Devotions

fire, salt, and peace

Posted on October 21, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Mark 9:49-50

⁴⁹ “Because everyone will be salted with this fire. ⁵⁰ Salt is good; but if salt has become saltless, what can you season it with? Have salt among yourselves, and live at peace with one another.”

fire, salt, and peace

Jesus’ words here can feel confusing until we remember the conversation that led to them. The disciples had just tried to stop other followers of Jesus from doing ministry in His name. They assumed that only their group had the right to serve, and they wanted to shut down anyone outside their circle. Jesus corrected them immediately. He told them not to put stumbling blocks in front of those other disciples. The kingdom was bigger than their group, and they needed to stop acting like gatekeepers.

Then Jesus turned the warning back on them. If they must not hinder others, they must also guard their own hearts from anything that could hinder them. Even if the stumbling block felt as essential as a hand, a foot, or an eye—something familiar, something precious, something they thought they couldn’t live without—it had to go if it threatened their loyalty to Him. Jesus wasn’t calling for literal self‑harm. He was naming the cost of discipleship: anything that pulls us away from Him must be removed, no matter how deeply rooted it feels.

To make the point even clearer, Jesus used the imagery of salt. In the ancient world, salt symbolized dedication—especially in offerings placed on the altar. A grain offering seasoned with salt belonged wholly to God. Jesus was telling His disciples that their lives and ministries needed that same kind of undiluted devotion. Nothing should be allowed to “desalt” them, to drain away their commitment or compromise their witness.

But Jesus added one more layer: their dedication to Him must never destroy their peace with one another. Total commitment to Christ does not justify harshness, rivalry, or division. The same salt that marks our devotion should also preserve our unity.

Lord, give us the courage to remove every obstacle to our commitment to You, and the wisdom to do this without harming those who serve alongside us.

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removing the stumbling blocks

Posted on October 20, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Mark 9:43-48

⁴³ If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to Gehenna, to the unquenchable fire. ^{44^[1]} ⁴⁵ And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into Gehenna. ^{46^[2]} ⁴⁷ And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into Gehenna, ⁴⁸ where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.

removing the stumbling blocks

Context is everything in this moment. Jesus had just warned His disciples not to put stumbling blocks in front of “the little ones”—those other disciples outside the Twelve who were also ministering in His name (9:42). They weren’t competitors. They weren’t threats. They were fellow servants. Jesus wanted His closest followers to protect their faith, not hinder it. He wanted them to encourage, not discourage. He wanted them to recognize that the kingdom was bigger than their circle.

Then Jesus turned the warning inward. If they must not cause others to stumble, they must also refuse to tolerate anything that would cause them to stumble. His language about cutting off a hand or foot, or tearing out an eye, was intentionally shocking—but never literal. He was naming the seriousness of spiritual sabotage. A hand, a foot, an eye—these were symbols of relationships, habits, ideas, or loyalties that could quietly pull a disciple away from faithfulness. Better to lose something precious than to lose your life. Better to enter resurrection life limping than to walk confidently into destruction.

And Jesus’ reference to Gehenna was not about eternal torment but about irreversible ruin. The fire and the worm were images of total destruction—nothing left, nothing surviving. That is why Jesus spoke so urgently. Anything that turns us away from believing and serving Him must be removed. Not managed. Not negotiated with. Removed. Our lives depend on it.

We often pray for strength in trials, but sometimes the trial is the courage to name the stumbling block and let it go. Sometimes the danger is not the storm outside us but the compromise inside us. Jesus’ words call us to clarity, honesty, and decisive faith.

Lord, we ask for insight so we can identify the ideas and relationships that tempt us to reject You and Your word. Give us courage to remove those stumbling blocks from our lives.

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the competition

Posted on October 19, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Mark 9:38-42

³⁸ John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to restrain him, because he was not following us.” ³⁹ But Jesus said, “Do not restrain him; because no one who does a miracle in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. ⁴⁰ Because whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ For I guarantee you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward. ⁴² “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a donkey’s millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea.

the competition

There were more disciples following Jesus than the twelve He appointed as apostles, and this passage gives us a glimpse into how the Twelve viewed those others. Their instinct was to treat them as rivals—outsiders who needed to be corrected or controlled. But Jesus stopped that thinking immediately. He knew the Holy Spirit would build a church far more diverse than the disciples could imagine, a church with different voices, different callings, and different expressions of obedience. The kingdom was never meant to be a tight circle guarded by a select few. It was meant to spread through a wide family of believers, each contributing in ways the others could not.

So Jesus warned His disciples not to put stumbling blocks in front of those who served Him differently. Their job was not to police the boundaries but to recognize the work of God wherever it appeared. The Spirit would empower many kinds of ministries, shaped by many kinds of people, and the disciples needed to learn early that unity does not mean uniformity.

The same is true today. The church is full of differences—traditions, emphases, worship styles, theological accents. And this diversity is not a problem to be solved but a gift from God. Our task is not to shrink the kingdom down to our preferred shape but to cooperate with all who serve the same Christ, even when they do so in ways unfamiliar to us. The kingdom is bigger than our concept of it, and Jesus delights in using a wide range of servants to accomplish His mission.

Lord, give us godly tolerance for the great diversity that is Your body.

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the greatest nobody

Posted on October 18, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Mark 9:33-37

³³ Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” ³⁴ But they were silent, because on the road they had argued with one another which was the greatest. ³⁵ He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” ³⁶ Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever welcomes one child like this in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not just me but the one who sent me.”

the greatest nobody

We preachers love Jesus’ illustration of the little child. It’s simple, vivid, and endlessly useful. But we often forget the moment that gave rise to it. The disciples had just been arguing about who among them was the greatest. They weren’t debating doctrine or mission strategy. They were jockeying for status. Into that atmosphere of insecurity and ambition, Jesus placed a child in their midst.

This child wasn’t exceptional. He wasn’t the neighborhood prodigy or a future leader in training. He brought nothing to the table—no influence, no accomplishments, no strategic value. He was simply welcomed by Jesus. And that welcome was the point. His significance didn’t come from what he could offer, but from the fact that Jesus received him.

Those disciples—every one of them except Judas—would eventually lead ministries that shaped the world. But before they ever preached a sermon or planted a church, they needed to learn this: ministry is not about greatness. It is not about résumé, gifting, or spiritual prestige. Ministry begins with being welcomed, called, and sent by Jesus. That is the only credential that matters.

You can be the greatest nobody and still make a difference because you belong to Him. Your impact flows from His call, not your qualifications. Your authority comes from His acceptance, not your achievements. The child in their midst was a living reminder that the kingdom runs on grace, not status.

Lord, as we serve others, give us the confidence of knowing we do so by virtue of Your calling, not our qualification.

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choosing not to share

Posted on October 17, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Mark 9:30-32

³⁰ They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; ³¹ because he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will be raised again.” ³² And they did not understand what he was saying but were afraid to ask him.

choosing not to share

Jesus was giving His disciples the kind of focused, urgent training that only comes when time is short. He knew the storm that was about to break over them—the arrest, the scattering, the cross—and He chose to step away from public ministry for a season so He could prepare the ones who would carry His mission forward. There are moments in ministry when even the most compassionate servant has to say no to the crowds in order to say yes to the people God has entrusted to them. Jesus models that kind of intentional stewardship.

But the disciples, even in this sacred window of preparation, held back their questions. They were afraid of the answers. They sensed that Jesus was speaking of suffering, loss, and a future they did not want to imagine. So they stayed silent. Their fear kept them from clarity. Their reluctance kept them from the very insight Jesus was trying to give.

We do the same. Sometimes we enter seasons of trial unprepared—not because Jesus refused to teach us, but because we were too afraid to ask. We fear what the truth might require of us. We fear what obedience might cost. And yet Jesus never rebukes honest questions. He may not answer every one. Some fires must be faced in faith, without full understanding. But He invites us to seek wisdom rather than shrink back from it. He invites us to bring our uncertainty to Him rather than carry it alone.

The disciples’ silence is a gentle warning. Their fear is a mirror. And Jesus’ patience is our hope.

Lord, give us wisdom to seek insight into our future, and guidance for how we can face it.

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Jesus intervenes

Posted on October 16, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Mark 9:25-29

²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!” ²⁶ After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand. ²⁸ When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why were we not able to cast it out?” ²⁹ He said to them, “This kind can come out only through prayer.”[1]

Jesus intervenes

When we finally reach the end of our own strength—when we’ve exhausted every method, every prayer formula, every attempt to “make something happen”—that is often the moment Jesus steps in and does what we could never do. The disciples in this story had tried everything they knew. They had seen God work through them before. But this time, nothing worked. Their failure wasn’t the end of the story; it was the opening for Jesus to reveal His power in a way that left no room for pride.

That is one of the hidden mercies of God. When He intervenes after our strength has run out, He protects us from the subtle arrogance that can creep into any ministry, especially ministries of healing or deliverance. The glory goes to Him alone. And that is exactly how it should be.

This makes our relationship with the Holy Spirit both beautiful and delicate. The Spirit truly does gift some believers with power ministries. Scripture never suggests those gifts have ceased, and they will continue as long as the Spirit Himself continues His work. It is a privilege to be used by God in such ways. But the danger is real: some take the Spirit’s gifts and turn them into platforms for self‑promotion. They will answer to the Lord for treating His power as a tool for their own gain.

Most of us, though, are not in danger of that kind of pride. We are more like the disciples in this story—faithful, willing, but limited. We come to the end of ourselves and discover that our only option is to plead for Jesus to intervene. And that is not a failure. It is discipleship. It is trust. It is the posture Jesus honors.

Fear not. He is in control. He invites us to pray, to watch, and to expect Him to act in His time and His way.

Lord, if You gift us, use us for Your glory. If You do not, give us the wisdom to pray and watch You intervene.

[1] some manuscripts add και νηστεια – and fasting.

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help my unbelief

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Mark 9:19-24

¹⁹ He answered them, “You faithless generation, how much longer will I be among you? How much longer will I bear with you? Bring him to me.” ²⁰ And they brought him to him. When the spirit saw him, it just then convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. ²¹ He asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. ²² It has often even thrown him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.” ²³ Jesus said to him, “If you are able!– All things can be done for the one who believes.” ²⁴ Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

help my unbelief

Jesus does get frustrated with our unbelief, but He never turns away those who come to Him honestly. The father in this story didn’t pretend to have more faith than he did. He didn’t offer polished theology or confident declarations. He simply admitted the truth: “I believe; help my unbelief.” And Jesus responded—not because the man’s faith was impressive, but because his desperation was real.

Maybe we are living in a generation that has surrendered so much biblical truth that we feel awkward even approaching Jesus. We hesitate to plead with Him because we fear our doubts disqualify us. But the gospel invites us to come as we are, not as we wish we were. Jesus is not moved by our performance; He is moved by our honesty. He meets us in the place where our faith falters and shows us what is possible when we rely on Him instead of ourselves.

He wants to teach us that the power is His, not ours. Even our faith is not something we can boast about. It is not a spiritual achievement or a badge of maturity. It is simply the hand that reaches out to the One who saves. And when deliverance comes, no one else gets the credit—not our strength, not our certainty, not our spiritual résumé. Only Jesus.

Lord, we trust You—not our faith, and not anyone else’s faith. Deliver us.

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the other disciples

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Mark 9:14-18

¹⁴ When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. ¹⁵ Just then, when the whole crowd saw him, they were astonished, and they ran forward to greet him. ¹⁶ He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” ¹⁷ Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a mute spirit; ¹⁸ and whenever it seizes him, it breaks him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes stiff; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they were not strong enough.”

the other disciples

I can’t really place myself beside Peter, James, and John on that mountain. Their experience feels too bright, too rare, too far above the ground where most of us live. But I can easily see myself among the other disciples—the ones who stayed behind, tried to do the work Jesus had given them, got tangled in a theological argument, and ended up with a mess on their hands. That group feels familiar. Their mixture of good intentions, limited understanding, and public failure is something I recognize in my own story.

When Jesus came down from the mountain, He didn’t find a scene of victory. He found confusion, frustration, and disciples who had tried and failed. His disappointment was real. Yet He didn’t distance Himself from them. He didn’t replace them. He didn’t decide that the mission would be better off without them. He stepped into their chaos, restored what they could not fix, and kept them close. His faithfulness did not depend on their performance.

That is a quiet encouragement for the rest of us—those who spend far more time in the valley than on the mountaintop. We try. We stumble. We argue about things that don’t matter. We attempt ministry and sometimes make a mess of it. And still, Jesus stays. He keeps teaching, keeps shaping, keeps walking with disciples who are learning slowly and imperfectly. His patience is not thin. His commitment is not fragile. His love does not evaporate when we fail.

Lord, thank You for Your patience and faithfulness toward Your disciples who try, even when we often fail.

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over-realised eschatology

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Mark 9:11-13

¹¹ Then, in order to ask him, they said “Why are the scribes saying that Elijah has to come first?” ¹² He said to them, “Elijah is definitely coming first to restore all things. How then can it be written about the Son of Man, that he is to go through many sufferings and be treated with contempt? ¹³ But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they wanted to, just like what is written about him.”

over-realised eschatology

The disciples may well have thought they were standing on the threshold of the final act of God’s plan. If Elijah had appeared—and the prophecy about Elijah coming first was now fulfilled—then surely the next step was obvious. Jesus could reveal Himself openly as Messiah. The kingdom could begin. The long‑awaited reign could dawn right there on the mountain. Their excitement makes sense. Their assumptions do too.

But Jesus gently dismantled their timeline. Elijah had come, yes—but in the person and ministry of John the Baptist, not as a reincarnated prophet but as a faithful forerunner. And even that fulfillment did not mean the kingdom could break in immediately. There was still a road Jesus had to walk, a road marked not by glory but by suffering. Before the crown came the cross. Before the kingdom came the sacrifice. The disciples wanted the end of the story; Jesus reminded them that redemption still had a price.

We face a similar temptation. Some believers today speak as if the new age can be ushered in simply by declaring it, as if victory can be claimed without cost. But Scripture paints a more complex picture. The church is promised seasons of triumph and seasons of trial. There are prophecies of Spirit‑empowered witness and prophecies of faithful endurance under persecution. We do not get to choose which era we live in. We only get to choose how we respond.

Perhaps the next generation of Christians will be known not for visible power but for quiet courage. Not for cultural influence but for steadfast faith. Not for ease but for endurance. If that is the path before us, then we walk it with the One who walked His own path to the cross before rising in glory.

Lord, we do not know what this generation will experience. But we want to be faithful to You, whatever we face.

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pluralism meets perfection

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Mark 9:5-10

⁵ Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here; we will make three tents, for you one, for Moses one, and for Elijah one.” ⁶ He did not know what to say, because they were terrified. ⁷ Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This one is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” ⁸ Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. ⁹ When they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had been raised from the dead. ¹⁰ So they kept the word, debating among themselves what this being raised from the dead could mean.

pluralism meets perfection

The disciples instantly recognized Moses and Elijah standing beside Jesus in the brilliance of that mountain vision. Peter, overwhelmed and eager, blurted out his offer to build three shelters—as if each figure deserved equal space, equal honor, equal attention. His instinct mirrors the modern pluralist impulse: gather wisdom from every spiritual voice, blend insights freely, and treat all teachers as peers. But the Father’s voice cut through the moment like a holy interruption. From the cloud came a rebuke that redirected their eyes and their loyalties. When human wisdom—no matter how ancient or respected—stands beside divine perfection, it must fall silent. The less‑than‑perfect cannot sit on the same level as the Beloved Son.

That same temptation surrounds us today. In cultures once shaped by the gospel, people now turn to a mix of religions, philosophies, and ideologies, assuming that more voices must mean more wisdom. They treat Jesus as one option among many, one teacher in a crowded marketplace of ideas. But the voice from the cloud still speaks with clarity and love: “This is my Son. Listen to Him.” The warning is not harsh; it is protective. When we elevate other voices to the same level as Christ, we lose the clarity that only He can give. His words are not one perspective among many—they are the light by which every other light is tested.

The Transfiguration reminds us that the center of our faith is not a collection of teachings but a Person. Moses and Elijah fade from view. Jesus remains. And He is enough.

LORD, give us the wisdom to seek Your counsel alone, for You are God’s Son, the Beloved.

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