blessed of God. I've been so blessed of the Lord. Oftentimes I ask the Lord, why have you been so good to me? And to whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required. There's a lot required of me. God's been so good to me. And I think you would agree with me on that as well. Thank you very much for the song. And thank you for the opportunity to be here 11 plus years ago. God called me and my family to Temple Baptist Church in Lenore, North Carolina. And there was actually a man between Pastor Broyhill and I, although I call him my predecessor. And I think about two months after I got there, a man in our church died. And we did a funeral together. And that was the beginning of a friendship that I'm so thankful for. And it's not every day, as your pastor mentioned, that the current pastor and the predecessor are such good friends. And I really believe that is because of the predecessor and his respect and just kindness to the current pastor. And so I love your pastor. I thank God for him. He's one of my best friends in the world. I love this college. And I've been so blessed the last 11 years to come here and to preach well, to preach in the school here and then get my little car and go over to the college. And I always say that, uh, preaching at Calvary Baptist Bible college, my favorite place in all the world to preach. If you can't preach in that room, then you don't have any preach in you. And I'm thankful, so thankful. Kelsey Wallace is here this year. And she is just a little girl. When I first got to our church and to see her grow up and to go off to Bible college, I tell you as a pastor, there's nothing that throws your heart more than that. And I'm just so glad to be here. I'm glad my wife's here and our kid's next door. And I just want to share a thought with you from the word of God here tonight. The same kind of message that I preach a lot of times, I just want to preach basically a one word. And I want to nail it down so that we always remember it. And what your pastor said about the 90 or so graduates and how they have not deviated. Boy, what a testimony to this school and to the faculty. And with that being said, that just confirmed in my heart that this is exactly what the Holy Spirit of God. Don't you like when you're a preacher and God gives you that confirmation? And I know this is what God wants me to preach. And when he said that, I was like, man, praise God, the Holy Spirit. Thank you. Acts 13 and verse 13. The Bible says, now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, They came to Perga in Panthalia. And John, we know him as John Mark, and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem. My title tonight is one word. Departing. Departing. And I'd like to share that thought with you tonight. Let's pray. Father, we do love you. I thank you for Calvary Baptist Church. Father, I thank you for Pastor Baker and putting in his heart the vision of the Bible College and now Pastor Broyhill. And Father, we thank you for what you have done, are doing, and will do in the future. Thank you for the 90 or so graduates who are serving the Lord, and especially for those who are in the pastorate. I pray even right now that you'd fill them and use them. And Lord, help them not to depart from the faith, depart from the calling of God. I pray, God, that you would help me not to depart from the faith of the calling of God. And I pray, Lord, that we would not turn back like John Mark did and not deviate from what you have called us to do. And so, Lord, I need your help. I pray that you'd fill me with the spirit of God. In Jesus' name, amen. Richard Cecil was a pastor in the late 1700s. One day, his father, who worked for the British Eastern India Company, took his boy into the city with him, big city of that day. And he told Richard, you just stay right here by the gate until I come back. Well, Richard's dad, Mr. Cecil, got busy doing all kinds of things and got busy with his day and went home and forgot that he told Richard to stay at that spot, forgot his son. Man, he got home and he was in a panic. Oh, goodnight, wonder where my boy Richard is. And when he got back to the city and where he told his boy to be, after an entire day, he got back, his boy Richard was still in the same spot. And this is what he said, my boy did not depart from his place. May God help every God-called pastor not to depart from the post that God has called us to. So many people in our day are departing from the faith and departing from their calling and departing from our roots of what the Bible teaches. I'm saying may God help us to get to our post, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Moreover, it is required of stewards that a man be found faithful. One of my life verses, Psalm 26 and 7, I pray this all the time to God. Most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness, but a faithful man who can find The just man will walk in his integrity. His children are blessed after him. And I want to tell you, a pastor who is faithful and walks in integrity has a church that's blessed after him. A father who's faithful and walks in his integrity has children who are blessed after him. And you can apply that principle to everyone in our lives. May God help us not to depart. Stay in our spot. John Mark departed. He turned back. He departed from what God had put in his heart to do. John was his Jewish name and Mark was his Gentile name. And I want to remind you that he had a godly mother by the name of Mary. She was such a godly lady that the church of Jerusalem met in their house. Can you imagine having those church meetings in your house? He had a godly uncle, right? A mentor, Barnabas, the son of consolation. What an encouragement. And he invested in John Mark's life. He loved John Mark so much that it caused friction later on between him and Paul, right? He had a godly preacher in first Peter 5 13 the Bible says Peter called him Marcus my son and so I personally it's my conviction that Peter was the one that led him to the Lord and and was very Influential in his life and above all he had a faithful Lord and Savior Jesus Christ And yet with all those ones who have invested in loved his life. He still departed I Don't know why Here they are on their first missionary journey and that Church of Antioch. I love the Church of Antioch I want Temple Baptist Church to be a Church of Antioch man They're sending people out and they send Saul and Barnabas out for the work wherein to the Lord has called them and John says I'll be your minister and he goes as their assistant their attendant and man they go to Pamphylia and God does a great work a Sorcerer gets saved and you would think he'd be fired up about it and they leave there to go the next town in John Mark departs from them I don't know why. Maybe he got homesick. Maybe. Paul probably wasn't the easiest guy to travel with. And you know it's interesting, it used to be Barnabas and Saul and then you kind of get to Acts 13 and it changes from Saul to Paul and I don't know if there's some jealousy that Barnabas isn't running this ship. I don't know why he departed. All I know is the Bible says he departed from them. In my understanding, that word departing is only found twice in all the New Testament. How about this one? Depart from me, I never knew you. The other time, my understanding is when a man was filled with demons, the Bible says Jesus cast them out and they departed from him. So, now think about this. One time the word departing is used when Jesus says, I never knew you. Another time it's used about getting demons out of a guy. And the third time is with John Mark departing from the ministry. I don't want to be in that category. How about you? He departed. And when he did so, he sinned against four people. And this is my message to you tonight. When you depart, not only do you sin against the Lord, and we'll get to that, but you sin against others who have invested in your lives. And I say to you graduates, congratulations, and I'm excited for you. But whether you be a freshman, a graduate, alumni, pastor, or a man in the ministry, if we sin and depart, we sin against four people. And perhaps you'd like to jot these down, at least remember them in your mind. Number one, John Mark sinned against his mother. Now, don't you think his mom, Mary, was proud of him? If I can use that word, when he went off with Paul and Barnabas? I mean, I would be. I have one boy. And if my boy went to the mission field with a mission team, I'd be like, man, praise God. That's what I was praying for, that God would call my son. And here he comes home, back to Jerusalem. I can see his mom answering the door. John Mark, why are you home so suddenly? He gets a long face and says, Mom, I just can't do it anymore. I missed you, or whatever the reason was. When he did so, I believe he sinned against his mother. Now, how many of you have a godly mom or godly dad? Would you raise your hand? Man, I think about the investment my parents made in my life. If I departed from the faith, I departed from what I was taught. The things which thou hast received, do. Didn't Paul say that? If I departed, man, I would break the heart of my dad and my mom. Man, I have the two best parents in all the world. They love me, they sacrifice for me. My dad's been at the same church for 46 years. 28 as a pastor, and before that, 17 and a half as an assistant pastor. My mom's been by their side. And I've often thought about this with John Mark, that if I went home to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and knocked on the door, and had my luggage, and had my family, and I said, Dad? He'd say, what are you doing? It's not July 4th and Christmas. Those are the only two times you come home. Dad, I just can't take it anymore. By the way, let's be real. I've had times I wanted to pack my bags and go to Williamsport, Pennsylvania. I just can't take anymore. Can't take pastoring those people. If my predecessor would have done a better job with them, my life would be easier. I just can't take it. First of all, my dad would say, get in your car and get back there and don't quit. But then I could also see the tears in his eyes. If I departed from the faith, I departed from that Bible right there and the holiness and the godliness and the standards and the truth and righteousness. And I won't specify, but I departed from what they instilled in me. I believe with all of my heart, I would sin against my parents. And many of you have a parent just like I do. It may be a layman and maybe a preacher, but someone who is godly and they have prayed for you. Before you depart from the faith or depart from God's calling in your life You need to remember if I depart I am going to break the heart of someone who's loved me and invested in me Namely my dad and my mom So number one he sinned against his mother. Would you write this down number two? He sinned against his mentor and I believe Barnabas was his mentor. He was his uncle. We find that in Colossians 4. A mentor is a wise and trusted counselor or teacher. And uncle Barnabas had invested much in his life. And when he departed, I can see him packing his bags and he's ready to leave there. Our text in verse 13, when Paul and his company loose from Paphos, they came to Perga and Pamphylia, and I believe I missed up earlier when they were at another city, but they left from there and John Mark, he's packing his bags and Barnabas says, where are you going? I can't take it. I'm going back to Jerusalem. Man, I can see Barnabas pleading with him. Don't go home, don't leave. It's just getting exciting on this first missionary journey. And I often thought, if I depart from the faith and depart from God's calling in my life, boy, I am going to hurt some mentors who invested a lot in my life. The name Carl Orso doesn't mean anything to you, but it means a lot to me. He's with the Lord now. He was my fifth and sixth grade Sunday school teacher. He was a die-hard, devout Catholic that got born again in Pennsylvania. And buddy, I want to tell you, those Catholics make good Baptist members. He'd sit on that second row. If you saw him, very uncomely person to look upon. He had a cane and just was not a very good looking man. But he invested in my life. I've never had, I've never in my life met a prayer warrior like Carl Orso. Brother Vernon, I was thinking about your dad when we were talking. I mean, just a prayer warrior. I'd come home from Bible college and he'd say, hey Joel, how's it going in Bible college? He'd say, I want you to know I pray for you every day. Well, man, how can I go and fornicate, let's be honest, when I got a guy praying for me? You see what I'm saying? That's investment. I can't sin against that mentor. I love this class, fifth and sixth grade. He gave us Reese's peanut butter cups every time. Seventh grade, I was trying to flunk just to stay in that class, you know? He'd begin every class by saying, all right, boys, what's the gospel? No one would say anything. All right, Joel, tell us what the gospel is. If you're a preacher's kid, you know you get picked on. I'd say it's the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. And they say, boys, I want one of you to stand up and say Acts 4.12. Who wants to say it? All right, Joel, stand up and say it. All right, neither is there salvation to any other. He's with the Lord now. My dad went to visit him. He died a couple of years ago. I was in North Carolina, and I hate it. I couldn't be there at his funeral. But my dad said, on the day he went to visit that prayer warrior, he was singing, I've got a mansion just over the hilltop. And then he went to that mansion over the hilltop. I've often thought, man, if I just quit God's calling on my life, I'm sinning against that man and others who have Influenced my life And for many of you it's been pastor bro. Hill brother Morales brother Jones brother Martin brother Verne and others who have just poured in your life And I tell you be sinning against your mentor if you depart and leave your post number three He sinned against his mother. He sinned against his mentor number three sinned against his minister and Again, I make reference to 1 Peter 5.13 and Peter who invested in his life as a minister of the gospel. And I want to say this, you have no idea how it thrills the heart of a pastor when you go off the Bible college and you serve God. I pray every day for Kelsey and man, when I do, I get a smile from ear to ear. Conversely, you have no idea how it breaks the heart of your pastor. if you get away from God's calling in your life. Every pastor knows this. You're on your knees praying, oh God, would you call someone out of my flock to serve God? And then God answers that prayer and you're just, oh praise God, one out of my flock's going to serve God. And then they pack up their bags and quit. Wow, you talk about a dagger in your soul. I have a young man right now that I invested in my life, and I was the best man even in his wedding, even though I was much older. From Pennsylvania, he was in my youth group, and then he went off to Bible college, and that young man got away from God. He's far away from God right now. He's divorced, he's on drugs, and I weep over him. And I have to remind myself if I depart, I'm sinning against my mom. I'm sitting against my mentor. I'm sitting against some minister, some preachers who have invested in my life. My testimony is much like your pastor this past week. I drove today from Brownsville, Pennsylvania to here to King. This past week, I preached a revival Sunday to Wednesday in Brownsville, Pennsylvania. And on Tuesday afternoon, Pastor Roy Hill, I got to go to Smithfield, Pennsylvania. You talk about the middle of nowhere. An old frame, which is even the middle of nowhere past the middle of nowhere. But that's where my grandpa, Everett Bixler, grew up. And I was only about a half an hour preaching a revival from where my grandpa grew up. And I went by his old homestead. But the thing, we went by his old little church where God called him to preach. Eighth grade education, son of a sharecropper. He was born in 1924. And God called him to preach in 1944. And I wanted to cry. Because his pastor, Pastor Brownlee, who pastored 25 members, small church, when my grandpa got called to preach, began to work with him and mentored him and helped him. And that pastor drove my grandpa in 1947 from Smithfield in Nowhere, Pennsylvania, down to Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Bible College. gave my grandpa his car and hitchhiked all the way home. My grandpa, he's with the Lord now, but pastored Baptist churches for 50 years and was my pastor. I feel like if I compromise and change my position and switch from my Bible and all the rest, I would sin against Grandpa, and I'd also sin against Pastor Brownlee, who invested in Grandpa. And so before we depart, we need to remember the Peters in our lives who have invested. Let me give you the fourth one. John Mark sinned against his mother, Mary. He sinned against his mentor, Barnabas. He sinned against his minister, Peter. But here's where it really is. He sinned against his master, the Lord Jesus Christ. He departed. By the way, aren't you glad the Lord's never quit on us? I'm glad he didn't depart from the old rugged cross. He said to Telestai, it is finished. And he completed redemption's plan. Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe. Sin hath left the crimson stain. He washed it white as snow. One before the throne I stand in him complete Jesus died my soul to save my lips shall still repeat Jesus paid it all I'm glad he did not depart and abandon ship for me And how in the world after Jesus did not depart and quit on me could I just say oh, I'm not called anymore Well, I don't believe what I used to believe from my mom and dad anymore. Oh, I don't believe what my preacher used to believe anymore No, my friend Jesus didn't quit on us. Let's not depart from him If God has called you in this thing called the ministry and you are a called preacher of the gospel Remember what first Timothy 1 12 says and I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that He counted me faithful putting me in the ministry and before I depart I have to remember I didn't put myself in this God called me in this thing and I can't depart from that calling of God in my life and Would be sinning most of all against my master and when I stand before him at the judgment seat of Christ And I look at those nail pierced hands by and by when I look on his face I'll wish I had given him more and I can't look at my lord and say I Just got tough Everyone was changing No, may God help us not to depart I Old R.G. Lee said on his 84th birthday, if he would continue to preach, he said, here was his answer. When there are so many unsaved people around, when there are sorrowing hearts to comfort, when so many young people are thrown away in folly's court and carnal's pleasure market, the wealth God gave them at the start, when there are so many evils against which to protest, when so many people are lonely on the sunset trail, when at my ordination I was married to preaching until death do us part, Why would I not in the 85th year of my life keep on preaching? That's a man that doesn't depart. Departing. Departing. Wouldn't it be great if the Lord doesn't come back and your pastor 10 years from now walked up here and said, hey, now we're up to over 100 graduates. And you know what? We still only have one that's depart. I don't want to be in the number that's departing. Count me faithful, right? Hey, here's the good news. For those who have departed, aren't you glad that God is not just the God of second chances? He's the God of infant mercy, as they just sang about. I can't get over the fact that when I read that action-packed book that was written to the Roman mind immediately, immediately, immediately, that that same guy that departed was the human penman that wrote it, the book of Mark. And it's amazing, didn't Paul say at the end of his life in 2 Timothy chapter 4, only Luke is with me. Hey, bring John Mark, for he is profitable to me for the ministry. I'm glad even if you depart that you can say, God, I've departed, forgive me, and get back in the thing, and God will still use you. But what's better than that is not departing in the first place. And so graduates, I say, congratulations. Students, I say, let's not depart. To my fellow preachers who I have great respect for anyone in the ministry called of God, may the Lord help us not to depart. Just to say, here's my post. Amen. And I'll work till Jesus comes. Father, I thank you for the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. And Lord, as we just plucked out a verse here, and a word from a verse, a little different style preaching, but oh God, I pray that you would indelibly plant that word departing on our hearts. And before we do it, I pray that we would be reminded of the Holy Spirit about John Mark. Lord, as they sang, I've been so blessed. Thank you for my dad and my mom. probably out soul winning on a Thursday night at their church. I thank you for Brother Orso and Brother Kaiser and countless others who impacted my life. Lord, I thank you for my grandpa, my pastor, and his pastor, Brother Brownlee. Lord, I pray before I depart, help me to remember those But Father, I thank you ultimately for Jesus Christ. And thank you that you have put me in the ministry. Lord, help me to fight a good fight, to finish my course, to keep the faith and not depart. I pray that for my brethren here tonight, in Jesus' name, amen. Pastor.