As followers of Jesus, the early disciples saw themselves as an exclusive group, which exhausted the number of the "authentic ones." In their minds, anyone who was with them was a true believer, anyone not in their group was a pretender or at best a "wannabe disciple."
So, you can imagine their surprise when they encountered someone else casting out demons in the name of Jesus - it had to be unorthodox, unauthorized and unacceptable.: “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us" (Mark 9:38). What else could they do? He wasn't listed on their denominational role.
They had to be astonished by the Lord's reaction, “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For 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. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward" (vv. 39-41).
Can you believe it? Jesus sanctions the faith and works of people we may not have formally recognized? There may be others besides those we recognize to be like us who are accepted by God? Could it be that it is God, not us who decides?
Is it possible that is what Paul was getting at when he said, "Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand" (Rom 14:4)? Yeah. It's bigger than us.
I wonder if, having just failed to cast out a demon from that boy (Mark 9:14-29), they were a little jealous and perhaps a little insecure? If people who are not just like us are authentic disciples, does that mean we're not authentic? See the thought process? Of course you and I have never felt that way - right? Jus' Askn. Actually, I'm Jus' Sayn: Let's get over ourselves.
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