Tuesday in Lent 3 - Mark 9, What others said

(from this sermon by Rev. James Douthwaite, aka Sober Peasant.)

The words that we heard in the Holy Gospel for today are powerful words. And imagine, for a moment, what all of us here today would look like if we actually did what those words say and cut off offending and sinning members of our bodies! What parts of your body would you have left? . . .

+ Our feet have taken us to places we do not belong and we know we should not be.
+ Our hands have touched what should not have been touched and taken what did not belong to us, and have been much too slow to help.
+ Our eyes have wandered where they should not have.

...instead of making us maim ourselves and cut off our body parts – which, as we read, is what should happen because of our sin – instead, Jesus came to deal with it personally. And He did -- by offering all the parts of His body on the cross, in place of all the parts of our body that sin. And all the parts of His body were, in a way, cut off. Think about it:

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+ Our feet take us where we do not belong, so He offered His feet to be nailed in place.

+ Our hands touch what they should not, so He offered His hands to be pierced so they could not touch or close around anything.

+ Our eyes have wandered, so He offered His eyes to be closed in death.