Mark 9:30-37 The first shall be last
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Joel and Mary Nadel, Covenant Church
Joel and Mary Nadel, Covenant Church
From J.C. Ryle’s “Expository Comments on the Gospels - Mark”
From J.C. Ryle’s “Expository Comments on the Gospels - Mark”
House Rules: Phones, Respect, Stay on the Text
House Rules: Phones, Respect, Stay on the Text
Jesus’ Ministry Travels
Jesus’ Ministry Travels
Pray
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Review
Review
Mark is one of the Gospels - it tells us how we can be reconciled to God and gain eternal life
Preceded by John, Jesus came from Galilee
Signs and wonders demonstrated His lessons
Jesus was alienating Israel’s religious and political leadership - they were plotting to kill Him
Knew He was going to the cross to finish His work - prepared His disciiples
Recently: A turning point in Jesus mission -
Peter confesses Jesus as Christ
Jesus focuses on His mission to Jerusalem
Jesus teaches on the cost of following Him
Jesus gives His disciples a foretaste of Heaven
Things are starting to intensify, as Jesus heads to Jerusalem
Conflict and Satan
Jesus prepares His apostles for His death
Pray
They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. 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. 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.”
Jesus again announces His coming death and resurrection
Jesus again announces His coming death and resurrection
Mark 9:31 “for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.””
The ignorance of the disciples in spiritual matters shows once again
Good news and sad news, sweet and bitter, the resurrection as well as the cross
The twelve didnt understand and they were afraid to ask
They had mistaken ideas about Jesus reign on earth - thought His earthly kingdom would appear
We are all slow to understand, when our minds are clouded by prejudice and pre-conceived opinions
Jesus announcement emphasizes how important His death and resurrection would be
He reminds us again that He must die for a reason
He wants us to know that His death, was the great end for which He came into this world
He would remind us that by that death, the great problem of sin was to be solved - God could be both just, and yet justify sinners
He didn’t just come to teach, preach and work miracles
He came to be punished for our sins, by His own blood and suffering on the cross - we can never forget this
Jesus life on earth (the incarnation), His example, and His words are most important
The most important thing though, which we need to understand from His earthly ministry, is His death at Calvary
The ambition and love of recognition of the apostles
The ambition and love of recognition of the apostles
Mark 9:34 “But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.”
This is strange - fishermen and tax collectors seeking to be the most famous?
Who would have expected that poor men, who had given up all for Christ’s sake, would have been in conflict about who would be the most famous or powerful?
This fact is written in the Bible for our learning
The Holy Spirit got it written down for the continual use of Christ’s church - we need to take note of it
An awful fact - pride is one of the most common sins we have
We are born Pharisees - think better of ourselves than we ought
Think we deserve better than we have - an old sin
Began in Eden, with Adam and Eve
It rules in many of us, without being detected - can even look like humility
It is a terrible sin - it can ruin us
Keeps us from repenting
keeps us from Christ
cuts off brotherly love
Must watch for it - be on guard
Let us seek true humility - it is truly graceful. It is truly rare though
The true standard of greatness
The true standard of greatness
Mark 9:35 “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.””
This is a very important lesson for all Christians
Shows us that the wisdom of the world is completely different from the mind of Christ
For the world, greatness comes from ruling - for the Christian, it comes from serving
World wants honor and attention - Christians should want to give rather than receive, to serve others than to be served
The woman or man that sets out to serve his fellow men and women, and be useful, is the greatest in the eyes of Christ
We need to work hard to practice this heart searching statement
Do good to our fellow men
mortify our desire to please ourselves
What kindness can we do for others - to help them and make them happy? Let’s do it now
It would be good for all Christians, if we were less focused on church and self-righteousness and more focused on serving one another
Those who are willing to stand in the back, but do the work for Christ, are always few - but these are the ones who really do good, break down the prejudice, convince the lost that Christianity is real, and shake the world
Jesus encourages us to show kindness to the least and lowest, who believe in Him
Jesus encourages us to show kindness to the least and lowest, who believe in Him
Mark 9:36-37 “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.””
This is a continuation of Jesus last point
This is foolishness to the natural man
Worldly people see no other way to greatness than political power, money, rank, high position
The Son of God says the way lies in devoting ourselves to the care of the weakest and lowest of His flock
Mark 9:37 ““Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.””
Bringing it home
Bringing it home
This is encouraging to all who devote themselves to doing good for neglected souls
This should be all of us
This is encouraging to everyone who works to help restore the outcast to the community
to raise the fallen
to gather together the children no one cares for
to help the worst of sinners recover from their life of sin
to help the lost and wandering to come home
We can take comfort, this work is often hard and discouraging
May be mocked, ridiculed, held up to scorn
But, the Son of God notes all they do, and is well pleased
No matter what the world says, these are the ones whom Jesus will be happy to honor at the last day
Prayers
Prayers
Questions
Questions