Strength Through Fellowship
In 2nd Timothy, Paul writes “send Mark, for he has been a great help to me”. What a wonderful testimony- to be written up in God’s Word as being a great help to the Apostle Paul. However, Mark wasn’t always a great help. We know from reading Acts that his record of ministry was a little chequered. The good-news about Mark is that despite his youthful failures, Mark stuck around, received correction and grew to have a fruitful ministry.
The first time we are introduced to Mark, according to most Bible scholars, is in the Gospel of Mark. Jesus is being arrested and an unnamed youth is following, only to be grabbed by the gang as an accomplice of Jesus. In his attempt to escape, he losses his clothes and runs away naked. The next time we hear about Mark is when Peter is freed from prison and goes immediately to the house where he knew Christians would be meeting for fellowship and prayer. The house is described as being owned by the mother of John, also known as Mark.
Although these two accounts may seem inconsequential, they do tell us something very important about Mark in his early Christian life. Mark sought out and received fellowship with other Christians.
‘Encourage (strengthen) one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today’, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceptiveness.’ Hebrews 3:13
‘They devoted themselves daily to the Apostles teaching and fellowship …’ Acts 2:42
All Christians need to ‘devote’ themselves to fellowship. We are designed by God to have regular Christian fellowship. This is especially true of young Christians. We are strengthened when we have fellowship with other Christians. Sadly, in most western churches it seems a struggle to get Christians to fellowship at one mid-week meeting, let alone ‘daily’. Yet, as far as God is concerned- regular Christian fellowship is a must if we are to grow strong. Regular Christian fellowship is an essential ingredient for every Christian. As Christians mature, our relationship with other Christians change. We become mutually supportive and, eventual as we grow in grace, we are equipped to support others through their trials. ‘if someone is caught in sin, you who are spiritually mature, restore them gently … carry one another’s burdens’ Galatians 6:1-2
In Acts 15:36-40, Paul and Barnabas are planning their second missionary journey. A few years earlier they had established churches and were keen to revisit them, so they were discussing who they should take with them to help in the ministry. Barnabas wanted to take Mark, but Paul didn’t trust him. On their first missionary journey they had taken Mark. Mark would have been in his mid-twenties, the age when most young men are convinced they know how to do … pretty much everything. It seems Mark may have been much the same, because, at a particularly hard time in Paul’s journey, Mark threw in the towel. Perhaps he was homesick, perhaps he thought Paul’s leadership wasn’t up to scratch. Likely it is was a mixture of both - but either way, Mark abandoned Paul. So on the second missionary journey, Paul left without Mark, taking Silas instead, while Barnabas took Mark with him and went to Cyprus.
There are some significant things we can take from Mark’s experience- especially how he handled failure and rejection. Firstly, despite what was most likely seen as a significant ministry failure, Mark stayed in fellowship. Mark returned from his failed 1st missionary journey and reconnected with his Church. To the extent that he was still considered by many as suitable for ministry. Secondly, when Mark was rejected by Paul as unqualified, he stayed connected to the Church, to other Christians and ministry. Thirdly, we know that Mark maintained Christian fellowship with people who could mentor him.
Mark must have humbled himself enough to lay aside his pride and move forward. No doubt, by staying part of a good church and developing relationships with people like Barnabas, God was able to comfort and establish Mark.
‘Get Mark, and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in ministry’ 2 Timothy 4:11
The third stage in growing strong through fellowship is maturing to the place where you willingly lay down your lives for others. Through God’s grace, strengthen by close Christian fellowship, Mark was able to grow to be strong enough in his Christian walk, that he was considered a great help to the Apostle Paul. When Paul was jailed in Rome, he made a special request for Mark. When others abandoned him (2 Tim 4:10), Mark remained faithful. I’m convinced that a large part of Mark’s success in life and ministry was a dogged determination to stay connected in fellowship with other Christians. Mark grew from a flighty lad to a zealous young man, to a partner in ministry, to someone willing to lay down his life to serving others.
At the end of Paul’s life and ministry, he sought out Mark to be by his side. Christians, we are all called into regular meaningful fellowship with other Christians. Fellowship is one of the ways God has ordained for us to grow strong and mature in our Christian walk.
