When good men disagree
Bible Text: Acts 15:36-41 | Preacher: Andrew Love | Series: Acts | Introduction
Different words for preaching
Including didactic preaching
Reading Acts 15:36-41
The church of Jesus Christ has come under pressure
Physical persecution – an attack from without
An attack from within – from Satan
Trying to make a division between Jew and Gentile
Another attack
Paul’s desire is to return to the churches they established
A significant disagreement – they end up going different ways
Title: ‘when good men disagree’
Never once has God disagreed within Himself
Humans are fallen
Who was right / What are the causes
God overruled in the situation
Consider the relationship between Paul and Barnabas
Christian experience shows that good men and very good men will disagree
We should not be surprised at this
A sad fact of human nature
Questions:
The authority of apostleship
The nature of the disagreement – a person: John Mark
The question of who is right
Overview:
Factors that may have led to division between them
God’s purpose in it all
Factors that may have led to division between them
Personality
Both very godly men dedicated to the cause of Jesus Christ
Barnabas:
Warm, empathetic, encouraging, inclusive
Son of encouragement
He believed in Saul
He brought him up
Because of him Paul had the right hand of fellowship
A man full of faith and the Holy Spirit
Happy for Paul to take the leading role
Paul:
Warm, tender
Strong, principles, a clear leader, withstood people to their face, bold preacher
Stood up to the authorities
Was the disagreement due to a personality clash? [no]
Barnabas was inclusive
John Mark had failed in the past
He needed a second opportunity
Time to be involved in the work of the gospel
Paul may have thought
He put his hand to the plow but turned back
Not mature enough yet
Not up to it
May be a liability
Do we know our strengths and weaknesses?
Be careful about stubbornness and lack of understanding
Be careful about being weak, over generous and naive
Be balanced
Family Connections
John Mark was Barnabas’ cousin
We know how family connections can distort things
A very difficult thing to conclude
God uses family
The disciples
Several families in churches
We must always following biblical principles
Readiness to Serve
A difference in opinion
Paul:
May be concerned that John Mark might suffer
Not a moral failure but a personal one – not loyal, a desertion that could of hurt
Bitterness towards John Mark (very unlikely)
Barnabas:
Maybe an assistant and he will assist us again
Maybe a reminder of Peter and others who have been restored
Conjecture:
No facts
Not easy to make conclusions
Paul not bitter towards John Mark
2 Tim 4:11
A sharp contention
No division in the church
Fallible Sinners
We are all sinners – we should not put anyone on a pedestal
For our encouragement
God’s purpose in it all
God overruled in the situation of Joseph
God overrules in this situation
Barnabas takes John Mark to Cyprus
A new missionary team
Example
Sometimes separation is better than people continue at loggerheads
v38
Quote from Charles Spurgeon
Paul and Silas
Visited Galatia
Silas – a roman Jew
God had purposes in this
Barnabas and John Mark
Go to Cyprus
God’s providence is working overall