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Paul and Barnabas Go
36Sometime later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let's go back and visit the Lord's followers in the cities where we preached his message. Then we will know how they are doing.” 37Barnabas wanted to take along John, whose other name was Mark. 38 But Paul did not want to, because Mark had left them in Pamphylia and had stopped working with them.
39Paul and Barnabas argued, then each of them went his own way. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, 40but Paul took Silas and left after the followers had placed them in God's care. 41They traveled through Syria and Cilicia, encouraging the churches.
Timothy
1Paul and Silas went back to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a follower named Timothy. His mother was also a follower. She was Jewish, and his father was Greek. 2The Lord's followers in Lystra and Iconium said good things about Timothy, 3and Paul wanted him to go with them. But Paul first had him circumcised, because all the Jewish people around there knew that Timothy's father was Greek.
4As Paul and the others went from city to city, they told the followers what the apostles and leaders in Jerusalem had decided, and they urged them to follow these instructions. 5The churches became stronger in their faith, and each day more people put their faith in the Lord.
Reflect
Luke is such an honest man. He wants us to see how the Holy Spirit worked to spread the good news of Jesus Christ throughout the world. An exciting story! But it not an easy story. Luke is honest: the messengers of the good news face conflict and have to compromise, or do what seems like compromise.
Paul and Barnabas are to take the letter from the Jerusalem Council affirming salvation by grace and requesting a grace-led life to the churches in the Roman Empire. Barnabas wants to also bring John Mark along. Paul does not. Paul has issues with John Mark because of previous history. So the two friends part company. It had to be painful. But grace was still at work, for they placed one another and their companions “in God’s care” (15:40).
And Paul had his new friend Timothy circumcised. After all the debate in Jerusalem? Is Paul backing off on salvation by grace and grace alone? No, he is wanting to remove any barrier to the spreading of the good news. He wants to bring Timothy with him on missions among Jews. He does not want any stumbling blocks, so has Timothy accept the sign of the covenant in order to getting a hearing. Paul would later spell out his strategy on this in his first letter to the Corinthians (9:19-23).
As a result of blessing those with whom they disagreed, and being willing to sacrifice to remove any possible scandal, the churches thrived!
Respond
Dear Father, You want your gospel to go to all the world. Grant us grace to bless those who do not see eye to eye with us, and grace to be willing to be and do whatever it takes to bear winsome witness to Jesus. In his name we pray. Amen.
Darrell Johnson
Darrell Johnson has been preaching Jesus Christ and His Gospel for over 50 years. He has served a number of Presbyterian congregations in California, Union Church of Manila in the Philippines, and the historic First Baptist Church in the heart of Vancouver. He has taught preaching for Fuller Theological Seminary, Carey Theological College in Vancouver. He is currently serving as Scholar-in-Residence for The Way Church and Canadian Church Leaders Network, and still serves Regent College part-time as Teaching Fellow. He and his wife Sharon have been married 49 years. Together they have raised four children adopted from four different countries of the world, and now enjoy loving 11 active grandchildren! Publications: Who is Jesus? (Regent College Publishing, 2011); The Glory of Preaching: Participating in God’s Transformation of the World (IVP Academic, 2009); It is Finished (Regent College Publishing, 2008)