What are well seasoned disciples? Consider well seasoned dish first. Just a pinch of salt. That is really all that you need. The picture is a perfectly seasoned dish. A baked potato or a steak with large grains of salt resting on top. That’s how we use salt. Back in the ancient world salt had different applications. It was essential to life. It preserved meat. It was so valuable soldiers were paid in salt. In fact it’s from the Latin word for salt that we find our word salary.
There are many aspects to being a well seasoned disciple, but the one that I want to focus on for this post is causing no one to stumble. We’re in the Gospel of Mark this Sunday. In chapter 9 our Lord offers a warning for those who would cause one of these little ones who believe in to sin. Jesus says alot in that little phrase!
one of these little ones who believe in me – the word in the original could mean a child; but it can go as young as infants! These little ones #1 can believe in Jesus. Small children who believe in Jesus are little Christians. This speaks to the power of infant baptism. There faith is beautiful. We speak of a child-like faith. The reason is because children are trusting. They don’t know how terrible our world can really be. I had the honor of holding a 9-month-old child on Thursday at a public gathering. The parents asked that I not take a picture because the child was in the foster care system. Our society has systems in place to protect kids – they don’t always work perfectly. It is God pleasing to work within that system.
Want to hear more? Watch this week’s message taken from Mark 9 – Well Seasoned Disciples.
Book(s): Mark
Tag(s): Baptism
Speaker(s): Fred Guldberg