WHEN BRETHREN FIGHT AMONG THEMSELVES Lesson Text: Acts 15:36-41 Friday, Feb. 18, 2011

ACTS 15:36-42 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Come, let us return and visit the brethren in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are."

37 And Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphyl'ia, and had not gone with them to the work.

39 And there arose a sharp contention, so that they separated from each other;

Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus,

40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.

41 And he went through Syria and Cili'cia, strengthening the churches.

WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS INCIDENT Acts 15:36. “And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Come, let us return and visit the brethren in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.’” NO MATTER HOW SMOOTH- SAILING A RELATIONSHIP CAN BE, IT IS BOUND TO HIT SOME ROCKS.

NO MATTER HOW BUSY TWO CHRISTIANS CAN BE IN THE WORK OF THE LORD, SATAN WILL ENTER THE PICTURE AND GET THEM OUT OF FOCUS! YET THIS IS STILL A LESSON THAT EMPHASIZES THAT WE NEED TO GET MORE BUSY IN THE WORK OF THE LORD!

WHEN WE ARE OUT OF FOCUS, OUR ATTENTION GETS DISTRACTED. WHEN OUR FOCUS IS NO LONGER ON THE ENEMIES OF THE CROSS, WE TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THE FRIENDS OF THE CROSS!

WHEN OUR FOCUS IS NO LONGER ON THE NON-CHRISTIANS, WE TURN AGAINST OUR FELLOW CHRISTIANS! WHEN WE NO LONGER HAVE ENEMIES, WE TURN AGAINST EACH OTHER!

THE LESSON EMPHASIZES THAT WE MUST REALLY KNOW WHO OUR ENEMIES ARE!

37 And Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphyl'ia, and had not gone with them to the work. BARNABAS AND JOHN WERE KINSMEN, AND AS IS OFTEN TRUE, “BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER.”

BRETHREN OFTEN DISAGREE ON MATTERS OF OPINION RATHER THAN ON MATTERS OF FAITH. SO THE QUESTION IS ASKED: “SHOULD WE DISAGREE AT ALL?” SHOULD WE CHOP EACH OTHER OVER NON-ESSENTIALS?

BARNABAS, KNOWING MARK AS A YOUNG MAN, IMMATURE AND IMPULSIVE, STILL WAS EAGER TO GIVE HIM A CHANCE.

PAUL THOUGHT THAT FOCUS ON THE WORK WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN KINSHIP… MORE IMPORTANT THAN “MISSING HOME”… MORE IMPORTANT THAN “MISSING MAMA”… MORE IMPORTANT THAN “MISSING GIRL FRIENDS”… MORE IMPORTANT THAN “MISSING HOME-BAKED MEALS”…

PAUL WAS MORE ON REJECTING THE IMMATURE RATHER THAN NURTURING THEM… OR GIVING THEM ANOTHER CHANCE… OR TAKING THEM UNDER HIS WINGS SO THEY CAN GROW!

WHEN WE ARE CONFRONTED WITH SITUATIONS LIKE THESE, IT PAYS… TO BE PATIENT TO BE LOVING TO BE UNDERSTANDING TOWARD OUR OWN BRETHREN!

ACTS 15:39 “39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; 40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches” (ACTS 15:39- 41).4041

WHEN RELATIONSHIPS ARE TOO STRAINED… WHEN CONTENTIONS ARE TOO SHARP… WHEN SMOOTH WORDS ARE NO LONGER THE ORDER OF THE DAY… WHEN TEMPERS FLARE AND ACCUSATIONS FLY… LET US SEPARATE.

SEPARATE SO WE CAN HAVE ROOM TO GROW. JOHN MARK GREW AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT.

PAUL GREW OVER HIS CRANKINESS, GOT OUT OF THE JACKET THAT BOUND HIM AND WHICH HE SOUGHT TO BIND ON OTHERS, AND BECAME MORE LOVING, MORE UNDERSTANDING.

Paul later put Mark in his circle of close associates… “Ep'aphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristar'chus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers” (PHILEMON 23-24).24

In his later years he saw Mark’s growth as a preacher… “Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: 10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. 12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus” (2 TIMOTHY 4:9-12)

PETER THE APOSTLE PERHAPS HAD TAKEN MARK UNDER HIS WINGS, AND HELPED TO NURTURE HIM, FOR WE HEARD MARK ASSOCIATED WITH HIM IN HIS BABYLONIAN MINISTRY. “The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son” (1 PETER 5:13).

IF WE KNOW A MATTER MAY CAUSE FRICTION, PERHAPS IT IS BEST TO AVOID IT ALTOGETHER. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF BARNABAS HAD AGREED WITH PAUL? OR PAUL WITH BARNABAS? THE PICTURE WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT!

GOD CALLED US TO PEACE! (1 CORINTHIANS 7:15).

LET US BE PEACEMAKERS! “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (MATTHEW 5:9).

FOR THE GOOD OF THE WORK, CHRISTIANS OF LIKE-MINDED SPIRITS COULD BE PAIRED WITH EACH OTHER. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (AMOS 3:3).

WHEN BRETHREN WHO HAVE CONTENDED WITH EACH OTHER PART WAYS, THERE IS PEACE BETWEEN THEM, AND THERE IS PEACE TOO AMONG THE CHURCHES! IF WE HATE TO PART WAYS, THEN LET’S BE MORE PATIENT…

ONE GOOD RESULT OF THIS CONTENTION WAS THAT GOD MULTIPLIED HIS LABORS! TWO SEPARATE MISSIONARY TEAMS DOING SEPARATE MISSIONARY JOURNEYS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ONE GOD IN HEAVEN!

END These thoughts are for you to consider…