Jump Start # 1530

2 Timothy 4:11 “Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.”

  Yesterday, our attention was on the front side of this verse, only Luke is with me. Paul was in a Roman prison and he was aware that he would most likely be executed. He was hurrying to wrap things up and set things in order before his death.

Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you. Bring Mark. That’s our attention today. Mark, he’s the one that wrote the Gospel of Mark. He’s the one that was the cousin of Barnabas. He’s the one that left Paul while on one of the preaching trips. He’s the one that was the center of a huge disagreement between Barnabas and Paul. Barnabas wanted to take Mark. Paul didn’t. That disagreement ended with Paul and Barnabas going their separate ways. We don’t hear anymore about Barnabas after that. And now, all these years later, Paul is in prison and he asks Timothy to bring Mark. Paul reminds Timothy, if he had any doubts, that Mark is “useful to me for service.”

There is a double sided lesson here for us. You see, there are times in our journey that we have a Mark in our life. What Paul did here in this simple request reminds us of some powerful principles taught throughout the N.T.

The Mark Side: Mark let Paul down. Paul didn’t take kids with him on his preaching journeys. The situations were difficult. The crowds often turned against the preached word. Paul was chased out of towns. He was arrested. He was stoned. This wasn’t a sight-seeing, trip. It was work. It was preaching Christ. It was changing lives. It was forming congregations. As Paul moved on to different cities, he would leave trusted companions in these places who would stay and strengthen these young Christians. Paul would leave men who were able to teach and answer questions and further preach the Gospel. Men, like Luke, were proven, solid and faithful. Mark was among them. In Acts 13, we learn that as Paul and his group traveled to Perga, that Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. He had enough. He was done. Paul lost someone that he was counting on. Paul was abandoned by Mark.

But something happened after that. Mark became useful to Paul. Now, Paul was sending for Mark. The Mark side reminds us that there are times that others, or, even we, ourselves, have let people down. They were counting on us and we walked away. Maybe our hearts were not as committed as it should have been. Maybe we were torn with conflicting schedules. We are asked to teach a class, but just as it starts, we quit. That leaves others scrambling to fill the vacancy. We are honored to serve as an elder or deacon but soon step down. Just do not have the time for it, we tell others. Letting others down is hard. It is found even in this section of our passage. As Paul faced Caesar, he reports, “At my first defense, no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them.” Alone. Deserted. Let down. Paul seems to have experienced this throughout his life. The emptiness of loneliness can damage faith. A person can be a member of a large congregation, but still feel alone. They feel alone in their journey. They feel that they face their problems alone. Loneliness becomes severe when one thought others would be there, but they were not. To be deserted, to be abandoned—that is the depth of the valley of loneliness. Mark was responsible for doing that to Paul. But now, he changed. He was useful. He learned. He changed. He found the courage. He looked beyond himself to what the kingdom needed from him. He stepped it up.

Unlike Judas, after he betrayed the Lord, he simply quit life. He took his life. Mark didn’t do that. Mark didn’t throw in the towel on his faith. He didn’t quit walking with Jesus. Mark changed. That’s the lesson for us. Sure we have hurt others. Certainly, we have let others down. People were counting on us, and we were not there. We messed up. We weren’t there when they needed us. It was our fault. We were wrong. Quit or change? Mark changed. Mark became better. Mark became useful. That’s our ticket. That’s our example. So, you hurt others in the past. Do right now. Learn from your mistake. Don’t quit for good. Learn from Mark.

Paul’s side: Paul has a side in this as well. He was so upset with Mark back in Acts, that he would not take him with on the next journey. Mark had to prove himself. Mark had to gain trust again. Paul allowed that. Paul allowed for Mark to change. Paul gave Mark a second chance. How often does someone hurt us, and that’s it for life. We are done with them. Never again, we say. Finished with them. Find someone else. Ignore them, exclude them, don’t count on them because they are not dependable. We pour concrete around those feelings and that’s the way we remain. Forever. Not Paul. Not God. God is in the second chance business. God used Mark to write one of the Gospels. God gave the run-a-way a second chance. Paul did, too. This comes with forgiveness. This comes with extending opportunity again. Mark showed that he was worthy. He had changed and Paul allowed him to change.

It’s that allowing to change that we sometimes stumble on. “Once a drunk, always a drunk,” really? “He lied once, I’ll never trust anything he says again.” Really? What if the person changes? What if they show themselves to be worthy? What if they are now useful? Will you still label them a loser? Will you not give them a second chance? Remember, you are not the poster child of perfection. None of us are. We have all let God down. We have let others down, as well. Without a second chance, we would be ruined.

It’s hard to be a Mark when you have disappointed others. It’s hard to be a Paul when you were hurt by others.

Bring Mark. He’s useful. He’s a good one. I need him. I can depend upon him. I wonder if those words were more for Mark or for Timothy. The young preacher Timothy would have a long journey that involved times when people would disappoint him and let him down. Maybe those words would help. Maybe the grand example would open Timothy’s eyes. Maybe the grand example would open my eyes.

Bring Mark. Is it time for you to call the Mark in your life? Is it time that you allowed someone a second chance? Is someone trying to gain your trust back? Isn’t it time for you to open that door?

Only Luke…Bring Mark—what a great passage.

Roger

Jump Start # 1529

2 Timothy 4:11 “Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.”

  Here is something that I find interesting. I believe it’s being the son of an engineer that fascinates me about these things. The New Testament contains 138,020 words. (I looked this up). Luke wrote two books, but they comprise 27% of the New Testament. Luke wrote 37,933 words. He wrote more words than John (28,092) and more words than Paul (32,072). More than a quarter of the New Testament was written by Luke, who was not an apostle and more interesting than that, his name, Luke, appears only three times. He does refer to himself throughout Acts by the use of pronouns. He will distinguish between “they” and “we”. The “we” verses are when he was with Paul. But by name, Luke is found only three times.

Here is another interesting thought: Luke’s name appears three times, and when it does appear, Demas’ name is always near by. Demas is named two verses before our verse today. The other two times Luke’s name is found, Demas is included in the very verse.

So this is good information if I was playing Bible trivia, but I’m not. What’s the point? There are several.

First, one does not have to be in the spotlight to be valuable. Without looking up these numbers, I probably would have thought that Paul wrote more words than Luke did. He didn’t. You would think since a quarter of the N.T. was written by Luke that he would have a more prominent role and be named more often. He isn’t. God will use us as He needs us. Seeking importance ruins things. Trying to be the top dog usually gets you in a dog fight. Do the work that God has blessed you and gifted you with. If we really believe that the glory belongs to the Lord, then let the Lord get the glory. Preachers with egos tend to mess up the good that they do. Some heads can get so big that they barely fit through the front door of the church building. If not careful, we can believe that the church cannot survive without us. It can. It will. You have a role, but you are not what keeps it together nor going. That distinction belongs to the Lord. Just help people. Just teach, preach and show others Jesus.

Second, all of us will plant spiritual trees for others to enjoy. The work we do and the good we do will benefit others, and often times, we may not even see the good. The more we remove our self out of the equation and the more we stop worrying about our place and our feelings, the better things become. I wonder if Luke realized how important the books of Luke and Acts would be? I wonder if he ever grasped how many thousands of sermons would be preached from what God allowed him to write? I wonder if he could fathom the thousands, probably millions and millions of souls that came to Christ because of Acts? The writings of Luke have turned hearts and strengthened congregations. His two books probably led more to conversions than all of Paul’s books, have you thought about that. All of us are doing wonderful things that our eyes may not be able to see. A child is raised in your home to follow Christ. Years later that same child may serve as a shepherd in the congregation or preach or teach. Many lives may be turned because of the great good that he does. It all started with a mom and a dad teaching that small boy at home. I have that legacy. You have that legacy. We each have such a story.

Third, Luke did more than just one thing. He was more than just a writer of New Testament books. He preached. He was trusted by Paul. Often on Paul’s journeys, as he would travel on, he would leave Luke to stay and help the brethren. Luke was a trusted teacher. You wouldn’t leave just anyone. Paul left Luke. Our verse, coming from Paul’s writings in Rome, as he awaits another session with Caesar, Luke is with him. Only Luke. He was more than a writer. More than a preacher. More than a teacher. He was an encourager and a friend. He was with Paul. What comfort that was. What history they had. What a friend he was. Don’t put all your eggs just in one basket. Do as much as you can in as many ways as you can. Write if you can. But don’t let that be all that you do. Preach if you can. But don’t let that be all that you do. Encourage, but do more things. Support, but do more things.

Fourth, Luke was a friend. Paul was in trouble. He was in prison and it looked like this time was it. He didn’t think he was getting out. He needed things. He wanted to see Timothy. Luke was the means. Luke was with him. Luke was that friend.

This brings two thoughts:

First, do you have close Christian friends? That’s not the same as just having friends? Christian friends, those who you have worshipped with, those who you have a spiritual history with, those who you share a common foundation, love and hope together? Friends from that group? You need them. You need them to help you along life’s journey. This is what fellowship is all about. Fellowship is not about eating a meal together and then going our separate ways, fellowship is sitting with that long time friend who is in prison for preaching Jesus. Fellowship is sitting with that long time friend in the hospital as he rounds third and heads for home for the last time. Fellowship is sitting with that mom and dad whose teenage child has caused them fits. Fellowship is smiles and hugs. It’s laughter and tears. It’s joy and hope. It’s speaking truthfully and honestly. It’s not sugar coating things. It’s prayers and hymns. It’s sharing Scriptures and hope. It’s a journey toward Heaven. It’s conversations late into the night. It’s depth. It’s asking those questions that you’d ask no one else. It’s pulling back the curtain and showing your soul. Real friends. Friends that want you in Heaven. Friends that you can count on. Friends that have been there for you in the past.

Do you have that? Paul was sitting alone in a Roman prison. However, “only Luke is with me,” tells us much. He wasn’t alone. He had a friend.

Second, do you allow those Christian friends into your heart and your life? I fear, especially among men, that we tend to be the lone Rangers in life. We don’t talk. We don’t share. We don’t express our selves. Our wives ask us, “What are you thinking about,” and we generally say, “Nothing.” That bothers the wife. Alone is not a good place to be. Alone brings in dark thoughts and invites trouble. You need that Christian friend. You need that person to be your crutch to help carry you. You need that person that you can talk to. Men are afraid to do this. It makes us think that we are vulnerable or weak. It makes us think that we must turn in our “man-card.” Get over it. Quit thinking about what others might think. Open yourself up. Sit down with one of the shepherds in your congregation and pour your heart out to him. Find that Christian friend and bear all. You will be amazed to find out that you are not the only one who struggles, has thoughts like you do, nor are tempted. You are not a terrible Christian. You need to learn from others. You need others to help you. God made the church, not just for Him, but for us. We need each other.

Only Luke is with me. Who is with you?

Roger