Mark Chapter 9

Lots to unpack in this chapter and I don’t even know where to begin.  I’ve been sitting here for over an hour, just blank… Not sure what to say.  I feel like I just keep saying the same thing over and over again.  Can you imagine how Jesus felt?  He said the same thing over and over and they never really got it… we still haven’t!  Not that I’m comparing myself to Jesus.  I’m not, but as I typed, “I just keep saying the same thing over and over,” I realized so did Jesus!  

Do you think he kept trying to rephrase things so that maybe “this time” they’d (we’d) get it?  I know he was losing his patience.  He often said, “Do you still not understand?”  But being Jesus, he put aside his impatience and would explain it once more.

I feel like he would really lose his patience with us.  We read the same stories over and over in different gospels, 4 different gospels, and we still don’t get it.  We are still looking for some far off heaven, we are still gatekeeping, we are still not fully getting the message, or are purposely ignoring the message.

Let’s see, in verse 11 the disciples say what about Elijah?  He’s supposed to come first and Jesus says he does!  He’s here and the people have treated him as they please.

In verse 18 the disciples are unable to cast out a demon, and Jesus says, “Faithless generation! How long must I be with you?  How long must I have patience with you?”  I bet he’s still asking that question.

Then when they ask why they were unable to do it, Jesus says, “A spirit of this kind can come out only by prayer.”  Does this mean that they were trying to cast it out on their own power, instead of God’s?

Then in verse 34 the disciples have been arguing about who  among them was the greatest.  I mean gee whiz!  Of all the things… 

Jesus reminds them that to be great, they must be a servant to all.

Then he takes a child and hugs them and tells them, “Anyone who, for the sake of my name, welcomes even a little child like this is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming not me but the one who sent me.”

And then the very next verse, (I realize that we don’t really know if it was the next minute or a day or later but still…) John starts back up the gatekeeping.  “We saw someone driving out demons by using your name, and we tried to prevent him, because he did not follow us.”

This is just mind boggling to me.  Someone is out there helping others, and they tried to stop him because he wasn’t one of them.  Even after just a few verses ago, they were unable to drive out a demon themselves! 

Mind boggling…

I’m not saying that I wouldn’t have been just like them.  I honestly don’t know.  I have 4 gospels to learn from and centuries of teachings and reflecting to look back on to understand.  Hindsight is 20/20… but is it?

History is constantly repeating itself.  We still are unable to show or share hospitality with others.  We still gate keep on a regular basis in church, in schools, in communities, in families, everywhere!  We are still studying the teachings of Jesus and still not getting it… 

When will we finally believe what Jesus is telling us?  What Jesus is showing us?  When we will finally believe our own eyes and ears?

Jesus tells them that “if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to stumble, it would be far better for him if he had been thrown into the sea with a great millstone around his neck.”  

He’s not just talking about the little children, but about all of us.  He’s talking about the person who wasn’t one of them, but was still out there casting out demons in his name.   Don’t make them stumble, encourage them, help them!   Serve them, maybe even learn from them!

This chapter ends with “Salt is good, but if the salt should lose its saltiness, what will you use to season it? You must have salt in yourselves, and live at peace with one another.”

I recently, saw a t-shirt that says, “Be Salty/Stay Lit”.  It references Matthew 5:13-16, but it think it goes with Mark 9:30 too.  

I believe that this is reminding us to not stumble or cause others to stumble.  To stay to true Jesus and his teachings and to let our light shine, let HIS light shine through us at all times.  Don’t let “them” gatekeep you out of sharing the gospel, sharing the good news, sharing Jesus and his love for all.

So, my friends, Be Salty/Stay Lit!

Until next time…♥️