RELIABILITY
W. E. Ellis
Acts 15: 36–41; 16: 1–5; 2 Timothy 4: 11
There is always a need for reliable young men and women. In the scripture read it seems that the difficulty between these two great men. Paul and Barnabas, was Mark. He was a younger man who had gone back previously from the work. One does not want to call attention to difficulties and going back, except to encourage the hearts of all that we
should go forward and not go back. As to the work, the apostle tells us elsewhere that we are to be always abounding in the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15: 58); the Lord would have us to have our part in relation to His work and not go back from it. There have been many in the past few years who have gone back from the work, but nevertheless it is a day of recovery and we see that at the end Mark was recovered; so we would look for recovery. Many young men have been lost, good young men we might say, but we look for recovery. The great thing at the present time would be that we should not go back from the work; young and old are to be moving together, always abounding in the work of the Lord, and fully committed in relation to what He is doing through His servants.
We see, on the one hand, that Barnabas took Mark and sailed away to Cyprus. That is all it says as to him. Who could question him? He is a servant of the Lord; to his own Master he stands or falls. But we find that Paul, having chosen Silas, had a companion in the work, and he went forth “committed by the brethren to the grace of God”. So Paul had the full fellowship of the saints in all that he did. On that line there would be the support of the Lord in a definite way, and we find that the Lord was supporting Paul in a particular sense at this time. He passed through Syria and Cilicia confirming the assemblies. We see, too, the feature of reliability in Silas whom Paul had chosen. We read of Silas earlier in the chapter. What a man he was! He had the full confidence of the brethren in Jerusalem and he himself was a prophet able to exhort the brethren with much discourse (Acts 15: 32). He was suitable to be a reliable companion of Paul.
We can see it was not an easy thing to be a
companion of Paul in those days as we think of all he had to pass through by way of suffering and opposition. In one sense we can understand how Mark was turned aside; not that that was any excuse for him. But with Silas we find one who was fully committed, so that in chapter 16 we find him side by side suffering with Paul. We can think of him sitting in the inner prison, with his feet fast in the stocks. We think of Paul being there, and we think of Silas being there, side by side with Paul. So I think we need to be side by side, as it were, with Paul and with the testimony, as the Lord may be supporting it at the present time. We are to be whole-hearted in our committal in that sense.
I read on to the next chapter because there we have another young man. Mark was a young man who was turned aside but, in the case of Timotheus, we see that Paul finds him. It says that “he came to Derbe and Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, by name Timotheus”. It does not say here that he was a young man, but undoubtedly he was young because in 1 Timothy 4: 12 the apostle says, “Let no one despise thy youth”. Timothy was to behave himself in such a way that, although he was young, his youth would not be despised. So Timothy is called attention to here, and his surroundings, and it says, “Him would Paul have go forth with him”. I think we would greatly desire that young and old may move together at the present time. We are thankful for older brethren, those with experience. There are many experienced men, experienced servants, amongst us. How we should value them, and we would desire that the younger men may move along with the older ones, that there should be nothing on their side that would call in question their reliability.
I think we could say that Timothy was a reliable young brother, whom Paul could take on, and so he
would have him go forth with him. He took him, and it says that they passed through the cities, instructing the brethren to observe the decrees determined on by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. These two reliable men were moving together with the apostle and it adds that the assemblies “were confirmed in the faith, and increased in number every day”. There is a great desire that the saints in the assemblies might be confirmed in the faith at the present time and increased in number. This, I think, is a feature which we can happily say is taking place. Without saying too much in regard of it, this character of things (whilst recognising the breakdown) is something which is, through divine grace, proceeding at the present time. We greatly desire that it might increase, that the assemblies might be confirmed in the faith and held together as the result of reliable ministry, and reliable men, being found amongst us.
I read that one verse in 2 Timothy because it brings in Mark, “Take Mark, and bring him with thyself, for he is serviceable to me for ministry”. This is a word to Timothy. In one sense Timothy, I suppose, had replaced Mark, but now Mark is recovered. So it is a day of recovery, and we are greatly desirous that there might be much in the way of recovery, young men coming in, and not only young men but others are to be brought in. It says, “Take Mark, and bring him with thyself, for he is serviceable to me for ministry”. So there is much that can be brought in through recovered men. Think of what was brought in through Mark; what a gospel he was able to write! The one who had himself failed as a servant was able to write a gospel in relation to the Servant who never failed. What an appreciation Mark had of Christ! So as we have persons being recovered, they are able to bring in much for the enrichment of the assembly. The two,
we might say, go along together, Timothy and Mark; how happily and definitely they would move together in relation to divine interests! The continuance of the testimony depends in one sense on the younger men and women. So it is important that they should be strengthened in relation to the truth and become reliable, thus helping forward all that is proceeding in relation to the work of the Lord at the present time.
Word in meeting for ministry, Helston
13 July 1976