3 Graces Every Believer Needs

⁴ The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. ⁵ When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.” Acts 13:4-5

¹³ From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.” Acts 13:13

^“36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” ³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, ³⁸ but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. ³⁹ They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.” –Acts 15:36-41

⁹Do your best to come to me quickly, ¹⁰ for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. ¹¹ Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. –

Drama Points in the life of Mark

1. Abandonment and Desertion – Acts 13:1-5; 13
2. Rejection and Separation – Acts 15:36-41
3. Reconciliation and Restoration – 2 Timothy 4:9-11

Paul: A Grace

Acts 13:1-5; 13

Have you ever thought about how absurdly beautiful and radical the gospel is?

Why Did John leave? Answer: Paul and Barnabas were to Radical for Him

Mark demonstrated no radical change in:

• His Lifestyle
  • Acts 12:12; Acts 4:36-37, Acts 13:4
• Mission and Jewish Identity
  • Acts 13:5, Acts 4:36-37, Acts 13:13
• Safety and Status
  • Acts 12:12

“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” – 2 Timothy 1:7

• Timid Faith demonstrate:
  • Lack the Spirit
  • Selfishness
  • Cowardice

*Either way, it is of no use in ministry!

*To Paul, you were either all in or all out. Timidity in Faith demonstrated lack of Spirit, cowardice, or selfishness (See 2 Timothy 1:7). You can have timid and nominal Christians, but not timid and nominal disciples (See Luke 14:25-34).

Barnabas: A Grace

Acts 15:39

Imagine how Mark must have felt after Paul rejected him! Discouraged? Hurt?

*Barnabas seemed to encourage Mark back into ministry serving God where he was at

Barnabas was:

• A Mentor of Paul
  • Acts 11:25-30
• A Teacher
  • Acts 13:1-2
• Generous
  • Acts 4:37
• Great Encouragement
  • Acts 4:36

*Jesus left us with the tender grace of the Spirit – John 14:15-25

*Faith without Discipleship creates timid and nominal Christians, Discipleship without Grace creates combative and mean Christians….both are dangerous to the gospel of Christ!

Peter: A Grace

*After John Mark spent time with Barnabas on Cyprus, he returned to Jerusalem and was discipled by Peter for at least ten years

Peter experienced God’s patience firsthand:

• Called “satan” by Jesus
  • Matthew 16:23
• Walked on water then sank
  • Matthew 14:22-33
• Denied Jesus 3 times
  • Matthew 26:31-35

*Through Peter’s own experience of God’s patient grace, Peter demonstrated that same patience towards Mark’s discipleship

God is patient for our sake!- 2 Peter 3:9

Who was John Mark?

• Mark was the cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10)
• Mark was a Jew from the tribe of Levi (Cousin Barnabas was a Levite – Acts 4:36)
  • Responsible for serving the temple and Israel
  • Judaism was accepted religion of Rome
• Mark was Probably Rich
  • House was big enough for church to meet, had a courtyard, and a servant (Acts 12:12-13)
  • Cousin Barnabas was also probably rich (Acts 4:36-37)
• Mark was probably a Roman Citizen
  • “John” is the Hebrew name, “Mark” is a Greek name which implies Roman citizenship

*Luke does something really cool in Acts. The name he uses for Saul/Paul or John/Mark guides the reader to the focus of the mission in that narrative. In Acts 13, Luke uses “Saul” (Hebrew name) and “John” (Hebrew name) when they are at Antioch and on Cyprus letting us know the focus was to the Jews. At the end of Acts 13 when the mission shifts to gentiles, Luke then replaces Saul with Paul (Greek name), but continues to use John. In Acts 15, Luke then shifts both names to the Greek by using Paul and Mark!

• Mark was of the “Circumcision Party” (Colossians 4:11)
  • “these are the only Jews” properly translated “only ones of circumcision group”
• Mark was NOT a teacher, preacher, or prophet (Acts 13:1)
  • Mark’s name not mentioned
• Mark was probably the scribe of Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:5)
  • Scribed for Peter
  • Replaced by Silas, the scribe for Paul during his second missionary journey
  • No Epistles from Paul during his first missionary journey