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TEAMWORK
MATTHEW 18:7-10
MARK 9:38-50
LUKE 9:49-50;
17:1-2
After our last story, hopefully you've added a new
identity to your person. No matter how old you are, you are a child
of God. Children of the Lord aren't only a group of elementary Sunday
school kids are they?! So, boys and girls, shall we continue with the
story of Jesus?
In this story we have a smorgasbord of different
things to share. After Jesus told the Apostles that you must be as a
child to enter Heaven and that the least would be the greatest, John
spoke up and told Jesus, Master, we saw someone casting out devils in
your name and we stopped him because he doesn't follow us. Jesus said,
Don't forbid him. There isn't a man that will do a miracle in my name
who can easily speak evil about me. Whoever isn't against us, is for
us.
Let's stop and discuss this for a bit.
Whoever isn't against us, is for us.
Let's compare this to the world today. We have Christians of all
kinds. Many different denominations are Christians. Some go to church,
others don't. Some are evangelists who have huge ministries. Some are
quiet folks who aren't outgoing, but are private people who love the
Lord. Some are Mother Theresa types, missionaries, ministers, nuns,
monks, and on and on and on. Some are charismatic, some pray silently.
We're on the same team. We cheer one another on. If you're on the
other side, you may see us fall sometimes, but only a worm is free
from the worry of stumble. If we fall, we get back up. Sometimes one
of our teammates gives us a hand.
There are a lot of people who are skeptical about
Christianity. They think that Christians are saying that if you become
a Christian, your life will be perfect. There isn't a Christian that
ever lived that can claim such a thing. Did you read the last
paragraph? We fall! We get up. Now, here's the clincher. When we
acknowlege our sin (fall) to God and don't hide it - and when we
confess it to the Lord, we're forgiven! Only one string attached . . .
we must be sorry. That comes from a Psalm of David by the way,
Psalm 32:5.
Now we've gotten off the beaten path just a little,
so let's get back to this
who's for us
versus who's against us
stuff. Do you
think it matters to Jesus if you go to this Christian church or that
one, or if passing along inspirational writings through e-mail is
church to you, if you sing loudly or softly or off key from the hymnal
or if you put on your headphones and whistle along to a modern
Christian tune. It doesn't matter what your recipe is for casting out
devils, or anything else you do from the goodness of your heart is, as
long as you do it in Jesus’ name, you've got the key ingredient and
that's what counts. That puts you on the "for us" side! The last thing
Jesus wanted ... Was for His team to have competition among
themselves. DIVISION... We're all on the same team, so let's work
together!
Jesus said, Woe to the world because of offences! For it must needs
be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
What does that mean? It means sorrow will come to the world because of
harmful events, and it's unavoidable that bad things will happen, but
the man who causes those events will have the worst sorrow of all.
That is what puts those people on the "against us" side.
Make no mistake, satan is always looking for ways to
lure you over to his side. Jesus said, So if your hand or your foot
offend you (causes harm), cut them off, and throw them away because
it's better to live lame or crippled rather than having two hands or
two feet and to be thrown into everlasting fire.
Whew! It's a good thing that Jesus spoke in
parables, isn't it?! We learned about this in an earlier story,
remember? Of course He doesn't want us to cut off our hands or feet,
but to cut off the evil that causes them to perform mischief. He was
thinking of His Father's children when He said this. Remember, the
children of the Lord that we've been talking about? In other words, we
are all His little children and whoever harms any of us in any way is
in deep trouble. I'd call a millstone around someone's neck and thrown
into the bottom of the sea ... Pretty deep trouble.
Jesus emphasized a number of times that those who
offend His children will end up where the fire is never quenched and
the worm never dies. That's a pretty gruesome picture that Jesus
painted. Then He said a very interesting thing for those of you who
have always wondered about whether Angels are real or not. Jesus said,
(concerning God's children) Be careful that you never harm one of
these little ones, because I tell you, that in Heaven their Angels
always look upon the face of my Father. So, that
not only clarifies that there ARE Angels, but that each of us
HAS an Angel, which are known as Guardian Angels. God
does love His children and He gave us Angels to protect us because
we're so precious to Him.
Well, now you've got another identity to add to your person -- team
player! Don't forget, even though you wear many hats as a Christian,
each of us has a specific purpose that God intended for us, and no
matter what that purpose is, without you, the team will suffer. Glad
you're part of the team!
CHECK OUT THE
ANGELS STUDY TO LEARN MORE
CONTINUE
TO NEXT STUDY
BORN AGAIN
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