38 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.” 39 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. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 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.
A man, not of the disciples, outside the group.
Doing "mighty works" in the name of Jesus.
The disciples want him to stop because he's not part of their entourage.
Jesus tells them "don't try to stop him. The reason being, if someone does a mighty work in my name, they will NOT to be able to speak evil of me".
He then goes on to explain that if someone is not against us, then they are for us. If someone gives you a cup of water because of your work for Christ, then he will be rewarded.
Why do I find this passage interesting?
1. The disciples either had established their clique of belongers and knew that those within worked in the name of Christ so someone outside their group was viewed with suspicion. OR they were so used to only those in their group doing things in the name of Christ that they were taken aback at someone outside the group doing things in the name of Christ they thought HEY, this isn't how things are to be done.
2. They tried to stop it! This I kinda do and kinda don't get. I've seen people do it before, shut down a ministry because THEY wanted to run it and didn't want someone else to do so (which is STUPID) and I just don't get the mindset.
3. They were obviously unsuccessful otherwise they wouldn't have commented on it to Christ. I suppose it's good that they did. If they hadn't, then how would folks learn? How would they know that just because someone isn't part of your group and wants to be busy in the work of Christ that it's okay?
How do we learn this?
People are so silly.
It's so easy to look upon the actions of others with suspicion when they are outside our paradigm. It's the sin in us I know. But it is silliness. I used to do that without even thinking about it.
A church has a soup kitchen, oh we should start one in our church cause we could do it better. Or hmpf... wonder why they are doing that? Silly attitudes people come up with, without realizing they are elitist attitudes that we shouldn't have in the body of Christ. WE SHOULD NOT. I don't do this anymore. Now I just rejoice that thus and such person or church is doing thus and such thing for the Lord. :) it's a good thing to rejoice in such matters. :)
If someone is working on behalf of Christ. Doing great things on behalf of Christ. HOW can they turn around and then be negative toward Christ? It's not possible says the Lord Jesus. They simply can't.
As Jesus says "for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me".