St. Paul's Pilgrim Today

Who is Who?

Who is who?
Mary, the Mother of John Mark

Story:–
There lived a man named Silivano. His nickname was “Úꞌbóko” (Cucumber). He was known for drinking. I was born when he was drinking, and grew and saw him drinking. He was known to have own nothing in his whole life in his own house that earned him an insulting description “No gecko poop can be found on his compound.” However, this man told one of his sons that “Everyone you see walking around here including your auntie who thinks she is the holiest, are all sinners.” He died as a 6 year child in the faith and a happy man. And this man is my late Dad.

“When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.”
Acts 12:12

1. When someone calls you by your own name, it is a sign of inclusion, and a sign that you are known personally.
2. Luke, the writer of Acts, mentions a significant woman by name, he has to explain who she was because she was not well known during Jesus’ time of ministry. That woman was “Mary the mother of John, also called Mark.” Most people would have been familiar with Mark, the cousin of Barnabas and missionary assistant to Barnabas and Paul. But very few knew his mother’s name.
3. Mary was not an important person not even a leader in the early church. But she used what she had to serve the church in Jerusalem church. According to Acts 12:12, she apparently had a big house that might have had a courtyard, and may be two stories of living area or something like that for hosting a good number of believers and she had a servant.

Her house could have been a meeting place which is described in Acts 1:12-17. It is therefore very definite that Mary’s house was a meeting place in Acts 12:12-17. It was the place where the church gathered to pray for Peter when he was in prison in Jerusalem.

Who are you?

1. You may not have something like that big house of Mary for God’s people to gather,
2. You may not have servants who would help you serve God’s people who gather in your house.
3. You may not be a leader in your community or group.
4. You may not be an important person in your eyes.
5. But know that everyone has something to use for God’s ministry. It might be a small thing you don’t think about which others see as a potential in you to serve others.

It could be your ability in something which others are not able to do and sometimes, they look at it as a very insignificant job/work but without it, services are not complete.

It could be a spiritual gift God has given you to pray for others like this group in Acts 12 praying for Peter when he was in prison. You can imagine, these prayer warriors did not believe in the power of prayer. They did not believe in what Mary’s servant told them about Peter being outside the door.

a)    The servant so overjoyed that she did not open the door for Peter but ran to give this message to the church in their house “When [Rhoda] recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, ‘Peter is at the door!’”

b)    Hear the response from the praying believers: “‘You’re out of your mind,’” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, ‘It must be his angel.’” I wonder whether this answer was from Thomas who believed in seeing and touching before accepting any rumour.

Conclusion

Let us ask God to show us how to use for Him what we have from Him. Remember it is the responsibility of everyone as an individual to use what he/she has for God and never to undermine your gift including whatever you have.