Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 “For he who is not against us is on our side. 41 “For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.

– Mark 9:38-41 (NKJV)

I served on staff with a pastor who got upset when another church baptized folks. He got angry when he heard that they were doing well. It puzzled me because they had the same background and theology that we had. However, in his mind we were in a competition. He saw it as our church vs theirs. So sadly, every time they did well, he felt bad. And he often looked for ways to talk bad about other churches even in their success.

John had a little bit of this spirit in him. He didn’t want someone else going around in Jesus’ name doing things that the disciples were supposed to do! In his eyes they didn’t have the authority that he had or the connection to Jesus… and in a sense he was right, but he was also wrong.

Jesus said that in this instance whoever was doing these things was on his side. They were on the same team. Casting out demons is a pretty big deal. Proclaiming the name of Jesus, which is ultimately what was happening, was a pretty big deal.

So when it came to drawing up sides, Jesus reminds John and the other disciples, that these other folks were on their side. Their actions proved it. You can’t cast demons out of people in Jesus’ name and then speak ill of him. It’s time the disciples learned to work with others who God was already working through.

John didn’t realize it at this moment, but the gospel vision that Jesus had called him to was bigger than just the twelve, or even the two hundred that followed him, or the over 5000 men in the countryside. The vision was to take the gospel message to the entire world and that would take everyone pulling in the same direction.

Father, We love you and want to grow in knowledge of you and your word. Give us humility and discernment to partner with others to take your gospel to our communities and beyond. Help us know truth from error. Give us grace to not let pride of place come between us and others, but let our hope be surely and firmly set on you. Give us discernment as we apply your word to our lives. In Jesus Name, Amen.