Cut It Out

I’m so hungry I could eat a horse. He’s so slow he’s got moss growing on his back. Finish these with me: It’s so quiet you can hear a pin drop. I just died of embarrassment. It’s raining cats and dogs. That car cost me an arm and a leg. I’ve told you a million times. What are these figures of speech called? Hyperbole. It’s over exaggeration to draw attention to an extreme situation.

In today’s passage Jesus uses over-the-top hyperbole to get the disciples attention and to help us see how big a deal sin is to God and other people.

Series

As we continue our series: The Crown & The Cross sermon, Mark’s Gospel shows Jesus as a man with a clear message and mission, and the reader is called to actively response to the message.

In the first half of Mark the emphasis was on Jesus as Messiah the King who deserved a crown. Now in the second half the focus is on Jesus preparing for His life’s mission to suffer and die on the cross - and to rise from the dead.

Last week, we saw the disciples struggling with pride and learning from Jesus what the right attitudes for ministry really are. He told them to welcome new believers the way he embraced a child - humbly and gently. Jesus will continue teaching the disciples about their attitudes and importance of personal purity in ministry. Are these issues still important today? Probably more than ever!

Our parallel passages are in Matthew 18 and Luke 17 . You can turn to Mark 9, but let’s pray first.

PRAY

READ Mark 9:42-50

Don't Mislead Others

v. 42 Don’t cause one of these little ones to sin. These little ones who believe in me, refers back to the child Jesus picked up and embraced in v. 36. Welcome new believers. Protect them. Don’t mislead them or cause them to sin.

Here’s our first hyperbole - it would be better for you to have a millstone hung around your neck and be thrown into the sea. A millstone is a huge grinding stone that rested on top of another stationary stone. The type Jesus referred to would be about 2 feet in diameter, with a donkey walking in a circle making the top stone turn and grind the wheat into flour.

Josephus writes about historical examples from this time period where the Romans killed a political zealot from Galilee by this same method. Maybe it was an earlier version of the mafia’s cement shoes - where they dropped wise guys into the Hudson River at night.

Anyway, Jesus wanted the disciples and us to know how important it is to protect new believers who are immature in their faith and not be the ones to tempt them into sin. Do you have new believers in your life? Your children or grandchildren would certainly fit into that category.

We need to be careful with our speech, where we go, what we do, what we read or watch. Even things we may have spiritual freedom to enjoy can be a temptation to sin for a newer believer. Paul used the example of dropping the kosher diet or not celebrating certain festivals that new believers would not yet understand.

Jesus’ warning is severe. Don’t lead them into sin - you’d be better off dead. But not a quick death - the slow fear-filled process of drowning - being thrown into the deep waters, pulled down by the weight of a huge stone around your neck, straining against the rope, your lungs burning, needing fresh oxygen, trying to break free and get back to the surface but unable to save yourself. That’s what your sin does to a newer believer - it pulls them down into the depths of sin with no hope.

We can infer from this passage that God is more concerned for new believer’s and their fragile faith than for the older ones’ freedom or maybe their egos. Just like last week’s passage - humility and compassion are keys to being a great disciple of Jesus Christ.

Cut Out Temptations

Now Jesus goes further with the hyperbole talking about cutting off three essential body parts if they cause you to sin. God calls us to be holy as he is holy. Jesus lead a sinless life as our example to put off sin and put on Christlikeness.

If your hand causes you to sin - cut it off. You would be better off in heaven without your hand than being whole and going to hell to suffer forever.

If your foot leads to into sin - cut if off. You be better going to heaven lame than being thrown into hell with both feet.

If you eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It’s better to enter heaven with one eye than to clearly see as you are being thrown into hell for eternity.

The hand represents what we do - our actions or our use of power. The foot is where we go or the things we chase after. And the eye is what we see and watch or the things we desire but don’t have. Are there things you do that increase the temptation to sin? Maybe the action is not a sin, but it is dangerously close and brings you right to the edge. Can you think of places you might go that surround you with temptations? People or activities that you know are wrong. And what about things you see - what you watch on your phone, your TV, things you read that set your mind thinking about desires that are impure and sin. James said our fights and quarrels come from our desires - things we want but can’t get. Maybe that’s envy of what others have or simple things like a little peace and quiet. If we are willing to sin to get something or to keep it - for us that thing is an idol and more important than obeying and glorifying God.

Jesus warning is not a command to mutilate yourself. Even though middle eastern cultures still use these drastic measures - like cutting the hand off a thief. God is not telling Christians to literally harm themselves. Because our temptations don’t start with those things, they live in our hearts. He is warning us to cut out the things in our lives that draw us into sin. Don’t mess around. Don’t leave them there and try harder to keep away. If you are having trouble with porn - cut off the access with filters and don’t be alone with your phone, computer or TV. Maybe it’s an online or in-person relationship with someone other than your spouse. Confess your desires to God and ask them to remove them - but cut out the ability to easily fall back. Make drastic changes.

The same may be true for unhealthy friendships - people who continually lead you into sin. Or clubs that really have no positive impact on your life. Can you still share your faith with these people? Of course, but not while surrounded by temptations you can’t handle.

In our parallel passage in Luke 17, Jesus said temptations are sure to come and he adds some ministry attitudes towards others. If a brothers falls into sin rebuke or correct him. If he repents forgive and encourage him to keep on for the kingdom.

Jesus describes the horrors of hell in verse 48 “where their worm does not die and the fire is never quenched. This is a reference back to Isaiah 66:24 where it talks about hell being like the defeated army’s bodies thrown into the dump after a battle - a place where worms and maggots eat the dead bodies and there is a continual fire that will never go out That is literally what hell is like. Whoever does not repent of their sins, accept Jesus Christ as Savior, will end up in hell for eternity - forever separated from God. No amount of sacrifice or things given up here on earth (for our short lifetime) are worth going to hell forever.

Jesus points out the unquenchable fire that never ends. Peter said in 2 Peter 3:9, the Lord is patient toward you not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. God wants people to be reconciled to him, to be saved and spend eternity in heaven. Matthew 25:41 ““Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

Be Salty

Verse 49 says everyone will be salted with fire. Jesus is referring to the OT sacrifices that were to include salt. Leviticus 2:13 “You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.”

The salt would be burned up with the sacrifice. So Jesus is talking about our sacrifices - things we give up to be pure and holy like God.

V. 50 Salt is good. It was so important as a preservative in Bible times that it could be used as currency or payment. The saying “worth your salt” is about your value as a person. As salt removes moisture and bacteria it keeps food from rotting or spoiling. Before refrigeration, freezers, and canning food existed almost everything was preserved with salt.

Today, we mostly use salt to make things taste better. It enhances the flavor and makes your mouth say “wow!”

Jesus said have salt in yourselves be at peace with each other. This can refer to eating and fellow-shipping with other believers. Again, talking about how we do ministry together - Jesus says be salty - kill germs or sin, preserve life, share the Gospel, bring flavor and joy to others, make following Jesus taste good to others by your attractive life, be at peace with each other. The disciples who were just arguing about who would be in charge, must humbly care for new believers, check their own lives for sin like abusing power and position and radically cut out temptations, and they must work for peace with other believers - putting themselves last.

Take Aways

Overcoming sin and temptation are only possible by the transforming work of the Gospel in our lives. Recognizing that I am a sinner unable to connect with God. Repenting of my sin and trusting in the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin. Believing that His resurrection from the dead brings new life to our mortal souls and provides eternal life with God and salvation from judgment of hell. Only Jesus Christ can cleanse and purify us.

Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, through the Holy Spirit in us, we can die to self and die to sin. It no longer has a strangle hold on our lives. We will never be perfectly sinless here on earth, but God calls us to strive for Christlikeness. As Paul said in Philippians 2 forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

The Holy Spirit living in believers is the salt that preserves life and brings flavor. the fruits of the Spirit bring peace with other believers and draw unbelievers to Jesus as we think, act and speak in ways that value and love them.

Are you blind to your own sin and the devastating effects it has on others? Especially younger or newer Christians? Pray and ask God to search your heart and show you what needs to be cut out. Do you just like to be in charge or do you really want to serve others?

Are you living a holy, salty, life-giving, attractive life that draws people to Jesus? If not, what needs to be drastically cut out today?

Benediction

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. In the name of Jesus our Savior I pray. Amen.

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