It Starts Small

Believe it or not, Christians do disagree. Pastors disagree. Brothers and sisters in ministry disagree. Brothers and sisters disagree with each other. Sometimes these disagreements are fierce. Before Paul and Barnabas embarked on their second missionary trip, they had such a fierce disagreement.

They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed off to Cyprus

Acts 15:39

So what was the argument about? It was not about what, rather a who: John Mark.

During their first missionary journey, John Mark left the company in the middle of their missionary journey and returned home. Paul considered John Mark unreliable, unfaithful, and untrustworthy. He thought so little of John Mark he did not want to work with him. IN the end, Paul took Silas and Barnabas took John Mark and they went their separate ways.

This begs the question, why did Barnabas take John Mark?

We all need a second chance.

Do you remember a few days ago we learned that Barnabas travelled over 600 miles to seek out Saul of Tarsus? Then he took Saul to Antioch and mentored him for an entire year? He gave Saul a chance and now he wanted to give John Mark a chance!

Paul was not wrong when he dismissed Mark. History will forever remember how Barnabas raised up two of the most important leaders in the early church. We all know of Paul, but lets take a closer look at John Mark and see the power of a second chance.

Fast forward 15 years. Paul was at the end of his life and he wrote his final letter to Timothy. In his letter he wrote:

 Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you, for he is useful to me in the ministry.

2 Timothy 4:11

How did John Mark go from rejected to wanted?

This is not the first time we meet John Mark, we might have overlooked out first meeting.

¹² As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many had assembled and were praying.

Acts 12:12
(Bold for Emphasis)

Barnabas took John Mark under his wing and they traveled to Cyprus. He mentored him just as he mentored Paul years earlier. We find mention of Him in Peter’s first letter:

She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, as does Mark, my son.

1 Peter 5:13

We know Peter knew John Mark because the first place he went to after getting rescued from prison is John Mark’s Mom’s House. So Peter and John Mark spent time together. On the basis of the relationship between Mark and Peter, it is reasonable to conclude the testimony of history accurately describes John Mark’s connection to the Apostle. Mark acted as a scribe for Peter and recorded his teaching and preaching in his Gospel. It was from Peter that John Mark learned the life and teachings of Jesus. This is how we have the Gospel of Mark.

No Barnabas, no Paul.
No Barnabas, no John Mark, no Gospel of Mark.

How about you friend? Do you remember the old normal is to put people on lists. “They” may not deserve a second chance, perhaps “they” need a second chance. Can you do that for the sake of Jesus our Lord?

Thoughts to Ponder:

• DO you think Barnabas was taking to big of a risk to give John Mark a chance?
• What if it did not work out?
• Is there someone in your life that needs a second chance from you?

© Kimberlee Smith 2025 http://www.itstartssmall.com All rights reserved.