Intro: Picture yourself with me back in the early church. Jesus has died, risen, and ascended back into heaven. The apostles are in charge of the early church. These are the twelve who had been taught by Jesus. They do signs, wonders, and miracles. The church looks to them for leadership. And the church is growing like wildfire: thousands upon thousands being saved. Yet, with many people, there are many needs. And the apostles cannot meet them all. Look with me in Acts 4, as we see how these needs are met. We want to learn this morning from a man with a great heart: Cyprus Joe. Joe, the Levite from Cyprus. He is one of the most important men in the New Testament, and one with a message to share to each one of us today.
Read Acts 4:32-37 Pray
We find here recorded for us the story of the early church. They met in the temple courts and from house to house. They shared together, ate together, fellowshiped together, prayed together, and ministered to the needs of one another. There were apostles providing leadership for the church. Peter was there to stand up one the day of Pentecost and deliver a rousing sermon. But it was through their ministry to one another that the needs were met. So many times we think that the most important part of any church is the pastor. But, we see that it is really as the individual Christians in the church rise up and minister to the needs of one another that the church grows. Last week we talked about the need for us to follow Christ and progress in our faithfulness throughout our lives. But the call to follow Christ is also the call to serve one another.
Let’s learn from Barnabas about how we can minister to one another’s needs.
I. Barnabas used his gifts to help the body of Christ
Here we see this man, really named Joseph, is an interesting figure. He sells off some land, yet we see that he is a levite. Remember with me that Levites were not known for owning a lot of land. When the tribes of Israel entered the promised land, the land was divided up between the tribes, but the Levites were not given land, because they were to be devoted to the service of the Lord. Yet here is Barnabas, having land - probably a small property that was passed down to him - yet he is willing to give it up for the sake of the believers who were in need. Barnabas was not from Jerusalem, rather from Cyprus, an island many miles away. Yet he makes himself one with these fellow believers. In Christ, you can go a thousand miles away, walk in a church, and be one with people you have never met before in your life. Joseph cared enough about the needs of these Jerusalem Jews to give up his property to meet their needs.
It says the apostles knew Joseph: there was something that made him stand out. In the church at Jerusalem are thousands of converts to Judaism, yet this man Joseph is well known to the apostles, so much so that they have even given him a nickname: Barnabas, Son of encouragement. Cyprus Joe is so well known for his encouragement that it becomes his nickname: he is known for using his gifts.
What are you known for this morning? If I would go to your neighborhood, or your family, or your work place, what would people say about you? So often we go to funerals, and the preacher stands up and tries to finds something good to say about someone with few good points. Let’s make a commitment that we will choose to be identified now for the good we do.
Barnabas had a special gift. In Romans 12:4-8 we find these truths mentioned about Christians and their gifts: Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.
If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Barnabas had a gift of encouragement, and he used it to build up the believers. He offered encouragement wherever he was.
II. Barnabas used his gifts consistently throughout his life.
In Acts 4 we see Barnabas encouraging the church and the apostles by giving his land up, and donating the money to help the church. But this was not just a one-time act of kindness. Even the meanest and the stingiest people can be moved to do something nice once in a while. But Barnabas whole life was spent using his gift of encouragement.
In Acts 9:23-28, we see Barnabas being and encouragement to Paul. After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 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. So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
*In Acts 11:20-24 we see Barnabas being an encouragement to the Greeks who had believed. Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
In Acts 11:25-26 we see Barnabas being an encouragement to Paul to be involved in ministry. Paul had shared his conversion with the apostles, but had gone back home to Tarsus. Now we see Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 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.
In Acts 11:28-30 we see Barnabas being an encourager to the church at Jerusalem. Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul. Who do they turn to to send this offering to encourage the believers back in Jerusalem? Barnabas, the son of encouragement. Don’t you just love to have this guy come around! You always end up feeling a little better! We could all use a Barnabas or two in our lives.
In Acts 12:1-3 we see Barnabas is sent out along with Paul to start new churches. Barnabas is the traveling companion who keeps Paul encouraged in his work.
In Acts 15: 35-39, we see Barnabas is an encouragement to John Mark. 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." Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 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. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus.
Barnabas knows Mark has potential. He has made some mistakes. Yet Barnabas sticks with him, he doesn’t give up on him. Later on in 2 Timothy 4, we see Paul say Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. Why was Mark helpful? Because Barnabas didn’t give up on him, but kept on encouraging him to be all he could be.
III. The body of Christ Today is impacted as individual Christians use their gifts.
Barnabas had the gift of encouragement. He used it for the Lord, and everyone benefited. But remember what God tells us in 1 Peter 4:10 - Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
This morning, what is your gift? What is it that God has enabled you to do in a great way? And once you know what it is, ask the question, how am I using my gifts for the sake of the church.
Concl: The growth of the church is not determined by the greatness of the preacher who gives a sermon on Sunday morning. The church grows and people have their needs met as individual Christians, just like each one of you, reaches out to others every day of the week and does that which God has gifted you to do. Some of you are great encouragers, some are great listeners, some are great givers, some are great prayers. Whatever God has blessed you to do, do it for his glory!
