Mark 9:42-48

Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.

Some older believers may think that they can behave sinfully without falling over. But see how Yeshu cares for simple believers like the child in verse 36. With strong language he says, ‘Never make them fall down by your own sinning.’

Better the pain of disciplining your self-serving actions and desires now than going to the unending hot hell.

Mark 9:38-41

John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.”  But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us. For truly I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.”

Yeshu rebukes his close disciples for their party spirit,  a spirit which criticizes or belittles others. How does he correct their thinking?

[Disciples: We saw another man doing miracles.                                                Yeshu: Yes; there are others who serve me.                                                    Disciples: But he wasn’t one of us.                                                                    Yeshu: That’s right; but he is no enemy of ours.                                                Disciples: But he cast out demons speaking in Your Name                                Yeshu: Yes; but not speaking in a bad way. And even other persons – yes, whoever he or she is – who do no more than give you a drink because you are Mine, they will also be rewarded by me.]

Let’s consider this ‘truly’ saying of Yeshu: about what did he ‘truly speak’ to them so solemnly? What sort of persons were they? and what was their ‘reward’? Was it the reward of a future spent in heaven? Read on for further understanding.

Mark 9:33-37

And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.

So soon the disciples forgot the uncomfortable words that Yeshu had spoken about his death! They wanted to be chief ministers in his kingdom, they wanted to sit on the highest cushion next to Him.

And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

In the privacy of a house Yeshu calls a solemn meeting; he as Teacher seated and his chosen disciples around him. See how he rebukes them. It is an object lesson, with just a child as its focus. How serious a lesson is it?                                                                                                                                                                                                        Answer:   ………………………… What does he do? He looks to the boy. The man wanting to be first minister wants the world to look at him. But Yeshu looks to the boy and cradles him in his arm. Is Yeshu’s heart high-minded or low?                                                                                                                     Answer:    ………………………..  The disciple of Yeshu must be last, not first; not high like an official, but low and servant-hearted. If a man shows such unselfish love to a child – and as a disciple of Jesus receives him – is it just that unimportant person whom is he receiving?                                                                                                                                                                             Answer:   …………………………. Or might it also be Yeshu himself?                                                                                                                                           Answer:   ………………………….. Or is it indeed more than Yeshu; is it the Father-Son Himself?                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Answer:   ……………………………