Mark 9:30-50
Key Verse 9:50....  “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

 In today’s message, Jesus is heading towards his final destination. His final destination is the cross. As the time of his death gets closer and closer, Jesus did not focus just on himself. Jesus isolated his disciples from the crowds and continued to teach them. He knew his time was short and he knew that his disciples were still young, immature and selfish. He knew that they were still very much influenced by the world. They had their heads in the clouds. Their hearts were filled with competition, selfish ambition and glory seeking. Each of them wanted to be number one.

Jesus was greatly concerned. So he taught them what is true greatness and how to be great. He also taught them the importance of their influence. This morning we want to think about what is true greatness according to Jesus. We also want to think about what it means to be a salty Christian and how we can be a salty Christian. I pray that through this message, God may begin to change our hearts so that we may be willing to be truly great in God’s eyes by serving all kinds of people. I also pray that we may work on our personal spiritual life so that we can become a good influence by being salty.

Part One. True Greatness (30-41)
 Let’s read verse 30, “They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were.”  Jesus was now headed towards his final destination to die on the cross for the sins of the world. He withdrew with his disciples away from the crowds to give them some very important teaching. 
 
He already taught them this, but he told them again. Let’s read verses 31-32, “because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into he hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.’ But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.”  Why did Jesus teach them about this again, and again? It was because he wanted them to accept that hi suffering and death and his resurrection is the good news. No one likes to be told the same thing again and again. When someone keeps reminding us of the same thing many times we become impatient and even angry and say, “I know. Stop telling me! I am not deaf!”
 
It is easy to be annoyed. But Jesus’ purpose was not to annoy his disciples.  Sure, the disciples did not want to hear about his sufferings and death. They only wanted to live easily and gloriously in this world. They had great earthly hopes and dreams. For the first time in their lives, they felt like somebodies to follow Jesus. In addition, they felt loved and adored by Jesus. They did not want to hear the words: “sufferings” and “death” when Jesus taught about himself. But because of this attitude, they could not learn from Jesus. Jesus’ teachings went in one ear and out the other ear. But after he kept telling them, they began to become a little troubled. They might of said to each other, “He keeps mentioning about his suffering and death. Do you think he really means it?” Soon the disciples began to look a little older because they felt troubled and worried by what Jesus said.

 Look at verse 32, “But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.” Basically we can say that they were afraid because they did not want to know. They wanted to avoid the subject. They did not understand because they only wanted Jesus to fulfill their desires. 

 We are much like the disciples. We only want to hear pleasant words and nice words. We only want to read in the Bible what we want to read. I heard that Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States had a great interest in the Bible, especially during the later part of his life. However he did not like all what he read. So whatever he did like, he would cut out and paste on his own piece of paper. He thought he could cut out whatever he liked and forget about the other parts of the Bible. This is not good. How can we only read about heaven and not about hell? How can we only read about future heavenly glory and not think about what Jesus said about denying ourselves,  taking up our cross in order to follow him?

 It is hard to understand God’s word when we only want God to fulfill our human dreams and desires. Let’s learn from Jesus here and listen to what he says with a humble heart. Let’s ask God to open our hearts and give us new attitudes. We may say, “I know all this. I heard it before.”  Good for you. Let’s listen again and learn so that now you may put it into your practical life. Let’s now open our hearts to Jesus’ teaching on true greatness. Let’s read verses 33-34, “They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the road? But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.” 

 The disciples liked to argue with each other. Each one of them had their own ego and pride to defend. Here, they argued about who among them was the greatest. Though Jesus had just talked about his sufferings to come, they were only concerned among themselves as to who was the greatest. At this time, the disciples thought that Jesus was soon going to reestablish the kingdom of Israel. They believed that Jesus would miraculously destroy all Roman power and authority. They dreamed of being the new leaders of the country and receiving honor and recognition from all the people in Israel. They dreamed of parades in their honor. They dreamed of living easily and gloriously with many luxuries and with people serving them. 

Each one of them wanted to sit at Jesus’ right and left hand and have the highest position under Jesus. Each one wanted to be recognized by Jesus as being the top disciple even though it appeared that big mouthed Peter was the top disciple and John and James were the next ones in the line. Perhaps some of the other disciples had a plan to unseat them. They might have schemed about this with each other. In any case, they argued and Jesus brought it to their attention.  Where does this desire to be great come from? In Genesis chapter 1:28, God gave man the mission to rule over and subdue the world. From this command, God wanted man to know that he was great because he gave him the whole world. 

 He wanted man to say when he looked at the created world, “Ah, God made me the ruler of the world! It is mine to conquer!” Of course this meant to use it for a good purpose and for the glory of God. But when man sinned, his way of becoming great became twisted and perverted. It became selfish and self-centered. In Jesus’ time the Roman Empire ruled the world. They exercised their military power over weaker nations and used people from other nations as slaves to support their vast empire. When the disciples saw the power and authority of Rome, they envied it and secretly wanted to have such authority. They wanted to be like the Roman centurions who ordered people around and everyone had to listen. The disciples wanted such power. Each one of them wanted people to serve them and listen and obey them absolutely.

In our society the standard of greatness is somewhat similar. Like the Roman world of Jesus’ times all are still under the power of sin. We all want to be great in our own way and not God’s way. Today people think entertainers like rock stars are the great people. Many teen-agers want to become rock stars and have thousand of fans yelling and screaming for them and cheering them. They think they are great if they can have a lot of girls running after them and to have their own private jet planes. People also think movie stars are great people and TV stars are great. One popular magazine is called “People Magazine.” It has all the news about you favorite TV and movie celebrities. These people look great and glamorous. Being popular and having many cars and vacation homes looks like the way to be great. When Shepherd John Lee went to Russia he heard that many of the hard working students dream of winning the Nobel Prize. They also want to be great. They proudly say that the Russians were the first to put a man in space, before the United States did. Many of us secretly want to become our own boss. When we suffer at work, we desire to be our own boss. This is man’s desire to be great and to be number one. 

But what is Jesus’ way of being great? What does Jesus say? To help his mixed up and messed up disciples, Jesus had an emergency meeting. He knew he needed to fix things up fast or things would get out of control.  Let’s read verse 35. “Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.’”

 According to Jesus, the way to be great, is to be the very last and servant of all. This is the opposite way that society thinks. This is opposite of the way of our thinking. Jesus said that if we want to be first, we must be the very last. If we want to be great, we must become the servant of all. How could Jesus say this?

 It was because he himself defined what is true greatness. Though he is the Son of God from heaven, he did not come to the world to be served. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. The Apostle Paul explains Jesus’ greatness in his humble servant life. He writes about Jesus greatness in Philippians 2:5-9. It says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death---even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place…”

 So you see, if you first seek to serve like Jesus, God will exalt you. When we want to be first, we need to remember that we must first start by being last. No one ever great started at the top. They usually started at the very bottom. When Missionary Sarah Barry went to Korea, she went as a humble servant and put the needs of Korean students before her own needs. She didn’t even marry because she was more concerned about the lives of Korean students. Now, over 40 years later she is recognized as Mother Barry. She is a mother to all and greatest of all UBF women because she in the beginning was the very last and servant of all.

When we think about mothers, mothers are really great because they are always serving. They always put their children’s needs before their own. They always serve their husbands and make sure they are well fed and look nice. Without mothers, there could be no future leaders. But our example we want to focus on is Jesus. If we want to be great, if we want to be recognized by God and by people, and if we want to be first, we need to really learn Jesus’ life and copy it. Then God will make us great in people’s eyes. We should not think the serving life is a dirty and despised life. We have to shake off our old selfish nature. Let’s be convinced that Jesus’ serving life is the best life. Let’s think how we can each serve each other. Let’s think how each fellowship members can serve each other. For example, we are sometimes told to have a master mind for God’s work. What does this mean? It means finding ways to serve each other and to build each other up. It is finding ways to make a good environment at the Center. It is like volunteering. We were encouraged to see the YDJ team stay until 2AM the morning of Abraham and Andrea’s wedding to help prepare the Center. It is good to find ways to do something for each other for God’s work. If you have an idea, write it down or just do it. Be creative. God will begin to bless you personally if your desire is to serve others. Jesus did not stop in verse 35 to explain to his disciples about the way to be the greatest. In verses 36-37 he showed another example how to be great. 

True greatness is to welcome the little children. Let’s read verses 36-37. “He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.’”  Jesus used a little child for his lesson here. Why did he use a little child? Little children need constant care and attention. You need to be patient with little children. But more than anything, to welcome little children means to accept those who are weak and needy among you and humbly serve them. It means serving these kinds of people without expecting a thank you.
 
Our society does not look with favor on the weak and problem filled people. These kinds of people are ignored and brushed aside. They are like paralytics. We like the strong and able and those who are able to multi-task. But Jesus was great because he welcomed people like Levi, the tax collector whose selfish life annoyed people and made them sick to their stomach. Jesus welcomed people like the Samaritan woman who was despised and rejected by her own people because of her sinful life. Jesus welcomed and touched people like a man with leprosy and a blind man. 

It is not easy for us to welcome the weak and take care of them. One missionary said that he was at his limit on bearing with one of his sheep’s many problems and fatalistic thinking. When we try to help someone and they don’t seem to get better, we become tired and exhausted. We complain and say, “I can’t bear with him anymore! Why did God give me such a sheep!” We don’t want to bother anymore. We give up hoping that they will run away. But still they are there. We need to welcome them and embrace them. If we don’t welcome those who are weak, then we are not welcoming Jesus. This is very serious. By rejecting the little children and looking for someone able or trying to help someone more able we are rejecting Jesus. How long should we welcome the little children? Two or three months? No, it should be our entire lifetime.

Let’s think a minute about Peter. Peter looked strong and able. He was self-confident and thought that hr could follow Jesus even to death. But when Jesus was arrested and tried, Peter separated himself from Jesus. He tried to hide from being Jesus’ disciple even though his thick Galileen accent gave him away. When he denied Jesus he broke down in tears and wept in an alley way. He gave up his life of following Jesus and went back to his old life of being a fisherman. But one day, he saw someone on the shore of Lake Galilee waving to him and calling him “friend.” 

Who was that man? It was Jesus. Even though Peter denied Jesus three times and left Jesus, Jesus came back to welcome him. How did he welcome him? He had a delicious breakfast ready for him on the shore of Galilee. He cooked him a good breakfast of pancakes, eggs and fish. Jesus humbly welcomed Peter and never gave up on him. Because Jesus humbly welcomed this little child, Peter was restored to be a servant of God and became a great man of faith. We can learn here that welcoming the little children is not a waste of time. We should not listen to people who tell us that we are wasting our time by trying to help one person. To welcome a little child is to restore a person’s soul and life. It can change their life. When we win over a person’s soul by welcoming them like Jesus, then we are the truly great one’s in the eyes of God. That is true greatness 

 There is another way of true greatness according to Jesus. It is to be broadminded.
Let’s read verses 38-41, “’Teacher’, said John, ‘we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.’ ‘Do not stop him,’ Jesus said. ‘No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.’” 

 John was also called the son of thunder by Jesus. He and his brother James had very explosive characters. When John saw another man who was not one of the Twleve driving out demons in Jesus’ name, he became filled with a jealous and a competitive spirit. He went right over to the man and with an angry and determined face told him to stop. “Stop it! You can’t do that. You are not one of us. You are not one of Jesus’ disciples.”  John’s reaction shows his spiritual immaturity.

 Jesus told him not to stop that person. The reason was because he was doing the miracle in Jesus’ name. This person was honoring the name of Jesus. Jesus said that whoever is not against those who believe is for them. Jesus told John this because he wants John to be broadminded. He should accept the work of God in others. When I was younger in the faith I thought only UBF was the way to do campus evangelism. When I met other people from other groups I acted cold towards them. Later I realized that God is using them in a different way as long as they are serving in the name of Jesus. 

Part two. Causing others to sin. (42-50)
 In this part Jesus teaches us the seriousness of causing others to sin. Whether it is intentional or unintentional, causing others to sin is an act that leads to hell. Let’s read verse 42, “And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believes in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.” 

 These little ones Jesus mentions are most likely young believers and they can also mean young people in general. Jesus’ disciples should not be a bad influence on young believers who naturally will look to them as an example. Many people often casually say, “What you do is your business and what I do is my business.” People often don’t take into consideration how their influence might affect those around them. They think they can be neutral. But you are either an influence or influenced. And we can cause others to sin by not doing anything. This happens when we don’t become a witness for Jesus. If we see or hear the young ones doing something they should not be doing, it is causing them to sin.

 Let’s read verses 43-48 to find out from Jesus how serious we should be towards sin. .Let’s  read verses 43-48, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’”

 Sin is not to be taken lightly. What can we do? We are tempted constantly by sin. We are in danger of losing all our body parts. How can we escape hell and enter the kingdom of heaven? With our own effort it is impossible. But by faith in Jesus we are able. Because Jesus died for our sins and rose from dead, his blood can make our hearts clean. After we have confessed our faith in Jesus we need to offer our body parts for the work of God. This does not mean becoming an organ donor. It does not mean offering your blood when the Red Cross bloodmobile comes to campus.

 It means offering your life to Jesus by doing the work of God. The Apostle Paul said in Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God---this is your spiritual act of worship.”  When we become lazy and spiritually complacent, it is very easy to fall into temptation. King David during one Spring time, became lazy and took a spiritual vacation. He did not fight the good fight of faith and he didn’t lead his people in battle. He got up at noon everyday and did not pray. Then one day he saw beautiful Bathsheba and lost his heart and committed adultery. Then he tried to cover it up by having her husband  killed on the battlefield.

This was something he could have avoided if he offered himself to God. When we offer our bodies to God as living sacrifices we don’t have time to sin. These days God made a new fellowship called Cornerstone fellowship. They want to dedicate themselves to prayer, Bible study and fishing. This is the way we can offer and dedicate ourselves to God and overcome temptation. This week is the First Look fair. We should make time to be Jesus’ witness. 

 Let’s read verses 49-50, “Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if it loses it saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with each other.”  Finally, Jesus tells his disciples to be salty Christians. In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus told his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth…” (Matt.5:13) What does salt have to do with living the Christian life? 

 First of all, what is salt? Salt in Jesus’ time was used as a preservative because they didn’t have refrigeration. Salt is a preservative. It is also a flavoring. French fries without any salt on them taste awful. In every restaurant there is always a salt shaker one each table. All you need is just a little salt on your food and it brings out the taste. Too much salt causes high blood pressure. 

 What Jesus means here is that his disciples must preserve the faith and be able to influence the whole world with the gospel. This is our role. Soon Jesus would suffer, and be crucified. He will rise from the dead and ascend into heaven. He will no longer be physically present with them. They must learn the way to be the salt of the world by listening to him. Though they are only a small number in comparison with the large Roman Empire, Jesus believed that his disciples would one day influence the world. They were able to do so because they imitated Jesus’ life. 

 In this passage we have seen the way Jesus taught his disciples to be salty Christians. As Jesus neared Jerusalem, the disciples argued as to who among them would be the greatest. They fought and fought and had no peace with each other.  He did not want them to argue and fight and be influenced by the ungodly Roman world. He wanted them to be humble servants of each other. He also wanted them to welcome the weak and helpless people. He also wanted them to have a clear attitude against causing others to sin, especially the young believers and young people. This is the way he wanted them to be salty Christians. 

 For us to be salty means we need to accept Jesus’ way of true greatness. We need to serve the little children and live a humble life. This is being an influence. Without this, how can we change students to follow Jesus? Around us are many good examples. God has used many missionaries to open their houses for common life with college students. After work, missionaries and shepherds don’t go home to sleep. They come to the Bible center to get ready to go fishing or teach the Bible. We try to copy Jesus’ sacrificial life. We don’t live just to eat and sleep and enjoy our salvation. We live to be like Jesus and be an influence.

Shepherdess Faith Sambuco from Baltimore UBF had the chance to go to a very excellent school out west and to marry a millionaire. But she turned them both down and followed God’s calling and married a man of faith, Shepherd Paul Sambuco. God blessed their influence and they are the salt of the earth in Towson. Missionary Moses Chang is the salt of the earth here at UMCP. He keeps on taking care of his sheep James Annabel. May God help us to be salty Christians so we can influence our campus like Jesus. May God help you to be truly great by serving like Jesus.