The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Acts 15:37-39a,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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"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 Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company."
The apostles were anything but infallible. That may come as a surprise to some but here we see a disagreement between Barnabas and Paul. The two of them had decided on a second trip to visit the churches they had established on their first trip. Barnabas wanted to take Mark along again, but because Mark had abandoned them on their first trip, Paul refused to have him accompany them - so they parted company.
Although we certainly recognize Paul's credentials as Jesus' hand picked apostle to the Gentiles, "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God...", Romans 1:1, we can't say the same thing for Barnabas. We do find, however, in the book of Acts, Barnabas is called "a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith", Acts 11:24, and called an apostle, "when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this...", Acts 14:14. But, in any event, we see disagreement and fallibility within the apostolic ranks. (Not that it is my place, but from what we know, I side with Barnabas. Paul later recognizes the wonderful qualities that Mark contributed to ministry that apparently required time to develop. He tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:11, "Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.")
Another example is the dispute Paul had with Peter over Peter's attitude on an occasion toward Gentile believers. "When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong", Galatians 2:11.
Here is the amazing thing I find in this: God is able to take fallible people such as Paul, Barnabas, Peter, etc. and do incredible, infallible things with them. It was with fallible people that the Holy Spirit produced infallible Scriptures. It was within fallible people that the early church was able recognize apostolic authority because God was working in and through them.
The apostles were anything but infallible. That may come as a surprise to some but here we see a disagreement between Barnabas and Paul. The two of them had decided on a second trip to visit the churches they had established on their first trip. Barnabas wanted to take Mark along again, but because Mark had abandoned them on their first trip, Paul refused to have him accompany them - so they parted company.
Although we certainly recognize Paul's credentials as Jesus' hand picked apostle to the Gentiles, "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God...", Romans 1:1, we can't say the same thing for Barnabas. We do find, however, in the book of Acts, Barnabas is called "a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith", Acts 11:24, and called an apostle, "when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this...", Acts 14:14. But, in any event, we see disagreement and fallibility within the apostolic ranks. (Not that it is my place, but from what we know, I side with Barnabas. Paul later recognizes the wonderful qualities that Mark contributed to ministry that apparently required time to develop. He tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:11, "Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.")
Another example is the dispute Paul had with Peter over Peter's attitude on an occasion toward Gentile believers. "When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong", Galatians 2:11.
Here is the amazing thing I find in this: God is able to take fallible people such as Paul, Barnabas, Peter, etc. and do incredible, infallible things with them. It was with fallible people that the Holy Spirit produced infallible Scriptures. It was within fallible people that the early church was able recognize apostolic authority because God was working in and through them.
I am reminded yet again of Peter's words in 2 Peter 1:20-21, that God is able to carry along imperfect people and do perfect things. And although we have no apostles on the scene today, God still uses fallible people just like us to carry out the wonderful things he does.
Fascinating, isn't it?!
Fascinating, isn't it?!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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