Mark 9:30-37 What Were You Arguing About on the Way? - Sunday September 23, 2018

Last Sunday we looked at the verses found in the Gospel of Mark 9:30-37.  Here we have Jesus foretelling of his death for the second time in Mark's Gospel and then immediately afterward we learn that the Disciples have been squabbling about who among them was the greatest.

As stunning as this seems to us following this most recent proclamation concerning Jesus ultimate fate, it's even more stunning when we realize that the 'Transfiguration' has just happened at the beginning of the 9th Chapter in Mark... it's difficult to believe how self-focused the Disciples are at this juncture.

We go from there to Jesus squelching their selfish thinking by highlighting an infant that is traveling with them.  The Greek here doesn't refer to just a young child, but to an infant... there is nothing an infant can do for anyone.  We are called to welcome into our hearts those that can do nothing for us, just as I point out in the sermon, that we ultimately can do nothing for God... yet He loves us and calls us to Him.

It's been an interesting week thus far, and a week where I've had to lean back upon these very verses... it's amazing how God does that...

Also, yesterday I gave a sermon at Opportunity Living and I shared a story from Gail's and my travels on our recent vacation.  I hadn't planned to use that story but decided to that morning when I woke up, they thanked me and told me how much it meant to them all considering somethings that are going on right now... I just said "God's like that".

Praise God that He gives us what we need when we need it the most.

Be a blessing to someone today!!!

In His Love & Grace,
Roy

Mark 9:30-37 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Jesus Again Foretells His Death and Resurrection
30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” 32 But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.

Who Is the Greatest?

33 Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” 34 But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. 35 He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”