Mark 9:38-50
Anyone Not Against Us Is for Us
John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.
The disciples were like many in our world today, in the sixty’s there was a movement called the Jesus movement, a bunch of hippies became followers of Christ, but they were not buying into the traditional church, they eventually pioneered an independent Christian commune, and were adding people who wanted to follow Jesus each week. How did the traditional church handle this movement of God? Not all that well, many a pastor thought it was of the devil! Why you ask, and it is my opinion they were different, that few took the time to examine, to have a dialog with them, and those that did were wanting them to change to their way of thinking.
What did Jesus tell us; first, if they are following Jesus and doing mighty works in His name, they are not going to speak evil of our Lord?
Second, it matters not if they are of the traditional church, if they are for Christ, then so are we, never call someone doing things differently wrong for not doing it the way you were taught.
Third, we are called to live the Christ-life in us, and in so doing serving others who belong to Christ.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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