Bible Text: Mark 9:33-37 | Preacher: Marty Albanese | Series: Marty’s Sermons

Sins That Reduce Us To A Shameful Silence by Martin Albanese

Mark 9:33-9:37

Sins That Reduce Us To A Shameful Silence
(Sermon notes take from a book called Yes, Lord, I Have Sinned: But I Have Several Excellent by James W. Moore.)

Let me start out by asking you all a question tonight!

Have you ever been reduced to embarrassed silence?

the kind that comes for a sense of shame
 from doing wrong and being found out

It happened to the disciples
• Jesus is heading towards Jerusalem and the cross
• His disciples begin to bicker and argue about which one of them is the greatest in the Kingdom!

Let’s take a look at Jesus for a second
• He is moving steadfast toward the cross
• His face is set towards Jerusalem
• Resolved & committed
• He has to be thinking of the upcoming events
o Ready to do God’s will
o Determined to stand tall and firm
o Strike a blow for justice
o Ready to face it head on, whatever it may be
Let’s take a look at the Disciples
• Walking behind Jesus
• Misunderstanding the Kingdom
• They were thinking in selfish, materialistic terms
• Bickering about who is the greatest
• Each one seeing themselves for much more then they really were
• They did not think Jesus could hear them

Mark 9:33-34 NLT- After they arrived at Capernaum, Jesus and his disciples settled in the house where they would be staying. Jesus asked them, “What were you discussing out on the road?” (34) But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.

But they did not answer?
Other Versions word it:
• But they were keeping silent
• But they held their peace
• But they said nothing
• And they remained silent
• And they held their peace
• But they would not answer him

Why could they not answer Him?
• They we silence by their shame
• Embarrassed so much they could not speak
• So ashamed of their pettiness that they were speechless

This brings up some very interesting questions does it not?
• If Jesus knew what we were doing in our lives today, would we be embarrassed?
• If Christ heard what we have been saying, would we be ashamed?
• What if he knew what we are thinking and feeling, would that leave us speechless?
Haven’t we all be reduced to and embarrassed shameful silence?
Some examples we may have gotten caught in:
• Gossip – the person we are talking about walks up
• Reading magazines that we shouldn’t be reading – Mom or Dad walks in
• Men/Woman exchanging shady stories – one person who respects you at the most profane moment
• Wasting time at work – Boss walks in
Do any of these sound familiar?

Now take it to a deeper level and imagine what the disciples were feeling!
They were silenced in 3 areas:
• Their ruthless ambitions
• Their Jealousy
• Their Hostility

They were silence by their Ruthless Ambition
Ambition in itself is a good thing
• We all want to be important
• We all want recognition
• We want to achieve distinction

Ambition becomes bad when:
• It becomes distorted or misused
• It becomes selfish and ruthless
• It becomes our driving force over everything

Let’s look back at the disciples and their driving force
• That’s what the disciples were making it.
o They had the I will get ahead attitude
o They had the I don’t care who I hurt attitude
o They had the I will step or push you out of the way
• It became very selfish and ruthless, all about them
• James and John had asked Jesus for the top positions
o Mark 10:35 – They asked
 Matthew says that this request was made by Salome their mother
 but though she made the request as from herself
 yet it is evident that they had set her upon the business
 Jesus, knew where it came, immediately He addressed the sons
o Matthew 20:20 – Matthew tried to soften it and say mother
• Their ambition was secure themselves a high slot
• They were thinking of themselves way more then others.

Illustration
This story is about an old man who was told he could claim all the land he could walk around in one day, from sunrise to sunset. The man jumped at the opportunity. He began to walk leisurely, glad for his strong legs, but as he walked the lure for more and more stirred within him. If he walked faster he could circle more land. The farther he went the more he wanted, and soon he began to run. He burned with fever, he gasped for breath, but he could not stop nor rest. One word – more – sounded in his brain. At last the sun began to sink and his legs began to fail. He threw off his shirt and then his boots. His heart was pounding like a drum. Forcing his body to the utmost, just as the sun fell beyond the horizon; hr lunged forward and touched the goal with his finger tips. He made it! But he had really failed, for he dropped dead. They took a shovel and gave him his land – a strip of soil, six by two for his grave!

This kind of ambition can destroy us; notice Jesus did not abolish it. He redeemed it!
He tells his disciples to be ambitious for others, be ambitious to be a servant!

They were silence by their Jealousy
• Recognize that jealousy is rooted in immature and selfish desires. Paul wrote:
o 1 Corinthians 3:3 NLT for you are still controlled by your own sinful desires. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your own desires? You are acting like people who don’t belong to the Lord.
• Determine to love people in a way that precludes feelings of jealousy. Paul wrote:
o 1 Corinthians 13:4 NLT Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud
• Concentrate on accomplishing what you can do for God and do not worry about other’s responsibilities. Paul wrote:
o 1 Corinthians 10:24 NLT Don’t think only of your own good. Think of other Christians and what is best for them.
• Even one of the 10 Commandments deals with this
o Exodus 20:17 NLT “Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else your neighbor owns.”
o A strong desire after the possession of worldly things. It assumes sometimes the more aggravated form of greed, which is the mark of cold-hearted worldliness.
• There is no room for jealousy in God’s House!
• It will not fit nor will it be tolerated by God!

They were Silence by their Hostility
• They were bickering, quarreling and arguing
• They did this as Jesus, the Master of Love was moving towards the cross
o They have heard him preach and teach love
o They have seen his acts of love
o They have sensed his spirit of humility and compassions
• Yet they still missed his point
• Jesus had to go to the cross to get their attention
o There on the cross He showed them, He showed us…
 That LOVE not hostility
 That LOVE not jealousy
 That LOVE not selfish ambition
 That LOVE is life as God meant it to be!!!

So He stopped and dealt with it
Mark 9:35-37 NLT – He sat down and called the twelve disciples over to him. Then he said, “Anyone who wants to be the first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” (36) Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, (37) “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes my Father who sent me.”
• Sat down
o In Jesus’ time teachers would walk around and teach, instructing, pointing out truths
o They sat when they wanted to say something authoritative, something of supreme importance.
 The Sermon on the Mount
• Again He sits and teaches authoritatively
o He teaches them to be servants
o He teaches them to be humble
o He teaches them to be loving
o He teaches them to be trusting

Maybe what upset Jesus so much was that he knew these same attitudes awaited him in Jerusalem

A few days later those same destructive attitudes
• Selfish ambition
• Jealousy
• Hostility
Nailed Jesus to the Cross!

Those attitudes put him there and it is still happening today

Make it real Statement
Every time we demonstrate those attitudes, we are crucifying God’s truth and some where along the way we will answer for it.

Conclusion
Good News!
His Love will win the day!!!

Then those attitudes will be reduced forever to a shameful silence.

Do you posses those attitudes today? Do you want to get rid of them?
Come receive Jesus Today and receive your forgiveness never to dig up those destructive attitudes again. With God it is possible!