Barnabas pt 2: Stories of God’s People
May 28, 2006
Intro:
Last week I shared the first part of the story of Barnabas, one of the early Christians and leaders of the church. We talked about how he was a man of generosity – selling an entire field and giving the money to the work of the Kingdom of God. Second, we saw him take a huge risk to give someone a second chance – this is the story where Saul, who had led the persecution against Christians, becomes a Christian himself and then tries to join the disciples in Jerusalem. None of the disciples believed that Saul had actually met Jesus, until Barnabas takes a risk, goes to meet him, hears his story, and then brings him to the other disciples. That is quite a risk – if Saul was only pretending, Barnabas’ actions would have resulted in at least the imprisonment of the majority of the leaders of the early church – as we know the risk is a good one, and Saul whom we also know as Paul becomes very important in the spread of the Gospel. And what I love about this risk is that Barnabas took a risk to believe in someone whom everyone else had given up on – and look at the results! Barnabas took a risk to love someone that everyone else was afraid of.
For me, that is a fantastic example of what we are striving to be as a church. Here is the phrase that forms part of our identity statement – “we joyfully choose to put relationships of love ahead of every other consideration.” That is exactly what Barnabas does – he chooses to take a risk, to investigate a person, and to put even the potential of a relationship of love ahead of every other consideration - even his own safety. There are times when I don’t even want to put loving relationships ahead of my own comfort and convenience, let alone take that kind of risk to love someone who is dangerous. Very inspiring!!
The last part of the story we looked at last week was how, 5 or 6 years after welcoming Saul into the group of disciples, and after Saul had faded from the story, Barnabas actively seeks Saul out to join him in ministry in the city of Antioch. I read from Acts 11:25-26: “25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.”
The First Missionaries:
The next main part of the story of Barnabas begins in Acts 13. “1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.”
Now, there is a whole study there on what the leaders and teachers were spending their time doing, and how they listened to the Holy Spirit, and gladly sacrificed two of their best for the broader work of the Kingdom of God, but we’ll save that for another time…
This is the very beginning of the missionary movement, and look who is sent – Barnabas and Saul. Many Scholars see the word order as significant – Barnabas’ name comes first, indicating he is the leader. So although we talk about “Paul’s” missionary journey, the evidence from this passage is that Barnabas actually takes the lead early in this endeavor, although that seems to change very quickly (and you can read the story in Acts 13:6-12 to see more of that).
That fits quite well with the picture of Barnabas seeking Saul out, bringing him to Antioch, involving him in the ministry, probably teaching and mentoring and laboring beside him. Now they are sent by the Holy Spirit to new places of ministry, and they go together.
That passage continues: “4The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.” I include those verses because of the last bit right at the end: “John was with them as their helper.” John? Who is this??
Introducing John:
To figure that out, we have to back up one chapter, to chapter 12. Barnabas and Saul had taken a gift of money from the church in Antioch to the church in Jerusalem, to help with a famine. While they were there, Peter gets thrown in prison and is then miraculously let out by an angel, and verse 12 tells us “he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.” Most likely, this home was one of the places where the church met, sort of an “underground church” – and it was where John Mark lived. Right at the end of that story, verse 25 says, “25When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.”
We learn another important piece from Gal 4:10: “My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas.” The word translated “cousin” could also be “nephew”, which is perhaps better for us because it helps recognize his “junior” status. Either way, there is a family connection, and we’ll leave it at that. There is much more, including how he wrote the gospel of Mark, but we are telling Barnabas’ story, so let’s get back to that.
Back To Barnabas:
Barnabas and Saul head out on their journey, they bring Mark, and they have an incredible season of ministry. The rest of Acts 13, and all of 14, describe that journey and all the amazing things God did. It is summed up in 14:26-28: “26From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. 28And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.”
Controversy Follows Success:
Here is a question: what often happens right after a season of strong ministry? Any ideas?? (invite response).
In chapter 15 we find out – an “internal” controversy springs up: the Jewish Christians respond to all the new Gentile Christians by trying to force them to become circumcised – essentially requiring them to convert to Judaism if they want to believe in Jesus, who is the Jewish Messiah. Acts 15:1-2 says, “1Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." 2This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.”
They meet in Jerusalem, and come to some conclusions, and that whole story is well worth your read, but the debate continues for numerous years – what does it mean to be a Gentile believer in the Jewish Messiah? In fact, Paul mentions this very issue in Galatians 2 and we see one more aspect of Barnabas’ character: “11When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.”
Here is my reason for including this: Barnabas wasn’t perfect – even though he spent so much of his life in ministry to the Gentiles, he got caught up and demonstrated some hypocrisy until confronted by Paul.
The Disagreement:
The immediate controversy in Acts 15 ends, and Barnabas and Saul return to Antioch. Listen to what happens next: “36Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers 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 brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.”
This is the last mention we have of Barnabas in Acts, because the story follows Paul from this point on. But it is significant.
What is going on here? John Mark hadn’t lasted on the first journey – he had “deserted” them early in that trip. We don’t know more than that, but we do see that Paul is still upset about it, and refuses to take Mark along. Verse 39 says, “They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus”.
I believe it is the exact same theme we saw many years earlier, when Barnabas was the only one willing to take a risk on Paul. Now Barnabas wants to take a risk on another person – he wants to give another man another chance – and he believes so strongly in giving Mark another chance that he parts ways with a man he had brought into ministry, mentored, journeyed with, been persecuted with, celebrated with, and shared life with. They part company, because Barnabas wants to once again take a chance on someone.
There is lots of evidence that Mark was younger than Barnabas and Paul, and so I believe there is one more part to this confrontation: Barnabas wants to pass some leadership and training along to a new generation of leaders. Now, I’m speculating here, but remember that most of the early Christians believed that Jesus was going to return within their lifetime – I can’t help but wonder if Barnabas saw things a little longer term, and perhaps was on the cutting edge and thinking into the future a little further, and was willing to invest himself, once again, in training up another young and potentially powerful leader and servant of the church.
The Last Part Of The Story:
The last part of the story of Barnabas actually doesn’t even mention him. It is many years later, probably at least 10, and Paul is writing to Timothy. It is near the end of Paul’s life, and he is very personal in this letter. And sandwiched in at the end, among a bunch of greetings and personal instructions, is a little verse right near the end of 2 Timothy (in chapter 4:9-13): “9Do your best to come to me quickly, 10for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.”
Did you catch it? “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” I think this is the last part of the story of Barnabas – he has successfully mentored Mark, Mark has proved himself even in Paul’s eyes, and as a result of Barnabas’ believing in Mark, Paul and Mark are reconciled and once again working together for the Kingdom of God.
How Does This All Apply To Our Lives?
Although we have had to dig around, and piece the story together, I love this story of Barnabas. Luke’s summary in Acts 11:25 seems a very fitting description: “24 (Barnabas) was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.”
Now, how does it all apply to our lives? The reason we read Scripture is not just for the great stories, but for how they instruct us in our lives. Generally, in my conclusion, I try to pull some things together to encourage and to challenge us – last week I challenged us each to think of someone we could encourage, like Barnabas did for Saul and like we see him also doing for Mark.
But this week I want to conclude differently – instead of me listening to God and trying to draw some conclusions for all of us, I want you to take this next moment to reflect on the story and let God speak just to you. We’ll have some space in quiet, to reflect and to listen. To guide that time, let me ask you this specific question:
“What is there in the story of Barnabas that challenges, or encourages, or instructs you?”
