Is It Worth It?

Kip McKean

November 18, 2007

“God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.” Hebrews 6:10

Have you ever considered giving up your Kingdom dreams? Have you ever been paralyzed by depression from a broken heart, when your dreams once so close become seemingly impossible? Have you ever asked God or yourself, “Is it worth it?” and teetered on the brink of quitting being a disciple? I have. Therefore, I was particularly encouraged this past week during my preparation of the First Principles sermon on Acts 9-15. I was so inspired by our brother, John Mark.

The date is around 44 AD. The reader of Acts first encounters John Mark at the house church, where Peter returns after being freed by God’s angel from Herod’s imprisonment and certain death. (Acts 12:12) The house church met in the home of Mary, John Mark’s mother. Just prior to this event, Paul and Barnabas brought the poor collection from the Antioch Church to help the brothers in Judea. (Acts 11:27-30) The Holy Spirit was moving bringing all these people together in Jerusalem. (Acts 11:26) After Paul and Barnabas had completed their mission, they ask John Mark to accompany them back to Antioch. (Acts 12:25) Interestingly in 1 Peter 5:17, Peter shares that John Mark is his son in the faith and from Colossians 4:10 we learn he is Barnabas’ cousin. At this time, John Mark was perhaps the most high profile young preacher in the brotherhood!

John Mark participated in the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas and was selected because he was considered a “helper.” (Acts 13:5) The missionary expedition sets out from Antioch and sails to Cyprus, Barnabas’ homeland. (Act 4:32) While in Cyprus, John Mark witnesses the incredible miracles of the evil sorcerer Elymas struck blind by Paul and the Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus being baptized! Following this excitement, the expedition sails to Perga in Pamphylia. Shockingly, without warning, “John left [Paul and Barnabas] and returned to Jerusalem.” (Acts 13:13) The Scriptures do not detail whether it was persecution, physical hardship, sickness, cowardice or a combination, but clearly John Mark quits on his fellow preachers, Paul and Barnabas, and on the dream of world evangelization. In his heart at that moment, he felt the sacrifice just wasn’t worth it. Pictured with Sharon Kirchner, Kacie Comisford and Cathy Wooten is
Ana Reyes, who is now restored to the Lord!

Sometime later around 50 AD, Paul and Barnabas urge James and the brothers in Jerusalem to keep the rapidly expanding Christian movement unified by not requiring circumcision for Gentile converts. After this, Paul and Barnabas consider returning to strengthen all the churches they had planted during their expedition. However, “Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pampyhylia.” (Acts 15:39) Ironically, after the unifying of the movement, Paul and Barnabas have a “sharp disagreement” and part ways over John Mark.

Eleven years pass. In this time span, Paul leads a second and third missionary journey, yet the record of Acts is silent about Barnabas and John Mark, except that they had returned to Cyprus. Acts of course ends with Paul’s first imprisonment in approximately 61 AD. During this imprisonment,

Paul writes Colossians and shares, “My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas.” (Colossians 4:10) Mark is by Paul’s side once again, presumably healed by the nurturing love and discipling of Barnabas. During Paul’s second imprisonment five years later in late 66 AD, Paul writes to his beloved son in the faith Timothy, “Do your best to come to me quickly… Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:9-11) Lonely and sensing death was near, Paul had only Luke with him and desired the company of only two other brothers, Timothy and John Mark! John Mark had repented. Paul had forgiven. Now, they were the closest of brothers, forever bonded by the cleansing blood of Jesus and His great cause.

Bruce Springsteen wrote a song called “Glory Days.” In the last verse Springsteen sings,

And I hope when I get old
I don’t sit around thinking about it
But I probably will
Yeah, just sitting back
Trying to recapture
A little of the glory of
But time slips away
And leaves you with nothing mister
But boring stories of glory days.
Glory days they pass you by
Glory days, the wink of a young girl’s eye,
Glory day! Glory days!

If John Mark had not returned to the mission, he probably would have shared in his lessons only the “boring stories of the glory days” that passed him by- about Peter showing up at his house after being freed from prison, walking with Paul and Barnabas, and even seeing Sergius Paulas baptized. However, even though John Mark had failed God, by His grace John Mark began to believe again that God still had a plan and purpose for his life. Sentimentally, I want to believe John Mark and Timothy made it to pray at least one more time with Paul before his martyrdom. But this we know, John Mark wrote the first gospel, “Mark,” in the late 60’s AD. Also, a strong tradition holds that John Mark was at the forefront of the Christian movement in Egypt. It was in Alexandria that he was martyred around 70 AD. Truly, this once fallen hero’s most glorious days were after the dark hours of returning to Jerusalem broken-hearted.

Interestingly, John Mark has but one autobiographical note about himself in his gospel. It occurs during the time of Jesus’ arrest in the garden of Gethsemane. He records, “Then everyone deserted [Jesus] and fled. A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.” (Mark 14:50-51) When John Mark writes this first gospel, perhaps in Egypt, all that he records of himself is that humiliating moment at Jesus’ arrest. At the end of his life, John Mark saw himself as one with literally nothing, yet as one who believed that Jesus and the dream was worth all the sacrifice, even his own life.

Mark concluded his gospel with Jesus’ words, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation, whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.” (Mark 16:15-16) To John Mark, spending eternity with Jesus and those who were saved by John Mark’s preaching were sure to be the ultimate “glory days.”

John Mark’s life gives me inspiration. Six long years ago, I saw my dream to evangelize the world in a generation renounced by friend and foe. My dream of seeing all my family in heaven with me seemed impossible. I wrestled with not just quitting the ministry, but because of bitterness toward God and men, even quitting being a Christian. Thank God for His grace and Barnabas-like brethren who helped heal Elena and me - such as Bob and Pat Gempel, Nick and Denise Bordieri, Bob and Marcia Bertalot and Tony and Therese Untalan. Thank God for the Scripture, “God is not unjust, He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.” (Hebrews 6:10) Today my old glory days of Gainesville, Philadelphia, Charleston, Boston, Manila, Moscow and Cairo still bring a smile to my face, but for the most part these are not the stories I tell. Refined by the fires of persecution, insults, desertions and financial difficulties, having been stripped by God of everything, because of my repentance and from this a new found zeal, He has given me back the dream of evangelizing the world in a generation and the hope of all my family in heaven. Paul’s words ring true, “Through glory and dishonor; bad report and good; genuine yet regarded as imposters… dying, yet we live on… sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” (2 Corinthians 6:8-10)

Now through the Spirit working through His new discipling movement, I am again witnessing God’s amazing miracles in Portland, London, Santiago, Chicago, Phoenix and Los Angeles! The Word is increasing and spreading rapidly as new Bible Talks of sold – out disciples have been initiated in the past few weeks in Paris and San Diego! These are the faith-building stories of God’s glory I now share in sermons. From time to time after a discouraging talk or event, Satan grabs my heart late that night and that sadness returns from my earlier dark days. Yet through faith and by praying every night with Elena before we go to bed, I am absolutely sure “it is worth it!” Like John Mark, the difference now is that I realize here on earth I have nothing and I am nothing. Nevertheless, glory awaits me and all those we are saving by “going into all the world preaching the good news to every creature.” And to God be all the honor, praise and glory!

Kip McKean