Sunday, June 7, 2009

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Mark 9

Have you seen the I AM SECOND billboards? Have you checked out the website: iamsecond.com? I was reminded of this powerful ministry when I was reading Mark 9. This passage is full of reminders that we are NOT first!!

THE TRANSFIGURATION verses 1-13

The three disciples that went with Jesus saw Him as He is in all His glory. Wow! I can't imagine what that must have been like!! This is a window into our future, our true destiny. We will all bow our knees, and we will all confess with our tongues that Jesus is Lord---IN PERSON!!

When we think of our plans and goals for the future, is this FIRST?


HEALING POSSESSED BOY verses 14-30

A man approaches Jesus to ask Him to heal his son. The most poignant verses are verses 23-24. Jesus said, "All things are possible to him who believes." The boy's father immediately responds, " I DO believe! Help my unbelief!" I wrote last week about our tendency to wander from God. This passage reminds me of another tendency we all have to deal with: DOUBTS! We have accepted Christ as our Savior; we believe His word. However, there are things, events, circumstances, feelings that sometimes lead us to a place of unbelief. As we are learning in our sermons on Sunday mornings, we are a lot like the Jews and the Gentiles of the New Testament. We want to see more miracles! We WANT PROOF that Jesus is who He says He is! No matter what He has done in the past we "need" the miracle/proof to believe today.

When troubles come, do we go to Him FIRST?

THE ARGUMENT verses 30-37

Since the disciples couldn't wrap their brains around Jesus' prediction of His own death and resurrection, they start arguing over who is the greatest among them. Then came Jesus' famous words, "If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."

In our relationships, do we put others FIRST in order that He might be FIRST?

DIRE WARNINGS verses 38-50

Jesus warns of leading people astray and wayward hands, feet, and eyes. All of these things get in the way of God's glory being displayed in our life.

What things have we allowed in our lives that keep us from making Him and His glory FIRST?

(Feel free to sing along)
"Oh be careful little hands what you do, Oh be careful little feet where you go, For the Father up above is looking down in love, oh be careful little eyes what you see!"

May God bless the reading of His word!!