In The Word
Read: Acts 15:35-16:5
35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the word of the Lord.
Second Missionary Journey
36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”37 Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. 38 But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
The Macedonian Vision
16 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, 2 and he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering the decrees which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe. 5 So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Have you ever made a bad decision that came back to haunt you? Ever felt as though others were not willing to let it go? Ever had your help declined because of a past failure? Then you know exactly the way Mark felt as he watched two pillars of the faith fight over his inclusion on their next missionary journey. Two close friends decided to part ways because of the steadfastness of one refused to give a quitter a second chance (Acts 13:13). Who knows? If Barnabas would have heeded the words of Paul and given up on Mark, would we have three gospels instead of four?
It is so easy to give up on someone who has let you down, to just ignore them so that they don’t get the opportunity again to leave you in a predicament. But do we really help the individual by not explaining to them the error of their ways? If you are a leader, it’s important that you explain to this person how they must follow through with their commitments. You must also give them another chance to redeem themselves; we all deserve as much. In this situation, with Paul and Barnabas, it worked out because Paul was able to find Timothy to join with him and Silas, while Barnabas and Mark had success of their own. The split lead to two teams of missionaries instead of one! Mark’s success would also turn Paul’s attitude towards him around, as we read in 2 Timothy 4:11 about Paul’s request for Mark in his darkest hours. So the next time you let someone down, or someone lets you down, show some mercy, use it as a learning experience, and move on. Who knows? That person could end up another Mark!