Lessons From Acts – Lesson 20
The Bible is designed of course by God, and it is clear for many reasons that the Bible was designed to be read over and over again throughout your Christian life.
And there are many reasons for this. The Bible compares itself to food. Milk and bread for example.
1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
As a newborn consumes milk it grows, as a Christian reads the bible he grows spiritually. He grows in his faith and in his knowledge of God and God’s ways. And after he grows for a while he is to be able to not only handle the milk but more advanced food.
Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Here a deeper understanding of God’s word is likened to strong meat. Just like it is normal for a newborn who gets milk to grow, it is the natural normal thing when a newborn Christian feeds on the Word of God and grows. Just like the baby grows up to eat stronger food that needs chewed, a baby Christian is to grow up to be able to handle properly deeper truths that are in the Word of God.
And sometimes there are things in the Word of God important lessons that are not all in one place. You get a piece here and another piece in a different chapter or book of the Bible.
Things like this you don’t pick up on the first time you read thru the Bible. The next time you read it you will remember a piece of it and you will start to connect the dots. After you have read thru the Bible a half dozen times you really start to go O’.
This is amazing. Your appreciation of the bible and its unity and the way information is so condensed and how this book that is small enough for me to carry actually has enough information and teaching in it to keep me occupied for a lifetime.
Some people will miss out on a lot of lessons in the Bible because they restrict themselves to only one section of verses at a time. I have known preachers like that and they are very puffed up about it. Those that do that did not get that idea from God.
God put some lessons in His word a little here and a little there. John Mark is an example of this and this is what we are going to look at today.
I want to quickly mention one more thing. The Bible was not meant to for you to speed read. It was meant for you to read and pause and think about it.
When reading about events and people, you should stop and pause and think what would that be like. What would doing that entail? What actions that are not mentioned would the person have to do for that event?
Can I tell things about their faith from thinking about what they are involved in? Pause and think and ask yourself questions and you will get a lot more out of your Bible reading.
So let’s look at the life of John Mark in the bible and see what we can learn.
The Jewish believers under the leadership of James did not obey Jesus and take the gospel to every nation. God allowed persecution to hit Jerusalem and that scattered many of them and they went preaching the Word.
Most of them went only preaching to Jews, but a few got right and preached to Gentiles at Antioch. A few years pass. Paul and Barnabas have been teaching in Antioch and are sent with money to help the believers in Jerusalem.
While they are traveling to Jerusalem. Herod kills James the brother of John and he saw that it pleased the Jews. So he wanted to kill Peter next. Peter is arrested and thrown in prison.
Herod does not kill Peter right away because he wants to wait for his pagan holiday.
Peter is arrested on Passover or right after. It is the days of unleavened bread which go for 7 days starting at Passover. So Peter is in prison for several days. It could be close to a week.
A group of believers were having a prayer meeting for him every day. God decides now it the time to get Peter out and sends an angel.
Act 12:7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
Act 12:8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
Act 12:9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
Act 12:10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
Act 12:11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
Peter had to come to himself. He had to think about it and reason it out. God delivered me not only out of the hand of Herod, but notice he was also delivered from all the expectation of the Jews.
The Jews were expecting Peter to be killed. They were almost salivating for it.
But I thought you said we are looking at John Mark. This is where John Mark starts to come in.
After Peter comes to himself and reasons out what just happened, do you remember what Peter’s second thought was. You can tell by his actions. What was the 2nd major thing Peter did?
Got out of dodge as the saying goes. He hightails it to Caesarea on the coast.
But what was his first thought? This is important. We don’t have to guess, we are told by his actions in verse 12.
Act 12:12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
Peter’s first major thought that led to action is go to Mary’s house. This is John Mark’s mother. What do you think Peter going to John Mark’s mother’s house tells you?
To me it says a lot. Peter has just been supernaturally released from prison. Peter knows that he should not be arrogant and puffed up about it. We know from his second action that he understands that the hate did not stop because he got out.
If anything that will make the enemy even more out to get him. So Peter will not push it. He knows he might have a few hours before they realize he is gone. So time is limited. He only has time for one stop to let someone know how God moved.
But who? Which house? It seems that there was no debate. One clear choice immediately came to mind. And it is not James’ house, it is not the house of any of the Apostles.
It the mother of John Mark’s house.
This tells me that Peter knew all about these prayer meetings that went on at her house. Peter had respect for her spirituality and faith of those that came to those prayer meetings.
I also think Peter went there because he knew that someone would be there to tell. It was a known common gathering place for believers. They were under constant persecution, they had a lot to pray for before Peter even got arrested.
They did not start the prayer meetings only after Peter got arrested. Peter already knew about this gathering place before he got arrested.
Act 12:12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
The number of believers in Jerusalem is down because many left because of the persecution. But there were still many gathering at Mary’s house.
Now stop and pause a moment and think about Mary. Do you have any idea of what it would take to host a prayer meeting almost every night at your house?
The prep work, the cleaning, the preparing. You would have to at the very least have plenty of water for them to drink. And she might have prepared at least some snacks for people.
And think about this. People make messes. O there are always a few really neat people who do not make messes. But mark it down, anytime you have a good sized group, and the bible says many came to her house, they will need cleaning up after.
What I see in John Mark’s mother is a woman with a servant’s heart. A woman who is willing to help others and serve others and open her home for the good of God’s work and God’s children.
A woman who wants to be a blessing and a help and so all the extra work and cleaning and mess does not compare to helping. So she ministered in this way.
And guess who I see watching her. Her son John Mark. He sees what his mom is doing day after day, week after week.
Her house was a major gathering place for the remaining Christians in Jerusalem. It stands to reason that Paul and Barnabas would also show up there with the help sent from Antioch.
But would not Paul go to James. No. Later in the Bible Paul says that he only saw James once and this is not it.
It also makes sense that Paul and Barnabas show up at Mary’s house because they obviously met and talked to John Mark and made an impression upon him. They might not have been there every night and they might not have been there when Peter shows up. But we know that they met Mark and made a huge impression on him. And there is a good chance that happened at Mary’s house.
Peter shows up, tells what happens, and then leaves.
A short time after, maybe a few days, it is time for Paul and Barnabas to leave and go back to Antioch.
Act 12:25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.
John Mark was raised by a mother who served others. Paul and Barnabas show up and no doubt tell of their work in Antioch. And what where they doing. Serving others by teaching the Word.
Why does John Mark go with them? We see it briefly mentioned in Acts 13:5
Act 13:4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
Act 13:5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
John Mark went to be a minister to Paul and Barnabas. He went to be a help. To serve others like he watched his mother do. He went to help Paul and Barnabas.
John Mark is what some people might call support staff. People who help in the work in any capacity are an encouragement and a blessing. Having people who support your work, moves your work forward.
We are not given all of the details of exactly what John Mark did, just that it was a support role to Paul and Barnabas.
John Mark travels from Antioch with them to Seleucian and then to Cyprus and then to Salamis.
He gets to see firsthand the opposition that the devil put up to try to stop someone from coming to Jesus.
Act 13:8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
John Mark saw Paul boldly stand up to the sorcerer and call him a child of the devil. He saw God move the obstacle and saw the deputy become a believer.
John Mark then travels with them to Paphos and then Perga in Pamphylia.
Act 13:13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
Something happened. We are not told what. There is no hint. John Mark quits. Gives up and goes home to Jerusalem. We do not know why he quit.
It could not have been because there was nothing to see. – He just saw an amazing thing.
It was not because the men he was ministering to were not brave and bold.
It was not because God was not visibly working. John Mark saw God resolve a situation and revolve an obstacle with just a couple of sentences.
It was not because John Mark saw no miracles. He just saw God strike a man blind.
There was plenty to see, and plenty to do, and excitement and boldness and God making things happen. John Mark did not leave for a lack of any of those things.
Why did he leave? We don’t know. But we know this that Paul did not accept his reason as valid. Let’s skip ahead to the end of Paul’s first missionary journey. Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch.
Act 15:30 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
Act 15:31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
Act 15:32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
Act 15:33 And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.
Act 15:34 Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.
Act 15:35 Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
Paul then proposes to Barnabas that they go on a second missionary journey. And Barnabas wants to take John Mark again.
Act 15:36 And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.
Act 15:37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.
Paul’s reaction is not good.
Act 15:38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
Paul was still upset about John Mark leaving them. Paul obviously did not want to go thru it again. Barnabas saw something in John Mark that Paul refused to see.
Barnabas saw potential. He wanted to give John Mark a second chance. And this caused a serious conflict between them.
Act 15:39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
Act 15:40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
Act 15:41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
John Mark was the cause of breaking up a very successful team.
Paul and Barnabas worked side by side for years teaching in Antioch, side by side taking aid to Jerusalem, and side by side for a long missionary journey with many trials.
And they were still such a good team and such good friends that they still wanted to work together for a second missionary journey.
But this conflict was so sharp that it could not be resolved. Paul would not give. He refused to see potential in John Mark.
So they split up.
Act_15:37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.
God said that Barnabas was a man who was filled with the Holy Ghost. A man who listened to that still small voice in faith. And he was convinced that it was God’s will to give John Mark a second chance.
And so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
So who was right here? Paul or Barnabas. We don’t have to guess. Barnabas was right.
Years later Paul has mostly been abandoned. Only Luke is with him. And Paul asks if they can bring John Mark.
2Ti_4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
John Mark grew. He overcame whatever it was that caused him to quit all those years ago. He matured in the faith and developed into a faithful workman for the cause of Christ.
And that would not have happened if someone did not see potential and gave him a second chance. And take the time and the effort and invest in him. Barnabas took him under his wing and believed in him and worked with him. And it worked. It made a huge difference.
So much change that Paul who would not let him come is now requesting his help in the work.
And even more than that. John Mark went on to be used by God to write the gospel of Mark.
As you know the gospel of Mark is the gospel that focuses on Jesus as the servant.
Mark uses keywords like immediately and straight way. He focuses on Jesus being a servant.
John Mark was raised by a woman who served others. He tried to go and serve Paul and Barnabas but quit.
But given a second chance John Mark became a faithful, useful, man of God, who wrote the gospel of Jesus as the Servant.
What does all of this teach us? People can change. People can grow. People need second chances. It teaches us the power of having someone care about you and believe in you.
It teaches us how taking someone under your wing can not only make an impact in their lives but in the lives of many others. The book of Mark has been a help and encouragement to millions. And we would not have that book in the Bible if Barnabas would not have seen potential in John Mark and given him a second chance.