Are you trying to stop someone who is doing a work for Christ?

³⁸ John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name,^[f] 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. Mark 9

One of the sad indictments of Christianity is our division about who is “doing ministry right”.  Church splits have primarily come about because of the application of doctrinal differences.  Some estimate that there are nearly 30,000 different denominations in the world.  Is there any wonder that the message of Christ sometimes seems cluttered?

Poor John, he was so zealous that he was following Jesus the Messiah, that pride crept into his thinking.  He thought, that the disciples were the “only ones” with a special privilege.  Remember this remark followed a discussion about “who was the greatest disciple” among Jesus followers.

Let’s just take the text for what is says.  There were other people who had some success at casting out demons in Jesus Name.  Jesus did not stop them.  Maybe their doctrine was wrong, maybe they were not doing it “just the same way” or maybe they were also drawing a crowd.  But Jesus knew the importance and the authority of his name.  Look what people were accomplishing just using the name of Jesus.

For those we might have a hard time agreeing with, we should be looking at their ministry.  Are they doing a mighty work in Jesus Name?  So many people have suspicions about miracle workers that are shown on TV.  By whose authority are they claiming healing?  Are they telling people to put their faith and trust in Jesus.  Are they saying that only they have this special anointing?  Are people becoming saved?  Is the minister humbling confessing Jesus as Lord?  We know that some ministers will be misled through fame or fortune.  But let’s look at the fruit to see the lives that are changed both physically and spiritually for Jesus.

Let me put it another way.  If you don’t like the way that a particular evangelist displays the miracles that he is doing, what in your life are you offering people as an alternative?  Where do you see the lame walk, the blind see, the demon possessed set free, and large numbers of people giving their hearts to the Lord?

Let’s learn to bless everyone who is trying to make Jesus famous in the lives of the people in our community, city and nation.  There are too many lost people that have yet been reached for the gospel of Christ.

Father, forgive us of pride.  Forgive us of envy of other ministers.  Help us to be vessels of your power, authority and love to people who need it so desperately.  Let us know to identify those who are not against Christianity and bless them for being a part of the family of God.  In Jesus Name, Amen