' "The Virgin"
Mother, whose virgin Bosom was uncrost
With the least shade of thought to sin
allied;
Women, above all women glorified.
Our tainted nature's solitary boast;
Purer than foam on central ocean tost,
Brighter than eastern skies at daybreak
strewn
With fancied roses, than the unblemished
Moon
Before her wane begins on heaven's blue
coast,
Thy image falls to earth. Yet some, I ween,
Not unforgiven the suppliant knee might bend
All that was mixed and reconciled in
Thee
Of mother's love with maiden purity
Of High with low, celestial with terrene
William Wordsworth.
"Leaves of God."
"When men cease to wonder, God's secrets remain unrevealed. This passage we read from Mark finds the Lord's disciples sailing some very treacherous seas.
Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to die on the cross and these men are a long way from being ready for his death. and departure back to Heaven. Earlier in this passage they were actually fighting among themselves over who was the greatest.
Jesus used their argument to teach them a very important truth. He taught them greatness is obtained through service., v. 35-37. The way to become great in the kingdom of God is by serving the least, who cannot give back v.41. That was a lesson the disciples needed to learn, which also applies to us today. Far to many want to occupy the chief seat and far too few have a servant's heart. On the heels of this event, Jesus issues a series of stern warnings to his disciples. These verses He uses are harsh, straight to the point language that cautions us to be careful how we live our lives. The messages from Mark's gospel is meant to move us out of our "comfort zone." Like the disciples, the modern church has become far too comfortable in this world. Jesus knew that His men needed to be shocked into becoming the men He had saved them to be. Left to ourselves, we will amount to nothing. A Warning about Saints, and a warning about service.
Jesus used a child to illustrate the kind of people we are to serve in this world, v.36-37. We are to serve those who are neglected and rejected. We are tor serve those who can not serve us in return.
Jesus uses the same child to teach us another important principle , we must not only serve, the least willingly, but also protect them from sin. The warning in verse 42, where Jesus says that it would be better off having a millstone" tied around your neck and being cast into the sea. The word "millstone" literally means "a donkey stone " used to grind grain that was so heavy, that a donkey was tied to it to turn it. If a stone were tied around the neck of an individual and that person was thrown into the sea, that person would be pulled to the bottom and they would drown. When Jesus would use this image, His listeners were very familiar with what He said. On more then one occasion the Romans had carried out executions by tying heavy stones around the necks of their victims and throwing them into the river. The mage is very graphic! Yet He says it would be better for a person who harms children making them to stumble is sticking their finger in God's eye!
How do believers cause others to stumble. Matt 5:32; Rev 2:14; Rev2:20; 1Thess. 5:22; 1Tim. 4:12;
A WARNING ABOUT SERVICE!
The two verses that close us out are among the most difficult in the New Testament to interpret. But, I think we can understand what they are saying to us. If we take them in their natural context. In all of these verses Jesus is talking to His people. He is talking to the people of God. First, in verse 42, Jesus warns His people against offending weaker believers. Second, in verses 43-48, Jesus warns His people to avoid the terrible and tragic consequences of sin. He is not saying that a believer can lose or his or her salvation; He is saying that sin is a destroyer and that it must be handled ruthlessly In these verses, Jesus warns His people that serving him will require sacrifice and purity. In verse 49, Jesus says, For everyone " shall be salted with fire." As you know fire is a purifier, a cleansing agent. Jesus is telling those who would be His servants they can expect to be cleansed through fire. In other words, God will allow us to go through persecution and trials in an effort to make us more like Jesus. 2 Tim 3:12; 1Peter 4:12-13. In verse 50 Jesus says "Salt is good.!" Salt was a valuable commodity in that day. The ancient Jews had a saying that went , " THE WORLD CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT SALT." The word "salary" comes from the "Latin word " Salarium." It referred to the fact that often Roman soldiers were paid their wages in salt, which could be traded ounce for ounce for gold. Salt was also necessary for life in the days before refrigeration . Meat would quickly spoil. Salt is good, but when it loses its saltiness what good is it. Jesus then says 'Have salt in yourselves." To have salt, is the best witness for Jesus Christ who lives like Jesus. Remember at the beginning the disciples were arguing who was the greatest among them v.34. And they had rebuked a man who was working in Jesus name, just because he was not one of their number, v.38 Be at peace with one another.
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