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For Him or Against Him 
Mark 9:38-41 
Main issues of this scripture

1. Either you are with Jesus or Satan

• Mark9:38 Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.”
• The issue here with the disciples, is as the ministry of Jesus is growing, it becomes apparent that those around are using the name of Christ to fight demons and and further the cause of Christ
• The issue that these disciples have is…they aren’t in our group! They aren’t with us!
• Jesus responds to them and says Mark 9:39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is on our side

• Jesus, to his disciples makes clear- If they aren’t speaking evil of me, and they are taking down the kingdom of Satan, they are on our side
• This is an important distinction within Christianity- The Bible speaks very clearly that the followers of Christ are those who are in Christ. What you call them is irrelevant, what you are DOING is what’s important
• 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
• That’s who the people of God are! We are called to do the work of Jesus Christ and identify with HIM not with anything else
• And we have to allow other people who are IN Christ to do the ministry that they are doing as it is glorifying Christ
• Let me give you an example- Seventh Day Adventist- They’ve got some doctrine I don’t agree with 100%. Most of them are vegetarian. They feel convicted to worship on Saturday instead of Sunday. They wash each others feet on Saturdays. but they are all about salvation 100% in Jesus Christ alone. Bible only.
• Do your thing!

• The heart issue more than anything to Jesus and the word is, if you are on Jesus side then do your thing-
• Matt 12:22-30 Lays it out clearly- Satan can’t drive out satan, only Jesus can do that. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. Its either Jesus or its Satan, no middle ground.
• This is a strong distinction within Christianity- There is no Third option.
• What does it mean to you?
• You must live with an understanding that Christianity takes many forms and expressions. In a moment we will make it much clearer, but you must start with a heart that says “Hey man, if they are doing it for Jesus, then good, I’ll let God sort it out”

• You must decide who’s team you’re on
• Are you on Team Jesus or are you on Team Satan?
• Team Satan is very easy to spot- Its selfish, its flesh satisfying, its antibiblical and antichrist
• Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
• The other option is Gal 5: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
• Be on team Jesus!

• Squash identity politics within the Body of Christ
• Either you are a Christian, or you are not a Christian
• You’re not a American Christian, A (Insert race here) Christian, You’re not a Christian biker, veteran, athlete, business owner, Pastor, FVCer, Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Gay, Straight, LMNOP, Whatever.
• 1 cor 1:10-17 READ
• You are either a Christian, or you are NOT.
• Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch
• Now understand this

1. There are enemies of Christ

• 39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is on our side.
• You’ll notice that Jesus does say that there are some who are “against us”
• There are people who are against Christianity and Jesus. There are people who are not friends of Jesus who want to see us destroyed
• It was that way back then, and its that way now
• The enlightenment of the 1700s was a time in which people thought they were no longer in need of a religious perspective to explain the world. Through the power of their own reason and minds , people believed that they could understand and explain the world better than religion.
• This continues today. People today have attempted to jettison every aspect of God from the public square. They don’t want God in schools, politics, marriages, law, medicine or anywhere else
• The Bible times wanted to squash Jesus because they didn’t want him to destroy their religious systems that they had created.

• Who are these Enemies of Christ?
• One- People who deny that Jesus was the messiah– the Savior of Humanity
• 1 John 2: 22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
• The sad part is that there are people who claim to be Christians that don’t believe in the supremacy of Christ
• If a person doesn’t believe that Jesus is the messiah, they are his enemy.
• People who are not Christians are God’s enemy.
• YOU were Christs enemy before you got saved, don’t get saved now and pretend that the people that haven’t received Christ in some way get a pass- you didn’t!
  Romans 5:10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

• Two- People who preach a different Gospel
• The gospel is this: 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
• I don’t know how John 3:16 became the bumpersticker- but its THIS. Overcoming SIN
• READ Galatians 1:6-9 Galatians 1:9As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
• Pay close attention to listening to preachers and people who don’t have a realization of their sin and their need for a savior- that’s the gospel! Jesus Christ came to save sinners!
• Its not to fill a god sized hole, its not accepting god, its not about happiness. The good news is Jesus Christ came to save sinners!

• Three: People who cause divisions
• Christian people who are not walking in Unity among the brethren are a tool of Satan and destructors of his church
• Romans 16:17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them
• We must constantly be checking our own hearts and asking if we’re causing division
• I can end up becoming a tool of Satan if I don’t watch it.
• Four : People who set their minds on earthly things
• Phil 3: 17-20 READ
• People who are Christians are not to be concerned with the things of this world
• Yes we live in this world, but this world is not our home
• We always look at things from an eternal perspective not a temporary one.
• When we lose sight of this-we fall into sin- we lose sight of who we are and where we are going
• We have to have a mindset of pleasing Christ and not ourselves. Putting him first. Putting his word above our own desires. Above our own reputations. Our own plans!

• Five: People who celebrate Sin
• This has infiltrated the church. There are churches now that celebrate sin and rejoice in peoples sins
• I was born into sin and constantly fight the desires of my flesh. I do not expect Christianity to adjust 2000 years of Church history to fit into my sinful desires
• 1 Corinthians 5:1 -5
• The problem with the Corinthian church is that there was sexual sin within the church and they were OK with it! OK WITH IT
• We as the Church of Christ cannot ever celebrate sin and rejoice in its presence
• 1 Timothy 5:20 Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.
• Deal with it privately and God wont deal with it publicly

• Six: False teachers
• There are false teachers that have infiltrated CHrists church. Just because someone is on TV, has a website, or wrote a book and they call themselves a preacher doesn’t mean they are the false teachers that the Bible talks about. Be weary of them!
• 2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
• This is how you walk out this scripture: Jeremiah 23:16 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.m They make you worthless; They speak a vision of their own heart, Not from the mouth of the Lord.
• Jesus spoke that people would be deceived by them- DON’T BE
• Matt 24:24 23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

1. Stay with Christ and you wont lose your reward

41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.
We don’t talk enough about rewards of the Christian life. There are rewards in this life and the life to come if you are living for Jesus Christ. 
Colossians 3:23-24 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
Christ is watching! He knows who is doing what and how it will come out. 
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.