Mark 9:42-48

“And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck 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, where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ “

Jeff Reed, Senior Pastor
Hillside Covenant Church (Walnut Creek)

We do it all the time. We compare two open choices and choose the way that promises our advantage. Do my tedious homework, or flunk the class? We sigh and settle down to our studies, knowing the relative value of temporary relief versus long-term educational goals. To not do so would be at best odd, and at worst a sign of illness.

When we are confronted by harder choices, the principle remains exactly the same: determine to choose the way of advantage. So Jesus says: Eternity in hell or lop off your right hand? That’s relatively easy. I mean, one can relearn to write with the left hand, and we even have anesthesia to help ease the lopping! Jesus offers another scenario: Hell, the unquenchable fire, or lose a foot? Put it that way, and hopping around doesn’t sound so bad. Not to mention the widespread availability of crutches and special shoes. Jesus continues: Eternity in hell or poke out one eye? That’s easy too. Eye-poking makes me extremely squeamish for sure, but describe the alternative as “an unquenchable fire where the worm does not die,” and I know my choice.

The point of all this? Be consistent in the really big things just as you are in small things! If you are willing to suffer gargling salt water for a sore throat, be willing to suffer the discipline and the cost of being the people Jesus calls us to be. It might get hard, but not that hard.

Keep me clear-headed, Jesus, and willing to count all things loss for the surpassing value of knowing you deeply and personally.

Mark 9:33-37

They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Pastor Kevin Murphy, Saint Matthew Lutheran Church (Walnut Creek)

Most children seek approval, especially from those they know and love the most. As we become adults, we sometimes unwisely seek the approval of those who don’t even care about us. Can’t you imagine that child who is wrapped in Jesus’ embrace thinking to herself, “It doesn’t get better than this!”

You have to love Jesus’ directness in this story. No beating around the bush. He confronts the disciples’ awkward silence head-on. No wonder they were embarrassed into silence when Jesus has so consistently demonstrated self-giving, whereas the disciples’ self-aggrandizement stands in such stark contrast.

Jesus invites the disciples to sit down and benefit from his teaching, but as soon as they are comfortable, he challenges them with the kingdom notion, putting the world’s values upside down: The true primacy is found in everyone else first. If you want to stand out and be stellar, be a stellar servant!

The apostle Paul teaches us that Jesus’ ascension to becoming the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords followed the greatest descent the world had ever seen. Jesus gave up being God in heaven, took on human form, became servant of all, and was obedient to the point of the world’s most humiliating death (Philippians 2:5-11).

If our identity is secure as God’s beloved, we can risk deferring to everyone, knowing that the Father’s loving embrace is all the approval and recognition we’ll ever need.

Loving Father, may your loving embrace and reminder of my belovedness set me free to love and serve others with Your embrace.

John 8:31-37

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word.

Pastor Morgan Murray
Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church

My uncle is a retired pilot who loved working for an airline with a casual, friendly reputation. On one of his flights, a flight attendant was having a hard day. This was so apparent that one of the passengers casually asked, “Everything going okay?” Grateful for a sympathetic ear, the flight attendant described the challenges she had faced that day: Poor communication from a supervisor, low refreshment stocks, failure of the previous flight crew to clean the cabin properly, etc. Normally a friendly person, she allowed the airline’s air of familiarity to be her license to complain. What she did not know was that the passenger was one of the airline’s top executives. While her feelings of frustration could be forgiven, her willingness to freely share them with the public could not. Being a hard worker for the company was not enough. She failed to live out its highest value. When the flight ended, so did her job.

Today’s text describes a conversation between Jesus and some people who had begun to believe in Jesus. It starts off well enough, but by the end people are actively seeking to stone him to death! Why? Because Jesus declares that it is not enough to be a part of God’s people (“descendants of Abraham”); they must also live out God’s values by remaining faithful to Jesus’ teachings. When Jesus calls for this, stating that doing so will truly make them free, they take offense at the suggestion that they are not free people. The more they argue with Jesus, the more they reveal the sinful arrogance to which they are enslaved. They claim to be committed to the Kingdom, but in a few short verses they are prepared to kill the King himself. What do we do when Christ’s teaching offends us?

King Jesus, reveal to me the arrogance of my heart and the ways I fail to reflect the values of your Kingdom.