Conflict

Acts 15:36-41

36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Come, let us return and visit the believers[o] in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.’ 37 Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul decided not to take with them one who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work. 39 The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose Silas and set out, the believers commending him to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

The problem was this. John Mark had been with Paul and Barnabas on the first trip through Cyprus and then when they sailed to Turkey, John Mark bailed on the team and went home (Acts 13:13). Now as the two are planning their second trip, Barnabas wants to give John Mark and second chance, Paul says, “No way.” And there is a huge disagreement, in the end the two split, Barnabas taking John Mark and Paul taking Silas.

Church leaders are human, even in the first century church. There were profound disagreements and fierce debate, arguments. Some of these debates were rooted not in theological matters but in practical matters and people’s egos got involved. Reminder 1: there will be debates and arguments in the contemporary church. How often is the source of the debate ego and how often is it theological? It is easy to blur these things together.

Second, Barnabas sees the possibility in people – diamonds in the rough. He mentors these outsiders when no one else is willing to take a chance on them. Barnabas did that twice for Saul/Paul see Acts 9:27 and Acts 11:25. In today’s verses he is doing the same for John Mark. Reminder 2: we are called to mentor others, creating space for them to grow. The invitation is to find someone more than 20 years younger than ourselves, and pour energy and encouragement into them. Often people need advocates to help them get a start, we are invited to be those advocates, supporters, encouragers. Behind the scenes but important to the process.

PRAYER:

Lord God, we confess that some of our arguments in your name have more to do with us than they have to do with you and your will for human beings. Help us to discern when we are getting in the way of what you want to do in the living out of the good news your Son Jesus has brought to the world. And it is in his name that we pray. Amen.