John Mark: A Helper In The Ministry

[0:00] Thank you for tuning into this message preached at Karis Church. The word of God is to be lived.! May you receive direction from this message that will be a lamp to your feet.

[0:11] ! It was mainly just pouring our hearts and blessing the Lord.

[0:35] That's why our praise and worship times, for those of us who have the tendency of coming to church late, you don't get the chance to minister to the Lord. No. So I really encourage you that if there isn't any real genuine reason for which you come to church late, try.

[0:50] Okay? Because it's a good time for you to minister to the Lord. Sing His praise. Honor Him. Appreciate Him. Let Him feel good. And so they were ministering to the Lord.

[1:02] And as they were doing it, it was time for God to execute a plan He's always had. You see, God always knew that He was going to separate to Himself for a certain assignment, Barnabas and Saul.

[1:17] So that ministering to the Lord gave room for that instruction to come. As we also pursue God and walk with Him, we need to also be open to what God is saying in moments like that.

[1:31] Because it's not always when God will speak in a way that we expect for Him to speak. But as they fasted and prayed, the Holy Spirit said, Now. So it's not another time.

[1:42] He said, Now the time has come. Separate to me, Barnabas and Saul. For the work for which I have called them. And they fasted and prayed, laid hands. God's even took us through this, laid hands. They sent them away.

[1:54] And so today's emphasis, they went on to preach in Seleucia. They went to Cyprus and Salamis. And they preached the word of God in the synagogue of the Jews. And they also had John as their assistant.

[2:09] John as their helper. That's the emphasis of today's message. John, their assistant. John, the helper. As I said, it's just one phrase in there. And so God, in executing His plan, had separated Barnabas and Saul.

[2:26] And as the instruction was coming, we clearly, John was not being separated with Barnabas and Saul. But in them stepping in their ministry, was also going to introduce somebody else into their own ministry.

[2:44] And it was a ministry of a helper. The ministry of an assistant. The ministry of an attendant. The ministry of a support. And so Barnabas and Saul had received their call onto a very great assignment.

[3:02] Their assignment onto the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles. And they had chosen John to go with them. John is introduced to us in Acts chapter 12.

[3:15] God, when he was taking Acts chapter 12, spoke about John. In Acts chapter 12, verse 12, it says, So when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary.

[3:27] This is after Peter had been released from prison by the angel. And verse 12, this is Peter. So when Peter had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, whose surname was Mark.

[3:43] Where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked on the door of the gate, a girl called Rhoda came to answer. So this is when we are being introduced to John Mark.

[3:55] John Mark. John, who now is going on into a missionary journey with Barnabas and Saul. And so John, whose mother is Mary, had a big house.

[4:09] It was an indication. In those days, women did not really have their own possession, per se. His father has not been mentioned here, so we don't know. It's likely she's widowed.

[4:21] But John is coming from a large house, signifying some level of comfort and maybe some wealth. But it was a house that people gathered to pray.

[4:32] Christians gathered to pray. And what I took notice about Mary was that this was a very, very sensitive time. Because this is a time James had been killed.

[4:45] Peter has been taken into prison. And they knew that, of course, if their deliverance didn't come, Peter was going to be executed as well. But that did not intimidate Mary.

[4:56] In Mary's home, Christians were gathering to pray. It tells you a woman who had a certain confidence and a certain faith in God. And that they were ready to prepare to take a certain risk for the sake of God's work.

[5:12] And also for the sake of God's people. So probably the house was always a place of prayer. People gathered there. And in the face of persecution, she did not stop the believers from coming to the home to continue to pray.

[5:29] And so this is the environment in which John Mark grew up. Some people believe that he is their rich young ruler who went to speak to Jesus about his state and his salvation.

[5:43] But it is not proven. So it's somewhere in there. People believe that that's him. But John Mark, you can tell that has grown up in an environment where Christianity and the faith, the early church, the gatherings of the early church.

[5:57] So he's a young man around people who were really, really solid, who were participating, who were engaged in the early church. They were praying. They were seeking God's faith. And this is the atmosphere in which John Mark grew up.

[6:11] John Mark became a young man. And Peter knew to go there because he knew either he's welcome or it was a thing he did. He knew that house, either because it is a house of prayer, or it's a place he went regularly, or he went often, or it's a place he knew he would be welcome.

[6:28] And so it's giving a certain idea about the background of this man God is going to call as a helper to these two apostles as they step out.

[6:40] I know that we can learn from this, that for those of us who are parents, parenting children, or even if you're nurturing an idea, nurturing a ministry, nurturing God has given you, the environment in which you're doing this matters.

[6:54] Not every home can produce a John Mark. Not every environment can produce a John Mark. But John Mark had heard people praying. John Mark has seen people praying.

[7:06] Probably has also developed a prayer life. But he's around genuine believers. He's growing up or he's grown up around genuine believers.

[7:17] And somebody had to make the decision. Somebody of authority, being his mother in this instance, had to make the decision to create this environment, open up to this environment, so that one day her son can also step into his ministry.

[7:32] So this is an encouragement for all of us. Let's be mindful where we are nurturing the next generation. Next generation of God's people. Next generation of ministry. Next generation of God's plan.

[7:42] God's idea. Where we nurture it matters. It will determine what comes out of it, what grows out of it. John Mark's first taste of ministry is in Acts chapter 11, verse 29.

[7:58] And so verse 29 tells us that Barnabas and Saul had actually gone to Jerusalem. The church in Antioch had sent them to Jerusalem because of sending relief to their brethren there.

[8:10] And when they were coming back from Jerusalem to Antioch in Acts chapter 12, verse 25, the scripture says that, and Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry.

[8:23] And they also took with them John, whose surname was Mark. So John, Mark's home was in Jerusalem. That home where Peter went to was in Jerusalem.

[8:33] And then when Barnabas and Saul had been sent by the church in Antioch to Jerusalem to send relief, when they were coming back to Antioch, they brought John Mark.

[8:46] So John Mark followed Barnabas and Saul back to Antioch. Antioch has now become, as God said, John was saying last week, had become now the center of the move of God.

[8:57] And so it's like a young man following, you know, these mighty apostles who have come. I'm sure you can imagine the ministry reports, the stories that is being told. And he's listening to all of this.

[9:08] And when they are going back, they said, John, okay, we'll take you. And then he follows. But more importantly, the mother allows him to go. What a shock. I think, I'm not sure if it was the mother's plan for him to go and follow these two apostles going into the Gentile world.

[9:27] She didn't know what was going to become of them. But it tells you the kind of woman she is and the kind of face she had. It tells you. Because most often, mothers have big plans for their children, isn't it?

[9:38] Oh, yes. Our plans are elaborate. Elaborate. It's so elaborate. It can actually eclipse God. It can easily eclipse God.

[9:50] God can be speaking. And we will shut our ears. Why? Because we have this amazing plan. That must come to pass. All our praying, all our fasting, all of that. Oh, my child, my child.

[10:01] My child, my child, my child. My child must become this. My child must become that. But we are learning from a woman who was able to release her son. To follow these apostles to go to a foreign land.

[10:15] I'm definitely knowing that they were going to do the work of God. And so, as John Mark had followed Barnabas and Saul, now, they were ministering, and now, the calling has come.

[10:28] And John Mark is now, now has the privilege to serve Barnabas and Saul as a helper, as an assistant, as they go on their first missionary journey.

[10:39] Behold, we are well aware, in chapter 13, of Acts chapter 13, verse 13, it says, Now when Paul and his party had sailed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia, and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem.

[10:56] So, John, indeed, set out to go with them as their assistant. And, in verse 13, they've come through, they've come to Perga in Pamphylia, and unfortunately, John Mark is saying that, I'm going back to Jerusalem.

[11:12] The scriptures does not tell us why. So, we don't know why. It could be any reason. Maybe he had to go and attend to his mom.

[11:22] We don't know. Maybe the terrain was not favorable. We don't know. Maybe the discomfort of life out there made him feel like, I want to go back to Jerusalem.

[11:37] I must go back to Jerusalem. I have to go back to my mom's food, the comfort of my large home, all of it. How I've grown up is not suitable for this life.

[11:51] And so, John Mark returned to Jerusalem. And I know you will find many messages, including a lot of God's advanced messages, dealing with John Mark for returning to Jerusalem on the missionary journey.

[12:05] I mean, it can happen to many of us. We have found ourselves in places where we have committed to God, made serious vows to God, and told God, I will do this, I will do that, I will do that.

[12:18] And we meant it. We were genuine about it. And then we encounter a perga in pamphylia situation.

[12:29] And we return to Jerusalem, a place of comfort, place where you feel you belong. He went back to his people. He's a Jewish boy, grew up in Jerusalem.

[12:42] He went back to his people. He went back to what he knows it can happen to any of us with all the good intentions we may have. So John Mark departed, abandoned, deserted the mission, the first missionary journey.

[13:00] And so he appears again in Acts chapter 15, when they are now about to undertake their second missionary journey. So John Mark had gone back to Jerusalem.

[13:14] We are not so sure whether he's back in Antioch now, for whatever reason. But the two apostles, Barnabas and Saul, are preparing for their next missionary journey.

[13:27] And so as they prepare for their next missionary journey, Barnabas thinks, why don't we take John Mark? He'd been a helper before. We can bring him along again.

[13:40] So Acts chapter 15, verse 37 says, Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed.

[13:54] It had become an adjusting for him. It had become a qualifying word for him. So now, because my mind read, Paul was determined not to take John Mark.

[14:05] No. It said, but Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed. No, his name has changed from John Mark. to the one who had departed.

[14:16] It has become his identity. No, he hadn't proved himself reliable. He's not solid. He's not strong. When the going gets tough, he gives in and he gives up.

[14:28] He walks away from the mission. No, we are not taking him. It said, it wouldn't take the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia.

[14:38] It had not gone with them to the work. Then the contention became so sharp that they departed from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus.

[14:52] But Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

[15:04] So this is unfortunately the departing of the two apostles who had served the Lord on the first missionary journey, on the second missionary journey, on the back of John Mark.

[15:16] Barnabas and Paul went their separate ways. We hear messages and we know usually where the bend would be. But we see the ministry, two ministries, now come to a point of diversion.

[15:31] And there's nothing wrong with each one of them. Barnabas has a ministry of a builder. Barnabas is an encourager. So if somebody is not good enough in a season, Barnabas doesn't have a problem picking that individual and building that individual up.

[15:48] It is a good ministry. Yeah, it is a good ministry. Paul is on the cutting edge. We don't have time to think, to dither, to waste.

[15:58] We don't have it. Things need to be done. A nation needs to be taken for Jesus. A world needs to be conquered. Mountains need to be leveled.

[16:09] Valleys need to be lifted up. We got to go and we got to go now. That is also a good ministry. It's both necessary for the building of the church.

[16:21] We need those who are at the cutting edge and we need those who are the people of the process. We need both. If not, we'll lose many John Marks.

[16:33] But we can't see on the back of a John Mark, we will not move. And so the ministry of Barnabas is so crucial in the church, in the body.

[16:45] They are there to make sure that when somebody is falling, they are lifted up. They are not teared apart, they are not condemned, but they are restored and helped to get back onto their assignments.

[17:01] Because of Barnabas' ministry, John Mark was able to continue in his ministry as a helper. We see that later on. But the ministries differ and the graces differ.

[17:14] Let's all stand strong in what God has called us to do because each one of us is helping to make it happen, helping the kingdom to be built and the body to be raised.

[17:25] So Barnabas now is right in the center of John Mark's life and John Mark's ministry. Of course, Paul and Silas have moved on to other things and we read many, many adventures of their ministry work as they continue in the book of Acts.

[17:42] But Barnabas is not going to be prominent in the book of Acts anymore. But behind the scenes, he's working. He's working on something very important in raising people, encouraging people, nurturing people, discipling people, and helping John Mark to mature because we will see John Mark surface again later on.

[18:01] Matured man, ready to continue in his ministry. So the work of Barnabas was crucial to help John Mark to continue in the ministry of a helper.

[18:13] John Mark is known to be a cousin of Barnabas in Colossians 4, verse 10. And so one may say that he couldn't just watch his young cousin just fall apart because he had made a mistake.

[18:27] But I believe more so that because Barnabas himself was a Levite and they knew how to serve, Levites were servants in the house of the Lord. I'm not sure why Mark is not labeled as a Levite, being a cousin of Barnabas.

[18:43] But then, they are used to having people come around and they serve people. They serve the saints. You can imagine as a young man when people come and pray in your house, do this, fetch this, go and do that.

[18:56] It can easily happen. So John Mark already from his upbringing had been used to serving the saints, being around the saints and helping out with the saints.

[19:06] And Barnabas knew this, must have known that. This man has a ministry. He's good at helping. We can't let him go. And so, he was helped greatly. Barnabas was, God used Barnabas to help John Mark continue in his ministry.

[19:23] John Mark later on becomes a blessing to the apostle Paul. And the beauty of it is that some people will say, I'm sure there are some people, very contentious people say, today you need him.

[19:35] Today, now that somebody has done the work, cleaned him up, established him, encouraged him, built him up. Now you say he's useful for you. But anyway, the point I'm making is the graces are different and the callings are different and they all matter in the kingdom.

[19:54] If Paul had not continued, you have Acts chapter 16, when you are in times of difficulty, you know that you can pray and praise and the chains will fall off. You wouldn't have those testimonies.

[20:05] There are so many things they had to continue to go and do. But John Mark's help that he got from Barnabas was also a unique ministry. So we look at 2 Timothy chapter 4, verse 9.

[20:19] It said, Be diligent to come to me quickly, for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica.

[20:32] Gratians for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia, only look is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for the ministry.

[20:50] Praise the Lord. They said, Get Mark and bring him to me. Why? For he is useful to me for ministry.

[21:06] And this is the beauty of it. Paul's humility to recognize that, yes, I remember what happened.

[21:18] But this man is useful. So at that point, I'm not focusing on what I will, what people will think and all of that. Most of us can be caught up in so many things, unnecessary things, that what we can't focus on what matters, what's important in a given time.

[21:36] But that wasn't Paul's attitude. He said, Bring Mark. I know what he can do. I know the ministry he has. Maybe I have heard that he has grown and developed very well.

[21:47] So he will be very needful because he wasn't thinking about himself. He was thinking about the continuity of the ministry. So if you're thinking about yourself, you might think, what will people say?

[21:58] But no, that wasn't Paul's focus. His focus was rather, he's useful, not for my personal gain, but for the ministry. Because of that, let bygones be bygones, let Mark come. And we also learn from Mark's humility to continue serving in spite of what happened before.

[22:15] I am sure after a while he would have respected what Paul did. He would have appreciated what Paul did. Because after he hears the many things God had used Paul to do, he knew that it was right for Paul to move on.

[22:31] And for him to receive the nurturing and the discipleship he needed in order for him to be useful later on. There are times we force ourselves into situations that we are not prepared for.

[22:43] And sometimes even you have leaders who love you so much that they want to drag you along. They want to make something out of you. They see the potential, but they haven't allowed you to go through the process. All of it matters.

[22:55] All of it matters. All of it matters. And so we see the mutual respects they both had for each other. John Mark respecting the decision that Paul had to make and knowing that he would respond whenever he gets the opportunity to serve with Paul again.

[23:14] And Paul also recognizing the growth that John Mark had gone through and having the humility to call upon him to come serve with him in the ministry.

[23:26] In the process of that we also see John Mark being a great blessing to Peter. I believe the relationship had been formed at home already when back in Jerusalem and Peter now in Rome John Mark had become his companion and his helper.

[23:47] And in that process of being a helper John Mark had the privilege of receiving the first hand account of the life and the ministry of Jesus as he served with Peter in Rome.

[24:03] And this was actually the dying the last days of the life of the apostle Peter. In the same way when Paul was asking for John Mark to be brought to him that letter in 2 Timothy was one of the last letters Paul was going to write because he was in his last days and what a privilege the ministry of a helper to be with such great apostles in their last days both in Rome helping them prepare for their last moments in ministry and being called on to the Lord.

[24:35] So just a helper had the privilege of writing the book of Mark and Peter referred to John Mark in 1 Peter 5 verse 13 as my son.

[24:48] My son they had journeyed together for many years and he's in his last few days months weeks months and John Mark the ministry of the helper is still serving and helping these great apostles.

[25:07] 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 12 to 14 the scripture says for us the body is one and has many members but all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ for by one spirit we were all baptized into one body whether Jews or Greeks whether slaves or free and have all been made to drink into one spirit for in fact the body is not one member but many.

[25:41] we're jumping on to verse 27 and 28 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 27 says now you are the body of Christ the members individually and God has appointed these in the church first apostles second prophet third teachers after which miracles then gifts of healings helps administration varieties of tongues then it goes to all apostles are all prophets are all teachers are all miracle workers certainly no so the bible tells us as we read earlier on in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 12 and 13 that the body is made up of different members different members and each member has its role that he plays and then it goes on to talk about how now that reflects in the body of Christ which is the church it says some have been called as apostles some have been called as prophets some are teachers some are miracle workers some have gifts of healing and then some also are in the ministry of helps so it's actually a ministry lined and mentioned alongside apostles prophets teachers miracle workers healing ministries helps ministry is also right there in scripture so god needed the pauls and the barnabas god also needed the john marks a martyrs to god psalm 121 and the bible talks about i lift up my heart it says for when it's coming at my help my help comes from the lord who made the heavens and the the lord himself is a help to us so it's no main ministry to have the ministry of helps it can easily look like this bit is important that the person who does it no the issue of the word of god is very important it's very paramount to every christian fellowship but the bible says that the body is made up of many members and every member matters every ministry matters that is why god doesn't separate the mentioning of the ministry of helps from the mention of the ministry of the apostles the prophets and the teachers it matters to god god places value on the ministry of help when god created adam in genesis chapter 2 verse 18 god says it is not good for man to be alone i'll therefore make him a helper comparable to him a helper the helps ministry shows up very early on in creation and so god made a helper in the form of a wife hallelujah and so when somebody says will you marry me and you say yes and you are jumping you're only stepping into the helps ministry hallelujah yes it's a help ministry and i always tell people you don't know what will be required of you so you have to take everything because you don't know what need will arise for which the man will need help so wife is a nice title but it's actually a ministry of helps and whatever the need is you're supposed to help in that i said when it arises you only need help when there's a need yeah if there's no need there's no need for a helps ministry so for those of us who in these modern terms we've been told that you are the queen of his life and it's all nice titles but fundamentally you are going to help some of us have watched a movie called help isn't it back it's a movie about slavery how the helps were treated we're not saying why it should be treated like that but just have cement

[29:41] it in your hearts that you are going to help if you want to be a wife then you are a helper you are help comparable to him so if his needs are high then you have high help to deliver because the bible say a help comparable to him so some men need this level of help some men need that level of help whatever level of help they need you are a help comparable to him yeah it is a ministry yeah this is the bit we don't talk about in this day and age isn't it yeah we talk about kneeling down to oh I can't believe he has proposed all of that all is all you know just attraction is to help you to enter the ministry but as soon as you receive the ring and say

[30:42] I do you have entered the ministry of help yeah I always say if you don't like the rules don't join the institution and so if you want to be a wife you are joining the helps ministry but it matters to God God could have chosen any other word to describe the role of a wife the role of the woman he was bringing into the life of a man but God understood and he knew that he's starting something completely new and that yes the principal being Adam had been given his assignments but God knew that without the help comparable to him that assignments would not be accomplished and so when God calls a man when God calls a woman when God gives an assignment when God gives a vision he will call a principal but he will also call the help it matters to God God himself is a help when God established the church and as

[31:45] Jesus was speaking to his disciples and talking to them about what was to happen to him and how they were going to transition from being his disciples into the formulation of the church which is his body in John chapter 14 verse 23 to 26 he talks about the Holy Spirit being a help so God establishes the church and then gives help after God forms man the first Adam the last Adam comes fulfills the mission in birthing the church and again same way God gives help just as God gave Adam Eve God gave the church the Holy Spirit God does not give assignments without giving help and so the helps ministry is so necessary for the fulfillment of God's agenda Moses when Moses was called said I cannot speak immediately God gave him Aaron he said go your brother

[32:47] Aaron will go with you but as the ministry was established we see Joshua become the help for Moses great prophets huge assignments but he needed an Aaron he needed Joshua Elijah the great prophet needed an Elisha Elisha was described as the man who poured water on the hands of Elijah in 2nd Kings chapter 3 verse 11 Paul had many many helps one of the chapters I love reading is Romans chapter 16 it tells us there's so many people going Paul was working with this person is there that person is there but those chapters tell us that in spite of how greatly God uses men he does not only use one person at the front but in that one person making preaching delivering God's assignment executing the vision of God will be many many many helps coming together to make that happen in Acts chapter 6 when the church was growing and the apostles from chapter 1 all the way chapter 2 the church has been established started and all of that they get to a point where they say they can't do this not because they didn't place priority on the seven of tables but they literally just could do it alone the twelve apostles could not serve the church attend to the church raise the church preach and do all that was necessary in establishing the work of God and caring for the body of

[34:16] Christ so they had to ask for help and they were called deacons there will be many names that will be used departmental members whatever volunteers church workers all these things but it's all the ministry of helps that we are all stepping into God uses all kinds of people the process matters the links matter if I'm today I'm saying I'm going to cook some food we just used to go into the supermarket to pick all your ingredients but what we don't understand is as you pick your ingredients is somebody's life's work that tomatoes farmer has been farming his land for however long had to make sure his produce is good enough to be brought to so that tomato you just pick like that and put in your basket is probably a six month's journey for you to get your tomatoes but for you as far as you're concerned I need to quickly get there and pick it up and the same way if you're not the cook all you see is the food is ready to be dished out isn't it but then you may not appreciate even though that person had to go to the supermarket and has completely forgotten about the farmer and the transportation people and the logistics people they just went to the shop they too had a process of having to go pick the ingredients put things together in order for it to become a meal that you're enjoying and you probably will finish it in about five minutes six minutes just finish it like that however it takes process so the farmer's perspective his process is probably six months in the cook's perspective their process may be an hour in the eater's perspective five minutes and you might even pass comments that today the salt was a bit too much

[36:05] I've told you add more meat to the I don't understand why you are but everybody is playing their role so that plate of food will be a blessing to somebody so sometimes those who are standing here are just the ones who are dishing the food to you and all you see is oh what a nice meal I'm eating a sanctifying moment I've had of one hour or 50 minutes of an hour 10 minutes but the journey of everything being put together for you to sit down and receive the word has costed many many many people the ministry of health has been going on for hours for days before we get to this point each one of it matters and it matters to God it matters to God and so within the church setting or just the way human beings operate and just our psychology it's very easy to put value on this point and we place value here not because somebody gets to speak for how long but it's because of what is being done it's because of the issuing of the word of

[37:25] God had it not been for that it won't be the most valuable thing because every chain matters and until every chain is in place this is going to be very hard to happen but what am I saying this everything is built on something and if you look at it the ministry of health is is wider is greater is more than the ministry of the apostle or it requires more people it requires more hands it requires more time in serving in the ministry of health and I am so confident that God does not overlook it every now and then you hear his eminence the bishop say when we get to heaven it will be very interesting because what we think mattered to God we not necessarily where we think the sacrifices were we not necessarily have been where God saw the sacrifices being born and the prices being paid but all of it matters to God

[38:26] God uses both the stars and uses the candles the stars have a fixed time they are high up and they shine bright but it's only in the night so they have their time they come and they shine the candle can be used at any time but it's not significant it's impact it's not worldwide the stars right up in the sky they shine the stars that shine here is the same stars that is shining for the rest of the world but the candle may not but it still serve a purpose it's immediate it's accessible it can move around it's it's more can be used more frequently but it may burn quickly the stars may stay on longer the candle may burn quickly but God needs both the candle and the stars he uses both of them he uses both of them they both bring the lights to mankind and to humanity to be honest the ministry of health can be challenging if you don't align yourself and understand why you do it yes and that's why God also says that those who teach the word will be judged more harshly because that is on the back of many people's labors and sacrifices and service and so God places a higher expectation on those who stand to also work on the back of the helpers and so

[40:06] God does definitely does not forget our labor of love and that we're always expecting that we do it for him and we will serve him until the day he calls us home or he returns but the work of the ministry of helps is so crucial for the building of the body is so crucial for the establishment of the church for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Paul had many other helpers we hear of Onesimus who was a slave who had run away and had now become a great help to him in Rome and that he had sent him back to his master Philemon and we have the book of Philemon explaining why he said Onesimus is useful for me just as John Mark was useful for him in the ministry and so those of us who have the ministry of helps we have to be we have to have the desire to be useful for the ministry gifts in any shape or form whatever you do sometimes you get so pressed that for a moment you say it doesn't matter but it matters it doesn't matter we are tired you cannot be tired it's your ministry yeah it's your ministry so those if those who have to who are gifts of

[41:25] Christ to the body the apostles the evangelists the prophets the teachers if they take their callings ministry we also in the health ministry must take our callings very seriously oh yes because that's the ministry we have John Mark didn't now you know grow to become something else he is with them right to the end as a helper so some of us we think that from usher to head usher then I'll become a pastor it's no automatic like that it's no automatic if the call is not there it's not there some of us may become but not all of us some of us will be faithful usher all the days of our lives but in all of it is ministry of helps but served in God in that way it's a beautiful ministry when we about to start a church by God's grace for most of us who hear it on the stage when it's being announced that's oh yeah we have a church in this location and we're all very excited we clap and all that but most of the time before that announcement has been probably a year and a half of somebody going on ground doing evangelism day in day out week in week out being consistent following up visiting teaching raising disciples until we get to a certain number then we say we are establishing a church it's a long process very long process and that's where we all have to find pleasure in serving

[42:55] God wherever he has placed us that we don't get tired of the process the process is the ministry we are not doing it so that we can get somewhere and then now say we are graduating the process is the ministry some of us it will be the same until Christ calls us the process is the ministry and so let's not feel that we have to quickly move away finish this take this ball quickly so that we can become this the becoming is the process serving the Lord wherever we are whatever he has given to us we are faithful in serving him faithful and enjoying the process loving the Lord loving his people serving them with joy and with gladness whatever God calls us next is up to him but if we find ourselves in the ministry of helps like John Mark then we have to do it with all our hearts in his ministry he had the privilege to now write a quarter of the gospels it wasn't part of his call at the beginning when they said just follow us as an attendant as a helper as we are going out for missionary journey oh yes he had his bumps we all know what happened in pamphylia but out of that he grew he developed he matured and when he spent his time as a helper to

[44:23] Peter he started hearing Peter talking about how Jesus did life and ministry had the privilege of writing it down and interestingly he didn't write it for a Jewish audience like Matthew he wrote the gospel of Mark for a Greek audience the very people he had run away from before now he had matured that he was able he was now being used for the very audience he had run away from before and so enjoy the journey it may have its challenges but enjoy the journey serve the Lord with gladness serve the Lord joyfully wherever you find yourself you may think that I'm not being recognized I'm not being appreciated I'm not being seen what else do we think it's too much I'm tired

[45:25] I don't like this I've had enough these are all things that can come to mind yes these are all things that can come to mind you have found yourself in moments like that but it's also a moment to reflect and be grateful to God for the privilege of serving him and understand that we serve him and not any individual per se and so by God's grace today we have looked at the ministry of John Mark who was a helper we have seen that when God gives an assignment he also calls help us to join the visionary and every one of us who would have a ministry whether a visionary or a helper God places value on both ends of his call that for the Holy Spirit to be identified as a helper for the church tells you how much value

[46:27] God places on the ministry of helps Moses had his help Elijah had his help Paul the apostle had his help Peter had his help and wherever God is calling us yes we may stand as a help to somebody but I pray that the helpers you need for your destiny God will also grant you them and they will also be faithful to what God has given you to accomplish in Jesus name amen thank you for listening to this message why not visit your local carous church or follow us on all relevant social media platforms including Instagram and LinkedIn you can also hear more messages on all relevant streaming platforms and the carous church app don't forget to like and share the message be blessed