Mark: A Comeback Plodder 9/19/99

Romans 5: 3 and 4

Jesus Christ spoke of the blessing awaiting those who persevere till the end.

A modern term for this Biblical word “persevere” is plod. Plodders are those who go through the sequence noted in Romans 5: 3, 4. It is tribulation that produces perseverance; and perseverance that produces character; and character, hope.

They live with a sense of expectancy; a vibrant hope. Regardless of the challenge or calamity they consistently carry on because they have hope things will change for the better. They live awaiting a better moment. It’s their character. Their character was forged by perseverance in the hour of trials and tribulations. They are finalist in the plodder championship.

“Nothing in the world can take the
place of persistence.
Talent will not; nothing is more
commond than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius is
almost a proverb.
Education will not; the world is full
of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone
are omnipotent. Press on…”

Little Ben Carson had little to commend him in childhood and even less cause for hope. His mother, Sonya, had dropped out of school in the third grade and she and his dad divorced when he was eight. Mrs. Carson was left to rear her two boys alone in a Detroit ghetto. Not an easy challenge.

In the fifth grade he was the uncontested bottom of his class. His class called him “dummy.”

Tests were given and each student gave his or her paper to the student behind to be sure it was graded properly. The teacher then called for all students to verbally report their grades. On a math test with 30 questions Ben missed 30. Having showed it to the student behind him he thought if he mumbled his score the teacher might think it something better than it was. When asked he answered “numm.” “Nine! Benjamin got nine right.” The teacher’s bragging on Ben was interrupted when the girl behind him shouted, “He said none, not nine.”

Perhaps Ben’s biggest challenge was that he had a pathological temper. He left a three inch gash in his mother’s head when he struck her with a hammer. He tried to stab a friend who changed a radio station. Fortunately the knife struck the boy’s belt buckle with such force it broke.

In fear he went home and locked himself in and began to think about where he was headed. He prayed for God to help him find a way to handle his temper. He stayed locked in and began reading the Book of Proverbs. As he read his eyes fell on these words: “… a man who can control his temper is mightier than a man who can conquer a city.”

It struck him. If people can make you mad they can control you. He concluded why surrender yourself to others.

His next report card got his mother’s attention and resulted in new rules. Only three pre-selected TV programs a week. He was to read two books a week and give her a written report. What he didn’t know was his mother couldn’t read so he kept reading. He now says that was in the days when parents were in charge.

He kept reading Proverbs and started praying for wisdom.

One day he startled his class mates when he identified a collection of rocks for the teacher. He remembered them from a book he had read.

He said by reading I learned how to spell. Knowing word meanings enabled me to learn grammar. This opened his world to the use of his imagination.

Within eighteen months the “dummy” went from last to first in his class. Having been a walking “TV Guide” over whom the teacher rejoiced when he got a “D” he was on a new course. Plodding and progressing. Little Ben’s plodding resulted in a scholarship to Yale University where he earned a degree in psychology. From there he went to the University Michigan Medical School where he graduated Cum Laude. He became the first ever black neurosurgery resident of Johns Hopkins University.

At the age of 32 this plodder became the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University. He performs over 500 operations a year and is credited with leading the most delicate surgical procedure every performed. It was a 22 hour operation separating Siamese twins.

He credits his faith in God with his medical success, rather than hard work or intellectual aptitude. He reads every day from Proverbs and commented, “I start every morning and I end every day asking God for wisdom. I think if you ask for it, you get it.”

His definition of success is significant. “True success is taking your God-given abilities and sharing them in a way that elevates other people.” That means you too can be successful.

From last place in the fifth grade class little Ben Carson kept plodding to become Dr. Benjamin Carson a first class physician.

As a child little Sylvester was often beaten by his dad and told he had no brains. He grew up lonely and confused. He was in and quicker out of many schools. An advisor at Drexel University told him that based on his aptitude he should pursue a career as an elevator repair man.

He tried acting but his abnormal life led to one failure after another. This failure drove him to try writing with little success.

He watched Muhammad Ali fight Chuck Wepner, a relatively unknown fighter who incredibly went the distance against the odds. This inspired Sylvester Stallone to write a script for a movie he called “Rocky”—- in less than four days.

Vince Lombardi said, “It’s not whether you get knocked down. It’s whether you get up again.” Five Rockys later, Sylvester Stallone is still a champion who kept getting up and plodding on.

Determination is a synonym for a plodder. Plodders keep hope alive —- even if on life support at times.

There is a young man in the gospels who was a remarkable comeback character. He is John Mark. John was his Hebrew name. Mark was his Roman sir name. The first time we meet this young man in the Scripture is his most humiliating moment. Gospel writers occasionally include passages related to themselves without identifying themselves. John often does this by referring to himself as “the disciple Jesus loved.” Such a passage can be identified by the person telling the story being the only one who would have known it.

In the Gospel of Mark there is such an incident that leads scholars to assume it is a reference to the author, Mark.

On the eve of the arrest of Christ a young man follows the procession leading Christ from Gethsemane. Its Mark’s story, let’s let him tell it.

“Then they all forsook Him and fled. Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked” (Mark 14:50 – 52).

Mark was one of the last to abandon Christ on the night of His betrayal. To tell this modifying story on himself Mark is revealing the complexity from which he recovered. Perhaps it was his nudity that caused him to flee. Perhaps it was fear of being associated with the accused Christ. Hopefully it was his clothes being torn off. However at this stage of his young life he was not well established in his faith. Nevertheless, it left him with something to overcome.

Most persons have had a moment they would like to forget. Such incidents can cause us to drop out or cop out. They can motivate us to resolutely commit our self to making a comeback. These moments of failure color our lives. You choose the colors.

John Mark chose variegated colors.

I. HE WAS VIBRANT
Mark was the son of Mary a well-to-do Jerusalem widow. Her home was a favorite meeting place for followers of Christ.

Being reared by a single parent has its challenges. This is best known by such children. Parents can never fully understand the full impact on a child reared in a single parent home. If you are such a child there is encouragement for you.

Studies show that children reared in a single parent home have challenges others don’t. No one knows this better than the child. Parents can’t begin to understand. Analysis reveals that children from single parent homes make lower grades, have a higher rate of criminal activity, and have lower self-esteem.

Why note such depressing principles? In order that they might be known and compensated for. There is nothing that dictates that a child from a single parent home has to fall in these statistical categories. By knowing this positive influences can be brought to bear to counter the tendency.

There is nothing that insures that a child from a home of privilege where both parents are present will succeed. There is nothing that says a child from a single parent home won’t succeed. The determination lies within which colors the child chooses.

Mary, the Mother of Mark, had a wealthy brother from Cyprus named Barnabas. His name means “son of encouragement.” Throughout the Bible he is known for his winsomeness. Mary saw to it that he became a positive influence in young Mark’s life. He remained such for years. What Acts 11: 23 says he did for the members of the church at Antioch he obviously did for Mark. He “encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.” That they should do what? “Continue with the Lord.” To make it perfectly clear, “That they should keep on plodding along with the Lord.”

In the process of plodding some fall. Mark did. However remember what Lombardi said, “It is not whether you get knocked down. It is whether you keep getting up.” Though down on occasion Mark kept getting up.

II. HE WAS VENTUROUS
Mark started out with Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. It must have been exciting. They were venturing out to carry the good news of Christ’s life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to the world. They were to be the first heralds of the good news on the continent of Europe.

Mark made what Paul thought for the longest was an unforgivable mistake. Mark went back home to Jerusalem. He quit the team.

III. HE VACILLATED
It is not as though plodders don’t ever waver. It isn’t that they are immuned to fear. Plodders have to stare down fear.

Just as Paul contracted a painful illness Mark walked out on him. If we had to leave him at this point his profile would be that of a quitter.

His unfaithfulness to his mission caused pain for Paul and Barnabas. It caused a rift between the three and alienation between Paul and Mark. Explanations for the break of relations are varied. Some speculate Mark didn’t appreciate Paul’s authority over his admired uncle Barnabas and that caused him to leave.

This mission was about to falter because one player wasn’t playing his role. Barnabas wanted off.

Al McGuire retired as coach of Marquette after winning the NCAA basketball championship in 1976. Butch Lee was a prima donna on McGuire’s team. McGuire was trying to teach the team concept in this way: “Now, Butch, the game is forty minutes long, and if you divide that between two teams that means there is twenty minutes when one team has the ball and twenty minutes when the other team will have the ball. There are five players on each side. That means each player will have the ball for about four minutes. Now, Butch, I know what you can do with a ball in four minutes. What I want you to show me, is what you can do for the other thirty-six minutes.”

Others suggest it was homesickness that caused Mark to defect. Still others indicate he had a girl friend back home he wanted to see. It doesn’t matter what it was the grief is it broke their fellowship. That break however gives a good illustration of how Christians reconcile.

The breach of relationships was deep and long lasting. The next time there was a missionary journey Paul and Barnabas planned to go together. Barnabas insisted on Mark going. Paul was adamant that his failure on their first trip disqualified him. Paul went on along and Barnabas took Mark and they set out on a different mission. The plodder was up and about to begin an admirable spiritual recovery.

IV. HE WAS VINDICATED
While in prison in Rome Paul wrote a letter of encouragement to the church in Colossi. Therein is this greeting: “Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him)” (Colossians 4:10).

Right there at the prison with Paul was Mark. The breach restored, the fellowship renewed, the bond of love apparent.

Later in writing to young Timothy, Paul commented on Mark’s usefulness (II Timothy 4:11). The broken relation was restored. Full confidence had been earned.

Peter also later wrote affectionately of Mark calling him “…my son” (I Peter 5:13).

History pays tribute to Mark. When the Venetian Republic was at its zenith they named their main square St. Marcos. “The Lion” which had come to symbolize Mark stood and stand in the square and is emblazoned on their standard.

The remains of the ancient sea port of Ephesus has a lasting tribute to him. There stands four columns to have been seen by all who entered the port. On the top of the columns stood Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Mark’s most lasting honor is that of having been inspired to write the gospel book bearing his name, Mark. It contains no teachings of Christ. It is a record of His deeds. The word found most often in the book is “straightway.” He depicts Christ as moving from action to action. Doubtless that appealed to Him once he modeled his life after Christ.

Mark, the come-back kid had come back.

He can serve as a worthy example to any who started out following and serving Christ only to falter and perhaps even fall. The way to win is to get up every time you fall.

He Is Risen

“He is risen” was the stunning news brought by the women who had come to the tomb. The disciples who received the news thought it to be an idle tale. Don’t fault them; that was foreign to the most extreme thought they had ever had.

Satan continues to deny the resurrection, claiming He swooned and revived in the cool tomb. This is proof they don’t understand crucifixion.

Others say His body was stolen. By whom?

Had His enemies stolen it they could later present the corpse as evidence

His followers were persecuted for professing His resurrection. Had they stolen it they would have presented the corpse and relieved themselves of the torture. 

HE DIED

The abuse given a body by the Romans in crucifying a person was inhumane. An instrument used was a short whip called a flagrum or flagellum with single or braided thongs of variable lengths, in which small iron balls or sharp pieces of sheep bones were tied at intervals. The person to be scourged was stripped and tied between two posts. Two soldiers, known as lictors, on opposite sides began at the shoulders and worked down with their lashes. The force of the blows caused the iron balls to initially cause deep contusions. The leather thongs and sheep bone cut the epidermis and subcutaneous tissues. As the flogging continued, the lacerations would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh.  Pain and blood loss set the stage for circulatory shock. Hematidrosis rendered the skin particularly tender. It was in this state Christ was taken to the cross. There He died, likely of a cardiac arrhythmia or cardiac rupture. 

HE WAS ALIVE

First at the tomb on that third morning were the women. One of the two angelic messengers said to them, “Why are you seeking the living among the dead?  He is risen as He said.”

Notice the response of the disciples to the news brought by the women: “…their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them” (Luke 24:11).

However, they rushed to the tomb. The tomb was open, not to let Christ out, but to let them in. He is risen.  All heaven broke loose.

He was seen over a period of forty days by friends and foes. He was seen, touched, and talked with. He was seen indoors and out, on shadowy roadways and sunny beaches by 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 11, and 500 people at once. He was alive. By any basic indications of the five senses, He was evidently alive. He arose from the dead.

Every argument against the bodily resurrection of Christ is philosophical. Every evidence of His resurrection is historical and physical. He, the dead Christ, became the living resurrected Christ.  What does that mean to you?

Why was all this Heavenly drama enacted here on planet earth?

It was summed up in Christ’s sixth saying on the cross. He cried out tetelestai, “It is finished.” Tax records of the era have been found with the word “tetelestai” written across them meaning “paid in full.” As used for Christ on the cross, it meant His redemptive work was finished because – – –

“He made Him who knew not sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (II Corinthians 5: 21) Praise God He lives.

Self-Examination: Part II

II CORINTHIANS 13: 1 – 5 and I JOHN 2: 15 – 17

Jesus  asked a question worthy of your thought: “What is a man profited if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?”

The Bible also says, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.” Employ these steps in self-examination.

a. Pray for divine guidance that you may be objective.

b. Search yourself with the Scripture as the standard.

c. Keep your eyes on Jesus as your example.

Many people won’t take time to take a look at themselves. They are afraid they won’t like what they find; or if they are honest enough to admit what they find, they will have to acknowledge God doesn’t like what is there. He knows.

Are you “in the faith?” I John gives us a test to prove we are. Part of the test relates to what we love. “Agape” is the word used for love in our text. It is important that we love the right thing. Love improperly placed is a good thing gone wrong.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (I John 2:15) What is the world referenced?

The New Testament word “world “ is used in three ways.

a. The physical earth: “God that made the world..” (Acts 17:24).

b. Humankind: “For God so loved the world…” (John 3:16).

c. Our pagan social order, life apart from God, the world alien from God, Satan’s system as opposed to Christ’s. This is the way it is used in our text.

We should not love the world because of the way it operates.

It makes you God’s enemy: “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be friends of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)

Things of the world absorb us with their promise of pleasure and fulfillment only to let us down. How does it gain our attention?

Verse 16 gives the answer. It was true of Eve and Jesus, but us also.

Appetite – “lust of the flesh.” Satan employed this against Jesus when he appealed to him to “turn these stones into bread.”

Aesthetics – “lust of the eyes” represents a life dominated by wants.

Since the world does not understand us, it doesn’t approve of us. You are an object of the world’s disapproval.

Consider what happens to things of the world. They are “passing away.”

Consider who you are intended to be.

As one “in the faith” you are intended to be an overcomer. Christ said: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

“For whoever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world — our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (I John 5: 4,5)

Self-Examination: Part I

 “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (I John 2:3; 3:24; 5:3)

Jesus constantly probed the conscience and examined the heart of those He encountered.  He still desires to help us see ourselves as seen by the Father. The appeal extended in the text is for us to examine ourselves as to whether we are “in the faith.” Since there is no issue more vital than determining whether we are in the faith, let’s begin.

Test number one: “Do you keep His commands?” (2:3).

It is not enough just to know the language, we must live the life. Four times in the opening verses of I John the author refers to a person who says one thing and does another: I John 1:6, 8, 10, and 2:4.

First a word of caution. You will never be able to do this by imitation. It must be by incarnation.

Sir Walter Scott warned us of the urgency of destroying the seed of a deed before it sprouts and flowers with these words:

“Oh, what a tangled web we weave When first we practice to deceive!”

Obedience results from one of three stimuli:

We have to. A slave has no choice.

We need to. An employee obeys because he needs to. He may not really want to obey, but he does want the rewarding pay that results. We all need what results from obedience — God’s blessings.

We want to. We have matured in the faith when: “His commandments are not burdensome.” (I John 5: 3)

Assurance comes through obedience to His will. This is inner loving submission. The second “know” in the text is perfect tense meaning to know Him by experience. That experience results in obedience.

The word “keep” was used of a sentry walking his post. It means to watch over so as to guard the commands of Christ. It is in the present tense meaning this should be the habit of one’s life. This obedience is to be habitual action.

The person who “keeps his word” (verse 5) is one in whom God’s love is “perfected”. Again this is a verb in the perfect tense meaning to bring a thing to a desired end or goal. Proof that we are “in the faith” is that the love of God is in us. This love results in us keeping His commands. We are therefore obedient.

Pause now and evaluate how you can improve on your walk with Him.

Praying for Your Enemies

“Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” (Luke 12: 51 – 53)

What Jesus was teaching was His body of truth and that of the world are opposites. Some would be His followers and others not. Thus, the division.

As with people, so with nations. Some oppose the Bible body of truth and others embrace it. Some opponents become overt, even aggressive ones.

Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you…. (Matthew 5: 44) That is applicable to individuals and nations.

How are believers to pray for them? When Christians are told to pray for those who oppose God’s standards most think that means we are to pray for God to send them to hell. Psalm 129 is called the Imprecatory Psalm. Precatory means prayer. The “im” preface means prayer against. It is a lesson on how to pray for those who oppose Bible principals.

First, pray that they will not be honored. What’s there to honor in opposing God’s will? Instead pray that they may “Be put to shame.” Vs 5

Second, pray they will not succeed. “Let them be as the grass on housetops.” Most of the houses of the time had mud roofs. Grass seed sown there grows, but soon dies. May their opposition to the gospel wither.

Third, pray they will not be blessed. “Neither let those who pass by them say, ‘The blessing of the Lord be upon you; We bless you in the name of the Lord!’” Don’t pray God will honor the efforts made against Him.

Every time a believer prays this portion of the Lord’s prayer, “thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as in heaven,” (Matthew 6: 9 – 1) that is equivalent to what is taught in Psalm 129.

Jesus gave us the model prayer contained in Matthew 6 and told us to include it as a part of our prayer life. Join me in praying it several times a day. Keep in mind the One to whom you are praying even more than what you are praying. This passage from Psalm 129 needs also to be prayed often and earnestly.

II Corinthians 4: 10 describes believers in the eyes of the world and of Jesus. The italics are mine inserted for clarity. “We are fools for Christ’s sake, in the eye’s of the world, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, from a worldly perspective, but you are strong! You are distinguished, in God’s sight, but we are dishonored!” by the world. Like the apostles we should consider it an honor to suffer for Jesus’ sake. No whining allowed.