Remedial Christian Discipleship

19thSunday after Pentecost, 9/30/18
Mark 9:38-50


Remedial Christian Discipleship
I. Encourage other believers.
II. Be careful how you live.
III. Be salty.


Repetitio est mater studiorum. If your ability with the Latin language is even minimal, you might recognize that phrase. Teachers have been using it and living by it for thousands of years. "Repetition is the mother of study."

If you want someone to learn something, repeat it. And not just once, but over and over again. The more you repeat it the more likely it is that your student will remember it. And not only will that student remember it, he or she will put it into practice.

I don't know if Jesus ever used that phrase, but he certainly made use of that teaching technique. For instance, it would appear that he taught how to pray using what we call the Lord's Prayer on more than one occasion. No doubt he repeated portions of his famous Sermon on the Mount.

And he did the same with that inner band of his students whom we know as his disciples. Like any students, the disciples were "slow" to grasp some of the concepts Jesus was teaching. One of the most important was the truth that he must go to Jerusalem to suffer and die. But there were also basic concepts of what it means to follow Jesus.

On this day in the lives of Jesus and his disciples, the issue was a Christian disciple's attitude about yourself and your relationship with others. These were Christian discipleship concepts that Jesus had addressed previously, but obviously they needed repeating. Repetitio est mater studiorum. The comments of the disciples revealed that they needed some remedial work on what it meant to be a disciple.

And which of us doesn't? Honestly? We all do. So let's pay attention this morning as Jesus shares his Christian discipleship truths with us once again--remedial Christian discipleship.

Part I.

I just mentioned that the disciples often revealed that they didn't grasp some of the teachings that Jesus was trying to get across to them--such as his saving mission which was to suffer and die for the sins of the world. And there were others. So, think about it for a minute. Of all the problems which the disciples had in their quest to be disciples of Jesus, which one seemed to give them the most difficulty? Wouldn't it be their attempts to assert themselves as the greatest? How many times do we read something such as, "And the disciples were arguing among themselves which of them was the greatest"? In fact, that was precisely the topic of the day under consideration here in Mark 9. Jesus knew they needed some remedial work about what it means to be his disciple, and so he took a little child and had him stand among them and told the disciples that they needed to welcome such a child among them and, in doing so, they are also welcoming him.

You can almost hear the air leaking out of their ego bubbles. Without saying it, Jesus was telling them they weren't the greatest disciples. In fact, their attitude and actions at the moment would indicate they were far from ideal disciples. They had a lot to learn.

And they were quick to note Jesus' rebuke. That's when we hear John speak these words, "Teacher, we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us." It's difficult for us to know exactly why John spoke these words. Was he reacting to Jesus' rebuke by implying that the disciples were truly concerned about the ministry of Jesus? It seems so. In other words, they wanted Jesus to know that, even though they might not act like he wants them to all the time, at least they can assure him that they're concerned when others act without the proper authority of Jesus. John's words imply that Jesus had given that authority to them on a limited basis, but not to others.

Being the Divine Teacher that he was, Jesus got right to the heart of the matter. He states clearly, "Do not stop him." In fact, encourage him. Jesus closed this short lesson of the day by assuring them that Jesus thinks highly even of the smallest acts of kindness, such as sharing a cup of water. If that's the case, then certainly he's pleased when someone uses his word to free a person from Satan's power.

Remedial Christian discipleship. Lesson #1: Don't discourage other believers; encourage them.

Part II.

I'm sure I'm not the first person to notice this: You can tell a lot about a person or about a group of people by what they think about children. If they don't give children a second thought, if children are viewed as a drain on time and resources, if children are valued less than adults, there is something devious, immoral, vile and diabolical at work.

Jewish society of Jesus' day reflected a low opinion of children. The simplest way to describe this sinful attitude is that children weren't valued as much as adults in Jewish society. And because of that, children often suffered.

Surely that's the reason that Jesus, on more than one occasion, rebuked such a sinful attitude and encouraged special care for children. He had just had a child stand among his disciples to teach them a lesson. And now he takes that lesson a little deeper. Listen to what he says, "And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck." First, this is one of the Bible's passages which declares emphatically that little children can possess saving faith in Jesus. That's because faith in Jesus is the work of the Holy Spirit and the age of the person doesn't matter to the working of the Holy Spirit.

But what's even more striking is what he says about harming children spiritually. To paraphrase, Jesus states that it's better for you and me to be drowned intentionally than for us to do something which would encourage a child to sin. Is this another one of those situations in which Jesus uses exaggeration to make his point? Not at all. Every sin damages faith in Jesus and can ultimately rob a person of saving faith. Jesus values children highly. He doesn't want us to do anything which would encourage them to sin.

Sounds pretty heavy, doesn't it? Have you ever said or done something sinful in the presence of children, and, by doing so, have you encouraged them to do the same, or to think that sin is no big deal?

Sounds like we could use some remedial Christian discipleship. Lesson #2: Be careful how you live.

Part III.

That remedial lesson is so critical for followers of Jesus, that he expands on it with these words, "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other."

To the casual listener, Jesus' words sound absurd. Surgically removing body parts that offend you?? That will do more harm than good. Not quite. Following Jesus' words to the letter in this case actually won't do any good. As extreme as his words sound, following them won't remove the source of sin in our lives.

What's needed is not the removal of body parts. What's needed is a change of heart. That's exactly what we prayed for in today's Psalm 51, "Create in me a pure heart and renew a right spirit within me." When our hearts are pure, then our feet, hands and eyes will be pure as well. When our hearts are pure, then we'll avoid causing others--especially children--to fall into sin. In fact, we'll do just the opposite. Our words and actions will encourage them to join us in following our Savior, Jesus. Our examples will call on them to follow us as we follow Christ.

And then we will be the salt that Jesus speaks about at the end of our text. If God the Holy Spirit has used his word to purify our hearts, then we can be--then we are--the salt of the earth. Can you think of anything our world needs more than that right now?

That's what being a disciple of Jesus is all about. Remedial Christian discipleship. Lesson #3: Be salty.

It sounds fairly simple. Encourage other believers. Be careful how you live. Be salty. There! We've got it! Lessons learned!

If only it were that simple. But instead of encouraging others, I've discouraged them by either marginalizing them or giving them the impression that I viewed their intentions at helping with kingdom work as an unwanted infringement on my turf. And as far as never causing a child to sin by something I've said or done--better hand me the large millstone. Jesus says I should take a dive. Should you be joining me? And as far as being salt, well, let's just say that my sinful heart is far too evident by what I think, feel, say and do. No salt there. How about for you?

It's a good thing Jesus brought us to faith in him first, and then he asked us to follow him. That's because we need a daily heart-washing, and, by faith in Jesus, we receive it. Our baptisms washed our sins away and now we live each day by faith in Jesus with that forgiveness, the very forgiveness Jesus lived and died to earn for us. His resurrection from the dead assures us of it.

Faith in Jesus for forgiveness is what you need most of all. And you have it. Now live in it. Every day. And every day remember the lessons Jesus has taught us today about being his disciple. Amen.