Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost |
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Scripture |
Mark 9:38-50 38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 Whoever is not against us is for us. 41 For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward. 42“If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell., 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, 48 where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. 49“For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
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Devotional |
This past week, we experienced the disciples discussing who would be first. This week we find them defending their turf. A follower who was not one of their immediate group is casting out demons. To make it worse this follower was accomplishing a task that the disciples were unable to accomplish a short time ago. Why do we feel it is necessary to defend our territory? Even when someone can do a better job, we do not like to be displaced, especially by an outsider. Protecting our turf did not end with the disciples. In 1711/1712, at Epworth church while Samuel Wesley was attending the Church of England’s governing convocation in London , Susanna was conducting irregular worship services at the parsonage. Susanna Wesley read sermons and prayers for the family but other in the community began to attend. Soon the crowd outgrew the number attending the curates Sunday morning worship. Mr. Inman writes Samuel requesting that he put a stop to his wife’s service because she is embarrassing him. Samuel writes his wife asking that she stop embarrassing the curate. Susanna’s reply: “I need not tell you the consequences if you put an end to our meeting. You may easily foresee what prejudices it may raise in the minds of these people against Inman especially, who have had so little wit as to speak publicly against it. ‘Tis true I can now keep them to the church, but if ‘tis laid aside, I doubt they’ll never go to hear him more, at least those that come from the lower end of the town. Whereas, if this be continued till your return(which now will not be long), it may please God by that time so to change their hearts that they may love and delight in his public worship so as never to neglect it more. I shall add but a few words more. If you do after all think fit to dissolve this assembly, do not tell me any more that you desire me to do it, for that will not satisfy my conscience; but send me your positive command in such full and express terms as may absolve me from all guilt and punishment for neglecting this opportunity of doing good to souls, when you and I shall appear before that great and awful tribunal of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Samuel never answers her letter. Good move. Next Jesus warns against putting a stumbling block in the way of others. Often people can do just fine if we stay out of their way. Jesus speaks about radical amputation of body parts that cause us to stumble. Most people do not take this literally but Jesus calls us to examine our motives and behavior and to stop doing those things that causes us to stumble. What radical amputation do you need to make to be a better disciple? These sayings challenge us to examine the quality of our discipleship. Is following Christ at the core of our being, something too precious to be surrendered lightly? Or is our Christianity merely a matter of taste and convenience, something we shelve at the slightest difficulty or inconvenience? What makes this difficult for me to hear? What does it say about me as a disciple of Jesus? 1 Charles Wallace Jr. Susanna Wesley: The Complete Writings. Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1997. p. 82-83 |