Mark 9:38-41 - On the Side of Jesus

Mark 9:38-41
³⁸ John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” ³⁹ But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. ⁴⁰ For he who is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.


Message: On the Side of Jesus

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Preface - Jesus continues in Capernaum and continues with the thought that as we desire to be great ourselves and also we desire to have God in our life, being there for others, serving others, and receiving little people as valued people, as no different from the powerful is what we must do.

It's interesting in this study of Mark, to see the disciples and what Mark is emphasizing repeatedly, the teaching from Jesus that is sort of the Opposite Way of how people see their lives. The disciples in their discourse thinking about who among them is the greatest means that they see themselves as a a separate or distinct group. They are unique. But, more than being unique, they think of themselves as special. And this special feeling makes them feel like they are on a higher plane than others. And the danger here now in John's words was that what Jesus is trying to teach his disciples, namely that they need to lean on God's power and trust God's power and live life in Jesus' name was reserved for the disciples. But it is not.

John said to Jesus, Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name. So the disciples saw that someone outside of their circle was attempting or trying to cast out demons in Your name. Obviously, someone had understand Jesus' teaching. In describing the scene John gets it right. What Jesus is saying to them over and over is to cast out demons and do things in His Name, in the name of Jesus. And here is someone that is doing that. 

Yet, John has a problem with this person and thinks possibly that he isn't allowed to do this because
we tried to prevent him because he was not following us. Wow. This person shouldn't be doing this because he is not one of us. The complaint was not that he "was not following you, Jesus" but that he "was not following us." And yet he was following Jesus. But, the man was clearly bearing fruit, so this is how he should be evaluated. 

Today, I think of an application in this message as to how we often will align ourselves with a denomination or type of church and then think that only those people in that church are following the Lord. And if a person is outside of that church, and therefore not part of our church, then they are not doing it correctly. But Jesus says to look at the fruit. Let the fruit of the person be the guide and not what group they are involved with. 

Thus, Jesus says, "Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me." If a person does something in the name of Jesus then he will be incapable of speaking evil of Him. Again, Jesus says to focus on the fruit. Is the fruit correct? Is their motivation correct? I wonder at times if people that belong to different sects that we know on a whole to be wrong are still wrong. I know in my faith there is certain terminology that I expect to hear in people and when I don't hear those words I often don't think they are true followers or followers of Jesus at all. Yet, Jesus says words that are similar to the words of James in his book when he says that faith alone, without works is a dead faith (James 2:17). Our lives of faith will have works. 

Jesus then speaks For he who is not against us is for us. Psalm 115:1 has these words that Chris Tomlin, the worship singer, crafted into a song: Not to us, O Lord, not to us, But to Your name give glory. There are two kinds of people, those who are for Jesus and those who are not. This really is one of those teachings from Jesus that I struggle with because he is focusing on works and he is saying that if people say they are for me, then they are, they are not against me. I struggle because of the divisions us in Christendom, specifically the conservative ones view those who are more experiential in their faith. I mean, Jesus here sort of points out a bottom line thought, and that is, "are people for me? Do they act in My name? If so, they are for me and we shouldn't be trying so hard to make them out to be people who are not following after him. I think it is okay to debate over their theology, but we should not be so quick to say they are not for Jesus. 

Jesus says For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward. But are there boundaries on essential matters? Yes, and yet, I don't understand sometimes followers who seem to be truly following Jesus even if the leaders of the church or organization they are in are leading them on a different course. This can be a tough lesson. 

Summary - As they continue in Capernaum, John the Apostle mentions to Jesus that someone is casting out a demon in Jesus' name and yet that person is not part of their group. Jesus calls out and says that being part of their group is not what sets people apart as followers of Him or being for him or not followers or not for Him - but instead the issue is are they doing things in Jesus' name. Are they acting in God's name? Thus, we need to look at the fruit, the people group they are in.  

Promise: I learned these words from reading the book of Numbers - Be Careful. I need to not be so quick to judge others as being wrong, focus on their works and then talk to them about their faith. But, don't quickly turn them away because they belong to the wrong group. 

Prayer: Lord, the message that you preach is a message that is an opposite way sort of message. It is different from the way I am often trained in the world and that world training includes how different religious sects train me. Lord, teach me the truth in this message. Teach me what it truly means and how I should view other people in my life. Lord, I want all people to know you and I stare often at their theology rather than their works. Help me to start with their works and then make a bridge to discuss theology. I think of the online ministry I am involved in and this is tough, because we only know from people what they share. Again, help me in what I think about others, to be true to You and Your Word.