Tuesday, Feb 8
It happens
Scripture: Exodus 27-28, Psalm 17, Acts 15
Acts 15:36–41 After some time had passed, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers and sisters in every town where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they’re doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take along John who was called Mark. 38 But Paul insisted that they should not take along this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed off to Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose Silas and departed, after being commended by the brothers and sisters to the grace of the Lord. 41 He traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Observation
This is a sad story that reminds us how human our heroes were. Paul and Barnabas had a long and valued relationship that went back to Paul’s earliest days as a disciple. It was Barnabas who sponsored Paul in Jerusalem when the other believers were wary and keeping him at arms length (Acts 9). It was Barnabas who tracked Paul down in Tarsus and brought him to Antioch to teach the new Christians (Acts 11). It was the two of them that the Holy Spirit called to mission work (Acts 13-14). It was the two of them who debated the Judaizers in Antioch and argued before the Jerusalem Council that the Gentiles were included in the gospel and didn’t need to be circumcised and become Jews first (Acts 15). In all this, they stood shoulder to shoulder—partners, friends, brothers.
Then this happens. They argued over whether to take John Mark (Barnabas’ cousin—see Colossians 4:10) with them since he had deserted them on their first trip. Unable to resolve their disagreement, they parted company, Barnabas taking Mark and heading to Cyprus, Paul taking Silas and heading to Turkey. It was the end of their partnership, maybe their relationship.
The argument over whether to include Mark on the journey wasn’t a gospel issue—it wasn’t primary or essential to the Christian faith, like the issue the Jerusalem Council had just debated. It was a matter of personal preference or opinion. Paul and Barnabas stood together for the gospel against the Judaizers, but then couldn’t resolve their own personal dispute over a much less important issue.
How sad.
Yet it happened. And still happens.
Application
Ideally, we believers would never allow any issue less than the gospel to divide us. That’s the ideal. But the reality is that it happens…often. Partnerships and friendships often end because of disagreements over non-primary issues. Over personal preference. Over politics. Over opinions.
I wonder what would have happened if Paul (or Barnabas) had compromised. Later, Paul’s opinion of Mark changed and he asked Timothy to “bring Mark along because he is useful to me (2 Timothy 4:11).”
The Jerusalem Council held the line on the gospel. It’s for everyone—Gentiles and Jews—and Gentiles don’t have be circumcised and become Jews to be Christians. But they also asked the Gentiles to respect some Jewish customs and scruples in order to maintain fellowship and avoid needless offense. In other words, they asked for some compromise on secondary issues to maintain relationships.
And yet, Paul and Barnabas couldn’t manage to do the same thing personally.
The challenge is to do all we can to maintain relationships with those with whom we disagree. The reality is that sometimes it may not work despite our best efforts.
Sadly, it happens. But that doesn’t mean we should do everything in our power to avoid it!
Prayer: Lord, it grieves me and must grieve You that we allow small things to break our relationships. Forgive us, and help us to live at a higher level of love.