What Happened to John-Mark?

As I was reading Acts a while ago, I started wondering what happened to (John) Mark.

Here is the scene:
Barnabas and Paul take Mark with them on their first missionary journey. They traveled from town to town proclaiming the Good News.

But then they arrive at Perga and something happened. Scripture tells us that Mark left and returned to Jerusalem.

A while later, Barnabas and Paul are ready to make another missionary trip. Barnabas was adamant about taking Mark with them, but Paul refused. Consequently, Barnabas and Paul split up and went their separate ways.

Barnabas takes Mark and Paul takes Silas. Whatever happened, Paul takes a tough stance toward Mark, whereas Barnabas takes a more comforting approach to Mark’s desertion of them.

Mark’s desertion really hit Paul hard and personally. Doesn’t this happen to us sometimes in our life and our church?

We have a good friend, a strong supporter, or a faithful church member, but then something happens. It seems like they desert us or maybe we desert them.

It is difficult to deal with. Feelings get hurt. People hold on to their pride, but for what? Isn’t it usually over trivial matters that really won’t matter for eternity?

Well, what happened to John Mark?

I don’t know for sure, but I do know that he was reconciled with Paul and became a strong, godly man. No doubt Peter guided Mark into the godly man Paul saw. After all, Peter was no stranger to failure either.

Paul confirms this near the end of his life in 2 Timothy 4:11. Paul tells Timothy to bring Mark since he is profitable for ministry.

What can we learn from this? We need to seek out those people that deserted us in our lives or church and restore that relationship. The same holds true if we were the ones that deserted them. Let’s not wait until the end of our lives or the end of their life before seeking that restoration.

The relationship is more important than who was “right” or “wrong” on the trivial things of life.

Nowhere in the New Testament gospels will you find Jesus saying that the first order of things is always to be right. But He does have a great deal to say about forgiveness, about relationships, about reconciliation, about service and humility and vulnerability.

Let us remember that and restore those broken or strained relationships in our lives.