John 10:29 Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.
Barnabas and Saul were called out and sent out by the Holy Spirit on the first-ever missionary trip. Their assignment was to Preach the Gospel of Christ first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles. The goal was to see people Saved and born again by the Power of the shed Blood of Jesus on the Cross of Calvary, thus adding names to the Lamb’s Book of Life.
The Scriptures tell us that they started in Antioch and traveled to Seleucia and then went on to Cyprus. Seleucia was a port city on the Mediterranean Sea and was about fifteen miles from Antioch. From Seleucia, they sailed to Cyprus which was approximately one hundred miles away.
Cyprus is an island and was the hometown of Barnabas where he no doubt had friends and relatives. The Holy Spirit had them start their missionary journey in friendly territory where they were more apt to be welcomed and received.
They arrived in Salamis which is a city on the Island of Cyprus where they wasted no time visiting people. Rather they went straight to work Preaching the Gospel of Christ. In the 5th Verse, we read that they took John along with them. The King James Version reads, and they had also John to their minister. (Acts 13:5) A more easily understood translation would be They also had John as their assistant.
The John referred to here is John Mark, the young man who witnessed the Crucifixion, Burial, and Resurrection of Christ. This is the same Mark who the Holy Spirit inspired to write the Gospel of Mark that is found in the Canon of Scripture.
Barnabas and Saul both had tremendous conversion testimonies and were Gifted by God as Preachers and Teachers. They did not need anyone to “assist” them but, Mark was the eyewitness! He actually saw Jesus and listened to Him Teach. Mark was an eyewitness to the Crucifixion, Burial, and Resurrection of Christ. It was Mark that would bring real validity to the Gospel.
There is nothing more powerful than an eyewitness account. When Jesus appeared to His Disciples after His Resurrection, Thomas did not believe the Man standing with them was Jesus. It was not until he saw the nail prints in His Hands and the wound on His Side that he believed. This is when Jesus said, Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. (John 20:29) At that point, Thomas became a strong eyewitness for Christ.
Mark added his strong eyewitness testimony of Christ to the Preaching and Teaching of Barnabas and Saul on their missionary journey. Testimonies are very powerful and that’s why we add personal testimonies to sermons and services today.
Mark may not have been Called to Preach or Teach, but his testimony was used by the Holy Spirit to see many come to faith in Christ as he traveled with Barnabas and Saul. In addition, because of his faith and devotion to Jesus, the Holy Spirit included his written account of the Gospel of Christ in the Canon of Scripture. What an honor for a young man who did not have the title of an Apostle but was indeed a Disciple (follower) of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Your testimony has the Power to…...….turn the tide……….in the life of a lost person.
I love to share my testimony! Doreen
www.bettsministries.org
