THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 9:42-50
“And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out.” (Mark 9:47)
Jesus’ words seem extreme – pluck it out, cut it off – but that is the point.
Sin, like cancer, requires severe treatment – amputation, chemo or radiation.
Jesus describes the hellish consequences of untreated sin… it burns.
Jesus is mixing metaphors – fire and salt – to show us how to deal with sin.
Salt was used to preserve from meat from going bad.
And fire could be used to remove the impurities, to refine with fire.
He urges us to ‘fight fire with fire’, and to prevent bad taste with salt.
Yes, fire burns us, but nothing like the ultimate consequences of sin.
Yes, salt changes us, but a change for the better, not for the worse.
Practically speaking, Jesus is saying we need to fight the power of sin.
We need to actively resist its negative, destructive impact… for everyone’s sake.
Use the fire of discipline and the salt of goodness to change for the better.
Promote peace, healing, love with your lives, not their hellish opposites.
Take sin seriously before it seriously takes you and ruins you, and others.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I know that this is true, yet some sinful attitudes or behaviours seem harmless, insignificant… like a tiny cancer spot? Help me to take my sin seriously!
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
Jesus urged drastic measures to avoid evil. Jesus set the goal of everlasting life and that is worth any sacrifice. In our lives today, we do many things to extend our lives – to preserve it longer. And so I need to be ready to do anything to part with that that causes my life to sin which leads to death.
As salt preserves, purifies and penetrates, so too I need to be the salt in God’s world. Spirit of the living God work within me so that Your Light and Truth may shine through me so that others may have true Life in Christ.
1
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art;
Thou my best thought, by day or by night;
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
2
Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father and I, Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
3
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise;
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart;
O King of glory, my treasure Thou art.
4
O King of glory, my victory won;
Rule and reign in me ’til Thy will be done;
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall;
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.