“From Drop-Out To Dependable”
Acts 13:13
David P. Nolte
Some of the greatest achievers are also known for some failure, or seeming failure, in their lives. To cite some famous “failures” we note the following:
· Cut from the high school basketball team, he went into his bedroom and cried. He is Michael Jordan – 6 time NBA champion, 5 time NBA MVP, 4 time NBA All-Star.
· He didn’t speak until he was four and his teachers said he would never amount to much. He was Albert Einstein.
· He was fired from a newspaper for lack of imagination and original ideas. He was Walt Disney.
· He started well but partway into a mission trip, he left the team and went home. Paul, one of the mission leaders, refused to let him go on the next trip. He was John Mark the writer of the gospel.
Let’s consider 3 stages in this young man’s life.
I. MARK THE DROP-OUT:
A. On the first missionary journey, Barnabas, Paul and John (Mark) teamed up to preach the Gospel to Gentiles. We read, “Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem.” Acts 13:13 (NASB). The Message puts his departure like this. “John called it quits and went back to Jerusalem.” Acts 13:13 (MSG).
B. What made him change his mind? We are left to speculate, but from a later event, we can surmise his leaving was problematic to the team.
1. Perhaps he left because he was home-sick.
2. Perhaps he left because the trip was more demanding than he had imagined – sea sickness, poor accommodations along the way, whatever.
3. Perhaps he left because he felt Paul was taking over leadership from Uncle Barnabas.
4. Perhaps he left because he didn’t want to evangelize gentiles after all.
5. Perhaps he left because he was fearful of opposition and persecution.
6. Perhaps he left because his heart was not in the mission trip. He was like the prospector who sold all his possessions, bought prospector tools, and joined The Gold Rush. After weeks of fruitless searching, he buried his tools and went home. A few years passed and a mining company discovered a vein and just about 6 inches away from the vein they found his buried tools! He lost heart for prospecting and dropped-out 6 inches short of riches!
C. For whatever reason, Mark dropped out and went home:
1. Leaving the team short-handed.
2. Losing the respect of an apostle.
D. Two relevant questions arise:
1. Have you ever had someone, upon whom you relied, drop out on you?
a. Maybe an unfaithful spouse.
b. Maybe a treacherous friend.
c. Maybe a promise maker / breaker.
d. Maybe someone you looked to as a mentor.
2. Have you ever dropped-out on someone who trusted you?
a. You made a promise and forgot it.
b. You made a commitment and had second thoughts and changed your mind.
c. You said you would do something but never intended to do it.
d. You obligated yourself to a task for which you had no skills or resources.
E. Let me illustrate NOT dropping out. A man named Mark Coleman loves to hike, and he wanted to pass that love on to his son, Peter. So, when Peter was only 5 years old, Coleman planned an easy hike on the northern part of the Appalachian Trail. His plan was to walk around a mountain to a lake in Vermont where they would spend the night. Coleman made thorough preparations for the trip, which included coaching his son. Over and over Coleman told his boy that it would be tough, and it was okay to be tired, but they had to keep on walking. They had to keep on walking.
Unfortunately, the walking was longer and tougher than expected, because Coleman accidently led them OVER the mountain, not AROUND it. The trail was steep and broken. Little Peter stumbled time after time on loose rocks, but they kept on walking. The hike was a burden, not a joy, but they kept on walking. Peter fell so many times that he ripped the knees of his jeans, but he kept on walking. Finally, after one fall too many, he sat and cried.
As Mark approached him and began to speak, Peter cut him off: “I know, Dad. It's okay to cry, as long as I keep on walking.” (From a sermon by Mark Coleman)
Mark may have dropped out – but only for awhile. And it is evident that he just kept walking. We next see:
II. MARK THE DEFENDANT:
A. “After some days Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.’ Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.” Acts 15:36-40 (NASB).
B. Mark dropped out for some reason and Paul was not amused or tolerant or indulgent.
1. Paul, playing the role of the prosecutor, in effect said, “No way is Mark going with us; he is unworthy. he is guilty of dropping out once but he won’t do it twice!”
2. Barnabas, the encourager, acting as defense attorney, took on Mark’s defense – perhaps he reminded Paul of his own need of an advocate in the early days.
3. However persuasive he had been, Paul was unmoved and the team split, Mark with Barnabas and Paul with Silas.
C. Sometimes, like Mark, we need an advocate to speak up for us.
1. We drop out – fatigue, hurt feelings, square peg in a round hole, and we need a friend in court when others are unwilling to give us another chance.
2. We fail, sin, and stand guilty in our own eyes as well as God’s.
D. We have an Advocate who wins every case.
1. The author of the Hebrew letter said, “The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:23-25 (NASB).
2. John wrote, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” 1 John 2:1-2 (NASB).
E. A man dreamed he died and was standing before God. An angel asked him, “Have you led a righteous life?” He answered, fearfully, “Not always – not perfectly.” The angel continued, “Have your thoughts always been pure and wholesome?” “N-n-no – sometimes not.” “Have you been generous and giving?” “Not as much as I should have been.” “Have you been forgiving?” “I’m afraid I did hold a grudge – or two.”
He was about to abandon hope of Heaven when a strong voice spoke out, “Father. I know this man. It is true that he was weak in many ways, and he is guilty of sin, but he spoke bravely for Me in the world, and I offered Myself on the cross in his behalf. I stand here as his advocate.” And the Judge of all men said, “Acquitted.” And the man woke grateful for such a defender.
So Barnabas spoke up on Mark’s behalf, not forgetful of Mark’s desertion, but willing to forgive he believed that Mark deserved another chance. It turns out he was right, a fact even Paul recognized. Mark the drop-out was redeemed ad restored and, at the last, we see
III. MARK THE DEPENDABLE:
A. After a few years, Paul’s perception of Mark had changed; but Mark, too had changed by experience and maturity and dependability. So Paul, a prisoner, wrote in one of his last letters, “Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.” 2 Timothy 4:11 (NASB).
B. What if Barnabas had not given Mark a second chance?
1. We would be short one gospel record, or would have perhaps Matthew, Peter, Luke and John.
2. A young man, whose ministry hung in the balance, may have never been useful for service.
3. He may have decided to give up and forget the Lord and His church.
4. Mark might have become embittered and dropped out for good.
C. But
1. He had the spirit referred to by Winston Churchill in a speech, “Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in, except to convictions of .honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”
2. And since that day when his heart had failed him in Pamphylia, Mark had not given in, but by steady, diligent, consistent effort, won back Paul’s esteem and confidence.
3. So, after about twelve years, we find him, during the first imprisonment, visiting with Paul at Rome. Paul wrote to the Colossians, “Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin. As you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way.” Colossians 4:10 (NLT2).
D. One thing is sure, we have all, more than once, dropped out on serving God. But He is willing to forgive and forget the sincerely penitent. He wants us to be dependable.
E. Let me illustrate dependability The runners lined up for the race. The pistol cracked and the race was on. A fine athlete sprang to the lead, and when the race was over he had broken the state record. Only a few other runners even finished the race. Many dropped out when they saw they could not win. As the field crew was bringing out the hurdles for the next race, one of the judges yelled, “Get those hurdles out of the way. This race is not over. Look!” And around the turn came a runner, panting, and staggering.
The crowd stood in silent disbelief as he made his way over the last hundred yards, and literally fell across the finish line, grinding his face into the cinder track. One of the judges ran to the boy, turned him over on his back, took his handkerchief and wiped the blood from his face. “Son, why didn’t you drop out? What are you doing in the mile race anyway?” Between gasps, the boy explained that his school had a good miler who had gotten sick just a few days before. The coach had promised to have a man in every event, and so he had asked the boy to run the mile. “Well son, why didn’t you just drop out when you saw that you had lost?” The boy answered, “Judge, they didn’t send me here to quit. They didn’t send me here to win. They sent me here to run this mile, and I ran it!” (Carter, Following Jesus, p.119-120) 10
HE NOT ONLY WINS THE RACE WHO FINISHES FIRST – BUT ALSO HE WHO SIMPLY FINISHES.
Barnabas remembered whatever contribution Mark had made but Paul remembered his departure. Because Barnabas saw good in Mark, he spoke to Paul about him going with them on a follow-up visit to the churches. Paul refused, so, after a heated discussion, they parted ways and Barnabas took Mark himself and left; Paul took Silas and went his way. But the day came when Paul saw Mark as dependable and requested his presence.
Like Barnabas, God redeems and restores drop-outs, failures, the lost, the broken, the hopeless.
“God forbid that we should fall into sin, but when we do, we must remember that ‘we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the Righteous One.’
You can be sure, however, that when you fall into sin, the Devil will come to you and say: ‘You were forgiven when you became a Christian because you sinned in ignorance, but now that you are a Christian, you have sinned against the light. There can be no forgiveness for you now because of what you have done. You are lost—forever!’” (From Every Day with Jesus Daily Bible).
Contra that, Louie Giglio rightly said, “We have not gone too far for God to intervene and use our life again. No one has done too much that God can’t step into the story.”
No matter who you are, how great your failure, how scarlet your sin, how stubborn your rebellion – Jesus, our Advocate with the Father secures our acquittal – our forgiveness – and we are redeemed and restored.
Though we have failed Him and are unworthy, listen as He beckons you, softly and tenderly, to come to Him.
