Acts 9 The Kind Of Friend That I Dream Of
The Kind Of Friend That I Dream Of
Someone has said that in prosperity our friends know us, and in adversity we know our friends. How do you know if someone is truly a friend? I recently found a humorous article on how you can tell if a person is truly a friend. A friend is someone who will keep your secrets even though they may be tempted or tortured by chocolate. A friend is someone who will destroy any photograph that makes you look like you're over weight. A friend is someone who knows you don't know what you are talking about, but will let you reach that conclusion independently. A friend is someone who will go on the same diet with you, and go off it with you too.
Friends are very important. You see, your friends are like the buttons on an elevator. They will either take you up or they will take you down. I want you to think for a moment, if you could choose the qualities in a friend, what qualities would you like that friend to have? If I could have a friend of my dreams I would want at least 4 qualities. First, I would want a friend who would help me when I have I have a deep need. There are times in my life and your life when we are under a heavy load, and we need a friend who will come along and help be a load lifter. Second, we need someone who will reach out to us while we are still a stranger. Have you ever moved to a new area, and what is the one thing you need? A
friend finder. Third, also, I would want a friend who is an encouraging encourager. I want a friend who can encourage me. Isn't it great when your friend comes when you are down and encourages you? Fourth, I want a friend who will help me when I have failed. We all need a friend who is a failure fixer.
In God's Word, we find one man who has all four of these qualities. His name is Barnabas. If I
would want a friend, I would want Barnabas as my friend. Why? Because Barnabas is a load lifter, he is a friend finder, he is an encouraging encourager and he is a failure fixer. Did you know that God used the friendship of Barnabas that resulted in one of the Gospels to be written and 13 books of the New Testament to be written?
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Do you know what Barnabas name means? It means encouragement. The same Greek word for encouragement is the same Greek word that is used to describe the Holy Spirit the when it says, "When the Comforter comes (John 14:16 KJV)." If there is anything that people need today, it is encouragement. And Barnabas' life illustrates 4 characteristics of the kind of friend that I dream of. And I pray God will put these 4 charistics into your life.
FIRST -- BARNABAS IS A FRIEND WHO IS A LOAD LIFTER.
Acts 4:36-37
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the
apostles' feet. (NIV)
The church was in deep financial stress. There was more financial needs than the church could meet. You see in Acts 1:15 there were 120 people who were gathered together. But less than 50 days later (Acts 2:40), there are over 3,000 people gathering together for church. And when you come to Acts 4:4 the number increases to over 8,000. You talk about having needs, here is one church that has grown beyond it dreams and now has phenomenal financial needs.
There were needs of those who lost their jobs. There were needs of those whose husbands died. The source of income was gone. There were needs of those who had gotten ill. There were the financial needs for the leaders of the church. They 2
had needs beyond the general offerings.
And do you know what Barnabas did? He didn't complain about the financial situation. Some people instead of being load lifters, are complaint grabbers. Barnabas went and sold some acreage of ground and he gave the entire sum of money to the church. Barnabas saw a need and he moved in and he lifted away that burden. What is your response when someone has a need?
General Grant's faithful friend, his chief of staff, was John A. Rawlins. John Rawlins was closer to General Grant than any other individual during the civil war. It was to Rawlins that Grant gave his pledge that he would
abstain from intoxicating liquors. When Grant broke that pledge Rawlins went to him and with great earnestness pleaded with him, for the sake of himself, and for the sake of the nation, to refrain from strong drink. Because John Rawlins was a load lifter, General Grant was a victorious general and president. And today you can stand in front of the Capitol at Washington D.C., and see the magnificent monument of General Grant, sitting on his horse in characteristic pose and flanked on either side by stirring battle scenes. But at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, a little to the south of the avenue, is Rawlins Park, where there stands a very ordinary, commonplace statue of John Rawlins the load lifter of General Grant. Whenever you see that great monument of Grant on his horse there in front of the Capitol, think of that other monument. Think of that faithful friend who kept Grant on the right track.
SECOND -- BARNABAS IS A FRIEND WHO IS A FRIEND FINDER.
Acts 9:23-27
23 After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill saul, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. 26 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. 27 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. (NIV)
Paul had become a Christian. But before he became a Christian he murdered Christians. He forced Christians to curse the name of Jesus Christ Acts 26:10-11). But now Paul is trusting Jesus Christ as Savior. And Paul is now sharing Jesus Christ, but he has a problem. Look at Acts 9:23.
Acts 9:23
23 After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, (NIV)
Paul's former friends are trying to kill him. And if that was not enough, look at verse 26 and see what the Christians are doing.
Acts 9:26
26 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. (NIV)
When Paul tried to make friends with the Christians, they wouldn't have a thing to do with him. So here is someone without any friends. His former friends won't have anything to do with him. And those who would be his friend, don't trust him. Can you imagine what it is like not to have a friend? I will tell you what it is like. Life without a friend is like the sky without the sun.
But watch what Barnabas does? Verse 27:
Acts 9:27
27 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. (NIV)
Barnabas was a friend finder.
A friend is one who walks in when everyone else walks out.
I ran across an interesting article about friendship. It said that most people who come to Christ do so because a friend shared the Gospel with them or that friend invited them to church or a Bible study. The article went on to say that only 2% of all Christians came to Christ because of an advertisement in the newspaper. Only 6% per became Christians because of a pastoral contact. Only 6% became Christians because of an organized visitation program. But 86% become Christians because of a friend. Just think of it, right now you have a friend that does not know Jesus Christ as Savior, and the key factor for them to know Jesus is you. They need a friend finder. They need a friend to invite them. They need a friend to sit with them in church.
You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get people interested in you.
A new homeowner's riding lawn mower had broken down, and he had been working fruitlessly for two hours trying to get it back together. Suddenly, one of his neighbors appeared with a handful of tools. "Can I give you some help?" he asked. In twenty minutes he had the mower functioning beautifully. "Thanks a million," the now-happy newcomer said. "And say, what do you make with such fine tools?" "Mostly friends," the neighbor smiled.
I have found that there are 3 kinds of people. First, there are friend finders. They will risk their time, their finances and their energy to develop friendships. Second, there are the caretakers. They want to just maintain the friends they have. And third, there are the undertakers. They have buried themselves in their own world. What kind of a friend
are you? You need to be a friend finder.
THIRD -- BARNABAS IS A FRIEND WHO IS AN ENCOURAGING ENCOURAGER. Acts 11:19-24
What is that all about? Well, a revival broke out 225 miles north of Jerusalem in Antioch. Word of that revival reached Jerusalem. The church in Jerusalem wanted to know, is that a true revival or a wild fire? So who do you think the church in Jerusalem sent 225 miles north to check out the revival? Look at Acts 11:22.
Acts 11:22
22 News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. (NIV)
They sent Barnabas. Now, who would you have sent? I would have sent Barnabas too. He is a load lifter. He is a friend finder. And he is an encouraging encourager. Barnabas took that 225 mile journey north and what did he see? Look at verse 23.
Acts 11:23
23 When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God... (NIV)
Barnabas saw the hand of God bringing a revival. Barnabas saw the revival and saw that it had the unmistakable stamp of God on it. Now watch what Barnabas did next. Verse 23 again.
Acts 11:23
23 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. (NIV)
Barnabas went around encouraging them saying, "Praise God," shaking hands and saying, "Keep up the good work."
Encouragement is the oxygen of the soul.
Did you know that encouragement is like a peanut butter sandwich? The more you spread it around, the better things stick together.
Adrian Ropers is pastor of Bellevue Baptist church in Memphis, Tennessee. Several years ago, on Mothers Day, his 9 month old son suddenly died. People came over to the house and expressed words of encouragement except one person. That person was a member of his church board. This board member was a very shy individual. It was always hard for him to speak up. But this board member came to Adrian Rogers house and with a tear in his eye he came in and gave Adrian Rogers a hug. And Adrian Rogers said, that hug meant more to him than all the cards and words that had been given.
Do you know what Barnabas didn't do? He didn't say, "Now look, we don't do it that way." Nor did he say, "Hey, we tried that, and it didn't work." Nor did he say, "We've never done it that way." Do you know what kills new people in church? The killing of new ideas. Some peoples motto is: Come we or come low, our status is quoe. But Barnabas was an encouraging encourager.
Shortly after Richard Nixon resigned as President he was hospitalized with phlebitis. He became extremely depressed. With the curtains drawn he confided to his wife Pat, "I want to die. I am so discouraged, I am so depressed. I have fallen in the eyes of the American public. Pat, it is my sincere wish to die." Pat was greatly concerned about her husband. That afternoon a nurse came in and greeted Mr. Nixon, and said, "I want you to see something." She went over to the drapes and she opened up the drapes. And there was a plane outside the window that had a trailing message behind it. The message said, "God loves you and so do we." The nurse said, "Mr. Nixon, this is for you. Somebody just called me on the phone asked me to show it to you." At that moment, his spirits turned around and that was the hope that he needed. He did not know who did that. But months later do you know who rented that airplain and bought that sign? It was Ruth Graham, Billy Graham's wife. Did God use her as an encouraging encourager? A friend is a load lifter. A friend is friend finder. A friend is a encouraging encourager.
FOURTH -- A FRIEND IS A FAILURE FIXER. Acts 15:36-40
What is that all about? Well, on the first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas had a young man named Mark who just up and quits on them. Now Paul and Barnabas wanted to take a 2nd missionary journey and Paul absolutely refuses to take Mark along. After all, Paul thought, why take a failure with you? But Barnabas is a failure fixer. Barnabas wants to take Mark, that failure, that coward, that back slider, whatever he was called. So Barnabas reaches down, lifts Mark up and puts his arm around him and says, "Come with me Mark, you have potential."
A friend is willing to share their heart with you, when others have cut your heart out.
A friend will put a warm arm around your shoulder after others have given you the cold shoulder. A friend will put you back on your toes when you're down on your heels.
A friend will still say hello to you after all the others have said good bye.
A friend may not be able to get to you when you're on top, but a friend will always manage to get to you when you are down.
A friend is someone who knows all about you, but loves you anyway.
As a result of the friendship of Barnabas, Mark was greatly used of God. It was mark who wrote the Gospel of Mark. And as a result of the friendship of Barnabas and Paul, God used Paul to write 14 books of the New Testament. Paul’s 13 books, plus the Gospel of Mark,
Never think that the friendships you establish have an insignificant impact. They have eternal rewards.
FALSE FRIENDS are like our shadow, keeping close to us while we walk in the sunshine but leaving us when we cross into the shade.
Henry Ford said, "My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me."
The early days of the missionary life of Cameron Townsend, founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators. At the time he was endeavoring to translate the New Testament in the Cakchiquel language in Guatemala: The Cakchiquel preacher Trinidad Bac was Cam's most helpful critic. If a meaning wasn't clear to Bac, he didn't hesitate to say so or to suggest an alternative. He knew the colorful Cakchiquel idioms better than anyone Cam had found and would explain them in vivid detail. For example, he told Cam that the expression for "friend," when broken down, meant, "your companion in cootie cracking." A good neighbor, Bac explained, is one "who will pick the cooties out of your hair, without pulling your hair." A friend is a load lifter.
In a beautiful district in Scotland, a boy from a well to do home in England was swimming in one of the lakes. Suddenly he was seized with a severe cramp. Screaming for help, he struggled to remain afloat. A boy about his own age heard his cry, plunged into the lake and with strong strokes brought him to shore. He administered aid and was able to save his life. Time passed, but the English boy never forgot the land who saved his life. Making a special trip to Scotland he informed him that it was his wish and the wish of his family that they be allowed to finance him in any advanced education he might choose. The Scottish boy chose the field of medicine and graduated with high honors. Later he entered into the filed of research and in 1928 found that germs could not exist in certain vegetable mold. He named his discovery penicillin, a discovery that was destined to save thousands of lives. His name, Dr. Alexander Fleming, soon became a household word. The English lad whose life he saved also became famous. While he was on a history making journey in the near East, meeting Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin in a series of important conferences, he was stricken with pneumonia. When he condition became serious, word was flashed to London and penicillin, discovered by the man who had saved him from drowning, was flown to his side. In a few hours, penicillin had added another illustrious name to the long list of lives it has saved, that of Winston Churchill.