Scripture 2 Timothy 4:6-11
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.
That last sentence reveals one of the greatest “God making all things new” moments in the life of one person. The way God made all things new in that situation is often how God makes all things new – he used one person to give another person a 2nd chance. We have all had times where God’s GPS “God’s Positioning System” has put us on 2nd Chance Avenew.
Paul and Joseph had a sharp disagreement about a young man in ministry. The young Man’s name is John - Mark. Paul used to be Saul and Joseph is renamed Barnabas.
John = Mark / Saul = Paul / Joseph = Barnabas + Each of those new names represents being made new through a second chance. Let’s see what happens when Barnabas wants to bring John Mark (BTW they were cousins – Col 4:10) on the next missionary journey. On a previous journey Mark had failed Paul and left out of fear.
CUE: When I say, “This is what took place…”
VIDEO 2: “Peter & Paul” Paul and Barnabas haver a heated discussion about Mark joining them on a missionary journey and disagree and go their separate ways.
God used Barnabas to lead both of these men down “Second Chance Avenew” – to allow God to do a new work in and through them separately and together. Barnabas’ birth name was Joseph but the apostles renamed him – The Son of Encouragement – Barnabas. In the Greek it is Parakaleo which means to implore someone to come to one's side; to aid or support.
Barnabas Encourages Paul – after his conversion
Acts 9:26-27 When Paul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took Paul and brought him to the apostles.
The disciples sent Paul to Tarsus for a long period of time…
Acts 11:25-26 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
Mark is the author of the gospel of Mark. His mother’s name was Mary (Acts 12:12), whose house was being used as a place for believers to gather and pray. That gave him a unique view of Jesus (like a kid growing up in someone’s home who has famous people over all the time – they get a view like no one else) Mark 14:51–52 describes a young man/Mark fleeing the arrest naked.
Mark was a helper on Paul and Barnabas’ first missionary journey (Acts 13:5). However, he did not stay through the whole trip. Mark deserted Paul and Barnabas in Pamphylia and left the work (Acts 15:38).
Sometime later, after Paul and Barnabas had returned from their first journey, Paul expressed a desire to go back to the brothers in the cities they had previously visited to see how everyone was doing (Acts 15:36). Barnabas agreed, if they could take Mark with them. Paul refused, citing Mark’s previous desertion. Paul thought it best not to have a quitter with them. Paul and Barnabas had a “sharp disagreement” about Mark (verse 39) and wound up separating from each other and going on separate journeys. Barnabas took Mark with him to Cyprus, and Paul took Silas with him through Syria and Cilicia to encourage the believers in those churches (Acts 15:39–41).
Barnabas, the “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36), desired to forgive Mark’s failure and to give him a second chance. Paul took the more rational view: pioneering missionary work requires dedication, resolve, and endurance. Paul saw Mark as a risk to their mission.
Mark sails off to Cyprus with his cousin Barnabas, but that is not the end of his story. Years later, he is with Paul, who calls him a “fellow worker” (Philemon 1:24). And near the end of Paul’s life, Paul sends a request to Timothy from a Roman prison: “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11).
VIDEO 3
RUNNING THE WRONG DIRECITON
On New Year's Day, 1929, Georgia Tech played University of California in the Rose Bowl. In that game a man named Roy Riegels recovered a fumble for California. Somehow, he became confused and started running 65 yards in the wrong direction. One of his teammates, Benny Lom, outdistanced him and tackled him just before he scored for the opposing team. When California attempted to punt, Georgia Tech blocked the kick and scored a safety which could potentially be the ultimate margin of victory.
That strange play came in the first half, and everyone who was watching the game was asking the same question: "What will Coach Nibbs Price do with Roy Riegels in the second half?" The men filed off the field and went into the locker room. They sat down on the benches and on the floor, all but Riegels. He put his blanket around his shoulders, sat down in a corner, put his face in his hands, and cried like a baby.
If you have played football, you know that a coach usually has a great deal to say to his team during half time. That day Coach Price was quiet. No doubt he was trying to decide what to do with Riegels. Then the timekeeper came in and announced that there were three minutes before the 2nd half. Coach Price looked at the team and said simply, "Men the same team that played the first half will start the second." The players got up and started out, all but Riegels. He did not budge. the coach looked back and called to him again; still he didn't move. Coach Price went over to where Riegels sat and said, "Roy, didn't you hear me? The same team that played the first half will start the second."
Then Roy Riegels looked up and his cheeks were wet with a strong man's tears. "Coach," he said, "I can't do it to save my life. I've ruined you, I've ruined the University of California, I've ruined myself. I couldn't face that crowd in the stadium to save my life."
Then Coach Price reached out and put his hand on Riegel's shoulder and said to him: "Roy, get up and go on back; the game is only half over." And Roy Riegels went back, and those Tech men will tell you that they have never seen a man play football as Roy Riegels played that second half.
TAG THE BASE
On September 23, 1908, in New York City, there were two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. The New York Giants and the Chicago Cubs were battling for the National League pennant, with the score tied at 1-1. The Giants had two men on base: 19-year-old Fred Merkle on first and Moose McCormick on third. Al Bridwell slapped a single up the middle, scoring McCormick.
The game seemed to be over. But instead of tagging second base, Fred Merkle trotted off the field to the Giants' locker room. The Cubs threw the ball to second, forcing out Merkel. The run didn't count, the Giants lost the pennant, and Fred Merkle picked up the name, "Bonehead Merkle."
If that happened today Bonehead would have gotten hate notices and death threats on Social Media and likely be fired from the team. But that did not happen for Fred Merkle, he got another chance and went on to play for 14 more seasons, including five trips to the World Series.
CAREFUL WITH THAT LIGHTBULB
Thomas A. Edison was working on a crazy contraption called a "light bulb" and it took a whole team of men 24 straight hours to put just one together. The story goes that when Edison was finished with one light bulb, he gave it to a young boy helper, who nervously carried it up the stairs. Step by step he cautiously watched his hands, obviously frightened of dropping such a priceless piece of work. You've probably guessed what happened by now; he dropped the bulb at the top of the stairs. It took the entire team of men twenty-four more hours to make another bulb. Finally, tired and ready for a break, Edison was ready to have his bulb carried up the stairs. He gave it to the same young boy who dropped the first one. That is a second chance.
A second chance usually indicates that we somehow failed or came up short the first time. A second chance is epitome of making all things new. Reigel, Merkle, a young boy, the Apostle Paul and John Mark had a chance for a new outcome.
After Benediction: VIDEO POSTLUDE
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