The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Mark 10:42-45, “Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, ‘You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them.

43 “But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant;

44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.’

45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

John Mark, author of this Gospel, was not an apostle. He was but an ordinary worker, the son of one of the women in the Christian circle named Mary. It might well have been at her home where the believers were gathered and praying when Peter was being held under serious guard (Acts 12:12). As for the Gospel itself, it is believed that it was written in Rome and primarily for the benefit of the Romans.

This is also the same John Mark, who much later fostered the dispute between Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:36ff), regarding the location of their next missionary activity. It is also believed that John Mark had been led to faith in Christ by Simon Peter. This would account for his allegiance to Barnabas being ahead of Paul. Further, this would account for the few references to the Old Testament Scriptures in this epistle.

Thinking further on the Scripture passage above, could it be that the primary reason for the lack of energetic service on the part of professing believers today is their fascination (or lack thereof) with the Word’s grip on our lives? There are so many distractions—distractions that have mesmerized even the foremost witnesses.

The call today is the same as it was in the First Century: sin reigns, and we are to renounce it, clearing the way of faith, that others might see our allegiance to Jesus Christ and come to faith in Him for themselves. For whom are you praying today?

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

United States of America

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