Barnabas: A Gift of Encouragement

2. Barnabas: A Gift of Encouragement Reflections for Renewal Series [7]Acts 9:19-31

3. THE CRITICAL ROLE OF ENCOURAGEMENT IN SPIRITUAL RENEWAL • Spiritual renewal is not a “self-help” process but a “communal” process. • The Christian life is an interdependent journey. • We all need others’ encouragement in this journey. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22

4. THE CRITICAL ROLE OF ENCOURAGEMENT IN SPIRITUAL RENEWAL • Mutual encouragement plays a critical role in perpetual spiritual renewal. • We need to seek others’ encouragement. • We also need to seek to encourage others. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25

5. THE CRITICAL ROLE OF ENCOURAGEMENT IN SPIRITUAL RENEWAL • Encouraging others can make an impact that reaches far beyond one’s own sphere of influence. • An example of Barnabas: Joseph whose nickname was “Son of Encouragement.” 36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. Acts 4:36-47

6. THE CRITICAL ROLE OF ENCOURAGEMENT IN SPIRITUAL RENEWAL • Encouraging others can make an impact that reaches far beyond one’s own sphere of influence. • An example of Barnabas: Joseph whose nickname was “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36-37). • Barnabas’ encouragement made a huge impact on Paul and Mark whose combined writings make up a half of the New Testament (14 books).

7. BARNABAS: WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GIVE A GIFT OF ENCOURAGEMENT? • It requires us to TAKE RISKS IN SUPPORTING those whom we encourage. 26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. (vs. 26-27) • To enCOURAGE takes our “courage” to vouch for someone. • Barnabas took a huge risk for an ex-terrorist/persecutor of the church who claimed to be a believer now (Saul). • So, how should we encourage? We are to go out of our ways to support a brother or sister—taking risks for him or her.

8. BARNABAS: WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GIVE A GIFT OF ENCOURAGEMENT? • It requires us to SEE THE POTENTIAL IN those whom we encourage. 26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. (vs. 26-27) • Barnabas had a willingness to see Saul’s potential. • It takes believing in the one whom we encourage before everyone else is convinced of him/her. • So, how should we encourage? We are to see others’ potential and invest in them with a long-term perspective.

9. BARNABAS: WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GIVE A GIFT OF ENCOURAGEMENT? • It requires us to BE HUMBLE AND WILLING TO FOLLOW those whom we have once led and encouraged. 19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. (Acts 11:19-24) 

10. BARNABAS: WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GIVE A GIFT OF ENCOURAGEMENT? • It requires us to BE HUMBLE AND WILLING TO FOLLOW those whom we have once led and encouraged. 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians… 13 Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia... (Acts 11:25; 13:13) • Barnabas was humble and selfless to bring in Saul/Paul into his success for partnership. • Deferring the first-place of leadership requires a Kingdom perspective on prominence and success. • So, how should we encourage? We are also to be humble in empowering and honoring those whom we have led.

11. BARNABAS: WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GIVE A GIFT OF ENCOURAGEMENT? • It requires us to BE PATIENT IN FAILURES OF those whom we encourage. 37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other.  Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. (Acts 15:37-40) • Barnabas was fully aware of John Mark’s failure but embraced him. Why? He saw his potential! • Paul later changed his mind about John Mark (2 Tim 4:11) • So, how should we encourage? We are to patiently encourage when one whom we encourage fails.

12. BEING AN ENCOURAGER TO ONE ANOTHER When Martin Luther made the priesthood of believers one of the foundation stones in his work of reforming the church, he didn’t, as many other reformers have tried to do, intend to eliminate priesthood as such. He was democratizing a priesthood that had been debased into a religious bureaucracy. He was designating every one of us to responsibilities of being priests to one another: guiding, praying for, encouraging – but not taking over, not interfering. Stubborn and rampant consumerist individualism – everyone for himself, herself, and the devil take the hindmost – is alien to the Christian life. We need our brothers and sisters; our brothers and sisters need us, and they need us as men and women of God. That is the context in which Peter told his congregation that they were a “holy priesthood” (1 Peter 2:5,9). - Eugene Peterson

13. THREE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS IN TRAINING FOR GODLINESS • In what ways can I seek more encouragement from others in my community? • In what ways can I intentionally encourage others around me more—(1) taking risks, (2) believing in the potential, (3) deferring prominence and limelight to others , and (4) being patient in failures of the one whom I led? • What is my first step toward becoming an encourager? Whom can I encourage in the coming week?