ANOTHER CHANCE

Betty

My heart went out to Betty. She was a dedicated, godly woman who was married to a pastor. A few years into their marriage, everything went wrong.  She discovered that her husband, the pastor of the church, was homosexual.  He was involved with several other men and living a double life. It devastated her; the future was bleak for her. It looked like her ministry was finished and her usefulness in the church was over.

Betty went through great emotional trauma at the thoughts of being rejected. There were no answers to her questions. Her life and ministry came to an abrupt halt. There seemed to be no way out of her predicament.

A couple of years later, her husband’s lifestyle brought his life to a sudden end when he died of HIV/AIDS. Betty was hurt and moaned for her former husband. But it seemed as if her own life was at a dead end.

God has an amazing way of turning the ashes of ruin into glorious beauty. A few years later Betty met a young pastor whose wife had died, they were married and both continued in ministry. In fact Betty’s ministry expanded beyond anything she ever dreamed. Just when she thought she had come to the end and her ministry was over, God gave her another chance.

Bob

Bob’s story is just as dramatic. He was from a respected family and expecting to take over the family business. While he was in university he got mixed up with the wrong group of people. Alcohol and drugs dominated his life and controlled him, taking him in a downward spiral of destruction and despair. His life was out of control. He had no future. He needed another chance. He needed to start over.

Bob met Jesus in a rehab center and his life was changed. He was released from the bondage of his addictions and his life turned around. As he established a new lifestyle and developed new personal habits, he got his feet on the ground and God began to use him in a variety of ways to influence others.

When it seemed life was in ruins and appeared to be over, God gave Bob a second chance.

This is the story of God throughout history. Thousands of similar stories can be told. God is in the recycling business. When we wonder if there will ever be another opportunity, God can step in and build a new future for people who have slipped, fallen, been wronged and made serious mistakes. God is in the business of giving people a second chance. God can put broken Humpty Dumpties back together again.

JOHN MARK

John Mark is an important Bible character. John was his Jewish name; Mark was his Greek or Latin name. John Mark grew up in Jerusalem and was raised by his mother, most likely a single parent. His mother, Mary, was a woman of some wealth and owned a large home. The disciples possibly celebrated the Last Supper in her home. It was also where the 120 disciples went to pray after the resurrection as they waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit. The first church in Jerusalem may have been centered in this home.

John Mark grew up in a good environment. His mother had been an early follower and supporter of Jesus and she raised John Mark to follow the Lord.

John Mark had a great desire to serve the Lord. He travelled with Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues, John was with them as their helper. (Acts 13:5).

John was considerably younger than Paul or his uncle Barnabas but he had a desire to help, serve and minister. John Mark travelled with Paul and Barnabas not as a preacher but as a helper. He had a willingness to work and do odd jobs. When Mark started out, he was eager and willing to do just about anything.

John Mark quit. He abandoned the mission. From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. (Acts 13:13).

We don’t know the reason John Mark left and Bible scholars still argue about what happened. Some feel the going got too hard for young John Mark. Some think he was sick or just missed his mother. Matthew Henry said, “He didn’t like the work and wanted to go home and see his mother.”

The truth is: he quit and deserted the mission. He failed to complete what he started. He lacked stick-to-it-iveness.

When John Mark got home, he probably had second thoughts. He was glad to be off the road at first, but later he would have regrets and feelings of failure. His feelings of regret increased when he heard the glowing reports of the mission’s success.

It is tragic when people fail to follow through on a project or commitment. There is a lack of ministry being accomplished. There is also a personal price that is paid by quitting and not following through.

Sometimes Christians bail out on their faith and stop following Jesus. Some couples mess up their marriages and one of the partners leaves. There are feelings of failure. I’ve seen church people accept an assignment – teach a class, sing in the choir or lead a small group – only to quit a few months later.

Regardless of the circumstances and rationale, people are left feeling they have failed God and that God will no longer use or bless them. They are gripped by the feeling that it is game over, they blew it and there is no chance for a fulfilling future.

John Mark was restored and served the Lord with distinction. It took 14-15 years before anything is heard directly about John Mark. Yes, he travelled for a while with Barnabas who mentored him. People like Barnabas do not discard people when they make a mistake; they reach out to encourage and support them, seeing the long range possibilities.

It is widely believed that he travelled with Peter during these years and Peter in one of his letters, called John Mark his son.

ANOTHER CHANCE

One day, John Mark received word from Timothy with a message from Paul. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. (2 Timothy 4:11).

Years earlier, Paul and Barnabas had argued about the wisdom of letting John Mark continue with them. Paul specifically ruled out John Mark being part of the team. Their debate was so vigorous, Paul and Barnabas went separate ways. John Mark was familiar with the debate about his participation in the ministry with Paul. He must have known that Paul didn’t want him. When Barnabas had asked John Mark to accompany him, John Mark had readily agreed.

Now, with the message from Paul that was sent through Timothy, John Mark was given another chance. Paul, who earlier had not wanted John Mark with him, now said he needed him. Paul recognized that John Mark could contribute to his ministry.

The question isn’t whether Paul was right or wrong in rejecting John Mark for the second missionary trip. Paul may have been too rash in his attitude. On the other hand, he may have realized that John Mark needed to mature before he could serve in leadership.

Here’s the key. When John Mark deserted the team, he was a quitter and failed. When he was prepared to go on the next missionary journey, he was rejected and was not given the chance to go with Paul. But this was not the end. Another opportunity would come when Paul realized he needed John Mark with him.

What happened in John Mark that enabled him to overcome his failure and the rejection, and what can we learn to prepare us for another opportunity, regardless of what has happened to us and what we have done? What can we learn to be in the place for a second opportunity after we’ve blown it the first time?

1.    RECONGNIZE THAT ANYONE CAN MAKE A MISTAKE

Some of the greatest of Bible characters made major mistakes. Abraham, Moses and King David all made major blunders that could have ended their influence. But God gave each of them a second chance.

Now, knowing that God often gives us another opportunity, is not an excuse to go out and do something stupid or knowingly do what is wrong. But if and when a mistake happens, remember that you are not the first person who has slipped, fallen or done wrong. Our God is the God of a Second Chance. He can bring beauty out of the ashe

2.    GUARD YOUR ATTITUDE

Guard the attitude you have towards yourself. The way you think about yourself and talk to yourself can be destructive or uplifting. If you tell yourself, “It’s all over for me and I’m finished,” it will tear you down and destroy you.

Guard your attitude towards God. If you think God will never use you again, that God has let you down or that God won’t forgive you, it will destroy your faith and ultimately your relationship with God.

3.    REALIZE THE LORD IS THE GOD OF THE SECOND CHANCE

God is not a bully or tyrant in the sky waiting to pounce on you when you blow it or fail. The God of the Bible is the God of a second chance. God still has a beautiful plan for your life. It may not seem like it in the midst of the ashes, but God doesn’t change when you mess up. He still loves, forgives, restores and offers another opportunity.

4.    ESTABLISH YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD

After you have messed up, you don’t feel like praying. You lose interest in reading your Bible. You don’t feel like going to church. But these are things that you need in the midst of a mess more than ever.

Meet with God in prayer. Come back to God and recommit your life to him. When you make a mistake, confess it and accept God’s forgiveness. Lift your head high and face tomorrow with confidence.

5.    DISCOVER AND FOLLOW GOD’S WILL FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE

God is not finished with you yet. God still has a wonderful plan for the rest of your life and God’s plan going forward is the best way.

When John Mark was rejected because he had quit, he kept moving forward in ministry. First, Mark travelled with Barnabas, learning the ropes of ministry from him. Later, Mark travelled with Peter and learned the story of Jesus from Peter’s preaching. Mark wrote the Gospel of Mark, probably the first of the four Gospels to be published.

Then a second opportunity came and he served with Paul.

John Mark rose above his failure and so can you.

 

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