John answered, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us." But Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him; for whoever is not against you is for you." (Luke 9:49-50)
What is going on here? Did the disciples look down on non-itinerant disciples (those that have left their homes to follow Jesus)? Did they believe they merited some kind of apostolic privilege? Somehow in the minds of the disciples, the unknown exorcist did not deserve the authority to be casting out demons.
Do we practice the politics of exclusion in the church? We most obviously do.
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