A Second Chance

From Rev. Mike:

This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “A Second Chance”. The scripture is Acts 15: 36-41, which describes how Paul and Barnabas get into a major disagreement about John Mark. On a previous mission trip, John Mark had suddenly left Paul and Barnabas, and he had returned home to Jerusalem. Paul has not forgiven him, so he refuses to take John Mark along on a new mission trip. Barnabas disagrees, and the result is he and Paul go their separate ways, and Barnabas takes John Mark under his wing. Paul Moots writes in his book “Becoming Barnabas: The Ministry of Encouragement, “It may seem ironic to us that Paul was so dead set against allowing the young John Mark a second chance, given his own history. When he was Saul the Pharisee rather than Paul the missionary, he had been the scourge of Christ’s church. With the possible exception of Herod, no single individual created such fear in those who followed Christ as did Saul. Yet Christ forgave him and called him. The church–with a vital assist from Barnabas–accepted Paul and commissioned him to ministry. Paul was aware of how much Jesus forgave in calling him. Yet he held the past against John Mark and refused to work with him. ” As you prepare for Sunday, think about who in your life has been “Barnabas” for you, encouraging you despite your failures and believing in your gifts.”