Vineyard Church | Weekly Update April 17, 2024

Yes, the Defiance series is over…or is it? Yes. But not yet. I have a feeling that this series will have some legs in the life of our congregation. Defiance has served as a helpful paradigm to compare the difference between the way culture around us treats others and the way of a follower of Jesus, one called to imitate how Jesus treats others.

This comes in to play when we take a look at what happened to John Mark, the author of the Gospel we journeyed through all winter. We talked about how John Mark’s authorship of the Gospel in and of itself is an act of defiance, as he was refuting claims made by the Roman Emperor that he was the returned messiah…. But there is more to Mark’s life that shows defiance.… This is where I welcome you to the most unpopular blog post of the year!

The defiance shown by some events in Mark’s life creates a difficult monkey see monkey do problem for us (these events play out in Acts 13-15). This problem begins when examining the conflict Mark created between Paul and Barnabas as they traversed the world, planting churches and proclaiming the Word of God. After their first ministry trip together, Paul wanted to go back and check on the churches and leaders they had helped get rolling, but Barnabas would only agree to go if they took Mark with them. This demand was refused and created what scripture calls a “sharp disagreement” between Paul and Barnabas that led to a relational break between these powerful leaders.

Why was Mark such a catalyst for conflict? Acts 13 shares that part of the story.… Mark, as a young man, was invited to go with Paul and Barnabas on that first ministry trip, but after a period of fruitlessness, Mark ditched the crew and went home. He deserted his brothers in ministry and left them to do the work without him. Scripture does not tell us exactly why Mark bailed, but we can see from context that this led to Paul holding a “once a deserter, always a deserter” attitude towards the kid. Barnabas took issue with this, perhaps because Mark was his cousin, but nonetheless, he thought Paul was wrong in strong enough terms to break relationship with him.

Here is where the blog gets unpopular.… The cultural monkey see monkey do would tell us to apply the “fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me” paradigm that Paul begins with.… Once a deserter, always a deserter works if you do not believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to change hearts and lives. This paradigm works if we do not want to imitate Jesus. This paradigm works if our defiance is not of culture but of Christ. 

The break with Paul happened somewhere in the neighborhood of 46 AD. Mark went on to do ministry work with Barnabas and would write the Gospel roughly ten years later. We are not shown how or when, but context clues us into the fact that he grew up. He went through a process and was no longer the same man. 

Later, in the 60s AD, we see Paul give us a window into his defiance of culture.… He had given Mark a second chance. He had reconciled and partnered with Mark and even written in a letter to the church in Colossae that Mark had been a true comfort to him. Mark was given another shot. 

Peter and Paul both, in the narrative of the activity of God in their lives, have stories of another chance. Like Mark, they went through a process that allowed the Holy Spirit to refine them and work on their fears, insecurities, and anger that stifled faith. The process made them ready and able to step into a second chance once a second chance was offered. 

Defiance of the fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me paradigm occurs when we offer restoration to those that have deserted us. After engaging in a process that allows the Holy Spirit to bring healing, correction, and discipline, our monkey see monkey do response is the extension of another chance. This allows failure to be a force multiplier and strengthens the Body of Christ. 

Adam Greenwell
Pastor  |  Billings Vineyard Church
www.BillingsVineyard.org