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WEEKLY
Volume 3 Number 47
19 April 2009
Be a ‘Barnabas’
(Message delivered by Eld Dr
Boaz Boon at the Worship Service, 2:00 pm, April 19, 09)
Text: Acts 11:19-30
The Scripture does
not record Barnabas as a great miracle worker nor is he one of the
famous twelve apostles. But his faithful and humble service was
extraordinary in his own day and certainly would be in today’s
‘me-centred’ culture. Such a selfish culture is prevalent today in
situations like being addicted to computer games to the abandonment of
family time; driving like a ‘road-bully’ to the irritation of other road
users; profiteering and greed for self at the expense of product
quality– this was partially responsible for the USA sub-prime contagion
economic crisis; and acting as ‘spectators’ in the church waiting to be
‘entertained’ rather than co-labouring in the Lord’s business. Let us
now see how the Lord used Barnabas for His glory and how we could
emulate his example.
Barnabas encouraged
Paul (previously named Saul)
Barnabas was born of
Jewish parents of the tribe of Levi. He was a native of Cyprus, where he
had possession of land and sold it to help provide for the church. He
was named, ‘son of consolation or comfort’ by the apostles.
Barnabas saw God’s
guidance in the newly-converted Saul and became his mentor and friend,
when others were suspicious of him. Saul was deserted and Barnabas
encouraged him. Barnabas is a godly person who dares to be different
from the crowd to do what is right in God’s sight. Saul was saved by the
Lord on the way to Damascus – transformed from a persecutor of the
Christian church (Saul) to become the leading apostle (Paul) who kept
the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ till the end. And Barnabas has been
his ‘brother of comfort’ during the early apostleship days of Paul.
Paul was hated by the
Jews because he was perceived as being a traitor—turning from a
persecutor of the Christian church to a preacher of the Christian faith.
When the Jews took counsel to kill Paul, the Christian disciples helped
to save him by letting him down by the wall in a basket. The Scripture
recorded, “And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed (tried) to
join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and
believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought
him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in
the way, and that he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of
Jesus.” (Acts 9:26-27). The apostles of Christ at Jerusalem accepted
Paul into their fellowship through the strong witness and recommendation
of Barnabas. It is most encouraging to have a friend, like Barnabas, who
stands by us in times when others doubted our testimonies.
The Holy Spirit
worked mightily at Antioch and many were saved in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Barnabas was sent to oversee the work at Antioch. When Barnabas needed a
helper, he went to Tarsus in search of Paul to assist him. Both of them
co-laboured at Antioch for about a year (Acts 11:19-26). He could have
asked any other spiritually matured person to help him, but he chose
Paul. Barnabas saw in Paul the potential to be trained up as a mighty
servant of the Lord. How many of us could have given a
‘failure-persecutor’ an opportunity to shine for the Lord Jesus Christ?
Barnabas encouraged
John Mark
Barnabas worked so
well with Paul and convinced the Jerusalem Council of Paul’s
faithfulness and usefulness to Christendom. Both of them were blessed
and sent forth to missionary work to further strengthen the saints and
spread the gospel in Asia Minor. Barnabas also took John Mark, his
nephew, along with him.
After the first
missionary journey, Paul disagreed with Barnabas on the idea of bringing
John Mark along on the second missionary journey. It was recorded, “And
some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our
brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and
see how they do. And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose
surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who
departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder
one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren
unto the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming
the churches.” (Acts 15:36-41).
John Mark was given a
‘second-chance’ by Barnabas. Later on, it was recorded in 2 Tim 4:11,
“... Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for
the ministry.” Paul finally accepted Mark. But the credit should be
given to Barnabas who believed that John Mark could be moulded into a
faithful servant of the Lord – just as how God did to Paul. John Mark is
now remembered as the writer of ‘The Gospel according to Mark”! How
wonderful it is to have a ‘Barnabas’ in our lives.
Barnabas manifested
the following Christian characteristics, which we should emulate—good
witness, understanding mentor, comforter, empathetic, sensitive to
others’ needs, peaceful, showing practical love, prayerful, spiritual,
kind, caring, generous, bold, persistent on what’s right, decisive,
focused, sacrificial, skilful in God’s Word, patient, humble, gracious,
exemplary, listening, persuasive, full of faith, teachable,
companionable, helpful, watchful, brave, trustworthy, selfless, see the
best and bring out the best in another person. Basically, Barnabas is
Christ-like.
Let us be a
‘Barnabas’ to others by being the ‘BEST’:
B—Biblical and Bold:
A ‘Barnabas’ needs to be equipped with God’s Word – “Study to show
thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Tim 2:15). The Christian
encouragement and counsel has to be solidly based on God’s Word – “Thy
word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. The entrance of
thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” (Psalm
119:105, 130).
A ‘Barnabas’ has to be a prayer
warrior – “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that
we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb
4:16). Without prayer, we tend to depend on our own strength and wisdom
which may not be pleasing to the Lord. We need to abide in Christ – “If
ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will,
and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7)
E—Encouraging and Empathetic:
A ‘Barnabas’ needs
to encourage others by building up rather than tearing down. It is
wonderful to think well of others – “Finally,
brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever
things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are
lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Phil 4:8). It is
always easy to harbour bitter thoughts of others, especially of those
that hurt us. Our Lord Jesus
loves us even though
we have sinned against Him. He loved us enough to die in our stead that
we believing in Him will be reconciled unto God, our Heavenly Father.
This must be the greatest empathetic act – to die in our stead. Hence,
we need to be Christ-like to put ourselves not merely to be sympathetic
but empathetic, i.e., to put ourselves in the shoes of the other person
– to understand and help.
S—Selfless:
A ‘Barnabas’ needs to
die to self and be alive in Christ – “I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life
which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who
loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2:20). Barnabas’ act of selling
his land to distribute to the needy in the church is exemplary. He has
the means and willing to sacrifice part of his wealth to help the
church.
A selfless person seeks to benefit others as Christ has sacrificed
Himself for us. All our material possessions belong to God. We are only
stewards of God’s blessings to us. We must strive to be faithful
selfless stewards.
T—Trustworthy:
A ‘Barnabas’ is
trustworthy or faithful. He will be loyal and truthful in his report.
Our Lord commends faithful servants – “His lord said unto him, Well
done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few
things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy
of thy lord.” (Matt 25:23). A faithful Christian makes a faithful
friend.
Conclusion
Let us endeavour to be Christ-like;
and be a ‘Barnabas’ to our fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord. In
that way, the church will be more vibrant and the spirit of Christian
love will emanate from us to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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