Acts 13:13: Why did Mark leave?

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Intro

1)     John Mark

A)   12:12 – This is where we kind of met Mark. His mom was hosting “many” who were gathered to pray for Peter.

B)    12:25 – When Barnabas and Paul came back to Antioch after dropping off their contribution in Jerusalem they brought Mark with them.

C)    Col. 4:10 – Barnabas and Mark were cousins.

2)     13:4-5 – Mark went with Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey

3)     13:13 – Mark left

A)   15:36-40 – The circumstances of his leaving were not good.

B)    QUESTION: Why did he leave?

C)    The true answer is that we don’t know, but there are some pretty good options, and it’s worth looking at them because they each teach us something about our own faith.

Possible reasons why Mark left

1)     The trip was too hard for him.

A)   13:14 simply says, “but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia.” (12 little words)

1)     Pics

(a)   Elevation graph – This was a 100-mile trip with 3300 feet elevation gain

(b)   Pics of the trail from https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/via-sebaste-tuz-yolu-103519409

2)     This region was notorious for bandits and robbers.

(a)   cf. 2 Cor. 11:26 – “on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers…”

(b)   AI pic – I asked AI to make me a picture of this trip, and they included “Threat of bandits” on the picture.

3)     Maybe Mark would have rather not made that trip?

B)    Christianity can be a hard trip.

1)     Matt. 7:13-14 – “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

2)     Matt. 8:18-22 – The costs of following Jesus

3)     Matt. 16:24 – “Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’”

C)    POINT: We need to be ready and willing to do hard things for the Gospel.

1)     Maybe that means going somewhere that I don’t want to go.

2)     Maybe it’s living a life that I did not expect to live, and definitely didn’t hope to live.

3)     Maybe it’s fighting a daily battle with myself to stop a sinful habit.

4)     I don’t know what it is, but I do know that God demands that we be ready and willing to do hard things.

2)     He was mad about Barnabas playing second fiddle.

A)   Barnabas has been listed first up to this point, and even more than that, he was largely responsible for Paul in the first place.

1)     9:27 – Barnabas incorporated Paul into the Jerusalem church.

2)     11:25 – Barnabas sought out Paul to work at Antioch.

3)     11:30 – The Antioch church sent money to Jerusalem by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

4)     12:25 – Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem

5)     13:1 – Prophets and teachers: Barnabas (first), Saul (last)

6)     13:2 – “Set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them”

7)     13:7 – The Cyprian proconsul “summoned Barnabas and Saul”

8)     Then, 13:13 – Literally, “Paul and those around him”

9)     Mark was on this trip because Barnabas was his cousin.

(a)   15:37, 39 – Barnabas took Mark with him again.

10) I can imagine a very real situation where Mark took offense and left because he didn’t think Barnabas was getting the proper amount of respect that he deserved, and/or Paul was forgetting what was really in charge, and it wasn’t him.

B)    This might seem like a nasty take on John Mark, but I relate to this strong because I have felt these feelings. I’m not saying it because I’m proud of it, or because it was right, but just to relate.

1)     “Have you forgotten everything I have done for you?”

2)     “You know you wouldn’t even be here right now if it were not for me, right?”

3)     “Do you know how much I’ve sacrificed for you?”

4)     “Do you know how much I have tolerated?”

5)     There is a word for this – it’s pride. The funny thing is that it seems to be Mark (at least it’s one of our options) who’s mad about this, and not Barnabas.

C)    The Bible gives a solution to this problem. It’s as clear and straightforward as it possibly can be:

1)     Phil. 2:3-8

2)     If Jesus could leave heaven and live his life as a servant, and even willingly give up his life for the world on the cross, then I think Barnabas and John Mark can willingly play second fiddle if Paul is able to do the work better.

3)     He was uncomfortable with the Gentile mission.

A)   I’m wondering if we can profile Mark

1)     Mark was from Judeah.

2)     There was a church in his mom’s house.

3)     There were Gentiles who had become Christians in Antioch but consider Gal. 2:11-13.

B)    Now, think about the work that Paul was doing.

1)     13:12 – They just left Cyprus where a Gentile became a Christian.

2)     13:45-46 – This is where they’re headed.

3)     I can imagine a situation where Mark did not like this. It’s one thing to talk about it in theory. “Of course, I believe the Gospel is for everyone.” But to participate in it and actually sit down and share a meal with “these people” was maybe not what Mark signed up for.

C)    Matt. 9:11-13 – Jesus was clear about this.

1)     I hope a woman comes to church here who is dressed so inappropriately that it makes us all blush.

2)     And I hope a man shows up to church here, and while we are visiting after services he just drops a big fat F bomb right in the middle of the room.

3)     And I hope someone comes to church here who steps outside to smoke on the front porch and stinks up the spot where we’re visiting.

4)     We are NOT in the business of offering the Gospel to people who are already good.

5)     We ARE in the business of seeking and saving those who are lost and who need Jesus.

6)     James Clear 3-2-1 email from 5/14/26 – Luck flows through people and travels by conversation. The people you talk to determine the opportunities you find. Keep talking to the same people, keep finding the same opportunities. Start talking to new people, start finding new opportunities. If you want different luck, start walking into different rooms.

7)     And now here’s the Mark situation – it’s one thing to shake your head in agreement because you know intellectually that it’s true.

8)     It’s another thing to invite those people to lunch after worship and let them know how glad we are that they are here.

Conclusion

1)     I want to be clear: I don’t know why Mark left. Maybe it was one of these reasons, or maybe there’s another reason that’s not even listed here.

2)     But these three options are at least possible, and each one of these teach us something about the kind of Christians we should be / that God wants us to be.

A)   We are supposed to be ready and willing to do hard things for the Gospel.

B)    We are supposed to put ourselves last in every part of our life.

C)    And we are supposed to be willing to share the Gospel with EVERYONE – even those who don’t look like us or act like us.