July 1, 2018 10:30 AM, Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

TODAY’S “SPECIAL”: MARRIAGE LESSONS (in honor of all our “first week in July” married couples – including us!)
During the 50th wedding anniversary celebration, the husband was asked to give a brief account of the benefits achieved from being married for so long.
He stood up, thought for a long moment, then said, “Well, I’ve learned that marriage is the best teacher of all. It teaches you loyalty, meekness, forbearance, self-restraint, forgiveness, and….” he paused.
“And?” someone cried out from the back of the room.
“… and a great many other qualities you wouldn’t have needed if you’d stayed single.”

INTRODUCTION: The gospel of Mark is considered the first book written in the NT.
Memory verse: 10:45 Jesus came to serve!
Who is Mark? Where did he come from? He is not mentioned by name in the gospels – how could he know so much about Jesus, apart from the work of the Holy Spirit Who inspired his writing? And how do we know it is Mark who wrote, well, “Mark”?
Two key verses:
Key verse #1: She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son. (1 Peter 5:13). Peter led Mark to the Lord! Peter discipled Mark – wherever Peter went, like a beloved puppy dog, so did Mark follow. And learned. And what did he learn? He learned, not to love Peter, but to love the Lord Jesus.
Key verse #2: “A young man” (Mark 48-52) This is a most fascinating phrase. Do you remember in the Gospel of John, John is often referred to, and referred to himself, as the “disciple whom Jesus loved” – and that surely was evident in his books of love found in 1, 2, and 3 John. Here is a phrase in Mark which is NOT found in any of the other gospels. Although the arrest is found in them, this isolation of one man, “a young man”, is most interesting. Gospel scholars call this an allusion to authorship. This was a way that Mark the servant could reveal himself, yet more importantly, reveal his Savior as Servant right to the cross.
There are several other steps in the New Testament which tell us about the development of Mark’s character.
Let’s ask God’s blessing upon this rich study! PRAYER

# 1 FIRST STEPS (Acts 12)
We are told about his home life – where prayer was often heard. In the early days, the church often met in homes. There is at least one Bible theologue who believes that in the last days, the church will have to abandon buildings and go back to meeting in homes.
So in Acts 12 what did he learn? He learned how NOT to pray! Peter had an amazing God-ordered, angelic orchestrated delivery! He arrives where prayer for him is being raised. He knocks at the door. And although the people have been told that Peter is at the door, they keep on praying for his deliverance! So what does Peter do? HE KEEPS ON KNOCKING!
Mark learned much here – especially how NOT to pray, and how it is possible to pray well-meaning prayers, but in unbelief.
OK – before we’re hard on the church which met at Mark’s family home, how do we pray? “Lord, if it is possible, can you provide for us?” “Can you heal Johnny?” “Can you send money to the missionaries?” “Can you….” What is the problem here – OF COURSE HE CAN!
God wants a surrender to His will, not to our wishes! Do we pray wishy-washy prayers, or do we pray prayers of faith? Hmm. I’ll rest there for now!
But what was the fruit of this visit? Barnabas and Saul (verse 25) saw something in Mark. They saw a heart that had been raised at the Master’s feet and discipled by Peter. They invited him to get his own feet wet, as it were, in the work of the missions ministry.
And that’s how God does it! By taking servants, those willing to serve, just as they are, who have an heart for Jesus, a walk with Him, and already are being proven where God has wisely placed them!
Are you being proven for the Lord today?

# 2 TWO STEPS FORWARD, THREE STEPS BACK? (Acts 15:36-41)
Let’s move forward to Acts 15. My in-laws used to have a plaque hanging on their dining room wall – “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.”
There is a quick line in Acts 13:13, “John left them to return to Jerusalem.” That’s all that is said. Nothing further. At this point, no reason is given for the “why” that he left. He certainly didn’t get a text or an email from home!
He had been making such good progress with Paul and Barnabas. Why did he leave them? And WHY is this seeming insignificant line placed here in Scripture?
Our answer is found in Acts 15:36-41. What John had done was leave these two and apparently not on friendly terms. Better put, he deserted them. Paul took notice. This caused quite a dissension between Paul and Barnabas. Paul would have nothing to do with a deserter. But “Barnabas took Mark”. Barnabas extended grace, a lesson in…servanthood! Paul needed to learn those lessons of grace. I wonder if he ever learned them?

CONCLUSION
Have you ever felt that God has set you aside because of something you’ve done a long time ago? Have you ever felt that you cannot serve God because someone hasn’t forgiven you? Even though you have trusted the Lord Jesus as Savior, have you ever felt that you’ve been put on a shelf to waste away the remainder of your days?
Perhaps John Mark felt like that. But the story doesn’t end in Acts 15!
Turn to Paul’s last words ever written, 2 Timothy 4. He’s mentioning people who have been an important part of his ministry. He points out Demas (v.10) who left because “he loved this present world” more than the Lord Jesus. He mentions Crescens, Titus, and Luke. Dear fellow travelers. And then he mentions…Mark. “GET MARK…HE IS HELPFUL TO ME IN MY MINISTRY!”

Servanthood. Read Mark 10:45 again.

Close in prayer