Whoever is Not Against Us is For Us - September 20, 2020

Pastor Chuck Ryan

“Whoever is Not Against Us is For Us”
                                           Jesus

Text: Mark 9: 38-41

Thesis: Christians must recognize other Born-Again believers as brothers and sisters in Christ even if they are of a different denomination.

 

1. The disciples found fault with a fellow believer in Jesus Christ, who was not part of their flock. (vs38)
2. The disciple John was the spokesperson.

The Facts:

1) “we saw a man is driving out demons in your name…”

1. He was successful, so he was not an imposter. A person can not drive out demons in their own strength.

“Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out. Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?" Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.” (Acts 19:13-16)

2) “we told him to stop, because he is not one of us.”

1. There are many believers who see people of a different Denomination as not one of us.

“I am a Christian first and then a Nazarene.” (Pastor Chuck)

1. We can be proud of our Denomination while at the same time recognize that knowing Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior is the true common denominator of all believers.

 

1. Jesus instructs his disciple, “do not stop them.” (39-40)
2. Jesus teaches two guiding principles to follow in working with believers of a different Christian Denomination.

                      1st-“No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me.”

1. There is power in Jesus’ name.

Philippians 2:9-11 

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Acts 4:12  

                      And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

John 14:14 

If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

2nd- “for whoever is not against us is for us.”

1. We need to recognize other Christian believers, from other denominations, as brothers and sisters in Christ!

 

III. Jesus broadens the definition of those who will receive a reward.

“Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.” (vs41)

1. God blesses those who belong to His Son.
2. God blesses those that bless those who belong to His Son.
3. We do not always know how God does this, but we trust God that he will.
4. An example of God blessing someone that was not part of the fold is in the story of Rahab when she protects the spies of Joshua. (Joshua 2)
5. Rahab is listed in the lineage of Jesus. (Matthew 1:5)