Introduction:
Continue in hearing what the Lord has to teach us about hope.
As a means of review and introduction…I want to begin by distinguishing three types of hope. Those based on…
· Promises (of God) – “He will…” (Anchor)
Began on Easter Sunday… the resurrection of Jesus Christ is our ultimate and ‘living hope.’
The writer of Hebrews calls it “an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” It’s an anchor for our souls in a world of uncertainty and troubles.
John 16:33… Jesus says…
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Such hope is something we don’t have to conjure up… it comes from God… based on His promises.
· Presumption – “He must…”
There are times when we may drop anchor in hopes that simply leave us stuck… hopes that become unspoken demands in our hearts. We’ve decided what God should do and now he ‘must’ do. Here’s where we may have to grieve some past losses and let downs in order to really enter the hope God has for us.
· Possibilities – “He can…”
This is the hope of possibility…. Not of presuming ‘God must’ but of living in the possibility that ‘God can.’ God seeks people who keep their hearts open … open to the possibility of what he can do in them… and in others. It’s this hope in others I want to focus on now.
Story – Young man who gave his heart to Christ…struggled to keep that commitment.. Each summer recommitted… finally broke through… was a leader… then became lost again before his heart finally settled it’s path. I know because I was that young man. And I know the significance seeing possibilities for myself… and of those whose hearts could kept seeing possibilities in me.
> God’s Word gives us a story of what’s involved with keeping an open heart. It’s a story within the life of the first disciples of Jesus…. A story we can trace through the Book of Acts.
The lesson of an open heart…
Acts 4:36-37
“… there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means "Son of Encouragement"). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus. He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles for those in need.” [NLT]
Acts 9:26-27
“When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the followers. But they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe he was a true follower. Then Barnabas helped him by taking him to the apostles. He explained how Saul had seen the Lord and how the Lord had spoken to him. Barnabas also said that when Saul was in Damascus, he had spoken bravely in the name of Jesus.” [CEV]
Then Barnabas takes Saul with him on a missions trip.
Acts 12:25
“When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.” (cf. 12:12)
This John who is also called Mark is first introduced to us in 12:12, where we are told that during the persecution in Jerusalem, many disciples were gathering regularly for prayer at the home of a woman named Mary. John Mark was her son and elsewhere it is noted that he is a cousin of Barnabas…. Likely a younger cousin. Mark was sometimes called by his Jewish name, John, and sometimes by his Roman name, Mark.
Acts 13:5
“… in the town of Salamis, they went to the Jewish synagogues and preached the word of God. (John Mark went with them as their assistant.)” [NLT]
Acts 15:36-40
“After some time Paul said to Barnabas, "Let’s return to each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are getting along." Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not shared in their work. Their disagreement over this was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. Paul chose Silas, and the believers sent them off, entrusting them to the Lord’s grace.” [NLT]
But the story isn’t over…
2 Tim. 1:15, 4:11
“You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me…. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” (cf. Colossians 4:10)
Many have noted the conflict that arose between Paul and Barnabas as a reminder that the first followers of Jesus were as real as any of us. But it’s the ending that strikes me most. The very person whose failure Paul feels so strongly about and refuses to allow with him… he now asks for. He had marked him as a ‘deserter’ and now he specifically asks for him when others desert him because he knows him as one who will be helpful.
Even before this final account we know something had changed… for in Col. 1:14 he is imprisoned and expresses his appreciation for Mark who is with him… telling the church to “welcome him.”
As I read those words, the Lord spoke to me simply saying – “Keep an open heart.”
I was reminded that God writes each character … each struggle… each outcome into the story for us. These relationships aren’t peripheral to the story, they are a part of the story.
And as I sought to understand more about what the Lord was saying to me I could appreciate what he had to say in this story, which involves three primary characters.
Barnabas - Barnabas was a Levite and native of the island of Cyprus. His real name was Joseph (Joses), before the disciples gave him the name Barnabas which means “son of encouragement.”
When we hear that we may think of him as just a nice guy. When we think of a guy nicknamed as an ‘encourager’ we might think of a naïve, optimistic, ‘slap on the back’ nice guy who throws kind words around just to keep people happy.
But that’s not who Barnabas was. The word for encouragement can also mean prophecy or exhortation. He was one who spoke prophetically into peoples lives and he did this in a way that reflected unusual strength and courage… which we first see as Saul enters the scene.
Acts 9 refers to how all the disciples were afraid of him. Lets try to grasp the feelings and fear involved as Saul first arrives in Jerusalem. Saul had been the notorious persecutor who had taken it as his personal quest to get rid of all the followers of Jesus… to get rid of them… and they all knew it was at his feet that their friend Stephen had been executed. It’s as if we had all heard of a well-known public figure who had been going around trying to get rid of all those associated with the Vineyard …. imprisoning them… killing them…. And we just found out he’d arrived in Santa Monica.
Now there were strange stories that this Saul had had a miraculous encounter with Christ and was preaching the good news of Christ and his forgiveness.
But who’s ready to trust a murderer?
> Barnabas is. He’s willing to risk going to Saul… discerning what is true. And now brings him to the disciples at the risk of their fears and stands up for him. He had an open heart regarding Saul… and it won the day.
Then he took Paul with him on a mission’s trip…. And they take John Mark...young apprentice. But at one point when the road and resistance is especially tough… Mark turns back.
Mark was eager to do the right thing, but he had trouble staying with a task.
In his Gospel, Mark mentions a young man (probably referring to himself) who fled in such fear during Jesus’ arrest that he left his clothes behind.
This tendency to run appears to have reappeared.
When it’s time to travel again later, Barnabas wants to take Mark, but Paul’s heart is closed… settled. What does Barnabas do? He stands up to Paul… who was now far more notable and influential than he was…. But Barnabas speaks what he sees … he sees possibility in Mark. Paul’s heart is closed and so they split up.
Then we are given the glimpses of Paul’s heart at the end of his life… of his heart for Mark. What had happened? Had Paul been wrong in his judgment of Mark?
Perhaps his perceptions had just gotten too narrow and his heart too closed to seeing possibility.
> He learned a lesson from Barnabas about keeping an open heart.
What keys does God teach us about an open heart?
1. An open heart begins with recognizing what GOD CAN DO.
Barnabas wasn’t naïve, he just grasped what God could do. After all he was part of the whole wild experience that Jesus began in choosing people like himself… like the disciples.
The God of all creation chose those with no education…no social standing… no social skills… those as easily given to competition and conflict as any. (The most practical and steady may have been Judas.) When Jesus ascended leaving the message of God’s Kingdom with those individuals he made the most powerful statement that could ever be made about the potential of what God can do through us… among us.
> Barnabas recognized that potential.
Barnabas knew Peter’s name wasn’t really Peter… it had been Simon. Jesus changed it.
Barnabas knew who Saul was…but he saw who he could become with God… the apostle Paul.
He knew he had simply been Joseph, but now he was Barnabas - gifted and known for ‘encouragement.’
Barnabas remembered what Jesus had said…
Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God." Mark 10:27
If you want a wonderful experience, take your Bible and look up the two little words, "but God." See how many times human resources have been brought to an utter end; despair has gripped the heart and pessimism and gloom has settled upon a people; and there is nothing that can be done. Then see how the Spirit of God writes in luminous letters, "But God," and the whole situation changes. The impossible becomes possible.
It’s true of your life… my life… and those who God has put in our life… even those who let you down.
We need ‘but God’ vision. Because an open heart begins with recognizing what God can do.
2. An open heart doesn’t define people by their PROBLEMS or their PAST.
Because of the God Factor nobody has to defined and destined by their problems or their past.
Hard to find a character who God has used in history who He doesn’t give every human reason to disqualify. (David, Peter,…)
My own evaluative/analytical nature. I can size up and in doing so invariably ‘size down’ what I foresee around me. Over the years I’ve watched all the people in my life expand before me…. Beginning with my bride whom I married when she was 22… as I’ve watched her become a nurse… mother… leader.
Staff… Roberta… Katherine, Gary, so many leaders and people who minister in so many ways.
> While I smile and enjoy the surprise, I know I have to look at my heart and let it open to even greater potential in all of them. I don’t want to simply be like Paul finding myself pleasantly surprised but knowing I tried to negate such possibility … I want to be like Barnabas knowing I was a part of envisioning and encouraging such possibility.
“Treat man as he appears to be, and you make him worse. But treat a man as if he already were what he potentially could be, and you make him what he should be.” - Goethe.
3. An open heart is expressed in WORDS and ACTIONS.
No doubt Barnabas spoke prophetically into these lives. Words are powerful.
Most of us tend to see less that’s valuable and possible in us than others do.
We need to tell others what we see in them… the gifts… the strengths… potential… hope.
Notice how else the open heart of Barnabas was expressed.
What are we first told he did for the community of apostles?
> He sold his property and gave the proceeds to the Jerusalem church (Acts 4:36-37).
What did he do for Paul ?
> He went to him… mentored him…brought him to the apostles… stood with him… and spoke for him.
What did he do for Mark when Paul’s heart was closed and refused to taking him?
> He took him. No doubt he encouraged Mark with words… but I’m struck by the simple statement, “Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus.”
Our open hearts towards the potential in others will be most fully expressed in both words and actions. Words are not cheap… they are powerful. But if we want to speak the hope of possibility into other people’s lives… we will say it most powerfully when we step out and stand with them in some way.
Examples –
· Friends who support someone pursuing a mission’s trip or ministry…Or raise anonymous money for a friend in need.
· Husbands and wives who support their spouses in going back to school or making career changes.
· Friends who show up at events to support us or speak on our behalf.
It’s putting our money, time, and reputation behind someone.
Such actions change lives… they release people to fulfill what God desires.
Keeping an open heart will require risk… discernment… patience… perseverance…..
Did Barnabas know for certain if Paul would prove safe to embrace ? …that Mark would really change? No. Barnabas had really good reasons to close his heart to Paul… to Mark. But he kept an open heart…. he lived with a heart of possibility.
· He recognized what God could do.
· He didn’t define people by their problems or their past.
· He expressed his view of someone by his words and his actions.
And the rewards proved greater than the risk. Without this open heart Mark would likely never have remained in relationship with the apostles and written the Gospel that bears his name. Paul would never have been entered the life of the first disciples, become an apostle himself, and written most of the New Testament… the Good News we can now hold onto. All because Barnabas kept an open heart.
Conclusion:
Where is your heart regarding the potential in yourself?
Maybe you can identify with Mark. You’ve fallen short… feared too much… failed more than a few times. And you wonder if God has much he can do with you. Keep an open heart. Remember Mark who didn’t give up a bit but grew up from those who could help him.
Where is your heart regarding the potential of those around you?
Is there someone in your life who you’ve defined by their failures… problems… past?
Perhaps a long time friend… spouse… a parent or sibling… a child.
Has your heart closed off from thinking in terms of possibility…. and relating to them in a way that speaks of greater potential?
This morning the Lord invites us to bring our closed perceptions to the altar of His possibility.
