Christian Unity- Anyone who is not against us is for us

Numbers 11: 4- 6, 10-16,  24 - 29; Psalm 124; James 5:13 - 20; Mark 9: 38 - 50

God our Redeemer, to an expectant and united Church you granted the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Help us with the same Spirit in all our life and worship, to usher in justice, unity and peace in Church and society, so that we may expect great things from you and attempt great things for you (and in you may the elderly find consolation and the children their inspiration); through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

If Jesus was living in Sri Lanka today, and he had spoken the words of today's Gospel, on one side he would create confusion on the other he would have been arrested for inciting violence. Jesus' words were hard, it most of the time was.

 

I suppose that is why some left him saying these are hard sayings. However hard his sayings were, it was words of truth. And for most who are caught up with one kind of thinking, it is hard to accept. However hard his sayings were those were sayings which required the disciples to think differently. And these are words that give hope to the body of Christ.

 

It all begins with Jesus disciple John coming to him with a complain. "Teacher, we saw a man driving out demons in your name. We told him to stop because he was not one of them". Jesus' response, "Don’t stop them", whoever is not against us is for us".  

 

A similar incident is seen in our reading from numbers. Eldad and Medad are prophesying inside the camp. And Joshua comes to Moses and says, "My Lord Moses, stop them". Moses responds, "Are you jealous for my sake? If God wants all the people to prophesy let them do so."

 

Both John and Joshua two people who were close to their leaders, were concerned that someone who was not part of them, their inner circle, was performing acts that they should be doing. And this comes out very strongly in the words of John when he says "He doesn’t belong to us", it would be understandable if he had said "Lord, he doesn’t belong to you".

 

Jesus' response and what he further says is what is important. "No one who does a miracle in my name, can in the next moment say anything bad about me, whoever is not against us is for us."

 

Jesus is telling his disciples we are not an exclusive group. I am not exclusive content. You don’t need to put me into a small group and protect me. Don’t be afraid, his actions are not going to taint me or what I am doing. He wants his disciples to widen their circles and horizons. To look beyond. To embrace the other. To look at the good there is in the other. Don’t say them and us and bring a barrier in-between.

 

This kind of attitude of yours, can place stumbling blocks in the paths of others who may want to do even a small kind act in  my name for someone in need. and then he comes with those hard words - if your hand or foot or eyes cause you to sin, cut it off, pluck it off. You'd rather live without them that cause you to sin and bring division, failing to help a person in need, creating stumbling blocks in the paths of others are all sin. 

 

Jesus is thinking broad and wide. He is including everyone. So within Jesus there is no exclusivity, no individual or small group that owns Jesus. He belongs to all. He is the point of unity. Faith, doctrine, different ways of thinking, different views, our worship, rather than help us to meet in Jesus, at times becomes stumbling blocks to us, looking beyond and to others who would want to become part of the wider circle. The work of Christ doesn’t need to bring division but it must help to bring all together.  

 

And if there is one way that the church, the body of Christ can be together, is through prayer. Prayer is effective and powerful, to the extent that it can heal, it can restore. Prayer is what we can do for each other. Even in this time of pandemic when we are kept away from each other, prayer keeps us connected.

 

But James says it is the prayer of the righteous. What does righteous mean. The righteous is one who conforms to God’s standard. So we can’t be like the disciples praying on one side and then saying Lord, stop them.

 

When we are genuine in prayer, it keeps us on the right track, prevents us from stumbling. It helps us to move the obstacles. Some like disunity, they thrive in it. Unity is hard division is easy. To pursue the hard, it has to have the backing of the power of prayer.

 

Christians may be divided by theology, doctrine, traditions, worship but not prayer. And one prayer that is used to bring people of different traditions together is the prayer that our Lord himself taught us. All the ingredients for God’s purpose to see the body of Christ as one is contained in this prayer. CSI a good example.

 

And I have experienced the beauty of many traditions say this prayer in many different languages. The beautiful experience I have had of prayer was when around 30 people from 18 countries and 24 traditions prayed the prayer of our Lord daily. And these 30 people lived together for 6 months under one roof.

 

So we are reminded this morning that those who act in the name of Jesus and may not belong to us don’t have to be stopped. But prayer, with the right attitude will help us journey on the path of healing.

 

May God bless us all in our journey with our brothers and sisters who don’t belong to us.

Online service on 26.09.2021 - SS. Mary & John, Negegoda.