The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 15:35-40, “But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the Word of the Lord.
36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.’
37 Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also.
38 But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.
39 And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.
40 But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.”

It’s not easy to always get along with friends. Paul and Barnabas had worked well together for quite some time. Now, Paul wanted to retrace their steps and see how things were progressing in churches where they had been. Barnabus wanted to take John Mark. Paul did not.

We’re not told the whole story, but on one of their previous journeys, John Mark just quit and went home. Paul could not abide a quitter. So, Barnabas took John Mark and Paul took Silas. So far as we know, each group was blessed in its ministry.

Christians are sometimes like non-Christians in that they disagree regarding things. The Scripture does not say, but surely all the men prayed to determine the LORD’s will in the matter. It could even be that the LORD allowed the disagreement in order to produce two teams going in different directions and reaching more people in the process. His ways are not always known to us.

The message for us is that 1) sincere Christians often disagree with each other, and 2) that the LORD can nevertheless use them both, so long as they remain friendly and prayerful throughout the entire process.

Seek to be agreeable with others, even when you sincerely believe they are wrong. Pray for them and pray that they will pray for you. None of us has the full and correct answer on everything. That’s why the LORD has given us directions in the Scriptures. The Scriptures encourage us to love one another and always be prayerful.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom