Thoughts on Mark – Part 1
MK 1:30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.
Simon is another name for Peter. Peter is who the Catholics falsely claim was the first pope. The whole Catholic system was not invented by men until hundreds of years later. Popes are not allowed to have wives, but here we see that Peter clearly had a wife. Just to be clear, Peter was not the first pope.
MK 1:31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
Peter’s mother in law was sick and they tell Jesus about it. Jesus comes and takes her by the hand, lifts her up and immediately she is healed. The physical healing of Jesus is a picture of spiritual healing. Look at the parallel here. She was sick, we are all born spiritually sick. We are all born with a sin nature. She could not heal herself, we cannot heal ourselves. We cannot cure our sin. We cannot work our way to heaven. Her sickness made her incapable of doing good works. Her sickness had her bedridden. Our sin makes us incapable of doing works to please God. The Bible says that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. If she was not healed she would die. If we are not saved we will spend an eternity in the lake of fire, which is the second death.
Other’s brought Jesus to her. Most people who get saved had someone who introduced Jesus to them.
Jesus took her by the hand and lifted her up and immediately she was healed. When we receive Him as our Saviour, Jesus immediately lifts us up to a new position as a son of God. This change is immediate. There is no waiting period. Three is no probation. There is no losing it. He lifts us up and sets us on the Rock Christ Jesus.
And immediately after she is healed, she starts ministering to them. She starts working for Christ. We don’t work to get saved, but we are to work after we are saved. She was healed to serve.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
After you get saved you are to get busy serving your Lord and Saviour.
MK 1:23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,
MK 1:24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
MK 1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
MK 1:26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.
MK 1:27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.
Jesus went to where people were to reach them. He did not stay in one place and expect everyone to come to Him. (We should do some tall thinking on that, as the old timers used to say)
Jesus went to a synagogue to preach the word of God, and in the synagogue was a possessed man. The demon cries out Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
This demon knew who Jesus was. He knew that Jesus was the Holy One of God. He knew that Jesus had the power to destroy him. He even asked if Jesus had come to destroy them. He knew that Jesus was God manifested in the flesh. This demon had seen Jesus in His full glory in Heaven before he chose to follow Satan. This demon did not want to get cast out and told Jesus Let us alone. But the demon had no power or sway with Jesus. Jesus simply rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. Jesus did not have to do anything but simply command.
The demon had no choice but to obey. Jesus has all power. The people who saw it were amazed. They said, What thing is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.
What thing is this? they asked. It was Jesus demonstrating who He really is. He was showing His power over all things. Even demons must obey Him. Jesus truly was God in the flesh when He walked the earth.
The demon knew and recognized who Jesus really is. How about you?
MK 2:3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
MK 2:4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
MK 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
The Bible says, “When Jesus saw their faith”. Biblical faith will always result in action. Faith is not something that stays in your head. Biblical faith will be exercised. Real faith will always cause us to act. You exercise faith in the secular world in many ways every day. For example when you sit in a chair you are having faith that the chair will not break. When you ride in an airplane you are exercising faith in the pilot. When you eat a bowl of cereal, you are exercising faith that it is not poisoned.
These men and the man on the cot had faith that if they could just get to Jesus that he would be healed. Because of their faith they carried the man to the house, then they lifted him up to the roof, then they uncovered the roof and broke it up, and finally let down the bed. This was faith that you could see because you can see the action that the faith drove.
They could have stayed home and said that they had faith, but that is not having real faith. That kind of faith is not real. It is useless. It is lifeless.
You see many people today that claim faith but you see no action at all. They say that they believe that gospel tracts work, but they don’t put any out. Why not? The truth is that they really don’t have faith in it or they would do it. They say that they have faith in the Bible but they don’t do what it says.
Many will say they have faith in Jesus, but they don’t go to Church, they don’t give, they don’t witness, they don’t separate from the world. In fact you see no change in them at all. That is a false faith. That is a dead faith.
Real Biblical faith is a faith that can be seen because it will result in actions. Now understand that there is a growing process. You learn to exercise more and more faith as you grow in your Christian walk. But even a new Christian will have some visible evidence if he has real faith.
MK 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
MK 2:6 But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
MK 2:7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
The answer to the question is, no one except God can forgive sins. No man can! A man in a booth and a backwards collar can no more forgive sins than can a turtle. When we sin we sin against God. Only the one offended can forgive the offence.
MK 2:8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
They did not even ask the question out loud and Jesus knew it. Jesus then answers their unspoken question.
MK 2:9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
MK 2:10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
MK 2:11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
MK 2:12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
Jesus did not deny that only God can forgive sins. He did not argue the point. He did not provide some loophole where a man under certain circumstances could forgive sins. The fact is that only God can forgive sins. The question in their minds was is Jesus a blasphemer because only God can forgive sins. And Jesus’ answer? He shows that He is God. In this account you have yet another clear declaration by Jesus that He is God manifested in the flesh. Jesus has the authority and power to forgive sins.
MK 3:2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
MK 3:3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.
MK 3:4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
MK 3:5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
MK 3:6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
The Jews had 39 classifications of what they called “work” to be forbidden on the Sabbath day. Those 39 of course were main headings and under each of them were the endless details that went beyond being absurd. For example, on the Sabbath, you could administer medical practice to keep one’s condition from getting worse, but, you could not administer medicine to make one better; that would be work! You could carry a child on the Sabbath, but not a stone. If you carried a child with a stone in hand … violation! They would make Sabbath rules, find ways around them, and make more sub-rules to prevent the violations, etc.
They were constantly trying to accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath. Jesus was never guilty of breaking the Sabbath as God intended it. He was only offending their man made rules that they added to it. And notice Jesus’ reaction “when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts”
Jesus was angry at them for adding to the Word of God, and He was grieved for the hardness of their hearts. They should have been joyful to see a man healed. Instead they were so mad about it that they went out to conspire to kill Jesus.
Jesus was teaching them that the Sabbath was made for man and not the other way around. Man was not made for the Sabbath. Jesus was trying to teach them that they were wrong. And instead of getting right, they got angry.
People today will often change God’s Word. They will add this or that to it or take some things out. And still just ignore other parts. And just like the Pharisees they will get mad when corrected.
God says don’t change His Word and people will go join the bible of the month club. You tell them what God’s Word says about that and they just get mad.
God says that a pastor is to be the husband of one wife. You tell someone that who listens to a female pastor and they just get mad.
The same thing goes for music, witnessing, giving, ect. Instead of getting mad what we should do is change our thinking to conform to the Word of God.
MK 3:4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
MK 3:5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
MK 3:6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
Jesus was doing good and these wicked men were not happy about it. Jesus then looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts.
Jesus was angry, but it was not sin. This was not a spiteful or revengeful anger. It was not an anger of hatred. It was not an anger of the flesh. It was an indignation at their hypocrisy and the hardness of their hearts. He was angry at their sin.
He was grieved at the hardness of their hearts. The teaching of the very Son of God was not going to overcome the confirmed wickedness in their hearts. Jesus came to seek the lost. He came to die for these men’s sin. He showed many proofs of who He was. He was even doing a miracle in front of these very people, and their hearts would not be turned. This grieved the heart of Jesus. He was angry at the hardness of their hearts.
Hearts can be made hard by indulgence in sin and then opposing any appeals of God to change. Christians can get convicted by the Holy Spirit about some sin they are involved in, and then they have two choices. Get right or start getting a hard heart. The first pleases God. A hard heart grieves God and He is not pleased.
How hard is your heart? Are you holding on to some sin that you know you should give up? Don’t delay. Let God have His way. Don’t risk hardening your heart.
MK 4:8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
In verse 8 Jesus talks about seed that fell on the good ground and in verse 20 He tells us the meaning of it.
MK 4:20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
The good ground are those who not only hear the word but also receive it. And notice it does not stop there. They also bring forth fruit. Oh they will bring different amounts. Some will be more productive than others. But they will produce some.
There are two things I want to mention about this. First be careful how you judge someone who is producing less fruit than you. The one that produced a hundred fold was considered good ground just like the one who produced only 30.
Second, how is your fruit? Are you producing anything for the Lord? Every heart that is good ground will produce something. Here is where we need to examine our hearts. If our hearts are cold and stony, we need to repent of that and ask God to help us. Ask Him to change your heart so that it is good ground. A ground that can produce fruit for Him.
MK 4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
There is indeed a spiritual battle that takes place for the souls of men. Satan does not sit by idle while his worldly kingdom is spoiled. He hates Jesus, he hates Christians, and he does not want to see anyone come to Christ. Satan will throw up every road block he can. And when some people hear the word of God Satan comes and takes it away. And he is aggressive and very active in this work. Verse 15 says that Satan comes immediately. He does not want to allow the seed that was sown in their hearts to sprout and grow into fruit.
How should this affect us? We need to realize that there is a battle going on; that we do have an adversary. Satan is going to try to counter the seed that we sow. When we witness and give the gospel, Satan will come along and try to disrupt that seed.
So what can we do about it? Pray, pray, pray. We have no power of our own, but our Father does. Pray that God will do a work in the hearts of those you witness to and that He will overcome the wicked ones efforts on behalf of those you tell the gospel to.
There is a battle going on. Always remember that God is greater. We are on the winning side.
We have a very sad picture in this chapter. The people at that time were not to have swine. It was considered an unclean animal under the law. And this town had a heard of about 2,000 of them. And when Jesus cast the demons out of the man their swine were destroyed. The sad part of the story is that instead of being excited and praising God for the miracle, they kicked Jesus out of their territory.
The swine represented two things. One is sin. They were disobeying God by having them. Two the swine represented their money.
Even with Jesus standing there and showing them His power to make men whole again, they still rejected Him. They loved their sin and their money more than Jesus.
We see the same thing today. We can see the power of Jesus to make us whole in His Word. Men are sent out to declare His Word and the Holy Spirit reproves them of their sin and of righteousness and of judgment and most men reject Him. Just like the town in this chapter, they love their sin and their money more than Jesus. It is true that men love darkness rather than light.
If you have never accepted Jesus, don’t be like the people of that town. Instead come to Jesus and let Him make you whole. He can cleanse you from your sin and give you eternal life.
MK 5:15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
This man had been possessed and Jesus cast out the devil out of him. Before the man did wicked things to hurt himself, before he could not think straight, before he was wild and could not be contained. Before he was in bondage to the Devil. After he met Jesus all that changed. He is now clothed and in his right mind.
Most of us were never possessed, but before we got saved we had a lot of the same characteristics. A lost man will often do things in the name of wicked fun that hurts his body. A lost man cannot think straight. They often do not have a rational mind. Especially on things like booze, adultery, greed and so on. A lost man is often wild and out of control. A danger to himself and to others.
Salvation changes all of that. You become a new creature in Christ. Just like this man your thinking changes, your actions change, your motivations change.
If you said a prayer, but there has been zero change in you, then you need to consider that you might not have gotten saved.
ACTS 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
Getting saved is not just repeating some empty words. It is praying for God to save you with a repentant heart.
The people tried everything to solve the problem with this man, but they could not. It was out of their capability. Many people will cry about the state of our society. They will try legislation to fix it. They will try more police to fix it. They will try all kinds of social programs to fix it. They will put their trust in education to fix it. The truth is that all of that CANNOT fix the problem. The solution is to get people saved.
Jesus can and does change people. He is the solution. Amen.
MK 5:15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
MK 5:16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
MK 5:17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
Jesus just brought a man out of darkness unto light. The demons and Satan’s wicked influence were cast out. This man is now in his right mind. This is a picture of a totally changed life, when the influence of Satan is removed. In some ways this is a visual picture of salvation. What happened here was a good thing. This should be a time of rejoicing, but instead when the sinners that lived there saw it, they asked Jesus to leave. Told Him to take a hike so to speak.
This same attitude exists today. Sinners do not rejoice when other sinners get saved. They should see the great work that had been wrought as something good. When they see a changed life and how much better it is, they should invite Jesus in to their own heart. This man’s life was so much better than before that there really is no comparison. Before the man had no hope, no purpose, and the things that he did harmed himself. Sinners are just like him. A sinner has no hope, a sinner has no purpose, and the wicked “fun” they pursue only hurts them in the end. This man now has hope, he now has a purpose, and he is no longer doing things to hurt himself. He can now think correctly. He is now in his right mind. O, the marvelous change.
Seeing this, you would think would make others who saw it, want Jesus also. Most however tell Jesus to leave. Why? Because they love their sin. Hard to believe that they love what hurts them. It hurts them in this life and it will send them to hell. When they see someone rescued from sin, it brings conviction and sheds light upon their own sin. That is why people can see the power of a changed life and they can see that this change is for the better, and yet they tell Jesus to leave. It is a sad thing, but true.
But not all will tell Jesus to leave. Not all will reject Him. And sometimes the seed of seeing a changed life, will later be watered. They might hear the gospel again and because of what they have seen in others, it might take root. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Living a godly life will not save souls, they must hear the gospel. However, a changed life can bring conviction. It can show to the lost that salvation is for real. Christians living right can have an important part in helping the lost accept the truth of the gospel when they hear it.
MK 6:7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
Albert Barnes has a good comment on this verse, “And began to send them forth by two and two. In order that they might support and encourage each other in their work. Amid the trials and opposition with which they would meet, mutual counsel and aid would greatly lighten their burdens and alleviate their calamities. Mutual counsel might also contribute to their success”
Jesus knows that our flesh is weak. He knows that it is better for man to not go it alone. Having a soul winning partner helps you in many ways. It helps your boldness in your witness. It helps your faithfulness if you have a partner; someone who is counting on you and expecting you to show up and go with him. And it is more enjoyable to have someone to talk to on the way to the street you are door knocking. Having a partner is also good in that you have someone who can help you get better. Your partner can see things that you are doing wrong that you cannot.
I have went out many times by myself and many times with a partner. Going alone always beats not going at all, but I would always rather go out with someone.
Jesus set a good example for us to follow. We should go out two by two. His plan is always the best plan.
MK 6:8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:
MK 6:9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.
These men were called out by Jesus to do a specific job. And as He sends them out He tells them to take nothing for their journey, save a staff. They were not to take money or bread. They were not to arrange ahead of time for the provision that would be needed. They were to have faith in God and let God provide for the work. One of the principals they were being taught here was that what God ordains, He provides for. What God orders, He pays for. The workman is worthy of his hire, and God has every resource available to Him. God works in the hearts of men and if God wants a need met, He will use a willing heart to meet that need.
These men had to go out to do God’s work in faith. They had to trust Him for their provision. This is a principal that is simple enough, but it is sometimes hard to learn. Blessed are those who learn it. Sad to say there are many who were called by God, but because of a lack of faith in this area they held back. They did not go out because they did not have the provision already in their hand. They lacked trust. God had great things for them if only they would have trusted.
If God ever calls you into His work, I pray that you will have the faith to trust and go, even when you don’t see with your eyes the provision. Let God do a mighty work in your life. Let Him show you great and mighty things. You will be glad that you did.
When God calls He enables and provides for.
Mk 7:20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
Mk 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Mk 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
Mk 7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
One of the problems with working your way to heaven is that it does not change the inside.
You can clean yourself up on the outside. You can follow every tradition that a religious group can make up and you will still be defiled. verses 20 -23
In fact following traditions makes the word of God of none effect.
Mk 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
What you need is a new heart. The only solution is to be born again.
Joh 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
MK 7:5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
Men who pride themselves in keeping the traditions of men over the Word of God will often attack those who hold to salvation by grace. This is nothing new.
MK 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Jesus responds to them and calls them hypocrites. He refers to an Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah and applies it to them. When you are doing the traditions of men instead of obeying the Word, then all you are doing is lip service. You might be talking a good talk, but the fact is that something is very wrong with your heart. God says that your heart is far from Him.
MK 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Obeying the commandments of men is worthless. It is vain worship. Nothing will come from it. It is empty and will not save you from hell.
MK 7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
The commandments of God and the tradition of men do not go hand in hand. They are contrary to each other. You cannot have it both ways. To keep the traditions of men you have to reject the commands of God.
A good example is on salvation. God says, Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
God made it very clear in His Word that you are saved by grace and you ARE NOT saved by works.
To say that salvation is only thru a certain church is against the Word of God. That is a works salvation. It is only a tradition made up by men. To believe that you must reject the Word of God.
MK 7:15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
MK 7:16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
The Pharisees and scribes had just taken issue with Jesus’ disciples because they did not keep the traditions of men. They claimed that this made them unclean. Jesus rebukes them for their hypocrisy and then Jesus gives us verse 15. The immediate context here is talking about religious rituals, rites, and traditions. Jesus makes it very clear here that not doing some ritual in NO WAY makes you unclean.
The disciples asked for clarification on this statement in verse 17, and Jesus makes the same point to them in verses 18-19. He then tells them what does defile the man.
MK 7:20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
MK 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
MK 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
MK 7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
It is the wickedness of the heart that defiles the man. It is man’s sin that defiles him. The evil deed that is done, only happened because it was in the man’s wicked heart. Out of the heart comes adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. These wicked deeds do not just happen all on their own. They come from somewhere, and that place is the heart. A man does not get a wicked heart after he does wicked deeds. No! He does wicked deeds because he has a wicked heart. The deed is only the outward manifestation of what lies within. A man does not sin to become a sinner; he sins because that is what is inside of him.
The more you study the Bible, and the more you watch people, the more you come to realize just how much it is all a heart matter and not a works matter. Works don’t come first, they come after. We don’t work to get saved, we work because we are saved.
If the heart is right, then what comes out of the life will be right. To work on the most important thing is to work on the heart.
MK 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
The obvious answer is that even if you owned the whole world it would profit you nothing if you lose your soul. You cannot take money or possessions with you when you die. Even if you owned the whole world, it will not help you when you die.
How sad it is that people put so much effort into pursue this world, which in the end will do them no good whatsoever.
MK 8:37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
The obvious answer is that there is nothing that you can give in exchange for your soul.
And in spite of this truth, many people are doing good works thinking that it will be enough to give in exchange for their soul, when the truth is that there is nothing (including good works) that you can give in exchange for your soul.
The only solution is to accept Jesus as your Saviour call upon Him to save you with a repentant heart and let Him do the saving.
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…
It is faith that saves.
Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
There is nothing you can give in exchange for your soul. Only faith in Jesus saves.
MK 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
The context of this verse is talking about salvation and not about your witnessing after salvation. Verse 38 says therefore, so you must look at the verses before it to understand what is being talked about.
MK 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
MK 8:37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
The implied answer to verses 36 and 37 is you cannot do anything, or give anything in exchange for your soul. You cannot work your way to heaven. The context here is salvation.
The meaning of verse 38 is that whoever is ashamed of Jesus and His Words and therefore rejects Him as saviour will be rejected by Jesus when He comes back.
Many people will not accept Jesus as saviour because they are ashamed of what others might think. Or they are ashamed of the shed blood, or the virgin birth, or the teaching of His deity.
People who accept Jesus are not ashamed of Him.
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
This does not mean that you are always as bold in your witness as you should be after you are saved. It simply means to get saved you cannot be ashamed of Jesus. It means that you will call upon Him to save you. Read Romans 10:11 in its context.
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
MK 8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
MK 8:32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
MK 8:33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
Jesus plainly declared to the disciples what was to come. That He would suffer many things, that He would be rejected, that He would be killed, and after 3 days He would rise from the dead.
Peter then began to rebuke Jesus. Peter did not want Jesus suffer and die. At this time Peter did not yet understand the cross. He did not yet understand that there would be a church age before Jesus would set up His earthly kingdom.
Jesus then rebukes Peter and says, “Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.”
Peter was a believer. He had testified that Jesus is the Son of God. And here Jesus says to Peter, “Get thee behind me, Satan.” Does this mean that Peter was Satan? No. Of course not. What it does mean is that Peter was thinking more like Satan at that moment. Peter was having a worldly attitude. Peter was not savoring the things of God, instead he was thinking like this wicked worldly system that Satan runs. Peter was rebuking Jesus with the intent to stop Jesus from going to the cross. That is the attitude of Satan. Peter was not Satan, but his attitude at that moment was not of God.
This shows us that people who believe can have wrong thoughts and wrong attitudes. Christians can start to put the things of the world and worldly thinking above the things of God and biblical thinking. We all need to be on our guard against wrong thoughts and thinking that is against the Word of God.
Mk 9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Mk 9:44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Six times in verses 43 thru 48 Jesus mentions the fire of hell. Over and over again Jesus states that the fire will never be quenched. Jesus talks about the worm in hell that never dies.
In these verses Jesus is making the point that hell is much worse than being maimed.
Jesus came and paid for our sin so we do not have to go to hell.
Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Jesus tells us that hell is a real terrible place with fire that is never quenched. But Jesus died for you so you don’t have to go. All you have to do is accept it and call upon Him to save you.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
MK 9:1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
The kingdom of God as in the literal kingdom with Jesus sitting on a throne in Jerusalem has not yet happened. Obviously all the men that stood there when Jesus said this have died long ago. Is this a conflict? NO.
Some of them that were standing there did get a sneak peak of Jesus’ glory. They got a sneak peak of how Jesus will look during the 1,000 year reign.
MK 9:2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.
MK 9:3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
They got to see a glimpse of Jesus’ glory. His glory was veiled while He walked the earth. They got to see a glimpse of what Jesus will look like when He does come in all His glory to set up His literal 1,000 year reign on the earth.
Jesus came the first time as a lamb led to the slaughter. He game the first time in humility. He came to minister and not to be ministered unto. He came to go to the cross and pay for our sin.
When He comes back it will all be different. He is not coming in humility, He is coming in glory. He is coming to reign with a rod of iron. He is coming as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He is coming back in glory. And 3 of the disciples had the privilege of getting a sneak preview of His glory.
And some of them standing there later got to see many added to God’s kingdom in power.
They got to see many souls saved and added to the kingdom in power. 3,000 got saved at Pentecost and a short time later another 5,000 got saved after the preaching of God’s Word.
And every one of them that they saw get saved will all be in the literally kingdom when Jesus comes back and sets up His earthly kingdom with the throne in Jerusalem. And they saw both of those things before they died.
MK 9:41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.
You do not do a bunch of good works to become a Christian. 1Jo 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; [and] he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. You become a Christian by receiving Christ as your Saviour. If you have received Christ, then you are a Christian and have eternal life. If you have not received Christ, then no amount of works will make any difference.
But after you are saved, works do matter. You should want to please the Lord that saved you, and therefore you will do good works. After salvation you should have a heart to be a blessing to others. In verse 41 Jesus teaches that if you give water to someone in Jesus’ name that He will notice, and one day you will be rewarded for it. No good work done in Jesus’ name ever goes unnoticed. God is keeping track. He is righteous and will reward good works. Several things to remember in connection with this. To be a good work it needs to be done with the right heart. Man looks on the outward, but God looks on the heart. Two men can do the same work, and one will be rewarded and the other one will not. For one it will be precious stones and the other it will be wood hay and stubble. The difference is the heart. One can do it in obedience to Christ out of love. That is precious stones. A different man can do the same work and even put on a good show, but inward he is doing it grudgingly. His hard heart will not bring rewards at the judgment seat.
Another thing to remember is that our rewards do not come immediately, and many of our rewards do not come until we get to glory. Just because we do not see the reward right away, does not mean that God did not see. The fact is that He does see our good works, He is keeping track, and we will be rewarded for it one day.
God is faithful, and He is righteous.
MK 10:52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
When Jesus healed people physically it was a picture of how Jesus can heal spiritually.
We are all born spiritually sick. We are all born with a sin nature. Jesus says that the blind man was made whole by his faith. The blind man did nothing to earn it. He did not do any works. He did not get baptized or take sacraments.
So what did he do?
1) He recognized Jesus for who he was. The son of David was the promised savior.
2) He called out to Jesus (he prayed)
3) He asked Jesus for mercy. He asked for Jesus to make him whole.
That is all the blind man did. And we get saved the same way. To get saved you must realize who Jesus is, you must call out to Him, and ask Him to save you. And like the blind man, by faith Jesus can make you whole.
Jesus can give you mercy and give you eternal life. What a wonderful gift.
See more lessons from the Gospels