First Baptist Church
April 26, 2026

      • Hebrews 1.1-2ESV

      • Hebrews 1.3-4ESV

  • Come Praise And Glorify
  • Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery
  • Christ The True And Better

      • 1 Peter 2.25ESV

  • Show Us Christ
  • Intro:
    Story of man’s great achievement or redemption. Love those turn around stories.
    The Gospel changes everything!
    There’s alot of rich doctrine that is found within the gospel… doctrines of sin, justification, propitiation, grace, atonement, of resurrection and so much more. But as crucial as these are we cannot get so wrapped up in these without also considering the gospels impact.… It’s not merely intellectual, it’s transformational. It’s the power of God unto salvation… unto a brand new life. So it’s impactful. The Gospel changes everything. It’s not just head knowledge but heart and life knowledge and experience.
    It’s true the moment we receive Christ and true for the rest of our lives. The gospel continues to work in us the power of God unto salvation. It’s impact will go on until eternity. That’s why it should always be of all Christians our favorite subject. We never tire of hearing it, and we grow in our appreciation and understanding of it always, and by doing so it changes our lives.
    So many Biblical characters could certainly be models of this truth. Today, we want to hone in on one. It was his mission to tell the world over that Jesus saves, and continues to save. Despite his rocky road and the divisions he caused, God thru His grace redeemed this man to a place of great impact for the kingdom of God. A valuable contributor (eventually) to the mission’s work of Paul, a dear son to the apostle Peter, and even a writer of one of the 4 beloved gospels. This man we are speaking of is the follower of Christ known as John Mark.
    But what is true of John Mark isn’t a man-centered redemption story. We aren’t talking about a guy who worked hard and made his life meaningful again. You ask John Mark himself how He got to this place of value within the church and here’s how he would respond...
    Mark 1:1 ESV
    The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
    John Mark who is well recognized as the author of the gospel of Mark had only one priority when speaking about His life change. It all has to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not a single mention is there in the entire gospel account of his own name.
    It was all about Jesus Christ, and for John… it continues to always be about Jesus Christ and the gospel message He gave us… a gospel that makes an impact.
    In the next 10 weeks, we will be taking time to see the Gospel from the perspective of John Mark. But before we dive into His gospel account and His mission to describe the gospel, let’s first look at John Mark’s life and background.
    How did the all-consuming gospel impact the life of John Mark?

    I. Evidence of the Gospel in John’s Early Life

    Let’s talk alittle bit about Mark’s upbringing… who/what were the influencing people/events in His life and how did they shape His understanding of the gospel.
    Not much is known about John Mark’s early years. Some speculate that he may have been the little unnamed boy who ran away naked when Jesus was arrested in Mark chapter 14 since Marks gospel is the only one to include this little detail. Not enough evidence is given to absolutely confirm this detail so we shouldn’t make a major case on this point. But what we can definitively know, and learn from are these following things.
    There were influential people in his life that left a very large imprint of the gospel. The first person is the member of the family we know well.… Barnabas

    A. The Influence of Barnabas His Cousin to Knowing and Practicing the Gospel

    Colossians 4:10 ESV
    Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him),
    Cousin of Barnabas- what do we know of Barnabas…
    A native of the island of Cyprus, where He and John Mark would eventually return to serve. Barnabas was likely a Hellenistic Jew, (a practicing Jew that was cultured in the language and understanding of the Greeks since he lived amongst them, scattered by the persecution in Israel). Sometime later, he and his family moved back to Jerusalem during the time of the apostles and the first church. Would have likely been in attendance when Peter gave his sermon at Pentecost.
    But what of the character and life of Barnabas. What would John Mark have picked up from His cousin.

    -Encourager

    Acts 4:36–37 ESV
    Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
    Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible Barnabas

    Formerly called Joseph, Barnabas probably earned his new name through effective preaching and teaching.

    -Ambassador of the Gospel

    sent one
    Acts 11:19–24 ESV
    Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.

    -Partner of Paul

    Acts 11:25–26 ESV
    So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
    Acts 13:2 ESV
    While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
    How might the gospel be seen in these things.
    -As an encourager, doesn’t he represent well the ministry life of Jesus.
    -As a minister, Barnabas displays his willingness to go wherever the call of God. To leave home (sent by the church), to travel long distances, and to reach people groups who may or may not accept the work of God. Doesn’t that very much resemble the very gospel we preach. The gospel message we know and give is that Jesus left his heavenly abode, sent by the Father, to go to a people that some would receive and rejoice while others would criticize and condemn for offering hope. What John Mark say in His cousin Barnabas was a man changed by the Gospel, willing to do exactly what His Lord and Savior had done for him. Becoming very Christlike in his own life.
    -Befriending a murderer. Saul the man who oversaw the slaying of Christians, who adamantly sought out their deaths, was the very man that Barnabas sought out to befriend. When no one else wanted anything to do with Saul… when others questioned his authenticity as a follower of Christ, when no one else would give him a chance, here comes Barnabas. Acts records the event...
    Acts 9:26–27 ESV
    And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
    I mean, if your a young man, you had to know that this guy Saul is a notorious enemy of the church and yet your cousin, most likely a very close cousin, decides he wants to make a friend out of this killer. How can that be. And yet, what would be most communicated out of all of this. THE GOSPEL which tells us that Jesus came to befriend sinners.… sinners who once were called His enemies.… His revilers… those that scorned and spat upon all that is good.… thought they were just fine without God.… had our own way to life everlasting. Yet Jesus sought us out even while we were yet sinners and made His enemies into His closest friends.
    What John Mark got to witness in His close cousins life was the effect of the gospel. The gospel changes everything. To know the Savior, to understand what He did for you has to cause you to do the same for others. We put aside our weapons and walls and we build bridges into the lives of others.
    The Gospel is very evident in shaping Mark’s understanding of Jesus as He witnesses it’s effect in His close cousin.

    B. The Influence of His Mother in Knowing and Practicing the Gospel

    Acts 12:12 ESV
    When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
    Few things ought to be mentioned about Mary, John Mark’s mother.
    Tradition has it that she was likely a widow. That’s significant. With Mother’s day in just a few weeks, we have before us such a superb model to all mothers the impact that they have in training up of their sons to serve God. How many mothers in scripture played a crucial role in raising sons on their own and saw them pursue God as ministers of the gospel. Timothy is certainly a prominent name that comes to mind. Paul when encouraging Timothy of his background in Christian upbringing mentions nothing of his father but speaks highly of the faithfulness of Timothy’s mother and grandmother. That doesn’t mean that Father’s are unnecessary. They have a God given directive to be active in their children’s spiritual lives, but mother’s should be encouraged that God can work thru their faithfulness whether or not their is a faithful husband participating.
    She was a widow yet she was faithful in what she had. And what did she have? A home. She used her home as a gathering place for the early church. It is worth mentioning that this widow may have had some level of wealth. Most people that could host churches were people that had homes large enough to have company over. That doesn’t necessarily mean they were super rich but wealthy enough.
    Think about the significance of opening one’s home.
    -Opening up your home can be rather difficult. It can feel like an invasion. You are opening up a part of your life that perhaps you don’t want anyone to see. This is the place where you are who you are most naturally. It’s the place where you let your guard down.
    -But it’s also the place you care about most. From the furniture, to the decorations, to the arrangement of stuff.… all of it matters to you. Inviting people in means that you are being trusting, vulnerable but it also communicates value… what’s most important to you… and it shows you care about others. Bringing people into your home really shows you care. And when you model that for your kids, they get it. They watch you as you make “your stuff” the “stuff of others.”
    See the light of the gospel in this. Why do we share? Why should we share?
    Philippians 2:3–8 ESV
    Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
    Christ shared in our sufferings so that we might share in His righteousness, his inheritance, His eternal home. What could be more compelling to share your home with others when you think that God is sharing his with us.
    So the home becomes a intimate place of sharing.
    -It’s also a place of deep connections. Some of our deepest and most intimate conversations happen when they are at a home.
    Think about John Mark again. Because His home was opened up regularly for the church to worship in, what vital connection did He make there. His connection with Peter.
    If you go back to Acts 12:12 and see the context, Peter had just escaped by the sovereign grace and power of God from the grasp of Herod’s vendetta against all followers of Jesus. Following his release, He immediately proceeds to the house of Mary mother of John Mark. Not much is said about why this home in particular. There had to be several homes for which he could have visited especially of a church membership list within the thousands. But he chose this home, therefore he was well accquainted with Mary and her sons.
    Many commentators say that the forging of Peter’s relationship with John Mark began as He was a young man, welcoming Peter their leader into their home. In fact, Peter would go on to write off John Mark in His letter that he was a dear son.
    1 Peter 5:13 ESV
    She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son.
    The wording of this resembles that of Paul and Timothy. Not an actual son, but a spiritual son. Perhaps, like Paul, alluding to the impact Peter had on Mark’s life potentially even for the Gospel.
    But more important than simply having people over is to make your home the feeding grounds of knowing Christ.
    Notice that Mary’s home wasn’t just a place to entertain, it was a place where people gathered to pray. It’s easy to recognize in this instance what they were praying about. It was a time of stress, of crisis, of heartache, and perhaps fear and worry. Their leaders, their shepherds, their teachers had been taken captive. One of them, James, had been executed by Herod and the other Peter was in chains. And so what did the church do. They gathered in their homes and prayed. But this wasn’t simply an emergency act. This was a regularly practiced act for Peter knew where to go and where his close church family was.
    And so should our homes be. Places were we open up to commune with Jesus.
    Application:
    You want to your children and grandchildren to grow up in faith and maturity, and see the gospel played out in your life. You want others to understand Jesus’ sacrifice and love for His people. My encouragement is to fill up your home with the people of God and the study of His word. Make your home a regular depot for the church. Use whatever means you have to open up your life to others, to invest your earthly investments to spawn spiritual treasures. There is great reward in this.
    John Mark would forever be changed by his mother’s faithfulness. His understanding of the gospel wasn’t compartmentalized, for set hours or set places. Nope the gospel and people are so central to our lives. Jesus’ own life showed that time and time again. He opened up Himself in so many ways. Becoming flesh, revealing Himself intimately thru the Word, meeting the people where they are and inviting them to come to Him, often at His tireless expense.
    Application Questions:
    -Whom or what have shaped your understanding of the gospel?
    What impact did they leave in your life? Are you able to identify those actions and events in connection with the gospel?
    -What Gospel deeds are observable in your life?
    What things are so unique that you do that clearly communicate that I am shaped and modeled by what Jesus did for me?
    -Do you know truly know and love the Gospel?
    To know it is to love it. And to love it is to live it. Perhaps you aren’t living it out because you haven’t truly known it. You understand the basics but it’s not made a significant change in your life. That isn’t the gospel. It changes everything.

        • Mark 1:1ESV

        • Colossians 4:10ESV

        • Acts 4:36–37ESV

        • Acts 11:19–24ESV

        • Acts 11:25–26ESV

        • Acts 13:2ESV

        • Acts 9:26–27ESV

        • Acts 12:12ESV

        • 2 Corinthians 5:21ESV

        • Galatians 3:13ESV

        • 1 Peter 3:18ESV

        • 1 Peter 5:13ESV

        First Baptist Church
        howardcitybaptist@gmail.com
        2319374809
        https://fbcohc-howard-city.faithlifesites.com
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