MAY 1 - Kingdom Mindset

This month we’re focusing on God’s Kingdom. How can we tap into what God needs us to do? How can we establish God’s Kingdom here on Earth?

38 “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.”

39 “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, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 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.

Mark 9:38-41 NIV

Here’s one thing we have to know about Jesus:

His objective in interactions like the one in the verse above is to:

  1. Bring unity to God’s Kingdom

  2. Teach us how the Kingdom of God works

  3. Highlight a benefit to God’s Kingdom we seldom talk about

Understand that Jesus is inclusive! Not inclusive in the way the world wants, inclusive to those connected to the will of his kingdom.

But Jesus knows - THIS IS NOT A COMPETITION.

He wants us to know that OTHER PEOPLE, in other churches can also be used by God. Not just the people in our church.

“For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me”

Understand this, take it in. It is extremely unlikely that someone who is misusing God’s name, maybe even blaspheming it, can be used by God. It just doesn’t work.

He’s teaching us a rule of his Kingdom and letting us know, we need to heal from this competition mindset in churches. We should celebrate other churches, because one church winning = God’s kingdom winning.

whoever is not against us is for us.

The Disciples thought they had done a good thing, they wanted to feel elite, close to Jesus. But that’s not Kingdom, Kingdom is every man, woman, child, taking in the gospel of Jesus and experiencing the living truth of his plans for us here on Earth and then in Heaven.