Acts 9: A Barnabas Church
Notes
Transcript
Good morning, two weeks ago we left off in Acts 9 and we discussed the Offense of Grace through the life of Saul/Paul. Today we will continue in Acts 9 and we will continue in the story of the newly converted Paul.
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How many of you older Christians have ever had to deal with a new believer that was both radical, annoying, and if you were honest a little dangerous?
You know the type of Christian I am talking about right? They were crazy and radical in their life before Jesus and that same personality came back with them when they came out of the baptismal waters.
I was a little like that when I came to Christ. I was an all or nothing kind of kid, in sports, drugs, and school. Except school is more like nothing.
When I became a follower of Jesus that same mentality was still with me.
My pastor told me multiple times I was a Bull in a China closet. Putting the horse before the wagon.
I was on fire but I was also willing to break a few things to get my point across.
Honestly I had a lot of maturing to do and I did not see it at the time.
But I had a pastor that loved me, mentored me, and refused to give up on me, even when I gave him every reason to walk away.
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Today we are gong to look at how God shapes and forms the lives of these so called black sheep, like Saul into the pioneers that shape culture and transform history.
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Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.
For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
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. 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. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
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Before the Church can ever produce a Paul it must have a Barnabas.
Before the Church can ever produce a Paul it must have a Barnabas.
You see Paul would not have existed as we know of him today if it was not for this silent, obscure person known as Barnabas.
Today I want you to hear me clearly; this is very important.
The Church in the West struggles with Paul’s - It stuggles with the head strong, fire thrower. It struggles with the harsh talking, trash talking, military minded, it struggles with the entrepuner that is always getting ahead of himself. It struggles with the ex-addict, it struggles with the businesswoman who knows how to get things done, it struggles with vet who still talks like a vet. It struggles with the murder crazed, religious zealot, it struggles with the Sauls of the world.
This church - Life church will never produce a Paul if it does not become a Barnabas Church.
This church - Life church will never produce a Paul if it does not become a Barnabas Church.
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WHAT IS A BARNABAS CHURCH?
WHAT IS A BARNABAS CHURCH?
SIMPLY PUT IT IS A TRAINING CHURCH THAT, SEES THE POTENTIAL AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN THE UNEXPECTED.
IT IS A TRAINING CHURCH THAT TRUSTS GOD FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE
IT IS A TRAINING CHURCH THAT SEES EVERY INDIVIDUAL THROUGH THE EYES OF GOD
IT IS A TRAINING CHURCH THAT BELIEVES GOD IS NOT A RESPECTER OF PERSONS
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SEVEN CHARACTERS OF A BARNABAS CHURCH
SEVEN CHARACTERS OF A BARNABAS CHURCH
COMPASSIONATE TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS -
COMPASSIONATE TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS -
And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
2. ENCOURAGING EVEN IN THE MIDST OF PROBLEMS.
2. ENCOURAGING EVEN IN THE MIDST OF PROBLEMS.
Did you notice that Barnabas was a nick name given to the man by the Apostles. He was known for his encouragement to others.
We need to be a church that encourages people towards Christ
A church that encourages people in their strengths rather than always pointing out their weaknesses.
A church that encourages people towards righteousness rather than belittling them for their failings.
A church that takes the hand of another and says come on we are doing this together, I am with you and I will not walk away from you.
3. COURAGEOUSLY VOUCH FOR THE FRUIT EVEN IF THE PERSONA IS A LITTLE SCARRY
3. COURAGEOUSLY VOUCH FOR THE FRUIT EVEN IF THE PERSONA IS A LITTLE SCARRY
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. 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. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
4. SEEKS OUT THE BLACK SHEEP To MENTOR
4. SEEKS OUT THE BLACK SHEEP To MENTOR
So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 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.
5. TRAINS
5. TRAINS
Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.
6. GLADLY STEPS BACK TO ALLOW GOD TO ELEVATE
6. GLADLY STEPS BACK TO ALLOW GOD TO ELEVATE
Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem,
But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.
7. REPEATS THE PROCESS (WENT WITH JOHN MARK WHEN PAUL WAS ANGRY WITH JOHN MARK)
7. REPEATS THE PROCESS (WENT WITH JOHN MARK WHEN PAUL WAS ANGRY WITH JOHN MARK)
And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 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. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus,
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The result of Barnabas and his impact on Paul can be seen in how Paul understands church leadership.
The result of Barnabas and his impact on Paul can be seen in how Paul understands church leadership.
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
What is church leadership for according to Paul?
To train the saints for ministry (Not to do all the ministry)
Build of the church in the unity of faith in the Son of God (Jesus)
So we are no longer tossed around like children
So we become mature and speak the truth in love.
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There are a lot of potential Pauls waiting to be sought, loved, encouraged, mentored, and released.
But without Barnabas there is no Paul.
Jesus is our greatest example of this very nature.
Jesus is our greatest example of this very nature.
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
Peter always put his foot in his mouth.
Trash talker - made promises he could not keep.
He even tried to correct Jesus
Finally he denied Jesus at the most important hour.
Did Jesus give up on Peter?
Did Jesus walk away from Peter?
No he sought after him
Encouraged him
And gave to him the pastoral ministry of the Gospel.