Countercultural

Countercultural
‭‭Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭33‬-‭50

Main Idea: Salt Tastes Different. 

1. Salt Serves

‭‭Mark‬ ‭9:‭33-37‬ - “33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” 

• Last week - Pastor Dan stated that “humility” is one of the travel companions we are to take. I want to recap these few verses because they are one of the three sections of Jesus’ teaching here in second part of Mark 9 that I believe are all interrelated around this idea of what it means to be part of the kingdom of God, what it means to be the salt of the world – three ways we are supposed to be countercultural. 
• Capernaum - same home where paralytic was healed? Home-base of operations. Intimate home setting. In this setting the disciples have some honest admissions and Jesus shares some tough words. SEEE THE VALUE OF THE HOME, CLOSE PROXIMITY IN DISCIPLESHIP.
• Here we see that the first way salt is supposed to taste different, the first way we are supposed to be countercultural is that SALT SERVES. 
  • In contrast to popular culture… Same problem 2000 years later…Cultural Problem: Authoritarianism - greatness determined by rank and titles. Power/Influence = Significance. 
  • This can be related to money, vocation, possessions, position…but at the core is a form of idolatry, that elevates self above others. “I am better than you.” “I know best.” Superiority. I am king or queen. Everyone else should serve my wishes. Honor my preferences. 
  • Now, authority is not evil. We live in a culture that increasingly calls all human authority oppressive. All of human history is simply a battle between those with authority and power, the oppressors, and the victims who are powerless, the oppressed. But this is misleading. Authority and power are not inherently sinful. God ordains authority in the home, church, and in society. BUT authority always exists to serve, provide, and protect those under its care. Domineering authority is distasteful and immoral. 
  • Jesus models this…Countercultural way of Jesus UPSIDE DOWN KINGDOM (Verse 35)
    • Mark 10:42-44 - Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
    • Jesus washing feet - John 13 - walking around in the street, mud, dirt, manure. Wash each other’s feet!
    • Paul - Begins letters with “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ”
    • As Christian’s we should be known for our hearts to serve others. 
  • Why is this difficult? It is Counter-Cultural. 
    • Our culture gears everything to my preferences. Every device you have “preferences”
      Customization is the word of the day. HAVE IT YOUR WAY. We have machines that wash our clothes, heat up our food, clean the dishes, we even have people who bring us food, or do our grocery shopping for us…These things are not bad but they feed into a culture where service, putting others' needs before our own, is exceedingly rare. 
  • Child on lap - 9:36-37
    • Kids = picture of humility. I am above caring for the children...
    • DINK - Dual-Income No Kids - Childless > ChildFREE. Birthrate in the US has declined almost 15% since 2007...
      Why? Kids are inconvenient. They are expensive. They require time and sacrifice. AND THEY ARE WORTH IT. They are a blessing from the Lord. 
    • Salt Serves! We are called to be different. 

2. Salt Unites

John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward. Mark 9:38-41

• Key delineators in this passage: “In your name” and “in my name” - this is not some kind of pluralism where all beliefs are equal. The gospel and name of Jesus are central to who we are and how we unite as brothers and sisters in Christ. 
• Cultural Problem: Tribalism - We (our particular tribe) are the best. Or at least WE ARE BETTER THAN YOU.
  Polarization. Demonization of those who disagree with us. The internet and social media allow us to join a group, be part of a movement, that thinks EXACTLY like you. We can easily find ourselves in a tribe that is an echo chamber that sees everyone else as evil. 
• “Not against us is for us” - Know the enemy! Your brother or sister is not our enemy. That church down the street that may have different worship, some different views on non-gospel issues like church government, or spiritual gifts IS NOT THE ENEMY. There is too much friendly fire in the church. 
• The gospel should unite us - “in my name” 
• This also means that it should be less about our particular brand as a church. Our name doesn’t need to be on it. 
• Internal disputes and differences should become far less important when we know who the real enemy is. Sin and Satan are the enemy! 
• The identity of Jesus and the sufficiency of His work should tear down walls of division in the church. Watch how you speak of and how you treat others. John 13 - "by this all men know you are my disciples, by your love for one another…"
  • Ethnicity/culture/age - rejecting others because of differences. 
  • Conscience - treating issues of conscience like they are moral issues. 
  • Nationalism - Activism is important. Voting is stewardship. If your neighbors know more about your political allegiance than your spiritual allegiance THERE IS A PROBLEM. Example: Simon the Zealot (revolutionary against Roman empire) - Matthew the Tax Collector (Pawn of the Roman Empire) - 
• V. 49 - “be at peace with one another” - Salt pursues peace. Salt unites. 
• It is not that differences don’t matter, it is not that we should become homogeneous, but brothers and sisters in Christ should seek to live in peace, love, and unity with one another. SALT UNITES. SALT SERVES, it dies to self and lives for God, Salt unites around the name of Jesus and lastly…

3. Salt is Set Apart

42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” Mark 9:42-50

• We are called to be different. Distinct. Sanctification, Holiness (same root word)- Just mean “set-apart.” As followers of Jesus we are called out of darkness into his Light (light of the world). We are called to be different, to be distinct! Just like SALT. ARE YOU DIFFERENT? 
• Lie: Follow my Heart, obey my thirst, and seek to fulfill every craving of my heart. 
• Cultural Problem: Hedonism - My desires are best. My best life is one in which I follow my heart, obey my thirst, and seek to fulfill every craving of my heart. 
  • Causing little ones to stumble. Pervasive disregard for how my actions might affect others.
    • Modesty gone out the window
    • Entertainment has increasingly become or explicit, violent, and profane.
    • If your phone causes issues to stumble throw it out, if your TV leads you into sin>cut the cord. I’m not being legalistic here, technology is not inherently evil. The principle of Jesus’ teaching is that we need to go to radical lengths to be distinct, to be different, to be holy and set apart. 
    • Just think about what our culture is embracing as normative on television, streaming service, Olympic opening ceremonies or storytime hour in libraries, in even in health class in a public school. Mislead and confusing children. 
    • It is not just WHAT YOU DO it is how what you do AFFECTS OTHERS! 
      • Romans 15:1-2 -We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. - LOVE BUILDS UP
      • Unpopular verse today. Give up my freedom? Not talking about legalism here, I am talking about love!
      • We live in culture that is saturated with lust and devoid of love. 
      • We embrace instant gratification and disregard eternity. “If I don’t see the bottom line in this life, it is not worth it. 

Conclusion - Salt Tastes Different

• Are you salty? Is your life countercultural? Serve, unite, Set-Apart
• Would someone see a difference in your life? 
• Motivation: Eternity - THERE ARE ETERNAL IMPLICATIONS. What we do in this life echoes into eternity. Sin might give some temporary pleasure but IT WILL NOT BE WORTH IT. We will be accountable for how we treat others in heaven, and those who seek to serve will be greatest in the kingdom of God!