37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.

We saw in the purposes of Paul that John Mark had failed Paul and therefore was rejected by Paul for further service on his mission trip. Rejection is a hard pill to swallow, especially when it is done in the open, in front of those you respect.

In John Mark I see a man who had not yet matured in Christ. He might have thought he was ready to serve with Paul. John Mark might not have been mature enough to understand what was going to be expected of him. This is a common dilemma of service, in that the desire to serve can come before one is prepared to serve.

Rejection does not mean you have failed Christ. Those men who failed the pastor example in the telling of Paul’s purpose have all moved on to serve the Lord faithfully having matured. This includes myself. I too was a John Mark as one time. It would have been really helpful to have a Barnabas to disciple me on my journey. This is why I disciple others. I know how important discipleship is in personal growth in Christ.

Two issues I find encouraging about John Mark’s purpose. One is that he tried to serve Paul and stretching out to do more is not a wrong thing. It was Peter who called out from the boat, “If that be you Lord, ask me to do that which I cannot do in my own strength.” The second is that John Mark went with Barnabas and did not let his past failures prevent him from growing in Christ.

In the end John Mark proved himself and was found useful to Paul and applauded by Paul in the growth John Mark had shown. Mistakes do not make you a failure, giving up does.

39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;

Allow me for the moment to identify this contention between Barnabas and Paul. Paul was being called of God to meet His purpose. Barnabas was being called of God to meet His purpose. Their error was in not recognizing that God was not calling the two together into one purpose. These men had worked together well. Paul in his identity, Barnabas in his identity were a team that functioned very well.

God’s purpose in your life may not mean that you are to continue in that which has worked well for you in the past. We all like success but our God challenges us to be all that He has purposed in us to His glory. Sometimes that means moving on into a new challenge.

Here Barnabas must now distinguish himself as not being Paul. Barnabas has a character upon which God has purpose to use to further His Kingdom to His glory. People grow in Christ and have to move on in obedience of faith. We should not cling to others to the point it causes contentions within the sight of the membership. We need to examine ourselves and acknowledge what God is calling us to do earnestly, without resentment, hardship or harsh words which we will have to eat later.

We are looking at Paul, Barnabas, John Mark and Silas. The differences in purpose for each man is mingled together. At this point I can only address this one thing about Barnabas which distinguishes him from Paul, being a discipler. Barnabas, because he was not the architect, had the patience as coworker to find it within himself to disciple John Mark.