A Cup of Cold Water

Mark 9:38‑41

A Cup of Cold Water

“Teacher,” said John, “we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

“Do not stop him,” Jesus said.  “No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us.  I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.”

am reading this passage with new insight in recent days.  Jesus, approaching the cross, discovers His disciples arguing over which of them was greatest.  It is not so very different with disciples today.  We take pride in the gifted men God gives us, pride in the facilities God has provided us, pride in the warmth of fellowship we enjoy, pride in all except that which is eternal.  Ever so pointedly, though with exceptional gentleness, the Master rebuked His own through instruction.

Perhaps you will remember the words of verses 36 and 37.  In those verses we hear Jesus saying, Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.  We heard those very words again last Sunday as we witnessed Courtney and Jennifer Buhler dedicate their little Joshua.  Jesus’ words spoke elicited a response from John, perhaps the most astute of the disciples and perhaps the clearest thinker among them.  His words in verse 38 constitute not a boast, but a shamefaced admission of failure.  If that is not clear, contrast them again with the preceding words of Jesus.  John realized he had failed.  In a similar way, we also fail.  Let's study these verses to discover something of how we may honour Christ, building His Kingdom, refreshing the saints and acting with righteousness.

The Pettiness of the Saved [v. 38] — Teacher, we saw a man driving out demons.  Notice the exactness of John’s words.  He speaks of the method observed in another.  It would seem that not all Jesus' followers in that day were closely or intimately allied with Him.  At least this one man was apparently not known to the twelve, or at least he was not readily recognized by them. 

The man John saw did, however, grasp one essential truth: the Name of Jesus was associated with power to set men free.  This was what the Master had said in His first sermon [Luke 4:16‑21].  [Jesus] went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom.  And he stood up to read.  The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him.  Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,

because he has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recovery of sight for the blind,

to release the oppressed,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

There is not some magical quality to the Name of the Lord as some perhaps suppose.  Rather, it is the One behind the Name which lends that Name power.  Faith in the Son of God appropriates that divine power.  Do not suppose you may witness the power of Christ without faith in Him.  Perhaps you remember the promise of the Saviour given just before His passion.  I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.  You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it [John 14:12-14].  These words of the Master should cause us to tremble, not because of the potential for His power to be revealed, but because we so often fail to employ the power in His Name.

Knowing that the Name of Jesus was associated with power to set men free, this unnamed man was seemingly moved with compassion to free demonics.  He dared to rebuke the powers of the wicked one that those held in bondage might be freed.

John spoke of the method, which had not agreed with any of the disciples, and he also spoke of the message when he observed that this unnamed man was conducting his ministry in Your Name.  There is a false message which sounds right, but that message is tantamount to death.  Others in the Word attempted to appropriate the power by appropriating the message.  Perhaps you recall the incident recorded in Acts 19:13-16 when seven sons of a man named Sceva, reputed to be Jewish exorcists, attempted to appropriate the Name of Jesus.  The incident is so humorous that it practically begs reading again.

Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out…”   One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”  Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all.  He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding [Acts 19:13‑16].

There seems to have been a decided difference in these two cases.  The exorcists were not seeking to honour Jesus and they thus declared a false message.  Their message sounded orthodox, but it lacked power because it failed to honour the Lord.  The man John spoke of, and whom the disciples had rebuked, had faith in Jesus.  His message was thus dependent upon the power of Jesus.  The message was orthodox, though his methods were less than orthodox.  Because the source of his message was the Son of God that message was powerful.

Let me remind you of an essential truth: God Blesses Faith, Not Orthodoxy.  Dear people, you may be a straight as a gun barrel theologically … and just as empty.  You should not construe this as a plea to become lax in adherence to or pursuit of the truth, but this is meant rather to serve as a caution to remember that God is pleased with men and women of faith.  Determine to walk in faith and in orthodoxy, knowing that utter dependence upon God is of primary importance.

Then, John shamefacedly admitted the motive which had prompted him and the other disciples to attempt to hinder the man with a ministry which differed from theirs.  They rebuked him because he was not one of us.  Isn't that so very much like us?  Convinced that we alone are correct we are suspicious of anyone who fails either to unite with us or to submit to our wise leadership.  They fail to meet our tests of orthodoxy and we refuse to acknowledge them.

I admit I am Baptist.  On hospital admission forms I list my blood type as Baptist positive.  Someone has said, I'm Baptist born, and I'm Baptist bred; and when I die, I'll be Baptist dead.  But I was not saved because I am a Baptist, nor am I recipient of God's grace because I am Baptist.  I am saved by God's grace through faith in the Risen Son of God.  Further, I neither merited God's grace nor have I done anything which would cause God to favor me.  Brothers, check your motives when you inspect the methods and the message of others who are not part of our party.  Ensure that you are submitted to the True and Living God, Jesus Christ.

The Position of the Saviour [vv. 39, 40] — Do not stop him, said the Master.  He then gives two reasons for His rebuke.  First, no one who does a miracle in [the Name of Christ] can in the next moment say anything bad about [Him].  The one relying upon and openly acknowledging the power of Christ for that which he is doing, must acknowledge Christ.  To minister in the Name of Christ an individual must acknowledge Him as the source of his ministry.

The second reason our Lord gave for His rebuke to those disciples is found in verse 40: whoever is not against us is for us.  The teaching can be found in a different form in Matthew 12:30.  He who is not with me is against me.  Read these two sayings of the Living Jesus and you will be struck with the absolute position He imposes—there is no middle ground.  Either we are associated with Christ, or we are opposed to Christ.

Recall those awesome words which probe our hearts and serve to warn us.  No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and Money [Matthew 6:24].  Note this further warning which the Saviour also issued.  Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?”  Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers” [Matthew 7:21- 23]!

We should not be foolish to accept that everyone who claims kinship in the Faith is of the Faith, but neither should we attack everyone who fails to act as we act.  Styles of worship can vary so long as the Lord God is worshipped.  Let us be people of discernment.

The Practise of the Saints [v. 41] — Here is the heart of the message found in these words of Jesus.  I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.  Our Lord mentions an act which is small.  It is insignificant … easily forgotten.  Do you remember who last gave you a drink of cool water?  Do you remember who last refreshed you through some insignificant act of thoughtfulness?  We pass over such commonplace acts.  They are not long remembered.

May I encourage you, if you are one who refreshes others.  Jesus knows what you have done. The unseen God watches and sees and takes note of the smallest act of love performed in His Name.  Should that surprise us?  One of the most beautiful and richly meaningful passages of the Old Testament occurs in the last book of that ancient document.  Those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard.  A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honoured his name [Malachi 3:16].

Think of that!  God, the Living God, Creator of Heaven and earth, bends down to catch the faintest whisper of His child’s words.  Isn't that precious!  God hears you and takes note when you have honoured Him.  Your acts of compassion did not pass unnoticed in the precincts of Heaven.  Isn’t that rich encouragement for weary saints?

Frankly, it is not the great acts which refresh us most, though we think them to be most significant at the time.  It is those little acts of love which constantly refresh the weary saint.  Some someone stood courageously against an onslaught of evil.  Their victory, gained through valiant refusal to quit, encouraged me.  Some someone spoke a word of thanks, just when I had determined I could not continue.  That word of thanks gave me strength to work another day.  Some someone gently reminded me of a forgotten responsibility.  That word of thoughtful rebuke placed my feet back on the path from which I had strayed.  Some someone gave me a pat on the back—a loving hug.  They could not have known how I hurt, but that thoughtful, gentle embrace lifted my heart and reminded me that I was loved.  Because of that small gesture, I was refreshed and enabled to return to the task which God had assigned to me.  Life's sweetest moment's are discovered in the thoughtful little words and gestures.

Jesus illustrated the act with the insignificant, for nothing is ever truly insignificant, and especially is this true when we consider the motive: I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ…  There it is!  Because you belong to Christ!  Especially when we refresh the saints do we honour the Lord who sent them.  Especially when we refresh the saints do we honour the Lord who reigns over both the giver and the receiver.  There is a truth here which I have often mentioned and which must be noted again: God blesses motives.  Were we to purify our motives godly actions would follow.  We imagine that we please God through correct actions, forgetting that actions divorced from motives are meaningless.  Yet, motives … attitudes … which are correct will direct our actions in due time.  Grasp that truth.

There is a last matter which I would have you notice from the Words of the Master, and that is the recognition.  The act seems perhaps insignificant to the most of mankind, but the motive is pure even though it seems hidden from man.  The Master rewards His people not because of the greatness of the act, nor even in commendation of the motive which prompted the act, rather He rewards on the basis of grace.

We are brought into vital union with Him by grace; we are kept by grace.  All we enjoy is due to His grace.  On another occasion, Jesus said, He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.  Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet receives a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward.  And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward [Matthew 10:40‑42].  That's God!  That's grace!

The application, then, is simple.  Let us determine to practise refreshing one another.  The means may be small, but let us determine to trust our Master, knowing that He takes notice.  Let us determine to give thanks to God for those who refresh us.  But let us likewise remember to let those who have refreshed us be refreshed through our own thanksgiving.  Amen.