Let the Shepherd Lead

Originally Proclaimed 03/17/19

Intro:

• The worst sprained ankle I ever had occurred as a result of my stepping  off a curb to cross a road and then I stumbled over my own foot.
  • In that embarrassing blunder I  ended up in a medical boot for a number of weeks.
  • The phrase, stumbling over your own feet, especially when we use it as a metaphor means that we cause problems for ourselves by not paying attention.
• When we do pay close attention to where the Lord is leading, it becomes hard to stumble. Take for example the life of Saint Patrick.
  • Patrick as we know him was kidnapped from his home in Briton as a teenager somewhere around the age of thirteen.
    • He was sold into slavery on the island of Ireland.
    • As a slave he found his faith, but rather than stumbling over Christ, he  converting to Christianity and becoming a fervent evangelist.
    • Six or so years went by before Patrick escaped, returned to Briton, and began his studies in Christianity.
  • Before too long, Patrick noticed the Lord’s call for his life in dreams and visions of going back to Ireland as a missionary.
    • Rather than stumbling over this hard calling, Patrick in AD 432 returned to Ireland.
    • As he spread the good news of a personal relationship with Christ and introduced a new way of living, Irish warlords and king threatened him.
    • In his words, “daily I expect to be murdered or betrayed or reduced to slavery if the occasion arises. But I fear nothing because of the promises of heaven.”
    • Often Patrick would pay local Irish leaders for the privilege of safe passage through their lands to preach. He again said, “I do not regret this, nor do I regard it as enough. I am paying out still and shall pay out more.
  • As a missionary Patrick noticed some important trends.
    • He recognized that women were nothing more than a commodity. Selling daughters into slavery or arranging a strategic marriage for a daughter was common.
      • Rather than stumbling over the culture of the land he served, Patrick began to teach that women had an equal right to choose to follow Christ.
      • Some of these women who converted to Christianity became so adamant in their own faith that they became as Patrick called it “virgins for Christ” entering into full-time Christian service as nuns.
      • This angered many men and family who lost the commodity of their daughters.
  • He also noticed that the Roman empire was collapsing and as its stability, order, and civilizing effect receded, many Christians receded with the empire away from far flung outposts.
    • But rather than stumble over this fact, Patrick continued as a missionary to a forgotten people in a place untouched by Rome.
    • He built monasteries to bless the country with stable, productive, centers for commerce and education.
    • He also encouraged the clergy he oversaw to promote the study of Scripture and other Christian works  among their congregations.

 Rather than stumble over Irish culture, Patrick sought to redeem Ireland by sharing with them the gospel of Christ.

• • One writer says, “Patrick lived in a way that brought honor to God. His devotion and resolute obedience offer examples for all followers of Christ. Patrick stood in the face of great challenges and did not falter. His service, his life, and his unwavering commitment to spreading the gospel of Christ are as commendable today as they were in the fifth century.”
  • https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/st-patrick-reclaiming-the-great-missionary/

Hook:

• Friends, any of us can cause problems by not paying attention to ourselves and our surroundings.
• But it does not have to be that way. We can live as a people who choose to redeem our situations like Saint Patrick, rather than stumbling over our own feet.
• Today in Mark’s gospel we will see Jesus teach his disciples three areas to watch most closely in our lives.

Message Points:

• This passage is tied together by the three unique mentions of children from verse 9:33-10:16.
• We pick up in Mark 9:33 as Jesus and his disciples enter into Capernaum. In the next 17 verses, Jesus addresses two unique situations and gives one major principle. (9:33-50)
  • Situation 1: Prideful argument about which disciple was the greatest.
    • As they travelled Jesus noticed the disciples arguing and asks about it.
    • They tell him they were arguing about who would be the greatest.
    • Jesus tells them that to be first in his kingdom they must be last and servant of all.
    • He then takes a child and holding the child in his arms says to them that if they welcome or serve the least of people, like that child, they have served Him and the one who sent Him.
  • Situation 2: Prideful rebuke of those outside the disciple’s clique
    • The disciples saw someone casting out demons in Jesus name and tried to stop them.
    • Jesus explained that those who were not against them were for them. Specifically he teaches them that someone cannot do something good in His name and then say something bad about him without losing their own credibility.
    • Then he explains that anyone who is kind in Jesus’ name because they belong to Him, will not lose their reward.
• That leads to Jesus’ major principle and our first area of which we should be watchful: Watch out for stumble blocks to our faith. (9:33-50)
  • Notice if you will verse 42. This is the second mention of children.
    • They are called little ones who believe in Jesus. This can be a reference to anyone, not just children who have come to Jesus with a child-like faith.
    • Jesus says that we should not cause them to stumble or put stumbling blocks in their way.
    • He tells us that it would be better for us to have a millstone around our necks and be thrown into the sea than to be a stumbling block.
  • In Mark’s gospel Jesus offers two solutions for things that make people stumble in their faith.
    • First, if we know that stumbling is because of a desire of our flesh we must cut that fleshy desire out (9:43-48).
      • The disciples pride that made them want to be first needed to be cut out of their lives.
      • Similarly their pride that made them think that no one else could serve Jesus needed to be cut out of their lives.
      • And for us anytime we have pride in our hearts we need to cut it out.
        • Jesus uses three examples of our flesh. He mentions our hand, our foot, and our eyes.
        • His clear hyperbole helps us to see that how we act, where we go, and what we look at reveals our fleshy desires.
          • For example exploding or imploding in anger.
          • For example where we go and spend our money.
          • For example pornography.
    • Second, if we know that stumbling is due to a distinct flavor of our faith we must strive to keep the peace (9:49-50)
      • While Jesus’ teaching on salt is not unique, Only Mark places this teaching in this context.
      • Here it serves to balance Jesus’ statement about a stumbling block.
      • Living for Christ will offend others because it means that we will live differently.
        • We will advocate for things that our culture opposes, but that does not mean we should cut those things out.
        • Rather we should keep those things and strive to keep the peace.
      • Tell the story about BSU, becoming the Tuesday night supper cooks, and onions.
• As we begin chapter 10, we enter into a teaching of Jesus that is hard for us to hear in our American culture. As we listen to Jesus, realize that in this context He does not offer all that the Bible has to say about divorce and remarriage, but what speaks to the present situation. (10:1-12)
  • This particular saying of Jesus comes due to the question of a Pharisee. He asked if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife, not whether it pleased God.
  • Jesus asked him what the law said, and the Pharisee answered that Deuteronomy 24:1-4 allowed for a certificate of divorce.
• This leads to Jesus’ second area of which we should be watchful. Watch out for a hardened heart towards God and others.
  • Jesus goes on to explain the reason for Moses’ writing of that law.
    • In verse 5 he says that people’s hearts were hard so God through Moses gave them a difficult process in Deut. 24:1-4 to make them rethink divorce.
      • First,  the person had to find something displeasing/indecent about his spouse
      • Second, the person must write a certificate of divorce. Remember paper and ink are only a recently easily available commodity. Further, not everyone could write.
      • Third, the person must present the certificate to the spouse.
      • Then, the person must send the former spouse from the house. This presumably involves sending the former with provisions and with a destination in mind.
    • Further, people’s hardened hearts ignore God’s part in a marriage and objectify one another (9:6-9)
      • Deuteronomy 24:1-4 continues to say that the divorced spouse can remarry and by implication can reconcile with the first spouse.
        • That said, divorced spouse cannot remarry another and then divorce again to reconcile with the first spouse.
        • The passage says that kind of objectification, in which a person is passed from spouse to spouse, is detestable to the Lord.
      • For this reason in verse 6 Jesus reminds them that both men and women are created in God’s image.
      • In verse 7-8 He reminds them that marriage is the uniting of a man and a woman before God. There is a unique household created. There is a unique partnership formed. And there is a unique sexual union that is begun.
      • And verse 8 says that God is the one who brings people together, and thus they should not be separate.
    • The disciples do not understand Jesus’ words and so Jesus offers an explanation that also points to a hardened heart (9:10-12)
      • Just a cursory reading of this verses 11-12 offers the unnuanced understanding that Jesus taught that divorce and remarriage equals adultery.
      • But before we assume that, we know that Jesus would certainly not be teaching something that disagreed with other biblical truths.
        • But we must remember that Deuteronomy 24:1-4 not only permitted separation, divorce, but also remarriage.
        • Further Matthew’s gospel in this same context and the book of 1st Corinthians offer two other grounds for a biblical divorce – sexual immorality and abandonment. An remarriage is implied.
      • Jesus’ point seems to be that if our hearts are so hard and focused on remarriage that we do care about the pain and hurt divorce causes others, mainly our current spouse we need to watch out.
        • Divorce should not be an easy decision, but a very difficult one.
        • Reconciliation should ordinarily be sought except in cases where abuse has been confirmed.
        • Remarriage should be considered in one of three instances where reconciliation is not possible.
          • First when the former spouse dies.
          • Second when the former spouse remarries.
          • Third when reconciliation proves impossible.
    • But let us not get so caught up with divorce that we forget that Jesus wanted us to watch out for the hardened heart. As believers what should we do when we notice our heart hardening towards God and others?
      • We do what Jesus did.
        • First we meditate on God’s Word.
          • Meditation is prayerful consideration of God’s Word, seeking to fill our mind with His thoughts and will.
          • Jesus did this not only by reflecting on Deuteronomy 24 but considering Genesis 1-2.
        • Second, Then we seek to consider how our actions affect others.
          • While the saying is hard, we cannot mistake how Jesus’ words in verses 11-12 advocate an others focus for us.
          • Before we marry we must consider if our lives and passion fit well with the other person.
          • Once we are married, because we are one we must consider the other person.
          • If we are forced to separate and divorce, not to chase a new relationship, but considering how our actions as a divorce can affect our former spouse.
        • Lastly we seek to consider ourselves.
• In the final small passage, Children again come onto the scene (10:13-16)
  • People brought their children to Jesus seeking his blessing on them. The disciples rebuked these people.
  • Jesus was indignant at his disciples for not learning anything about being a stumbling block or having hardened hearts.
• Thus Jesus begins to teach us a third area of which we must watch. Watch out for hindering what pleases Jesus.
  • Notice in verse 14 that Jesus immediately says that the children should come to him but he puts a point on the saying.
    • He says that the disciples should not hinder them.
    • He then says that the kingdom of God belongs to people such as those children.
  • Verse 15 tells the disciples that anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.
  • Verse sixteen then records him blessing the children.
  • So what is it about children that makes them able to receive the kingdom?
    • Jesus has been teaching us that from the beginning.
      • Children are humble and willing to follow where they are led. That is why we must be careful to clear away anything that might make them stumble.
      • Children have tender hearts and are willing to love God and others. That is why we must be careful not to allow for a hardened heart.
      • Children seek to please their parents and other authorities. We should not hinder them from pleasing authorities, especially the God and king of the universe.

Conclusion:

• St. Patrick did not allow himself to stumble over his own feet. With child-like faith, he carefully followed Christ.
• And friends, if we would follow Jesus we must have that child-like faith.
  • Would you humble yourself today and be willing to clear your life of stumbling blocks?
  • Would you soften your heart today and consider God’s will for your life?
  • Would you seek to please Jesus for the rest of your life, rather than hindering him?
• Today we can see Christ redeem our blunders if we would only follow Him.