THE KING'S BUSINESS
936
This, too, is a good opportunity tor the teacher to ask the scholars whether they have daily prayers in their homes affording opportunity to emphasize th~ necessity and advantage of family prayer. (2) THE PARTING OF THE WAYS, Acts 13: 13 "John, departing from them, returned to J erusa– lem." The fifth verse of this chapter tells us that when Barnabas and Saul were separated to the ministry and went forth to service John (Mark) was their helper. We do not know why Mark left them. Maybe the hardships of the Christian life began to test his faith and he longed for mother and home. If the account had said that "He straightway left them" it would have been charac– teristic of him. He was a young Chris– tian, and he may have been a "double– minded man, unstable in his ways." We hear no more of him until after the conference in Jerusalem (Acts 15: 36) when Paul proposed to Barnabas that they visit the churches where they had preach ed. Barnabas wanted to take Mark with them, but Paul said "No" because he had deserted them be· fore. So Mark was the cause of dissension between them and Paul chose Silas and went through Syria and Cilicia, while Barnabas took Mark and went to Cy· prus. "Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth." Mark did not know when he deserted his work that his action would result in a separation between two mighty men of God. Perhaps Paul was a little obstinate himself and manifested something o! the old nature which he speaks of in Romans 7:18-21: "For I kno\v thut in n1e (that Is, In n~~ flesh) thl'elleth no good thing; for \Viii J~ }>resent ·with 1ne; but bow t?, per– forn1 thnt '''hlch is good I find 11ot. tbe However the Lord causes even wrath of ~an to praise him and the result of the contention was that two
The face of an eagle-John-Indica– ting the conception of J esus as the Son of God-soaring into the highest heavens. The face of a lion-Mark-sugge~ted by the aggressiveness of the narrative, commencing with the loud call of John the Baptist "Repent ye"! The Gospel of Mark is the shortest of all, and is characterized by a brief– ness and directness of narrative which distinguishes it from the other Gos– pels. Definite facts and events are presented in a comprehensive way with– out much reference to detail. (1) THE PREPARATION FOR SER– VICE, Acts 12 : 12 "Many were gathered togethar praying." John Mark had a Christian home. We know nothing of the facts,-when and how his mother, Mary, had come to see in Jesus the Son of God and Saviour of sinners; but she was one who believed in Him and in His mes– sage "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Fa– ther in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:13.) The church was gathered together in Mary's home (Acts 12: 5) "Peter therefore "lvas ke1•t In prison; but urnyer lvns nu:ule n 'ithout ceasing of the church unto God for him." and the promise of Isa. 65: 24 was ful– filled: "And ft shall co1ne 10 pass, that before they call, I "\ViJI nusn·er; nn•l 'vhile they are yet speaking, I "\Vilt bear." for Peter stood at the door before they were through with their prayer. John Mark had a praying mother. Thank God for that. Would that it could be said of every young man and woman today; but, alas, what a short– age there is of praying mothers and praying fathers! How few are the Christian homes! John Mark had a good start. The mother who knows how to pray and weep over her children will have reason to rejoice in glory. Whenever you read Mark's Gospel stop and thank God for his home life.
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