From Our Pastor's Desk
Acts 15:36-41 - After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.”
37 Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark.
38 But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work.
39 Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus.
40 Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s gracious care.
41 Then he traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches there.
When did this happen? When did Mark abandon them? For that answer we go back to Acts 13:13, “Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphyl-ia. And John (Mark) left them and returned to Jerusalem.”
Why Mark left, we were not told. Over ten years after Paul and Barnabas had a fight over Mark, Paul writes to his own disciple Timothy: “Only Luke is here with me. Get Mark, and bring him with you because he is profitable to me in my ministry.” - 2nd Timothy 4:11
Though it took Mark some time to get to being profitable to Paul in ministry, but he got there, blooming later in life. Some of us are like him, and we should not give up.
The Lord give us the tenacity to rise up after we may have fallen, in Jesus Name. You will have good success this 2023.
Remain blessed.
Shalom.
No comments:
Post a Comment