One of the dangers in Christian ministry — and especially in the pulpit — is forgetting who we are apart from grace. We preach about Peter, John the Baptist, and John Mark, and sometimes the tone shifts, doesn’t it? It becomes subtly condescending. We treat their stories more as cautionary tales than sacred testimonies of God’s transforming grace.
But when we do this, we may reveal something we haven’t confessed — that we think we would have done better. That we would have stood more faithfully, spoken more boldly, or believed more purely.
Let me say this plainly: That kind of preaching isn’t gospel preaching. It’s self-righteousness with a Bible verse attached.
Preacher, we need to preach a word that exalts the grace of God in Christ by looking at three men whom the Lord used mightily — John Mark, John the Baptist, and Peter — and to remind us all: these men are not examples of failure; they are trophies of sovereign, restoring grace.
John Mark: The So-Called Quitter
“Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.”
— Acts 13:13, BSB
That’s it. No commentary. No divine rebuke. No explanation of sin. Just a simple statement of fact: John Mark went home.
Later, Paul and Barnabas disagree over whether to bring Mark on the next journey. Paul says no. Barnabas — the Son of Encouragement — says yes. The disagreement is sharp. They part ways.
But church, the story doesn’t end there.
Because years later, Paul writes this:
“Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is helpful to me in the ministry.”
— 2 Timothy 4:11, NLT
The same man Paul once rejected becomes someone he cannot do without. Not only that — Mark goes on to write the Gospel of Mark, widely believed to reflect the preaching of Peter himself.
Brothers and sisters, John Mark is not a spiritual dropout. He’s not a footnote. He’s proof that the Church must not write off those who stumble early. He is a reminder that God isn’t finished when others give up on you.
So when we preach Mark’s story, let’s not say, “Don’t be like him.”
Let’s say, “God will finish what He started in you — just like He did in Mark.”
John the Baptist: The Misunderstood Prisoner
“Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for someone else?”
— Matthew 11:3, BSB
Some say John was doubting. That prison had made him question everything. That he was losing faith.
But Jesus doesn’t say that. In fact, Jesus says the opposite.
“Among those born of women, there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist.”
— Matthew 11:11, BSB
If John was wrestling in prison, he was doing so faithfully. He didn’t accuse Jesus — he sent messengers to the Source. He didn’t walk away — he sought confirmation. And many scholars believe John may have sent his disciples for their sake, not his.
Regardless, Jesus never rebukes him. He honors him.
How dare we speak of John with a tone of critique when Christ Himself speaks with a tone of admiration?
Some preachers, when they talk about John the Baptist, make it sound like he was faltering. But if he was faltering, then Jesus loved him in the faltering. And if he wasn’t, then we’re guilty of putting words in his mouth that the Scriptures never do.
Let us be very careful, Church. It is no small thing to misrepresent the Lord’s servants.
Peter: The Restored Rock
We all know Peter denied Jesus.
“I do not know the man!” he said three times.
(Matthew 26:70–74)
Yes, it was sin. But did you know Peter wasn’t alone?
“Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.”
(Matthew 26:56, BSB)
All of them.
But somehow, in many sermons, Peter gets picked apart, as if his failure was unique. And yet, it was Peter that Jesus restored publicly.
“Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
(John 21:15)
Three denials, three affirmations. Three charges: “Feed My sheep.”
Jesus doesn’t only forgive Peter — He recommissions him.
Church, if the risen Christ restores someone, then who are we to keep bringing up their past?
If Jesus says, “Feed My sheep,” then who are we to say, “You’re disqualified”?
Peter isn’t a warning sign for failure — he’s a beacon of hope for every believer who has failed deeply and loves Jesus still.
Application: What Are We Really Saying?
When preachers mock or diminish these men, they are often implying something more than they realize. They’re saying, “I wouldn’t do that.”
They may not use those words, but the tone betrays it.
Let me be as clear as I can: If God had not intervened, you and I would have done worse.
None of us stands apart from sovereign mercy. We are not better. We are not stronger. We are simply — forgiven.
“Let him who thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall.”
(1 Corinthians 10:12, BSB)
Let every preacher, every teacher, every saint be humble.
If we boast, let us boast in Christ alone (1 Corinthians 1:31).
Appeal to the Saints
Church, we must learn to speak of God’s people the way He does.
Not brushing over sin — but not exaggerating it either. Not turning saints into stumbling examples, but exalting the grace that carried them through.
Because if God restored Peter, used Mark, and honored John the Baptist — then there is hope for us.
Let your words build up, not tear down. Let your theology of grace affect how you speak of your brothers and sisters — living and dead.
And let your preaching exalt Christ, not your own imagined moral superiority.
Appeal to the Lost
Maybe you’re listening, and you’ve been told by others — or whispered to yourself — “You’re too far gone. You’ve failed too many times.”
Let John Mark speak to you: God can still use you.
Let John the Baptist comfort you: Even in prison, even in the dark, you are not forgotten.
Let Peter invite you: Come to the fire. Let Christ restore you.
There is no sin so deep that His mercy cannot reach. There is no failure so final that the risen Christ cannot redeem.
Come. Believe. Be restored.
Conclusion: Trophies of Grace
John Mark. John the Baptist. Peter. They are not the shameful parts of the story.
They are trophies of grace. They are men who point us to the kindness of Christ, the patience of God, and the power of restoring love.
And one day, we will sit with them — not because we were better, but because Christ is enough.
Let us speak — and preach — accordingly.
Amen.
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