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"Meditate on these things, give yourself wholly to them, that your profiting may apprear to all"
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The Gospel According to Mark
John Mark, The Author
Scripture: Mark 15:51 A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, 52 he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.
Mark, surnamed John Mark, was not unknown among the disciples. He was a cousin to Barnabas and accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. Then something happened. Mark apparently abandoned the journey and ran back home to mama. The event took place just two stops after Paul was stoned and left for dead. Apparently things got to tough for Mark and he abandoned the cause. When Paul and Barnabas determined to go on a second journey Barnabas wanted to take his cousin but Paul adamantly opposed it saying "he abandoned them at Pamphilia. So Paul and Barnabas split up. Paul took Silas, and Barnabas took John Mark with him. Nearly 11 years pass by before we hear of John Mark again. This time there seems to have been a change in him. Paul's attitude toward him takes an about face and declares that he is "good for the ministry."
We don't really know what transpired during those eleven silent years but I would suggest that John Mark might have had a real, genuine encounter with Jesus Christ. Peter was a washout too, but when he encountered the resurrected Lord he was never the same. Or it could be that John Mark was not filled with the Spirit until later in life and was clinging to the religion of others rather than a personal experience with the Savior. Whatever the cause the change was dramatic.
Mark became Peter's secretary, interpreter and co-preacher. He may have witnessed the apostles death and certainly was aware of Paul's execution only a few months after that. History records that Mark continued the missionary work with fervor and anointing. His end came in Alexandria, Egypt at Passover time when the pagans were also celebrating their gods and goddesses. The pagan leaders captured him and dragged him through the streets, then imprisoned him broken and bleeding. The next day there repeated torture and dragged him through the streets until he died. We can only imagine what went through the mind of that now older, wiser, and more deeply committed John Mark. Perhaps that night he reviewed his early life of cowardliness and called on the Lord for grace to help him endure the trial like Peter and Paul.
We too need a personal encounter with Jesus. Salvation is not an inherited or adopted theology. It is a person Jesus. John said "He that has the son has life, and he that has not the Son has not life but the wrath of God abides on him." Do you have the Son? Does he have you?
Stewart Hamlin was a singer and movie star who hung out with the greats. He was noted for him debauchery, womanizing and drinking. On night he pursued Billy Graham to his hotel room where Billy proclaimed Christ to him. After about two and a half hours Stewart feel to his knees and asked Jesus to come into his life. His life was transformed. He refused to do beer commercials on his radio show and lost his job. One night at a Hollywood party John Wayne commented that he had heard that he "got religion." Then proceeded to tell him that that was when all his troubles started. Stewart replied, "It is no secret what God has done for me." Wayne replied that those would be good words for a song. So Stewart later wrote it down in the memorable song, It Is No Secret.
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