A Church with Challenging Conflicts — Keith Malcomson

If you have your Bible here tonight, will you turn with me to the book of Acts, chapter 15. Acts, chapter 15. As I said before, going back to November the 7th, I believe, we suddenly stopped on our series on the Antioch church.

We were doing a full series and we've seen that there's marks in connection with the church at Antioch that we read about, especially in the book of Acts, that have a great importance for us here and all believers.

But when the attack happened in Israel, we immediately stopped. I didn't post part 7 of that. I'd done it this morning, so it's now live online. But I wanted to come back and finish this series because it is important.

But we had 14 messages on Israel, but I don't want us to lose the importance of what the Bible teaches about the church at Antioch. After the church at Jerusalem, the church at Antioch is the next most important church that we read about in the early church.

Half of the book of Acts centers around the church at Jerusalem. Then suddenly the rest of the book of Acts moves to the church at Antioch and to the missionary travels of Paul. So that's what we've dealt with over several messages.

Tonight this is part 8 that we're going to deal with. My message tonight, and we dealt with last time in part 7, a contending church. The church at Antioch and its leadership proved to be a contending church that earnestly contended for the faith.

But dovetailing with this, and this is next in line with what we read of in the book of Acts, this is my message tonight. A church with challenging conflicts. Reading from Acts chapter 15, and you can follow together, reading from verse 35.

Acts chapter 15 and verse 35, reading to 41. Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others also. And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they do.

And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia and went not with them to the work. And the contention was so sharp between them that they departed asunder one from the other.

And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed on to Cyprus. And Paul chose Silas and departed being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia confirming the churches.

Let's pray together and ask for God's help and blessing upon us as we deal with a church with challenging conflicts. Father, we ask for your grace and your love and your mercy. We're realizing that even amongst genuine believers, nor God issues can arise in relationships, nor God impersonalities in ways of doing things and ways of understanding the scripture.

And father, we pray tonight that a gap be loved, that the love of Jesus Christ would be shed abroad in our hearts by the power of your Holy Spirit. Help us to learn from this dispute between Paul and Barnabas, nor God that involved John Mark.

Father, I'm asking of you, open up the scriptures, teach us, oh God. We recognize our human frailty. We recognize our proneness while we live in these physical bodies with these natural minds. And father, we want to humble ourself tonight, nor God we ask of you as a church that you preserve unity, nor God that you'd protect the love of Christ, nor God that you'd watch over us that we don't get involved in foolish things that aren't right.

But oh God, that we'd contend earnestly against heresy, against open sin, against apostasy, but oh God to be very gracious and large hearted and understand standing when it involves the weakness and frailty of humanity.

Father, we do love you and thank you for salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ tonight. In Jesus mighty name. Amen. Amen. We're dealing with this part eight in this series. Last time we dealt with contending for the faith.

We saw in that last message how Paul at Antioch contended against Peter to his face publicly before everyone. Paul contending publicly against Peter, saying you're wrong. You're to be blamed. Why was it so militant, so strong?

Because it involved the gospel, the issue of salvation, of how you're born again, justification by faith alone, through grace alone, in Christ alone. It was so important that Paul, the younger believer who doesn't have the history of Peter, actually rose up at Antioch and contended against him in front of all the young Christians.

Do you know why he was so adamant, so radical and unflinching to oppose Peter to his face? It was because Peter was compromising on essentials. Thank God it was only temporary, only for a time, and that there was a turning, there was a changing.

Distinguishing Essentials from Personal Conflicts

But here as we come to this issue tonight, a church with challenging conflicts, we're not dealing with vital salvation, or heresy, or apostasy, or morality. We're not dealing with them. We're actually dealing with issues that easily arise amongst genuine Christians born again.

There's no question over their faith, or their holiness, or their soundness and doctrine. There's no question. But real issues arise where real men of God, real preachers, in a real church like Antioch, can arise.

They have revival, spiritual gifts, gifted ministry. They are seeing thousands come to the Lord, and yet real issues can arise amongst them. We need to be very careful when we deal with this. And so let's go straight into this message tonight.

Antioch was a church with challenging conflicts. It was a church that real issues could arise amongst real believers that weren't good, genuine believers, but with issues that weren't essential. And problems come out of that, and it shouldn't have been an issue.

It's sad. It grieves our heart to see it in the body of Christ, but it did happen amongst genuine believers. And you know what? We ought to see how it was handled at Antioch. Please follow with me as we begin to go into this message here.

In Acts chapter 15, 35, where we read, this is what it says, Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch. Here they are. They had just come from Jerusalem. They'd been to Jerusalem over this dispute about law and grace, circumcision, Judaism, and biblical Christianity.

They had to go up there and dispute over it about the acceptance of the Gentiles by faith without circumcision, without keeping the law, that they are saved by grace by Christ. They just returned from there.

It was a big global dispute. It engulfed the entire church in Jerusalem and all the early churches. It affected all the early churches in such an important way that they had to go up to Jerusalem to deal with this.

And so here in chapter 15, 35, they just come back from Jerusalem. They've just come out of this controversy. It has been settled. Now we see that James, Peter, Paul, the Gentiles, and the Jews are all on the agreement about the new birth, about salvation, about the Gentiles coming into the body of Christ.

It has been settled. Thank God this doctrinal issue was now settled. This issue that could have split the entire early church was now settled. It was a doctrinal issue. It was a very important issue. And these men of God resolved it.

But now you have Paul also and Barnabas back in Antioch once again, back in their home church, back in this local body of believers, back in their own spiritual family. And it says that Paul and Barnabas continued in Antioch.

In other words, they stayed there. They settled down there for a period of time. After this great dispute, they're there in the church. What are they doing there? It says teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others also.

So what were they doing for this period of time? They were just continuing in the local body. They've already done one missionary trip. They've already dealt with the dispute at Jerusalem. Now here they're back in Antioch again.

They're apostles, not just a Bible teacher, not just a prophet anymore. They're now missionaries. They're now apostolic ministries that actually traveled establishing new churches. But here they are when they come back to their own home church, they just settle back into teaching the word of God and preaching.

Notice the two words it mentions here. What were they doing? Teaching and preaching. Some people don't understand there's a difference. I've heard very sensible, intelligent pastors go, I don't see a difference.

The two words are different. They're not the same. They're self-explanatory. You can study it. Teaching is not the same as preaching. The two words mean something different. Teaching means to lay out, explain, or to expound the word of God.

Notice that both teaching and preaching has to do with the word of the Lord, the written scriptures. You teach the word of God. You preach the word of God. Both of them deal with this book, but they're two different things.

Teaching is when you take the word of the Lord and you begin to open it, explain it, examine it, open it up, begin to lay it out step by step. That is teaching, systematically to open up the word of God.

Preaching is not the same. The word preaching means to proclaim. In other words, it's not just an expounding of the text. Believe me, if you hang around preachers very long or the body of Christ, you're going to see a distinction.

A man can preach without explaining scripture. He is exhorting. He is proclaiming. You could understand and know everything. In fact, a preacher, when a man preaches, you could go, I know all that. I've heard it a hundred times, and still it inspires your heart.

You could say, there's not one new thing I learned tonight, but oh, my heart is warm towards Jesus. I've been encouraged afresh. Teaching is different. Teaching, you will learn. You will be taught. You're going to learn things.

You're going to have things explained to you, and you'll also be edified in that. So, we see that both Barnabas and Paul are now in Antioch, and they're teaching and preaching the word of God. You can't teach unless you open the word of God.

You can't preach unless you open the word of God. I do not like preachers who neglect the Bible. They get up to teach. They don't even open the Bible. They get up to preach. They don't even have a text of There's something wrong with that.

Notice that Paul and Barnabas, what did they do in the church? They taught and preached the word of the Lord. You can't just tell stories. You can't just testify. You can't just give feelings, and impressions, and dreams, and visions.

You've got to teach the word of God, or it's going to affect the body of Christ, and that's what they were doing. But notice it says, with many others also. It wasn't only these two men. There were others as well.

I don't believe it's just the other three men we dealt with in another message when we dealt with the five elders, or five leaders. I believe there's other preachers and teachers arising in this church.

I believe it's a growing church, an expanded church, a revived church, and so God starts to raise up other teachers, other preachers, and it wasn't just confined to one man in the church. No, not at all.

Many others also. There were other areas of ministry in that local church. Look what it says in verse 36, and some days after. So here they are. They've been back in the church. They are apostles, but in the local church, they're teaching, they're preaching, they're staying in the one church.

This is their home family. This is the base that they come back from missionary trips, and they go out for missionary trips. This is the local church, as we said. It's a missionary church. They send out missionaries.

But it says, after some days, Paul said unto Barnabas, let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we had preached the word of the Lord and see how they do. So look at this. We know that on the first missionary journey, the Spirit of God said, separate them, send them.

We knew that. We see that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were in operation. The Spirit of God spoke distinctly to the church, but that doesn't happen here. They've been there, and suddenly Paul takes the initiative.

There's no mention of the gifts, no mention of the Holy Spirit speaking to him, no mention of visions or prophecies or mystical anything. Paul simply says to Barnabas, let us go and visit our brethren.

Do you see the normalcy of this in the body of Christ? Do you know what this is? It's a burden. It's a desire. You know, it must be a year to a couple of years now. I wonder how they're doing. I wonder how our brothers are doing.

I wonder how the churches are doing. Barnabas, why don't we go? See, this was a care, a big concern. It was a burden, not a special revelation. It was a deep burden and concern. And so he says to Barnabas, let's go visit our brethren to whom we preach the word of the Lord.

Do you see how they keep mentioning this? Preaching the word of the Lord, preaching the scriptures, preaching Christ. Saints of God, never take this lightly. Paul says to Timothy, a young preacher, preach the word.

If you're called to be a preacher, get into this book, preach the word. Not your ideas, not special revelations. Don't be smart with this book. Just preach the word and you'll never run dry. Never, ever, ever, ever.

Why do you think I've got some special ability or gifting or revelation? Now I can just keep going and going and going. Do you know what my secret is? I preach the word of God and it's limitless. I tell you, it's an overflowing pool that never comes to an end.

It flows and it flows and it flows and it flows and it keeps the preacher fresh and I can't keep up with it. So if we had just preached the word of God, it's a tremendous thing. And so this is going to be the second missionary journey going out from the church at Antioch with Paul suggesting to Barnabas, let us go.

Notice Paul initiates it and says to Barnabas, the first time Barnabas was leading. Now Paul is leading as we spoke about another message and the call of God is upon them. Paul wants to go with Barnabas.

Paul expects to go with Barnabas. Paul suggests that he goes with Barnabas. There's nothing else on his mind. And look what he says, let's go visit our brethren. Let's go back through all those churches.

Let's follow it systematically. All the churches we preached in, all the places we've been, all those cities, the cities, one city after another. In other words, he's got a pattern. Let's go together.

Let's go back through these churches and let's start to visit them. So he's got a very logical, practical pattern for ministry and he suggests they go, that's the context. You'll say, where's the conflict?

Let me show you where the conflict is. What could go wrong? You've got two men of God. Both are gifted and called. Both are in ministry. Both work well together. Both of them are nice guys. They're not immature.

They're not children. They're not young believers. They're not fleshly. They're not carnal. They're not heretics. You know what they are? They're two men of God. They're qualified for ministry. They're gifted in ministry.

What could go wrong when you have men like this? And they both are leaders, preachers in the church at Antioch. Nothing could go wrong with this scenario, could it? Or could it? Let me give you a few points here as we begin to look at a church with challenging conflicts.

The Causes of Conflict Between Paul and Barnabas

Number one, the cause of conflicts. The cause of conflicts. The cause of this conflict between Paul and Barnabas was not heresy. Neither was it morality. It was an issue of personal conviction that wasn't an essential of the faith.

It says in Proverbs 17, 14, the beginning of strife is as when one let us out water. Listen to that again. The beginning of strife. Not the middle of it. Not the end of it. The beginning. When strife is just beginning, conflict is just beginning.

When an issue begins to arise between two people, what is it like? It is like when you just begin to let water out. Do you know what's going to happen? It's going to begin to gush. But again, it begins very lightly in a very small manner.

When you start letting strife out, don't think it's going to end there. You stir up strife. What does the beginning of strife? You can have a little bit of strife. You can play with strife. You can control strife.

Once you initiate it or begin it, it's going to come gushing out. It leads to something. You can play with strife and think you'll walk away and it won't come to anything. When you initiate strife, it's going to go somewhere.

Once strife is stirred up, it doesn't usually evaporate. That's what's so dangerous about strife. Then it goes on to say here, it says, therefore leave off contention before it be meddled with. Before you even begin meddling with contention, you may live to regret.

You don't even know what the consequence of it will be. It could lead to a split relationship. It can lead to damage that you cannot fix. So you begin. You think it's a small issue, and it often is a small issue, but you don't realize where it goes.

Be very careful when you handle strife. In the Proverbs, it says, don't take a dog by its ears. Why do you think that is? Do you honestly think you're going to grab a dog's ears unless you're stroking it like my Shiloh?

She likes her ears done. But I tell you, let someone come along, a stranger. You play with the dog's ears. You may live to regret it. You know why? There's going to be a reaction. You can't go and pull any dog's ears unless you know its character.

Like my Shiloh, she's very unusual. Beagles are unusual. But the average dog out there, I will not pull its ears because I'm going to have a kickback that I do not like. And so the Word of God warns us about this, about strife, about the beginning of strife.

Look what it says here in Acts 15, verse 37, and Barnabas determined. So Paul has said to him, let's go on a second missionary journey. Let's go visit all our brethren in the church to see how they are.

We care about them. What is Barnabas's immediate response? Verse 37, and Barnabas determined to take. He didn't discuss he determined. The word determined means to deliberate in your mind, to resolve in your mind, to think through the whole issue.

So as soon as Paul suggests this, what does Barnabas do? He determines. That's a strong statement. He has already settled in his mind. He has made a decision. You know, when someone makes a decision, they determine.

They're not going to listen to you often. They don't come asking opinions. Be very careful about making a determined position, then come in to try to discuss. Is your heart open? Do you want to hear what the Word of God says?

Or do you want someone else's wisdom? Or have you already made a determination? Then you're throwing it out there for us to discuss. If you've already made a determined decision, no openness, no discussion, but we're meant to work together, maybe you should be more careful.

And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. So there's a young man called John Mark. He's determined. Doesn't matter what Paul says. Doesn't matter what Paul thinks. He is determined.

Soon as this issue of a second trip, I will take John Mark with me. No discussion. Do you see this is two men of God, godly, mature men. This is our character for Barnabas. Barnabas is often a gracious man, a large hearted man.

We've dealt with him several times. He is an extremely large hearted man. He doesn't look large hearted here. He is determinant. I am going to do this. This young man is going with us. Then it says, but Paul thought not good to take with them who departed from them from Pamphylia and went not with them to the work.

Do you see what happens here? Barnabas is determined and taking this young man. Paul says, no way. You've got a conflict here. This point one, the cause of conflicts are the cause of this conflict. What was the cause of the conflict?

This determination to take this young man with them. Why was it so controversial? Let's look for a second at this young man, John Mark. He was called John by his Jewish friends. It's a Jewish name, John, but he's also called Mark in our Bible.

That's a Gentile name. Amongst the Gentile churches he was renowned as Mark. We see in our Bible he's called John Mark. When we look at what Luke writes here in the book of Acts, three times he's called John Mark.

Twice he's just called John. One time he's just called Mark. Then when you go over to the epistles, he is only called Mark within those particular letters. You have this young man. He is a notable, often mentioned young man in our Bible.

Listen to what it says in chapter 12 verse 12. We want to see who this John Mark is. He is going to be the cause of a great contention between two great men of God, two very gifted men of God. This young man, but who is he?

It says in chapter 12 verse 12, and when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, whose surname was Mark. Do you see in the church in Jerusalem was a woman called Mary who had a house.

This was the incident when Peter's put in prison and they call a prayer meeting. They're going to have a prayer meeting. Where do they meet? In Mary's house. There's so many Marys in our Bible. You've got to explain which Mary it is.

You know, Israel was a bit like Ireland. If you're 40 and over, there's about a 15 chance your name is Mary. Maybe I'm exaggerating slightly, but it often seems that way. Do you know Israel was the same?

There's so many Marys. You've got to explain who is this Mary? Well, it explains, look, her house has to be big enough. She's obviously got wealth. And so to explain where is the prayer meeting being handled?

Mary's house, John Mark's mother. That's who it actually is. It's a very clear, and it says where many were gathered together to pray. The husband isn't mentioned. It's called her house. So I'm assuming she's a widow.

Her husband is dead. Her husband isn't there, but she does have a son called John Mark. Again, this is what it says in chapter 12 verse 25. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry and took with them John, whose surname is Mark.

So do you see when Paul and Barnabas were in Jerusalem, they come back to Antioch. They bring him from Jerusalem to Antioch. And for a period of time, he's there in the church at Antioch. He's actually brought from mommy's house.

He used to live with mommy in Jerusalem, but now he's living with these men of God in Antioch. What a big change. Can you imagine traveling with these two men in a new city, in a dynamic church, being involved in this wonderful revival?

And then it says in chapter 13 and verse 5, and when they were at Salamis, this is just after Paul and Barnabas step out on the first missionary journey. Look what it says. They preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews.

And they had also John too, their minister. So he lived with his mommy in Jerusalem. He moved to Antioch with these two men of God. And in the midst of a move of God, then he actually travels with them.

It wasn't only Saul and Barnabas who went off on this missionary trip. It was actually this young man, John Mark, went out on the first missionary trip with the apostles from the church at Antioch. And it says he was their minister or their under helper.

He was helping them. He wasn't a preacher, but he is a helper in the ministry. It then says in chapter 13 verse 13, now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia, and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

Do you see what's just happened? He traveled with them all through Cyprus. There was no problem. But then they get to Asia and they start encountering riots, stonings. And suddenly it says this little statement that John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

He didn't go back to Antioch. Why did he go to Jerusalem? Because that's where mommy is. Okay. He didn't go back to Antioch where they're sent out on ministry. He is leaving ministry and he returns to Jerusalem.

Why would he do that? Do you know they've just been in Cyprus? But as soon as they get to Asia, he doesn't want to be there anymore. You know why? Trouble kicks in. There was no trouble in Cyprus, but there is in Asia.

But other certain things also happen. In Cyprus, Barnabas is in charge. As soon as they get to Asia, Paul is now in charge. So a change of this leadership. It was always Barnabas and Paul. Now what is it?

It is now Paul and Barnabas. Also before it was always Saul of Tarsus. Now he changes his name to Paul. It's not Saul anymore. There was a change of his name. There's also a change in how they do missionary activity.

You see in Cyprus, they went to every town. They evangelized. They crisscrossed the entire island, every single time. Now in Asia, you know where they're going? They're going to the main centers of population, not all the side villages.

They're not hitting every time. They're strategic now. So there's a whole change that is going on in the method of evangelism, in the leadership, in this filling of the spirit by Paul. And here's this young man.

You know what he does? He departs from them. And here on the second missionary journey, that was the first missionary journey. And Paul and Barnabas finished it alone. Then they come back to Jerusalem.

Guess who's there? John Mark. He's back there in Antioch. And you know what happens? When it comes to this point of the second missionary journey, Barnabas said, I determined to take John Mark. Paul said, no way, Jose.

He's not going with us. So you have this dispute over this young man. This is my first point. The cause of this conflict are the cause of all conflicts. What are the cause of all conflict? Think indifferently.

This isn't a doctrinal issue. This isn't a moral issue. This isn't a foundational issue, but it is an issue of real convictions. The two men of God, they're both men of God. They're both holy. They both walk with God, but they have a difference of opinion.

We're going to look at this a bit more. And notice that in the writing of John Mark, Luke is writing this history in the book of Acts. He's very careful how he talks about John Mark. Some people I've met in the church that would have damned John Mark to hell.

You're going to see this as we go through this. Luke doesn't. He gives facts. He deals with details. He doesn't hide it. He shows you exactly what John Mark done. John Mark departed. He gives you all the information, but no damning of him, no name calling of him.

I'm calling him a mommy's boy, but Luke didn't call him that. Okay. Luke is very protective. He just gives you the details. He doesn't obscure the details. Neither does he damn him. He just gives you the information.

Point two, the concern of the conflicts. What is the concern in Paul's heart? Why was Paul so strong that it led to a division between these two men? What is so important? Paul, why are you making such a stand?

Barnabas, why are you making such a stand? What is the concern in both of their hearts? Look at verse 38. But Paul thought it not good to take him with them who departed from them from Pamphylia and went not with them to the work.

Let's look at Paul's reason or the motive of his heart. Why was Paul so determined? Determined he is not going with us. Verse 13, chapter 13, verse 13. John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. That's his reason.

Why is it when Barnabas says, let's take him with us, Paul says, no, absolutely not. What's his reason? Is he right or is Barnabas right? This is Paul's reason that he gives. John departed from us. But Paul thought it not good to take him with them who departed from them.

You have it twice mentioned. He departed at this certain place. That's why Paul says he's not coming on a second missionary journey. You know why? When we got in trouble, he left us. He departed from us.

See that word departed is the Greek word apostemio. It's a very important Greek word. It means to remove, instigate a revolt, to desist, to desert, to withdraw yourself, to separate yourself. It's actually a root meaning that's often used for divorce.

When a husband divorces a wife, this is a word to choose for that, where they separate themselves or they remove themselves or they break a commitment. So you see here with this word depart, this young man, he wasn't an apostle.

He wasn't a gifted ministry, but he is with them to help them in the ministry, in the work of God. He's going to help them. A young guy going with them to help them. But Paul says, you departed. You divorced yourself.

You left us. You revolted. You rebelled. When the going got tough, John Mark went home to mommy in Jerusalem. I'm very hard on him. I won't be by the end, okay? So don't worry. We'll redeem John Mark by the end of this.

Just hold your horses. It says in Proverbs 25, 19, confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint. Have you had a broken tooth or a foot out of joint?

Just try to use that foot. It's out of joint. Go and lean all your weight on it. Absolutely depend on it. You're in trouble. That foot's going to let you down. Or what about that tooth that is broken?

Just use it like you always did in the past. That tooth you've broken, just carry on the same. Go eat your ice cream with that broken tooth and we'll see your reaction. Purger, his face crunched up there, he knows what it's like with that tooth when the ice cream hits it when it ought not to.

You see, Scripture is very clear. It gives us wisdom like this. Why are you relying on unfaithful men? They've let you down before. They weren't dependable. John Mark left you on the mission field at a hard time.

You needed his help. He deserted you. You know what we're like? Oh sure, it's okay. You know what Paul says? You let me once. See, Paul could be excused for letting him be there the first time. Imagine letting him come the second time and he'd done the same in Asia.

Can you imagine doing that a second time? No, you wouldn't blame John Mark. You'd blame Paul. Paul, no, it's your fault. You took him out there when you'd seen it before. Well, let's just hope for the best.

Let's just take him and we'll see if he can redeem himself. If he would have done the same, Paul, it would have been your fault this particular, this second time so we can understand Paul saying he's not coming.

He left us. He deserted us. Let's see Barnabas's reason. Why did Barnabas insist on taking him? Who was Barnabas? Do you remember who Barnabas was? Chapter 4 verse 36, talking about Barnabas and Joses, who by the apostles was called, was surnamed Barnabas, which is being interpreted the son of consolation or the son of encouragement.

Barnabas, his real name's Joses, but he's given this name. The apostles, the twelve, nicknamed him the son of encouragement. You know why? He is such an encourager. He is so large-hearted. Here comes the son of encouragement.

He prophesies. He's a gifted prophet. He just oozes out encouragement. Do you remember that when Saul first came to Jerusalem, the apostles wouldn't touch him? The Christians didn't want to touch him.

They're scared of him. But guess who he isn't? Barnabas. Barnabas had a large heart. Barnabas was a remarkable man. He's an encourager. He always has faith in you when nobody else does. Do you see his heart here of why this problem arose?

Barnabas, don't you realize John Mark led us down on the mission field? Yes, I know, but let's give him a second chance. Let's take him. I am determined to take him. What if he fails us on the mission field?

And so you've got this issue arising between them. But is there any other reason why Barnabas is very pro-John Mark? Is there some other reason than encouragement why he's determined to take him? Listen to what it says in Colossians 4 and 10.

Paul writing, speaking about his co-labors, and he says, Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas. Do you know who John Mark was? Barnabas' nephew. Barnabas is Mary's brother. John Mark is his nephew. He took him on the first trip.

He wants to take him on the second trip. And do you know what? I want you to see something here. I want you to see Barnabas. Barnabas is a large-hearted man of encouragement. He had a large heart for Saul when no one else would touch him.

But do you know what I believe? I believe you need to be careful when you're an encourager, when you always believe in people, when you have a large heart, when you're there always wanting to help. Do you know biblically you could ignore certain scriptures where the scripture says and where Paul is saying, no, don't lean on an unfaithful man.

He's like a foot out of joint and you're so large-hearted. Or is it because he's a family member? Let's just take him again. Paul says no. The third thing, the casualties of conflicts. Acts 15 .39, look what it says.