Mark 9:35 – Verse of the Day 1/25/14

Mark 9 closes Mark’s account of Jesus’ earthly ministry by narrating his return to Capernaum. This section highlights the nature of true reward and the nature of true faith. True faith requires a willingness to offer one’s life to God in its entirety, and true reward is found by a life of service.  Therefore those who seek to be leaders desire a good thing, but biblical leadership is characterized not by pomp, circumstance, and recognition, but all encompassing self-sacrifice for the good of others.

As you spend some time in prayer, consider that your savior Jesus is fully God, and yet took on a human nature, lived a life where he experienced hunger, personal anguish, and temptation. He did so in order that He might live a sinless life in order to die a sinless death on our behalf. Whether you are called to be a Christian leader or not, Jesus all encompassing self-sacrifice calls us to respond with faith. Pray that the Lord would make you grateful for what Jesus has done for you and that he would enable you to follow Jesus by living to serve others rather than yourself.