Luke 9:49-50 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in your name; and we forbade him, because he follows not with us.… This, one of the shortest of the recorded conversations of Jesus, contains but a single remark made in response to a single statement of the disciples. I. JESUS WAS HERE DEALING WITH THAT HARDEST CONDITION IN WHICH WRONG AND RIGHT ARE MIXED TOGETHER. There was good in the jealousy of the disciples for Jesus, even though it misled them. There was evil in the narrowness into which it led them. There were four people involved: 1. The man out of whom the devil was being cast. To him the interference of the disciples must have seemed a cruel thing. 2. The man who was casting out the evil spirit. We can understand his bewilderment. Shall I refrain from doing this thing which it is so evident that I have power to do? 3. The disciples. No doubt they were men who rejoiced to see any good work done in the world, and yet they bade this man to cease the work he was doing. 4. Behind all, Jesus Himself, looking upon the whole transaction, and declaring at once, without any hesitation, "forbid him not." II. IS THIS A STORY OF THE CENTURIES AGO, OR IS IT NOT THE STORY OF WHAT IS ALWAYS TAKING PLACE? Wherever Christian men, in very virtue of their loyalty to Christ, incline to limit the operations of His power in the world, there are these four. III. EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD MUST BE PLACED EITHER UPON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER SIDE. Everything that is making the world better is on the side of Christ. Everything that is degrading humanity is against Christ. How clear this principle is! How Jesus is always pointing us to the great test of results. IV. THIS TEST APPLIED — 1. To our personal lives. 2. To our fellowship with Churches around us. There is only one way in which we shall enter into such sympathy with Jesus that we can have His large spirit, and that is by catching that which was in His mind, His soul, the intense value He set upon the end. He rejoices so in the driving out of the devil that any one who would drive out the devil should have His commendation and His praise, His permission to do it, and His thanksgiving that it had been done. (Phillips Brooks, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. |
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