Luke 9:49-50

We are going to learn a wonderful principle today – straight from the lips of our Savior!! Demonic activity was being thrust out in the great name of Jesus but not by one that was part of the disciple’s team. This did not fare well with them. Their initial reaction was one that I see prevalent in our own day and age. This same, “They are not one of us so we must stop them,” attitude has been used by Satan as a ploy to hinder the workings of Christ’s body, the church, and the spread of the gospel even today. We become consumed by the non-essentials, losing our focus on Christ and Christ crucified and centering our attention on the trivial – majoring on the minors so to speak. Jesus says, “Stop it!” He reiterates this again in Luke Chapter Eleven presenting it in the negative form:23 "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters. Luke 11:23 (NIV) The questions we must ask ourselves are: “Are we with Him?” and “Do we do anything to hinder the spreading of the Gospel by our own exclusive standards of by whom or by what means this spreading should be accomplished?” The same was true in Paul’s day. There were divisions in the church and Paul refers to them as “worldly” and not “spiritual”: 1 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4 For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men? 5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe--as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. 1 Cor 3:1-9 (NIV)

Paul’s one purpose was to preach the gospel of Christ – he was compelled by this:

16 Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 1 Cor 9:16 (NIV)
Further, he goes on to say, though free and belonging to no man, he makes himself a slave to everyone to win as many as possible for our Lord so that he may participate fully in the blessing of the gospel: 19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 1 Cor 9:19-23 (NIV)
We do much to hurt the body of Christ by our divisions. It is confusing to those who are perishing to see the battling that goes on between believers. This should not be. Shame on us! We are constantly told throughout Scripture to love one another; to forgive grievances and to bear with one another. If the body of Christ cannot love each other, what chance will we have in demonstrating Christ’s love to a lost world? Two come to mind: slim and none! May this serve as a reminder today for us to have charity in the non-essentials and perfect clarity in the essentials – or like the disciples in Jesus’ day, we could be fighting against those who are for us! “Holy obedience puts to shame all natural and selfish desires.” Francis of Assisi3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. Dan 12:3 (NIV)