Verses 1-4
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Verses 1-2. It is a terrible thing for a person to cause someone, especially a child, to fall into sin.
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Avoid causing others to stumble at all costs!
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Be careful not only to avoid sinning or causing others to sin, but also be careful to forgive. Neglecting forgiveness is also very dangerous (Matthew 6:15).
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If someone close to you sins in a significant way, do correct them. Tell them the truth in a loving attitude.
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If they admit their wrong, receive them and don't hold their sin against them.
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Jesus' main point: Be willing to forgive anyone, because you are forgiven by God!
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And even if a believer were to sin seven times in a single day, and sincerely change (repent) after every time, we should receive and forgive them the same way every time.
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Still be cautious towards those that think they're believers and are willingly continuing their sin. But if a brother—a fellow believer—were to sin and then sincerely repent multiple times in one day, be just as willing to receive them.
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Verses 5-10
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This teaching begins with Jesus' disciple asking Him to increase their faith, as if that were Hisresponsibility.
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Jesus puts the responsibility back on them, and says that it's their job to have faith, like a seed, that will grow. If we did have faith, we could accomplish great things (Mark 11:22-24)!
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Truly, increasing faith is our job. God will let us grow in faith if we do our part to keep good soil.
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See teaching on Mark 4 for more details.
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Verses 7-10. Secondly, Jesus uses an example. When servants comes in from the field in the evening, the master will not reward their labor by thanking them and serving them dinner. Why? The servants are only doing what they are expected to do every day. They receive no reward for a daily duty.
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In the same way, God does not in increase our faith as a reward for our labor. Obeying Him is our duty, and labor that deserves no reward.
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Verse 10. In fact, God does not profit anything by our obedience, nor does He lose anything by our disobedience (Job 22:2-3, 35:6-7). God does not need us. All that we are is due to how much God has done for us, not what we've done for Him.
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So, don't think that God owes you anything. And don't work on obeying the Word because you want God to reward you with something—like greater faith.
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Simply obey God because you love Him and want to glorify Him, not because you want something from Him (see teaching on Matthew 6 for more details).
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Your faith will grow; and not because God is rewarding you, but because you are cultivating your own faith well in action and attitude.
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Verses 11-19
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Jesus healed ten, but only one returned to thank Him.
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God is good to all, but few are truly thankful for all that God does for us.
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Notice that, to the one who was thankful, Jesus said, “Your faith has made you well”
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We abound in the faith with thanksgiving (Colossians 2:6-7). The faith that comes from thankfulness brings a greater wellness that one cannot find any other way.
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By all means, be thankful! The faith of thankfulness will make you well!
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Verses 20-37
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Verses 20-21. The Pharisees asked Jesus this question while doubting Him. Jesus was telling them that they would not see the kingdom of God or have anyone tell them that it had arrived, and simply because the kingdom of God was already present with them in the form of Christ. They had everything they needed to know about God's kingdom right in front of them, and they rejected it.
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Verses 22-23. Then Jesus speaks to His disciples that they would desire to see Christ again, after He rose again from the dead and ascended to heaven, but they would not see Him.
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Rather, many false messiahs would try to lead people astray.
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Verses 24-30. Don't be fooled. We will know when Christ is arriving here again because He will come dramatically—like lightning, and sudden destruction will come upon the earth. It will be obvious.
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Verses 31-33. During the time immediately before Christ's return, we will have to abandon homes and be able to flee quickly.
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As such, stay focused on God, and don't get attached to worldly things. Be willing to lose anything.
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Verses 34-37. When Christ comes, many will be taken to death
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See teaching on Matthew 24 for more details.