Second Chances: John Mark

Is not God all about second chances?  Throughout the Bible and history, we see people get second chances in life.  This is a new series titled “Second Chances” which are stories, like the Lessons Learned series, about Bible characters.  While the Lessons Learned series was about women, the Second Chances will be about men. 

I wanted to write about John Mark because of an Our Daily Bread devotional I read recently.  As I have done in the past, I posted a contest on Facebook on who was my next blog post.  I listed clues for my friends and family to guess and one of the clues was second chances.  I got a lot of ideas so I decided I would venture into writing about men.  Don’t worry, I still have more women to write about.

Many scholars believe John Mark wrote the book of Mark in the Bible.  He is mentioned in Acts, Colossians, II Timothy, and I Peter.  Scholars also believe he wrote about himself in Mark 14.  Now before you look that reference up let me tell you John Mark’s story.  As usual, the story will be written in first person and scripture will be from the New Living Translation and is in italics.

John Mark’s story

I was there when they arrested Jesus.  I was amazed of the mob that came to arrest him.  Jesus had just been praying off by himself and the rest of us were waiting for him.  Actually, we fell asleep, I am embarrassed to say.  When the mob came, we awoke, and Jesus walked up to them.  I saw Judas come up to Jesus and kiss him on the cheek. I was so shocked at Judas.  I thought all those who were Jesus’ disciples were saints.  Judas has done Jesus a terrible injustice turning again him. 

 Jesus spoke to the mod.  “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? 49Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there among you teaching every day. But these things are happening to fulfill what the Scriptures say about me.”

Then they took him.  By then everyone had run away but me.  I wanted to go with Jesus and followed behind but suddenly someone from the mob grabbed my long linen shirt.  I was so scared I ran off leaving my shirt behind.  Yep, I was naked, and my Mom was going to kill me.  The only reason she let me hang out with Jesus and the disciple is because Peter is a family friend and he said it was okay.  She made that shirt just for me.  She said I look just like my Dad when I wear that shirt.  He had one just like it when he died.  It is just me and my Mom now.

The next day was Jesus’ trial.  I watched from afar.  It was unbelievable how they treated Jesus.  Then they crucified Jesus.  My Mom and I watched.  She cried as her and the other women hugged each other.  We went home so dejected.  It was the Sabbath and some of us gathered at our house to wait for it to be over.

Sunday morning, we heard from Mary Magdalene.  She came and told us Jesus had risen from the dead.  We were all excited and saw Jesus that very night.  He had risen, indeed!  We saw all his scars, including the nail prints in his hands.  Surely, Jesus is the Son of God.

About forty days later Jesus and his disciples were eating at my Mom’s house when he told them

“Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Later, when Jesus was teaching on the Mount of Olives near my home he said:

8” But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Then Jesus started to rise toward Heaven.  We were watching him go and he was getting small so we could hardly see him anymore.  Our hearts hurt.  Suddenly, there was two men, dressed in white, standing among us.  “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

We all went back to my home.  We all stayed there, praying and fellowshipping.  There was about 120 of us one day when Peter spoke and said they needed to replace Judas because he hung himself.  So, the eleven chose Matthias to be the twelve Apostle.  Being only 18 years old I am glad they did not consider me for the job. 

On the day of Pentecost, we were again gathered at my home.  We were all praying as we felt led.  Suddenly, there was a loud rushing sound, like a windstorm, filling the house.  And then, tongues like fire settled on each one of us.  We were suddenly speaking in languages from all the known nations on the earth.  People from nearby heard the sound of the wind and then heard the believers speaking in different languages.  Many were in Jerusalem for Pentecost from different countries and they heard their own language being spoke.  “How can this be?”  They asked?  You all are from Galilee; how come you can speak to us in our own language.  Some even said they thought we were drunk.  But no, it was only nine in the morning.  That day we were able to share the wonderful things God had done through Jesus. 

Peter and the other eleven got up and address the crowd that had gathered.  Peter told them they were not drunk.  Peter went on to tell them what they were seeing was written about in the prophet Joel.  He told them how God had proven Jesus was His son through the miracles Jesus preformed.  Continuing, Peter spoke of Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Peter spoke of what was happening, how the Holy Spirit had ascended on each one of them.  Then the crowd asked, “what should we do?”  Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”  That day about 3000 people became believers.

From then on, we became a community.  We shared what we had with each.  We sold our things and gave the money to the Apostles to help those in need.  We held meeting where the Apostles would preach, we ate together, prayed together and had the Lord’s Supper.  Every day the Apostle would preach from the Temple courts and many became believers.  And many were healed from their diseases by the Apostles.  It was amazing! 

Yet, the religious leaders became angry at the Apostles for preaching Jesus rose from the dead.  The religious leaders put the Apostles in jail, but God would often intervene, and they were released, sometimes miraculously.  As time went on the persecution of the believers became worse.  One day Stephen was stoned.  The believers began to fear a man named Saul for he oversaw hunting believers and persecuting them.  Believers fled Jerusalem and the Gospel was shared with many others because of persecution.

Then one day I heard Saul became a believer himself.  Amazing!  Saul was on the road to Damascus.  It has been told Jesus spoke to Saul directly from Heaven.  After that, the church had a time of peace.

Yet, it did not last long.  Soon the religious leaders were persecuting believers everywhere.  One time Peter was put in prison and God brought him out during the night.  We were all at my Mom’s house praying for Peter.  Our servant girl Rhoda came in and said, “Peter is standing at the door!” 15“You’re out of your mind!” we said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.”

Then we all heard the knocking at the door.  Someone opened the door and it was Peter.  We m so amazed.  Peter told how an angel came and woke him and led him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers what happened,” he said.  Then Peter went to another place. 

One day my cousin Barnabas invited me to join him and Saul to go on a mission trip with them.  I asked my Mom if that would be okay.  She is always worried about me since my Dad passed away years ago.  I am sure I have given her much to be concerned about.   She was always shaking her head at my foolishness.  She would always say “Oh John Mark, when will you ever learn to think before you do something.”  I would tell her “I am trying Mom!”  I am so surprised she said yes, but only if Barnabas makes sure I behaved myself.

At first it was exciting.  One day we met a sorcerer who tried to keep the governor from listening to Saul and Barnabas.  The governor wanted to hear about God.  Saul, who is now called Paul, spoke to the sorcerer and told him God will punish him by making him blind for a while and He did.  

We traveled to several places.  Sometimes we experienced hardship.  We were always aware Jewish leaders did not want us preaching about Jesus’ death and resurrection.  I got to the point where I was always looking over my shoulder to see if we were going to be arrested.  I was constantly afraid and it was affecting how I slept.

I continued to grow tired and fearful.  Barnabas tried to encourage me, but I was not listening to him.  One night, when we sailed back to the town of Pamphylia, I stuck out of where we were sleeping and headed home to Jerusalem.  I had had enough!

I got home and my Mom sat down with me and we had a good talk.  I told her how scared I was all the time.  I told her I did not get along with Paul at all.  He is a little bossy.  My Mom asked me if I believed God was in control of my situation.  I said “of course”!  Then it struck me.  All this fear and discord was not from God.  I was with some of the greatest preachers of the Gospel of our time and I was not listening to them or to God. 

I asked my Mom to pray with me.  I asked God to forgive my doubt and to give me a heart for God!  I felt like a huge weight was lifted off me.  I spent most of my days listening to the Apostles and other teachers.  I met with Peter often to hear his stories about Jesus and I wrote them down so I would have them.  I hoped Paul and Barnabas would forgive me and take me with them on their next mission trip. 

But that was not the case.  I met up with Paul and Barnabas and asked if I could join them as their assistant like I had before.  Barnabas welcomed me with open arms and not Paul.  Paul was still angry with me.  I told him how I realized I was not trusting God before and how I have been sitting under the teaching of Peter and other Apostles.  Yet, Paul thought I was not mature enough.  I heard Paul and Barnabas arguing and it broke my heart.  Finally, Barnabas comes to me and says we are going a different direction than Paul.  I was heartbroken but glad to finally be able to serve the Lord.

Barnabas and I went to Cyprus.  There we taught as we traveled around the island.  I learned a lot and was able to do my share of the teaching.  I also worked on writing my book of the life of Jesus.  I can really feel God giving me the words to write.  I trust Him completely and have no fear.  Even Paul has forgiven me and has invited me to join him.  I praise God He saved this scared kid and turned him into a servant for Him.

John Mark’s Second Chances

John Mark did a lot of growing from the time he was at Jesus’ arrest to the time he wrote the book of Mark.  Even though he messed up and left Paul and Barnabas he was welcomed back.  His cousin, Barnabas, had a lot to do with that I am sure.  Also, his mother.  Though it is not well known, his mother Mary, had a church in her home. 

How have you grown from second chances in your life?  For me, I made some mistakes while in grad school and they may have been one of the reasons I was not able to find a counseling job.  Yet, I learned over the past few years how to trust God and have grown so much.  My ability to write is my second chance.  I often find God directly gives me the words to write just like He did for John Mark.  I may not be a counselor, but I enjoy writing so much more than I would have counseling.  God’s ways are the best and He is always giving us second chances.

Below is some affiliate recommendations for you. If you click on a link below and make a purchase, I may receive a small percentage of the sale. This helps with the expenses of the website. Thank you.

Let’s Study Mark
By Sinclair Ferguson

When John Mark wrote out his “good news” about Jesus two thousand years ago, his Gospel was a completely new kind of book. No one had ever written one before. In fact no one would have known what a Gospel was… What made the Gospel of Mark unique was this: it was not written merely as the memoir of Jesus as a great man, not even as the greatest man who had ever lived. Rather it was meant to persuade its readers that Jesus was the Son of God…Who is Jesus of Nazareth? What is the good news(gospel) about him?…This commentary provides us with Mark’s answer.

Life Lessons from Acts, 2018 Edition
By Max Lucado

Max Lucado’s Life Lessons from Act is a 12-session study for groups or individuals. In the book of Acts you’ll see that the men you read about in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John have been transformed. They may still look the same and have the same mannerisms, but with the Holy Spirit indwelling them, they are not the same and because they are differnt, so is the world. They founded the early Church and gave us a legacy of faith.

Key Themes:

• The foundations of the early church were established in the aftermath of Jesus’ resurrection and ascension
• The Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to spread the gospel into the world as Jesus commanded
• The first struggle of the gospel was to stand independently of Jewish tradition and faith
• The sacrifice Jesus made was for all people

Each lesson has the following sections: Key Scripture Verse, Reflection, Situation, Observation, Exploration, Inspiration, Reaction, Life Lessons, Devotion, and Journaling. Ideal for a small-group setting or for individual study.

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