John Mark,Timothy and Corinth

[BENJAMIN DAVID ARAZU]

     www.riverofliferome.org

The Christian is spiritual .not a game of thrones
We have spiritual precedents and antecedents in many churches .
The local church is situated to be our mainstay for truth ,doctrine and spiritual growth
1 Timothy 3:15 KJV
[15] But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Therein ,we have men who are over us whom our spiritual lives are committed to their trust .
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 KJV
[12] And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
[13] And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
We esteem and hold them in very regard .
We are to respect all ministry gifts but more,those who are directly above us.
Hebrews 13:17 KJV
[17] Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
Paul made this distinction in Corinth
1 Corinthians 3:22-23 KJV
[22] Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas...all are yours
Yet ,distinguishes this later
1 Corinthians 4:15-16 KJV
[15] For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
[16] Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
He uses a figure of speech here to describe these relationships .
Instructors here refers to " child leaders " ,"many fathers" means you can't have more than one .
The Father births doctrinal persuasion in you,and ministry .
Just like Timothy .
He says follow me,follow your father .
That said,
It's ridiculous to have more than a father or pastor and even more preposterous ,more than a local church .
Many are found doing this.
They are still babes ,exploring " instructors " or better still child leaders .
Our generation needs help .
Very few can stay in a local church for at least ten years talk less all their life .
Church is close to an underwear for them or that which depends on what you want per time .
Whilst I must readily admit many find pasture outside their hitherto Local churches and had to change but several still keep moving in a nomadic fashion.
Some get committed to as much as 3 churches within two years ,haba !
They will give you reasons why they had to leave and leave and keep leaving .
I will call such folks John Mark disciples .
John Mark
Acts 12:25 KJV
[25] And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.
He was with Barnabas and Paul when they left Asia for Jerusalem to fulfill ministry
He was known to be Barnabas nephew .
He must have companied with them during the first missionary journey .
But didn't appear a committed fellow .
Acts 15:37-39 KJV
[37] And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.
38] But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
39] And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
He was nowhere to be found when work took a more intense turn .
He is the convenience hugging " word man "
Loves the word but not the work for the word .
Many abound like that ,
More so ,he had multiple allegiance .
Here he left with Barnabas .
Yet ,he ought to have realized the ministry was Pauls ,Barnabas was the associate .
The revelation was Pauls .
He loved attending all churches ,he's found everywhere ,you will see him in several churches .
No singular commitment .
John Mark was later found with Peter.
1 Peter 5:13 KJV
[13] The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you , saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.
My Son!
He goes around .
Later ,he's back with Paul
2 Timothy 4:11 KJV
[11] Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
He got back to paul through Timothy even though Timothy became Pauls associate much after Mark worked with him
Acts 16:1 KJV
[1] Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
Such men keep going round circles .
A rolling stone gathers no moss .
Men like John Mark won't allow a church grow .
Rather than stay somewhere and give full commitment ,they share it amidst many .
No pastor wants " john Mark " in his team !
Another type is Corinthian church .
Pauls description of them was very damning
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 KJV
[1] And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
[2] I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it , neither yet now are ye able.
3] For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
He couldn't relate with them as born again men .
They had numerous men they listened to .
1 Corinthians 1:12 KJV
[12] Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
They felt it was "variety the spice of life ".
But they couldn't grow on variety of " leaders "
Paul had more issues to contend with here .
Simply because they were exposed to several men .
Their accountability was shared ,even though paul was the Father,whom they should listen to .
He grappled with much here,almost all the chapters here he was tackling variety of opinions .
Even to the point of questioning the resurrection !
1 Corinthians 15:12 KJV
[12] Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
This is the dilemma of trying to bs Curious.
You are yet to read your church materials ,you are scouting for others .
I know folks ,who are in a church where the Word is taught very well ,yet still scamper around .
Some as soon as the pastor quotes a preacher ( not recommend ) they start looking for him ,probably trying to see the pastors " secret "!
Such men keep going round circles .
This was in Corinth ,
They couldn't agree on anything not even food !
1 Corinthians 11:18,33-34 KJV
[18] For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
33] Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
[34] And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
It gets that bad .
Finding a good local church might take time but settling there and getting committed should be a life long commitment except otherwise led.
Put your attention somewhere and stop being a Nomad in spiritual things ,migrating every now and them
We also have the example of Timothy .
Timothy .
We won't say much ,but he is everything john Mark wasn't it ,and an anti type of Corinth
Known with Paul ONLY.
1 Corinthians 4:17 KJV
[17] For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
Knew and taught his message only ,
He learnt it very well
2 Timothy 2:1-2 KJV
[1] Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2] And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
So could communicate it very well since he had undivided attention .
2 Timothy 3:14 KJV
[14] But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them ;
He was assured of it .
He had a definite witness ,Pauls man .
Like saying this fellow is a member of so and so because he has the message and spirit of such ministry and pastor.
Philippians 2:19-22 KJV
[19] But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.
[20] For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.
21] For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.
[22] But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.
He is no rolling stone ,he has a singular focus and identity .
His faithfulness has Yielded fruit ,almost 2000 years after ,he is still a reference point .
Paul so trusted his message and spirit,he used him to quench fires and set things in order .
In Corinth as we read earlier .
In Ephesus too
1 Timothy 1:3 KJV
[3] As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
And in Philipi too.
Every pastor desires such a fellow,worker and church member,
Who has imbibed the work ,the message and ministry ,
Not a john Mark ,who had deference for all manner or Corinth who had many " Fathers"
Decide which one you want to be today ,..


I urge you be a Timothy ,so you can grow and your church too can fulfill its mandate .
Hope this is clear
Grace to you .