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THE BOOK OF ACTS – QUITTER

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QUITTER

“From Paphos Paul and company put out to sea, sailing on to Perga in Pamphylia. That’s where John called it quits and went back to Jerusalem. From Perga the rest of them travelled on to Antioch in Pisidia.” Acts 13:13-14a (The Message)

John Mark threw in the towel after the first leg of the journey. Why? Luke gives no details about the first missionary campaign in Cyprus except for the incident with the governor and the magician. Was Sergius Paulus the only convert in Cyprus? What else happened there? Did they have a hard time with the Jews?

Whatever the circumstances in Cyprus, John Mark was uncomfortable and chose to go back home. What effect did this have on Paul and Barnabas? We can glean from things that happened later on, that both of them reacted true to character.

Barnabas was closer to John Mark than Paul, both in relationship and in attitude. His name meant “encourager” and he consistently lived up to his name. When the church in Jerusalem initially refused to receive Saul after his conversion, Barnabas stood by him and vouched for him. When the church at Antioch needed teachers to instruct new Gentile believers, he fetched Saul from his home town where had been sent for safety from the Jerusalem Jews who were plotting to kill him.

Barnabas was a hands-on man, always ready to give someone the benefit of the doubt. No doubt he was the one who included John Mark in the first missionary team, probably as a trainee-helper.

Paul, on the other hand, was more rigid. He did not want a quitter on the team.  He and Barnabas had a fall-out when Barnabas wanted to give John Mark a second chance (Acts 15:36-41), so serious that the partnership broke up and each went his own way.

And what of John Mark? He was also on a journey. This episode was only a hiccup along the way. Perhaps it was Barnabas’ faith in him in spite of his failure that gave him the break he needed. Even Paul had to admit that Mark was an asset to him later on when he was in prison (Colossian 4:10; 2 Timothy 4:11).

Not only did John Mark redeem himself in Paul’s eyes but his name has been immortalised as the author of the second gospel. Tradition tells us that he was Peter’s companion for a time, either recording his sermons or making use of his memoirs as the foundation of his gospel written especially for Roman readers.

John’s story should be an encouragement to us; to those who have quit, there is always the second chance; and to those who know quitters, the opportunity to put someone back on the road to fulfil his or her potential. Perhaps, had Paul known what lay in the future, he would not have been so hard on Mark. Did he also have a lesson to learn from Barnabas?

It grieves me to find websites, supposedly Christian that specialise in stripping Christian leaders in the name of Jesus. Even the most well-known, godly and transparent men come under fire from these so-called exposures. What if these same people dedicated themselves to encourage and lift up the weak, putting them back on the way to becoming another “John Mark”?

There is enough dirt being publicised on the web to take gullible people into ruin and destruction without so-called “Christians” doing the devil’s work and adding unnecessary pain to God’s people. What if the church heeded the Apostle Paul’s words: “Who are you to judge another man’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand for the Lord is able to make him stand,” Romans 14:4 (NIV).

“Let us, therefore, make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification.” Romans 14:19 (NIV).

Quitter Cum Useful

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QUITTER CUM HELPFUL

“A few days after this, Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let’s go back and visit all our friends in each of the towns where we preached the Word of God. Let’s see how they’re doing.’

“Barnabas wanted to take John along, the John nicknamed Mark. But Paul wouldn’t have him; he wasn’t about to take along a quitter who, as soon as the going got tough, had jumped ship on them in Pamphylia. Tempers flared, and they ended up going their separate ways. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus. Paul chose Silas and, offered up by their friends to the grace of the Master, went to Syria and Cilicia to build up muscle and sinew in those congregations.” Acts 15:36-41 (The Message).

What a dismal end to a partnership that had produced so much fruit! What happened to their original call from the Holy Spirit when they were sent out from Antioch many years before? It seems that they were willing to sacrifice the unity they had worked so hard to protect in the church, over a personal issue. This was not about a doctrine, in which case they had made the right decision. This was over a young guy who could not take the pace.

Let’s have a look at the character of Barnabas, which was, incidentally, his nickname and meant “son of encouragement”. Quite significant! He appears early in the book of Acts, doing what his name meant, encouraging people. Had Paul forgotten that it was Barnabas who had faith in him when the church in Jerusalem was afraid to welcome him? They didn’t want a vicious persecutor to infiltrate their ranks. Barnabas was willing to vouch for him (Acts 9:27), introducing him to the leaders in Jerusalem.

It was Barnabas who fetched Paul from Tarsus to teach the new believers in Antioch when the church exploded among the Gentiles in Syria. Barnabas gave way to Paul when it came to preaching and teaching on their first missionary journey. His was a “Jonathan” ministry, the support and encourager Paul needed during the rigorous trials he had to endure.

What if Barnabas had rejected John Mark as Paul was doing? Paul’s letters reveal that it was he who had to eat humble pie regarding Mark. Had Barnabas not been true to his name and nature, Paul would never have been able to write: “Aristarchus, who is in jail here with me, sends greeting, also Mark, cousin of Barnabas, (you have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him).” Colossians 4:10 (NIV).

What a change of heart — and it gets even more personal. During Paul’s final imprisonment in Rome he wrote these words to Timothy: “Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and Bing him with you because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:11 (NIV). Because of Barnabas, Mark, the quitter, became Mark the useful.

Without Barnabas’ faith in him, would Mark have ever been the author of the second gospel? According to tradition, Mark also spent time with Peter, either recording his memoirs or listening to his preaching which he used as the basis for his gospel. How much poorer the church might have been had Barnabas not tenaciously stuck to his belief in Mark in spite of Mark’s failure.

There are many lessons in this incident. What stands out for me is that Mark’ failure did not permanently disqualify him from fulfilling his calling. Perhaps parting company with Paul was the best thing that could have happened. Although Luke records nothing of the details of Barnabas and Mark’s journey around the churches, we know the outcome of the time they spend together. Barnabas, the mentor and encourager, put Mark back on his feet and helped him to become Mark, the useful!

In the end one can conclude that Barnabas’ ministry to Mark was just as valuable as Paul’s ministry to the people of Asia Minor and Europe. How much poorer the church throughout the generations would be without the Gospel of Mark and how much poorer Paul might have been without him.