Dear Christian friends:

We know that there are many different Christian groups in the world: Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Baptists, Episcopalians and others. Some people tell me, "I am confused about the many different churches. Why so many different ones? Which one is the true teaching?

If I am Lutheran, how should I feel about Catholics or Methodists or Baptists? Should I pray for Bill Graham and support his work with my money? Billy Graham is not Lutheran.

We are Lutherans of Missouri Synod. There are many other Lutheran groups: A.L.C., T.L.C.A., Wisconsin Synod and other Lutheran groups in Europe and Australia. How should we fee about Rev. Burate and the Bread of Life Church? They are A.L.C. and we are Missouri Synod Lutheran.

Here in our text Jesus Himself gives us some good advice about how we should feel and act to other Christian groups. So let us attend to our text and consider:


Our relationships to other Christian groups have not always been good. Often we feel like John felt. John came to Jesus and said, "Teacher, we saw a man drive out devils in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he hasn't been with us." (verse 38)

John was proud and prejudiced. He thought that only His Christian group had the right and duty to preach in the name of Jesus. When he saw another man preaching in Jesus' name and doing good works in His name, he was displeased and bothered and tried to stop him. He was jealous of him because maybe the other man was more successful than he was.

Is that true of us Christians today? Even here in our own church we are often proud and jealous of one another. When we are proud and jealous then we refuse to cooperate and help one another and pray for one another. Then Jesus' work is bothered.

Pride and jealousy has caused many separations in Jesus' Church and hindered His Kingdom's growth. If you study Church history you will see that is true. Yes, they gave other reasons for separating and accused one another of teaching false things, but often they lied about the real reason which was pride and jealousy.

Sometimes one teacher would begin to teach false things and when someone showed him his mistake, he was too proud to confess it and so he stayed with his mistake and started another separate church.

Why didn't Pope Leo and the Catholic Bishops listen to Martin Luther? Pride and greed and jealousy. Today 450 years later many Catholic theologians agree that Martin Luther was right.

Look at us here in Mpls. and St. Paul. We have two churches for the deaf. Do we pray for Bread of Life Church success? Are we glad if they grow and get new members? Or are we displeased when they are successful? Sometimes, I catch myself getting jealous of another pastor or church.

We all need to confess our terrible pride and jealousy. That is the work of the devil in us. That is not the work of the Holy Spirit. That is why Paul writes in Ephesians 4:1-6, "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

Jesus shows us here how we ought to feel about other Christian groups. About the man John tried to stop Jesus said, "Don't try to stop him. Anyone who does a miracle in My name cannot later speak evil of Me. Anyone who isn't against us is for us."

Another Christian group may not agree with us perfectly in every teaching, but still we can pray for them and their work. If they are Christian. If they believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Savior for sinners because of His death and resurrection, then they are Christian and do God's work. Surely Billy Graham believes that and teaches that. I don't know what he believes about Baptism and the Lord's Supper and some other doctrine. The chief doctrine he preaches very well.

True some Christian Churches are becoming more and more liberal and no longer believe the Trinity, and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Savior. For these we do not pray for their success. We still pray that they will return to the true Christian teachings.

And where a church group has the chief teaching correct, we try to visit with them and discuss God's Word with them to help them see the truth better.

Priscilla and Aquila in the Bible did that for Apollos. That today is called dialogue. You read in the paper how more and more churches are having dialogue with each other to discuss their different teaching and to search God's Word. Even Lutherans are meeting with Catholics. This we ought to do.

Here in our text Jesus also shows that we should not think that one group is better than another. Or that pastors are better than other people. (verse 41) Those who serve the pastors will receive a pastor's reward.

Helpers are just as important as the helped. In heaven Gus Youngdale, our janitor, will receive the same reward as a pastor.

All of must be humble under our Lord Jesus Christ and see not our own glory, but His. Then we will know how to feel about other Christian groups and how to act toward them.

Amen.