“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.” “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, for whoever is not against us is for us. 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.” Mark 9:38-41 NIV
The disciples made the mistake of believing that only those who traveled in their small circle had the right to minister in Jesus’ name. Jesus had to widen their narrow view of ministry. We have one gospel that needs to be advanced, and Jesus is the one central figure in our message! It appears that this outsider was effectively driving out demons in His name, and Jesus did not want him stopped! For ministry must always be about Jesus, and never about us.
It seems that the universal church often wants to focus on division, but Jesus wants us to focus on unity. The Good news needs to be advanced through all we do, and as Christian’s our efforts must be united.
For it is written:
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 NIV
This message is really very simple; every effort we make to advance the gospel must be in unity. Christ is never divided. But our unity only comes through Him. Though we may attend different churches and advance the gospel in different ways, all believers have one Savior, one purpose, and one commission to fulfill. God outlines our purpose in His Word. Any ministry, independent of scripture, is counter-productive and not operating in unity with the church of Jesus Christ. Likewise, every ministry advancing the gospel in accordance with God’s Word is working toward the same unified goal.
Better said, we don’t each have to have our own ministries, all who advance the gospel message are working in the same ministry. So what role are we to play? We need to pray to God for His will to be done and ask Him to show us how we are to serve Him in advancing the gospel. Sometimes, we need to think outside the box. While God has just one message, He does not have just one method for advancing it. God is more creative than that! He loves both unity and diversity!
Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kids of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone is the same God at work. 1 Corinthians 12:3-6 NIV
Later in that same chapter, Paul goes on to say: Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.
Earlier Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
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. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 NIV
Whatever medium, whatever platform, whatever opportunity God has given you, be sure to use it to advance the gospel. Your place of service and your gifts will reach different people than mine, but we are all in this together! Join your brothers and sisters in the body of Christ instead of pursuing your own goals. Can you imagine the power the gospel would wield if we all headed in the same direction and all embraced the same purpose, to advance the gospel message and to thwart the fiery arrows of the enemy?
Paul writes:
This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 3:6 NIV
We are members of one body, in need of one ministry. Can we get behind the ministries of others if God so desires – I think so. When the disciples encountered the man casting out demons in Jesus’ name, they told him to stop, simply because he was not part of what they perceived as their ministry. What if they had encouraged the man instead? Perhaps that’s what Jesus was hinting at when he said, “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.” Water is refreshing. Maybe Jesus was giving the disciples permission to see others promoting the gospel as refreshing, instead of threatening.
There is such power in Christ Jesus! He prayed this prayer for us:
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:20-23 NIV
It’s going to take a unified effort if we are going to effectively reach the lost and counter the evil messages in the world today. I submit we will not be successful if we don’t work together. We need to be careful not to regard our circle of ministry as if it’s the only effort God is using to advance His kingdom, like a child guarding a sandbox so he’s the only one playing in it. The church is no place for a spiritual sandbox. Instead, let’s take the time to consider alternative and uniting options to advance the gospel message.
For alas it is written:
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. Acts 4:32-34 NIV
That’s the kind of unity God desires and what all believers should yearn for. Unity is very powerful!
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NIV
Let’s stand behind a united gospel message, and let our united efforts thwart that of the enemy.
God be glorified!
Love one another!
Barnabas
Special thanks to Barnabas for initiating this collaboration.