Joseph, The Son of Encouragement

Barnabas

There are in our Bible’s many character who take the main stage; Noah, Moses, David, Paul, etc. and then there are you lesser known, but often times equally important characters like Jonathan, Hezekiah, and of course the man who our lesson is all about, Joseph, or better known by the nickname the apostles gave him, Barnabas.

The lesser characters are often overshadowed to the extent that we do not gain profitable information regarding them and their good qualities as we can do if we would focus more attention on them.

Barnabas was a preacher with the ability to exhort, strengthen, build up, comfort, and admonish his brethren.

Let us remind ourselves in this study tonight that there is always a great need for people who can be like Barnabas.

We are each here to help each other get to heaven Hebrews 10:24–25 “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Barnabas realized this and practiced maybe more than anyone else in the Biblical record. Perhaps this is why the Apostles gave him this nickname.

Let us take a step back and read of the first time this man is referenced in Scripture

Acts 4:34—37

Imagine you are that poor widow who needs help, no money, house is about to be foreclosed, you have no where to turn to so you ask the apostles, knowing they probably cannot help seeing as how most of them are poor Galilean fishermen, but you are on your last rope!

You talk with Peter and he hands you a bag of money, you ask him how did they ever come up with this, and he points to Joseph… that is a man that knows what it means to encourage

In fact, it was such the personality of Joseph to be an edifying, encouraging man, that the apostles gave him a new name (that is Bar-Nabas, Son of Encouragement, or consolation)

Something entirely unique about this encounter is that without the Spirit inspiring Luke to tell us of Barnabas, he would have remained in the shadows, totally anonymous to us, but now he has advanced to a place of high prominence in the history of the church.

We also learn in this account that Barnabas was a Levite, we may realize that John the Immerser was also of the Tribe of Levi and the following are said of his parents

Luke 1:6 “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.”

Of course nothing is said of Barnabas’ parents, but it would seem that he was raised in a God fearing household, let us all strive to do the best to help our friends, family, children, and loved ones go to heaven, no matter the cost.

Finally, we may learn of Barnabas’ pure devotion to the gospel, he took no wife, had no family, instead he traveled and preached the word everywhere he could, we read of this by Paul

1 Corinthians 9:3–6 “Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, Have we not power to eat and to drink? Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?”

Valuable Lessons from the life of Barnabas

Barnabas’ generosity hardly knew any bounds, the first thing of know of this man in scripture is that

(He) Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet (Acts 4:37)

Barnabas was not asked to do this, the Apostles did not have to approach him, no one had to call him up and beg for his support, he freely gave it.

We might take a lesson here from Barnabas, in matters of faith, quit waiting for someone to ask for your help, if you notice something in the church not being done, make an effort, go talk to the deacon in charge, stop sitting back and expecting everyone to tell you what to do!

These acts of generosity put us in a very admirable esteem in the eyes of not only people, but most importantly God.

Barnabas put the important things first, in fact this attitude was common in the church at Jerusalem

Acts 4:32 “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.”

The free nature of this man is an example that the teaching of Christ bring out the best in us

The gospel roots up, pulls out, and stomps down; pride, arrogance, selfishness, self-centerdness, envy, covetousness, and the love of money.

The void left by those ungodly things is filled with; brotherly love, kindness, charity, and good will toward others, especially those of the household of faith.

Who among us present doesn’t wish for these traits in their life?

Parents ought to follow this example

Ephesians 6:4 “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

Elders ought to follow this example

1 Timothy 3:2 “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;”

1 Timothy 3:3 “Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;”

This of course means that any man at all who lives to amass and hold on to material things not only shouldn’t accept an appointment to shepherd God’s flock, but needs also to be removed if in that appointment.

And of course any Christian must follow this example to be an edifying, uplifting, and generous person, as was Barnabas, so is Christ

The next lesson we may learn from Barnabas is another exemplary act

Now let us imagine you are the new convert, Saul of Tarsus, you are excited to meet the Apostles, the guys you have heard so much about, all the saints in Jerusalem, but you forgot something, those are people you once persecuted.

You are in need of a friend, and of course Barnabas was all to happy to step in and lighten your load

Acts 9:26–28 “And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed 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 spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.”

Of course we now that Saul had well earned his infamous reputation, he had consented to the death of the martyr Stephen, made havock of the church and entered every house hauling men and women committed them to prison (Acts 8:3), and he wasn’t satisfied with his persecution in Jerusalem so he went 150 miles all the way to Damascus

Until Acts 9:1–2 “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.”

It was this man, Saul the blasphemer, persecutor, and injurious wicked man that Barnabas would take to the apostles, declaring him to be worthy of their confidence and a true disciple of the Lord.

We owe a majority of the NT to yes Paul, but may I suggest that we owe it also to Barnabas? Had it not been for Barnabas stepping in here for Paul and taking him under his wing, maybe God would have had to use someone else, maybe Paul would have given up on the idea of following Christ.

Acts 11:19—30

vs. 20 these men from Cyprus seem to include Barnabas who was also a Christian from that region, bring the gospel to the gentiles

vs 23 and 24 notice how the Holy Spirit describes this man Barnabas, he was the primary cause that “much people were added to the Lord”

vs 25 who is it again that takes Paul under his wing? Barnabas here seeks after Paul and then goes on to evangelize

vs 26 it is the case that much of the reason for why I bear the name Christian has to do with Barnabas’ work at Antioch

vs 27—30 These Christians that live way over in Judea who are about to go through a famine, we are going to gather a large sum of money and we need someone we can trust to take and do good with it

They knew the perfect man for the job, again, it was Barnabas.

If you are seeking to be the person that people can depend upon, the one who is added souls to the church, the one who is there when everything else is falling down, you need to be like Barnabas

If inspiration would have closed out the life of Barnabas, we may have missed his greatest lesson.

Being second,

Up to this point in time, Barnabas had been the more public and prominent member, even more so than the Apostles Paul

He sold his land to help the needy and was commended by the Apostles well before Paul ever became a Christian

After Saul’s conversion, Saul was entirely dependent on Barnabas’ “letter of recommendation” to be accepted by the church.

It was Barnabas who was sent out from Jerusalem to exhort the young disciples in other places, it was Barnabas who searched out Saul and brought him back to Antioch.

Luke was told by the Holy Spirit to say this,

Acts 13:2 “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”

In the first part of the journey from Antioch Luke writes of Barnabas (Acts 13:7)

Soon later he speaks of “Paul and his company (Acts 13:13)

The people of Lystra said the following

Acts 14:12 “And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.”

Barnabas was willing, later on in his life to take a backseat position in order to allow God to have more glory, we might be reminded of John the Immerser one more time here as we do some reading

John 1:19–37 “And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.”

Whether or not Barnabas used John as a role model he sure did leave the same lesson for us all, one of humility, sound preaching, edification, and love for God and His people.

We should not feel threatened by the success of a brother in Christ, instead we ought to edify, strengthen one another, because we all have the same goal and we are working for the same God.

Conclusion

All of these things we learn from Barnabas ought to be shown in our lives

Not many of us would sell our land to help others.

Few would stand with a friendless, helpless brother in Christ.

Many preachers, teachers, and others would find it difficult to play a supportive or secondary role

Yet Barnabas does all of these things in a remarkable way

It has been my understanding that the character, strength, and faith of Barnabas are best reflected in two occasions,

One when he stood with Paul (Acts 9:26—27)

He was willing to stand up when he knew Paul was being mistreated by others

And the other when he stood against him (Acts 15:36—41)

He was also when to stand against Paul when Mark was being mistreated who later did become useful to Paul, as Barnabas surely knew he would

The last point we knew to look at is Barnabas’ still being a sinful man

He was like us, he was tempted and eventually it led him to error.

Barnabas unfortunately did wrong at Antioch, Paul details this most sad even in a letter to the Galatians

Galatians 2:13 “And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.”

Barnabas is an example of a man who made a difference in the world. God, through him, accomplished great things. He left the world much better than he found it, and it has been better ever since. The spirit of Christ was truly exemplified in his very useful life.

Have you left this world better than you found it?

What sin are you holding on to in your life?

Will you be like Barnabas and step out of the shadows to serve God?