Charles Spurgeon Commentary Mark 9:38

"John said unto him, Teacher, we saw one casting out demons in thy name; and we forbade him, because he followed not us." — Mark 9:38 (ASV)

And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in your name, and he follows not us: and we forbade him, because he follows not us.

He did it, I dare say, in love to his Master; but not in the love of his Master. He did it, no doubt, with the desire to honour his Master, but he did not honour his Master by what he did.

And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.

John in this case was like a good many people today.

You notice it. They could not cast out the devils themselves, and when they found someone else who did, they forbade him to do it because he did not follow with them.

I have known learned, eloquent, respectable ministers who cannot save sinners. And they hear that certain poor, illiterate, uneducated men have snatched sinners like brands from the burning, and they forbid them to do what they cannot do themselves.

It is insanity to stop any man from doing what God enables him to do; and we should be the very last to forbid others from doing it.