September 30, 2012, 18th Sunday After Pentecost

Mark 9:38-50

 38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”
 39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no 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 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.
42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.  45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.   47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where “‘the worms that eat them do not die,
and the fire is not quenched.’
49 Everyone will be salted with fire.
50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other."

"Whoever Is Not Against Us Is For Us”

First a seeming contradiction:  cf Mt. 12:30 “Anyone who is not for me is really against me; anyone who does not help me gather is really scattering.”

Look to the context in which both words are spoken.  Is Jesus not saying the same thing?

And what is Jesus saying?  - “No one can bottle God up and keep God contained.  God manifests himself in unexpected places and people;  God’s spirit blows where it will and we know not where it comes from or where it goes.”

Any effort on our part to try contain God is futile.  God is with those who know not God as well as those who claim to be for God.  In fact, they may well be some of God’s best servants!

This is part of the mystery and miracle of God’s spirit at work in our world.  We can be astonished by the irregularity of God.  It is not ours to judge others; it is ours to recognize the love of Jesus at work where ever it happens in whom ever it comes.

Our idolatry may well be our blindness to this truth.
For example,  a Christian leader of a large denomination saying: “God does not hear Jewish prayers, because they don’t pray in the name of Jesus.”

The one thing which becomes clear as we struggle with these words is that it is not ours to determine who is in and who is out.  It is ours to be open to the many ways in which something of Jesus is hidden “in, under, and with” the most surprising places and people.

Ours is not to exclude anyone from being a part of God’s Kingdom or even try to test who is a true believer.  Ours is to be open to God working in the strangest ways and the strangest people to do something of his thing - which is always something of love breaking out in our world of hate, pride and greed.

We are not to loose our saltiness - become complacent or indifferent; live our own wasted existence with no love at work in our lives. We are to affirm God’s love at work where ever, how ever, and in whom ever it appears.

Those who are against Jesus are those who would rather have it than share it, keep it than give it away, find it than lose it.  Who would rather be secure, comfortable, and safe, rather than in danger, want or risk.  And this is all of us who profess to love Jesus yet so easily forget that we have been blessed by grace so we can be a blessing.

When we lose sight of our call to discipleship, servant hood, and compassion, we loose the essence (the salt) of our life in Christ - which is worse then loosing a hand, foot or eye for then we are of little good to God no matter how religious we are.