No one, I\u2019m prepared to announce, has figured out this text, but it needs to be factored in if we want to sketch all the texts about missional Jesus. So, let\u2019s first read Mark 9:38-41 and then I\u2019ll offer some suggestions: No one, I\u2019m prepared to announce, has figured out this text, but it needs to be factored in if we want to sketch all the texts about missional Jesus. So, let\u2019s first read Mark 9:38-41 and then I\u2019ll offer some suggestions:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1757],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3155","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-missional-jesus"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nTeacher,\u201d said John, \u201cwe saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.\u201d
\n39 \u201cDo not stop him,\u201d Jesus said. \u201cNo 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. 41 I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.<\/em>
\n1. I start with this: Missional Jesus is in no need of our protection. He can make it on his own, so whatever he says is what he says \u2014 whatever we think.
\n2. A man is doing miracles \u201cin Jesus\u2019 name.\u201d This isn\u2019t any old miracle worker. He\u2019s drawing on Jesus\u2019 power. V. 41 makes this point again.
\n3. But, missional Jesus broadens the playing floor by including this man when his disciples have serious hesitations, as lots of Christians have hesitations today about others. Missional Jesus clarifies why this man has to be accepted: \u201chowever is not against us is for us.\u201d
\n4. Mark 9:40 runs into Matthew 12:30: \u201cHe who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.\u201d Luke has both of these: 9:50 and 11:23.
\n5. There is a difference, and now we might think of Matt 7:6 and the parable of the hogs and dogs, between sworn enemies and unaffiliated sympathizers.
\n6. Jesus is against cliquishness.
\nRT France: \u201cThe man concerned is not a recognised member of the group of disciples, but he does profess to operate in the name of Jesus, and the results of his activity are beneficent\u201d (Mark<\/em>, 376).<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"