You Don’t Have To Go On” - Sermon Outlines. Org



“ You Don’t Have To Go On”

CD No. ______

Time: 1/ 31/ 2010 11 a.m.

Text : Acts 13:13 & 15:37-40 & 1 Tim. 4:11 -

Introduction: After a person is saved and starts serving, they don’t have to go on. A person can quit at any time. God doesn’t force us to serve Him. He wants us to serve Him just because we love Him and that should motivate us alone.

I. The Leaving That Caused Disappointment

The Reason For Mark Leaving

1. We Can Assume That It Wasn’t Excusable

Paul was a compassionate, caring servant of God, so that leads me to believe that Marks excuse wasn’t a health problem or some providential problem or Paul would not have been upset because he left.

2. We Can Assume That It Was An Excuse

It wasn’t a valid reason.

It may have been fear. You could loose your life or be punished severely for following Christ.

It may have been loneliness.

It may have been from anxiety.

It may have been from not having the good food to eat, or clothes to wear.

It was probably a combination of all of these.

Paul and Barnabas were facing all of these problems, but they were determined to go on.

Mark didn’t have to go on, so he didn’t.

You don’t have to go on, you can quit and use an excuse.

The Reason For Mark Leaving

The Result from Mark Leaving

1. How It Affected the Missionary’s

( Paul & Barnabas )

Since Mark was an aid, they had to wash, cook and tend errands that took up their valuable time.

Now, two men were doing the work of three. Mark left and went home.

This slowed their work down. It caused hardship on Paul and Barnabas. This happens in the Church when servants don’t want to go on. It puts more of a load on others.

It dampens their spirits. It affects any servant that wants to see the work of God go on when they see servants stop and won’t go on.

2. How It Affected The Ministry

( The Ministry Continued )

It caused hardship on Paul and Barnabas, but the ministry went on, it didn’t stop.

If the ministry stopped every time a servant decides not to go on, the ministry would go down the drain.

However, one man or one woman does not determine God’s ministry.

Thank God for the way God’s oversees His work, the work goes on.

• God’s word is still preached-

• The Song leading is still done-

• The Sunday school class is still taught-

• The offering is still taken up-

• The instruments are still played-

• Vacation Bible school still goes on

• Churches are still established-

• People are still brought close to God-

This fact runs through out the N.T. and the O.T.

Let the greatest Pastor in the world resign his church, the church

may well flourish and possibly be better under another man.

( R.G. Lee & Adrian Rogers At Belleview Baptist )

When the greatest evangelist dies and goes off the scene, God will

call and raise another evangelist that will do a greater job.

Moses probably thought that he was important at one time, but

Moses didn’t go into the promise land because of his

disobedience. The people began to get all upset, Moses had been

the only leader that they had, but God called Joshua and put him

in charge and Joshua led them into the land of Canaan.

No one is indispensable!

No one is not replaceable!

You don’t have to go on. God will have some one to take

your place.

How It Affected The Missionary’s

How It Affected The Ministry

3. How It Affected Mark

In Acts 15: 37-40, we find where Mark now has a desire to go on, he changes his mind.

Question? Wonder what happened to Mark to cause him to want to come back?

1. He Came Back Because He Was Saved

1 John 2:9They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued.

Demas ---2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken us, having loved this present world. (Never returned)

2. He Came Back Because He Wasn’t Satisfied

A true genuine saved person can’t be satisfied, if they don’t go on and serve the Lord.

More than likely, when Mark got back home (Jerusalem) he done some things that he wanted to do, but failed because he didn’t do what God wanted him to do.

He discovered the things he tried to do out of God’s will was useless.

Important: You can’t substitute what you want to do or not do to replace what God wants you to do.

You can’t replace peace in your life by doing what you want to do, instead of what God want you to do.

Peace comes from doing God’s will!!!

Romans 12:2 God’s will is good, perfect, and acceptable.

Romans 8:6 To be spiritually mined is life and peace.

John Mark didn’t gain by not going on, he lost by not going on. He lost his peace. John Mark was not satisfied.

A person might try to substitute something else for God’s will, but there will never be any real satisfaction.

The Leaving That Caused Disappointment

II. The Returning That Caused Dissention

Acts 15: 37 - And Barnabas determined to take with him John, whose surname was Mark. 38-But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed 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; 40- And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.

Paul and Barnabas went different ways because of Marks return.

Mark went with Barnabas and Silas went with Paul.

QUESTION? What caused Paul not to take Mark back, and what caused Barnabas to want Mark to come back?

Paul, at this time felt like Mark wasn’t trustworthy. They were fixing to go their different missionary journeys and he wanted some one dependable.

Paul didn’t want some body that was on and off. From the time of his salvation Paul served and was steadfast and he preached steadfastness.

Ephesians 6: 13 When you have done all you can to stand, stand.

Paul visualized Mark getting discouraged again and quitting just about the time they needed Mark the most.

Barnabas Was Marks Uncle. Mark was Barnabas’s Nephew.

However, he had accepted Mark’s desire to return, a sign that Mark had learned his lesson. Barnabas was going to give Mark a 2nd chance.

DIFFICULTY- If you examined both points of view you could see where Paul couldn’t trust Mark, then you could look at Barnabas’s point of view giving Mark a 2nd chance because God is a God of a 2nd chance.

God gave Peter a 2nd chance.

God gave Jonah a 2nd chance.

WE CAN SEE GOD”S OVERRULLING, PROVIDENTIAL HAND IN THE MIDST OF THE DISCENTION. God used Paul and Silas and God used Barnabas and Mark. It ended up being two missionary journeys instead of one.

It wasn’t God’s desire for this to happen, but God turned bad into good.

The Leaving That Caused Disappointment

The Returning That Caused Dissention

III. The Evaluation That Was Different

Turn to 2nd Timothy 4:11

A. Notice The Request

Mark 4:11 –Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee-

B. Notice The Reason

11b- 2nd phrase- for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

QUESTION? WHAT HAPPENED?

Mark had learned his lesson.

Now, Mark was CONSISTENT, instead of being on and off.

Now Mark was CONTENTED, instead of being miserable.

Now, Mark had proved himself.

Now, he was PROFITABLE.

Now, he had PEACE.

Conclusion:

If you could talk to John Mark today, he would tell you that you don’t have to go on!

Mark would tell you, you don’t have to go on, but you will be the looser.

God’s work will go on.

You will not be satisfied trying to substitute something you want to do, in place of what God wants you to do.

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