The In Crowd
John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.”
Luke 9:49–50
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The In Crowd
It seems to be part of our human nature that we want to be in the “in” crowd. We want the inside information; we want to be the ones in the know. That way, we can recognize those that are outside our circle and exclude them. The disciples exhibit this same tendency here. The person casting out demons in Christ's name was not one of them, so in their eyes could not be worthy of such a task. Jesus knows their hearts and the motivation for such actions and admonishes them for their poor attitudes about ministry. And like the apostles, we want to keep certain privileges and opportunities for ourselves. That impulse, however, runs contrary to God’s mercy, which He would share with all people, not just those in our preferred circle. Thankfully, Jesus left the comfort of heaven to stand with us, bear our burdens, and deliver us from evil. May the Lord continue to preserve us from that selfish impulse that would stop His mercy and the proclamation of His name. May He help us to see that He desires the salvation of all people, and may we acknowledge and put to appropriate use the gifts of others.
Luke 9:49–50
+
The In Crowd
It seems to be part of our human nature that we want to be in the “in” crowd. We want the inside information; we want to be the ones in the know. That way, we can recognize those that are outside our circle and exclude them. The disciples exhibit this same tendency here. The person casting out demons in Christ's name was not one of them, so in their eyes could not be worthy of such a task. Jesus knows their hearts and the motivation for such actions and admonishes them for their poor attitudes about ministry. And like the apostles, we want to keep certain privileges and opportunities for ourselves. That impulse, however, runs contrary to God’s mercy, which He would share with all people, not just those in our preferred circle. Thankfully, Jesus left the comfort of heaven to stand with us, bear our burdens, and deliver us from evil. May the Lord continue to preserve us from that selfish impulse that would stop His mercy and the proclamation of His name. May He help us to see that He desires the salvation of all people, and may we acknowledge and put to appropriate use the gifts of others.
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