The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Grow Pray Study Guide in Leawood, Kansas, United States for Thursday, 15 March 2018 "Whoever isn't against us is for us" Mark 9:38-50Daily Scripture
Mark 9:38 Yochanan said to him, “Rabbi, we saw a man expelling demons in your name; and because he wasn’t one of us, we told him to stop.” 39 But Yeshua said, “Don’t stop him, because no one who works a miracle in my name will soon after be able to say something bad about me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Indeed, whoever gives you even a cup of water to drink because you come in the name of the Messiah — yes! I tell you that he will certainly not lose his reward.
42 “Whoever ensnares one of these little ones who trust me — it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be thrown in the sea. 43 If your hand makes you sin, cut it off! Better that you should be maimed but obtain eternal life, rather than keep both hands and go to Gei-Hinnom, to unquenchable fire! 44 [Mark 9:44 Some manuscripts include identical verses 9:44, 46: where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. (Isaiah 66:24)] 45 And if your foot makes you sin, cut it off! Better that you should be lame but obtain eternal life, rather than keep both feet and be thrown into Gei-Hinnom! 46 [Mark 9:46 Some manuscripts include identical verses 9:44, 46: where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. (Isaiah 66:24)] 47 And if your eye makes you sin, pluck it out! Better that you should be one-eyed but enter the Kingdom of God, rather than keep both eyes and be thrown into Gei-Hinnom,
48 where their worm does not die,
and the fire is not quenched.[Mark 9:48 Isaiah 66:24]
49 Indeed, everyone is going to be salted with fire. 50 Salt is excellent, but if it loses its saltiness, how will you season it? So have salt in yourselves — that is, be at peace with each other.” (Complete Jewish Bible)
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Reflection Questions
Mark wrote that John said to Jesus, “We saw someone throwing demons out in your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.” Yet Jesus characterized that as someone “who does powerful acts in my name.” John seemed to want to keep the power contained and controlled, but apparently that didn’t matter as much to Jesus. His greater concern was that no one cause any “little one” who believes in him to trip and fall into sin.
Lord Jesus, I want to follow you, no matter what the cost. Help me to chop off negative habits or thoughts, including the urge to judge those who serve you differently than I do. Amen.
Mark wrote that John said to Jesus, “We saw someone throwing demons out in your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.” Yet Jesus characterized that as someone “who does powerful acts in my name.” John seemed to want to keep the power contained and controlled, but apparently that didn’t matter as much to Jesus. His greater concern was that no one cause any “little one” who believes in him to trip and fall into sin.
- It upset John that someone not “officially” with Jesus was casting out demons in his name. How do you understand the significance of Jesus' words: “Whoever isn’t against us is for us”? Do you ever feel critical of Christians who think or act differently than you or your congregation? How can “whoever isn’t against us is for us” give clearer focus and more humility to your service for Jesus?
- Gehenna (usually translated “hell,” as here) was Jerusalem’s garbage dump, located in a deep valley. Like most dumps, it was ugly and smelled ugly, often in flames either from burning trash or natural chemical reactions. It was the worst place in town—an apt symbol for the result of choices that cut you off from God’s presence. Jesus' hyperbolic images showed, not the need to physically mangle yourself, but the challenge of doing what you must to keep your allegiance to God firm. What habits or ideas have you had to “chop off” to keep yourself close to God?
Lord Jesus, I want to follow you, no matter what the cost. Help me to chop off negative habits or thoughts, including the urge to judge those who serve you differently than I do. Amen.
Read today's Insight by Chris AbelChris Abel is the Young Adults Pastor at Resurrection, and he describes himself as a "Pastor/Creative-type/Adventurer." A former atheist turned passionate follower of Christ, he completed his seminary education in Washington, DC. Before coming to Resurrection, Chris was a campus pastor near St. Louis, MO.
When I was a middle school kid, I went to a mainline church with my family. I hated it. (And hate might be too passive of a word.) I dreaded that place. Why, you might ask?
Because, even then, I knew that these people weren’t acting like Jesus.
I had only a nominal understanding of Christianity but I knew enough (even at 13) to realize that what was coming out of the pulpit had very little to do with the lives of people around me. The kids were cruel, the people gossipy, and the services were so long that I would literally cross off the order of service, counting down the time until I’d be free to go home and do ANYTHING ELSE.
If that had been my only encounter with church, I’m not sure I’d be a Christian today, let alone a pastor.
But it wasn’t. One of my classmates invited me to a local youth group, where my experience of Christianity couldn’t have been more different. The people seemed earnest about following Christ, the students were kind and thoughtful, and I felt like I was actually WANTED.
I was welcomed into a community in the name of Christ—even as a broken, angry teenager.
What made one community so different from the other?
It’s simple, really. Sometimes followers of Jesus get distracted from what matters.
In the scripture passage from today’s GPS, we begin smack in middle of one of Jesus’ teachings. At the risk of giving you too much bible, the passage beforehand said this:
“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."” (Mark 9:35-37 CEB)
Then John interrupts.
“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.”
Wait.
What?
What does this have to do with anything?
Jesus was just talking about making children feel loved and accepted. And Johnvstarts talking about... demons. (Perhaps a slip of the tongue, John?) This isn’t just an abrupt topic change in the Bible. It’s actually an example of John missing the point. (The disciples did that a lot, just like all of us...)
Read the passage again. Jesus is actually advocating for people to do acts of goodness in his name.
And John responds by tattling.
“Oh about that, Jesus. There was a guy trying to help people in your name... but don’t worry, we tried stopping him.”
Can you hear the forehead slap?
So back to the churches. The first church, like John, simply missed the point. They had property, programs, and staff—but neglected to create a culture that first and foremost existed to love people.
The second church put first things first. They began with love, and figured the rest out.
This month I’ll be transitioning into the role of “Pastor of Students and Young Adults.” And it’s got me thinking about those years, long ago, when I could have gone two very different paths with my faith. I was almost a kid who slipped between the cracks. And I need your help to make sure no one slips through the cracks here. Sure, I’ll be responsible for leading our Rezlife student ministry. But I can’t make sure every child, student, or young adult feels loved. For that to happen, you’ll need to play a role. And just like John, we can forget to lead with love. Resurrection can be used by Christ to literally change the trajectory of people’s lives. Young. Old.
But it can’t happen without love.
“If I speak in tongues of human beings and of angels but I don’t have love, I’m a clanging gong or a clashing cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1 CEB)***
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- Or download this week's printable GPS.
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Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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