Don’t Mess With the Children!

In verses 13-16, Jesus makes it clear that he doesn’t tolerate preventing children from experiencing his love fully.

Time and again, Jesus makes simple and important points of truth crystal-clear.

Don’t mess with children when they approach Jesus with innocence and understanding.

Jesus’ Teaching on Divorce

In verses 11-12, Jesus teaches that anyone who divorces and has an ex-spouse who is still living ought not remarry.

Anyone in this circumstance who remarries commits adultery.

If the church is comfortable teaching that people who are homosexual must abstain from sexual activity, then why doesn’t it teach that divorcées ought not remarry?  That would appear to be consistent.

Why isn’t theu church consistent on sexual matters, especially when Jesus’ teaching is explicit?

Is it convenience?  A misapplication of Jesus’ teaching on marital unfaithfulness in Matthew 5:32?

Outline of Mark 10

1. Once Divorced, Always Divorced
2. 
   Jesus Loves Children
   
3. 
   The Rich Young Ruler
   
4. 
   Sit at the Right & Left Hand of God
   
5. 
   Blind Bartimaeus Healed

Don’t Mess With the Children

In verses 38-50, Jesus makes it clear that one of the worst sins is preventing a child from developing in a spiritually healthy way.

That is a major warning!

Who Is the Greatest?

In verses 33-37, Jesus catches his disciples arguing about which of them is the greatest.

It’s telling that the disciples immediately knew that they were busted.  How humbling to be caught doing exactly the wrong thing for exactly the wrong reasons!

Rise Three Days Later?

How often do I, like the disciples in verses 30-32, get overwhelmed by the teachings of Jesus and refuse to ask for help or understanding?

There are no dumb questions, so go ahead and ask God for insight and wisdom.

Healing a Demon-Possessed Boy

In verses 14-29, we learn that some obstacles can only be overcome by prayer.

How often do I fast and pray before diving right in to solve a problem?

Rise From the Dead?

Until after Jesus’ resurrection, even his closest followers did not entirely understand what “rising from the dead” meant.

It seems crystal-clear today, but beforehand, the thought of coming back to life from death must have been incomprehensible.  As I think about it, if I actually saw someone rise from the dead, I’d be pretty freaked out and a bit sceptical.

Before criticizing the disciples for their reaction in verses 9-10, I should consider seriously how difficult a time I’d have beliving and understanding Jesus under the same set of circumstances.

The Kingdom of God

In verse 1, Jesus mentions that some people in his presence will see the full power of the Kingdom of God on earth before they die.

Since the Transfiguration occurs just 6 days later, it seems odd that Jesus would mention people’s deaths in this context.  I would imagine, reading verse 1 in isolation, that Jesus was referring to what we now refer to as the Second Coming.

Another possibility is that Jesus could be referring to his Resurrection.  That is a definite example of the power of the Kingdom of God.

If we accept Matthew Henry’s interpretation of verses 1-13, then the Transfiguration is just one of many examples to which Jesus is referring.

Outline of Mark 9

1. Jesus’ Transfiguration
2. Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy
3. Jesus Predicts His Death
4. Jesus Overhears His Disciples Arguing About Who Is the Greatest
   
5. Jesus Teaches Openness to Help
   
6. Jesus Says, “Better Maimed and Spiritually Whole Than Physically Whole and Doomed to Hell”