“John Mark” by J. D. Jones

Notes from Chapter 15 of Paul’s Certainties by J. D. Jones. This chapter contains the sermon “John Mark” based on 2 Timothy 4:11, «Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.”

“Let fools scoff at enthusiasm and sneer at zeal. I only lament that there is so little of either.”

“Would to God, brethren, there was a little more enthusiasm, a little more zeal, amongst us for Christ and His work!»

“The Church is being strangled by her respectability.”

“A rash enthusiasm is better than a cold respectability that never ventures and never dares.”

“Feeling alone furnishes no stable foundation for a religious life.”

“Enthusiasm has a trick of evaporating in face of difficulties.”

“To live the Christian life, in addition to enthusiasm, we must have unshakable convictions, we must be men of rock-like steadfastness.”

“Those are the men Christ wants—faithful men, loyal men, standfast men; men who will die, but never surrender ; men who will go to prison and to death, but never deny Him; men whose enthusiasm shall not be like the flame of straw—one fierce blaze and over—but as the flame of the house fire, ever steadily and brightly burning.”

“Look into your hearts just now and see how things stand there. Have you surrendered heart and will and all to Jesus Christ? You young beginners, how is it faring with you? You were in the seventh heaven some months ago! Where are you to-day?”

“Men who blow hot and cold invariably cause division and strife. Men are never sure of them ; they do not know what to think of them.”

“We know our weakness and cowardice, and are ashamed of it!”

“Christ can lay hold of the veriest coward, the greatest craven, in this church tonight, and make him a very lion for courage.”

“Will you try Him? You will find His grace sufficient.”