For Us or Against Us

She got a bunch of candy back there, I think, this morning, Elijah. No, I'm I'm just kidding. I don't know. I don't know. Alright.

Mark chapter nine. Mark chapter nine. We're backtracking just a little bit this morning. There's a passage of scripture that I read back a few weeks ago when we were going through the chapter nine and just hadn't felt wasn't sure where I wanted to go with it and how to approach it. So, took a few weeks and prayed and and sought what to do with this passage of scripture.

Turns out, I think it's a very important one and passage that you may not be quite as familiar with. This particular event I think is only described here in in the book of Mark. And I I think it's vital for us to spend a few minutes on this morning. So, we're going to read verses 38 through 40 of Mark chapter nine and then I'll have you look at a verse up on the screen here in just a moment. Again, the title this morning is for us or against us and I think you'll see why that is here in just a second.

So, verse 38, and John answered him. Now, this is the apostle John. He's not mentioned by name all that often. In the in the gospels, John the Baptist is mentioned more often. This is John the apostle.

John answered him, that is Jesus saying, master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name and he followeth not us and we forbad him because he followeth not us but Jesus said, forbid him not for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part. Let's go to the Lord in prayer and then we'll get back. Lord, we thank you Lord for your word. Pray Lord that we might learn something today from your word how to approach others and Lord how to be the proper humble servant of the Lord Jesus Christ in our own lives.

Lord, keep our eyes fixed upon you today. Give us understanding as we look into your word and as I preach the message, I I pray that if there be one here per chance today that's never trusted you as savior, I pray dear Lord that they would come to understand what you did for them and the great need that they have and that they wouldn't let that pass this day. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen. Alright, if you look up here on the screen at Matthew chapter 12 and verse 30.

Matthew 12 and verse 30. In Matthew 12 verse 30, Jesus said, he that is not with me is what? Against me. He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Now, look at verse 40 in Mark chapter nine.

Look at verse 40 in Mark chapter nine. Jesus said, this Jesus speaking again, for he that is not against us is on our part. Now, these two verses are quite similar. However, at first glance, they might be seeming to say contradictory things, okay? Again, the verse here in Mark chapter nine, for he that is not against us is on our part.

If you're not against us, you're for us. The verse on the screen, Matthew twelve thirty, different time. This isn't the same event. Matthew's recording a different message by the Lord and here he says, he that is not with me is against me, okay? So, we have these two two verses that Jesus, these two statements made by Christ and they're both important.

They're both very valuable. Of course, they are the word of God and the word of Christ and there's something we should be learning from both. As we read as I mentioned, some, might jump to the conclusion that these two verses contradict each other But if you look a bit closer as we will today, you'll see these statements don't contradict one another. No, they complement, one another. When we interpret scripture it is important that we look at the what?

Somebody help me out. The context. The context is important. You see, most of the books of the New Testament were written originally in letter form. They were written as letters to someone to whom the apostle was writing.

Do you have chapters and verses and letters? Did you do you when you write a letter, do you say chapter one verse one? No, we don't do it that way, do we? Okay? No, you just sit down and you write the letter.

If you do any structure, you might have paragraphs in it, okay? So, when we interpret scripture, we need to be aware of the context in in which which we're reading it. It helps us to understand it. It's not meant to be interpreted pulled apart in the little chunks and piecemeal. The way we often do it today.

It it is helpful to have verse references and chapters. It helps us to find places. It helps us to to memorize specific passages and and and we should and use those. But particularly when there is a seeming contradiction or particularly when there's something we don't understand in a passage we read, we need to go back and look at the context and often times, the context clears everything, clears everything up. So, we're going to look at both of these passages today and at the context in which we find them.

We're gonna start with the Matthew chapter 12 passage. So, if you turn back to Matthew 12 because we're going to read now more than verse 30, okay? So, Matthew chapter 12, if you would, turn with me. We're going to read about 10 verses here to get the context. So, we understand what Christ is saying.

So, Matthew 12 and we're going begin reading in verse 22. Matthew 12 verse 22. Then was brought unto him that brought unto Jesus, one possessed with the devil, blind, and dumb and he healed him in so much that the blind and the dumb both spake and saw and all the people were amazed and said, is not this the son of David? When the Pharisees heard it, they said, this fellow doth not cast out devils by but by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils. It's a title for Satan.

And Jesus knew their thoughts and said unto them, every kingdom divided against itself is brought to destruction, desolation. Every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. But if Satan cast out Satan, he's divided against himself. How shall then his kingdom stand? And if I buy Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out?

Therefore, they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come unto you or else how can one enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods except he first bind the strong man and then he will spoil his house. In other words, the one that casts out the demon must be greater in authority and power than the one he's casting out, okay? Simple logic. Verse 30, he that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

Wherefore, I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the holy ghost shall not be forgiven unto man and whosoever speak of the word against the son of man, it shall be given him but whosoever speak it against the holy ghost, it shall not be forgiven him. Neither in this world, neither in the world to come. So, this is the context in which we find verse 30, he that is not with me is against me and the context is very important in understanding what Christ is saying. I don't know about you but if you watch the news today, you you don't get the entire speech that the politician gave, do you? They give you what they call a sound bite.

And they often twist and contort what is being said to fit their agenda. Sad to say, some people do that with scripture. Sometimes intentionally, sometimes ignorantly but we must be careful to try to get the whole picture so we understand what's being taught. In this case, Jesus had healed the blind and dumb man by casting out a demon which was causing him the trouble. So, that the man both spoke and saw.

Immediately, spoke and saw, who had not never spoken a word before or in a very long time. The people immediately concluded as they should have that Jesus might be who? The son of David. Now, that's a reference to, that's a title for the Messiah, the promised Messiah of Israel from the Old Testament unto you, unto you a child is born and he will rule on the throne of his father, David, forever. There are several passages that speak of the coming Messiah.

The people concluded that wow. This man is doing things that Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel and the prophets said that the Messiah would do to indicate who he was. And so they concluded, well, maybe Jesus is the Messiah. Promised long ago to Israel to rescue and redeem them from the ravages of sin. The Pharisees, however, had a different take.

They saw and heard the same thing that the rest of the people did but having already chosen to reject Christ. They had already made up their mind. To reject him. As their Messiah and Lord. They tried instead to turn the crowd against him and how did they strive to do that by claiming that the power by which he cast out the demons was not the power of God but the power of Satan.

They they said of Jesus, the son of God, that he must be casting out demons by the power of the devil. Now, that's called what? That's called blasphemy. If anyone's, if anything's blasphemy, that's blasphemy. Asserting that Jesus was doing things by the devil's power and bidding and not by God's.

Jesus, of course, refuted their accusation right away with irrefutable logic. He said, how has Satan cast out himself? That's his kingdom won't stand. It makes no sense. Satan was the one who sent this demon into this man to begin with.

Why would he do this to himself? He said, furthermore, the one that cast out the demon must be greater than the one casting out. If you're going to go into a house and and rob it and bind the the strong man inside, you must be stronger than he is. Okay. So, by both of these reasoning, he refuted their accusation and then declared that those religious leaders in particular who opposed and rejected his claim as Messiah and Lord were his what?

Were his enemies and the enemies of the gospel. It says here in verse 30, read it with me again. He that is not what? With me is against me. And he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

Either help Christ in gathering the sheep unto him or you're out there leading the sheep what? Astray. He said, they're either gathering with me or you're opposing me and you're the enemy of me and you're the enemy of the sheep. Who is he talking about? He's talking about the Pharisees.

He's talking about the Pharisees who had already rejected him and what were they trying to do here? They were trying to get the crowd to reject him also. That's why they said what they said. I'm not sure if they believed what they said but they said it in order to turn the crowd against Jesus. Because they had already decided that they were his what?

His enemies. So much so that their accusation constituted blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit by whose power Christ had healed the man. And whose testimony the Pharisees had rejected and refused, condemning themselves. The conviction of the Holy Spirit and the testimony of the Holy Spirit.

They were not interested in. They had seen God's works. They had seen Christ's miracles. They had seen the testimony of God's holy spirit. They had felt his conviction and what did they do?

They refused it, rejected it, and then called it the Holy Spirit, the devil. Those who deny that Jesus to be the son of God, those who deny Jesus to be the Messiah of Israel, those who deny Jesus as the savior of the world are condemned by the rejection of God's Christ. No matter how pious, no matter how compassionate, no matter how intelligent, they may see. They reveal who they are. The enemies of God and the truth, the servants of sin and Satan having rejected the testimony and conviction of the Holy Spirit.

That is whom Jesus was talking to. That's whom Jesus was talking about. People who had rejected who he was and the testimony of his miracles by the power. Of the spirit. We're reminded by this later on in the New Testament.

First John four, two, and three. John writes, hereby you know the spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of who? God. And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is what?

Not of God and this is the spirit of antichrist whereof you have heard that it should come and even now already is it in the world and often Satan comes as an angel of what? An angel of light. Often he shows up as a wolf in what? Sheep's clothing. The Pharisees said they were coming to everybody's rescue.

The Pharisees said, they knew the Lord and knew what he wanted for everybody else. They were pious. They were religious. They were looked up to. They were dangerous because in the end, they condemn themselves by the rejection of Jesus Christ, their Messiah and they were not of who?

They were not of God. They didn't speak for God. They didn't represent God and they didn't know God. And that is evidence by the rejection of God in Jesus Christ his son. In this verse, when it says, every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh and again, I want you to think this way.

When I was a kid and even a young, maybe young adult, I often read Jesus Christ and I just run over it and I, you know, it's like Jesus is his first name and Christ is his what? Last name. But you know that's not the case. Christ is a title. Christ means is the Greek equivalent of Messiah.

In the Hebrew. So, every time you see Christ, think Messiah. So, every time you read Jesus Christ, you're reading Jesus the Messiah. So, everyone that believes and promotes and declares that Jesus Christ, the Messiah has come in the flesh is of God and everyone that doesn't, confess that Jesus, the Messiah, has come in the flesh is not of God. So, so just think of it that way when you read that.

The only way one can be saved is by believing and receiving Jesus Christ as risen Lord and savior. Romans ten nine, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, that is that Jesus is Lord. And shall believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. John three thirty six, he that believeth on the son hath everlasting life. He that believeth not the son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John five twenty four, verily I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life. That's of course Jesus speaking. John six forty and this is the will of him that sent me that everyone which seeth the son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day. John fourteen six, Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father but by what?

But by me. You cannot claim to know the father. And yet reject who? And yet reject the son. Now, I have a certain amount of respect for the Jewish community and for Israel as God's chosen people But at the same time, no matter how sincere and no matter how pious and no matter how religious they may be.

If they reject Jesus as their Messiah, they have condemned themselves. For he came for them as well as us. He came to save his people. From their sins. He came unto his own and his own received him not.

But to them that received him. To them who have received him, to them he has made to become the children of God even to them that believe on his name Those who do reject him, his deity his atoning sacrifice his resurrection from the dead are not our friends. In a spiritual sense but the enemies of Christ and the enemies of the gospel. If they are not with Christ, then they are by definition what? Against him.

You cannot be for God and against who? And against Christ. If you reject Christ, you've rejected God. You may try to worship him. You may try to please him.

Your way, but God is clear. Jesus is clear. I am the only way. I am the only way to the father. And furthermore, those that reject the son should be treated spiritually not as friends but as enemies of the gospel.

Avoided, rejected, and declared as such. Hold your place in Matthew. Turn back if you would to the book of second John. Now, that's right in front of the Book of Revelation. So, you go to Revelation, very last book, turn back a page in front of Revelation.

You'll see Jude turn back another page, and you'll come to second and third John. Very short, little letters just before the book of Revelation. Look and you would if in verses seven through 11. Seven through 11. In second John.

John writes this, for many deceivers are entered into the world. Who confess not that what? That Jesus the Messiah, Christ is come in the flesh, okay? There are many deceivers out there. Some of them are your fellow Jews.

Some of them are your fellow religious observers. Many deceivers in the world who confess not that Jesus, the Messiah, Christ has come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and a what? Antichrist. In opposition to Christ.

Look to yourselves that we lose not those things which we have wrought but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ or the doctrine of the what? The Messiah hath not who? Hath not God. Somebody comes to you and they say, well, Jesus is a good man.

Jesus is a teacher. Jesus is a prophet. But Jesus is not who? Jesus is not God. Then, they are not of God.

They do not speak for God. They do not know God because you cannot know God and reject God the son. His deity, his sacrifice, his resurrection that he is coming again. He goes on. Says in the latter half of verse nine, he that abideth the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the father and the son.

If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him godspeed. For he that biddeth him godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds. There are people that come and knock on my door. I saw two of em. Just missed them the other day.

You could see em coming down the street. White shirts, eyes, black pants. I'm sure they were probably Mormons and they turned down my street just as I drove out. They're nice people. Wouldn't mind having them as a neighbor.

But what they're teaching is not of who? It's not of God because they don't believe that the father, son, and the holy spirit are one God. The Jehovah's Witness similarly knock on, they knock on my door a lot and there are many others downtown. There's a big group Scientologists. They're not the friends of Christ.

They're not the friends of the gospel. They are the enemies of God because you're either with him or against him. You can't have it what? You can't have it both ways. He that believeth on him that is Jesus is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God.

That's the context in which we read this verse and that's what it means but now, turn if you would back to math to Mark chapter nine, okay? Mark chapter nine and we'll look at this context once again and see what this passage means. Does it conflict with Matthew 12? The answer to that is, well, of course not. God is not going to conflict with himself but let's look at why.

It does not conflict and what it what it does mean to us. So, look again if you would in Mark chapter nine and look in verse 40. Again, it says, for he that is not against us is on our part. The on our part means for us. So, he that is not against us is is for us.

Look back at verse 38. John answered him answering Jesus said, master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name and he followeth not us. Notice the us. Did you notice the us there? He then says, does not follow who?

You, he doesn't follow us, okay? So, just just make note of that. We saw one casting out devils in thy name and he falleth not us and we forbade him. In other words, we rebuked him and we told him to stop because he isn't part of our group. He's not following again the word us and then Jesus said, forbid him not for there is no man what shall do a miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me.

For he that is not against us is on our part. So, looking here at the context. John wanting to appear loyal to Christ. I think that's what's going on here. John wants to appear loyal to Christ.

He he reports to Jesus that he had seen another person casting out demons in Christ's name. Okay, that's important. This man is casting out demons in Christ's name. But he was not part of their inner circle. He wasn't part of the group of disciples that Jesus had chosen.

He wasn't traveling with Jesus. He wasn't being trained day in and day out as the disciples were but he was casting out demons in Christ's name and because he wasn't part of their group, John told him to stop You shouldn't be doing this. You're not one of what? You're not one of us. And so stop.

Now, I don't know who this man was. We really don't know much else about him. Could have been one of John the Baptist disciples. You see, John, the apostle, was at the beginning when we meet John. John is one of the students of John the Baptist.

When John the Baptist sees Jesus and says, behold the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, John, the son of Zebedee, one of John the Baptist students followed Jesus and became a disciple of Christ but not all of John the Baptist students left John to spend all of their time with Christ. Some of them stayed with with John the Baptist. In John chapter three, John was asked by the Pharisees. He at the beginning of Christ's ministry, the Pharisees came to John and said, do you see what Jesus is doing? Do you know what he's doing?

He's baptizing people just like you. What do you have to say about that? And John said, he must increase and I must what? And I must decrease. That's right John said, I am of Earth.

He is of heaven In order to be saved, you have to accept him not me But John kept baptizing people and preaching the message while Jesus was doing the same. So, I don't know if this man was one of John the Baptist disciples or or just some random person. But he wasn't part of John's inner circle. So, Jesus replied bluntly to John, do not forbid him. Why did you do that?

Don't don't make him stop. For those who were doing such things in Christ name, in Christ name, thus giving who the glory and credit? Giving Jesus the glory and credit. They're doing it in Jesus name. Who are they giving the credit to?

They're giving it to Jesus. They're claiming to be doing it in the name of Jesus. They're claiming to be following Jesus didn't say for sure that this man knew him or that this man was a true believer All they knew was that he was claiming to do miracles in the name of who? In the name of Christ. And he says, those who are doing such in Christ name, thus giving Jesus the credit would not soon turn on Christ and deny him.

Now, this man who is doing things in my name probably isn't going to soon turn on me and and deny me because he claims to what? Claims to know me. Probably, maybe he did. In a spiritual sin. Therefore, Jesus includes that those who are not against him are what?

For him. If they're not against me, if they haven't what? Rejected me, then they're what? Then they're for me. Now, this isn't a theological discussion on whether the man was truly saved or not.

We don't know that. But Jesus is saying to him, if the man is out there doing good things in my name, don't what? Don't stop him. Don't rebuke him. He doesn't seem to be doing himself or others any harm.

In in doing so, Christ did not contradict his earlier statement but actually strengthened and confirmed. You see, these these verses don't con conflict with each other. They actually compliment one another. If you're against me, in other words, if you've rejected me in Matthew 12, then you're not for me And you're not of me. In Mark chapter eight, if if you haven't rejected me, if you believe in me, you do things in my name, then, you generally speaking must be what?

Must be for me. Basically, the two verses are actually pretty much saying the what? The same thing. But when we first read it, it might come across a different way. The primary issue is not which group you belong or what title you go by but what you do with who?

What you do with Jesus That's what matters most That's what really matters There's a song in our hymn book, Don't Sing It. It's kind of an awkward hymn to sing but it's entitled What Will You Do with Jesus Neutral you cannot be Someday, your heart will be asking what will he do? What will you do with Jesus? That's that's the all important question and although Jesus did not invite these people or this man to join his inner group, he did ask his disciples to let them be for they were neither doing him or others harm Turn if you would to Philippians chapter one. Philippians chapter one.

Alright Philippians one. We got a couple more passages to look at before we conclude this morning. Philippians chapter one. And we're going to begin reading in verse 12. So, Philippians one verse 12, when Paul wrote the book of Philippians, does anybody know where he was?

Anybody? He was in prison under house arrest in Rome, okay? He was imprisoned in Rome awaiting time to be brought before Caesar to defend himself and his faith. So, that's where he is and when he writes the book of Philippians, the Philippians are concerned about him. He is suffering and they actually have sent him some every now and then, somebody and a couple of you have sent my son a box in the mail to college.

What do you call that? A care package, right? A care package and he appreciates that greatly. That's what the Philippians had done. They've been concerned about Paul.

They sent one of their man Epaphroditus from the church with a pair care package for Paul while he was at Rome in prison. A rather large undertaking in the time today if you want to send David a care package, you just throw it in a box and put it in the mail. They didn't do that. Epaphras actually had to travel the distance from Philippi to Rome in order to to give this care pack package to Paul. They were greatly concerned about his welfare and of which Paul was incredibly appreciative and he writes in verse 12, he says, but I would that you should understand brethren that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel.

Don't be so concerned. With my my well-being and this is not a lot. My imprisonment is not a a bad thing. My imprisonment has turned out to be in many ways a good thing. At least in the furtherance or the proclamation of the gospel.

He goes on verse 13 if you're with me. So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places and many of the brethren in the Lord waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife and some also of goodwill. The one preached Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds but the other of love knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel. What then?

Not withstanding every way whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached and I therein do rejoice and will rejoice. What is Paul saying here? Paul is saying this, he he Paul wrote similarly as Christ spoke of here in Mark nine, Paul writes in Philippians one of the preachers in Rome who were proclaiming the gospel. While Paul was in prison, there were others out there proclaiming the gospel. He did not know some of them nor did he endorse them.

But he was thankful. That Jesus was being proclaimed and people were being saved. Regardless of their personal motives. He said, some people are out there preaching the gospel because they want to see people saved. There may actually be some out there that are out there doing it because they want me to be in more trouble.

Evidently, somebody he had had news of that but he said, whether they're doing it for the right reasons or not, I don't know. They said, I do know this. The gospel is being proclaimed and for that, I am what? And for that, I am thankful. Sometimes, we are quick to judge others as John was here.

In Mark nine. We're quick to judge others, speak evil of them, or rebuke or oppose them because they're not part of our group. Or they don't minister under our banner or they don't keep to all our methods and so we're quick to judge them. And although I feel very strongly about Baptist doctrinal distinctives and believe that everyone should be a Baptist in faith if not in name. There are many other good Christians out there that guess what?

Aren't Baptist. They do not agree with all of our distinctives and yet they are doing the work of the Lord and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Is not my job nor was it John's to forbid them. Nor it is nor am I commanded to join them but I should be thankful that even should they not entirely agree with me or be part of my camp that the gospel is being preached and that be people are being saved. I am not their judge.

God is their judge. I will give an account for my ministry. They will give an account for theirs Turn if you would to Romans chapter 14. Romans 14 having you turn places this morning because we gotta read big chunks So, that takes a little bit more time. Can't put it up on the screen here as easily.

Romans 14 and verse four. Paul deals with this issue here as well. Romans 14 and verse four. He says in verse four, Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own master, he standeth or falleth.

Yey, he shall be holding up for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another, another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord, he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord, he does not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord for he give us thanks.

He that eateth not to the Lord, eateth, he eateth not and give us God thanks. For none of us live it to himself, no man dieth himself. We stop there for just a moment. There was an issue in the church. Seems like maybe possibly the issue here was some in the church thought they had to keep the Saturday Sabbath maybe or another specific feast of the Jews and another didn't think they had to keep the Saturday Sabbath and that that wasn't necessary.

Paul concludes that we're not to hold up one day above another. Every day as a Christian should belong to who? Every day should belong to the Lord. We should take time to spend time with him each day and we should take time at least each week, not more than a week to come together and exhort one another. Paul said, don't get stuck in the weeds one of my ancestors who wrote some of the hymns in our hymn book was a seventh day ba Now, he wasn't a seventh day Adventist.

There are other issues with that denomination in their teaching but he was a seventh day baptist. Guess which day of the week they gathered together to worship on? Saturday, rather than Sunday. Philip Bliss, who wrote several hymns in our hymn book, was a seventh day baptist. He also went to other churches and it wasn't a big issue with him but he went to a church that worshiped on Saturday.

Not such a terrible thing unless you think that you're going to get to heaven because you worship on what? On Saturday or you think that somebody else isn't going to make it because they worship on Sunday. See? Not all of the same camp exactly. Paul was dealing with that issue here I think was likely the issue was concerning the Sabbath and one group said, well, you can't be a Christian.

You worship, you don't keep the Sabbath. Others said, well, you're mixed up. You're confused. You're still keeping the Sabbath. So, Paul goes on.

He says in verse eight, for whether we live or whether whether we live, we live under the Lord, whether we die, we die under the Lord, whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end, Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living but why does thou judge thy brother? Why does thou set it not thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written as I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God so then everyone of us shall give account of himself to God.

You know, I don't give account for the church down the street or what they preach. I give an account for which church? This one and what I preach. And I will give an account to that before who? Before God someday and so will they.

Now, if they're out there telling people that Jesus is not God the son, the Messiah of the world, if they're preaching another gospel, then, I'm accountable to warn you about that. But if they are, but they're not of my stripe, I need to focus on what I'm accountable for. And not get caught up in stopping them. Some of you have know a man by the name of Billy Graham. Ever heard of Billy Graham?

Ever heard of Franklin Graham? Very popular circles today. Many souls have been saved as all of their ministry. I am not the biggest fan of Billy Graham or Franklin Graham but chances are you haven't heard me say that. I don't agree with all of the way they do their crusades but you know something?

I'm happy that the gospel is being preached and that people are being saved. I have Presbyterian friends. I don't know how in the world they come to some of the conclusions they do about the end times in eschatology. They don't believe the rapture is going to happen when I think it's going to happen. They're confused but some of them are good Christian people who love the Lord and are preaching the gospel.

Now, there's a lot of Presbyterian churches out there that aren't doing that. By the way, there are few baptist too. But it isn't my job to stop them. Those that are, my friends, it's my job to preach and teach what I'm supposed to be teaching. I will give an account and and they will get account.

They're not against my savior or his gospel. Therefore, and in that souls are being saved and the gospel is being preached, I am thankful even if they think they're not going up in the rapture when they are. Instead of speaking evil of them, we should speak well of them, love, and pray for them. Rejoice in that Jesus is being proclaimed and souls are being saved. And Jesus concludes in Mark nine with verse 41 and I am almost done.

He concludes with this verse in Mark nine verse 41. By saying this, for whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. While they were arguing over who should and shouldn't be casting out demons, Christ concludes with this argument. Simply stating that anyone who assists you, my disciples in your ministry for me, by giving you such, so much as a drink of water, he will be rewarded by the God you serve. We get caught up in the big grandiose exhibitions of faith and service, wanting to impress God and others.

But God is only interested in faith, obedience, and love. For some, the work of the ministry is just in providing a cup of water to one serving the Lord Though it may be misunderstood by some or unnoticed by others, God sees and knows and he will respond accordingly John was a little bit confused Jesus set him straight. Furthermore, Jesus said, even one person who gives you a drink of water when you're thirsty in my service, I will remember them. Also, maybe we should be a little less quick to judge and a little quicker to do our part. Thank the Lord for those who are doing theirs.

Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, we thank you Lord for your word. We thank you for clear message that we find therein when we take the time to to look at it, study it. We thank you for the Holy Spirit that you've given us that convicted us of our sin and and showed us of a savior. We thank you for your word, the sword of the spirit that you use to give us faith and to bring us to yourself.

We pray Lord for those out there that are deceived, those that are ignorant, who don't know you, who are listening to the wrong voices. We pray that they might come to know you. We pray it particularly for our friends, our neighbors, our family, members that need Jesus. We pray that you would help us to be the testimony that we should be. They might come to know you as the Lord and savior of their life.

And I pray Lord that we would focus Lord on our ministry and on the things we ought to be doing for the Lord and savior. Not get caught up sometimes in the weeds like we do about what others are doing. Lord, help us to do what we know to be right. Help us to be thankful. For the souls that are saved and for the gospel that is preached.

Help us Lord to be discerning and not welcome those that are preaching another gospel. Lord, I pray if there be one here today that's never trusted Christ as savior. That's the one most important thing of all. And I pray this day that they might do that before they leave this place. In Jesus name, we pray.

Amen. If you take your