Don't Quit, Just Because You Stumble

John Mark is an interest character in the Bible. We are first introduced to him in Acts 12:12, where we
are told that the Apostle Peter visited his mother's home. He must have been a key player in the early development of the church, because later, he was invited by Paul and his cousin, Barnabas, to travel with them on a journey to the island of Cyprus to share the message of the gospel to the inhabitants.

At first it appeared to be an exciting and victorious trip, but along the way something happened that apparently discouraged John Mark, so much so that he wanted to quit and go home. Perhaps it was their encounter with a Jewish sorcery named Elymas. Perhaps it was the isolation of traveling from city to city and not really having a place to call your own. But for whatever reason, we are told in Acts 13:3: “ Now Paul and those with him left Paphos by ship for Pamphylia, landing at the port town of Perga. There John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem.”

John Mark quit and went back home. How do we know that? Later Paul and Barnabas were going to go on another missionary trip and we are told in Acts 15:37, 38: "Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work."

 A deserter. It just has a dirty feel to it doesn't it. The contention between Barnabas and Paul was so great, they separated and went on different journeys, Barnabas apparently with John Mark, and Paul with Silas. We don't hear much about Barnabas and John Mark's journeys, but the rest of the book of Acts is about Paul and his companions. So it would appear that Paul's efforts were more success, or at least made more headlines, than those of Barnabas and John Mark.

John Mark quit on Paul. Paul then quit on John Mark. But God didn't quit on John Mark. As Paul Harvey used to say, "My friends, is the rest of the story."