Reflect Christ Lesson 7

After watching the biblical teaching by Ron Davis, read the following portions of Scripture.

You will be reading the story behind the failure of John Mark (Mark, Marcus). It begins in Acts 13. Notice there is not a reason given, but the surrounding circumstances lead us to conclude that it was probably related to Mark not being comfortable with Paul abandoning the Jewish customs that were so important before Christ. In chapter 15, notice what Paul says about him joining them. It is very interesting, and it caused he and Barnabas to part ways.

​Notice what we see in Colossians: Paul is commending Mark as a fellow servant and encourages the people in Colossae to treat Mark like they would treat him. Failure is not final, and God will grow and use us in spite of our failures. We only need to repent, grow and do all in the "name of the Lord Jesus."

Use a journal and interact with Scripture as you read, study and meditate on it.

Acts 13:1-4 Journal what you notice about this narrative as it unfolds. Notice how Paul does not let a controversy within his team hinder him from being faithful to the task. Think about what he has written all throughout Colossians. What do you see that is similar?

​Acts 15:36-41 This is a picture of a real conflict within a ministry. The conflict is so strong that Paul and Barnabas part ways over it. There is no blame cast on either party in Scripture. Notice how both teams continue the work. Sometimes, we may not understand what is going on, but our response should be: faithfulness, a right motive (all in the name of the Lord Jesus), activity for Christ, etc.

​Colossians 4:10 Paul clearly has confidence in Mark at this point in his ministry. This is amazing! They are reconciled. The work of God is still moving forward. Think about how this connects to our identity in Christ and the importance of understanding the concept of "Christ in you the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27).

• for a proper respect for those you disagree with
• the right attitude toward those who fail the Lord
• the wisdom to know when you are standing in opposition to Christ
• the discernment to recognize when you are living in a way that weakens your identity in Christ
• the desire to properly love those who re in Christ so the world can see Him by our love for each other

• Think about your own life. Is there anything that weakens your identity in Christ?
• Pray for someone who has offended you. Evaluate if you have the attitude of Paul and Mark: being willing to forgive and work together for the sake of the gospel.
• Write down how the concepts of Col. 3:16-17 impact your ability to avoid failure and to also overcome it when you do fail.