Have you ever failed at something?
[TSTC Crusade story.]
But thank God that wasn’t my only chance to do something for the Lord. Thank God for second chances! [2] This morning we’re going to look at how we serve a God of second chances as we continue our studies through the book of Acts. We’re actually going to go back a couple chapters to Acts chapter twelve to get some background material on a young man named Mark. A man who started out well but who failed for all to see.
Colossians 4:10 shows us that Mark was actually the cousin of Barnabas. And as we’ve seen, Barnabas was a highly respected and effective leader in the early church. Barnabas was also Paul’s partner in the church’s first missionary endeavor. So Mark had a great and godly Uncle.
He also had a godly Mother as well. It was in her home that people were praying all night for Peter while he was in prison. It’s the first place that Peter went after the Lord delivered him from that prison.
[Read Acts 12:12.]
So Mark had a godly family that no doubt invested into his life. Mark also had the privilege to be a part of the first ever missionary journey with Paul and Barnabas.
[Read Acts 13:5.]
What an opportunity! He’s traveling with the great Apostle Paul and his loving Uncle Barnabas and is able to see first hand the power of God through their ministry. But halfway through their adventure something happened – Mark deserted the ministry.
[Read Acts 13:13.]
Now when you first read this, it just looks like he went back home for no apparent reason. Maybe he had something important to attend to? But when you see how the Apostle Paul in chapter fifteen referred to Mark’s departure as a desertion, you understand that Mark had simply given up and failed to persevere through the trip. Go to Acts 15 where two years have passed from their last missions trip, and Paul and Barnabas are making plans for their next trip.
[Read Acts 15:36-41.]
Look at the intense disagreement between Paul and Barnabas over whether or not Mark should go with them. Barnabas wanted to give Mark another chance, but Paul said, “No way! He deserted us the last time we went through this region and will probably do it again!”
You see, traveling in the ancient world was no easy task. Crowded ships, bad food, walking for miles, sleeping on the road sides. Just getting to where they wanted to go was a chore. And once they got there they never knew what the reaction of the people would be. Many people would come to know the Lord and revival would break out. But there was always the opposing Jews who would mistreat them something awful. There was always the very real chance that they would be killed for their faith while on this trip.
The pressure got to Mark and he simply quit on Paul and Barnabas and went back home where life was easier. Mark failed. And that [3] failure affected the lives of others. Look at what it did to Paul and Barnabas.
[Read Acts 15:37-40.]
Both Paul and Barnabas felt strongly about their position concerning Mark. Barnabas wanted to give Mark another chance and help him grow in his faith. Paul didn’t think he was ready for another trip of this magnitude. Neither one would budge. So they split up and each went their own ways.
Now this wasn’t the start of a life-long rift between Paul and Barnabas. Other Scriptures bear that out. But at least for now, this great missionary team had to go to plan B because of Mark’s failure.
You see, our failures almost always affect the lives of others. We rarely fail in a vacuum. Sooner or later our sins, our failures, will negatively affect the lives of others. And usually those others are the ones closest to us.
[Group Home examples.]
Our failures affect the lives of others.
If the quarterback of a football team fails to hold onto the ball, he could cost his team the game. If a man fails to be faithful to his wife, he could cost them their marriage. If an accountant fails to keep accurate records, he could cost his company their financial health. If a soldier fails to be where he’s supposed to be, it could cost his fellow soldiers their lives. Our failures affect the lives of others.
Along with that, [4] our failures affect our own lives as well.
Can you imagine what Mark must have felt like when he deserted Paul and Barnabas and went back home. All the awkward questions he’d have to answer from his family and his church. “How come you came back so soon? Where’s Paul and Barnabas? How will they manage without you? Was there anyone to take your place?”
And then to have to face Paul and Barnabas once they made it back after completing their journey. And then having to listen to Paul and Barnabas tell the church of all their travels and what God had done on the trip. Mark must have been miserable inside.
Failure feels awful doesn’t it? And not only does it feel bad, but it starts to affect our self-esteem and our confidence. Doubt sets in and sometimes we even give up on ourselves.
[Donnie’s failure story.]
Our failures can really affect the way we look at ourselves. Now, not every failure can drive us off the deep end. Some failures just move us to try harder. When I go golfing and shoot a 107, I get a little discouraged. But I’m also moved to practice more and try harder.
But when you have a moral failure, or when you fail your family, or when you fail at achieving your life’s dream, those kinds of failures can really cause you some self-esteem issues. Our failures affect our own lives.
But you know what, the good news is that most of the time, [5] failure doesn’t have to be final! We serve a God of second chances! And this Mark that we’ve been looking at, this young man who failed miserably, got his second chance and made the most of it!
Now, one of the things that helped Mark out was the fact that other people came to his side to encourage him after his failure. Instead of dumping on him, they helped him up, dusted him off, and brought him along. Look at how Barnabas believed in him.
[Read Acts 15:39.]
By taking Mark with him, Barnabas was letting Mark know that he was still useful.
But it wasn’t just Barnabas encouraging him, the Apostle Peter also built into this young man’s life. The early church fathers and even the Apostle John all agreed that Peter took Mark under his wing and looked at him as he would a son.
[Read I Peter 5:13.]
These men didn’t see a failure – they saw a brother who needed them. And what a difference it made in his life. When we fail we need someone to come along side and encourage us.
Jackie Robinson was the first African-American to play major league baseball. While breaking baseball’s color barrier, he faced jeering crowds in every stadium he played in. One afternoon while praying in his own team’s stadium in Brooklyn New York, he committed a costly error in the game. Then his own fans began to ridicule and jeer at him in horrible ways. He stood there at second base completely humiliated and alone. That is until the short stop of his team Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to him. He then put his arm around Jackie and began staring down the crowd until everyone grew quiet. Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his baseball career.
When Barnabas and Peter put their arms around the shoulders of Mark it made all the difference in the world. He’d gotten his second chance and was going to make the most of it.
Twelve years later, even the Apostle Paul saw what Mark had grown into and once again they were doing ministry together.
[Mention Philemon 24, read Colossians 4:10.]
During Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome Mark is right there with him doing ministry and Paul is proud to vouch for his credentials.
Then a few years later when Paul’s in a Roman prison again, this time awaiting his execution, he sends for Mark by name.
[Read II Timothy 4:11.]
Failure doesn’t have to be final! As a young man Mark failed by quitting on his brothers in Christ Paul and Barnabas. But his second chances have given him the opportunity to now work along side the ones he let down. But God wasn’t done with him – not in the least. Locate in your Bible the book that’s located in between the books of Matthew and the book of Luke. It’s Mark’s gospel that he wrote when he was Peter’s apprentice. This failure of a man was used to write Scripture! Failure doesn’t have to be final!
So let’s not give up on each other. When you see someone fail, pick them up and put your arm around them. It’s probably just what they need…
And also let’s not give up on ourselves. Listen, failure is a part of life. As long as we’re earth-side of eternity we’re going to fail at times. Don’t give up on yourself. God has a plan for you and will even use your failures to grow you into who He wants you to be.
I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
If your failure is one of morality, don’t give up on yourself. Confess you sin to God and He will forgive you and restore you. And then you can move forward for Him.
[Read Philippians 3:13-14.]
Move ahead for the Lord. Stop looking back at your failures and start looking ahead at what God wants to and can do through you! Failure doesn’t have to be final when God is in the equation.
And do you know how we can know this for sure? [6] Jesus went to the cross for our failures. Jesus died for our failures. His sacrifice has made a way for us to have a second chance at life! We serve a God of second chances. Do you need a second chance at something this morning? Let’s pause for a moment and talk to the Lord about it. He is the God of second chances.
[Prayer, Communion, Matthew 26:26-28.] [7]
