Mark 9:38-41
Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us

³⁸"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."
³⁹"Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, ⁴⁰for whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

It is presidential election season in the United States, and the attack ads are mounting. Those who support their particular candidate are often quite vocal and resolute about it. Anyone outside their camp may be viewed as the enemy. The slogan of either campaign could be, "Whoever is not for us is against us."

In this passage in Mark, Jesus puts an interesting twist on this phrase. He says in verse 40, "Whoever is not against us is for us." Those who truly believe in Christ and use his name for good cannot be enemies of the gospel.

So often in our Christian culture we subdivide, forming camps of denominational preferences and pointing at others not in our groups with judgment. But Jesus said that anyone who gives a cup of cold water in his name will not lose his reward.

As I think of the aftermath of the hurricanes in the south, I'm sure many Christians are going to aid those in need. I'm sure Jesus smiles as they put aside their banners of doctrinal differences and go to serve those devastated by the storm. Ours is a gospel of grace and peace, of reconciliation. The enemy is not the other Christian--but Satan. We should bound together to make His grace evident to all.


- posted by Suzi @ 6:48 AM