Working for Jesus Mark 9:38-42

Text: “...Master, we saw one casting out devils in Thy Name, and he followeth not us; and we forbad him...Jesus said, ‘Forbid him not...for he that is not against us is on our part.’”

Mark 9:38-40.

Good morning, Christian worker!  The moment you sought to serve the Living Christ Jesus; oppositions flooded in from every direction.  The world; the flesh; and the Devil were all immediately up in arms against you.  Yet, this surprised you not.  For the Scriptures had already warned you of all these ungodly oppositions.  Praise God! 

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12)

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-20)

The full armour of God is not supplied for a false battle.  Thus, you set forth aware of these dangers and were well prepared to cope with them.

“The Lord is my light and my Salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?  When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.  Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.”  (Psalm 27:1-3)

However, there were also oppositions set before you which surprised you in their intensity - and these oppositions nearly broke your faithful heart.  (Matthew 5:10-16)

The Bigots:  True bigots are beautiful people, doing all things to the best of their ability, BY GOD: that’s what the word ‘bigot’ is thought by many to have derived from, two German words which translate ‘by God’ (i.e., bi Gott).  The early Bavarian Christian believers sought to do all things by the Word of God, or by God’s Word.  That’s why unbelievers ridiculed them and labelled them ‘bi Gotts’, which became ‘bigots’.  (Psalm 119:105)

However, the ‘bigots’ which oppose God’s workers are the sectarian, parochially-minded, members of so-called Christian congregations who see their duties extending only to ‘members’ of their own denomination - deluded people whose activities work in opposition to all other regenerate Christians that do not adhere STRICTLY to their man-made creed; or their man-made confessions of faith. (Colossians 2:20-22) (Mark 7:7-9) (Isaiah 29:12-13)

These are dangerous enemies of the Cross of Christ Jesus, and of any genuine work for Christ being done by sincere, Bible-believing Christians.

In their attempt to adhere to the letter of their professed confession of faith, they stray subtly into a rigid form of LEGALISM and place their souls, and the souls of all who are deceived by them, in danger of Hell’s fire. (2 Timothy 3:5)

Love for all regenerate (born again) brethren is absolutely essential to a true Christian profession, as taught by Christ Jesus Himself.  (John 15:13) (1 John 3:10-18) (1 John 4:7-8)

So, let each of us ask ourselves the question:  Does my love for my sisters and brothers come up to this required standard?  Or am I relying on the letter of the law?  (Philippians 2:12)  (2 Corinthians 13:5)       

The Labellers:   Labellers place a label - usually a derogatory one - upon a Christian worker because he/she doesn’t hold rigidly to the same secondary doctrines or method of practice, as the labeller’s own parochially-minded little group.

Soon, a campaign of back-biting and slanderous gossip is waged against the targeted Christian worker - making his/her labours and ventures for Christ extremely difficult, if not almost humanly impossible to achieve.  (Romans 8:31) (Luke 6:26)

This should not be, beloved Christian!  Denominational envy, like Satanic oppositions, are anathema to the Lord Jesus.  Therefore, let all regenerate Christians, true children of the Most High God, work together in harmony.  Let not the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ be weakened by divisions.  “Two are better than one…”  (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

J.C. Ryle Comments:

“We see in these verses, the mind of Christ on the great subject of toleration in religion. The apostle John said to Him, “Master, we saw one casting out devils in Thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.” The man was doing a good work without doubt. He was warring on the same side as the apostles, beyond question. But this did not satisfy John. He did not work in the company of the apostles. He did not fight in line with them. And therefore, John had forbidden him. —But let us hear now what the great Head of the Church decides! “Jesus said, forbid him not; for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us, is on our part.”

“Here is a golden rule indeed, and one that human nature sorely needs, and has too often forgotten. Men of all branches of Christ’s Church are apt to think that no good can be done in the world, unless it is done by their own party and denomination. They are so narrow-minded, that they cannot conceive the possibility of work­ing on any other pattern but that which they follow. They make an idol of their own peculiar ecclesiastical machinery, and can see no merit in any other. They are like him who cried when Eldad and Medad prophesied in the camp, “My lord Moses forbid them.” (Numbers 11:28)” (J.C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels 1816-1900)

Thought:  A house divided against itself shall not stand.  (Matthew 12:25)