Jesus wants us to live in peace, unity, and harmony. Easier said than done. Today, just like in the Acts Church, Christians tend to want to follow a particular leader rather than share responsibility. Jesus said we need to be servant leaders. We see here in this passage what is common in many of our lives: big struggles following great victories. Paul and Barnabas struggled to implement the apostles’ decision regarding freedom in Christ declared for the Church in Chapter 15.
We don’t know why Paul and Barnabas could not resolve the dispute about John Mark. But by separating, they multiplied their mission work. Some will say that Barnabas should have deferred to Paul’s authority. People will go to great lengths not to criticize a Church leader. We all make mistakes. Both Paul and Barnabas had the authority to lead. Paul didn’t lord authority over Barnabas, nor did Barnabas lord any control over Paul. They respected each other but still came to different conclusions about John Mark. Barnabas didn't remind Paul that it was he who encouraged Paul and brought him from Tarsus to Antioch of Syria. And Paul didn't go on and on about how he got his authority directly from Jesus.
Both men in the last chapter showed deference to the elders and apostles in Jerusalem. Yet, sadly, the reality is that they went from brothers in Christ, unified in mission and purpose, to a serious dispute over John Mark. This is so often the case for us in our lives. We fight. We dispute. We argue. We all want to be correct. But the Christian way should be to listen first and not to demand your way. Later in Bible, we see that Paul was quick to point out when Peter was acting outside of the freedom of Christ by entangling himself in Jewish laws. Yet, at this point, it is Paul who appears to be leaning towards adherance to Jewish regulations (more on that in the next post). I believe Paul may have been wrong by failing to show grace to John Mark and arguing and disputing with Barnabas. Paul let pride get the best of him. God is gracious. He forgives. And he used this broken relationship (later restored) to grow not just Paul but Timothy, Silas, Barnabas, and many others. We make things so hard on ourselves. But thank God, he providentially works things out for those who love him. He meets us where we are despite our failings and immature decisions.
It burdens me when I make such poor decisions. I hate it when Christians fight. In this case, I’m thankful that Barnabas stood up for young John Mark. Give people second chances and be an encourager like Barnabas. I'm also grateful that Paul and Barnabas later reconciled.
And, I’m grateful that Paul had a high standard - he wanted committed men who would finish what they started. There can be tension between virtues. Only with God’s wisdom can we decide what godly principle governs.
By joining Silas, Paul had a godly leader as a missionary companion. And, of course, Silas was a Jew and a teacher of God’s word - both invaluable for the work they had before them.
One takeaway from this story of division in the Acts church is to ensure you have the right team before you embark. And always, under the Lord’s gracious care, recognize that our perspectives are often narrow. We simply don't see the whole picture. Only a fool thinks he is always right - wise men know they must listen to others (Proverbs 12:15). So when we go, let’s go in teams. Be wary of someone claiming they must go alone with no crew, and be very cautious about sending young people out without proper oversight and mentors. That is not the Christian example modeled in Acts. Do it the Acts way, with the experienced leading, teaching, and working alongside those they are mentoring.
Listen. Christians want and need to hear from the Holy Spirit and share what they hear from God with believers (15:35). We see Paul sharing with Barnabas what he is hearing about where they need to go. God speaks to believers in different ways to provide opportunities for many to teach and preach the word of the Lord. We see in the Acts Church the body acts as a body should, with many moving parts. God’s way is to encourage and empower. It is not to centralize all speech and authority to a few people. Find ways to enable others to live out their mission for God.
It is a mark of a godly disciple of Christ to be well thought of by the other believers (16:2). God knows our hearts. Our reputations count as we can fool a bossman or a Churchboard, but we can’t fool those we serve and live with. Integrity always starts with ourselves and our actions within our home (Psalm 101). When the tide goes out, you can see who is swimming naked. It’s the same way with the game of golf. It is so hard to fake it. You know a man’s character so well by how they play and handle the game’s adversity. We see this in the Church as well. The acts of a Christian man or woman are seen by those they serve and those they live with and work with. If you cheat, spin, deceive, cut corners, and put yourself first, you will never have a reputation for integrity. And God sees through it all. You and I can’t deceive Him. He knows our thoughts and our motives. If we take a mulligan, he knows it. In fact, God is the author of mulligans. Just be honest with him and thankful for your second chance. Thank God he is so gracious and kind. You will earn a good reputation if you are honest, hard-working, and humble. And God will be pleased with us.
Let’s turn back to the passage for a minute. It is not a sin to get circumcised. But as we saw clearly in the last chapter, it is not a prerequisite for a Christian. It may have helped Paul and Timothy have access to Jewish settings to have Timothy circumcized, but I still wonder why Paul would do this when he knew Timothy had freedom in Christ. I’ll leave it to God.
As Christian leaders, we, too, should instruct believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem (Acts 15) and never make it hard for people to turn to God.
Lord Jesus, please help us to live holy lives, honoring you. Help us abstain from any idol or motive that is not yours. And to refrain from any vile or vulgar thing. May we reject all sexual immorality. Please guard my motives today, Lord God. Amen.
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