January 7 - Change of Companions

January 7 - Change of Companions - Acts 15:36-41

When I was young, we managed to move every 4-6 years as Dad was transitioned from church to church within the Methodist system. I remember packing up my stuff, leaving my friends and knowing I was going to have to get used to new people and new locales. I actually learned to enjoy it. I can, however, remember comforting my friends as I left them, telling them that change was always good if you approached it correctly. I'm still saying those words to friends as I move through my life. It may not be easy, but it can always be used for good and that has generally been my choice - to use change to make my life better.

I don't know if Paul and Barnabas recognized that this split would impact the world in a positive manner, but it did. Both of them were able to mentor new young men into the ministry.

This is one of the first places that I start running into trouble with Paul. But, what I love is that though I see him through very human eyes, God sees the big picture and also allows us to see that though we are human, we are still very capable of being used by God.

Paul is ticked off at John Mark for leaving them. He felt that the young man was unstable and would not be suitable for a second missionary journey. There is only a short mention of this in Acts 13:13, but it must have really been a turning point for Paul in that relationship. The good news is that at some point in the latter years of Paul's life this relationship was healed because in 2 Timothy 4:11, Timothy is instructed to bring Mark since he is helpful to Paul in his ministry.

Barnabas and Paul had a sharp disagreement (Acts 15:39), in fact it was such a sharp disagreement that they could no longer travel together. I can only imagine how John Mark felt about all of this. He probably apologized to Barnabas over and over again as they traveled to Cyprus. We find from Colossians 4:10 that Barnabas and John Mark are related. If you read Acts 4:36, you will find that Cyprus is Barnabas' home. They traveled there to visit churches that had already been established.

Though we see Barnabas mentioned in Paul's letters, this is the last we will see of him in the history of the early disciples. From this point on, Paul's ministry continues to explode with growth.

He calls for Silas to join him from Jerusalem, they are commended by the other disciples and begin the Second Missionary Journey of Paul.