WSG 12-04-2015
Sermon
Story: I once read a story in one of Richard Wurmbrand’s books.
“An elder of a local free Church in Communist Romania was brought before the judge for embezzlement - a crime he had not committed.
His defence lawyer started his defence summation by telling the Court of a well-known story about the man that was circulating around the village.
One day, the man had been attacked while he was taking the church collection home to bank the next day and the thieves made off with all the money.
Fearing for the eternal souls of the thieves, the elder called after them,
“You haven’t stolen the church collection, which I have at home, you have only taken my money and I give it to you freely.”
The Judge stopped the defence lawyer and said: “You don’t seriously believe that nonsense do you?”
The defence lawyer replied: “No”
“Then why are you bringing it up in my court” the judge growled.
The defence lawyer replied:
“My Lord, if someone had tried to start a rumour like
that about you or me, it would never have got off the ground.
The very fact that this rumour could even get off the ground is a testimony to my client’s character.”
And this morning I would like to look at Barnabas, a man with a wonderful Christian character, whose gift of generosity is mentioned at the end of Acts 4
It’s the same sort of character that Jesus wants his followers to have.
A Christian character to go with our Christian profession.
It isn’t easy – but God is more concerned about what is on the inside of us than externals.
I like Barnabas because he is a man of integrity.
In these verses in Acts, he is introduced to us for the first time in the Bible.
What do we know of Barnabas?
It is interesting that hardly anyone knows Barnabas’s real name – it was Joses.
He must have been a larger than life character for the apostles gave him a nickname —Barnabas, which means son of consolation or encouragement.
It comes from the same root as the name often used by the Lord when talking about the Holy Spirit—the Comforter.
Barnabas provided help, encouragement, comfort, and wisdom to those around him.
He was a man described as full of the Holy Spirit – and as such he acted as such in the lives of the apostles.
He was a Jew from the tribe of Levi.
He was a native of the Island of Cyprus.
He played an important role in two churches –
The Church in Jerusalem (the mother church) and The Church in Antioch (the great Missionary church that was Paul’s “sending Church – to use today’s parlance).
I would like to reflect on a few of his character traits this morning
1. Barnabas was a man with a big heart – a generous man
Here in our reading from the book of Acts, we read of him selling off land – presumably in Cyprus from where he came to help the church support those who needed money in the church.
We see Barnabas’s generous heart as he helps the Church in Jerusalem see that Paul really has been converted:
We read in Acts 9:
26 When 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. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. (Acts 9:26-28)
2. Barnabas was a man of integrity
We read this in Acts 11:20-24 about the character of Barnabas
20 Some of the followers from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch and started telling Gentiles the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s power was with them, and many people turned to the Lord and put their faith in him. 22 News of what was happening reached the church in Jerusalem. Then they sent Barnabas to Antioch.23 When Barnabas got there and saw what God had been kind enough to do for them, he was very glad. So he begged them to remain faithful to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 Barnabas was a good man of great faith, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Many more people turned to the Lord.
I believe that Barnabas was effective in proclaiming the Good News of Jesus because he not only “talked the talk” but “walked the walk”.
We live in an age where people are sceptical of what they see as religious hypocrites.
That is people who say one thing but live differently
I think this is because, unless you live the Christian life, you haven’t earned the right to be heard.
And so the Church needs more people like Barnabas – men and women who have integrity in their lives.
It was Ralph Waldo Emerson who once said“Who you are speaks so loudly - I can't hear what you're saying.”
3. Barnabas was a man who could see potential in others and was prepared to develop it
i) The apostle Paul
We read that it was Barnabas who was the first to see the potential in Paul the apostle.
We read in Acts 11:
Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and 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.
Barnabas didn’t just see Paul’s potential, he did something about it.
He put his beliefs into action and went and got him for ministry
ii) John Mark, the author of the Second Gospel
We see a similar thing with John Mark, (the writer of the 2nd Gospel).
Paul couldn’t see Mark’s potential.
I think Paul He saw Mark as not dependable because Mark had dropped out of the First Missionary Journey when things got too hot.
Barnabas saw that if he invested time in Mark there was potential in him.
We read in Acts 15:
36 Some 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.”
37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but 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. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Paul didn’t always get it right and I think in the case of John Mark Barnabas was right to invest time in the young man.
I have always been fascinated to find Paul, in the final chapter of his final letter- recorded in Scripture, writing this to his student Timothy:
9 Do your best to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.
Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me.Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. (2 Timothy 4:9-11)
Paul had been so single-minded - after his first missionary journey – on the Gospel that he had failed to see the potential of Barnabas’ nephew, John Mark.
But God had not given up on John Mark and nor did Barnabas
It is a timely reminder that the Church needs BOTH the single-mindedness of Paul and the generous spirit of Barnabas.
It is not “either /or” but “both/ and”.
4. Barnabas was a man prepared to stand his ground for what he saw was right
We reading Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas
39 …….had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. (Acts 15:39)
I am not sure I would have wanted to pick a fight with Paul.
Paul might have been a superb debater, but Barnabas was no push over.
He stood for what he believed was right regardless of whether or not it was popular.
5. Finally Barnabas was not the type to feel threatened by the gifts of others
We read in Acts 13 verses 1-3 how the great missionary Church in Antioch sent Barnabas and Paul out as a team
Now what is interesting to me is that the reports of the first missionary journey start with “Barnabas and Paul”
For example we read in Acts 13 of Barnabas and Paul starting the first missionary journey in Cyprus. Luke records:
6 They travelled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7 who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.
Note Barnabas and then Paul
However later in the Chapter we read in verse 42
42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue…,
And then in Acts 13 verse 46
46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly….
It seems that when the team FIRST set out on the
first missionary journey, Barnabas appointed by the Church in Antioch was the leader of the team.
That would make sense – after all, Barnabas had been a Christian longer
But at some point in the first missionary journey the leadership of the team switched and Paul took over
What I noticed is that Barnabas is happy to accept the change. He still works closely with Paul and supports him.
In other words, Barnabas sits lightly on his position and authority.
So in CONCLUSION, can I sum up some of the positive traits I find in Scripture about Barnabas?
1. Barnabas was a man with a big heart – a generous man
2. He was a man of integrity
3. He was a man who could see potential in others and was prepared to develop it
4. He was a man prepared to stand his ground for what he saw was right
5. Finally Barnabas was not the type to feel threatened by the gifts of others
The Church is still in need of men and women who have Barnabas ’ heart.
We need Barnabas’ gifts - as well as Paul’s - if we are going to continue to effectively preach the Gospel in our increasingly post Christian generation.
