Be A Barnabas - A Light Of Encouragement

For those not familiar with an Anglican Service there are three Scripture readings prior to the Message. The appointed Scriptures for this day are: 1 Samuel 1:4-20; Hebrews 10:11-25, and Mark 13:1-8

A married couple .....was asleep in bed on a stormy night ......when they were awakened by a loud knock..... on the front door.

The man crawled out of bed ......and grumpily ....went downstairs.

When he opened the front door..... he found a man dripping wet..... and obviously very drunk..... who said to him;...... " Can you give me a push?"

To which the man of the house.... replied sharply; "NO!..... Go and sober up!"

He slammed the door..... and stormed upstairs.

When he got back into bed ...and explained what had happened.... his wife was indignant ......and said to him;

"That wasn't a very kind Christian response.......That man could be in trouble..... and you have just sent him out into the storm..... for the rest of the night!"

Reluctantly.... the man got out of bed a second time ..... put on his coat..... and went downstairs.

He was sure he wasn't going to get any peace..... until he did something..... for the man..... out in the rain.

When he got to the front door...... the rain was streaming down.... and he could not see..... the other man.

He could hear a faint noise..... out in the front yard ....so he called out;

"Hello? ...Are you still there? .....What can I do to help?"

To which the other man replied;...... "Could you give me a push?"

"I'd be happy to if I could see you,.... where are you?"

"I'm over here, ......... on your swing!" (Long Pause)

Sometimes life brings us events....where you just have shake your head......and smile.

Have you ever had the experience .....of being out of town .....and the car..... just will not start;..... the battery is dead?

Everything else in the car is fine ....but the "get-up-and-go" in the battery .....has "gone-up-and-went".

The short term solution..... is usually for another car .....to come alongside..... and you hook up a set of jumper cables ......from their strong battery...... to your weak one.

Drawing energy and power..... your car is able to start up again .....and function normally.

That action of lending energy..... to help get another going ....is the basic idea .....behind a key word .....in the New Testament

And that word is...... "Encourage". (Pause)

Now...There is a man in the New Testament .....who had a particular reputation..... for encouragement.

His parents named him Joseph .....but the leaders of the early church called him.... Barnabas, ....which literally meant...... "Son of encouragement".

Barnabas ....was a man who believed in..... the potential of people .....particularly those....... whom others .....were cautious .....or suspicious of.

Barnabas was willing to give.... a failure ......a second chance,

And because of his predisposition towards encouraging people ....the leaders of the early church ...gave him the nickname..... "Son of encouragement".

Beloved.....I believe you and I .....are called to be .....like Barnabas.

To be..... A Barnabas.... towards others ......allowing relationship .....to flourish.

Now,.... the root meaning of the word encourage ....simply means ......"To put courage into".

It means the imputing..... or infusion.... of power ..... advice ....or inspiration ......in order...... to allow another person...to be better.....to be recharged.

There are times ....for each of us..... when our battery .....runs down.

Encouragement .....means coming alongside .....and inputting courage .... perspective .....or attitudes .....that helps others... get up ...and get going again.

There are many Things in life.... that cause us to experience ....discouragement...... that is..... the draining of courage.

Sometimes it is a crisis,..... sometimes it is exhaustion .... sickness,..... Or ....the cutting words or actions .....of another.

To encourage ....is to do the .....direct opposite.

Where courage has faded away, ...Encouragement ....is the putting back ....or refilling ....of courage.

It represents the replacement.... of what has been taken .....or what has leaked.... out of us.

So how do we encourage?

What are some practical ways.... that we can be a Barnabas ....to the people God places .....in our lives?

Let me offer 2 specific suggestions .....from the life .....of Barnabas':

First....(1 Finger) ....Allow people to grow:

By that .....I mean .....believe that God is working in the lives ....of other people.

That they have the potential... to mature... and to grow....in Christ.

People change .......people are transformed ....as the Holy Spirit .....works in them.

A Barnabas encourager ....expects people to grow ....as God works ........in their lives.

There is an interesting illustration of this..... in the relationship ....that Barnabas had.... with the Apostle .....Paul.

Early on ......after Paul's conversion .....it was Barnabas .....who was willing ...to stand ...beside him.

The other Christians leaders ....continued to be suspicious of Paul.... but Barnabas took A risk .... ....Stood by Paul .....and brought Paul ....to meet the Apostles.