Sunday 29 September 2024

Psalm 124

Background
Today's reading has much to teach us about Christian leadership.

In verses 38-41 we discover that the disciple John has learned nothing from Jesus’ recent teaching (9:33-37). John is besotted with power. He wants to ‘cancel’ an exorcist operating in Jesus’ name but outside Jesus’ community. Jesus, however, is inclusive, not exclusive. The Church has no monopoly on doing good. God is the source of all goodness and uses many agents, wittingly or not, to liberate and heal people in need. Christians themselves (‘those who bear the name of Christ’) must be open to receive a timely ministry from strangers – a cup of life-saving water after a long, hot journey (v. 41). God honours all who do good.

In verses 42-48 we learn that confident members of the community of Jesus must not trip up (‘put a stumbling block before’) the vulnerable members (‘the little ones who believe in Jesus’). Leaders must act towards them with God’s gentle, patient and generous sensitivity. Any betrayal of that spirituality is inexpressibly serious – an offender would be better drowned (v. 42); or thrown like rubbish on the ever-smouldering tip at Gehenna, outside Jerusalem (v. 44); or condemned at God’s Final Judgement (v. 48, which cites Isaiah 66:24). To avoid this fate, leaders must exercise self-control, at all costs. Jesus metaphorically expresses this as cutting off an offending hand or foot, or tearing out an eye.

Finally, in verses 49-50 Mark is keen to add a crucial theme. He does this by linking together some previously separate sayings that have a connecting word – ‘fire’ and then ‘salt’. His point? Salt is the everyday seasoning of food. To share salt is to build fellowship around a table. ‘Salt’ in the Old Testament describes God’s covenant with Israel (eg Leviticus 2:13). The most fundamental aim of the Church is to restore fellowship (or, make peace, v. 50) when something has gone wrong (as in salt that has lost its saltiness). If the worst happens, and a vulnerable believer is hurt, the offender must pray for forgiveness (Mark 11:25). The Church assists reconciliation; it does not exclude an offender.

To Ponder:

• If you attend church, does it give sufficient and sufficiently careful attention to the needs of a casual visitor or of someone seeking faith? How do members best offer hospitality and seek to understand where the vulnerable person is coming from? Is there something more or more appropriate that could be done?
• No church can forever be exempt from a serious clash of personalities or from strong opinions that fracture the fellowship. If your church is not facing that challenge currently, thank God. And prepare for such a crisis – with a role play, perhaps. Are you confident that the whole congregation would in all such circumstances major on reconciliation?

Bible notes author: The Revd David Deeks
David is a Methodist supernumerary presbyter, living in Bristol.