Today’s Reading: Mark 9:42 – 10:16

John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.”

“Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us. If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded. – Mark 9:38-41

BUT HE’S NOT ONE OF US!

Earlier in John chapter 9, we read of a man bringing his son to Jesus. The disciples had been unable to cast out the evil spirit inside of the boy, so Jesus had the father bring his son to him (9:18-19). Fast forward to verse 38 and the disciples are upset that others are casting out demons in the name of Jesus. They stopped others from the good they were doing because they perceived them to be unauthorized or unworthy. Perhaps the disciples were acting out of fear and their own insecurities.

Jesus’ response to the disciples was clear — do not do that again, and here is the consequence of causing someone who trusts in me to lose faith:

“But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands. If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’

“For everyone will be tested with fire. Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.” – Mark 9:42-50

GOD CAN USE WHOEVER HE WANTS TO USE.

Who are we to say that someone is not worthy of the calling God has placed on their lives. If God is working through them, we need to trust that He is also working within them. They may not be at the same place in their walk with Christ as we are after years of studying and learning from God’s word, but they are on a Journey of Grace and we need to be careful not to discourage or discount the work that God is accomplishing through them.

This week the world has been watching as revival has broken out among the students of Asbury University. Christians are traveling hundreds of miles to join the worship and to experience what could be the revival explosion the Church has been praying for. Others are scoffing and looking for fault in the theology of the institution or in the methods of worship. But Jesus says, “Don’t stop them!” I can use whoever I want to use; I can show up wherever I want to show up.

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them. – Mark 10:13-16

LET THE CHILDREN COME TO ME! DON’T STOP THEM!

Now let’s go back to the passage skipped in Mark 10:1-12. In the context of the passage before and the passage after, what is God calling us to do with the issue of divorce. God’s desire of permanence for marriage is clear — let no one split apart what God has joined together. But God’s gift of grace and His willingness to use a sinner who has surrendered in repentance is the same for those who have divorce in their story as it is for those who have kept their marriage covenant.

So if God works miracles through someone who is divorced and remarried, are we to stop them from the good that God is doing through them? No, Jesus instructed us to have the qualities of salt among ourselves and live in peace with each other (9:49-50). We cannot be quick to forget our own shortcomings, but slow to forgive others.

“For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?” – Matthew 7:2-4

God will test the heart of every person with fire; He is the judge of sincerity and authenticity, not us. Who are we to question what God wants to accomplish through another person, another church, or another denomination? We are to celebrate when a child of God approaches Jesus, just as we are to remain humble in our own pursuit of relationship with God.

Precious Father, test our hearts this morning and burn away all that is not from you. Purify our attitudes, and free us of our fears and insecurities. May our hands and feet be your instruments today. May we be expressions of your love to those around us. Empty us of any arrogance or thoughts of what WE can accomplish so that we can humbly kneel before you and believe in faith that today YOU will do great and miraculous things among us! May our faith help others to find you and may we never do anything that would cause someone else to stumble in their journey to you. We pray all of this in your precious and holy name, Amen.