30-33 And so off they went to Antioch. On arrival, they gathered the church and read the letter. The people were greatly relieved and pleased. Judas and Silas, good preachers both of them, strengthened their new friends with many words of courage and hope. Then it was time to go home. They were sent off by their new friends with laughter and embraces all around to report back to those who had sent them.
35 Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch, teaching and preaching the Word of God. But they weren’t alone. There were a number of teachers and preachers at that time in Antioch.
36 After a few days of this, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit all our friends in each of the towns where we preached the Word of God. Let’s see how they’re doing.”
37-41 Barnabas wanted to take John along, the John nicknamed Mark. But Paul wouldn’t have him; he wasn’t about to take along a quitter who, as soon as the going got tough, had jumped ship on them in Pamphylia. Tempers flared, and they ended up going their separate ways: Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus; Paul chose Silas and, offered up by their friends to the grace of the Master, went to Syria and Cilicia to build up muscle and sinew in those congregations.
Paul and Barnabas were both filled with the Holy Spirit, but still had a division about the acceptance of Mark in their mission ministry team. They couldn't reach the consensus and come to the point that they had to separate from each other and form their own ministry teams. Barnabas brought Mark while Paul had Silas in his team. It seems that though God's people have the same Holy Spirit but discerning the issues and reaching a consensus may not be an easy decision. Nevertheless, we see that in the long-run God still blessed both Paul's and Barnabas' ministry. Paul missions went as far as to Rome and other Gentiles cities, while Barnabas missions ministry might not be extended as far as that of Paul, but the evangelist Mark was certainly built up through Barnabas' mentorship. God's name is always to be praised.
Dear Holy Spirit, grant us a heart of wideness. Always have a spirit of giving blessings to others through our lives no matter we have differences with others. Be compassionate like Jesus and have eyes of hope and trust in people about who they are becoming rather than simply who now they are. With passions like Paul and patience like Barnabas for carrying out the ministries of Jesus that His Name is to be exalted through me.
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