MUSINGS - November 01, 2018
NOT COOKIECUTTER CHRISTIANS
Mark 9:38-40
John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone forcing demons out of a person by using the power and authority of your name. We tried to stop him because he was not one of us." Jesus said, "Don't stop him! No one who works a miracle in my name can turn around and speak evil of me. Whoever isn't against us is for us.
"He was not one of us." Us or them? Them or us? Someone not of the twelve apostles was using the power of Jesus name.
John was, in affect, saying, "The 12 of us have the Jesus brand exclusively copyrighted and trademarked. How dare someone cast out demons in the name of Jesus? He didn't pay the franchise fee."
My salvation didn't give me exclusive rights and privileges. My salvation journey was different than yours. I know this because God didn't make Cookiecutter Christians. God came to us as individuals and through his grace granted us pardon for our sins. Then he laid out individual paths and individual jobs for us.*
God's grace is inclusive not exclusive. Jesus died for all of humanity. There is no Them. We are all Us. My path and my gifts may differ from yours but we serve the same God. Remember, "Whoever isn't against us is for us."
*Read 1 Corinthians chapter 12
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