Mark 9
Once again, we see a study in contrasts. At the beginning of chapter 9 Jesus stands on the mountain two of the most notable figures from the Old Testament: Moses - the great giver of the law, & Elijah - the greatest of the prophets and "forerunner" of the Messiah. We could spend pages talking about this scene. The two figures from Hebrew Scriptures that stood before unbelieving kings declaring the Word of God standing with the very Word Himself. Jesus, who would complete the Law with His sacrifice standing side-by-side with the one who presented the Law to the people. Jesus, the one who would later ascend into Heaven standing with the one who was wisked away by a chariot of fire. What a scene! No wonder Peter was so scared he babbled about building shelters (my favorite verse! v. 6).
From there Jesus comes down to see His disciples stumped by a stubborn demon. I can sense His utter frustration as He asks, "How long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?"
After healing the boy and teaching His disciples the importance of prayer, Jesus gets serious about teaching them regarding His impending death and resurrection. Only to have them argue about who would be the greatest. I love how He takes a child and tells them that those who welcome even the little ones, welcome Him.
My second favorite verse is verses 39-41. In essence, Jesus tells His disciples that there are people on His team that might not have the same uniform as them, so don't worry about it! If His name is being lifted up, even if it is in a different way than you would, praise God and move on.
I guess there was a lot in this chapter, but the thing that stuck out to me was that I am more often than not like the disciples who couldn't handle the stubborn demon, yet I am also one Jesus has called to be His child. I live in that tension.
Under the Mercy,
Jason
1 comment:
just a note to tell you i've been reading a long with you.
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