Jesus got a glimpse of his heavenly home when he met with Moses and Elijah on the mountain in yesterday’s reading. He was transfigured from his earthly form to his heavenly glory, and back again, and he remembered that he was the king of heaven – but he also knew he was eventually going to die on earth like a criminal.

Jesus came back to Caesarea Philippi with a lot on his mind.

Healing a Boy Possessed by a Demon

People were filled with wonder when they saw Jesus coming back into town. Did he look wonderful because there was an afterglow from the transfiguration? Or did he dazzle people with his teaching and ability to do miracles?

Whatever the reason, they ran to him and told him that his disciples were in trouble with the dad of a demon-possessed boy. They were unable to deliver the boy.

“‘You unbelieving generation,’ Jesus replied, ‘how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.’” Mark 9:19

As they brought the boy to Jesus the demon seized him and threw him to the ground. Jesus asked how long he had been like this and learned that for years the demon had tried to kill him.

The father said, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” Mark 9:22

It was almost an insult to imply that Jesus might not be able to help the boy.

“‘If you can’?’ said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for the one who believes.’” Mark 9:23

The father humbly replied “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:24

Jesus looked up and saw a crowd running toward him so he quickly rebuked the demon, commanding it to come out of the boy and never return. The spirit shrieked and shook the child one more time, then came out, leaving the boy unconscious on the ground. People thought he was dead, but Jesus lifted him to his feet and he stood up.

Faith to Do Miracles

Jesus told his disciples they needed more faith and more prayer.

“Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it out?’

He replied, ‘Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there, ‘ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.’” Matthew 17:19-20

“‘This kind can only come out by prayer.’” Mark 9:29

It’s hard to quantify how much faith is equal in size to a mustard seed. But anyone can understand that a mustard seed is just the start of something bigger. Plant a little seed of faith and water it with prayer and it may grow into faith big enough to move a mountain.

Jesus Predicts His Death

Leaving Caesarea Philippi Jesus and his disciples traveled down to the region of Galilee again. He needed time alone with them to make sure they understood he was going to die and be resurrected, but this news continued to be too much for them.

“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.’ But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.” Mark 9:31-32

Jesus wanted his coming death and resurrection to be clear in his disciples’ minds so that when it happened they would know it was God’s will.

Temple Tax

All Jewish men paid a small yearly tax that helped cover the expenses of the temple. When tax collectors asked Peter whether Jesus paid this tax, Peter said he did and went to talk with him about it.

Jesus pointed out that as the Son of God he was actually exempt from paying this tax. But he was willing to pay it, so he sent Peter to fish for it and the first fish Peter caught had a four drachma coin in its mouth – just the right amount to pay the temple tax for two men.

Jesus had a fish pay his taxes, something only God could do.

The Greatest In the Kingdom

Jesus often did the unexpected. He encouraged women to be his disciples, he chose unlearned men to be his apostles, and he did his most spectacular miracles for the most disenfranchised people in society. He didn’t live in Jerusalem where he could have made a name for himself, but spent his time traveling from one rural village to another. He often elevated the least likely people to greatness with just a touch of his hand.

So when he caught his disciples arguing about who was the greatest among them, he gave them a memorable lesson.

“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.’

He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, ‘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.’” Mark 9:35-37

Children had no power in society and they had little value at all until they grew up, went to work, and had families of their own. But Jesus said that the measure of a leader’s greatness was how well he or she cared for the weakest and most overlooked members of society.

In Jesus’ Name

As the Church grew there were going to be conflicts among believers. They needed to know who to correct and who to leave alone.

If the disciples saw someone they didn’t know doing miracles in Jesus’ name, they should leave that person alone. If he was really serving Jesus, it didn’t matter whether he was one of them or not.

“‘Don’t stop him,’ Jesus said, ‘for whoever is not against you is for you.’” Luke 9:50

However, if a leader used their association with Jesus’ name to get power over other people and sin against them, he said it would be better for that leader to be dead.

“If anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in me – to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Matthew 18:6

Jesus also wanted his disciples to examine their own conduct and watch out for sin. If they habitually sinned with their hands, feet, or eyes – better to go through life without those things than continue sinning with them.

The Salt of the Earth

Of course, hands, feet and eyes were only symbols of the ways people sin, but Jesus wanted the disciples to understand he took their personal holiness  very seriously. They were the salt of the earth and he didn’t want them to lose their savor.

“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 9:50

Salt was used as a preservative and a seasoning to make food taste better. God’s holiness in his people helped preserve the world from rotting completely away and made his interactions with the earth more palatable.

The disciples helped each other grow in personal holiness by being willing to correct each other. Jesus gave them a five-step process for this.

1. Go and talk with a sinner privately about their problem.
2. If they refuse to acknowledge the sin, bring along two or three others to corroborate what has been observed.
3. If they still refuse to listen, have the church body address the problem.
4. If they remain obstinate, have the church treat them as they would a pagan, refusing to condone the sin, praying for the sinner, and continuing to share the Gospel with them.
5. Believers should hang together and keep serving Jesus because he was with his followers whenever they gathered in his name.

Forgiveness

Peter wondered what to do about repeat offenders who continually wanted to be forgiven. Either they were gaming the grace and forgiveness system, or they were compulsive sinners who couldn’t stop themselves.

Peter asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Matthew 18:21

Jesus answered with a story about a man whose great debts were forgiven by his master, but who nearly choked the life out of someone else who owed him just a small debt. When his master heard about it, he arrested the man and handed him over for severe punishment.

“This is how your heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” Matthew 18:35

Jesus told Peter he had to keep on forgiving, hundreds of times if necessary.

But that wasn’t the same as encouraging a sinner to go on sinning. Believers had a responsibility to correct sinners using the five-step process mentioned in Matthew 18:15-20.

But if that didn’t work, they weren’t allowed to hold it against the sinner. With gentle hearts believers should go on confronting, correcting, praying and preaching the Gospel to the sinful brother or sister – while forgiving them for their shortcomings.

That’s what Jesus did all day long with his disciples. He taught and corrected them – and loved them – because he was ready to forgive them.