Mark 1:1-8 "Prepare the Way!"

James Reed's FORGE

We are going to be going through the Book of Mark. It is one of the four Gospels, and it has been called the “action” Gospel. Mark does not give a lot of details.This Gospel takes a fast pace, and it is a summary of the ministry of Jesus Christ. Mark hits the highlights. I expect you as devoted Christians to read the entire Book of Mark. If the only time you read your Bible is on Sunday, you are only hurting your own spiritual health. The Bible is where Christians find our nourishment. Be a healthy Christian and stay in the Bible every single day.

Mark is the person we find in Acts (12:25; 13:5, 13; 15:37-39), and he is the one Peter calls his “son” in 1 Peter 5:13. In Acts 12:12 we find John whose surname was Mark. This is where we read that Barnabas and Paul took John Mark with them. Mark’s Jewish name was John, but it was customary at that time in history to add a Latin surname. Thus the Gospel of Mark is actually the Gospel of John Mark.

John Mark was probably a disciple of Peter, and you can really get a sense of Peter’s personality in this action Gospel. Mark is here to give the gospel of Jesus Christ, and doesn’t waste time doing it. He gets right to the point.

He accompanied Paul on Paul’s first missionary journey. We are not told what happened between Paul and Mark, but clearly something did happen. Mark quit the team and went back to his home in Jerusalem. This incident, whatever it was, seemed to stick with Paul. Later in Acts 15:36-40 we find that Paul and Barnabas were planning another trip to check in on the churches they’d planted. Barnabas was determined to bring Mark with them, but Paul did not want to take Mark. Paul did not want Mark who had departed from them earlier. But apparently Barnabas was insistent that Mark be chosen to come with them. In fact, Barnabas and Paul could not agree to the point that it tells us in Acts 15:39 that Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus while Paul chose Silas and they went through Syria and Cilicia. We should note at this point that Barnabas and John Mark were cousins and of the tribe of Levi. Sometimes family sticks together.

We should note that Paul softened toward Mark. 2 Timothy 4:9-11 is where Paul asks for Mark by name and states that Mark is useful in ministry. We should take a lesson from this. Friends, our brothers and sisters will disappoint us at times; however, look at Paul and Mark. By the time we get to 2 Timothy, something had changed in their relationship for the better. Paul asks for Mark. We must forgive. We must move forward with each other for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Whatever was done that was hurtful—can I just say…? Get over it, forgive as a Christian should, and proclaim the gospel.

This is the Mark who gives us this Gospel. He is the one who departed from the missionary team and went home to Jerusalem.

He’s the one that Paul didn’t want joining them the next time around. But, we see that God uses the ones that even Paul would have rejected.

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