Mark

By Joyce Webb 2023

Chapter 9 Verses 30-40

Verse 30 Jesus and his disciples go on their way. They travel through Galilee. But Jesus does not want any one to know he is traveling through the area. (He probably does not want crowds coming around him.)

Verse 31 He talked to the disciples. He told them that he, the Son of Man, would be taken by men who want to kill him.
He would be killed. The 3rd day he would come alive again.

Verse 31 The disciples could not understand this. How could Jesus be killed? And if he was killed, how would he come to life again?
They found this hard to understand.

Vs 32 But they were afraid to ask Jesus any questions about it.

Vs. 33 They came to the town of Capernaum and went into a house.
Jesus asked them, What were you arguing about as we traveled?

Vs. 34 But they would not tell him. They had been arguing about which one of them was the greatest of them.

(The disciples were still thinking that Jesus would be a king—on earth—and that they would be part of his kingdom. They were thinking that they would have high places of honor in his kingdom. They were arguing who would have the highest place next to Jesus.)

Vs. 35 Jesus sat down and called the disciples to come listen.
He said: If an man wants to be first—then that person will be last.
He will be the servant to the others.

(In other words—If a person thinks he is so good that he should be first and highest—then that person is proud. He should not be first, but he should be last.
He should serve the others.

Vs. 36-37 Then Jesus had a child come and Jesus took the child in his arms and -Jesus said— Whoever shall receive a child in my name—receives me. (A child is not proud–but humble—it is easy for him to believe and to be taught.)

Whoever receives me—receives the One (Father God) who sent me.

Vs. 38 John said: Master, we saw a man casting evil spirits out of someone. But he was not one of us disciples. We told him that he should not do that because he was not one of us.

Vs. 39 Jesus said: Do not tell him not to do it. If a person does a miracle in my name—then he will not speak bad or evil of me.

(In other words—if a person has faith in Jesus to use His name to ask God for a miracle—then he is a believer in Jesus.)

Vs. 40 Jesus said–He that is not against me—is for me.
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There were many people who believed that Jesus was God. The disciples were not the only ones.

Those who were true believers in Jesus could also use Jesus’ name to ask God for a miracle.

This is my own warning—something I have seen—there are people who pretend to be believers in Jesus—but are not true —-they may use Jesus’ name like a “magic” word. Thinking that it will make a thing happen.

There are some people who pretend to be religious and to heal people—but they are not true.
If you watch their lives and how they live—you will see they are doing sins. Some of them are into the occult and witchcraft.
Some of them have a cross or wear a cross—but they are not true believers in Jesus.
There are real miracles that happen. There are people who God uses to do miracles. They are true.

But look carefully at the person’s life and how they live—-to see if they are a true believer.

The devil has some powers to do some things. He can also make things look like a miracle has happened.