“If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.” (Mark 9:43)
Ouch. This is some of the most painful hyperbole we hear Jesus utter. Jesus sounds like a shock jock, and I’m no fan of that type of radio show or podcast hijinks. Still, shock does have its uses: Entertaining, frightening folks, and grabbing attention among them. And who knows? Maybe Jesus is doing a little bit of all three in this passage. Self-maiming? Eternal fire?
What is your gut response when you read this verse? You have heard the terms “shock and awe”, maybe a shock treatment will wake people up to the IMMEDIATE NEEDS of The Church!
Jesus is doing some heavy hitting, going to great lengths to spell out the dangers of harming one another. We need to be wary of hands involved in the wrong activities, eyes roaming where they ought not, and feet carrying us where we shouldn’t go.
Jesus doesn’t get much more specific than that, leaving us to fill in the very wide, personal, and communal blanks indicated in the use of these metaphors. We are to watch out for “little ones” new to the faith and anyone we might harm spiritually (including ourselves). What hurts one, hurts us all.
People are dying to know the Good News of many kinds today. But this news is vitally important and positions us to know everything else through Jesus Words.
Prayer
Lord, what is at stake is our immortal soul, and I thank You for Your free gift of eternal life through Your Son, Jesus. Give me the opportunity to share this wonderful news to those I meet so that they might also have this hope in eternal life with You.
Stay encouraged!
Pastor Mike
