MARK 9:33-37

PAINT THE PICTURE

Jesus and the Disciples are going about their way in the will of God, Jesus being the head of the group is walking ahead of the Disciples paying attention to all. As the Disciples are walking distantly behind Jesus in conversation an issue of who they believe is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven arises amongst them, and in the midst of comparing their notes and exchanging their beliefs the Disciples not wanting Jesus to hear them debating widens the distance between themselves and Jesus. Jesus being who he is and whose he is aware of all that is going on leads the Disciples into a house in the city of Capernaum where he decides to teach and impart Godly wisdom upon them.

(A quick side note, see how as the Disciples distanced themselves from Jesus the sin of the devil grew great amongst them. Key word being distance, this is something to ponder. The farther apart we are from God the greater the opportunity for Satan to move right on in. And notice how they lowered their voices to a volume they assumed only they could hear. By the secrecy and separation we can tell the conversation taking place amongst the Disciples is from a place of self-involvement, and in self-involvement is the root of pride and behind the presence of pride stands the devil ready to make his move against God.)

Back to the lesson...

SCRIPTURE

33) And he came to Capernaum and being in the house (a dwelling place for a family; a place of shelter) Jesus asked the 12 disciples, "What was it you disputed (discord; strife; arguing) among yourselves by the way?"

Key Point: Jesus saw the area where satan had an opportunity to plant his seed of sin amongst the Disciples (his brothers) and he brought them into a family style environment to call out the issue that lingered in their hearts and minds before it had a chance to destroy their calling (purpose of creation, God's will for their life).

Key Point: The house is a representation of intimate shelter with Jesus. A family moment.

Key Point: Even though we walk with Jesus there will be moments where satan has a chance to come in and try to lead us astray, walking with Christ does not absolve us from trying times with the devil. The devil is always around eager and ready to attack the "family" of Christ. Walking with Jesus means we have the presence of the Almighty with us at all times and with the presence of the Kingdom of Heaven comes all that we need to remain in righteousness when we come in contact with the devil unknowingly and knowingly.

Key Point: Jesus knows what are disputes (arguments; upsets; contentions) are with the devil even when it's an internal issue. What is the meaning of internal issue? Just like the Disciples at this point in their journey, the internal issues can be seen as those things that we deal with within are immediate space, the close to home per say. The issues we are dealing with that we may not be aware the devil is in the midst of systematically using them to bring us into separation from righteousness.

Key Point: Sin of the Disciple's dispute = division amongst the righteous = devil's opportunity to divide and conquer. What did God say the motto of the devil was, to kill, steal and destroy. What is the devil seeking to eradicate, the glory of God. And in this instance with the Disciples the devil was using their moment of disputing to bring them into a spirit of contention against the righteousness that dwelled in the midst of their inner circle of brotherhood.

Key Point: Jesus questioning the 12 Disciples was a 2-fold question. 1) Jesus was letting the Disciples know he is aware of all and there is nothing that they can hide from him, and 2) Jesus was opening the door for the Disciples to come to him and resolve their issue of sin in a place of togetherness with him in righteousness.

Thought to ponder: Jesus already knew the answer to the question asked, when he asked the question it was for the Disciples not him. If God came to you in the midst of your issue and asked you to explain the sin hidden within your heart and mind (internal issue), that which you think he does not know about could you be vulnerable enough to answer truthfully?

34) But they held their peace (remained calmy silent in shock and fear); for by the way (the divine path they walked with Jesus) they had disputed (seed of sin) among themselves (in distance to the Lord; apart from their righteous leader), who should be the greatest (superior to all in quality, character, power, magnitude; exponentially large in size compared to others; outstanding significance).

Key Point: The questioning of the greatest = sin of pride = #1 sin amongst the Body of Christ. In the house of God when the individuals that make up the body desire to be esteemed over the next instead of focusing on their individual task that serves a distinct purpose to the overall plan of God, then does the walls of the house begin to weaken and break apart. In the eyes of God we are all equal in his will, it's not about the person it's about our responsibility to God and then our responsibility to help each other be the best we can be for God and what he has called us to do in and for him. In serving God there is no "I" there is only God and God's desires alone.

Key Point: Pride was the downfall of the devil. satan thought he was better than all, even better then his father/his creator. satan was not content in standing beside God his selfish desire was to take the place of the Almighty. satan can only use what is in him to bring us in dispute with ourselves and the Kingdom of Heaven. satan is the opposite of righteousness and his use of pride (self-involvement) is one of his greatest weapons against the fleshly (worldly) part of us.

Though to Ponder: When approached by God this is not the time for "Holding peace" this is the opportunity for us to seek Godly wisdom to the issue God is bring into our awareness so that he can purge it out of us justly. There is indeed a time to be quiet, pay attention and learn, then there is a time for us to speak up and inquire of God. Never be afraid to engage with God, God wants us to communicate with him on a real level. Communication with God is not always prayer, it is conversation. Depending on the situation you can converse with God on any level, rather it be as God your friend, parent, teacher, comforter, etc/whatever you need at the moment of communication. God is a multifaceted being, he is able to be who and what we need him to be at all times.

35) And he sat down and called the 12, and said to them, "If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant (a person who is employed to perform domestic services; a person in service to another especially in a household) of all."

Key Point: The act of sitting was Jesus's way of soothing the fears of the Disciples. He placed himself at a level of equaling comfort. This was his way of providing a moment of loving correction, a moment of saying to the Disciples, yes I am your master, your teacher, however I am also your brother, your friend who loves you. In verse 33 as Jesus and the Disciples were moving about the house in interaction with the people, Jesus's first questioning of the Disciples was him acting in a leadership position, but now in this verse once Jesus got the Disciples undivided attention, he relaxed the environment and made it comfortable and conducive for the lesson he needed to teach and the learning opportunity for all.

Key Point: Jesus knew the fragility of the moment he was in with his Disciples, his family. This was not a moment for them to fear him and be chastise before all, but an opportunity for Jesus to be an example of loving correction. It's about knowing how to deal with every situation correctly, where the devil used disputing amongst the Disciples, Jesus counteracted with love. This is an example of how to strategically and effectively battle the opposing issues in our lives, you don't fight the sins of the devil with the sins of the devil and expect to win, sin only begets more sin. We fight the sins of the devil with the righteousness of God, the light of God is always stronger than the darkness of sin (an example of this is the life of Jesus, he was the ultimate light and look at how powerful his life was from the moment of his creation to today and forever. I mean Jesus's life was the ultimate sacrifice that saves all generations for infinity).

Thought to Ponder: Just like Jesus we are to assess all situations of correction with our family and address them accordingly. We are beings of many emotions, and because our emotions have the power to rule our judgement by the fruits of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (positive and negative) we must always remain diligent in the word of God and open to follow the Holy Spirit within our hearts that guides us on how to deal with the issues of our lives according to the divine knowledge and wisdom of God.

Thought to Ponder: It is not only in the harsh moments are we called to come to Christ but in the moments of peace. At the time of God's calling when he wants it to be just you and him will you be willing to hold your peace and block out all the disturbances of the world so that he can speak his word of truth into your heart and soul.

Key Point: In the eyes of world the greatest is seen as the smartest, the richest, the famous, the one who sits high on the hill with the best the world has to offer. However, in the eyes of God this is not so, to him the greatest is the one who is willing to put aside the worldly so that they can take what is blessed upon them to serve mankind. The one who is willing to be least in the world is the one who is willingly to serve God in truth. Jesus was the greatest amongst all human beings yet with his knowledge of who he was in the Kingdom of Heaven he never let that go to his head. Jesus knew he was a Prince in Heaven but in his willingness to serve his Father and serve as a redeemer to mankind he came down from Heaven into earth to perform the duties of servitude assigned to him, Jesus's life was the greatest example of a servant. Jesus healed the sick, feed the hungry, taught the unlearned, gave up his freedom and ultimately sacrificed his life for all of us to have the opportunity to see and live in the glory of God in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus lived the years of his human life not about self but about pure unprofane selflessness. No ulterior motive, no hidden agenda, no secrets. Jesus spoke the truth about his existence on earth from the beginning when he was a child in the temple of the elders where he told his earthly parents (Mary and Joseph) he was about his Father's business. A SERVANT OF GOD, THAT THROUGH US GOD CAN BE OF SERVICE TO HIS PEOPLE.

Key Point: Servant = a person (you and me) who is employed (chosen by God) to perform (to be active) domestic (of or relating to family/home life affairs) services (responsibilities helpful to others) to another (someone other than self/selflessness) especially in a household (house of God/body of Christ/people of God).

Thought to Ponder: Are you ready to be selflessly submissive to God in the totality of who you are that by your servitude others may be blessed by the goodness and glory of God that dwells within and around you. All that you pray to God for, the prosperity of self and material goods would you be willing to use what God has blessed upon you to be of service to someone else? Nine times out of ten that which God blesses upon us is not only for self but to be a blessing to others. Do you really understand what comes attached to that which you ask of God?

36) And he took a child (representation of simplicity, pure innocence.), and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,

Key Point: The child represents a state of being, God calls to him those who hearts are pure and humble, God's focus is on the heart. Children in the eyes of God are the essence of simplicity and innocence, to be childlike is a quality of virtue, meaning a stage in life where we are the most loving, unconditional and void of the sophistications and sins of the world.

Key Point: Set him (child = purity, innocence) in the midst (core/center/heart of) of them and when he (Jesus = Kingdom of Heaven/God's human presence on earth) had taken (hold possession of) him in his arms (act of embracing) = (Metaphor) = In the center of the Kingdom of Heaven dwells the pure and humble of heart who the presence of God not only claims as his own but also holds dear.

37) "Whosoever (anyone, not specific) will receive one of such children (innocent, humble, meek) in my name (title, identifying word by which someone is called, classified or distinguished from others) receive me (Son of God): and whosoever will receive me, receive not me, but him (Lord Jehovah) that sent me."

Key Point: Name of Jesus = Word of God = All that is called righteous and holy in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Key Point: Jesus is the connection between us and God, therefore if Jesus and God are one and we allow the totality of Jesus to inhabit all of who we are then what we are essentially doing is submitting ourselves to the Kingdom of Heaven and allowing ourselves to be a vessel for the presence of God that through us the essence of who the Lord Jehovah is in truth, righteousness and glory may be made visible in the world.

Key Point: Now let's reference in parallel the book of Matthew 18:3-5.

Matthew 18:3 Jesus says, "Verily (in truth) I say unto you, except (unless) you be converted (changed, transformed) and become (state of being) as little children (humble, pure, innocent) (little children = low level of the family dynamic, early stages of growth) you will not enter (come into) into the Kingdom (the territory ruled by a supreme authority) of Heaven (God's righteous kingdom, home, place of eternal dwelling), (Kingdom of Heaven is a representation of the presence of God)."

Key Point: Let's look at how Jesus started the verse he says in truth, telling us this is indeed a fact, an actuality that we must be changed/transformed back to the state of being when we were free from sin, moral perverseness or guilt, when our minds were ignorant of the concept of sin. You see before the devil came to Adam and Eve this was the state of mankind, pure and innocent, humble and loving to all the creation of God like that of a child. This is the natural state of mankind, we were created to be the children of God living in his paradise all the days of our life. Jesus tells us here that in order to be seen as something great in the eyes of God we must revert our hearts back to our natural state of being, the stage of our human existence when we were free from fruits of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Now, if we look even closer in the book of Mark the questioning of the Disciples was who is the greatest but here in reference to Matthew, Jesus bypasses the questioning and redirects the tone of the conversation to who will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. So according to Jesus the importance is not who is the greatest but rather how do we enter into presence of God first.

Matthew 18:4 Jesus says, "Whosoever (gives no particular person, anyone) will humble (not arrogant or filled with pride, behaviorally modest, meek) himself as this little child (the example of what is pure and innocent as defined by God), the same (alikeness) is the greatest (most outstanding/remarkable, highest in quality) in the Kingdom of Heaven (The dwelling place of God, God's presence)."

Key Point: Once Jesus stated what was of real importance he then addressed the original dispute of the Disciples by telling them to be humble as the pure and innocent. Notice how the devil brought the sin of pride and Jesus spoke the opposite. Pride = Self absorption; vanity; arrogance; excessive self-esteem of self (Vs.) Humble = Meekness; modest in behavior, attitude or spirit; simple; reserved; unpretentious; to not think highly of oneself. Jesus is telling us that we must shed the worldly self, all of what we learned as we grew into adults experiencing life and return to being children of the Father, obedient and loving, kind and humble, peaceful and innocent, devoted to God and only God.

Matthew 18:5 Jesus says, "And whoso (anyone) will receive (take in) one such little child (pureness, innocence) in my name receives (takes in) me."

Key Point: Jesus says it's first about entering into the Kingdom of Heaven, then secondly being the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, and now he goes a step further in his teaching and addresses a third point of how to receive the presence of God/have God dwell within us. The first and the third are the same yet different. Both deal with being in the presence of God, however the first (to enter) deals with us coming into God and the third (to receive) deals with God coming into us. Just as God the father, the son and the Holy Ghost are one in the same so is it possible for the presence of God to dwell within mankind, making mankind a Kingdom of Heaven within themselves.

Key Point: We have the right by the name of Jesus the Christ to enter (to come or go into; to cross the threshold of) and to receive (to be given; to get possession of) the Kingdom of Heaven/the presence of God.

Thought to Ponder: For all who may be looking for a reason to believe in Jesus the Christ, look at what blessings come with accepting him. Not only does Jesus give you the authority to go before God whenever you want but also gives your existence the authority to take hold of God and all the glory that comes along with him. How marvelous is that, I mean how wonderful a blessing. At anytime during my human life I can be in the presence of and feel the splendidness of the Kingdom of God within and around me. And there is no big price to pay, no major requirements, no underlying clause, All I have to do is be as humble as a child, receiving and believing Jesus the Christ who is the word of God. TO GOD THE ALMIGHTY BE THE GLORY, ALLELUIA.

Thought to Ponder: So if God be in the child like, the humble, the pure, the innocent, and if we are created in the image of God then God's presence is closer than we think it is. It's in the righteous parts of us.

Thought to Ponder: Through the word of his son, God tells us how to be one with him on all levels, how awesome is this. God hides nothing from us, the truth of the Kingdom of Heaven is always made available to us.

SUMMARY

It's all about the Lord Jehovah and the reason he created each and every one of us. Not to be the greatest, but to be of service to the Kingdom of Heaven that through our existence the glory of his Throne may forever be shone across the depths of the earth from generations to generations to generations.

To God Almighty be the glory for the reading, studying and edification of his word in the name of Jesus the Christ, Amen.