This young man is a remarkable example for all of us. Acts 12:12 tells us that his mother was “Mary.” While there are many Mary’s in Scripture, this Mary was where some in the early church met. Peter had been arrested when God provided a miracle to allow him to escape. Peter then went to Mary’s house where many were gathered for prayer (see Acts 12:1-19). This Mary was the sister to Barnabas, who traveled with Paul on the first missionary journey.
So John Mark was raised in a God fearing family. He was chosen by Barnabas and Paul to go on the first missionary journey. But as we read in Acts 13 John left them to return to Jerusalem. Whatever his reasons for going back to Jerusalem, when it came time for Paul and Barnabas to make a return trip, Paul did not want to take John Mark. This caused a split between Barnabas and Paul. Paul took Silas and went on his second missionary journey, but Barnabas took John Mark and went to Cyprus.
Some traditions hold that Mark then traveled with Peter and Mark’s Gospel is actually what he heard Peter preach about Jesus. So whether this John Mark is the same as Mark the Evangelist is not certain. Then later, Paul would say that John Mark was a valuable worker (2 Tim. 4:11 and Philemon 24).
Also some think that John Mark was the unidentified young man who fled naked during the arrest of Jesus (Mark 14:51-51). But we don’t know that for sure. Maybe he was giving us an insight into his failure.
What we do know is that this young man grew and developed in his faith as he got older. So what are we to learn from him?
First, our past mistakes do not have to determine our future. Second, even if we mess up, God still has plans for us. Third, it’s not too late to reconnect with someone we may have let down.
Time is powerful. It gives us a chance to grow and change. It gives us a change for God to let his Spirit work inside us. But most of all, John Mark’s example gives us hope. Even when we have been stumbling and failing, clumsy and hesitant, there is hope that God will change us—not give up on us.
We have hope, not because of how good we are, but because of what our Lord ...