2月25日
标 题： 不要禁止他！
经 节： 约翰对耶稣说：“夫子，我们看见一个人奉你的名赶鬼，我们就禁止他，因为他不跟从我们。”（马可福音九章38节）
乍看之下，门徒致力维护耶稣事工的正统性，是值得赞赏的。他们发现有人不属于自己一伙的，也奉主名赶鬼，就禁止他。然而，耶稣看透门徒假冒为善的真面目。那些门徒也被赐予赶鬼的能力（马太福音十：8），但是他们却失败了（马可福音九：28）。门徒在公众面前无法赶出那害癫痫病孩子身上的鬼，一定觉得很丢脸。现在居然有人奉耶稣的名驱逐恶鬼，不但如此，这人根本不像他们一样常常与耶稣在一起。他们原本应当关切自己为何缺乏属灵的能力与生命力，他们应要为耶稣斥责他们小信而扎心自责（马太福音十七：20）。然而，他们反倒是盯着别人看。他们不但不为自己的罪悔改，为自己灵性无力悲伤，反而想阻碍那些享受属灵成功果实的人。有时候，小看他人属灵的胜利，比诚实地正视自己的失败，要来得容易。耶稣的反应一定令门徒很吃惊，祂说：“不要禁止他！”（马可福音九：39）祂肯定地告诉他们：“不敌挡我们的，就是帮助我们的。”（40节）你是否学了这极重要的功课？你是否衷心地为他人的属灵胜利而欢欣？对于那些以不同方式事奉主、或在其他基督教机构服事的弟兄姊妹，你是否予以鼓励？
Do
Not Forbid Him!
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.” (Mark 9:38)
At first glance, it appears a noble thing
that Jesus’ disciples kept such careful guard over the orthodoxy of Jesus’
ministry. They found someone casting out demons in Jesus’ name who was not a
part of their group and not under their control, and they demanded that he
stop. Yet Jesus saw through His disciples’ hypocrisy. The disciples themselves
had been given the power to drive out demons as well (Matt. 10:8), yet they had
failed miserably (Mark 9:28).
How it must have embarrassed the disciples
to have publicly failed to cast out a demon from a young boy. Yet, here was
someone successfully exorcising demons who was not even regularly with Jesus as
they were. They should have been concerned with their own lack of spiritual
power and vitality. They should have felt convicted by their Lord’s stinging
rebuke at their lack of faith (Matt. 17:20). Instead, they focused on others.
Rather than repenting of their sin and grieving over their spiritual impotence,
the disciples attempted to hinder someone who was enjoying spiritual success.
At times, it is easier to diminish others’
spiritual victories than to honestly confront our own failures. Jesus’ response
to His disciples must have surprised them as He said, “Do not forbid him” (Mark
9:39). He assured them that “he who is not against us is on our side” (v. 40).
Have you learned this vital lesson? Are you able to genuinely rejoice in the
spiritual victories of others? Are you encouraging those who serve the Lord in
a different way or who belong to a different group than you do?
