Belonging to Christ = Belonging to His People Mark 9:38 (Episode #176)

Belonging to Christ = Belonging to His People Mark 9:38 (Episode #176)
Like many good passages, this one starts with a COMPLAINT:  Hey! these guys don't belong to US! Which of course isn't the point.  The big point is whether they belong to JESUS.  They are tribal, short-sighted and petty.

At the end, Jesus says that eventually, you may actually NEED these guys.  The Christian walk is going to be full of NEEDS, and you are going to have them.  Christians are almost always a bit over their heads.  Christians are at their best when they are a bit over their heads.  A marker of Christian fellowship is one believer meeting the needs of another.  Needs that he himself could not provide.  

Belonging to Christ = Belonging to the people of Christ.  And serving them. And receiving from them.  And celebrating them.  And helping them.  And opening your eyes enough to see that the most important thing is not whether they are exactly following YOU but whether they are following ME (Jesus).  Remember, these are the guys who may be giving you water and providing your needs someday. Listen please.