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The Book of Second Timothy:
Message Forty Four
By Dr. Michael
Guido, D.D.
There's a
church in Venice that fascinated me. It's the
Cathedral of Saint Mark. Venice has canals for
streets and boats for taxicabs. It's not built on
solid ground. Instead, it lies on a cluster of small
mud islands. This colorful city with its beautiful
buildings rose up from the marshes. How like Mark,
after whom the Cathedral was named. At first he was
unstable, but in the end he emerged as a tower of
strength.
Let's meet the
man. His full name is John Mark. The name
"John" means "the grace of God,"
and the name "Mark" means "a
hammer." Nothing but the grace of God could take
one that was weak and make of him a mighty minister
of the gospel. Mark came from a rich and religious
home. His mother loved Christ and the Christians. Her
home was the center of Christian fellowship. Mark
became acquainted with the Christians through his
mother, and with Christ through Peter, for he calls
him, "Mark, my son." The first time he's
seen in the Bible is at a prayer meeting in his home.
King Herod had killed the apostle James, and he
arrested Peter, and imprisoned him, placing him under
guard of 16 soldiers. His intention was to deliver
Peter over for execution. But earnest prayer was
going up to God for his safety all the time he was in
prison. On the night before he was to be executed,
while he was asleep and double-chained between two
soldiers with others standing guard at the gate, an
angel of the Lord rescued him. When Peter realized
what had happened he hurried to the home of Mary, the
mother of John Mark, where many had gathered for
prayer. Don't you know that experience had a
tremendous effect upon Mark?
But he had
some misfortunes. On the darkest night of nights,
when our Lord was betrayed and bound, when all of His
followers forsook Him and fled; there was seen,
stealing through the darkness, a young man with a
linen cloth cast about his body. He was watching with
eager, loving and tear-filled eyes, our wonderful
Lord. His love was such that he came too close to
Him, and one saw him and laid hold on him. He fled in
fear, leaving the linen cloth in his hands. That
young man was Mark. He showed that same spirit of
weakness and fear at another time. Barnabas and Paul
set out on their first missionary journey. When they
reached a certain city, Paul proposed to go inland up
to a central plateau. It was a difficult and
dangerous road. It was infested with bandits and
bands of outlaws. Mark deserted the disciples. He
must have been afraid to face the dangers. But Paul
and Barnabas completed their missionary journey, and
then felt led of the Lord to take another. Barnabas
wanted to take Mark with him, but Paul refused. He
wouldn't have anything to do with a quitter. And he
was right! How could he urge the Christians to be
courageous, when he was a coward? How could he urge
Christians to be loyal, when he was disloyal? He was
a disappointment, and for a long time Mark vanished
from sight. However, when he came forth again, it was
in the most surprising way. Instead of fear, he had
faith and fortitude. Instead of being a coward, he
was courageous and Christlike. No longer was he a
hindrance, he was a help.
Look at his
ministry. It's written in 2nd
Timothy 4:11, "Take Mark, and bring him with
thee: for he is profitable to me for the
ministry." Are you useless, or useful in the
service of Christ and your church? Are you a
hindrance, or a good help for the work of the Lord?
One minister said to me with tears, "I have many
members that I can count on Sunday morning, but I
have very, very few that I can count on. They're
saved, but they're of no service to Christ."
Mark was that type of a Christian. But he didn't stay
that way. And you don't have to stay the way you are.
Mark is an example for our encouragement. For he's a
man who failed, but who made good. So today our Lord
can make the cowards courageous, the useless useful,
the helpless helpful, the strengthless strong. He can
turn your shameful tragedy into the thrill of
triumphant service. Although you won't be given the
honor of writing a gospel, as Mark was given, for he
wrote the book that bears his name, but you'll be
privileged to be a gospel. For
"You are
writing a gospel, a chapter each day,
By all that
you do and all that you say."
"Men read
what you write, whether faithless, or true.
Say, what is
the gospel according to you?"
copyright 2000 Guido Evangelistic
Association
All Scripture verses are
quoted from the New King James Version.
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the book of Second Timothy.
This series of messages on the
books of the Bible were originally written for
broadcast on Dr. Guido's radio program, "The
Sower." They are collected and reprinted here
for your enjoyment and spiritual edification.
