Mark 9:30-50
Sometimes, when the moment is right or the circumstances aligned, the elements of the gospel stories can just hit real hard at the current moment.
They were afraid to ask him. Despite Jesus welcoming, loving, and choosing the disciples, they were afraid to approach him about their lack of understanding. Many of us today struggle with concepts of God. Not approaching God might be due to fear, but also a simple misplacement of who God is (and Jesus). Shame is such a big wall. And while God certainly has boundaries, shaming is not one of them. Our human relationships - often hinging on pretension and bad past experiences - too often inform our opportunity to approach God. God is not human. God has standards. But God is not unapproachable.
They had been debating with each other about who was the greatest. Do the conflicts in the world ever stop you and make you think just how silly they are? The beginning of Psalm 2 is truly fitting. Humans, at all levels - interpersonal, small group, institutional, and international - are seeking to one-up each other. It’s not the kingdom of God.
In the meantime, Jesus pulls a child from among them and says it is the kingdom. Why do we just think this is a cute illustration? He means it to be an imperative, an actual exemplary model.
The disciples interrupt him, again worried about someone doing powerful things they can’t control. He responds (Don’t worry about it.) and then returns attention to the child - Don’t cause the little ones to fall into the ramifications of sinfulness.
Keep things salty. Not the saltiness of a bitter or resentful person, but that thing that brings out and highlights all the other flavors: the pleasure and preservation of what is good.
Mark 9:30-50
From there Jesus and his followers went through Galilee, but he didn’t want anyone to know it. This was because he was teaching his disciples, “The Human One will be delivered into human hands. They will kill him. Three days after he is killed he will rise up.” But they didn’t understand this kind of talk, and they were afraid to ask him.
They entered Capernaum. When they had come into a house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about during the journey?” They didn’t respond, since on the way they had been debating with each other about who was the greatest. He sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be least of all and the servant of all.” Jesus reached for a little child, placed him among the Twelve, and embraced him. Then he said, “Whoever welcomes one of these children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me isn’t actually welcoming me but rather the one who sent me.”
John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone throwing demons out in your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”
Jesus replied, “Don’t stop him. No one who does powerful acts in my name can quickly turn around and curse me. Whoever isn’t against us is for us. I assure you that whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will certainly be rewarded.
“As for whoever causes these little ones who believe in me to trip and fall into sin, it would be better for them to have a huge stone hung around their necks and to be thrown into the lake. If your hand causes you to fall into sin, chop it off. It’s better for you to enter into life crippled than to go away with two hands into the fire of hell, which can’t be put out. If your foot causes you to fall into sin, chop it off. It’s better for you to enter life lame than to be thrown into hell with two feet. If your eye causes you to fall into sin, tear it out. It’s better for you to enter God’s kingdom with one eye than to be thrown into hell with two. That’s a place where worms don’t die and the fire never goes out. Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt loses its saltiness, how will it become salty again? Maintain salt among yourselves and keep peace with each other.”
Prayer
God,
Thank you for Sundays. I’m grateful for the opportunity of gathering with your Church. On the one hand, it is a responsibility, a duty, an accountable measure of dedication to you and one another. On the other hand, it is a comfort and a joy, a boost of life. I know that in many situations, the Church is not or has not been like that. I lament that, Lord. I pray for those who do not have or cannot find a fellowship of welcoming, love, and grace. Help us do better, Lord.
For today, speak to your people everywhere. Fill us with your life-giving spirit. Show us your truth, justice, and joy for ourselves and the world.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.