<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Acts 15;36-40<div><br></div><div><b>36. &nbsp;And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Come, let us return and visit the brethren in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”</b></div><div><b>37. &nbsp;And Barnabas wanted to take with them John called&nbsp;Mark.</b></div><div><b>38. &nbsp;But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.</b></div><div><b>39. &nbsp;And there arose a sharp contention, so that they separated from each other; &nbsp;Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus,</b></div><div><b>40. &nbsp;but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>On the First Missionary Journey, Mark had left while the work of spreading the Gospel was still continuing. &nbsp;Scripture does not tell us why, but we can guess his was either fearful or homesick or both. &nbsp;He may have felt overlooked and unnecessary, more of an observer than a contributor. &nbsp;We do not know. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Paul and Barnabas disagreed over whether he should be included in the Second Missionary Journey.</div><div>True to his gifts of nurture, encouragement, and developer of disciples, Barnabas believed Mark should go again, but Paul probably&nbsp;thought Mark&nbsp;had&nbsp;disqualified himself by his lack of determination and faithfulness. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>I think both Paul and Barnabas were correct. &nbsp;Mark needed to be corrected, he needed to face the fact that he had not kept the mission first, but allowed himself to be distracted. &nbsp;But, Mark also needed encouragement and Barnabas was called the ‘son of encouragement’. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The end result was two missions instead of one. &nbsp;Twice as good! &nbsp;The Lord used the disagreement to multiply the ministry. &nbsp;In later years, Paul recognized Mark’s value to the work and spoke well of him.</div><div>The&nbsp;patience and persistence of Barnabas&nbsp;paid off. &nbsp;As Jesus said of God, <i>“I desire mercy rather than sacrifice.” </i>(Matthew 9;9-13)</div><div><br></div><div>I think the Church would do well to consider more&nbsp;how the Lord used&nbsp;Barnabas. &nbsp;Notice that the brethren in Antioch approved and supported both missions of&nbsp;Barnabas and Paul. &nbsp;They were trusting that the Lord is able to use all things for good for those who seek to do God’s will. &nbsp;(see, Romans 8;28&amp;29)</div><div>Notice also that&nbsp;disagreements and divisions between Believers&nbsp;can be overcome and result in great fruitfulness.</div><div><br></div><div>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, who is able to use everything for good for those who love you, grant that our hearts&nbsp;yearn with yours&nbsp;for perfect oneness, and&nbsp;overcome momentary differences. &nbsp;In Jesus we pray, Amen.</div><div><br></div><div>Love,</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric</div><div>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div>“A chapter a day, every day, reading&nbsp;progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation.”<br><br><img title="Inline image" alt="Inline image" src="cid:7a37ffb3-c540-6fe0-1f63-f49372492d32@yahoo.com" draggable="false" data-id="<7a37ffb3-c540-6fe0-1f63-f49372492d32@yahoo.com>"><br><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Acts 15;36-40
36.  And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Come, let us return and visit the brethren in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”37.  And Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark.38.  But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.39.  And there arose a sharp contention, so that they separated from each other;  Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus,40.  but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.
On the First Missionary Journey, Mark had left while the work of spreading the Gospel was still continuing.  Scripture does not tell us why, but we can guess his was either fearful or homesick or both.  He may have felt overlooked and unnecessary, more of an observer than a contributor.  We do not know.  
Paul and Barnabas disagreed over whether he should be included in the Second Missionary Journey.True to his gifts of nurture, encouragement, and developer of disciples, Barnabas believed Mark should go again, but Paul probably thought Mark had disqualified himself by his lack of determination and faithfulness.  
I think both Paul and Barnabas were correct.  Mark needed to be corrected, he needed to face the fact that he had not kept the mission first, but allowed himself to be distracted.  But, Mark also needed encouragement and Barnabas was called the ‘son of encouragement’.  
The end result was two missions instead of one.  Twice as good!  The Lord used the disagreement to multiply the ministry.  In later years, Paul recognized Mark’s value to the work and spoke well of him.The patience and persistence of Barnabas paid off.  As Jesus said of God, “I desire mercy rather than sacrifice.” (Matthew 9;9-13)
I think the Church would do well to consider more how the Lord used Barnabas.  Notice that the brethren in Antioch approved and supported both missions of Barnabas and Paul.  They were trusting that the Lord is able to use all things for good for those who seek to do God’s will.  (see, Romans 8;28&29)Notice also that disagreements and divisions between Believers can be overcome and result in great fruitfulness.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, who is able to use everything for good for those who love you, grant that our hearts yearn with yours for perfect oneness, and overcome momentary differences.  In Jesus we pray, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, reading progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation.”



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