Christ Alone Gives Us Credit for His Work

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

October 4, 2015

Mark 9:38-40

Christ Alone Gives Us Credit for His Work

In the name of the Father and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Kids, you draw lots of pictures. Pictures of dogs, houses, clouds, pictures of lots of different things. If you draw a picture of an elephant, would it be okay if your brother wrote his name on the paper and then he gave it to your mom and pretended like he drew the elephant. No, that wouldn't be okay. He'd be taking credit for your work and you'd be probably be sad or even a little mad that he stole your picture.

In the Bible this morning we heard about a different kind of stealing that made Joshua and John mad.

A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”

But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit on them!” (Numbers 11:27-29)

“Teacher,” said John, “we saw a man 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. “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.” (Mark 9:38-40)

Joshua and John were mad because they thought that someone was taking credit for God's work. But they shouldn't have been mad. Moses told Joshua and Jesus told John not to be mad. They told them that only believers can do God's work. And gladly believers can be found anywhere.

And even more, God's work will always be known sooner or later as God's work. To put it another way, you can't plagiarize God or steal from Him for long.

Before Moses led the Exodus out of Egypt, he faced off with Pharoah's magicians. These sorcerers actually had power from the Devil that could perform a few of first plagues of Egypt, but they quickly were overwhelmed by God's strength. Soon everyone knew that only the one true God has power that endures for the good of His people.

Christ is the Prophet who surpassed even Moses. Christ delivered all of His people out of slavery to sin using His own life. Moses was given power from Jesus to do the work that helped one small group of people for a small amount of time; Jesus used Himself and Himself alone to deliver salvation to all mankind. He delivers us from evil and casts away demons with His name. His name saves us and He gives His name to us to speak when we baptize sinners, preach the Gospel, and feed the hungry with His holy supper.

John was worried that a man who wasn't following Jesus was driving out demons in Jesus' name. But Jesus told John that this man was following Him. He wasn't stealing from God. The man was using Jesus' name. He was giving credit to the only true powerful God.

Our catechism teaches us over and over that we're saved not because of the group to which we belong, but because of His hallowed name. Which group you gather with on Sunday morning and the pastor you learn from matters. But we rejoice when we see other Christians doing good in the name of Christ.

We rejoice when any Christian speaks truth about life to a mother who

thinks there are no alternatives for her living unborn baby.

We rejoice when any Christian pastor speaks and baptizes a baby.

We rejoice when any Christian suffers for speaking the truth about

marriage to their family and friends.

We rejoice when any Christian does good in Jesus' name.

We rejoice that whoever is not against is for us.

All of this good is evidence of Christ's choosing to use His people and giving us the credit. He shares His goodness with His people and we are everywhere.

What kind of man buys his wife a present and lets his children sign their names on the card? A good man. Jesus is the best man, God in the flesh, who gives us credit for His work.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners―of whom I am the worst. Alleluia! Amen!