Scripture Readings:
— Sirach 5:1-8
— Psalm 1
— Mark 9:42-50
Let us pray: Make us to know Your Ways, O LORD JESUS CHRIST; teach us Your Paths. Lead us in Your Truth, and teach us, for You are the GOD of our Salvation; for You we wait all day long. Amen.
Today’s Gospel lesson is about three things: the importance of humility, self-awareness and living a life that is pleasing to GOD The ALMIGHTY.
In this Gospel, JESUS emphasises the need of humility, self-awareness and willingness to let go of things that hinder our relationship with GOD our FATHER. From Verse 42: He warns about the danger of causing others to stumble or sin. Not just “others”, but especially the Little Ones who believe in Him, those who are children of GOD, who received the Gospel according to the Holy Scriptures.
What does that tell us? What does JESUS want to put in our hearts? He is trying to tell us that we are responsible for our influence: We must be mindful of how our actions and words may affect others, especially those who are the members of the Body of CHRIST which is the Church.
In this speech, JESUS used the term “stumbling block”. One might wonder what that means? To “put a stumbling block before others” means to deliberately create an obstacle or situation that may cause someone to falter, fail, or sin, usually by bringing them a temptation or challenge that may interfere with their progress or their moral standing, especially to make them break GOD’s Commandments; in fact, to place something in someone’s way in a way that might cause them to stumble or fall. And there is nothing that angers GOD like seeing someone fall, fall into sin! How much more when you cause another person to fall into sin!
Causing others to stumble or to sin is a serious offence! In this case, JESUS uses a vivid and dramatic illustration to emphasise the severity of causing others to stumble! He uses the image of a large millstone being hung around the neck of someone who causes others to stumble, and thrown into the sea! That image is a powerful and disturbing one. It emphasises the idea that causing others to stumble or to sin can lead to spiritual destruction and separation from GOD! So we need to ask ourselves: What are some ways we may be causing others to sin, whether intentionally or unintentionally? What are some practical ways we can help others to grow in their faith and avoid stumbling blocks?
In verses 43-48, He talks about the importance of Self-Awareness and Letting Go in order to keep our relationship with GOD. He teaches us that we must be willing to let go of anything that causes us to stumble or sin! This requires a radical level of self-awareness, where we are honest with ourselves about strengths, weaknesses and tendencies. He says that it’s better to enter life maimed, crippled or with one eye than to be thrown into hell! What does JESUS mean? We should cut off our hands, feet, or eyes? Well, you can do so if you want to, but trust me: nothing will stop you from continuing to sin with one eye, one foot or one hand.
But the hand, foot, and eye in this passage are likely metaphorical, representing the things in ourselves that cause us to stumble or to sin. This includes: Sinful habits or behaviours, negative relationships or influences, destructive thought-patterns or emotions!
Today, Psalm 1 says: “Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked” — that means cut yourself off from walking in the counsels of the wicked who do not know GOD! Cut yourself off from following the crowd that conforms to the world standard, the crowd that loves the world instead of GOD! For it is written for you as children of GOD that: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world. And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of GOD live forever.” (1 John 2:15-17) So cut yourself off from that kind of crowd and everything else like that!
The Psalmist continues: “Happy are those who do not take the path that sinners tread!” That means today: Cut yourself off from that path that the sinners are standing in, don’t follow the deeds of sinners who do not know GOD, because everyone who commits sin is the child of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning! (1 John 3:8:10) In other words, run away from sin! Don’t be influenced by sinful attitudes and behaviours!
He continues: “Happy are those who do not sit in the seat of scoffers”—which means again: cut yourself off from those who are sitting in the company of mockers! Don’t surround yourself with those who scoff at GOD and His ways that are found in the Holy Bible! Who try to change what is written in the Scriptures in order to achieve their evil goals through the lust of their flesh! Those people are blasphemous! Run away from them or just cut them off from your life! Because it is written: DO NOT BE DECEIVED, GOD IS NOT MOCKED, FOR YOU REAP WHATEVER YOU SOW. IF YOU SOW TO YOUR FLESH, YOU REAP CORRUPTION FROM YOUR FLESH, BUT IF YOU SOW TO THE SPIRIT YOU WILL REAP ETERNAL LIFE FROM THE SPIRIT! (Galatians 6:7-8)
O, yes, happy are those! “Because their delight is in the LAW of the LORD, and on his LAW they meditate day and night.”
If you cut yourself off from all those things, you are giving yourself more time to study the Holy Bible which is His Word! You are giving yourself more time to meditate on His Word, thinking deeply about the meaning and application of GOD’s Word! Praying through Scriptures! Using them as a basis of prayer, asking GOD to help you understand and apply His Word to your life, putting GOD’s Word into practice, allowing it to shape your thoughts, words, and actions!
Why is all that necessary? It is because everyone will be seasoned with fire, which means we will be facing trials and challenges! Life is not without its difficulties and we will all face times of testing and refining. Because GOD uses trials to purify and refine our characters.
So JESUS used salt in this passage as a metaphor for the qualities of humility, love and kindness! He says: “Salt is good”, which means humility, love and kindness are essential qualities for living a life that is pleasing to GOD! “If salt loses its saltiness, it is useless!” So if we lose our humility, love and kindness, we become ineffective in our relationship with others!
Now JESUS concludes with the instruction to “have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other”. This means that:
— We should cultivate humility, love, and kindness.
— We should strive to develop these qualities in our lives, recognizing that they are essential for living a life that is pleasing to GOD.
— We should seek to live at peace with others.
— We should strive to live in harmony with others, recognizing that conflict and division can undermine our effectiveness in sharing the love of GOD with others!
What exactly is the HOLY SPIRIT saying to us this morning? He is saying to us that we must strive to live a holy life that is pleasing to GOD and stay in peace with our neighbours! If these things (Holiness and peace) are not found in you, the HOLY SPIRIT is calling you to repentance through the book of Sirach. He Is begging you tenderly: do not delay to turn back to the LORD, and do not postpone it from day to day; for suddenly the wrath of the LORD will come upon you, and at the time of punishment you will perish. He says: Do not say, “I sinned, yet what has happened to me?” — for the LORD is slow to anger. Do not be so confident of forgiveness that you add sin to sin. Do not say, “His mercy is great, he will forgive the multitude of my sins,” for both mercy and wrath are with GOD, and His anger will rest on sinners.”
HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO GOD’S PEOPLE! Amen