Saturday after the Sixth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on July 13, 2024 by under
Scripture: St. Mark 9:43-50 (NKJV)
9:43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—44 where
‘Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’
45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—46 where
‘Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’
47 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, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire—48 where
‘Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’
49 “For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”
Devotion
The Christian is saved for eternal life with the Triune God, and from the suffering of eternal death. Jesus warns against the wages of sin when He quotes Isaiah 66:24 three times. Knowing that those who refuse to believe in Jesus will go to this very real place, we ought to do everything we can to avoid it. The examples Jesus gives show us the serious course we ought to pursue and the complete devotion which we ought to have toward Him.
No, Jesus is not literally saying that we ought to start chopping off body parts and gouging out eyes. Make note that in each example Jesus chooses one of a pair—hands, feet, and eyes. If our sin resided in only one hand, then we should certainly remove it. But it doesn’t. We know that it is our sinful nature which leads us into temptation and sin. Nothing would prevent our Old Adam from using the remaining hand, foot, or eye to cause us to sin.
The Word of God is likened to the effect of salt upon meat. Salt seasons or cures the meat. First, it purifies or burns up the impurities as it dries up the meat, and second, it preserves the meat. God’s Law exposes our sinful nature (original sin) and the actual sin which proceeds from it. God’s Gospel creates faith in Christ and thus preserves us unto eternal life.
Collect: Lord of all power and might, Who art the Author and Giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of Thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of Thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
