Keeping the Faith

Pastor Efraín Sermons, www.yuma1st.org

This week we continue in the Gospel of Mark where we had left off last Sunday. Jesus and the disciples had arrived at Capernaum after a long journey, and Jesus had gathered them together to teach them what it means to be first in the kingdom of God. Following this lesson, Jesus continues to address concerns raised by the disciples and emphasizes the importance of faithfully following his teaching. He warned them that

they would experience hardship and face difficult decisions. But the benefits of entering the kingdom of God far surpass any sacrifice we must make in this life.

God does not cause suffering or create problems for us, but they happen. When confronted with life’s challenges, Jesus teaches us to always prioritize the choice that we believe God wants us to take even if it causes us to suffer in this life. We are not expected to literally maim or blind ourselves, but we are expected to be willing to sacrifice our personal comforts that stem from activities or systems that work against God. Consistently failing to follow Christ’s teachings dilutes our faith and muddles our identity as Christians. Instead, Christ urges us to show our true colors as his followers and let his light shine through us.