Sunday September 27, 2009 Mark 9:38-50

Welcome, Life has a way of changing in an instant and this past week it happened to me. One minute I’m preparing for the Sunday adult education class and a phone call later I’m driving to St. Cloud to meet my mother who is being airlifted for medical treatment. I’ve spent the last few days hanging around the hospital and the teachings that I blog about became rather clear. The staff at the hospital truly served us, from information to support. They live a servant lifestyle and I’ve discovered that I miss that as I used to work in a hospital. They see people, patients and family, at their neediest and take time to care even if it is only to give directions to the cafeteria. In our busy world we need to follow their lead and take a minute to ask how others are doing (and mean it), give simple directions or smile at someone who is feeling pretty vulnerable. In some providence greater than I can comprehend I somewhat lived out part of the lesson for Sunday.

V38 John reports to Jesus that a group of the disciples has observed a man casting out demons in Jesus’ name. In that time, and even now in many places in the world, people feel as though illness is caused by demons. If they can rid themselves of the demon they will be healed. One of the ways to do this was to have a “holy man” call on a spirit more powerful than the demon. They would command the demon to come out of the person in the name of the more powerful spirit. In this case the man was using the name of Jesus so his disciples tell the man to stop as he is not a follower of Jesus. He’s not in the “club”.

V39 Jesus replies with an answer that must have surprised the disciples – don’t stop him. If he is doing this in the name of Jesus and having success this may lead the man to seek out Jesus.

V40 There is a war going on between Jesus and the demonic and even though this man doesn’t know Jesus he is still fighting on the same side.

V41 Even the small act of giving a cold cup of water to a thirsty man in the name of Jesus will grant you reward. This does not mean that we need to do acts to get rewards but rather that we need to do kind acts because God has treated us with such kindness that we must pass it forward. A cold cup of water is almost a small insignificant thing unless you’re the one who is thirsty. Directions to a cafeteria are a small thing unless you are overwhelmed by the maze of hallways in a hospital and your mind isn’t on directions. Friendly nursing staff is a small thing unless it is your mom in the bed. Turning off an overhead glaring light is a small thing unless you’re the one in the hospital bed dizzy, nauseous and having heart trouble. Even the action of darkening a room out of consideration for another is a “cold cup of water”.

V42 If any one of us does any action that causes someone else to loose faith in Jesus it would be better if you were drowned in the sea with a cinder block around your neck. The Romans actually did this to people as punishment.

V43-47 This is not to be taken literally but to show that what ever causes us to stumble in our following of Jesus must be eradicated. Maybe it is the people we associate with or the habits we have picked up but they must go if they prevent us from serving others. This doesn’t mean that we don’t associate with people that are not like us but that as we associate with them we are to model the life of Jesus. Remember Jesus searched out the outcasts of his day to bring them to life with him but he didn’t start acting like them, rather they started acting like him.

V48 The hell that he speaks of was the garbage dump outside of Jerusalem. This valley had been used at the time of some of the kings in the Old Testament as a place for child sacrifice practiced by the Jewish people. (2 Chronicles 28:3) The place was so detestable and declared unclean that it was only good enough now for a garbage dump that had a smoldering fire going all the time to burn the garbage. This image comes from Isaiah 66:24 where it was used to describe the fate of Israel’s enemies. Now Jesus is using that image from Isaiah to refer not to Israel’s gentile enemies; but to people who are enemies of his (the new Israel’s) way of living.

V49-50 This may be linked to Leviticus 2:13 where they are told to offer sacrifice that has been salted. Salt is good, in fact too many people today use way to much salt. If we are to be the salt which enhances life, as actual salt enhances the taste of food, and we loose that quality; what good are we? In that day salt was expensive and a coveted trade item. I’ve seen pictures of camels in caravans with blocks of salt strapped to their sides. It was a needed commodity and they didn’t have Morton’s in their cupboard. Imagine if we loose the rare ability to effect others lives, if people observe our life and don’t see a lifestyle enhanced by Jesus?

The man spoken of earlier was being salt, enhancing others lives, in the name of Jesus even though he wasn’t a part of the group around Jesus. The disciples wanted to stop him but Jesus said no, even though he isn’t a part of our group he is still acting in my name, spreading my spirit. How many times do we do that today? Do we try to stop others from carrying out their role in life because they aren’t in our exclusive “church” club? I don’t know how many of the staff in the hospital that took care of my mom were members of a church, nor do I care. All of them were “salt” in my mothers stay. All of them enhanced the servant lifestyle of Jesus weather they knew him or not. None of them served in that way because I was sitting there watching, they just did it. An important thought to leave you with is: Who is watching you and the way you live your life? Are you an example or are you as worthless as salt that has lost its saltiness and must be tossed out?

My mom is recovering at home now and I am left with a question; who is watching my example of the way I live and is it worth watching?