Friendship Acts 242 Notes
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Discipleship
Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.”
So his armorbearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart.”
He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will be destroyed.
Friendship
A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.
Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
BARNABAS TAKES RISKS ON YOU WHEN OTHERS REJECT YOU
Barnabas was a man who saw potential in Paul when no one else did. He viewed him through a different lens.
A. Barnabas took Risks because he saw the potential in a person. (Acts 9:27)
But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
⁃ Saul had just been converted and God was moving in his life. He was active in preaching about Jesus .
⁃ The church in Jerusalem questioned the authenticity of his conversion . It was Barnabas who stepped in on Sauls behalf to declare what God was doing in him.
From the Book
“ That’s what a biblical friend like Barnabas does. He chooses to trust you, take risks on you, believe the best about you, and always give you the benefit of the doubt. He takes the time to know you at a deeper level, where who you are and what you have done doesn’t push him away from you. He’s the kind of man to whom you can open up and be honest. You can tell him anything, and he won’t rub your nose in it. A Barnabas believes God is big enough to produce real change in you. He sees your potential and steps toward you with whatever you need to keep going”.
⁃ Barnabas was able to look beyond the past history of Saul, to look beyond Sauls failures in order to see the future potential in his life.
⁃ If all we see in a person is their past failures , their history of conduct , we will never be able to see the potential they have in Gods hands .
⁃ I should be able to look at a person not based on their past history but with the exception of God doing something amazing in their lives
focusing our attention on the persons past will hinder viewing what God can do in their future.
B. Barnabas was willing to Takes a risk regardless of personal risk to himself
Opening up and being vulnerable always comes with the risk of being hurt, of being backstabbed of being rejected, or being let down. These are often times the things that will keep us from taking the risk on a person.
C. Barnabas taking a risk produced a platform in the lives of people
Book
“Barnabas’s encouragement gave Paul a platform for ministry and a boldness for the gospel”.
Barnabas saw what Paul didn’t see in himself. This encouraged Paul to look past himself and to see what God could do in him and through him.
Knowing that a person believes in you will produce confidence in your abilities and will produce trust in that person.
Platforms
when i think of platforms i think of David.
So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
we see that David behaved wisely before the king and before the people. It was this character that David had , a consistent character that allowed the people of Israel to accept him. David created a platform by the way he lived.
This principal is true in our lives as well. There is an importance in building platforms in the lives of those who God has brought around us. A Godly and consistent life will allow for opportunities to pour into peoples lives.
2. A Barnabas Serves Alongside you when Opportunities Open.
When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.
Barnabas encouraged the people to follow God. He would realize that he couldn’t do it alone so he goes to get Paul to come and help him. They would stay there for a year teaching for a year.
Book
“An encourager doesn’t lead alone. He’s no Marlboro man. He doesn’t think the world revolves around him. He thrives best in spiritual partnership. A Barnabas wants you to be what God has created you to be and provides the opportunity for you to use your abilities. He sees what God has put into you and is zealous that you serve the Lord to full capacity. It might mean he has to give up some of the limelight. So what? No ego here.”
A Few things
a. Barnabas realizes he can’t do everything alone.
He knows his limitations
b. Barnabas Provides opportunites
Barnabas sees the gifts and abilities that God has given you and wants you to be everything that God has made you to be , he wants to provide opportunities for you to be used.
c. Barnabas Has no ego
Barnabas has no ego because he has the right perspective. He knows who God is, he know who he is and what his role is, to bring glory to God. Having the proper perspective of both who God is and who we are will allow us to see our role properly.
this is how Barnabas was able to see who Paul would become , and how he was willing to provide opportunities and how he was not offended or jealous. He had the right perspective.
d. Barnabas was in motion
As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
Book
“notice how God calls - it’s when we are already in motion, active and engaged in service. He doesn’t want us sitting in service. He doesn’t want us idle, waiting for someone to discover us. God wants us to be willing to do the work without a title, without recognition. Wherever we are, that is the most important assignment. Whoever we are talking to, that’s the most important person in our world.”
Lance once told me...
“People who have vision are those who are present in the moment.”
The opposite is true as well. A person who is not present in the moment can often miss what God is actually trying to do. We can often miss the person that God has brought into our lives when we are always looking for the greater work, the big person or the great number of people.
it is important to be aware of the person or the people that God has brought into our lives and to realize that God has given me a platform in their lives for a season nd for a reason.
E. Barnabas Makes room for others
Book
“You have unique gifts and abilities that only you can use. God has also a specific ministry for you. A Barnabas will draw that out of you and make room for you. This is the kind of scenario God uses to turn the world upside down. Where would Paul have been if Barnabas had not made room for God’s call on his life?”
3. A Barnabas Remains Steadfast by you when opposition arises
Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. And they were preaching the gospel there.
And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked. Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.
Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
As Paul preaches the gospel in Iconium on their missionary journey, a crowd arises and the city is divided and they wished to stone Paul. Paul and Barnabas would go from Iconium and go to Lystra.
Paul would begin to preach in Lystra and the crowd from Iconium came and followed them stirring up the crowd. They would eventually stone Paul. The disciples would gather Paul and the next day , it was Barnabas who would travel again with Paul
Book
“And who was there with Paul to cheer, strengthen, and embolden him? It was his wingman, Barnabas. In praise and pain, Barnabas stood by Paul so that he could remain faithful. When the going got tough, Barnabas kept Paul going. The impact of a Barnabas cannot be overstated. In times of testing, true encouragers help you remain uncompromising. They remind you to stay humble in success as well as faithful in hardship. The pick you up when you fall down, and dust you off and send you back into the fray- and they come with you”.
A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
4. A Barnabas Clashes with you when Convictions Collide
book
“ In our relationships with other men, if we live with convictions, we will eventually collide. It’s inevitable, even in men who love the Lord. We won’t back down. We won’t always agree. In fact, some of our disagreements will be sharp. Sometimes we will part ways after some of the sweetest memories together. That’s not the ideal but it can happen. Even so, God can use those kinds of situations to sharpen us. That’s what Proverbs 27:17 means when it says, ‘Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another”. Iron only sharpens iron when it clashes, and sometimes that is unavoidable in relationships.
Open rebuke is better
Than love carefully concealed.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
5. A Barnabas stays loyal to you when Paths DIverge
bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.