Mark 9:38-40 "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, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us.”
Mark 9:38 carries within it a simple but important message. Many people within the body of Christ have fallen to the deception that this teaching addresses. Throughout much of the church people are polarized around certain doctrinal positions or topical emphasis. There are those who focus on faith, others prioritize evangelism, still others spiritual gifts, prayer or end time truths. Each of these focuses is valuable and plays an important part in our Christian faith. Where the problem comes in is in the area of exclusivity. Too many groups within the body of Christ cling to their emphasis with great tenacity but to the exclusion and at times even criticism of those with other emphasis.
In Mark 9:38-40 the disciples are concerned about the fact that there are some people conducting ministry successfully in Christ’s name that are not connected relationally to their expression of ministry. This independent success has raised a concern in the hearts of the disciples that has provoked them to ask the Lord if He would like them to put a stop to this work without connection. The lesson from Christ is quick and immediate as He tells them “do not stop him.” Jesus makes it clear that anyone who does a miracle in the name of Christ will be personally impacted by that miracle flowing through them and their loyalty to Christ will be deepened by it. He then states an important principle: “whoever is not against us is for us.”
In this response Jesus addresses a very important issue that has crept into the body of Christ today. It is impossible to state with certainty what motivated the disciples in their concern over the ministry of this man but it is easy to see the motives of many who carry this same limiting concern in the church of today for there are many different ones at work. In the 21st century church there are leaders who target someone’s doctrinal differences as the point of their criticism. There are others who feel that anyone who is not under their authority or the authority of their group cannot be legitimate. There are still others who would point to the supernatural demonstrations taking place in the name of Christ as their primary point of resistance. To all of these the answer of Christ is incredibly simple in its focus “whoever is not against us is for us!”
Jesus chooses to focus on the issues that unite rather than the things that divide. In is so comforting to see two things demonstrated in the emphasis of His response. First He displays a desire to focus on the good that is being done above any problems created by an individual who is not working directly under His authority or that of His disciples. Secondly Jesus demonstrates a tremendous confidence in the ability of the Holy Spirit to steer the hearts of those who work in the name of Christ. He does not react with a fearful concern that this man is somehow going to damage the work of Christ through His efforts. Jesus is at rest and simply responds with the phrase we have noted above that those who are not against us are for us!
This is not to say that there is never a time that a church or minister should a stand against obvious heresy or clearly destructive ministry styles, the scriptures address many of these with sufficient clarity so as to make our responsibility clear. What is important to say is that those issues and areas are when the extremes are found not simply areas of difference. There are many things clearly stated for the church within scripture, but there are also many things that the Lord has chosen to leave as grey areas, obscure areas that leave room for us to have differences and still be united in spirit. Though in a different context, Paul expressed this same confidence in God’s ability to direct hearts into right belief in Phil 3:15-16 where he stated, “…if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.” Let the church seek opportunity to be united above its search for that which can divide and let us grow up in love so that the full measure of the body of Christ can be seen in all of its diversity by a world that is desperately in need of a powerful church to demonstrate the glory of Jesus Christ in this generation.
No comments:
Post a Comment