Barnabas - Encourager Extraordinaire Series

If not, then start sacrificing where you see opportunities.

Sacrifice money to help others in need.

Sacrifice time to serve others.

Be sacrificial and begin to experience the joy and grace that comes with it.

A second characteristic that we see is

Barnabas was Slow to Judge

Slide

After Paul was converted on the Road to Damascus the other Apostles were a bit reluctant to meet with Paul because of a few incidents in his past that did not really seem to benefit believers very much.

You see Paul had been persecuting the church, taking Christians and having them thrown in jail and standing by and giving his approval even when Christians were killed (Stephen – Acts 8:1).

You can see why they were not throwing the doors wide open and welcoming him in. They did not know if he was lying and perhaps this was just a trick to capture them?

But in comes Barnabas.

Acts 9:26-27 (p.778)

26 When 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. 27 But 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.

Barnabas was slow to judge Paul and hold his past against Him.

He did not withhold using his gift of encouragement from Paul because of His past actions by judging him now for those actions.

We see this also with John Mark.

Mark had accompanied Barnabas and Paul on a missionary journey but deserted them (Acts 13:13; 15:37-39). Barnabas wanted to give him another chance, but Paul said no. Barnabas and Paul ended up going their separate ways, and Barnabas took Mark with him.

Because of Barnabas’ encouragement and willingness to be slow to judge and to give Mark a second chance, Mark became a useful tool in the hands of the Lord.

He wrote the gospel of Mark, which are the things that Peter was preaching as he went around and Mark accompanied him.

Mark also became useful to Paul later on as well.

We see in 2 Timothy 4:11 that Paul tells Timothy to “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:11

Application

Are you quick to judge others or slow to judge them?

Are you willing to give someone another chance after they may have failed you?

When someone who in the past has wronged you and they approach you and want to communicate are you quick to judge their motives?

When you believe that someone has wronged someone you care about, are you one to withhold the use of your gifts or talents for their benefit if they show repentance or do you question their motive as to why they are saying what they are?

James tells us that we “should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19)

Be slow to judge like Barnabas and allow your gifts to be used to the utmost.

God can use even the most unlikely people to accomplish His will and perhaps God will be using you in their life.

A third characteristic is that