Unsung Heroes
Sermon: Barnabas
Scripture Texts:
Acts 4:36-37: 36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
Acts 9:26-31:
26When he (Paul) came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.
27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
28So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
29He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him.
30When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
Acts 12:25-13:52:
12:25 When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark...Acts 13:13: …where John left them to return to Jerusalem.”
Acts 15:36-41:
Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas
36Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”
37Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them,
38but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.
39They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
40but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.
41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Introduction:
Our unsung hero this week is Barnabas he was known as one who encourages others.
The church is to be like Barnabas, “One who encourages another!”
Quote: “Encouragement goes straight to the heart. In fact, the word itself comes from a combination of the prefix “en” which means “to put into” and the Latin word “cor” which means heart. Knowing what a big difference encouragement makes in your own life, what can you do to help others “to take heart” when the going gets tough and way feels long?” ( From http://powertochange.com/experience/life/encourage/).
Video Illustration: Acts of random kindness which encourage others!
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=People%20Encouraging%20People%20by%20acts%20of%20kindness&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=people%20encouraging%20people%20by%20acts%20of%20kindness&sc=0-28&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=D879C0C06469C51521ADD879C0C06469C51521AD
How necessary is encouragement?
1 Thessalonians 5:11: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
Everyone is looking for encouragement whether they admit it or not. It’s a spiritual need as well as an emotional need. The church should be the biggest dispenser of encouragement.
What direction do you follow in your life?
Encourager? Discourager?
Barnabas our unsung hero of the faith became known as an encourager – he was so good at it - God changed his name from Joseph to Barnabas – which means encourager.
Swindoll states:
The lack of encouragement is also epidemic. To illustrate this point, when did you last encourage someone else? I firmly believe that and individual is never more Christ like than when they are full of compassion for those who are down, needy, discouraged, or forgotten. How terribly essential is our commitment to encouragement! Is there someone you know that you need to encourage? A student off at school…a young couple up against it…a divorcee struggling to gain back self-acceptance…a forgotten servant of God laboring in an obscure and difficult ministry…a widow who needs your companionship…someone who tried something new and failed? Encourage generously! Encouragement! A new watchword for our times “Encourager” --- Shout it out. Pass it around.
We live in a very discouraging world – and we the Church the Body of Christ need to be the biggest encouragers in it.
Barnabas life screams at us to go out and encourage someone else and it reveals the positive results of this type of attitude and mindset. .
William Barclay, in his book The Letter to the Hebrews wrote: One of the highest of human duties is the duty of encouragement…It is easy to laugh at men’s ideals; it is easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm; it is easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet. Blessed is the man who speaks such a word.
Barnabas had a frame of mind which made him an encourager! He had made his mind up to be an encourager – he choose this way of seeing life and others.
“The ability to see good in people and situations is the cornerstone of encouragement. It is a skill that does not appear accidentally or by magic. It takes training.” Johnson, Aubrey (2010-12-15). The Barnabas Factor (Kindle Locations 728-729). Gospel Advocate Company. Kindle Edition.
Why is it hard to be an encourager in our society – why do you think it is so hard to do this?
Aubrey states why: “It is because modern culture is mistake-oriented. The media makes its living on publicizing what is worst in people and society. Verbal attacks are the stock and trade of political campaigns. More than half the couples pledging undying love to each other develop tunnel vision of the heart, a malady rendering them incapable of seeing any redeeming quality in their mate. Supervisors scold, coaches castigate, parents pester, and teachers tongue lash. A person growing up in America will have no lack of exposure to nitpicking and faultfinding.” Johnson, Aubrey (2010-12-15). The Barnabas Factor (Kindle Locations 730-733). Gospel Advocate Company. Kindle Edition.
But - We as the church should be each other’s greatest encourager and even the world’s greatest encourager. It is part of our God given mission.
T.S. – You could be thinking the question, “How do you encourage another person?” You can start by doing these three things within the church that Barnabas did.
1. Barnabas was a giver which set him up to be an encourager to the Body of Christ the Church.
a. Acts 4:36-37: 36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
i. The giving revealed in the book of Acts encouraged the new believers who upon salvation lost jobs, business, families and the like and those who had more gave to help out the ones who lost it all for the Kingdom of Heaven.
1. They also gave to help spread the message of Good News to others – so people like Paul and others did not need to work all the time.
ii. The apostles also used the money to help people out who were in crisis – remember if people like Barnabas did not give – then the church could not encourage other struggling Christians and bring the message of Jesus to the world – if they did not give too you would not be sitting here today!
iii. What made the church irresistible in its beginning was the generosity of the people in the early church.
iv. They knew the importance of sharing.
b. Did you know that giving of your personal finances and resources to the church encourages the whole church?
i. Here are some questions to think about today - in regards to how important your giving is to the church and its mission.
1. How does your financial giving encourage the church?
a. It helps us pay our bills – it clears the snow away so you can drive safely through the parking lot – last winter we spent $1,000’s on plowing the snow away, we spent $1,000’s on utilities, maintenance of the building all to encourage you the church- why - so you can have a nice clean warm or cool place to worship and fellowship.
i. Your giving created a spiritually family atmosphere here of love and caring. It created a safe haven from the world each week for you and your family.
2. How does your giving encourage others in the ministry of CHC?
a. When you give your money to God it is used to teach kids in our Awana’s program, it speaks to the youth in U-turn youth group and counsels them as they struggle in this harsh world. It teaches the kids about academics and Jesus in the school Monday thru Friday and even Sundays. It counsels people for free in the pastoral offices. It visits the sick and shutin’s. It buys curriculum for you to grow in your faith. It feeds kids in Africa and provides medical care for them. It gives people hope who have no hope. It helps to see people delivered from addictions. It flows into other people’s lives each week – yes that money you give the church.
b. When you give did you know you encourage the staff of CHC and school.
i. Did you know our school teachers make ½ what they could make in the public school?
1. Did you know they have no benefits - no medical or retirement?
2. Our teachers sacrifice to teach your kids because they believe in Christian education and the message of the Gospel.
3. Note: They have not had raises in years?
ii. Our pastors sacrifice as well to do other duties besides their ministry tasks because of a lack of resources. It would encourage them if they could just do ministry rather than cleaning, cutting grass, weeding, fixing parking lots, maintenance work and other duties. Your giving encourages the staff especially when we meet budget each week – it discourages them when we don’t – the staff sacrifices for this church/school and for you every day. The church staff has suffered budget cuts – loss of benefits due to lack of resources. They have not had raises in years either.
1. I see it but do you? Have you encouraged them today?
2. I think the staff encourages you guys each and every week through their ministries.
a. How are you doing at encouraging them back through your giving?
3. How does your giving encourage discipleship?
a. The church’s mission in this world, according to the Savior, is to make disciples (Matt. 28:19–20; Mark 16:15). As a part of discipleship, it is imperative that congregations give to the Kingdom of Heaven.
i. Not just money but your time and energy.
b. Your giving of time helps to disciple other people in the ways of the Lord each week through CHC.
c. Our main purpose here at Christian Hills is too reach and disciple people for Jesus:
i. See the two handouts (Have ushers pass out)
1. Our CHC discipleship process
a. This process does not happen without you being here and being involved in others lives.
2. Our seven core values
a. Speak about who we are but you are the ones that make this happen.
ii. Our mission is to help people grow spiritually if you are interested there are handouts for the 5 ways to grow spiritually at the info booth pick one up on the way out.
1. Your giving helps people to grow spiritually! But it takes time, involvement and finances – all which fall under encouraging accts of service for the Lord Jesus.
4. How does your giving encourage ministry?
a. Read the handouts because this is what your time and money supports!
b. It creates resources we can use to help encourage and reach others with hope in a hopeless world.
5. How does my giving encourage people who are lost?
a. It shows them that others care enough to give to something which is beyond themselves and reveals a pure heart connected with God.
b. It models love which is willing to help and sacrifice for others.
6. How does your giving encourage people who are addicted?
a. It provides the necessary resources to help them get set free from their addictions.
7. How does your giving encourage people to give their life to Jesus?
a. It shows them Jesus love through their giving – just read the book of Acts that is what grew the church.
b. People were and are encouraged that the message of Jesus is true and real because people gave to the cause.
i. Like Barnabas did.
8. How does your giving encourage a child’s education?
a. It provides the necessary resources to learn and a safe environment to learn in.
9. How does your giving save a family from breaking apart?
a. It reaches in and brings healing.
10. How does your giving encourage our missionaries?
a. It takes the burden of finances off of them so they can focus on the people they are ministering too – it provides resources for them to show these people the love of Jesus.
11. How does my giving encourage the pastors?
a. It silently says we believe in the mission of the church and in your call.
12. How does my giving encourage the leadership of the church?
a. It shows them that you support them and the vision.
13. How does my giving encourage the proclamation of the Gospel?
a. It moves it forward one life at a time – through one dollar at a time and one minute at a time.
2. Barnabas was willing to love the unlovable so as to encourage them.
a. Acts 9:26-31: 26When he (Paul) came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.
27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
28So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
29He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him.
30When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
b. Yes he was willing to stick his neck to disciple another – considered armed and dangerous. He was willing to mentor others and help them reach their full potential in Jesus. He went to Paul when others were afraid of him in the church and in the process he encouraged Paul to be all he could for the Lord and look how that worked out.
i. We need to realize the power of our presence with Jesus presence in a life. Just being there for people is encouraging! When you’re with others, you’re telling them that they’re important. The Apostle Paul closed his letter to the church at Colosse promising to send his friend Tychius “that he may encourage your hearts” (Colossians 4:8b).
1. Who do you need to hang out with this week so as to encourage them?
2. Who is the Holy Spirit placing on your heart this morning to go encourage with your presence?
c. An encourager is one who loves the unlovable – have you ever done this?
i. Have you ever known someone who believed in you when others did not or were even afraid of you?
1. Someone who frequently spoke words of encouragement and praise to you – when others shunned you?
2. The kind of person who made you feel you could do it, the whatever "it" was? That’s the kind of person God wants us to be.
a. Barnabas was that type of person!
b. Jesus wants you to be that type of person.
ii. Paul gave a good guideline when he wrote that everything we say should build up the one who is listening.
1. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29)
a. Do you encourage people with you presence and your words – or when you get around others do you discourage others with your words.
2. The Bible states the following about encouraging each other:
a. The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life. (Proverbs 10:11)
3. Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers. (Acts 15:32)
4. Paul sent Timothy (to the Thessaloninans), who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith. (1 Thessalonians 3:2)
5. Paul also said this about words, “Therefore encourage each other with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:18). The Words of Jesus – the truth of Jesus.
6. Your presence and your words matter – Paul said “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).
a. If you’re part of a church, Bible study or fellowship, be committed to showing up.
i. Your simple presence encourages others that they are part of a community of faith and that they are not alone. That’s why the writer of Hebrews says, “Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as we see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).
d. We need to encourage people – people like the Paul's who Barnabas encouraged by pushing aside the fear!
i. Quote: Christians must recognize that they are stewards of their relationships and that people have been placed in their circle of influence to receive encouragement.
1. Johnson, Aubrey (2010-12-15). The Barnabas Factor (Kindle Locations 742-743). Gospel Advocate Company. Kindle Edition
e. We need to encourage like God encouraged us. So we need to pass it on!
3. Barnabas was willing to give people second chances so as to encourage them.
a. Acts 12:25-13:52 : 12:25 When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark...Acts 15:36-41: Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas: 36Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
b. Yes he was willing stick up for others when they had made mistakes and give them the second chances they deserved - he did this for a young John Mark.
i. Barnabas was always out to encourage people not discourage people:
1. Discouragement is a communicable disease more infectious than the flu. Negativity is an airborne ailment transmitted from person to person through words, looks and casual social contact. Criticism spreads from one discouraging relationship to another until it reaches epidemic proportions. The outbreak can engulf families, businesses, schools, churches and entire communities.
a. Johnson, Aubrey (2010-12-15). The Barnabas Factor (Kindle Locations 734-736). Gospel Advocate Company. Kindle Edition.
c. Quote: “Encouragers see people while complainers only see problems.”
i. Johnson, Aubrey (2010-12-15). The Barnabas Factor (Kindle Location 772). Gospel Advocate Company. Kindle Edition.
ii. The Bible says, “Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today…” (Hebrews 3:13).
d. Sometime action speak louder than words so here is another Video Illustration of the importance of encouraging others: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=People%20Encouraging%20People%20by%20acts%20of%20kindness&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=people%20encouraging%20people%20by%20acts%20of%20kindness&sc=0-28&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=4FF8965BEDDCBE0E283B4FF8965BEDDCBE0E283B
i. After watching our two videos today can you do this – be an encourager through acts of kindness?
Conclusion:
Swindoll states: “I think many Christians are ‘dying on the vine’ for lack of encouragement from other believers. Proverbs 15:23 says, ‘A man has joy in an apt answer, And how delightful is a timely word.’ Isn’t that true? It’s a delightful thing to receive a timely word. Proverbs 15:30 says, ‘Bright eyes gladden the heart; Good news puts fat on the bones.’ Now don’t take ‘fat’ literally. It means it will give you emotional prosperity, make your heart lighter, make the day seem more bearable.”
Can we at CHC do this for the Kingdom of Heaven?
What do we need to know from this message?
The Lord wants us to encourage others everyday! Believers and unbelievers!
Why do I need to know this?
Because your encouragement of another person can lift their spirits and allow Jesus to shine through you and into their hearts.
What do we need to do?
We need to give to the Kingdom of God – we need to love those who are not loved – we need to forgive and give people a second chance.
Why do we need to do this?
So that people’s hearts will be transformed by the Holy Spirit through our encouraging acts of kindness to others.
How many here want to be encourager this week? Show of hands – Let’s pray for Jesus to use you this week to encourage another person!
