Please take your copy of God's Word and turn to our text for this morning, which is Acts chapter 15, verses 36-41.
Before we take a look at this morning's text, I would like to give a brief recap of some of the recent events recorded by Luke in his account.
We're not going to go all the way back to chapter 1, but we're going to back up to chapter 11.
Luke's account, I've said to you before, I like to call the Acts of the Risen Jesus, because it is a record of the extension of Jesus' earthly ministry.
He is now ascended, he is seated at the right hand of God the Father, but he is working by the agency of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the church.
This recap will serve our understandings of this morning's text by setting a stage with the characters contained within it.
It's an interesting text before us.
So let's begin our recap halfway through chapter 11.
Chapter 11, if you'd like to turn back a few pages, beginning in verse 19.
Luke writes,
Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen.
Luke's referring to Stephen, the first Christian martyr, martyred in Jerusalem.
He's arrested, put on trial, makes audacious accusations to the Sanhedrin, and they have him stoned.
And because of this event, a great persecution arises in Jerusalem.
And by that, God swings open the gates of Jerusalem and the gospel goes forth to the known world.
Luke records, chapter 11, verse 19.
Because of the persecution, they traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.
But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists.
And the Hellenists were Greek converts or Gentile converts to Judaism.
They spoke to the Hellenists also preaching the Lord Jesus.
Verse 21.
And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose.
For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.
And a great many people were added to the Lord.
So Barnabas, because of the great many people, Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul.
It is not until chapter 13, verse 9, that Saul is introduced as Paul, which was his Roman name.
Verse 26.
And when he had found him, Barnabas finds Saul, who we know as Paul.
He brought him to Antioch.
For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people.
And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
In the following, after verse 26, a prophet named Agabus informs the church in Antioch of a coming famine.
A great famine that would plague the land.
So the church decides to send aid to Jerusalem by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
So Barnabas has journeyed.
He's gotten Saul.
He's brought him to together for a year.
They've ministered to the church in Antioch because it's grown in number.
Too much for Barnabas to handle by himself.
He brings Saul along.
So Barnabas and Paul begin their formal recorded ministry together in Acts chapter 11.
Then in chapter 12, Luke kind of jumps location of narrative.
Now we saw right at the end of chapter 11 that Paul and Barnabas are sent with aid.
So this is the bridge to back in Jerusalem.
What's going on back in Jerusalem?
Luke tells us of the martyrdom of the apostle James and the arrest of Peter.
The miraculous deliverance of Peter from the prison and the death of Herod.
And then in Acts chapter 12, verse 25, Luke says,
And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service,
bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.
So it appears that Barnabas and Saul have been in Jerusalem for this entire event.
If you're familiar with the story, there's a great number of believers gathered together praying for Peter as he's imprisoned.
It's likely that Barnabas and Saul are there in that house ministering amongst the saints and praying for Peter.
So, at the end of chapter 12, we see that Barnabas and Paul are joined by a man named John Mark.
And all we know about John Mark up to this point in Luke's narrative is what he tells us in Acts 12.
When Peter realized that the Lord had rescued him from Herod, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John.
There's lots of Marys in this day.
Mary, the mother of John, whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
So, we learn that Mark, John Mark, is a brother.
And he's likely, he doesn't say it specifically, but he's likely at this place meeting with the fellow believers
and making earnest prayer for Peter.
And that brings us to our text today.
So, a little bit of background.
And we'll get more into some events that happened with Paul and Barnabas and John Mark.
But to kind of bring us up to our text for today, Acts 15, verses 36 through 41.
Beloved, this is God's word to us.
It was written for his glory and our good.
We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and to obey its commands.
And I start reading in verse 36.
And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas,
Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord and see how they are.
Now, Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark.
But Paul thought it best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia
and had not gone with them to the work.
And there arose a sharp disagreement so that they separated from each other.
Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.
But Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
This is our text for today.
And it's a difficult text for our study this morning.
Not because its meaning is unclear.
There's not some deep theological meaning that we must unravel from it.
It's laying there on the surface for us.
It's easy to discern.
But it's difficult because its application is difficult to discern.
What do we do with such a text?
I want either its exclusion.
This is in my flesh.
Either its exclusion.
Can we just jump over the fact that they disagreed and just say,
and they went separate ways.
Or, man, I want more details.
How exactly did this sharp disagreement go down?
Many commentators I have read over the past couple of weeks
only give a couple of sentences or a very short paragraph to this text.
Much to say about all of the events leading up to it
and all of the events that follow.
But very little.
Typically just a repetition of what the text itself says.
And there was a disagreement.
And they went separate ways.
And you go, great, thank you guys.
One commentator I use fairly often just skipped it all together.
And when, with all their pages falling out of the comment,
they just skipped it and didn't talk about it at all.
In our belief as a church that verse-by-verse exposition
is the best habit for preaching,
a text like this becomes a test of that conviction.
This is not what's been on my heart this week.
Other things have troubled me.
And then this text.
In our belief in the inspiration of the Scripture,
that is that God wrote this text.
He wrote it.
Luke carried along by the Spirit.
Through his pen, God wrote this letter.
And he included certain details.
And he excluded certain details.
We must pick it up and turn it over
and wonder why God has inspired such texts for us today.
It means something.
It has bearing on our lives today.
I love verse-by-verse exposition
because it presses me to this.
I'll tell you that if I just picked text,
this is not a text I would preach.
I might use it as some kind of a support to something else,
but I would not pick this as a main text.
So this morning I'll do my best,
certainly by grace,
to answer that question for us.
Why?
Why did it happen?
And why did God inspire the record of it?
To help us pick up a text
and see the glory of Christ contained within it?
I'm going to structure our study in the following way.
So for your note-taking benefit,
these are going to be the three points this morning
for Acts chapter 15, verses 36 through 41.
First, and I'll go back to these first,
the occasion for the disagreement.
We'll look at this in verses 36 through 38.
Secondly, the nature of the disagreement.
The first half of verse 39, so 39a.
And thirdly, the result of the disagreement.
In the last half of verse 39,
39b through the end of our text in verse 41.
So firstly, the occasion for the disagreement.
So note first, at the outset of our text today,
the desire of Paul and of Barnabas
to strengthen the church.
The text begins with Paul saying to Barnabas,
let us return and visit the brothers in every city
where we proclaim the word of the Lord
and see how they are.
Now what he's talking about
is their first missionary journey.
The church in Antioch commissions
Paul and Barnabas to go on the first missionary journey.
It's often referred to as Paul's first missionary journey.
Barnabas accompanies him on it.
And they go on a trip that we read about
and have discussed along the way.
Full of trial.
Full of conversions.
Many churches are established along the way.
They've returned to Antioch.
Then they've traveled to Jerusalem.
And we see in Clay preach for two weeks
on the Jerusalem council.
What happens there?
What's established concerning Gentile believers?
Whether or not they should be circumcised?
And then they carry a letter
back to the church in Antioch.
And that's where we find them.
They've now been in Antioch for many days.
They've been preaching,
strengthening that church.
And Paul turns to Barnabas and says,
hey, let's go back to where we went before.
It's been quite some time now.
And let's be sure that they're doing okay.
Let's see how they are.
Now recall that Paul is commissioned by Jesus,
specifically by Jesus,
to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.
Paul is known as the apostle to the Gentiles,
which he desired to do in broadening ways.
He takes this one short trip,
beginning his first missionary journey.
His next two are much larger.
He desires at the end of his life
to take the gospel all the way to Rome
and to preach it there.
Always pressing further.
Always going beyond.
In Romans 15-20, Paul says this,
I make it my ambition to preach the gospel.
Not where Christ has already been named,
lest I build on someone else's foundation.
So there's this longing in Paul's heart
to go further,
to go to the unreached of the earth,
to preach the gospel in places
where the gospel of Jesus Christ
has never been preached.
Paul is a church planner.
Paul is a missionary.
He's a frontiersman going out
and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.
But he did not neglect
the greater command of Jesus.
Matthew 28, verses 18-20,
Jesus said to the disciples,
And Jesus came and said to them,
All authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to me.
Go, therefore,
and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing in the name of the Father
and the Son of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe
all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always
to the end of the age.
Paul is desirous of this.
Not just to see converts,
but to see people grow
in their depth of knowledge.
In fact, often in our narrative,
we miss how much time he spends
with the churches that he establishes.
Sometimes it's not much time at all.
The place that he shipwrecked,
the island he shipwrecked on,
history holds it that a church
was established there.
He was there three days.
And they got passage on from that place.
But many of the places that he went,
he stayed on for some years.
The church of Antioch is one example of that
to deepen the believers there as well,
to teach them all that Christ
had commanded.
We see that in his concern
to return to these churches.
Some time has gone on.
How are they doing?
Has any error crept in?
Are they still being faithful
to the teachings of Christ?
In 2 Corinthians 11,
after Paul is given a long list of suffering
that he has endured for the sake of the Gospel,
he concludes in verse 28 this.
And this is astounding to me
after all of the things he lists,
the shipwreckings,
the beatings,
the stonings.
He says,
and apart from other things,
there is the daily pressure on me
of my anxiety for all the churches.
A desire to see them grow in godliness.
And so he has this desire.
And Barnabas has the same desire.
Verse 37 confirms that for us.
Now Barnabas wanted to take with them
John called Mark.
So in a very brief way,
Luke records for us,
Barnabas agreed, right?
They made a plan to go.
And Barnabas adds to that
that he would like to take John Mark along.
Who we learn in Colossians chapter 4, verse 10,
that John Mark is likely Barnabas' cousin.
And I say like because we don't know for sure
because the word in the ESV translator for cousin
can also be used to mean uncle
and it can also be used to mean nephew.
Often Greek is so incredibly precise.
It's a much broader language,
more precise language.
In this case, not so much.
So most scholars guess
that he was his cousin.
Could have been,
his uncle could have been his nephew,
I suppose.
That's also possible.
But likely his cousin, right?
And he wants to bring him along
in order to give him a second chance.
In order to give him a second chance.
But why did he need a second chance?
If you back up a bit in our narrative
to Acts 13, 13,
you get more of the detail
of what Paul is referring to
in Acts 15, verse 38.
Paul says,
we've read this already,
but Paul thought best
not to take with them
one, being John Mark,
who had withdrawn from them
in Pamphylia
and had not gone with them
to the work.
So Acts 13, 13,
Luke records for us,
now Paul and his companions
set sail from Paphos,
which is on the island of Cyprus.
They've been on the island of Cyprus,
right?
They've seen some resistance
to the gospel there.
They've also seen many churches
planted in this place.
So they sail from Paphos
and they came to Perga
in Pamphylia.
So another city.
They land in the port city of Perga
in Pamphylia
and John left them
and returned to Jerusalem.
And that's what we know
of this event.
So we don't know for certain
the reason that John Mark left them.
That's the record we get.
John left them
and returned to Jerusalem.
But we can surmise
that he likely left
because he was afraid.
The journey that Barnabas and Paul take
heading north from Perga
was through a mountain area
that was riddled with danger.
In fact,
back to the little bit of text
I read to you
from 2 Corinthians 11,
all of the dangers listed before that,
dangers in the wilderness,
dangers from rivers,
dangers in the mountains,
dangers from thieves,
like all of that
is likely about this journey
that he took heading north.
A very treacherous journey.
And John Mark has already seen
resistance to the gospel.
And what his guess is that
he was seeing the possibility
both of physical danger
as well as spiritual danger
that was ahead.
And we know that Barnabas and Paul
encountered that, right?
Paul is stoned almost to death.
They presume he's dead
and they drag his body out
and leave it outside of a city.
He gets back up
and continues to minister
the gospel of Christ.
Further, Paul's desire
to not take him along
certainly speaks to some measure
of moral failure
on John Mark's part.
It wasn't like John Mark
needed to go back
and attend to the church
and that's why he left.
There's a reason
that this particular leaving
carries weight for Paul.
And Paul says,
no, he didn't go with us
to the work.
He left us.
The word translated
withdrawn in chapter 15,
verse 38,
and left in chapter 3,
verse 13,
can also mean
abandon or desert.
So I think it's
a safe assumption to make
that the reason John Mark left
was because he was afraid.
He abandoned the work
that was ahead of him
because he was afraid.
And Paul wants no part
of John Mark
on this return trip.
Barnabas wants to give him
a second chance.
Now remember,
this is the same Barnabas
that defended Paul
back in Acts chapter 9.
You remember Paul
was a persecutor
of the church.
He was dragging people
out of their homes
and sending them to prison
so that the church
had reason to be afraid of him.
He could have been
playing a double agent
and trying to infiltrate
the church
by pretending to be
a follower of Jesus Christ.
But back in Acts 9,
verses 26 and 27,
Luke records this.
And when Paul
had come to Jerusalem,
he attempted to join
the disciples
and they were all
afraid of him
for they did not believe
that he was a disciple.
But Barnabas
took him
and brought him
to the apostles
and declared to them
how on the road
he had seen the Lord
who spoke to him
and how at Damascus
he had preached boldly
in the name
of Jesus.
And so Barnabas
is the one
who had come
to Paul's defense.
Barnabas is not
actually his
given name.
This is another
Joseph of the Bible.
But the disciples
gave him the name
Barnabas,
which means
son of encouragement.
He seems to be
an uplifter
of those
who are
downtrodden.
And so he wants
to bring along
John Mark.
And Paul wants
nothing to do
with John Mark
on another journey
back through
the same
region.
So who was right?
I don't know.
I think that they both
had good desires.
I think both of them
had kingdom
advancing
desires.
I think part of
Barnabas' desire
in going back
to see the churches
and taking
John Mark
with them
was the strengthening
of John Mark
who's part of
the church
of Christ.
It's difficult
to say
if it was proper
to take along
John Mark
or not.
And Luke
doesn't seem
to make any
judgment
on the matter
whatsoever.
Some commentators
suggest that he does.
Verse 40,
but Paul chose
Silas and departed
having been
commended by the
brothers
to the grace
of the Lord.
Some suggest
that this is Luke's
account,
that the church
agreed with Paul
because you see
that Barnabas
and John Mark
just leave.
The record just says
and they departed.
But Paul chose
Silas and departed
having been commended
by the brothers
to the grace
of the Lord.
I don't know
if we can jump
quite that far.
I think probably
verse 40
is recorded that way
because Paul is
and will continue
to be the main
character in Luke's
narrative.
Luke's traveling
with Paul.
So I think he's
giving us greater
detail about what
happened after they
went separate ways.
So I can't say
that that is his
intention found
at the end.
So that's the
occasion for the
disagreement.
That's what brings
about this disagreement
between Paul
and Barnabas.
Secondly,
let's look at
the nature
of the disagreement.
Oh boy.
The nature
of the disagreement.
The first part
of verse 39
says,
and there arose
a sharp disagreement
so that they
separated
from each other.
Now,
in English
we have a phrase
which is a single
word in Greek.
Sharp
disagreement.
And the word
is in Greek
paroxysmos
which is the root
of the English
word
paroxysm.
Does anybody
know that word?
If I say that
English word
paroxysm,
anybody's like,
oh yeah,
paroxysm.
I learned it
this week.
I'm like,
oh,
the English
word paroxysm?
Okay.
You may want
to use it
in the coming
week.
Let me tell you
what it means
in English.
paroxysm.
A paroxysm is a
sudden attack
or violent
expression
of a certain
emotion.
So this word
in Greek
carries a
massive weight.
It's not any
kind of
gentle disagreement
that they have.
Paul didn't go,
I don't think so.
I'm not so sure
that's the best thing.
John Mark,
you know,
we're probably
going to have to
pay for passage
for him to leave
again.
He's kind of
proven his
merit on trips
like this.
Barna goes,
wow,
come on,
man,
give him a
second chance.
This is not
the kind of
disagreement
that they have.
Again,
this is why
I want
details.
What was
said?
The word
would lead us
to believe
that they were
yelling at each
other,
right?
A sharp
disagreement,
right?
They got in a
fight about
whether or not
John Mark
should go
on this
journey.
So,
are we to
learn from
this that
there are
appropriate
times for
such
disagreements?
If you look
at this
text,
you go,
oh,
Paul and
Barnabas,
look,
they got in
a sharp
disagreement,
right?
They got in
a screaming
match over
something and
then they
left each
other,
so that's
appropriate
in some
cases in
the church.
I don't
think so.
I don't
think so.
But let me
say this,
as we're
thinking about
this and
kind of
building it
out together,
that anger
is not
necessarily
the enemy
of
righteousness.
There is
such a
thing as
righteous
anger.
Ephesians 4,
26 and
27,
Paul writes
this,
be angry
and do
not sin.
So it's
possible to
be angry
and not be
sinful anger.
Be angry
and do not
sin.
Do not let
the sun go
down in your
anger and
give no
opportunity
to the
devil.
So there's
a proper
way to
be angry.
We don't
have time
to talk
about that
at great
length.
But let
me kind
of sum
up the
only way
that it's
okay to
be angry.
To be
righteously
angry is
to have
your anger
aimed at
offenses
against the
glory of
God.
So not
offenses of
yourself.
No righteous
anger when
somebody pulls
out in front
of you on
the road
and they
slow you
down.
That's not
righteous
anger.
Even if
you're headed
to church,
it's not
okay.
I'm going
to be late
now because
of you.
You should
have left
earlier.
It's not
their fault.
The world
does not
revolve around
you.
But anger
at heresy
being taught
in our
communities
can be
rightly
motivated.
Righteous
anger funneled
at things
that are an
offense
to the
glory of
God.
So could
that be
what's
happening
here?
So there
is a type
of anger.
There's a
time in
the life
of a
Christian
where you
might find
yourself in
a sharp
disagreement
with someone
else.
Is that
what's
happening
here?
I don't
think so.
I don't
think so.
Luke gives
us no
hint that
Barnabas was
sinning by
taking John
Mark with
him.
He doesn't
give us any
idea that
that would
be the
case.
That
Paul would
be defending
the glory
of God,
the advancement
of the
kingdom of
God,
because
Barnabas
wanted to
give John
Mark a
second chance.
I can't get
there that
that's what's
happening,
that Paul's
anger is
righteous.
I suggest
to you that
Paul and
Barnabas
entered into
a sinful
argument
concerning a
matter of
personal
preference and
opinion.
Now,
if that
feels
unsettling to
you,
it does
to me a
little bit
too,
because in
so many
ways,
Paul should
be our
hero,
but he's
not Christ.
And we
see the
moral failing
of almost
every biblical
character
presented to
us.
Not every
one.
Some of
them come
and go
quickly,
and it's
just
righteousness
and that's
fantastic.
We get so
little account
of their
life.
So many
of the
great
fathers of
our faith,
there's
record of
their failing.
And I
believe that
God pins
this for
us intentionally.
So here's
part of the
answer.
Why did
God inspire
this text?
Through the
pen of
Luke,
that we
wouldn't
worship
Paul.
He wasn't
perfect.
To be
emulated in
so many
respects.
Here he is
early in
his ministry,
I believe,
sinfully
arguing a
matter of
personal
preference and
opinion.
Beloved,
we look to
Christ for
our supreme
example of
righteousness.
Right?
Our supreme
example.
Who was
angry at
times?
The story
of Jesus
making,
weaving
together,
taking the
time to
weave
together.
He's not
shooting off
the cuff.
He takes
the time
to weave
together a
whip so
they can
drive money
changers out
of the
temple.
Why?
Because it
was an
offense to
the glory
of God.
There is
such a
thing as
righteous
anger.
I don't
think that's
what we're
observing
here.
Listen to
some of
Paul's
later writing
concerning
our conduct
with other
believers.
I think
Paul indicts
himself.
Colossians 3.13,
he says,
bearing with
one another
and if
one has
a complaint
against
another,
he does
not say
yell at
each other
and then
part ways.
He says,
forgiving
each other
as the
Lord has
forgiven
you,
so you
also
must
forgive.
So we
as having
been,
if we're
now in
Christ,
having once
been enemies
of God,
being in
sharp disagreement
with him,
God
graciously
extended to
us a
hand of
reconciliation
in the
personal work
of Jesus
Christ.
He's
forgiven us
in him
and Paul
is saying
in Colossians
3.13,
you need to
forgive in
the same
way.
You extend
a hand of
forgiveness
in the exact
same measure
that forgiveness
has been
given to
you.
Paul
writes in
Ephesians
chapter 4
verses 1
through 3,
I therefore,
a prisoner
for the
Lord,
urge you
to walk
in a
manner
worthy
of the
calling
to which
you have
been
called.
So walk
in a way
that exhibits
what God
has done
for you
in a way
that's worthy
of the
calling
to which
you have
been
called.
Verse 2,
with all
humility
and,
do you know
the text?
Gentleness,
with patience,
bearing with
one another
in love.
Verse 3,
eager to
maintain the
unity of
the Spirit
in the
bond of
peace.
So if
there was
a proper
thing to
do
concerning
John Mark
and this
trip,
I think
Paul is
suggesting
here to
us and
even to
his past
self that
he could
have walked
patiently
with
Barnabas,
led him
to the
proper
conclusion
rather than
screaming
in parting
ways.
Paul writes
in 1 Corinthians
chapter 13,
not just for
married couples,
this is written
to a church,
verses 4-7,
love is
patient and
kind,
love does
not envy
or boast,
it is not
arrogant
or rude,
and I love
this in
verse 5,
it does
not insist
on its
own way,
it is not
irritable
or resentful,
it does
not rejoice
at wrongdoing,
but rejoices
with the truth,
love bears
all things,
believes all
things,
hopes all
things,
endures
all things.
So I
suggest that
these two
brothers who
had ministered
alongside each
other for
as many as
five years,
and just
catch that,
right?
Luke's narrative
is so punchy
sometimes that
you miss the
time that's
gone on,
right?
So depending
on the
approximations of
dates and
who you're
reading,
somewhere between
three and
five years,
Barnabas and
Paul have
been together
all of
that time,
right?
Dear brothers,
partners in
ministry,
they have
fought in
the trenches
together.
They parted
ways over
opinion and
preference.
Now there is
an appropriate
time for the
parting of
fellowship amongst
followers of
Christ.
It will come
to that,
right?
There are
brothers,
that I have
in this
community,
that I am
happy to
fellowship with
on some
level,
partner for
the gospel
in our
community,
but we
could not
fellowship in
a church
together.
We disagree
on particular
doctrines,
right?
And amiably,
we can disagree.
Yeah, I just
don't see it,
right?
I can't see that
in the scripture.
I think it
could be
dangerous.
I'm not
saying that
you believe
heresy,
but maybe
you shouldn't
be a member
of our church.
These things
happen,
right?
There's times
for that,
for believers
to go in
separate directions,
but I do
not think
this was
one of them.
The evidence
for me
is the use
of the word
paroxysmos,
sharp
disagreement,
sharp
disagreement.
I think
Luke,
inspired by
the Spirit,
uses a very
particular term
to tell us
this is not
the way,
this should
have been
handled,
right?
Not with
sharp
disagreement.
Righteous anger
is expressed
in godly
ways.
On your
bulletin,
Charles
Spurgeon,
quote of the
day,
Satan greatly
approves of
our railing
at each
other.
Oh,
he loves it.
He loves it
when the church
is fighting
over preference
and opinion.
He greatly
approves of
our railing
at each
other,
but God
does
not.
Now,
I am very
happy to
report that
the relationship
between Paul
and Barnabas
appears to
later be
repaired.
We don't
get much
hint of
that.
Barnabas is
nowhere else
found in
the book
of Acts.
It drops
out of the
scene.
Paul is
definitely
the main
character
throughout
the rest
of Luke's
narrative.
I'm sure
that Luke
didn't even
know what
was up
with
Barnabas
and John
Mark
as they
traveled
around.
But there
is a hint
of this
in 1 Corinthians
chapter 9
verse 6.
Paul is
making a
case for
ministers of
the gospel
of Jesus
Christ to
receive their
living by
their ministry.
And he
just says
this.
It's a
very small
hint at
this,
but in
1 Corinthians
9
verse 6,
he says,
or is it
only,
this is
tongue-in-cheek,
or is it
only Barnabas
and I
who have
no right
to refrain
from working
for a living?
So that's a
rhetorical question.
Is it only
Barnabas and I
who have
no right
to refrain
from working
for a living?
So there's
this mention
of Barnabas,
and at
very least,
as Paul's
writing to the
Corinthian church,
Paul is
commending
Barnabas'
ministry.
It would
seem that
the Corinthian
church knew
who Barnabas
was.
He's not
just some
random
character that
Paul brings
into the
scene,
but they
knew who
Barnabas
was,
so he
mentions him
in this.
So at the
very least,
it's that.
He's commending
Barnabas'
ministry to
the Corinthian
church.
At most,
and I'd love
to think this,
they ministered
together in
Corinth.
They met
back up
somewhere along
the way,
and he's
referencing a
brother who
he ministered
alongside when
he says,
is it only
Barnabas'
who have no
right to
refrain from
working for
a living.
Paul's
relationship is
also restored
with John
Mark.
In Colossians
4.10,
I mentioned
earlier,
we see that
Mark is
with Paul
in his
Roman prison.
He's
alongside him.
He's now
joined back
up in the
mission that
Paul had
set God
on.
And we
know that
God sees
fit to
use Mark
to pin
one of the
four
gospel
accounts.
It's a
wonderful
picture of
restoration
of one
who was
a
deserter
being
back
very
close
at the
center
of
God's
work
and his
advancement
of the
kingdom.
Okay,
so the
occasion for
the
disagreement,
the nature
of the
disagreement,
and thirdly
and finally
and briefly
the result
of the
disagreement.
The result.
The last
part of
verse 39,
we know
what happened.
We've said
it now a
few times.
They separate,
Barnabas takes
Mark with
him,
and they
sailed away
to Cyprus.
That's where
Barnabas was
from,
and this
was the
beginning of
Paul and
Barnabas'
ministry.
But Paul
chose Silas,
who we'll talk
about more
in some
coming weeks,
and departed,
having been
commended by
the brothers
to the grace
of the Lord.
Churches
prayed for
him,
they've
said,
God,
you're in
control,
you are
working in
the life
of Paul
and now
Silas.
They
committed
to the
grace of
the Lord,
and he
goes through
Syria and
Cilicia
strengthening
churches.
So what's
the result?
They go
separate ways,
but we see
missionary
multiplication.
One
missionary
team
turned into
two
missionary
teams.
Men that
have grown
in the
grace of
Christ
together,
learned
much on
their
journeys
together,
part ways
and bring
along new
disciples that
they train
up and
equip so
that they
can continue
to send
them out.
I'm reminded
of the
words of
Joseph to
his brothers.
You remember
Joseph's brothers
throw him in
the bottom
of a well
because they
hate him.
They change
their mind,
they pull
him back
up,
they sell
him into
slavery.
He ends
up in
Egypt in
charge of
all of
the grain
in Egypt
through a
lot of
fantastic
events.
And his
brothers find
themselves in
the midst
of a
famine and
they come
to him,
not knowing
who he is,
not recognizing
him,
realizing who
he is,
they fall
down at
his feet
and he
says to
them,
what you
meant for
evil,
God
meant for
good.
Nothing
escapes the
good grasp
of our
sovereign God.
He is
never not
in control.
He providentially
reigns over
all things,
even our
failing,
even our
sin,
God reigns
over all
of that.
Nothing
escapes the
good grasp
of our
sovereign God.
Please never
grow tired of
Romans 8,
28.
I always fear
quoting things
that you guys
should be
familiar with.
Don't grow
tired of
this.
And we
know that
for those
who love
God,
all things
work together
for good,
for those
who are
called
according to
his purpose.
God is
bringing about
good even
in the midst
of our
failures.
That doesn't
mean that we
should be
careless
concerning our
own failures.
That is not
to say to
Paul and
Barnabas,
that's cool
guys,
God's got
it,
it's alright,
no,
repent.
If I'm
reading it
right,
and I believe
I am,
that they're
being sinful
here,
repent,
turn back,
be burdened
by your
separation.
We shouldn't
be careless
concerning our
own failures,
leaning on the
promise that
God will work
good,
but in our
failures,
when we do
and we will,
we should be
confident in
God's promise
of good.
Boy,
this thing has
not turned out
the way I
thought it
should.
Praise God,
he is sovereign
and working good
in all things.
So we saw the
occasion for the
disagreement,
the nature of the
disagreement,
and the result
of the disagreement.
Mission,
multiplication,
what they
likely meant
for evil,
God turns
to good.
So what does
it mean for us?
Here's some
application.
I'm going to
ask a series
of questions.
Take a little
time just to
consider these
questions for
your own soul.
Number one,
do you have
any concern
for strengthening
the church?
If we can learn
something here
from Paul
and Barnabas
in the
positive,
they had a
concern for
the strengthening
of the church.
They're in
Antioch now
many years,
two years
they've been
there,
ministering
the Word of
God to
God's people.
And their
desire to go
from that
place is to
go back to
the places
and to
strengthen
the church.
Is your
intention in
being here
to serve
others with
the gospel
of Jesus
Christ or
to just be
served?
And you
should be
served as
it's my
desire and
other people's
desires to
serve you.
Is your
motivation in
coming here
to sit down
and consume
nom nom nom nom
and not turn
around and
invest anything
in anyone else?
Number two,
do you need to
give someone a
second chance?
could you
have a
John Mark?
A John
Mark that
God intends
to do
wonderful
things with
and you
just blew
them off?
You fail to
follow through
with somebody
who's walking
through hard
times.
An axiom,
beloved,
is that when
people are
going through
difficult times
in their
lives,
their walk
with Jesus
Christ,
they are the
least likely
to seek you
out and ask
for help.
I wish that
wasn't the
case.
People
withdraw
inside
themselves
when they're
going through
difficult times
and it
takes pursuit
of people.
You've got to
drag them
kicking and
screaming
out of their
little place
of isolation
and bring them
out into the
light and
minister the
gospel of
Christ to
them.
Is there
someone in
your life
that you need
to give a
second chance
to,
that needs
your investment
for the sake
of response
to the gospel
of Jesus?
And along
the same
lines,
this is still
question two,
second question
of question
two.
Do you
need to
cut someone
loose?
Often Clay
and I have
conversations
as we're
working at
discipling
young men,
it's always
nice to have
a second
opinion when
someone is
just not
following
through.
You've
asked things
of them,
basic
things,
Christian
things,
not extra
burdens,
but just
the commands
of God.
Next week
I get to
talk about
how Paul
required
Timothy to
be circumcised
if he was
going to
go with
him.
We're not
asking any
of you to
do that.
Just to
be obedient.
Just to
do the
things that
God has
commanded you
to do,
and they're
just people
who will
not.
As much
as we
try to
pursue,
they will
not.
And it's
always nice
to have
that second
person that
goes,
it's time
to cut
them loose,
man.
You're
wasting your
energy right
now of
an individual.
And the
time comes
for that
time comes
for it.
Sometimes
people need
to go
off and
feel the
own weight
of their
sinfulness,
and not
have you
crutching
them up
all the
time.
So ask
yourself
that
question.
Can you
give someone
a second
chance,
maybe play
the Barnabas,
do you
need to
cut someone
loose,
as Paul
did?
I've got to
think,
this is an
aside,
I've got to
think that
in some
way,
for John
Mark,
there was a
motivation
birthed in
him when
Barnabas
said,
Paul wants
nothing to
do with
you,
because you
bailed on
us,
you abandoned
us,
we could
have used
you and
you left
us,
that there
was a
weightiness
to that
accusation,
and I hope
John Mark's
response.
Number three,
do you need
to repent
of any
unrighteous
anger?
I can
tell you,
unless you
spent time
recently
repenting
of unrighteous
anger,
that the
answer to
that question
is yes,
you do.
Most of
our anger,
the vast
majority of
our anger,
which we
cloak in
other words
like frustration,
I do that
a lot,
I say I'm
frustrated,
I'm angry,
we make
lots of
justification
for the
way we
feel,
but in
most of
those cases,
I know for
myself anyway,
that when I'm
angry it's
because I'm
functionally
believing that
the world
revolves around
me,
that I should
be placed at
the very
center of
it,
and then
something
happens that
disproves
that,
that shows
me otherwise,
and it makes
me mad.
Stop
getting at
my worship
of myself
is what my
anger is
communicating
outwardly.
So beloved,
there's much
room for
repentance of
our anger.
You need to
recognize that
firstly and
for mostly,
our anger has
a vertical
offense,
it's unrighteous
anger,
you need to
repent first
to the Lord,
but so often
our anger
comes out of
us,
and it has a
horizontal offense
as well,
and you may
find that your
repentance requires
you go to
going and
confessing that
sin to
somebody and
making apology
for it.
I'm really
thankful that
for the most
part,
our church
feels unified,
see a lot of
love,
a lot of
togetherness,
I hear very
little about
dissensions,
but maybe I
just don't
know,
it's very
possible that
I don't,
and I would
encourage you
to labor to
maintain the
unity of the
spirit,
and the bond
of peace.
Fourthly,
do you
believe that
you have
been delivered
from God's
wrath in
Christ?
Do you
believe that
you've been
delivered from
God's wrath in
Christ?
Even as you
may be feeling
some conviction
for unrighteous
anger on your
part,
can you stand
knowing that
you've placed
your faith in
Jesus Christ,
that he is
your sufficiency
before God?
Romans 8,
1,
there's therefore
now no
condemnation for
those who are
in Christ Jesus.
Beloved,
those of you who
are followers of
Jesus,
this is great
motivation for
confession,
for seeking
reconciliation with
those that you
have sharply
disagreed with.
Unbeliever in
the room today,
I always think
of a crowd this
size,
it's not a
massive crowd,
but I always
got to think
there's someone
who believes
they're a follower
of Jesus Christ,
but is not.
The judgment
and the guilt
you may be
feeling now may
be the conviction
of the Spirit
in your life.
Look to Christ,
his perfect
sacrifice on
your behalf.
Let's pray
together.