The Word This Week
Acts 16:1…
We have just seen the separation of Paul and Barnabas.
As difficult as it may be to observe the contention which arose over Barnabas’ insistence about bringing Mark along with them and Paul’s refusal to do so – even to the point of parting company – one thing we can say for certain is this brought about two mission teams where there had been one.
Barnabas did arrange for Mark to join him, and they headed off to Cypress, Barnabas’ home country. We never hear of Barnabas again, but we do hear of Mark, as both the author the Gospel of Mark, and as eventually, (we assume under Barnabas’ mentorship,) useful to Paul once again.
Paul headed back to the region of Galatia with Silas - also known as Silvanus - first to re-visit the churches Paul and Barnabas had planted, and then to go on to seek to establish others. (Silas would remain at Paul’s side for the remainder of his life in ministry and would prove very valuable and faithful to Christ in all their time together.)
In their first mission trip, Paul and Barnabas had enlisted Barnabas’ young nephew John Mark to travel with them. (Most likely as a needed assistant to make arrangements along the way – whatever they may need substance-wise to support their efforts, be it food or lodging or anything else that may be necessary.)
But John Mark had quit and left to return home, which proved upsetting to Paul. It seems it hindered them the remainder of their trip.
As they left on this second missionary journey, they brought no sort of ‘logistics’ person along with them.
But it didn’t take long to find one.
Here, at the beginning of their second journey, as they arrived back at Derbe and Lystra, they found a young man who had become a believer in Christ from Paul’s preaching the Gospel of Jesus on the first mission trip to Derbe and Lystra. We remember this was the very location Paul was stoned and left for dead. The young man’s name was Timothy. He immediately joined their ministry team - we assume – taking up the role Mark had previously performed.
Here is the beginning of a life-long relationship between Paul and Timothy, whom Paul would later refer to as his, “son in the faith,” meaning Timothy had become a believer under Paul’s preaching. And just as Paul had apparently been mentored by Barnabas to Spiritual maturity, he - now separated from Barnabas - mentored Timothy.
This is a classic example of how important mentorship is in the Body of Christ, and how those who are mentored, once brought to Spiritual maturity, go on to mentor others.
Pastor Bill
We have just seen the separation of Paul and Barnabas.
As difficult as it may be to observe the contention which arose over Barnabas’ insistence about bringing Mark along with them and Paul’s refusal to do so – even to the point of parting company – one thing we can say for certain is this brought about two mission teams where there had been one.
Barnabas did arrange for Mark to join him, and they headed off to Cypress, Barnabas’ home country. We never hear of Barnabas again, but we do hear of Mark, as both the author the Gospel of Mark, and as eventually, (we assume under Barnabas’ mentorship,) useful to Paul once again.
Paul headed back to the region of Galatia with Silas - also known as Silvanus - first to re-visit the churches Paul and Barnabas had planted, and then to go on to seek to establish others. (Silas would remain at Paul’s side for the remainder of his life in ministry and would prove very valuable and faithful to Christ in all their time together.)
In their first mission trip, Paul and Barnabas had enlisted Barnabas’ young nephew John Mark to travel with them. (Most likely as a needed assistant to make arrangements along the way – whatever they may need substance-wise to support their efforts, be it food or lodging or anything else that may be necessary.)
But John Mark had quit and left to return home, which proved upsetting to Paul. It seems it hindered them the remainder of their trip.
As they left on this second missionary journey, they brought no sort of ‘logistics’ person along with them.
But it didn’t take long to find one.
Here, at the beginning of their second journey, as they arrived back at Derbe and Lystra, they found a young man who had become a believer in Christ from Paul’s preaching the Gospel of Jesus on the first mission trip to Derbe and Lystra. We remember this was the very location Paul was stoned and left for dead. The young man’s name was Timothy. He immediately joined their ministry team - we assume – taking up the role Mark had previously performed.
Here is the beginning of a life-long relationship between Paul and Timothy, whom Paul would later refer to as his, “son in the faith,” meaning Timothy had become a believer under Paul’s preaching. And just as Paul had apparently been mentored by Barnabas to Spiritual maturity, he - now separated from Barnabas - mentored Timothy.
This is a classic example of how important mentorship is in the Body of Christ, and how those who are mentored, once brought to Spiritual maturity, go on to mentor others.
Pastor Bill