“The Deitization of the Brand”

Mark 9: 38: “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your Name, and we tried to hinder him, because he was not following us.” You can now wear clothing with the brand name of a car manufacturer or a cigarette company, while dining in a café called by the name of a pair of sunglasses or a comic franchise. The focus has shifted from substance, which has true value and identity, to brand name, which is easy to knock off. But Jesus says, “Forget about who’s doing it, what’s getting done? If they’re doing our work they’re on our side, no matter what (fancy) name they carry.” We must focus on actual performance, not image. A name can be bought and sold, but you can’t fake output and performance.