Acts 15:36-41

Acts 15:36-41

 

    Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." 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. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

 

Unity… Divergence… Commendation and Strength?

 

This is one of the passages I don’t understand very well. I mean, I get the story. I just don’t understand how it applies to Christian life. It starts off great. Paul and Barnabas want to go back to all the churches they planted just to be there for them and see how they are.

 

But then there’s an argument over whether to take Mark or not. Barnabas wanted to, but Paul thought it was unwise. Why? He had deserted them early on in the last trip and had not continued with them in the work. Has Paul labeled Mark as a deserter with no hope for remedy? Does he think it is pointless for Mark to go on a trip intended to encourage all the churches when Mark doesn’t already have a relationship with most of them? Regardless, this turned out not to be just some little discussion. Barnabas really wanted to take Mark, and Paul really thought it was unwise. The end result was that these two men didn’t even set out together! Barnabas went one way. Paul went another. I’m left wondering, How could a division between Barnabas and Paul have been encouraging to the churches they planted? Did they somehow avoid telling the churches why they weren’t together this time? “Why isn’t Barnabas with you, Paul?” “He… umm… decided not to visit you. We split up to cover all the churches more quickly.” Obviously, I hope that they were more honest with the churches than that. But the answer, “He and I wanted to encourage you together, but we split up because I wasn’t willing to travel with Mark,” doesn’t sound like it would have been all that encouraging to these new churches. Our founders couldn’t work through a disagreement? How can we hope to get past our differences?

 

But it says that when Paul left, he went commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. Commended. But not commended in himself. Commended to the grace of the Lord. It doesn’t sound like Paul was commended for being right in the whole situation. Instead, the brothers entrusted Paul to the Lord’s grace. After this whole divisive situation, Paul needed the Lord’s grace to be able to move forward and minister.

 

We all need God’s grace. We need His grace all the time. This passage doesn’t tell us all the details. But we know that after Barnabas and Paul’s argument, at least one of them, Paul, turned to his Christian brothers, and they asked the Lord to be gracious toward Paul before he set out to encourage the churches. The result was that Paul, a recipient of Jesus’ grace, strengthened the churches he visited – undoubtedly by that same grace.

 

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit – I need Your grace today. I know my heart, and I tend to be divisive. I tend to be eager to follow through on my ideas, but slow even to listen to others’ ideas. I am eager to have my own way, but slow to see through someone else’s eyes. I need Your grace. I need You to give me patience, kind words, a loving heart eager to bless others. I need You to give me wisdom. I need You to give me words that point others to the good news of Jesus Christ and our unity in Him, replacing my words that want people to conform to me. I need You to give me a heart that appeals to You, a heart that seeks You out and leads others to seek You out for guidance and direction and unity. I need You to give me a heart that prays continually. I need Your grace both to keep me from doing hurtful things and because I have done hurtful things. Only by Your grace will Your churches be strengthened through me or anyone else. Give me Your grace today, please. I need You.