” (plural of bréphos, Luke 18:15). [v] https://www.preceptaustin.org/mark-10-commentary#10:16 , Swete says, “discouraged the attempt as idle or, more probably, as derogatory to the Master’s dignity.” (Mark Commentary) [vi] John MacAthur, Why Jesus Blessed The Little Children (Mark 10:13-16), https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/41-50/why-jesus-blessed-the-little-children [vii] R. Kent Hughes, Mark: Jesus, Servant and Savior , vol. 2, Preaching the Word (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1989), 56. [viii] Ray Stedman, The Plight Of The Over Privileged (Mark 10:13-31), https://www.raystedman.org/new-testament/mark/the-plight-of-the-overprivileged [ix] Steven Cole, https://www.preceptaustin.org/mark-10-commentary#10:16 [x] John MacAthur, Why Jesus Blessed The Little Children (Mark 10:13-16), https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/41-50/why-jesus-blessed-the-little-children [xi] “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked and who can know it?” These are little sinners. Balled up in that little, precious, infant bundle is the full corruption of fallen humanity in its totality. The Bible is absolutely clear that all children are sinners from conception, Psalm 51, the principle of iniquity is embedded in their persons. Mark 7, “It’s not what comes to a person from the outside that defiles him, it’s what comes up from the inside that defiles.” The defilement is inherent, it’s on the inside. It’s embedded. Iniquity is embedded in the fabric of their lives.The idea that children are sort of born as morally neutral is not true - is not true. They are morally corrupt and irresistibly bent toward sin. They are not neutral. They are corrupt. It just takes a while for them to reach the place where they can make the choices that evidence that corruption. There has been a view through church history that children are morally innocent and morally pure until they choose to sin. That’s Pelagianism, still around in the form of semi-Pelagianism or Arminianism, and it says we don’t have to sin; when we do sin, that’s when we fall.By the way, that view was denounced as heresy after the death of Pelagius. We are not born innocent, we are born guilty of Adam’s sin, and we are born corrupt, having inherited Adam’s nature. Proverbs 22:15 , “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child” or Genesis 8:21 , “The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth,” and youth in the Hebrew is the word for childhood and encompasses infancy, from the very get-go. Isaiah 48:8 , “I know that you would deal very treacherously and were called a transgressor from the womb.” So all are conceived and born infected with sin, corrupt motives, attitudes, desires, ambitions, and objectives. [xii] R. Kent Hughes, Mark: Jesus, Servant and Savior , vol. 2, Preaching the Word (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1989), 59. [xiii] Ibid. [xiv] Augustus Toplady, Rock of Ages, https://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Rock_of_Ages/ [xv] Robert Stein, https://www.preceptaustin.org/mark-10-commentary#10:16 [xvi] Joanie Yoder, Hug Of The Heart, Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. — Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved ). https://www.preceptaustin.org/mark-10-commentary#10:16 [xvii] Keith Davis, https://theseed.info/sermon.php?id=243

31 - The Divorce Dilemma (Pt 2) - (Mark 10:9-12)

30 - The Divorce Dilemma (Pt1) (Mark 10:1-9)

Four Radical Life Choices (Mark 9:42-50) I. INTRODUCTION Hello. This is Dr. David Wolfe, one of the pastors at Bensenville Bible Church. Thank you for joining us. We’re looking forward to the day when we can gather again without covid restrictions. And it appears that time is not too far in the distance. When that time comes, I invite you to join us as my guest at 280 S. York Rd., in Bensenville. Our study today comes from Mark’s Gospel, chap 9, vs42-50. I’ve entitled our study Four Radical Life Choices As we read these verses, Jesus and Disciple Team are still in Capernaum at Peter and Andrew’s home. A lot of adventure has taken place here—For example, 1:30-31, the healing of Peter’s mother, 2:1-12 their roof being torn wide open for the healing of the paralytic, just to mention a few. Jesus now focuses in on four radical life choices that reflect Kingdom of God living. Let’s take a moment and ask God to open our minds to Kingdom of God life choices. “Heavenly Father, thank you for this time you’ve given us to open your Word. Help us to get a grasp of our calling to be radical about our choices. Thank you for the clarity, encouragement and hope Your Word brings. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.” II. BRIDGING THE CONTEXT Well, lets open our Bibles to Mark 9:42-50. In these verses Jesus gives His disciples, and us, four life choices that characterize citizens of the Kingdom of God. In the opening chapter of Mark, we are told that Jesus came proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom of God; repent and believe in the gospel (1:14-15). What I want us to get a grip on is, what we are looking at today is part of the message of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. As we read the verses at hand, you’ll notice that in some of your Bibles, vs44, 46 are either missing, or bracketed, or footnoted. That is because in key manuscripts these two verses do not occur. However, v48 does quote the missing verses (vs44, 46). I think we can assume that in history past some scribe saw the importance of v48, and decided to doubled down, to make sure we don’t miss what’s being said. [i] Anyway, follow along as I read for us the verses God would have for us to focus on. 42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe [in Me] to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea. 43 “If your hand causes you to lose your faith, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life disabled than to have two hands and go to hell, to the fire that cannot be put out. 45 If your foot causes you to lose your faith, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47 If your eye causes you to lose your faith, tear it out! It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. 48 In hell worms that eat the body never die, and the fire is never put out. 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how will you restore its flavor? Have salt within you, and live in peace with one another.” Mark 9:42–50 (GW) Talk about a mental tsunami!!! Jesus is laying out some really mind boggling stuff. Stuff like hanging millstones around necks, drowning people in the sea, cutting off hands and feet and plucking out eyes, about Hell in terms of fire that will not be quenched and worms that do not die, and then being salted with fire. In short, Jesus is telling His disciples that the gospel of the Kingdom is a call for serious radical behavior. Mark this down, to be a Jesus Follower is a call to deviate from what we have come to accept as normal. The Gospel of the Kingdom is a call to a fervent life style. III. FOUR LIFE CHOICES In these verses Jesus lays out four life choices—Don’t be a stumbling block to other Jesus Followers, Strive for purity with fervency, live faithfully, and live sacrificially. Let’s take a closer look at each of these life choices. A. Don’t Be A Stumbling Block The first one comes in V42, Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea. The first life choice for living in the Kingdom of God is choose not to be a stumbling block to other Jesus Followers. [ii] Remember, the disciples are struggling with prideful hearts, of greatness, of being top-dog over others. When we come to v42, Jesus is still holding a little child mentioned in vs36-37. He now drills down, telling His Followers to be careful how they minister. Jesus tells us that the consequences of leading another Jesus Follower astray is not healthy. It would be better for such a person to have a heavy millstone hung around their neck, and cast into the sea. Kent Hughes captivates what’s being said as particularly horrifying—being cast into the sea with no escape, struggling, and then hanging motionless in the darkness, hidden from life and the world. Jesus used the most graphic terms to make the point that it would be better to be drowned than to cause humble believers (“little ones”) who served him to fall into sin! [iii] The warning is harsh. God has a problem with how we treat one another. Psalm 105:15 (NASB95) “Do not touch My anointed ones.” Hebrews 10:31 (NASB95) It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. [iv] Listen so carefully, as citizens of the Kingdom of God, God holds anyone who implores another believer into sin accountable. It’s bad news to anyone who participates in spiritual seduction—from the Joseph Smiths, Jim Joneses, David Bergs, and Shirley MacLaines to modern day smooth talkers. There is a double woe to all who stand in pulpits and redefine scripture with empty words. Jumping back to Mark 9:37 (NASB95) “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.” The point being, how we treat another believer is how we relate to Jesus, and how we relate to Jesus is how we relate to God [v] . Mark this down. The warning applies to any believer, who because of their elitist attitudes, entices another to sinful thinking, to sinful behavior, it would be better that such a person be buried in the deepest sea with no possibility of return. As citizens of the Kingdom of God, we are called to ‘walk uprightly’ in our relationships with other Jesus Followers. B. Second, Strive For Personal Purity Our second choice comes in Vs43–48 (NASB95) 43 “If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, 45 “If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, 47 “If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, 48 where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED. Here our choice for living in the Kingdom of God is to be aggressive as to our personal purity. Jesus’ words are radical, harsh, severe—seeming to actual suggest the removal of a hand, or a foot, or even an eye. We need to point out here that Jesus is not talking about a literal mutilation of body parts as some have interpreted it, but a calling for a radical lifestyle of purity. In striving for personal purity, we need to be on our guard less we entice others into sin by our hands (that would be what we do), by our feet (that would be where we go), and by our eyes (that would be what we look at). Jesus’ point is, we must aggressively be on-guard as to sin. He is talking about a mutilation of the sins that swirl around in all of our hearts. Sins that our culture gravitates to. What sort of sins does Jesus have in mind to guard against? Mark 7:14, 20-23 (NASB95) evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. 23 “All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.” James 1:14–15 (NASB95) Sinful behavior is the product of lust conceiving in the heart and bringing forth sin actions. As Jesus Followers, these sins place all of us in a state constant war within ourselves (Galatians 5:17 (NASB95) We are not to be lackadaisical when it comes to sin. Paul captures this in Romans 8:13 (NASB95) by the Spirit ‘we are called’ to put to death the deeds of the body, ‘if you do’ you will live. In context, the point being, we are to, as John Owen states it in his book entitled Of The Mortification of Sin in Believers, to be about killing sin or it will be killing you! [vi] In the words of John Piper, “Killing sin is not optional. This is a mortal combat: Sin dies or we die. We are to refuse to settle in with sin.” [vii] Colossians 3:5 (NASB95) Consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. These gory metaphors of cutting off one’s hand, foot, or eye tell us that halfway measures of dealing with sin just will not do it. We must be decisive and complete—as serious and final as a hand or foot or eye cast upon the floor. [viii] The fight against sin depends entirely on how valuable the Kingdom of God is to us. We are faced with a choice, it’s either sacrifice the pleasures of the heart or suffer the consequences of being cast into hell, v48, where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED. The reference to hell in vs43, 45, 47 points to the disastrous consequence of not dealing with sin. In keeping with the metaphor of severe traumatic sacrifices, ‘their worm does not die’ points to an eternal existence of remorse, regrets, over the grace rejected. And the fire is not quenched points to a state of eternal excruciating torment. David Guzik highlights for us that the message of Jesus was clear: knowing how terrible hell is, it is worth any sacrifice to avoid. Therefore, we cannot think of the kingdom of God just in the context of reward; we must also think in terms of ongoing sacrifice and victory. [ix] Therefore . . . 2 Corinthians 7:1 (NASB95) let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. The point being for us, we need to be living actively in a cleansing mode, ridding ourselves of impurities, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. The choice for us is either holiness in the eternal Kingdom of God or an eternal dwelling in hell C. Third, Live Faithfully The third life choice comes in Vs49 49 “For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt and fire were very much part of the Temple sacrifices. [x] 1. Salt is a preservative, suggesting endurance. When God makes use of this metaphor, He is urging us to be faithful despite how circumstances appear on the surface because His Word is absolutely sure. So our third life choice is we choose to go for the long haul. According to Leviticus 2 salt was added to sacrifices as a symbol of God’s covenant. V13, ‘Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt. The salt of the covenant of God reminds us that God is a covenant keeping God. A reminder of His enduring faithfulness. In application our lives are to be lived out in the midst of the crucible of life enmeshed in the promises of God over the long haul. For in those promise we find our durability and endurance. Romans 15:4 (NASB95) For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 2. Fire is symbolic of hardship, trials, testing, persecution. The picture is that Jesus Followers are going to find their commitments tested by fire. 1 Peter 1:6–7 (NASB95) 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; In an article entitled Walking Together in God’s Promises by Monte Hammer, The refiner of gold heated the gold until it melted and dross rose to the top. The refiner scraped off the dross and continued to heat the gold until more dross rose to the top, and he scraped it off again. When the refiner saw his face reflected in the gold, he turned down the heat, for the gold had been refined – purified. [xi] How we endure those trials demonstrates the value to which we hold to the Kingdom of God (Matthew 13). As we see God at work through trials, He is using them for our good (James 1:2-4). Our faith grows stronger, giving us the ability to go the distance. Salt brings savoring in the midst of those trials, preserving us in the midst of the warfare. Brent Kercheville points out for us that that salt is our unwavering allegiance to Jesus and the gospel in the midst of fiery trials. It is in the trials that we put off the old self and put on the new self (Ephesians 4:22-24). [xii] D. Fourth, Live Sacrificially The fourth life choice comes in v50, 50 “Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” Here the choice for living in the Kingdom of God living a sacrificial life, which has a preserving impact on our decaying culture. Because salt symbolizes durability, endurance, preservative, and is meant to remind us that God is a covenant keeping God, so we are called to actively season our lives with preserving power of His faithfulness and maintain a flaming passion for the Kingdom of God in our lives. [xiii] In application, our lives are to be lived out enmeshed into the promises of God. For in those promise we find our durability and endurance. Romans 15:4 (NASB95) For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Kent Hughes points out for us that the promises of God ought to quicken the conscience, elevate conversation, restrain ethical corruption, promote honesty, and raise the moral atmosphere of society. [xiv] Me thinks that one of our problems, as Jesus Followers, is that we are losing our saltiness. Because we are not killing the swirl of sins within us, sin is diluting our faith commitment, causing us to lose our distinctness in our culture, weakening our preservative qualities. In context, the disciples have been busy discussing whose the greatest. Jesus is telling them, Stop fighting amongst yourselves. Stop striving to elevate over each other. Stop this ongoing g competition between each other. Stop inciting each other to prideful temptation. [xv] It was all of those attitudes that were diluting their saltiness. In Matthew 5:13 (NASB95) Jesus told them that they/we are the salt of the earth . . . the point is, as Jesus Followers, we are the only hope that our culture has for spiritual influence. There is no other spiritual salt preservative for our culture. As we wrap up these four life choices, notice the last part of v50. Jesus closes it off with these words: Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another. I take that if we are to be at peace with one another, each of us must be salty. If the disciples had the “salt” in themselves, then they would not be arguing about who would be the greatest in kingdom of God (9:34). Jesus is telling them that they must not allow the salt within them to be made useless by their wrangling over position and concerns of this world. [xvi] To have salt in ourselves means that we have within us those qualities that promote truth, kindness, peace, joy, etc., within the body of Christ, putting us at peace with one another. IV. TRUTHS THAT SHAPE OUR LIVES Let’s pause here and reflect on these four radical life choices that Jesus says are central to the gospel of the Kingdom. 1. First, Don’t be a stumbling block, ie., inciting other Jesus’ Followers to sin in their actions and relationships. 2. Second, Be radical about killing the sins of the heart--enhanced by our hands(what we do), by our feet (where we go), and by our eyes (what we see). That may mean we have to change our music tastes, magazine choices, theater attendance, and the use of the internet library, to mention a few. 3. Third, we commit to the long haul of walking with God. Steven Cole points out for us that many obey God as long as it gets them what they want out of life, but if they have to go through extended trials, forget it. When we peel it all away, it’s really self, not God, we are serving. But righteous people walk with God, which means obedience over the long haul, in spite of opposition or trials. [xvii] 4. Fourth, embrace the sacrificial life. To live the life of sacrifice is to live a life of worship. Michael Vanlaningham explains, “Rather than be shaped to look like the world, the Christian’s mind is to be renewed in order to appreciate the importance and benefits of God’s will as revealed in His Word". A living sacrifice means believing who God says we are and what He has promised for us. This is where our confidence comes from, and our lives will radiate God’s presence and mercy when we embrace our confidence in Him. [xviii] And in so doing, we will be the salt of the Kingdom of God in a thirsty world, giving us opportunities to offer thirst quenching spiritual water to the thirsty. Jesus said, If anyone thirsts, let him come to me, and drink. And that my friends is absolutely true. Let’s close in prayer … Our great and glorious God, help us to remember when we go through dark and troubling times that we are seeing only a part of the entire picture. Help us always to seek your glory. Let us remember when we see the outcasts in our society—the weak, the homeless, the suffering—that we may be seeing Your face. Grant us Your power to do great things or small things for You, realizing that in Your kingdom, there are no small things. Amen. [xix] Well, as you go this week, Jesus taught that Kingdom citizenship requires that we not lose the flavor or our Creator. Colossians 4:6 (NASB95) Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Like salt on food, when we season our words properly people are encouraged. If we are chasing our own plans, goals, and ambitions, or that of the worlds, we lose our saltiness. The Jesus Follower who does not live out the values of the kingdom of God is unsalted salt, that is, salt that has lost its purpose.” And so I must ask, how salty or unsalty are you? Remember we offer Live-worship on Sundays, both on Facebook and YouTube. At this time I invite you to join us from the comfort and security of your home. If you would like to contribute to this ministry, go to our website: Bensenvillebiblechurch.com, click on the Donation Drop down and pick your donation preference. And don’t forget, In the midst of the swirling difficulties, God’s is walking with you. Looking forward to meeting up with you again at next week’s posting. May God bless you this coming week. [i] John MacArthur, Radical Discipleship (Mark 9:42-50), https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/41-47/radical-discipleship [ii] Eckhard J. Schnabel, Mark, TNTC, p226. The verb ‘cause to stumble’ (skandalizo; cf., 4:17; 6:3) describes here a person who causes followers of Jesus to stumble; the metaphor of ‘tripping’ indicates the ‘downfall’ or failure of their commitment to Jesus, as in 14:27, 29 where the verb is used to describe the failure of the disciples when Jesus was arrested. [iii] R. Kent Hughes, Mark: Jesus, Servant and Savior , vol. 2, Preaching the Word (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1989), 36–37. [iv] Psa 37:12 A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. [v] John 13:20 (NASB95) “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” 1 Corinthians 6:17 (NASB95) But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Peter 5:2–3 (NASB95) 2shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. [vi] John Owen, Of The Mortification of Sin in Believers, Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library, https://ccel.org/ccel/o/owen/mort/cache/mort.pdf ., p6. [vii] John Piper, Thirteen Practical Steps to Kill Sin, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/thirteen-practical-steps-to-kill-sin [viii] R. Kent Hughes, Mark: Jesus, Servant and Savior , vol. 2, Preaching the Word (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1989), 40. [ix] David Guzik, Mark 9 – The Transfiguration, https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/mark-9/ [x] Leviticus 2:13 (NASB95) ‘Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt. Ezekiel 43:24 (NASB95) ‘You shall present them before the LORD, and the priests shall throw salt on them, and they shall offer them up as a burnt offering to the LORD. Exodus 30:35 (NASB95) “With it you shall make incense, a perfume, the work of a perfumer, salted, pure, and holy. [xi] Monte Hammer, Waling Together in God’s Promises, https://possesshispromises.com/2020/08/02/perseverance-in-the-fire/ [xii] Brent Kercheville, Mark 9:42-50, Hell Is Not Worth It, https://westpalmbeachchurchofchrist.com/new-testament/mark/hell-is-not-worth-it.html [xiii] Kenneth Wuest, Wuest’s Word Studies, Mark (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co, 1950), p193 [xiv] R. Kent Hughes, Mark: Jesus, Servant and Savior , vol. 2, Preaching the Word (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1989), 42. [xv] Cf., John MacArthur, Radical Discipleship (Mark 9:42-50), https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/41-47/radical-discipleship [xvi] Bruce B. Barton, Mark , Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1994), 274–275. [xvii] Steve Cole, Lesson 11: The Men Who Had Connections With God (Ezekiel 14:12-20), https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-11-men-who-had-connections-god-ezekiel-1412-20 [xviii] Michael Vanlaningham, Moody Bible Commentary, Moody Publishers Chicago, 2014. [xix] Rodney L. Cooper, Mark , vol. 2, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 156.

28 - The Radical Life (Mark 9:30-41)