Though the disciples heard that Jesus was going to be killed, they started arguing about who would be the greatest. This behavior concerned the Lord. The Lord wanted to accomplish His work even by giving His life: it was to save people’s spirits, make them change, and set them to be workers to preach the Gospel. But if the disciples (who had to become foundations for the churches) were swayed by the lust of the flesh and could not control sins, the Lord’s work would go to waste.
In these circumstances, John said, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.” The Lord heard this, but what concerned Him was not the person who did not follow the disciples, but the disciples themselves. If they fell into a sense of entitlement and looked down on others or learned the habit of dividing the Lord from His people with false testimony, the way for people’s spirits to be saved would be blocked.
If you are a person who believes the Gospel and repented, you should be quick to discover your own sins and live for constant change as you know more about the Lord. You should particularly watch out for behavior which makes believers in church fall into temptation, makes them to fall into evil, or separates them from the servant of the Lord. This is a serious sin which interferes with the Lord’s saving ministry. It is like poking the apple of the Lord’s eye, and the Lord said it would be better for such people to have a millstone hung around their neck and be thrown into the sea.
Those who divide others with false testimony and those who are already divided should hear the Lord’s warning. The Lord repeatedly said, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off rather than go to hell, where ‘their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched’! And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off rather than have two feet and be cast into hell, where ‘their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched’! And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out rather than have two eyes and be cast into hell, where ‘their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched’!” We should reject sin at any cost. Sin has the terrifying strength of making us lose eternal life.
Although we were called to be the church, we have nothing inside that is holy. The most holy thing to come from us is the confession, “I am a sinner”. The Lord gave us a request. ‘Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and of spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God.’ The Lord wants the church to thoroughly prepare for future dangers. Let’s repent and be led by the Lord until the end to fulfill the Lord’s will towards the church.
(Lord’s Day Service on September 12, 2021)
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