Receive the Kingdom of God Like a Little Child (Mark 10:13-31)

 

Receive the Kingdom of God Like a Little Child (Mark 10:13-31)

God gives to those who ask. The reason we ask is because we are in need. From the very breath we take, a person lives only by the grace of God. Thinking that we can do things on our own is an illusion. God did not create man that way. God created us in a relationship of union where He dwells in us, and we dwell in Him.

In Mark 10:13-31, Jesus blessed the little children and said that unless one receives the kingdom of God like a little child, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. He taught a rich young man the way to inherit eternal life and enlightened his disciples on how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. However, there is no one who deny themselves and follow Jesus who will not receive a hundred times as much in this present age and, in the age to come, eternal life.

The Little Children and Jesus (Mark 10:13-16; cf. Matt 19:13-15; Luke 18:15-17)

13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16)

A Little Child Totally Relies on Parents

In what way does the kingdom of heaven belong to a little child? What does it mean to receive the kingdom of God like a little child? A little child cannot survive without the protection of its parents. Therefore, a little child relies on its parents for everything. From eating, dressing, to sleeping, a little child cannot do anything on its own. A little child accepts this fact without any doubt.

The proof of this can be seen immediately by looking at a little child. They constantly ask and inquire of their parents. This is because they cannot do anything by themselves. Parents continue to respond to and fulfill the requests of the little child. Parents do not refuse any toil for the sake of the child's needs. If the child is in danger, they protect the child at the cost of their own life.

We are like little children before God. From birth to death, there is nothing a person can do on their own. From breathing to the ability to sustain life, it depends entirely on the hands of God. Not only physical needs but spiritual needs are even more so. He sends sunlight and rain to maintain the body, and He shines the light with the Spirit of truth. Our Lord Jesus, when he saw the crowds, had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36).

Therefore, Jesus promised his disciples who follow him that if they ask anything in his name, he will do it (John 14:14). Also, Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8). God the Father gives good gifts to those who ask him (Matthew 7:9).

What is the evidence of this? God did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32).

A Little Child Does Not Worry

Furthermore, a little child does not worry. This is because they trust their parents completely. They just need to ask for what they need and inquire about what they are curious about. Since all needs are met, there is no need to worry about anything. However, adults are experts at worrying. Among all the people in a boat during a great storm who were trembling with fear, there was one little child who was not scared at all. The child said he was not afraid at all because his father was the captain.

The phrase "do not fear" appears 365 times in the Bible. God commanded Joshua, who was about to face the war of conquering Canaan, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged," but instead, "Be strong and courageous" (Joshua 1:6-9). Because this war belonged to God, Joshua had nothing to worry about (2 Chronicles 20:15). God commanded him only to be careful to obey all the Law, not turning from it to the right or to the left.

Jesus asked his disciples, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” and commanded them not to worry about what they will eat or what they will drink or what they will wear (Matthew 6:27, 31). These are the things the pagans run after, and the heavenly Father knows that they need all these things (Matthew 6:32).

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:33-34).

What Must I Do to Inherit Eternal Life?

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy” (Mark 10:17-20).

A rich young man came to Jesus and asked. He was moved by the sight of Jesus blessing the little children, so he took courage and came to ask like a little child. He called Jesus a good teacher. To this, Jesus said that no one is good except God alone. Jesus identified himself as God. Therefore, the young man was now standing before the Creator God and having a conversation with Him.

Jesus first told him to keep the commandments of God. The way to obtain eternal life is to obey the word of God. The commands from the fifth to the tenth commandments concern relationships with parents and neighbors. In a word, this is the command to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39).

However, surprisingly, the young man replied that he had kept all these since he was a boy. He grew up receiving Torah education in a Jewish home. He took the law of Moses seriously, observed the Sabbath and festivals, and went to the temple to offer gifts before God. He sincerely loved and obeyed the commandments of God.

One Thing You Lack

21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Mark 10:21-22).

Jesus looked at him and loved him. He considered the man’s answer that he had kept and obeyed all of God’s commandments to be sincere. Some people think that this young man might be Mark, who wrote the Gospel of Mark. The reason is that the record that Jesus looked at him and loved him appears only in the Gospel of Mark, so they see it as coming from someone who was at the scene (Matthew 19:16-30; Luke 18:18-30).

However, the young man did not obtain eternal life even though he had kept and obeyed all of God’s commandments since he was young. What is the problem? Eternal life is not obtained by doing something; it is a heavenly gift given by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son whom God sent (John 3:16).

Therefore, Jesus told him that there was one thing he lacked, saying, "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." And He commanded him to come and follow the Lord. This is the example that the Lord Jesus Christ personally showed. Jesus gave up taking equality with God and came to this earth in the form of a human, in the likeness of a servant.

And Jesus gave His life as a Passover sacrifice to save this world from the chains of sin. After selling everything He had, offering Himself as a sacrifice to God, He gave eternal life to everyone who believes in Him (Matthew 13:44-46). Jesus commanded anyone who would follow Him to deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Him (Mark 8:34). This is the same word given to that young man.

Then, because the young man had great wealth, he went away sad and troubled because of the Lord's words. It shows that wealth can never grant eternal life, but rather breeds sorrow. It is ironic that he was not joyful because he had much wealth, but was instead sorrowful. Not only wealth, but if you rely on anything in this world, you cannot follow Jesus Christ.

It Is Very Difficult For Those Who Have Wealth To Enter The Kingdom Of God

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:23-27)

The disciples wondered, if it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, who can be saved? The disciples were also poor at the time, but they had a desire to become rich in the future. There is no one who does not. The reason it is difficult for the rich is that they rely on wealth and the world rather than God. Wealth is a kind of power. Therefore, they are surrounded by people who fawn over them. Naturally, it is easy to fall into the illusion that they can do anything.

However, the grace of God can do what man cannot. Nicodemus, as a member of the Sanhedrin, had wealth and status, but he came to Jesus and received the grace of salvation (John 3:1-2). Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob became very wealthy, but they relied on and believed in the promised word of God (Genesis 13:2, 26:13, 30:43). Jacob, in the desperation of being unable to rely on his many riches and family at the Jabbok River, wrestled with an angel all night (Genesis 32:22-32). God struck his hip, and He called Jacob Israel (Genesis 35:10).

We Have Left Everything To Follow You

28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:28-31)

God raised Jesus Christ, who obeyed even to the point of death, from among the dead and made Him King of kings and Lord of lords. Likewise, God blesses with heavenly glory those who give up themselves for the Lord. The heroes of faith who appear in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11 received the treasures of the Word and also received persecution (Hebrews 11:37-39). On this earth, they did not receive what was promised, that is, the heavenly city, but they held fast to that hope through faith (Hebrews 11:39).

Receiving a hundred times more in the present age does not mean material things or living in luxury without any hardship. Such a life does not actually exist. Even while experiencing pressure, stress, difficulties, and pain, enjoying the love, joy, and peace of God that comes down from heaven is a blessing of more than a hundred times. In Christ, we enjoy the grace of reigning over life with the Lord.

However, as the proverb goes, "You must measure to know whether it is long or short," we must not forget the fact that the race of faith takes a lifetime. In Aesop's fable, there is the race between the tortoise and the hare. Even though it may look slow and sluggish now, what is important is to grow steadily without stopping. What is visible to the eye at present is not everything. Our ancestors looked forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God, and finished the race of faith.

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:13-16)

Amen!

June 21, 2026

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2026, David Lee Ministries ©2026 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

They Will Become One Flesh (Mark 10:1-12)

 

They Will Become One Flesh (Mark 10:1-12)

Marriage is the greatest blessing and joy for humanity. Every tribe and people maintain the tradition of marriage. The smallest unit that forms society is the family. The path to forming a family is marriage. Marriage is a joy and a blessing, and at the same time, a challenge and a process. It can be a space of love, peace, serenity, and joy, while at the same time, the danger of becoming a place of pain, sorrow, conflict, and strife lies in wait.

In Mark 10:1-12, Jesus taught the essence of marriage to the Jews who asked about divorce. Marriage was ordained by God, and it is for a man to leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate; to do so is to commit adultery. The secret of union with God is hidden within marriage.

Teaching the Gospel of the Kingdom

1 Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them. 2 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" (Mark 10:1-2).

Jesus taught the people the gospel of the kingdom. This is because what people need most is the gospel of the kingdom of God. This visible world is not our hope. According to the second law of thermodynamics, all things decay and disappear. It is clear that what is defiled and perishing is not our hope (1 Peter 1:4).

So, wherever he went, Jesus taught people the gospel of the kingdom of heaven through various parables and signs and wonders of healing the sick. Like the parable of the sower, the word of God falls and is planted in the soil of people's hearts. The seed of the word grows and bears fruit, producing a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times (Matthew 13:8). By hearing, understanding, responding to, and obeying the word of God, it continues to grow.

However, the seed that fell along the path, on rocky ground, or among thorns cannot grow and does not bear fruit (Matthew 13:4-7). Failing to bear fruit means being cast away. A hardened heart, a heart that cannot take root, and a heart stained with anxiety, worry, and care prevent one from bearing fruit. If you hear the word but do not understand and obey it, even what you have will be taken away, and there is no growth.

Is It Lawful To Divorce One's Wife?

Some Pharisees asked this to test Jesus. They had no intention of learning. In their eyes, Jesus looked like an outlaw who ignored the Law of Moses. As so-called religious authorities, they monitored and controlled people.

However, they were hypocrites who claimed to keep the Law while cleverly ignoring it. They created the Corban tradition and disobeyed God's commandment to honor one's father and mother (Mark 7:11). Through monitoring and control, they burdened the people with loads they could hardly carry, yet they themselves would not lift a finger to help (Matthew 23:4).

They were desperate to remove Jesus of Nazareth, who was a thorn in their side, by any means possible. This time, they brought up the issue of divorce to test him. This issue is a difficult and painful topic. It is a reality that countless families are broken and destroyed. There are only losers in divorce. It causes deep wounds to each other, and above all, to the children.

"Is it lawful to divorce one's wife?" This was largely a male-centered thought. It was a male-dominated society at the time. A nuance of regarding women as consumables is hidden within it. One can see that they were gripped by a wrong, twisted, and self-centered thought that they could abandon their wives whenever a reason arose.

Based on Deuteronomy 24:1, the Jews of that time allowed a man to divorce his wife if he found something indecent about her, including not only adultery but also if the wife’s cooking did not please him or if she could not bear children.

Your Hearts Were Hard

3 "What did Moses command you?" he replied. 4 They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away." 5 "It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied (Mark 10:3-5).

If Jesus opposed divorce, it would be in direct opposition to the Law of Moses (Deut. 24:1). Moses permitted divorce but commanded that a certificate of divorce be written to send the woman away. The certificate of divorce served to protect women in a male-dominated society. Socially, the certificate of divorce granted the woman the qualification to remarry. Unlike today, a woman without a husband had many restrictions on her social and economic activities (Isaiah 4:1).

However, Jesus said that Moses allowed the certificate of divorce for a more fundamental reason. Here, it was because of the husband’s hard heart. A hard heart disobeys and rebels against the word of God. It is the work of the devil. Such a person dislikes keeping God in his heart, considers God’s interference as an annoyance, and rejects and refuses Him.

God hardened the heart of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt (Exodus 7:3, 9:12). The king stubbornly refused Moses' demand to let the Israelites go. As a result, God poured out His wrath from heaven, and ten plagues came upon the land of Egypt. Pharaoh was proud and did not listen to Moses, but ignored and despised him.

God’s hardening of his heart means that He allowed him to arrogantly ignore and despise the words of Moses. However, there are always consequences for this (Romans 1:18). The ten plagues, including the tenth plague on the firstborn, are exactly that (Exodus 7:14–12:51). The consequences of disobeying God’s word are unavoidable (Romans 1:18).

God, through Moses, commanded that a certificate of divorce be written and the wife be sent away because He knew their stubborn hearts were not willing to obey God’s word (1 Samuel 8:8). However, they must bear the consequences of the pain and wounds experienced through divorce.

Generally, everyone wants a home that is harmonious and happy. They want a relationship of mutual understanding, service, and love. However, the reality is that the pressures and challenges are not easy. From managing the household to raising children, differences of opinion and conflicts are exposed in various areas. The reality is that not a few families eventually end in ruin. The existence of divorce is evidence that there is a problem in the home.

The Pharisees tested Jesus with an attitude that forced Him to approve of divorce. This well reflects their stubborn hearts, which believed that divorce was natural. They did not understand at all God’s intention in having Moses command that a certificate of divorce be written and the wife be sent away, and they sought only their own benefit.

God Made Them Male And Female

6 "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 7 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate." 10 When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11 He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery" (Mark 10:6–12).

Furthermore, Jesus returned to the time of creation and taught the meaning of the essence of marriage. From the beginning, God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:27). A secret of union is hidden in marriage. Union is when two different individuals join together to become one. God the Father is always in the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Son is in the Father; it is a relationship of perfect union. Likewise, in Christ, we have united with God through His blood.

"that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (John 17:21).

God created Adam first and said it is not good for him to live alone, so He would create a helper for him (Genesis 2:18). And He commanded Adam to name the wild animals and the birds of the air that He had formed from the ground (2:19). This task was vast and took a considerable amount of time. Why did God command him to do this? It was to teach Adam the fact that among all the wild animals and birds, there was no helper suitable for him.

And God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, took one of his ribs, created a woman, and brought her to Adam. While God was creating the woman, Adam was in a deep sleep and did not perceive what was happening. This shows that God knew beforehand that Adam needed a helper and filled that need.

God brought the woman to Adam, and he said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man" (Genesis 2:23). Adam saw the woman whom God had created and knew she was a part of him. It was something new that he had not discovered at all while naming the animals and birds. Only then did Adam find the partner he truly wanted.

The Two Shall Become One Flesh

God presided over the marriage of Adam and the woman and made them one flesh. He said that a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). Because they are one flesh, they cannot be separated. In response to the question about divorce, Jesus said, "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate" (Matthew 19:6).

Then, how do we become one flesh? Once married, you have become one flesh, and it is a long process of realizing this fact throughout one's life. Men and women are different in many ways. In physical and mental aspects, men and women are different, but their spirits are the same. This spirit refers to the Spirit of God (רוּחַ - Ruach). Because they are beings in whom the Spirit of God dwells, there is no difference between man and woman.

In particular, the love, joy, and satisfaction enjoyed in a marriage relationship are unique and cannot be found anywhere else. God blessed us to enjoy sexual ecstasy and satisfaction within the marriage relationship. Through sexual union, men and women attain the pleasure of orgasm. This ecstasy cannot be obtained anywhere else; it is possible only within the marriage relationship. This secret that God has hidden within the marriage relationship is a foreshadowing of the perfect fullness we will enjoy in His kingdom in the future.

The marriage relationship is a process of pain and challenges. After the dream-like period of the honeymoon passes, weaknesses and shortcomings that were not visible before begin to stand out, and dissatisfaction and conflict arise. As the saying goes, "Every tide has its ebb," a marriage relationship cannot always be good. Difficulties and challenges constantly rush in from all sides.

There is no way that the omniscient and omnipotent God the Father would not know this fact. God joined different men and women together and hid the secret of becoming one flesh. That secret is to love one another. To love one another, the power and authority of God and His Son Jesus Christ are necessary.

God commanded wives to submit to their husbands as to the Lord, and husbands to love their wives just as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:22–23, 25–33). Therefore, submitting to God, empowered by the sacrificial love of Christ who did not spare His own life for us, is the way to become one.

Therefore, what God has joined together, man cannot separate. The only ground for divorce is adultery. Because adultery destroys the contractual relationship of marriage, one can divorce (Matthew 19:9). Apart from this, divorcing for any other reason is committing adultery.

Amen!

June 14, 2026

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2026, David Lee Ministries ©2026 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

If The Salt Loses Its Saltiness, How Can It Be Made Salty Again? (Mark 9:38-50)

 

If The Salt Loses Its Saltiness, How Can It Be Made Salty Again? (Mark 9:38-50)

What is the mark of a Christian? It is salt that gives off a salty taste. It is like a pungent mustard seed. It walks to a different beat than this world. Loving and forgiving is the mark of a Christian. However, the outward appearance of attending worship on Sunday, giving offerings, and evangelizing is not the mark of a Christian.

In Mark 9:38-50, Jesus taught to live in harmony and accept one another. He also warns of the seriousness of sin that causes a brother or sister to stumble. As shepherds of the people, failing to be an example of salt and light, and pursuing one's own benefit in the name of religion, is to have lost the taste of salt. Jesus commanded that if your hand, eye, or foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. Sin produces death. Never take it lightly; you must hate and oppose it.

Those who are for us (Mark 18:6-9; Luke 9:49-50; 17:1-2)

38 "Teacher," said John, "we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us." 39 "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us." (Mark 9:38-40)

John saw someone who was not with the disciples driving out demons in Jesus' name, and he forbade him. He believed that driving out demons was a work that only the twelve disciples should do. At that time, there were many in the land of Judea who listened to Jesus' words, saw His power to heal, and believed. However, Jesus said that those who perform miracles in the Lord's name are for the Lord. It means do not forbid them.

This world bears structural problems of division and conflict due to political, economic, and social reasons. Opinions differ according to region, class, race, political party, and background. Human history is stained with blood because of this. Countless wars and conflicts have occurred, and they are still ongoing. The so-called law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak, prevails.

Since World War II, the world has been investing astronomical costs for peace and coexistence centered on the UN. However, lasting peace is a long way off and is merely a wish. The peace that this world maintains is temporary and no one knows when it will collapse. Even among families, there are not a few cases of fighting and dividing.

The religious world is no exception. Even within Protestantism, it is divided into countless denominations, and it is still ongoing. Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement over the issue of Mark and eventually headed to different regions (Acts 15:39). The Corinthian church was divided into the Paul faction, the Apollos faction, the Cephas faction, and even the Christ faction (1 Corinthians 1:12).

However, there is an undeniable commonality in Christ. All people were created in God’s image and in His likeness (Genesis 1:27). There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:4-6).

Each person has received one Spirit in Christ. However, this does not mean that everyone becomes the same person in Christ. Although knowledge, understanding, and expression are still diverse and different, they are members forming one body of Christ. God made people different and diverse. Even if they are twins, their appearance is similar, but their personalities, thoughts, and expressions are different.

God gave grace to each person according to the measure of Christ’s gift (Ephesians 4:7). So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (Ephesians 4:11-12).

Therefore, although the depth and breadth of knowledge to understand each other in Christ are different, and the shapes and expressions are different, they form the body of Christ with one heart and one mind. One heart and one mind come from love, hope, and faith in God (Ephesians 4:13). Therefore, believers in Christ are not in a relationship of competition and strife with one another, but are brothers and sisters who love, accept, and forgive one another.

Even If You Give A Cup Of Water

"Anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will truly not lose their reward. If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea" (Mark 9:41-42).

Giving a cup of water refers to an act of kindness. Showing kindness is evidence of welcoming, respecting, and loving the other person. When we accept, love, and forgive one another, there is a corresponding reward in heaven. The reward of heaven and the reward of this world are different. This world rejects the love and forgiveness of Christ’s cross and calls it foolish (1 Corinthians 1:23).

The love of Christ is bearing the shame, insult, and punishment on behalf of sinners and becoming a sacrificial offering. However, God did not let Christ’s death be in vain. Looking at the blood of His Son, He opens the gates of heaven and gives eternal life as a gift to everyone who believes (John 3:16). Through the merit of the precious blood shed by the Lord Jesus Christ, any sinner can receive the grace of redemption.

Now, because we have received the redeeming love of Christ, it is the duty of the saints to love others with the love of the cross. Loving one another with the love of Christ is God’s new commandment (John 13:34). If we listen to and obey the words of God’s commandments, God pours out heavenly rewards.

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).

The reward that God gives is different from what is obtained in this world. The reward of heaven is invisible and does not necessarily involve recognition or praise. On the contrary, it is accompanied by shame, insults, and pain. This was true for the prophets of the Old Testament, the apostles, and countless saints, and above all, the Lord Jesus Christ was treated as if He were a criminal and received death.

However, God’s reward is eternal, unchanging, and is a power and authority that governs life. The Lord’s reward is rest and peace enjoyed amidst pain and pressure. God’s reward comes into our inner being. His love, joy, and peace come in, and we are not buried in pain and sorrow, and we gain freedom from complaints and resentment. This is because we sit and reign with the Lord at the right hand of God’s throne (Ephesians 2:6).

If You Cause One Of These Little Ones To Stumble

However, Jesus taught that causing one of these little ones to stumble carries an unimaginable price. Here, a large millstone refers to a millstone pulled by an animal such as a donkey. The "little ones" refers to anyone who is caused to stumble. Specifically, it refers to cases where they are caused to stumble by so-called religious leaders. Such cases are still happening frequently today. This includes sexual abuse, exploitation, and making unjust financial gains.

Valuing the traditions of the elders, like Corban, more than the Word of God, and condemning little ones who do not follow them, is also hypocrisy that causes others to stumble. Jesus warned His disciples about the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod (Mark 8:15). The early church consisted of not only Jews but also Gentile believers. Some Jewish false teachers caused a disturbance by forcing Gentile believers to be circumcised (Acts 15:1; Galatians 2:4, 6:12). This is also causing them to stumble.

Leviticus sets regulations concerning various foods and regulations concerning feasts such as circumcision, Passover, and Pentecost. The Law and regulations of God are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ (Colossians 2:17). Through regulations on food and feasts, God revealed and taught His good will and plan. In the regulations, an unclean animal is not evil in itself; it is to teach that its characteristics are unclean in the sight of God.

Everything God made was good in His sight. Jesus taught that what goes into the mouth does not make a person unclean, but what comes out of the heart makes a person unclean (Mark 7:15). Therefore, Jesus declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19).

"Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day" (Colossians 2:16).

Why is causing someone to stumble serious? It is because it is causing the little ones, whom God purchased with the blood of Christ, to stumble (Romans 8:11). In Romans 14, Paul deals with the issue of eating food sacrificed to idols. Since idols are nothing, even food sacrificed to them is not unclean (Romans 8:4). Those who have knowledge can eat the sacrifice without any hesitation, but those who do not have knowledge are hindered, and their conscience, being weak, becomes defiled (Romans 8:7).

Those with knowledge are free regarding food. However, they must be careful not to let that freedom cause those with weak faith to fall (Romans 8:9). In this way, sinning against a brother and injuring their weak conscience is sinning against Christ (Romans 8:12).

"So if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall" (Romans 8:13).

If Your Hand Causes You To Stumble, Cut It Off

"If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where ‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other" (Mark 9:43-49).

One sins with the hand, foot, and eye. If one sins, the corresponding result surely follows. Therefore, Jesus taught that if one sins, proactive action must be taken. Sin is serious. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Therefore, one should never treat sin lightly or overlook it. One must oppose and hate it.

Jesus spoke about heaven, and at the same time, repeatedly mentioned hell (Matthew 5:2, 5:29, 5:30, 10:28, 18:9, 23:15, 23:33). Hell is a state where the way to go before God is completely blocked, so one can never get out (Luke 16:26). Therefore, the time before Jesus returns is called the year of the Lord’s favor (Isaiah 61:2). However, when the day of the Lord arrives, all flesh must stand before the Judge of all things and receive the judgment of righteousness. This day is called the day of vengeance of our God (Isaiah 61:2).

Jesus called His disciples the salt and light of this world (Matthew 5:13-16). Salt performs the role of making things salty and preventing decay. Salt losing its saltiness means that as a Christian, one is not following the way of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is failing to obey God’s commandment to love one another.

The instruction to have salt among yourselves and be at peace with each other means do not compete over who is the greatest, and do not forbid others from driving out demons in the name of the Lord. Instead, you must love, forgive, and serve one another. Also, you must send kindness and encouragement to those who work in the name of the Lord.

Amen!

June 7, 2026

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Scripture quotes are from the NIV.