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<P><FONT size=4>That is what the word, temptation, means. Enticement. To entice.
To entice someone else into sin. To entice a child into sin, to ensnare them, to
ensnare someone into sinning. To attract them into the trap as you attract a
wolf into the trap.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>But there is another meaning to this Greek word for temptation.
The word means, stumbling block. Imagine someone walking down a path and there
is a brick or stone there in the middle of the path and the person does not see
it but stumbles, falls, and gets hurt. Temptation is a stumbling block. It comes
from the Greek word, scandalon, from which we get the word, scandal, causing a
scandal in someone’s life.</FONT></P>
<P><A href="http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_millstones.htm"><FONT
size=4>http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_millstones.htm</FONT></A></P>
<P><FONT size=4>Edward F. Markquart</FONT><BR><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>If you hand causes you to sin and stumble, cut it off. We know
better than to take these words literally. That is, it is better to physically
cut off a hand rather than your hand leading you to sin and you end up in hell.
Such thoughts are gruesome: to cut off one’s hand in order to avoid sinning.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>Here again is another example of Aramaic exaggeration,
overstatement or hyperbole in order to make a statement. Our hands can get us
into trouble by stealing, hitting, killing, pointing, insulting. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>Yes, sinful behaviors that involve our hands such as hitting,
fighting, killing, stealing, pointing, threatening need to be curbed. We can
injure people and kill people with the use of our hands. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>But the problem is not primarily with our hands but primarily
with the heart and head which controls our hands. It is not the hands that
are the problem. It is the heart and the head which is. The heart and the head
control the hands just as the heart and head control the tongue. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>A person doesn’t cut out a tongue when it swears. The problem is
not with the tongue but with the heart and head which control the tongue.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>Focus on the word, “hell.” It is the first time that you have
seen this word in this short gospel lesson. The word, “hell,” occurs three times
in this lesson. These are only references to hell in the Gospel of Mark.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4><></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>Are we to take these teachings about the fires of hell
literally? Like this picture above? I think not. We are not to take such
teachings literally anymore than we take the teachings of Jesus literally ...
about literally cutting off hands, literally cutting off feet and literally
cutting out eyes in order to avoid sin. No, we are NOT to take such teachings
literally. If you take these teachings literally, they become barbaric.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>I like the four gospel’s emphasis on eternal life. 26 times were
hear about eternal life in the four gospels. There is not one reference to
eternal death in the four gospels. </FONT></P>
<P><A
href="http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_the_fires_of_hell.htm"><FONT
size=4>http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_the_fires_of_hell.htm</FONT></A></P>
<P><FONT size=4>Edward F. Markquart<BR>- - - - -</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>...why the disciples wanted Jesus to stop the man who was
casting out demons in Jesus’ name. That man was not part of the group. He was
not making Jesus (or them) look good. He was making himself look good. After
all, when he cast out those demons, people would thank him and praise him
instead of Jesus. The disciples were jealous, for Jesus, and mostly for
themselves. <BR><></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>As we boast about Jesus, we then do not cause little ones who
believe to stumble or be shocked at what we do. We no longer shock the little
ones by trumpeting our accomplishments, our wins, our impressive work, as if
Jesus is not important or worthy of trust. We act in ways that give Christ to
others. We act in ways to make others look good. We act in ways that get others
loved and cared for. If we have a hungry neighbor, we do not sit in our kitchen
and eat well as our boast. We bring our neighbor our food and ask if we may
serve him, for he, in his suffering, reminds us of the one who suffered for us.
</FONT></P>
<P><A
href="http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-8/061001-12-e.html"><FONT
size=4>http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-8/061001-12-e.html</FONT></A></P></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Timothy Hoyer</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<P><FONT size=4>Repent of self-righteous attitudes. Repent of putting other
Christians down. Repent of drawing the circle just around “your” kind of people.
<BR>Repent of not wanting others inside the circle.</FONT></P>
<P><A
href="http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-8/061001-5-e.html"><FONT
size=4>http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-8/061001-5-e.html</FONT></A></P></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Walter W. Harms</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<P><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></P>
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