Feb 11 2019 Mark 9: 30-41

John said to him, Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.

Here’s another instance where we, with hindsight, scoff at those silly disciples. With the luxury of hindsight, we know that this was another example of their pettiness. They’re trying to stop people who are doing things in Jesus’ name, but not following the ‘in crowd’. Jesus will have nothing of it. He says that whoever is not against us is for us, and more pointedly, says that whoever gives a cup of water in Jesus’ name will not lose the reward.

I take this to mean that good deeds in Jesus’ name count. People who believe and behave as Jesus followers are real. Even if they aren’t my type of Jesus followers. Our presiding bishop, Michael Curry describes us as the “Episcopal branch of the Jesus movement”. There are other branches of the Jesus movement, no less attached.

There are many, many branches of this movement. Some worship in ways I’m not comfortable. Some have more or less music, more or less preaching, more or less sacramental theology. Those are not any less attached. They’re just not my branch. I get that.

But there are many, many branches of this Jesus movement which are much harder for me to understand, or be as merciful. Cognitively I believe they’re attached, but I’m not sure I act that way. What about Christ followers who are politically or socially opposed to what I believe?  What about Christ followers who are genuine in their love of Christ and intention to love, but from my eyes, don’t love all. Don’t welcome all. Actively oppose people who aren’t like them?  What about those Christ followers?

Jesus says that anyone whoever does good in his name, will not lose the reward. That includes Jesus followers who worship differently. That includes Jesus followers who believe and act differently. Even those who on my bad days, I could argue are not true Christians. If they give someone water in Jesus’ name will not lose the reward.

I do not want to be like the disciples who tried to argue that because those others were not with the ‘in crowd’  they should be stopped. I want to believe and act that all who do good in Jesus’ name are different branches of the Jesus Movement. How might I behave and act that way? How might I help strengthen all branches?