Mark 9:42-50 · Mark 8:34 · Mark 8:36 · Mark 8:37
What's Better Than Life?
Jesus uses hyperbolic warnings about hell to challenge disciples to abandon whatever prevents wholehearted following. The sermon calls believers to recognize their true purpose—revealing Jesus—and willingly exchange comfort, pride, and ease for the costly path of taking up the cross daily.
Introduction
One of the courses taught at the sophomore level includes freshmen, though they are often not preferred. The reason is that freshmen must grapple with the fundamental task of deciding why they have come to college. Not all freshmen understand this task, and seniors—especially in their final semester—struggle with it too. “Senioritis” is a real phenomenon, whether in high school or college, and it emerges from losing focus on what truly matters: purpose and identity. Students must decide whether they came for the fun or the education. While both are possible, those who prioritize education tend to do better than those who pursue only fun.
This task is not unique to students. Each person must decide what their focus is. We work, but for what purpose? We align ourselves with others who share similar values. How we spend money, what we do in leisure, what we read or watch—all reveal what is important to us. More importantly, it is easy to forget our purpose. When bills must be paid, food is abundant, leisure options abound, and streaming services never sleep, it becomes easy to lose sight of purpose and identity.
When Jesus said in Mark 8:34 that his disciples would take up a cross daily and follow him, did he mean “if it is convenient”? When Jesus said in Mark 8:36 that it is possible to gain the whole world and lose your soul, was he referring only to bad people? When Jesus said in Mark 8:37 that a person can exchange their soul for some pursuit, was he exaggerating? We know what is important to us, and we know whether our lives are aligned with it. What’s better than life? If we answer “nothing,” then what would our close friends, spouse, or neighbor say? This text is not only challenging—it is convicting.
Hell
Jesus uses a word in this text that is translated as hell: the word “Gehenna.” Gehenna refers to a valley around Jerusalem. Originally it was the place where people sacrificed their children to Molech or Baal. Later it became a dump where trash was burned, and in Jesus’ day it continually burned. Thus, it became a symbol for the eternal, fiery judgment awaiting the wicked. Jesus uses this word during his ministry to describe a place of eternal punishment where the devil and his angels would reside for all eternity—a place of unquenchable fire (9:43). No one wanted to go to Gehenna. All understood that it was a place to avoid at all costs.
Jesus uses hyperbole to make his point. Verse 42 clearly reminds us of verses 36-37: a child is powerless, and a person who takes a child away from Jesus will have no place with Jesus. Given what is to come, Jesus says that hell is the only place for those who lead children away from him. But it is not merely children. Adults are included too—adults who follow Jesus and recognize that they are powerless are children as well. To lead a child of God astray means the worst thing will happen. Drowning is easy and simple compared to the eternal disaster of Gehenna.
Verses 43-48 all convey the same message through a threefold warning: cut off your hand, cut off your foot, blind yourself in one eye—these sacrifices are preferable to spending eternity in hell. The point is clear: whatever separates you from taking up your cross every day and following Jesus must be forsaken. There is no sin worth going to hell for. As Robert Stein writes, “It is better to repent, no matter how painful that repentance may be, and follow Jesus, whatever the cost, than to perish in hell.” Entering life with less is better than spending eternity in hell.
Verse 49 poses a dilemma in a play on words. To salt something means to add to it. In this case, Jesus is saying that God will allow us to be salted with fire—in other words, we will have times of testing so that we can discover what our purpose and identity are. Those times of testing will not be pleasant, but they will be defining. That is the point of verse 50: make sure your salt has value. And when you recognize (v. 35) that you are last, not first, then you will be at peace with each other.
We Know
We know where our heart is. Jesus is plain: life is far better than Gehenna. The question is not “Am I okay?” We know. The real problem is that we live life surrounded by ease and comfort and a culture that endorses all kinds of things counter to God’s will, and we find it easy—too easy—to allow all of that to simply become a part of us.
Let me be absolutely clear. Jesus is not pushing for perfection. We know if our heart is like a child’s powerless heart or if our heart is set on winning. We know if we are carrying a cross or seeking power. We know if we are humble or if we want recognition. We know if we are last or trying to be first. We know these things. We do not need a list of sins so that we can sit back and check off what we don’t do or what we do that pleases God. We know what we understand our purpose and identity to be.
But just in case there is any doubt, let me be explicit. Our purpose is to reveal Jesus, to make God look good, and to demonstrate mercy as recipients of mercy. That means we set aside our desire for revenge, to win, to punish another, or to use words to injure. It means we treat people as those who carry God’s image. It means we serve rather than waiting to be served. It means we choose carefully what we will allow to occupy our minds and what our eyes will see. We want life, not hell. We want Jesus, not eternal fire. We want peace with each other, not a “win at all costs” attitude. We know if this is true about us. We know the areas where we struggle. We know if we need to repent. We know these things.
We know that the only thing that matters—the only truly important thing in this world—is to follow Jesus. We know that the cross is heavy, but we choose to pick it up every day and walk with Jesus. We know that losing doesn’t feel good, but we will gladly and joyfully lose if it means that Jesus wins. We know that people will take advantage of us and think us meek and without a desire to win, and we will choose this so that others see Jesus in us. We know that when every part of us wants to lash out, complain, criticize, and demand our way, it means that Jesus cannot be seen. We know that we do not like times of testing, but we know these days will come because we are honored to hone our faith and walk with Jesus. We know these things. What else do we need to say except this: What’s Better Than Life? What are you willing to exchange for life?
Follow Jesus
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