Mark 9:33-37 God Alone Receives All Who Would Come

The Text

Mark 9:33-37 (CSB)
³³ They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?”

³⁴ But they were silent, because on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was the greatest.

³⁵ Sitting down, he called the Twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last and servant of all.”

³⁶ He took a child, had him stand among them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them,

³⁷ “Whoever welcomes one little child such as this in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me does not welcome me, but him who sent me.”

The Devotion

Christ has come to us.

And the gospel command for us to repent and be saved.

For us to give him our sin, we have to approach God with our sin and turn it over to him. That means we need to come to God.

If we hang on to our sin, we cannot approach his throne of grace. But he went through the same things we have been through and died because of our sin. Because he lives, we get to come to him because we have his mercy and grace:

Hebrews 4:14-16 (CSB) Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

The gospel of God saves only those who trust and believe. That is true.

Romans 1:16-17 (CSB) For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.

John 3:14-18 (CSB) “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

But the gospel of God calls to all and if they come, call upon the name of the Lord, they will be saved.

Revelation 22:17 (CSB) Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let anyone who hears, say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 (CSB) First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Romans 10:11-13 (CSB) For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.