The Lamb on the Altar: Kim Riddlebarger on Mark 9:33-50

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Kim Riddlebarger on Mark 9:33-50

This is the closest I could find to a sermon by Kim Riddlebarger on Mark 9:33-50. The title is "Whoever Is Not Against Us is For Us." Kim Riddlebarger is the pastor of Christ Reformed Church in California which is a member of the United Reformed Churches. Here is the text for Kim Riddlebarger's sermon:

Mark 9:33-50 33And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?" 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all." 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me." 38 John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name,(1 )and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us." 39 But Jesus said, "Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward. 42 "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,(1 )it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell,(1 )to the unquenchable fire.(2) 44 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 46 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 'where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.' 49 For everyone will be salted with fire.(1) 50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."

1. Does the pastor explain the text correctly? Kim Riddlebarger spends so much time explaining other texts that he doesn't seem to have enough time to explain the text he is preaching on. When he finally gets around to explaining the text he reads it as a list of things for us to do. (-1)

2. Is the law preached lawfully? No. It is clear from the sermon that the disciples broke the law but I could easily walk away thinking that I haven't and it's presented in a very doable manner. (-1)

3. Is Jesus mentioned? Yes. Jesus is mentioned and nothing false is said about Him. (+1)

4. Is the sermon about what Jesus has done for us? No. We are reminded a couple of times throughout the sermon that Jesus is our righteousness, but given the way the law was preached throughout the sermon I don't know why I wouldn't be able to present my own righteousness to God. (-1)

5. Does the creation of a Wordle show a Christian focus in the sermon? Yes. Jesus is the most used word in the sermon (+1).