The Penn's Grove record., 1923-09-07
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER 9
JOHN MARK

12:12; 25-l3:5; Acts l5:36-4o; II Tim
All.
GOLDEN TEXT-"whatsoever thy
hand hndeth to d9. do it with thy
might."-Eccles. $40.
PRIMARY TOPIC-John Mark, One
Of Paul's Helpers.
JUNIOR TOPIC-The Man Who
Failed and Tried Again.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
fC-Warning and Encouragement From
The Life of Mark.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Marks Contribution to Christianity
|. Marks Home Life (Acts 12:l2).
He had the wholesome influence Of
. Christian home, for his mother was
D godly woman. There is no heritage.
to be compared to that of a gOdly
home. Nothing has such a far-reach'
ing influence upon the life of "a young
man as the memory Of a praying moth
er. Even when it was so %per!(ous to
be known as a follower of Jesus, she
was not afraid to have a prayer meet
ing In her home.
II. Mark With Jesus in Gethsemane
Mark ii 81, 52).
At the sight of the Roman guard.
the disciples ''all forsook &m and
He'd" This timid lad still followed
the Lord till laid hold on by the young
men. lie then Htd. leaving behind
him his linen garment, This Getll-
semane experience doubtless had ii
decided effect upon his life.
III. Mark a Servant of Paul and
Sarnabas (Acts l. :23-13:5 -.
Mark was with the company when
Peter told of his wonderful release
from prison. This, doubtless. made Il
great impression upon him n was
the beginning of his desire to accom-
pany the missionaries of the cross
he was not "a Missionary on the same
footing as Paal and Barnabas, but an
attendant upon them to look after
their needs.
~. Marx Deserving Paul and 6arna,
bas (Acts 1919
We are not told the AUS of this
desertion. Three ~conjectures, one OF
all of which had a bearing upon his
action, are offered.
1. Inconsistencies. His home was OF
easy circumstances if not wealthy. AS
they were carrying the gospel into the
rough, mountainous country, occupied
by rough, half-civilizcd people, the
mettle of this young servant was tried
We ought not to condemn him toe
readily, for we know how trying it is
to leave home when struggling against
the rough world. While sympathizina
with him, we must remember that
duty is stronger than the tender ties
of life. The time when the sol
der must spurn the ties which bind
him to father. mother, wife and chill
dren, in response TO the call of duty.
The missionary must turn his back
upon home, native land, and friends in
his devotion to his Lord.
9. Disbelief in Foreign Missions,
There was a common prejudice among
the Jews against taking the gospel to
the Gentiles. When he saw that these
missionaries were going to the ere
gions beyond" his prejudice may have
caused him to turn back.
g.. Cowardice. The dangers before
them were not imaginary but real.
The missionary today faces awful dan
gers: climate, wild beasts, deadly ser
penis and insects, and savage and can
nibalistic men. However, fear is no
excuse for co%wardice because we are
linked to the Almighty by faith there
is nothing in heaven or on earth that
can harm us. Courage is required of
those who would do the Lords work.
V. Mark With Peter in Babylon q
Pet. 5:13).
Sc.ne gears after Marks desertion,
when Paul and Barnabas were arrang-
ing for a second evangelistic tour,
they had "a sharp dispute over the
question of taking Mark with them
i'aul would not consent to Marks ac
companying them, so they departed
asunder one from the other" Mark
went with his uncle. BY this time he
must have been cured of his cowardice
FOR we see him associated with Peter
in Babylon.
VI. Mark Honored by Paul I'll Tim.
i:11j.
Paul is now an old man in prison
Mark is a middle-aged man associated
with Timothy at cpl Mark had
proved himself, tor Paul gives the
pleasing testimony that "he is profit
able unto me for the ministry" Mark
IS an example of one who made good
in spite of his early backsliding.