Wednesday, May 13, 2015

In our last visit I mentioned how Paul turned down Mark as a team member because he deserted Paul and Barnabas on their first mission trip. Acts 13:13 says, “Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.” We can only speculate why Mark left and returned to Jerusalem. Likely, the going got tough, and maybe he got homesick. Whatever the reason, Paul thought it unwise to take a deserter on a second mission trip. Barnabas, however, saw potential in Mark and took him to Cyprus to mentor him. Later Mark became a helper for the Apostle Peter and later wrote the gospel of Mark. Paul belatedly saw the value of Mark and commended him to the church of Colossae. The classic statement about how the relationship between Paul and Mark changed is found in 2nd Timothy 4:11, where Paul tells Timothy to come quickly to him in Rome where he’s in prison, and “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” This is a beautiful picture of how Christians should relate to and work with each other. Paul was facing martyrdom, and wanted to be ministered to by this one whom he’d disqualified for being a part of his team. He also knew that now he was qualified to participate in carrying the torch of truth along with others and in some degree take Paul’s place on the front lines. He wanted to affirm and encourage him. It takes a big man to acknowledge he didn’t see the potential in Mark years earlier, and it takes grace for Mark to humbly respond to this request of Paul. This is how Christians should relate to and work with each other.