This is only a summary. Watch the sermon video (linked above) for more.
After hearing Jesus’ remarkable responses to the question posed to him about the source of his authority (Mark 11:27-33), taxes (Mark 12:13-17) and the resurrection (Mark 12:18-27), one of the scribes was smart enough to ask Jesus about which commandment is the most important.
Rabbis had identified 613 commands in the first five books of the Bible, and it was a regular point of discussion among the Pharisees about which commandments were most important. And so, this scribe asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” (v. 28).
Jesus answers by quoting Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18. Jesus does add the phrase “and with all your mind.” Here is Jesus reply according to Mark 12:29-31.
“The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Jesus’ answer is basically this – love God with everything you have and love your neighbor as yourself. In other words, we don’t just do a few religious duties to make God happy. Rather, we are changed by the gospel of Jesus and we respond in a life of worship and obedience to God (1 John 4:19). We are not saved by our good works but we are saved for good works (Eph 2:8-10). We are to worship God with our lives and not just our lips. Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31).
That is what it looks like to love God with everything you have. You no longer live for yourself but for God’s glory. You have a supernatural love and care for others–not just your family and your church family but ultimately everyone you encounter. You care about the eternal destiny of all. Loving God and loving others is the call of every Christ follower. Without love, we are just religious pretenders (1 Cor 13:1-3).
BIG IDEA: Like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, many people refuse to acknowledge Jesus’ authority over their lives.
Summary
Keep the context in mind. Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and inspected the temple affairs. On Monday, Jesus cleaned house. Now on Tuesday Jesus’ authority is challenged by a delegation of the Sanhedrin, the powerful Jewish religious council consisting of Pharisees, Sadducees, and others.
Again, the key issue is authority. Notice v. 28: “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” The religious leaders are questioning Jesus’ authority to preach and teach in the temple (Luke 20:1) and to cleanse the temple (Mark 11:15-17). In their minds, he was the lowly son of a carpenter from Nazareth and they are the religious elites that have control over the temple and its affairs – not Jesus.
I encourage you to watch the sermon for more. Even though there is no temple today many religious people still struggle the same problem the religious leaders did. They refuse to give Jesus his rightful authority over their lives. They want the salvation and blessings of Jesus without the commitment of discipleship. But this is not the way of Jesus. Jesus has all authority (Matt 28:18; Col 1:15-20; Mark 8:34-35; Luke 6:46). Will you submit to the his authority in every area of your life?
Following Jesus requires us to sacrifice for others (32-34)
Following Jesus requires us to put off selfishness (35-37)
Following Jesus requires us to suffer (38-41)
Following Jesus requires us to serve others (42-45)
Sermon Notes
Jesus is on his way to the cross and he is calling his disciples and the crowds to follow him.
What does it look like to follow Jesus by surrendering to him and serving others?
Following Jesus requires us to sacrifice for others (32-34)
32 And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33 saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. 34 And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”
This is the third time that Jesus has told his disciples of his impending arrest, death, and resurrection.
Mark 8-10 is the largest text in the New Testament on discipleship. In each chapter,
Jesus predicts his death and resurrection (Mark 8:31-32, 9:30-31, 10:32-34).
The disciples respond in a foolish way (Mark 8:32-33, 9:32-34, 10:35-41).
Jesus gives a lesson on discipleship, service, and true greatness (Mark 8:34-38, 9:35-37, 10:42-45).
Jesus knew what was going to happen to him and he still went to Jerusalem. He loved and served us even when he knew it would cost him his life.
Though none of us can die a substitutionary death on a cross like Jesus, we are all called to sacrifice for others.
Are you willing to make sacrifices so that other people can hear the gospel?
Are you willing to give of your time to help someone grow in Christ?
Are you willing to serve others?
Does your life have a kingdom focus?
If we are going to impact our community for Christ, then we must be willing to sacrifice for the good of others.
Following Jesus requires us to sacrifice for others. Second, following Jesus requires us to put off selfishness.
Following Jesus requires us to put off selfishness (35-37)
35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”
The way of the world is self-exaltation. Look at James and John’s demands. • 35 – “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” • 37 – “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory”
James and John are showing their human nature. Like James and John, we love ourselves and we want others to love and honor us as well. Many of us think way too highly of ourselves. Isn’t it true that we tend to see the faults of others while overlooking many of the same faults in ourselves?
James and John also seem to have already forgotten Jesus’ teaching on what true greatness looks like (see Mark 9:35):
Mark 9:35 “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
While Jesus is talking about all that he is about to give, the disciples are consumed with what they can get. Looking at James and John is like looking in the mirror. We can see our own selfishness, and Mark hopes that we can see how foolish we look.
James and John are making demands of Jesus, the Lord of all creation. When we are self-centered, we are just like James and John.
If you are going to please Jesus with your life, then you must learn to put off selfishness. You must learn to put off selfishness in your marriage. You must learn to put off selfishness within your church family. You must put off selfishness in order to reach the lost.
James and John know Jesus is headed for glory (v. 37), but they don’t have a clue how the glory would come.
Following Jesus requires us to sacrifice for others. Following Jesus requires us to put off selfishness. Third, following Jesus requires us to suffer.
Following Jesus requires us to suffer (38-41)
38 Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.
Jesus’ path to glory was paved with suffering. Read verse 38 above. Jesus says, “You don’t know what you’re asking…”
John and James were very quick to want the benefits of God’s kingdom, but they have not counted the costs of participating in it.
Jesus asks them two questions:
“Are you able to drink the cup that I drink?”
“Are you able to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?
Jesus compares His coming suffering and death to drinking a cup and experiencing a baptism. What does He mean by this?
Drinking a cup with someone speaks of sharing in that person’s fate. The cup that Jesus is referring to here is that of God’s wrath. Later, we will see Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane. As he prayed to the Father, he spoke these words: “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36).
When Jesus speaks of His coming baptism, it means that his coming suffering and death were all consuming. Just as baptism is by immersion, Jesus was immersed in the destiny that God had planned for Him. Jesus’ suffering and death were all consuming and he was immersed in his mission.
Luke 12:50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!
James and John respond that they are able, but their quick response makes it clear that they did not understand what Jesus meant. However, Jesus knows that indeed one day each of them will suffer for the sake of Jesus and His gospel.
James was the first apostle to be martyred (Acts 12:1-2).
John was exiled to the island of Patmos (Rev 1).
James and John had failed to see that the pathway to glory is paved with suffering. Before we receive the crown of life, we must be willing to drink the cup of suffering and be immersed in living for Christ. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul noted that believers are not called simply to believe in Jesus, but should also be willing to suffer for his sake.
Phil 1:29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,
Do we really think that we can follow Jesus and not suffer? Do we think that revitalizing a church will be easy? Do we think we won’t be rejected by others or be persecuted? Do we really think that we won’t be hated for the sake of Jesus
“The early church was married to poverty, prisons, and persecutions. Today, ‘the church’ is married to prosperity, personality, and popularity.”
Leonard Ravenhill
The other disciples were indignant at James and John (v. 41). James and John’s selfish request had strained the unity of the group. Isn’t that what selfishness does? When we seek after power and position at the expense of those around us, others will be indignant at us.
Following Jesus requires us to sacrifice for others. Following Jesus requires us to put off selfishness. Following Jesus requires us to suffer. Finally, following Jesus requires us to serve others.
Following Jesus requires us to serve others (42-45)
42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus says that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and that they exercise authority over them (v. 42). People in the world want more power, more position, more fame, and more influence. In the world, the more important you are, the more people you have that serve you.
But Jesus says, “it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant” (v. 43).
Once again, Jesus has changed the scorecard. The world says that power and authority are to be desired, but Jesus says if you want to be great you must be a servant.
If service is beneath you, then leadership is beyond you.
Think about this in marriage. Men, if you make marriage all about you, then your wife isn’t going to submit to your leadership.
If you’re the boss at work but you’re always making demands but never willing to help, you are not going to be effective.
Jesus says it’s not even enough to be like a servant but you must become like a slave (v. 44). In biblical times, slaves had very little rights and were taken for granted by those that they served.
Who are you more like? Are you more like the rich young ruler (Mark 10:17-22) and James and John? Are you seeking to exalt yourself or you a servant that is willing to pour out your life for others and to be taken for granted like a slave?
Verse 45 is the key verse of Mark’s Gospel. Mark 1:15 is Jesus’ message. Mark 10:45 is Jesus’ mission.
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
The reason that service is preeminent in the kingdom of God is because it grows out of a love for one’s neighbor. Service is love made tangible.[1]James R. Edwards, The Gospel According to Mark, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2002), 326. If we refuse to serve others it is because we don’t love others. If we don’t love others, then we do not love God.
Jesus has told us his disciples that he is going to Jerusalem and that he will die. Now he tells them why. He did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Conclusion
Jesus combines the “Son of Man” title from Daniel 7 with the “ransom for many” language from Isaiah 53.
Daniel 7:13-14 13 “I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
Isaiah 53:12c yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
This is the Jesus we follow! He came to earth as a baby. He died as a sacrifice for sinners. And one day, he will return as a warrior to mete out God’s judgment. After the final judgment, Jesus will rule his kingdom forever and ever. He will have an everlasting dominion.
That’s the amazing truth of the gospel, that Jesus, the Son of God, became the Son of Man in order to pay the penalty for sin. We needed a ransom for our sin because we had all gladly and willfully sold ourselves into the bondage of slavery to sin. Jesus saves us from God’s wrath and gives us the victory over sin, death, and hell.
By paying the ransom for our sins, Jesus made it possible for the children of man to become the children of God.
Jesus, the Son of God, and the Son of Man, gave His life as a ransom for many.
We respond in repentance and faith. After we come to Christ, we follow Jesus by
sacrificing for others (32-34)
putting off selfishness (35-37)
suffering for his sake (38-41)
serving others (42-45)
If we’re honest, many of us have a wrong view of Christianity. We think that Christianity is punching a ticket to heaven. In truth, Christianity is following Jesus, laying down our lives in service to the King who laid down his life for us.
Will we believe the philosophy of the world that life is all about us or will we give ourselves away in service to Jesus, his Gospel, his church, and a lost and dying world?
James R. Edwards, The Gospel According to Mark, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2002), 326.
Eternal life is not the result of moral living (17-22)
Eternal life is not the result of material wealth (23-27)
Eternal life is the result of following Jesus (28-31)
Summary
Last time, we saw learned about children and the kingdom of God. We saw that all must come to Jesus with nothing, in total dependence on him and that the requirement is the same for all: simple, childlike reliance on Jesus.
Today we’re going to look at someone who had in a sense achieved the American dream at a young age. He had riches and influence and was even a very moral man. No doubt he was respected by all. But he missed the most important thing in life.
In Evangelism Explosion, one of the questions that is often asked is this: “If you were to die tonight and stand before God, and He were to say to you, ‘Why should I let you into My heaven?’ what would you say?” The person sharing the gospel uses this question because it helps diagnose what the person listening to the gospel message is trusting in to save them. I want you to consider that same question. Answer it in your mind. How you answer reveals what you are trusting in.
As Americans, we desperately need to heed our Lord’s warning about wealth because we are the most prosperous people in the history of the world. Even some who would be classified as poor in America have a better standard of living than some kings did 200 years ago.
Eternal life is not the result of moral living (17-22)
In v. 17, the man asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
The man thought, as many do today that he could do something to earn or inherit eternal life. Most people who believe in God think that one day God will add up their good works and their bad works; and if their good works exceed their bad works, they will get into heaven.
The problem with this approach is that it has a wrong view of:
Sin – Sin is rebellion against the holy God. It is not simply the bad things we do, but an inward attitude that exalts ourselves and defies God. We are not sinners because we sin. Rather, we sin because we are sinners by nature (Eph 2:1-3).
Man – We are not good people who commit sin occasionally. Isaiah says it this way: “We all like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to their own way” (Isa 53:6).
The Bible – The Bible is not just a religious book but the very words of God to man.
God – God is perfectly holy and a few good works will not help us to have peace with Him.
See, the problem with this young man is that he actually thought he could do a few religious works and settle his account with God.
18-19
Jesus – “Why do you call me good? Only God is good.” Jesus subtly hints to the man that maybe the man isn’t as good as he thinks. Jesus gives him a test.
Jesus cites the last six commandments, which address our human relationships with one another. “Do not defraud” is substituted for not coveting, because fraud is a concrete example of covetousness and a special temptation of the rich.
Jesus referenced the horizontal commandments. Why? Because obedience to the commands dealing with human relationships provides evidence of someone’s obedience to the commandments focused on God. So, Jesus wants to see how good this man thinks he is. It turns out, the man thinks he has done pretty well. Look at v. 20.
The man claims he has kept these commandments from his youth (likely age 13). From an external perspective, it’s likely that he thought that he had kept the commandments.
In v. 21, Jesus goes to the man’s heart. Jesus moves from the letter of the law to the spirit of the law. Having addressed the last six commandments, Jesus now addresses the first (Exo 20:3) – “You shall have no other gods before me.” Jesus knew that this man’s wealth occupied the place that only God should have in his life.
In v. 22, the man was “disheartened” because he had great possessions and left Jesus.
Before we go further, I want us to ask, what can we learn from this story?
Someone can be interested in eternal life without possessing it (v. 17).
Many who claim to have obeyed God have only done so in a superficial sense (v. 20).
The core of Christianity is following Jesus (v. 21). A willingness to follow Jesus was the one thing he lacked.
Jesus does not show partiality to the rich. His call of complete surrender extends to all (v. 22).
We turn from our way of living and we decide to follow Jesus. We don’t just live a moral life, but we live a life that follows Jesus.
A moral life without a love for Jesus leads straight to hell. This man had lived a moral life, but he had not surrendered to Jesus. You’re not ready to follow Jesus until you give Him your heart. You are not a Christian if you are simply living a moral life but do not love Jesus with your heart.
This man that had come to Jesus was full of potential. He was a young man. He was a rich man. He had influence as a ruler. He was a moral man. He was respected by others.
Notice what Jesus didn’t do. He didn’t run after the man and try to make it easier. He did not offer this man a “wonderful plan for your life” or his “best life now.”
We should follow Jesus’ example. We should not tune down the message of God’s Word. Just as a good parent will not give their children a steady diet of sugar, we seek to give people the meat of God’s Word. In our sin sick culture, it is not time to shorten sermons or services. We must not dilute the gospel of Jesus Christ and its demands on our lives.
We must not dilute the gospel of Jesus Christ and its demands on our lives.
Quite frankly, this is a man most pastors would beg to join their church. But Jesus let him simply walk away because he loved his wealth more than Jesus. His wealth kept him from following Jesus because he refused to repent of his love of money that exceeded his love for God. When Jesus addressed the man, he said, “You lack one thing.”
What is your one thing? What area(s) of your life are you refusing to surrender to Jesus? What or who do you love more than God? Will you give Jesus his rightful place in your life?
If you want Jesus to be your Savior, then you have to replace what you have been looking to as a Savior.
If you want Jesus to be your Savior, then you have to replace what you have been looking to as a Savior.
Eternal life is not the result of material wealth (23-27)
23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him,[c] “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
Why is it difficult for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God? Wealth gives us comfort and security. It allows us to more fully enjoy life. It usually feeds our self-confidence and pride.
The disciples were amazed at Jesus’ words (v. 24). Jesus addresses the disciples as “children” to remind them that they must become like children if they are going to enter the kingdom of God (10:15). Whereas children have little concept of the value of money, adults can easily become deceived into thinking that they can find life in wealth and possessions.
The camel was the largest animal in the area of Judea and the needle is the smallest opening that you could find. Jesus was saying in somewhat of a humorous way, “It’s impossible for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
The disciples were “exceedingly astonished” and said, “Then who can be saved?” (v. 26). In Judaism, as well as our day, many assumed that wealth and riches were typically seen as evidence of God’s favor (see Ps 128). Surely we can agree that any material provision that we have is a result of God’s care for us. But Jesus also said that God causes it to rain on the just and the unjust (Matt 5:45).
Thus, the disciples wondered: if a moral man who is rich (and thus God’s favor) isn’t going to the kingdom of God, then who can be saved? If there’s no hope for him, then we are all in trouble. The disciples finally asked the right question.
Jesus responded in v. 27: “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Jesus doesn’t answer the disciples’ question about who can be saved but points them to the only one who can do the saving.
In the song “The Death of Death,” there is a line that says, “Man has sinned, but God has saved.”
We love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). God sent His Son, who lived a perfect life of obedience, died a substitutionary death, was buried, and rose again (1 Cor 15:3-4). The Father must draw us (John 6:44), the Holy Spirit convicts us (John 16:8). We respond in faith and repentance, submitting to his lordship (Mark 1:15). For more about the gospel, click here.
For a person to be saved, God must work on his or her heart. Thank God for His grace. We are not saved by our good works or our moral living. We are saved because of God’s saving grace through His Son, Jesus.
Eternal life is the result of following Jesus (28-31)
28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Peter realizes that they have in a sense passed where the rich young ruler failed: “We have left everything and followed you.”
29-31
When you follow Jesus, you get a get a new family – God adopts you as His child. When you join this new family, you enjoy fellowship with God as well as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Though Christians may experience hardships and persecutions in the present life, the inheritance of eternal life with God is infinitely better than any material possession.
What counts in eternity is not your moral living or your earthly wealth but your response to Christ.
C.T. Studd famously said, “Only one life, twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
“Only one life, twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
C.T. Studd
Conclusion
As I close, I want you to imagine a life without all material possessions. All you have is Christ. Is he enough? That is the question that Jesus put before the rich young ruler and it’s the same question he puts before you and me.
Friends, this man wanted eternal life without having to surrender his kingdom. He would not part with the one thing that he loved the most. I want to ask you once again – What is your one thing? Is there something in your life you love more than God? Will you give Jesus his rightful place in your life?
Remember Jesus’ words from Mark 8.
Mark 8:34-36
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
Jesus is the ultimate rich young ruler who gave away the ultimate wealth to die for our sins in our place. To have eternal life, we must be willing to give up anything in order to follow King Jesus.
Disciples of Jesus do not treat sin casually (43-48)
Disciples of Jesus will be refined continually (49-50)
Summary
Have you ever invited someone to your church’s worship service? If you have, perhaps you have had a reply like this: I won’t attend that church because it’s full of hypocrites. Whether or not this person’s assessment is accurate, he or she recognizes that Christians should not be hypocrites. Christians should live out the faith the claim to possess. In a sentence, Christians should be holy because God is holy. Jesus addresses this with his disciples in our text today.
Jesus very clearly tells his disciples sin leads to hell. Therefore, his disciples must fight their sin – not because they can earn their salvation but because they are to please God with their lives and have a purifying effect on those around them.
Jesus tells his disciples that if their hands, feet, or eyes cause them to sin then they need to tear them out or cut them off. Of course, the problem is not with our body parts but rather our hearts (Mark 7:20-23). Our hands represent what we do. Our feet represent where we go. Our eyes represent what we see. Jesus is using hyperbole to say that we need to take drastic measures to cut ourselves off from sin.[1]We know Jesus is speaking in hyperbole because the Bible forbids self-mutilation (Deut 14:1; 23:1). If we are not willing to follow Jesus in this way then we are in danger of hell (vv. 43, 45, 48).
Jesus is saying that you must separate yourself from sin or you will separate yourself from him. Jesus is not teaching salvation by works. We are not saved by our holiness. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. However, we must love Jesus more than our sin. We should hate our sin, battle our sin, and make progress against our sin. This is evidence that we truly have been saved from our sins.
Jesus speaks of hell in these verses. Jesus taught more about hell than anyone else in Scripture and he taught about hell more than heaven. Hell is described in v. 43 as a place of “unquenchable fire.” Verse 48 says in hell “their worm does not die and fire is not quenched.”
Elsewhere in Scripture, hell is called:
A lake of fire and brimstone (Rev 20:10, 14-15)
An eternal fire (Matt 18:8-9, 25:41)
A furnace of fire (Matt 13:42)
An outer darkness (Matt 8:12, 22:13, 25:30)
An eternal punishment (Matt 25:46)
Hell is a horrible place. If it takes you metaphorically cutting off your hand, foot, or plucking out your eye, then do it! Sin is not worth it the pleasure you receive from it. It may bring you pleasure and glory now, but the pain comes later. Jesus calls us to suffer now and then enjoy the glory later!
Are you willing to do whatever it takes to cut off a sin that you are struggle with? Is your sin worth going to hell over? If you love your sin more than Jesus, that is exactly where you are headed if you will not repent.
Regarding verse 49, I want to point you to Alistair Begg’s explanation. Putting the pictures of salt and fire together, it is through fiery trials (1 Pet 1:7, 4:12) that God would purify his disciples of anything contrary to his will. Through these trials, Jesus’ disciples will be salted with fire.
As the salt of the earth (Matt 5:13), we are to preserve it to some degree. We are to exercise a purifying influence on society. We should add the flavor (or we might say the aroma of Christ). This assumes, of course, that we are manifesting the purity of the gospel in our own lives.
When we live like the world and lose our distinctive qualities as Christians, we become like salt that has lost its saltiness. Salt that isn’t salty is useless. If we as Christians are not pure, how can we help purify our world. How can we help further God’s kingdom when we are giving ourselves to sin?
If we want to change our world through the power of the gospel, we must be marked by holiness.
How is your saltiness? Do you have a purifying effect with those who you come into contact with?
Friends, every day we closer to judgment day. One day we will stand before God and on that day, it will be revealed whether we’ve taken seriously Jesus’ call to discipleship.
Everyone will experience some kind of fire.
Believer, let the trials of this life lead you to God. Let his purifying fires burn away everything that keeps you from living for him.
If you are not willing to submit yourself to this kind of discipleship and holiness then you will experience the fires of hell.
Jesus, as is the incarnate Son of God, is worthy of our worship and our obedience. Look and listen to Him!
Summary
In my last post, we saw that Jesus predicted his upcoming crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Subsequently, Jesus issued a call to the crowd to follow him. In today’s text, we see Jesus’ glory revealed as he is transfigured before Peter, James, and John.
The transfiguration event was meant to strengthen the disciples and to help them live for God’s kingdom after Jesus was ascended. Both John and Peter write about their witness of Jesus’ transfiguration (John 1:14; 2 Pet 1:16-18).
Mark uses the transfiguration to further present Jesus as a new and better Moses who is leading a new exodus.
Moses led God’s people out of physical bondage in Egypt. Jesus leads his people out of spiritual bondage to sin and death.
Moses gathered God’s people at Mt. Sinai. Jesus gathers his people, beginning with his disciples on a mountain (Mark 3:13-19; 9:1-13) and now into local churches.
Moses received the Law on tablets of stone. Jesus is the Lord of the Law who puts his Law in the hearts of his people.
The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness because of their disobedience. Jesus overcame the devil for forty days and nights in the wilderness in obedience to the Father.
The Israelites went into the Promised Land through the Jordan River. Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River.
Moses was sent by God to lead the people into the Promised Land. Jesus was sent by God to lead his people into the Promised Land – the New Heavens and the New Earth.
Look at the parallels between Exodus 24 and Mark 9:1-13.[1]Adapted and modified from Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Mark, p. 179.
Parallels between Exodus 24 and Mark 9:1-13
The transfiguration account exalts Jesus! He is the Messiah; the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. He is God’s Son. Therefore, we look to him in worship and listen to him in obedience!
Verses Referenced
Old Testament verses alluded to in this text:
Ex 24; 34:29-35; Deut 18:15-18; Ps 2:7; Is 53; Dan 7:9; Mal 4:4-5
New verses mentioned in the sermon:
Matt 11:13-14; John 1:14; 2 Pet 1:16-18; 1 John 3:2
To be a disciple of Jesus, you must understand who Jesus is (27-30)
To be a disciple of Jesus, you must understand what Jesus came to do (31-33)
To be a disciple of Jesus, you must understand what Jesus requires (34-35)
If you reject Jesus, you will pay an invaluable price (36-38)
Summary
In this text, Jesus tells us what it means to be a Christian, or a disciple of Jesus Christ. If you do not understand or embrace what is taught here, you should not call yourself a Christian. In America, we have it pretty easy as Christians but this is not the case in many parts of the world. In Mark 8:27-38, Jesus speaks of the cost of discipleship. What will it cost us to follow him?
In the text, I see three conditions of discipleship and a warning to those who refuse to follow Christ.
First, to be a disciple, you must understand who Jesus is (Mark 9:27-30). The most important question you will ever answer in your life is, “Who is Jesus?” Jesus is not simply a good man, a moral teacher, or a prophet. Jesus was (and is) the all-powerful Christ and the very Son of God.
Second, to be a disciple, you must understand what Jesus came to do (Mark 9:31-33). Jesus is the glorious Son of Man (Dan 7:13-14) but he is also the Suffering Servant (Isa 52-53). The disciples refused to believe that Jesus had to die on the cross as a ransom for sins (Mark 10:45) despite him telling them this plainly (v. 32). To be a disciple, you must understand the necessity of Christ’s death as a substitution for your sin.
Third, to be a disciple of Jesus, you must understand what Jesus requires (Mark 9:34-35). This is where the rubber meets the road. We tend to think of “cross carrying” Christians as pastors or missionaries. But Jesus says, ““If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (v. 34). Some people think that to become a Christian is to add Jesus to your life. In reality, becoming a Christian means that you reorient your entire life around Jesus. He becomes the center of your life. You live for his kingdom and submit to his kingly rule and you are willing to suffer and even die for him (Phil 1:29).
And finally, if you reject Jesus, you will pay an invaluable price (Mark 9:36-38). Jesus says that if you try to save your life (e.g. living for yourself) you will lose it. But if you lose your life for the sake of Jesus and his gospel, then you will save it. Jesus warns the crowd about gaining the whole world and losing your own soul. Jesus also warns against living for the approval of others. He told the crowd that if they were ashamed of him then he would be ashamed of them at his coming (v. 38).
I encourage you to listen to the whole sermon. For most Christians living in America, it may be the most important sermon I’ve ever preached.
