Mark 9 - How easily we do wrong things...

Mark 9
2After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6(He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) 7Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” 8Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. 9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant. 11And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” 12Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? 13But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

30They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” 32But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. 33They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” 36He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Human nature is so naturally sinful. In the first part of Mark 9, we see Jesus with Moses (I think Moses represents the law) and Elijah (representing the prophets). These two represent all of Israel's past with God. Jesus is with them and then God speaks and glorifies Jesus. The disciples are in awe enough to want to build a shelter for them, but they totally missed that they were seeing Jesus transfigured and God reconcile the law and the prophets in Jesus.

Later, they argue about who is the greatest among them. That is incredible in that they have just seen Jesus transfigured...shining with glory...with Moses and Elijah who have been dead for a long time. I am amazed that they can turn to thinking about themselves so quickly and easily, but Jesus brings them back to reality quickly.

Then I think about myself. How quickly I go from concern about others to concern about myself. Why do people say and do such rude, mean, disrespectful things...whether on purpose, carelessly, or just not thinking about others. I want to say something back to let them know how it makes me feel to hear those things...and then I realize I am thinking/doing the exact same thing as the person who hurt me...and it happened so quickly and so easily!

I observe some people who seem to be able to let every rude/mean/disrespectful comment go and still be considerate. I really don't know how they do that! I struggle with that all the time. It is not easy for me to do, but I am trying!  I will keep trying!  Just as the disciples went completely off track right after seeing Jesus transfigured, I know I will go off track quickly also! I also know, and trust, that Jesus/the Holy Spirit/God will bring me back very quickly also! 


Thank you, Holy Spirit, for always working on me! I need your help!