Yesterday someone shared with me a whole new way of looking at Acts 3. This is a passage that has recently been on my heart heavily. It talks about Paul’s second mission journey. On the first journey, Paul went with Barnabas. On the second journey Barnabas wanted to take John Mark. John Mark originally was intended to travel with Paul and Barnabas but ended up having to go back home to take care of family issues. So when Barnabas wanted him to join them, I think Paul was concerned about his commitment and he did not want him to go. The two ended up fighting about it and in the end Barnabas went in one direction with John Mark and Paul went another direction with Silas.
For me, I saw the fact that this happened to end up being a good thing because twice as much ground was covered in spreading the gospel. However, when it was brought up yesterday a point was made that I never once thought of let alone considered. He said “what happened after Barnabas and John went their own way?”
He made the point that nothing else is heard of them. There are not books in the bible that Barnabas or John Mark write. His thought was that when the two angrily went their own way, they began acting in their flesh and not in the spirit. The fact that scripture follows Paul and doesn’t include the travels of Barnabas and John gave him the impression that the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) was not with them.
I never thought of it that way. It was profound to hear it and to me it really sounded like a new truth that just hadn’t surfaced yet. But that changes the story completely. This would mean that it wasn’t good that this happened and that what God really wanted to take place was hindered by pride and harsh feelings.
So how do I apply this new truth in my own life? If I am John Mark or Barnabas in this story, how do I get right with God and back to where I need to be? If I am Paul or Silas how do I lovingly pray for my brother in Christ, John Mark and Barnabas? When you have gone your own way angrily or in pride, how do you go to God and make things right?
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