In the Gospel of Mark 9: 38-40, we read about a man performing exorcisms in Jesus’s name, but he’s not one of Jesus’s regular traveling companions known as the Disciples, who will later become Apostles. The inner circle, their group. The Apostle John tries to stop the man because he is not one of the insiders, the group. The Disciples often end up on the hard end of Jesus’ teachings, even looking a little foolish to those of us raised on the story, the Gospel.

In a way, they remind me of the short old films turned into the early T.V. series called Our Gang, renamed The Little Rascals. Like the Rascals, the Disciples have good hearts, mean well, have a lot of adventures, and are trying to figure out life with Jesus. They become a tight-knit group and find themselves in competition to be the leader, the first in the group. I hesitate to go much further with the comparison lest I put the disciples in too bad a light.

Our Gang, the Disciples. The disciples are very loyal and very much on a steep learning curve. Their mistakes are often the teaching tool for all future followers of Jesus Christ. As in Mark’s Gospel story, when John tries to stop someone not in their Gang from working against evil, he is reminded in no uncertain terms not to get in the way of what God is doing and with whom He is working. In the end, Jesus says: “Whoever is not against us is for us.” And to those who offer a cup of water to drink to those who bear his name will not lose the reward.

As in those days of Jesus’s earthly ministry, these are difficult and confusing times. Sometimes I feel more like a Little Rascal than a seasoned disciple. A man trying hard to follow Jesus and not get in the way or stumble. I think we are all trying our best to follow Him and his ever-expanding faith in our world. When I read this text, I hear Jesus saying don’t get in the way of what I’m doing and always offer the cup of water-life found in Christ — to all who work for him and seek him.

May the Grace and Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Pastor Rick