How To Make Your Life Count for Christ
How to Make Your Life Count For Christ
Be a Barnabas!
( Selected Scriptures in Acts)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
If we are honest, every Christian wants to stand before Christ one day and hear the words “well done my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things and now I will make you in charge over many.” But how can we do this?
The Bible records many instances where God evaluates the lives of people and either approves or disapproves. We can examine the lives of those who have gone before us and be encouraged to model our lives after them. Barnabas is a man we should model after.
His real name is Joseph (Acts 4:36) but because of his ability to motivate people to serve God, the Apostles renamed him Barnabas—“son of encouragement.”
What does it mean to encourage?
- Comfort
- Counsel
- Help (aid)
- Build up
- Strengthen
- Exhort (urge, warn, advise)
- Reassure
Paul said, “be followers of me as I am of Christ (1 Cor 11:1).
Five ways Barnabas encouraged others:
1. He was a Sharer: He shared his material possessions (Acts 4:36-37)
A. He sold his land and gave the money because he had a burden for the ministry. Barnabas could see the real need on this earth (Missions).
B. He is set in stark contrast with Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-11)
2. He was a Supporter: Stood behind Paul before the other apostles (Acts 9:20-31)
A. When Paul needed someone to speak up for him, Barnabas was the man.
B. There is always a risk in doing this, but Barnabas noticed the change in Paul’s life and was willing to stand with and for him.
C. If it had not been for Barnabas, the ministry in Antioch would not have been as strong as it was (11:26). He found Paul and brought him there to teach the people.
3. He was a Servant: Made the work of God a priority in his life (Acts 11:19-24)
A. 11:24 Life was characterized as being “a good man, full of faith, full of the Spirit”
B. 11:22-23 Verified the Lord’s work in Antioch (knew what real ministry should look like); Encouraged the people to persevere “purpose in their hearts to serve” because it does pay to serve Jesus.
C. 11:26-30 – He took a famine relief offering back to Judea/Jerusalem (home church)
D. 13:1-5 He went out on missionary trips
E. 13:42-46 He stood firm in the face of opposition
4. He was a Sustainer: He restored weak brethren back to a purpose in life (John Mark 13:13, 15:36-41; 2 Tim 4:11)
5. He was a Stalwart: Speak boldly for God’s Truth (Acts 15:1-5, 12, 22, 30-35)
A. They stood for the salvation by God’s grace through faith alone.
Conclusion:
God will use people of faith who are led by the Holy Spirit to encourage others and spread the Gospel. Do you want your life to count for Christ? Be a Barnabas!