The world around. Mark 8:31. “And He began to teach them, that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” Jehovah’s Servant was abounding in the work of His Father, and yet even in the case of the Master-Teacher, there were many who didn’t understand Him, His words, and His work. It seems that even though the evidence is clearly seen and the truth is clearly presented, there is a part of each person that must be humbled and surrender before God can work in the soul.
The world around us has become so much a part of us that we hardly consider there is such a thing as the kingdom of God among us. Consider the variety of needs and responses in a short period of time and a small part of the harvest field when the Lord was here.
THE HUNGRY: For three days, they had been with the Lord; for three days, they had nothing to eat; for three days, they had listened to His words and observed His miracles. His compassion reaches the basic needs of men and women—food. The provision from the hands of the Creator more than meets the needs of all. HE IS THE COMPASSIONATE CREATOR.
THE OPPOSITION: There were those then, as there are today, who resent the presence of true righteousness among them. The righteous living Pharisees did not want the presence of One among them whose righteousness was from within. They only wanted the outside to look good. The necessity of reality evaded them. HE IS THE OMNISCIENT ONE.
THE SLOW TO UNDERSTAND: the miracle of the seven loaves and a few small fish had only just passed. They had only one loaf of bread. And even as the Lord had given warnings to them of the falseness of the teachings and practices of the opposition, the disciples missed the point completely. How often do we make judgments on the spur of the moment that miss the point of God's lesson? HE IS THE PATIENT ONE.
THE BLIND: the man without sight was brought by others who wanted Him to repeat what they had seen and touch him. Each person is unique to God; each need is personal. He knows each one and does what is appropriate to the need, not as an answer to the demands placed on Him. HE IS THE UNIQUE ONE.
THE INSIGHTFUL: the evidence was all before the disciples. They couldn’t miss the fact that everything He said, and everything He did bore testimony as to who He is. Their eyes and minds were open and they knew the Messiah was with them. HE IS THE ANOINTED ONE.
THE TEMPTERS: how scary it is that the same person who knows the Person of Christ and knows of His authority and power would dare to question and rebuke God. Can it be that a man, even after worshipping can question God? Can it be that Satan can influence one of His own followers? HE IS THE HOLY ONE.
THE FOLLOWERS: the cross is not made to be an easy load. The yoke is what is easy, but the cross demands that all else be set aside. There is no room for the cross and other things at the same time. In whatever calling I am called: the cross is there to pick up and carry. Identification with Christ is to be there in every life situation. HE IS THE LEADING ONE. The Jews were looking for a conquering Messiah, not a suffering Messiah. Disciples of Jesus of all ages down through the centuries, now know that the redemption of our souls demanded a just payment for sin, not something half done. Death for sin is essential, and the “death of the cross,” left no area of suffering untouched and not fully accomplished. What a difference it is to know the glory and majesty of the Christ of God and, at the same time, face the fact that His death on the cross was essential. All enemies that we had not even thought of when we were first saved, have been dealt with in divine justice. Sin, death, and hell were all defeated at the cross. Justice, mercy, grace, and love have all prevailed and are in ascendency because our Lord Jesus Christ “put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
Disappointments can provoke us into saying things we haven’t thought through to the end. Peter found that out when he spoke completely out of turn and rebuked the Lord from the viewpoint of a natural man. His comment was disrespectful and contradictory to the words of the One whom he had just confessed was the Christ. The rebuke from the Lord was as hard and sharp as any that came from the Lord to the hypocrites. Peter was doing what Satan wanted. He probably didn’t even dream of doing such a thing, but in an impetuous moment, he said the first thing that came to him. If Satan could have kept Christ from going to the cross, every man, woman, and child would be without a Redeemer and would be in hell.
Immediately following; the Lord plainly told of the cost of being learners and followers of Christ. The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ was the place of sacrifice for our sins. The cross of believers is the cross of self-sacrifice, and devotion to God’s will, no matter what or where it leads; including the cost of suffering with Him. We become partakers of the fellowship of His suffering when we follow the Lord. There will be opposition, contempt, scorn, and hostility when we “lose this life” for the sake of the Gospel.
The first reason for losing one’s life for the Lord’s sake and the Gospel is to be able to live in the power and enjoyment of eternal life now and forever. The second reason is that all material gain will ultimately be lost, both when we die and as far as being “treasure in heaven.” The third reason is that there is a future day of triumph and glory in which we can share with the Lord and His people all the blessings of His kingdom. What we do now affects what we have to give Him on the day we will be able to present all we have that counted in life; to Him in person.
MARK 9 The Lord Jesus Christ had just spoken to His disciples about His coming glory in the kingdom of God as He looked down through the age of grace into a future day. When that time comes, His grace, power, and love that demonstrates His Person and interest in individuals will be seen worldwide in that coming kingdom. The foretaste of that blessed time was not seen in the days of the early disciples. Even though our Lord was in their midst as the Perfect Servant of God, He was despised and rejected by men.
To sustain and strengthen their faith in following the One who was reproached and was going to suffer the death of the cross, be buried, and rise again; He told His disciples that some of them would see what that kingdom would be like in power before they died. The transfiguration of the Lord Jesus before the faces of Peter, James, and John certainly gave them a glimpse of the coming glory of the Lord in His kingdom. They would personally experience the power of God working through them before they died, just as their Master had said.
In a gracious way, our Lord lets us today experience some of that grace, glory, and power in our lives. The grace of God in saving us and others around us is very evident when we see the changed lives of sinners who have entered the kingdom of God by faith in Jesus Christ. The power of the Gospel is still being seen all over the world in our day as souls are saved. We get glimpses of the glory that is to come when we gather with the Lord’s people in fellowship, worship, thanksgiving, and praise. When the saints of God assemble and gather to the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ; those holy convocations are times when “the things of earth grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”
In the account of this event in the Gospel of Luke, we read that Jesus went up that high mountain to pray. He wanted those disciples there with Him, even though we never read of Him praying with His disciples. Our approach to the Father as sinful humans separates us from the infinite perfections of divine Persons, which means that our Lord Jesus’ connection with His Father was not on the same plain as ours. Unified prayer is that of equal persons in God’s sight. There was nothing in us that would make us equal to our Lord in any way. The unity and communion of the Godhead are uniquely theirs.
We are able to be in fellowship with the Lord to the extent of our association with Him by faith. Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, the disciples were at a distance, where they could watch and pray within close proximity, but not with Him. It is often in times of prayer that new understanding comes to us, and we search the scriptures to find further understanding from our Lord to make us effective in our lives and service to Him.
The Transfiguration, v.1-13 In the Gospel accounts of the transfiguration, there are a specific number of days mentioned between the time Jesus told His disciples of His coming death and resurrection. There were two days between that announcement and the challenge of discipleship, and some would see the kingdom of God “present with power.” There is no contradiction between Luke’s account of eight days and Mark’s and Matthew’s accounts of six days. It is numbered from the two statements. Likely, during those days, there was a lot of conversation between the disciples about what was going to happen, and maybe dismay that the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ was going to end in His death on the cross rather than with Him reigning on a throne.
Transfigured means changed—it happened right before their eyes. Brighter than the brightest orbs placed in the heavens, the brightness of His glory brings all men down to size. Yet He wants us transfigured by renewing our minds. A loud voice from above, God is speaking to men, calling them to listen and pay attention to His Beloved Son. He brought a message that forever changed those who were eyewitnesses of His glory.
We must listen whenever God speaks. God spoke through Elijah, the prophet, to call a nation back to their God. Moses the greatest prophet and leader gave them God’s law. Then there were three watchers, eyewitnesses of the glory of the Lord who were used to reach out to the world with the Gospel. But all the impressive glory of famous men fades when we, like those three, see Jesus only. He had told the disciples before that He must suffer and die. Again, there on the mount, Jesus talked with the two notable men from the ancient past about what was before Him. He told His disciples twice more, that the time when He would suffer for sin was drawing near.
The transfiguration would have been an encouragement to both the Lord and His disciples. The fellowship the Lord had with Moses and Elijah talking about the cross-death, makes it plain to us that the sacrifice of Christ for us was of all importance to those people of God who are already in heaven. Communion in prayer with the Father and conversation with Old Testament servants of God would have given strength to the Lord Jesus. Sharing concerns and open communication with others regarding difficult matters is a great help in facing what is ahead of us. He was in all points tempted, yet without sin. The sympathetic conversation with others who had suffered rejection and bitter animosity would have given our Lord Jesus the “fellowship of suffering.”
While the Lord was praying, the transfiguration took place. “Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord.” The cloud was gone and the face of God was brighter than the sun. Even the clothes Jesus wore were temporarily changed, as sorrow changed to rapture and joy – and the voice of God from heaven was heard. Transfiguration changes one from within as well as from without. His face shone! His garments illuminated the whole area as holiness from within became visible without.
Heavenly hope and joy within are a great encouragement to the soul. Communion with saints who love the Lord and seek to please and give honor to God is also a great encouragement to those who are still in the body on earth, where opposition to God is apparent. A conversation about coming things that have the potential of causing despair, can change our whole outlook on what is coming. When Jesus talked with His disciples about what was coming, there was sadness, sorrow, and even a rebuke. When the Lord talked with Moses and Elijah, their conversation was about what He would accomplish. The great deliverance of those who put their faith in Him would have given strength to His spirit.
Then, when the Father spoke in a voice from the cloud that covered the scene from the amazed onlookers, our Lord Jesus would have been greatly encouraged by the public statement of God’s good pleasure. The Son’s obedience gave the Father pleasure, and the Father’s pleasure gave the Son, the Perfect Servant, the strength of mind and heart to do “always those things that please the Father,” even though He was in a body of flesh. The transfiguration seems to have been the Father’s answer to the urgent prayer of the Lord Jesus. When we have burdens, He gives us the strength necessary to accomplish the work He gives us to do. When there are times of suffering, He gives the needed grace to live in a way that will bring honor to Him.
There were those three men on that high mountain who seemed to have had a special closeness in spirit to the Lord Jesus. Peter, James, and John were not perfect men, but they were committed to the Lord without reservation. Faith has its rewards here on earth as well as in the future. While the Lord prayed, they slept. They may have had the privilege of being close to the Lord because they understood Him better than most and could enter into the issues of being despised and rejected. For whatever reason, they learned that in spiritual life, faith comes first, and then sight. In ordinary life, seeing is first and then believing. Believing leads to seeing as he that loves, knows God, in contrast to “he that loveth not God, knows not God, for God is love.”
When we choose to stay as close as possible to our Lord Jesus Christ, we will be privileged to experience some wonderful things by faith that will transmit tangible blessings. Labor, conflict, and suffering by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; will bring the joy of holy fellowship, a high view of a life lived above the darkness of this world. If we sleep when we should be watching and praying, we may miss a very important, life-impacting experience that gives a heavenly vision.
Moses and Elijah had come, then they were asleep, and it seemed like they were just about ready to leave when the three men woke up. What a sight met their eyes as glory was so evident that they never got over it! They wanted it to last and were ready to make three dwelling places so those heavenly visitors would bring a little of heaven to earth and keep it here. Peter seemed to quickly realize he had made a foolish statement, particularly when the audible voice of God was heard. No wonder they were “greatly afraid!”
It may be that Peter thought the appearance of Moses and Elijah would have changed the whole picture of things so that Christ would not have to die. He was looking for Christ to be glorified without suffering and shame, let alone a terrible death. The whole plan of redemption had not been understood by the disciples, and Peter had spoken without thinking. Impulsive speaking is often the voice of self rather than spiritual instruction. When we are privileged to be in special times of visitation, we are best to keep silent and let the words of our Lord be heard. Then the Spirit of God will guide us into all truth, reveal Christ to us, and show us things yet to come.
Sometimes, we can get more taken up with things that are out of the ordinary, instead of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the center of everything. Our Lord Jesus Christ is always supreme. In all things, He has the preeminence. “Jesus only” is more than enough. He didn’t need the prophetic input of Elijah or the help of Moses to do the work of God. The work ahead of the Lord Jesus was His alone. No one could add to or take away from the redemptive work that was before Him. “Jesus only” means Jesus is enough. The voice of God eliminated any perceived authority apart from the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. “This is My Beloved Son! Hear Him!” effectively removed any other authority from the plans and purposes of God.
If I am not careful, I will think I can live in the mountain all day, and whatever goes on in the valley, I will keep away from it. God did not leave us here to live to ourselves but to live a life unto Him. One of our most serious responsibilities is to confront sin with the Gospel. Sin raises its evil head in many ways so that it may capture the souls of men. Disputing, disgruntled people will complain over and over again. A quiet comment or question is the best way to deal with that because their comments and complaints are best dealt with by stating the facts.
A positive result for those three men from that experience was that it never left their minds for their whole lives. In the years ahead, they would remember “the glory that shall be revealed.” No matter what we might have to face in our lives and service for the Lord when we remember His glory, His power, His authority, His strength, and that He imparts to us what we need, we will be able to press forward in faith and joy, instead of gloom and despair.
All things are possible, v.14-29 There is an order in the work of God that changes our labor from being a lot of activity to effective service. We need to go up to the place where we see our Lord Jesus Christ as He truly is before we go down to where people do not see themselves as they truly are. It is then the ministry of reconciliation can happen. God can work through those who have been in His presence in prayer and who have a fresh understanding of who our Lord is and what He does. Then we can understand our own limitations. When that happens, He can take a prepared clay vessel and use it in whatever way He chooses.
Peter, James, and John had seen the Lord Jesus Christ in His glorified state that had been veiled when He was among people in this world. Perhaps they were anxious to tell the other disciples what they had seen, so our Lord made sure they did not do that. It wasn’t the time for the kingdom of God to be established as the government of the country. It wasn’t the time for enthusiasm and excitement that was a mere emotional, physical, and human response. The sacrifice of Christ, God’s Perfect Servant, as the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world, was just before Him. First things had to come first. The sin of the world had to be faced and dealt with.
There are times when we need to speak of our spiritual experiences with the Lord, and there are times to be silent. Some holy things God has allowed us to experience are personal between Him and us. People who are skeptics will use those things they have not seen, heard of, or experienced, which we speak to mock or be a reason for hostility against those who have been with the Lord. Many people will reject out of hand, anything we might say after that if there is something they cannot conceive of as being real. An experience like the transfiguration would be argued about and discounted when they learned the disciples had been asleep. Unbelievers would put it down to being no more than a dream they had while they slept.
Some things in life need to be kept back until the event takes place or until it is obvious the Lord wants it to be told openly. After the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ had taken place, much that had happened previously could be told about and discussed. The transfiguration was an event that could be testified to in the mouth of three witnesses. A skeptic like Thomas would likely have argued with the “three” if they had told of the transfiguration before he had seen and been able to touch the risen Lord. What is miraculous to those of us who live in the glorious light of the resurrection of our Savior may be a point of denial and rejection by those who are still in the darkness of sin.
Even those three disciples had not understood the power, person, and place of John the Baptist in the unfolding of the redemptive plan of God. The Lord Jesus used this opportunity to clarify that the appearance of Elijah with Moses on the mountain was not what was referred to as the coming announcement of the kingdom. Then they could see that John the Baptist was the one who came in the spirit and power of Elijah. There was no greater prophet than John because he had seen his prophecy fulfilled when the Lord Jesus Christ was openly revealed to Israel. It is implied in this passage of scripture that they had been looking at Jesus with some skepticism regarding what He had told them about His coming death and resurrection.
It is seriously important that we take God at His word, and not allow ourselves to make scripture of “private interpretation.” What God has said and the way He says it, including the context around what He says, is the breathing of God on our souls and spirits. It is the Infallible, unfailing God who tells us what He wants us to know and expects us to believe Him. He visits us whenever we open and read His word. He offers Himself to us as the One we can implicitly trust and act upon His words with the full confidence of faith in Him.
However, after the high experiences of private and life-changing communion with God, we need to remember we are here on earth to serve Him among people like ourselves. There are people who will criticize like the scribes, who will make it a purpose of theirs to defeat the work of God by arguing against it and demeaning those who are still spiritually immature. They imply that if you are a Christian, you should know everything about the Bible. Then there are curious people who are not interested in knowing the truth of God for what it is and knowing God for who He is. They just want something that will make them feel better about themselves. The poor true seekers after God are also in a crowd of people who desperately want help and so fall for anything that claims to be of God, whether or not that is really true.
The disciples who had been waiting in the valley below were facing a group of scribes who had journeyed to that distant place to try to seriously stop the work of God. They were “disputing against” the disciples. The disciples had seen the evidence of Jesus as the Son of God and had been listening to His teaching for quite a while. They had also been sent to preach and heal themselves. Yet there appeared to be some doubt as they may have looked at each other and said, “Shall we try it and see what happens?”
I never saw the radiant light that came from His Person, but what I learned and believe with my heart is this important lesson. The One I know as my Savior is the embodiment of light and His holiness doesn't keep me away from Him who is my life. Instead, He tells me and all who believe in Him that we are to be light as well. It is our privilege and responsibility to tell those around us of His grace that saves those who believe in Him and of their need of faith to receive the One who is Light and died for our sins. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the One in whom we believe.
There are around me on every hand, multitudes of people who do not know why they are here, what life is all about, and where they are going after death. For some reason, they find it hard to believe that spiritual things are real. They want their so-called Christianity to be something they feel and see. God's way of dealing with this problem is for believers to be transfigured. When a believer in Christ is not conformed to the world, his faith is thus invigorated to be a living faith that works in the trials and events of life. People who are watching one who reflects God's light from within and seems to have it right by observing a person of faith moving through normal life each day may pay attention to the words they say. When we speak about the Lord Jesus and the light He gives within us to live life to the full, inner darkness gives way to light, and a person can find rest in their soul.
In all we do, we need to remember it must be done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, if there are going to be positive results. He is the One who has the power and authority under whose auspices we preach, teach, baptize, and exhort those He saves by His grace. It is His work. We are laborers in His great harvest field and must act under His guidance. Powerlessness is a result of seeking to do the work of God in our own fleshly energy. “Cursed be he who doeth the work of God deceitfully,” is a further warning to us to not take personal credit for what God can choose to do through us.
The power of God is always available in every place and for every purpose in God’s divine plan of things. But we are only able to avail ourselves of that power when our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is unhindered by anything in us or what we might be doing. God works through His servants, but it is God who works His will and pleasure through available vessels. The glory of God is one aspect of our life of faith that we can enjoy on the mountain. Our weakness is obvious when we are at the foot of the mountain where opposition and temptation surround us. It is the power of God made evident through His people, that makes our service on earth acceptable to Him.
When prayer and fasting are absent in our lives, we are kind of left on our own. Our communion with God and making eternal things real to us does not happen without our consent and initiative. If we do not speak to God in prayer and can sense He is speaking to us through His word, reading the Bible is reduced to studying a textbook, and our daily life rises no higher than any other human experience. The sense of God’s presence and assurance of His power will be missing. Our inability to speak for God and be active for Him will become obvious, and we will revert to “disputing.” Feebleness and failure in the things of God will be the result.
How wonderful it is when we are in the depths of discouragement, defeat, and despair, our Lord comes in the fullness of His grace to rescue us and do what we cannot do because of our weak faith. The people were all amazed that day because just at the right time, the Lord Jesus appeared and brought blessing and order out of chaos and defeat. The work in which we are engaged is not ours, it is His. He will bring to pass that which is His sovereign will. He can make those who oppose Him fail. He can bring blessing out of the weakness of His own failing servants. The greatness of our Lord will never fail to accomplish that which he wants. We are to bring people “Unto Him.” He will do what we cannot do. Even so, “All things are possible to him who believes.”
A father came to Jesus’ disciples with a son out of control. Others had tried but could not make him whole. When a person truly believes that God can do all things, then Jesus does the impossible. Whether the man who had the mute son who suffered from seizures caused by an unclean spirit was one of the scribes or not is not clearly stated. The “faithless generation” seems to include the unbelieving scribes, the boy’s father, and the disciples who had failed because of their lack of faith. The solution to that problem is the same as the one to the problems we have; “Bring him to Me.” We are able to do the same with every problem we have that we cannot solve, and every need our weak faith puts on us.
Our Lord Jesus vindicates His cause, and His strong arm can save and keep those who come to Him. He can turn the defeats we have into victory through His power. He triumphed over the evil spirit then, and He is the same today. He is all-sufficient for every need we have. His grace and power are not diminished in any way by opposition from sinful men, or the failures of His own people. “Bring him unto Me” still gives us the course and faith to press on, even when we don’t see results from the efforts we put forth. It is up to the Lord to do what needs to be done after we have fulfilled our responsibility. We bring those who are in need of what we cannot give and what we cannot do, to Him who has “all power in heaven and in earth.” He is the One Solitary Person who can meet every need as He sees best.
They did bring the suffering boy to Jesus, and the father changed his focus to the Lord Himself, and not on others or himself. However, there seemed to be doubt mixed with the hope of feeble faith. Doubt is a real challenge to faith. “If You Can” is not a real affirmation of faith on the part of the father. To him, Jesus was a Teacher, and he may have been caused to doubt because of the failure of the disciples of the “Teacher.” We need to remember that the only impression many people have of our Lord Jesus Christ is what they see in those who profess to be followers of the Lord Jesus. Our failure can create barriers to faith on the part of other people.
The Lord Jesus used the Father’s own words in His reply when He turned the onus of the situation back on the Father. “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” He came right to the root of the matter. “If you can,” is the spirit of this age. People say they doubt what they cannot see, indicating that they are the final recourse to what is real or not. A doubtful, distracted soul has to get their eyes off themselves and onto the Person, the Object, of their faith.
The first need in order to help others is to get help ourselves to not look at ourselves, our faith or lack of it, but to “look off unto Jesus.” With sincere tears of awareness of his own failure and faithlessness, the father is finally open and honest with the Lord. He came to the place where every needy soul comes when they have reached the last of their own resources. Confession of both guilt and faith can come at the same time. Honest repentance and saving faith are joined! “Lord,” now takes the place of “Teacher.” A casual attitude toward the Lord Jesus was now gone, and reality in humility, repentance, and faith were all real.
To face one’s self as to who we really are, does not flatter us in any way. When we see ourselves in the light of divine holiness, everything else goes dim, and Jesus is confessed as Lord in audible words – “Confess with thy mouth, Jesus as Lord.” Tears of honesty cannot be faked. Now eyes are off ourselves and on the only One who can meet our needs. “Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.” The perplexed disciples had to learn through that difficult situation, that believing prayer is the only answer to our inability. God works through His people, but we need to remember it is God who does the needed work; not “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
When God chooses to use frail mortal men to do His bidding, it is an unspeakable privilege. The prayer of an available servant of God puts us in a condition of soul where all parties involved, know that God is at work through His chosen vessels to bring His blessing to needy souls. God’s love is not limited, but His love does not allow the sin-affected love of mankind to let us glory in our flesh. It is not education, talent, experience, personality, or any other human endeavor that produces the results needed. Sinful humanity has the desire to take the credit for whatever it can, and relegate God’s power to mere “luck.” God will not allow that in His people. In His family, divine Persons who are equal give regenerated people the benefit of the new nature. We have been made partakers of that new life, and are able to participate in meaningful service for the Lord in the kingdom of God.
Christ’s Death and Resurrection again foretold, v.30-37 The heart of the Lord’s teaching now, in this chapter, has to do with His coming death and resurrection. The disciples persisted in keeping silent because their thoughts seemed to be of personal greatness in the coming kingdom rather than His sacrifice for sin on their behalf. Ambition becomes a sin when it ignores obedience to God and service for God. Pride effectively stops spiritual growth. The Lord reached the consciences of His disciples with one simple question when they were alone in the house. They had failed to see what the kingdom of God is for. To them, it seemed to be still only a form of earthly government. The kingdom of God is not for power or a display of visible glory but for the greater glory of love, righteousness, grace, and spiritual power.
With patience, the Lord Jesus instructed His disciples on the path of true greatness. First place in the kingdom comes when one is a “servant of all,” including children. Love wants to serve, not to be served. A little child received with love and who is helped by a caring child of God illustrates the path of true greatness. When we refuse self and self-exaltation, we will find ourselves in fellowship with God. The patience of our Lord with His disciples, who were slow to learn, is an example to us. We must be patient with those who find it hard to learn the lessons of self-denial, forgiveness, and love which are kingdom characteristics.
Facing the problem of spiritual bankruptcy makes us leave the world of make-believe holiness and face ourselves as we really are in the sight of God. This is the first step to spiritual recovery and spiritual health. It is contrary to that natural man and carnal man’s instinct, to be a true servant. Humility in service indicates self-sacrifice, not self-seeking. To stoop to humble service for the least of God’s people is a fundamental principle in the law of greatness. In the kingdom of God, the way up is down.
Neutrality is impossible, v.38-41 Not all who are followers of our Lord Jesus Christ will belong to the same group of believers or even resemble each other. There are and will be, differences for a variety of reasons. Nationality, culture, gender, opinions, age, and religious affiliations all have an effect on the fellowship children of God have. Genuine faith in Christ is able to let us rejoice wherever we hear the clear message of the Gospel proclaimed by true believers in our Lord Jesus. We can pray for God’s blessing on His word for the salvation of souls with the assurance that God’s word will not return to Him empty, but it will accomplish what He wants and achieves the purpose for which He sent it.
John had just heard the Lord say whoever receives a little one in “My name, receives Me,” and also receives the Father who sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. With openness and perhaps a bit of chagrin, he told the Master what had happened when someone else apart from the twelve was doing the same things they did and was also doing it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because we are where we are as assemblies of the Lord’s people gathered together unto Him in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ does not mean we are the only people doing the work of God. We are not the only authorized and accredited people who have heard the Great Commission.
The Lord Jesus rejected that intolerant attitude which is quite prevalent among various groups of Christians. Divisions have come among God’s people over the years because of an exclusive attitude on the part of some who resist the fact that the sovereign God uses whomever He chooses, to do His work and carry out His will.
Our responsibility is to do what God wants us to do, and not condemn others for doing their work for the Lord. There are those who have a false Gospel and preach counterfeit salvation, with whom we do not have fellowship. The test of reality is what they think of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the central theme and object of the work of God of whatever nature it is. No one who is honestly seeking to serve the Lord is ignored. If they are not against Him, they are for Him. John was concerned because the man outside the circle of the twelve was not “with us.” The Lord’s summation of the matter was that he was “not against us.” Every act of service for the Lord in His name, is noticed by Him and rewarded by Him. A cup of cold water as an act of kindness is of value to the Lord when it is given in Christ’s name to a thirsty soul.
Warnings, v.42-48 Every act of service that blesses others, when it is given in the name of the Lord, is of great value to Him and He rewards accordingly. On the other hand, the opposite is true as well. To cause a child and/or a child in the faith, to be stumbled, and their faith in Christ diminished or lost, has the harshest possible consequences. The loss of a soul is irreplaceable. It is better for a person to lose their life than to cause someone to stumble and either lose their faith or not respond to the Gospel message.
There are some things I cannot do, and that is not a cause for me to blame my inability. There are other things I can do, and I must commit myself to do them heartily in Jesus' name. The only way I really know what I should or should not do is to make sure I'm on biblical ground and allow the Spirit to guide me through every event and responsibility. The powers of darkness will align against anyone wanting to do God's will. When I am walking in the light with the Lord, He will always fill my hands.
Anything that is accomplished, whether unseen or a public victory, is a work of God alone, who is willing to use this frail piece of humanity. Usually, every incident in life is a "teaching moment" if I am willing to listen to God. His voice may be heard in the peace of my heart and, other times, be loud and clear. My choice is whether to pay attention or not to what my Lord has to teach. In faith, I rest my soul and life on Him, that through me others He'll reach.
When one wants to be first, God puts him last in line. The person who is willing to be a servant of all, God will lift up. Receiving a child with interest and kindness is what must be done by one who is a servant of all. A cup may seem small, but in Christ’s name, it’s large. Giving to others small things is part of our charge. Those who do this will not lose their reward when it is done in the name of Jesus.
It is essential that we deal with every evil tendency in life that we may have; to refuse anything or anyone that would lead us into sin. It may involve refusing that which is most important to us like a hand, foot, or eye, and the evil those members of our body can lead us into. The point our Lord made isn’t to have us dismember our bodies but to commit ourselves to overcome sin and its attraction. The evils that accompany sin are great, and it is essential to reject anything that leads us in that direction. Whatever it might cost in business, friendships or fellowship must go – must be deliberately rejected.
Unholy desires, attractions, and passions that enter our minds through the eyes, must be totally put off because they ruin the soul. Things we look at, read and investigate, must be for positive and soul-nourishing reasons. Anything that takes away our desire and sensitivity to divine things, must be faced, dealt with, and put away completely. It is our duty as believers in Christ, to never allow anything to come into our lives that would in any way stumble others or let us become careless in our own testimony for the Lord.
We are not to live for the gratification of our flesh. The instincts and passions of the natural man must be cut off. To fulfill the desires of the flesh and the mind is to pollute the soul and spirit. Spiritual surgery is worth the pain of cutting off that which offends, and spiritual life is worth the sacrifice of that surgery. Our divine life, our spiritual wellness, and the joy of experiencing and living eternal life now are worth any loss we might incur here. The life of a believer is viewed as a sacrifice, and we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord.
Seasoned with salt, v.49-50 The testing and proving that comes with trials and persecution for the kingdom of God’s sake is to be expected in the lives of those who live godly in Christ Jesus. The sinner that rejects Christ will experience a fire that shall not be quenched. The “fiery trials” of suffering with and for Christ are reasons for rejoicing. We are counted worthy to suffer for His name’s sake. In order for that sacrifice to be acceptable, it has to be pure – “salted with salt.” If holiness is not evident, there is no value in the salt. Salt, by its nature, gives taste and preserves. When its qualities are gone it is useless to serve. We must constantly maintain good salt in ourselves. To have something to give to others.
We use it to enhance the flavor of much of what we eat. Gracious words seasoned with salt are helpful when we greet people. The salt of fire is needed to purify whatever action we may meet when we have salt in ourselves. People are willing to listen to and follow faithful men when they know they can depend on their goodwill even though the truths they teach will challenge them when “we have salt in ourselves.”
One with salt in himself will not overlook the value of children. He has the heart to be a servant to all without a hidden agenda. It is his desire to use in the best possible way what he has been given when “we have salt in ourselves.” It won't be our desire to condemn another person's labor. We will be glad to rejoice when another is shown divine favor. The salt that is in us will give a good savor to God's work when “we have salt in ourselves.”
Attitudes are as important as actions in the Christian life and testimony. Fire has healing properties when used to cauterize a wound, but it is a painful process. We can be preserved from the corrupting influences of the flesh by submitting to the holy fire of the Holy Spirit working in us to do the will of God. Pain and sacrifice accompany the life of discipleship, but there is profit that lasts because of the cleansing power of fire and the salt of truth. When there is salt in ourselves, we will not criticize and condemn those who “are not with us.” Salt in ourselves will keep us at peace with each other as believers, and holiness in each of us as children of God. There won’t be disputing as to who is the greatest. The wisdom from above is pure and peaceable. Holiness and peace are what our Lord Jesus wants in His disciples. Peace is a blessing when it is in the ways of the Lord. Peace between us and God came at the price of Christ’s blood. Peace between believers is like a treasure to hoard; let us always be found in the way of peace.
In this chapter, the perfections and glories of Christ are seen, and the failures and exposure of the flesh are seen in the disciples. Those who love and follow the Lord, are afraid when we realize the holiness of our Lord and what He expects to be in us. Yet, there is the assurance that in spite of our fears and failures and our lack of faith, He doesn’t give up on His people. The neglect of prayer, weakness of faith, and desire for “place,” are all exposed when compared to our Savior.
When we see and face up to our own weakness as followers of Christ, we can then see and lay hold of our resources in Christ. We catch a glimpse of His glory, and we then realize we will be with Him in glory! When we are failing because of our lack of faith, He is with us as our unfailing resource who calls us to come to Him and cast our burdens upon Him, and He will sustain us. He has the answers to the hard questions we have. He is the Teacher in whose name we gather and take His yoke upon us and learn of Him when we gather unto Him. He is the One who rewards all that is done in His name. He is our Lord who calls us to follow Him wherever He leads us. He will “keep that which I have committed, unto Him against that day.”