Do I really know God?
It’s a very simple question - no pretense is intended.
I hope you will join me through this short blog entry to examine yourself, as I do the same; it’s a very healthy thing. The Apostle Paul exhorted members of the early church on two separate occasions to “test themselves” to be certain their faith was real.
II Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?
I Cor 11:28,31 (NAS) But a man must examine himself... If we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged.
There are several hallmarks we can look for in our own lives to know where we stand with God. Here are just a few:
1. What is my attitude about the Word of God?
The scriptures tell us “All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”: Another translation, the New International Version, reads “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”
That is a powerful descriptor: “All scripture is “God-breathed”. When one considers the content of the Bible, we know that Jesus himself did not author ANY of the scriptures. Common men, from Luke the physician, Matthew the tax collector and (most notably) Paul, former persecutor of Christians turned evangelist and church planter - authored letters under the “inspiration of God. God literally took control of their hands to craft the message of His heart, and providentially allowed only those texts that He inspired and desired to be a part of the finalized “Canon”.
The way we think about the scriptures is extremely important. I had an acquaintance, years ago, with whom I talked about this important issue. When the subject came up, I shared with him that I was blessed in that - since the time I received Christ’s offer of salvation for myself - I had always believed every word of the scriptures as absolute gospel, not disbelieving a word. He shared with me that he felt “most” of the scripture was reliable, but that he didn’t necessarily believe every word. That is a very unfortunate thing, and I pray that God will do a work in his heart and life to change that through faith. And my prayer and desire for you is that you should come to a place of absolute confidence in the scriptures. After all, if one regards certain sections as reliable and absolute, but then questions the reliability of another, what confidence can be had in any of the writings? In other words, if some is unreliable or untrue, what is to prevent the whole thing from being considered “in question”.
And the beauty of the scriptures and confidence that we can have in reading them and trusting in them lies in the consistency, wholeness and lack of contradiction from one account to the next. Moreover, we have confidence in the reliability of the scriptures because of the hundreds and hundreds of prophecies throughout the Word of God that ALL have come to pass - many more of which have been prophesied and we await.
But what about you? How do you feel about the Word of God? Do you trust it? Do you rely upon it for daily living? Do you have a hunger for God’s Word, or can you go weeks and weeks without reading from God’s Word and not be phased by it? Job 23:12 reads “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary [food].” Job regarded God’s Word, the scripture, as being more needful to his sustenance than day-to-day meals. A strong desire to be “in” God’s Word should be the desire and practice of a born-again child of God.
2. How high a priority do I place on spending time with God in prayer and devotion?
I Thessalonians 5:17 says “Pray without ceasing”. Luke 21:36 says “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Prayer is our channel to God’s throne. Imagine having living parents and never calling, writing or visiting for a year. What would they think? Surely they would think that you didn’t have a very high esteem for them. When the rubber meets the road, we demonstrate our love for people by spending time with them. You can buy the Toys-R-Us out of everything they’ve got and give it all to your children. But they won’t feel loved by your giving of gifts. They will feel loved because you invest time in them. The same is true of our heavenly father. He desires to hear from us, even when we don’t know what to pray. And the Bible tells us in Matthew 6:7 “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” We shouldn’t pray in repeated chants and phrases the same each time. That is ritualism, not prayer. Talk to him - in the same personal way that you would your earthly father. Cast your cares upon him, for he cares for you. Nothing is too trivial, and no sin too great or to small to confess.
Someone once shared with me a great idea for prayer, with the word “ACTS”. Acknowledge, Confess, Thanksgiving, Supplication. Acknowledge God’s power and holiness and control over your life. Confess your faults. Give Thanks for all he has done for you. And then, finally, let him know about your needs and desires and concerns. A true child of God certainly desires to spend time with Him in prayer.
3. Have I received of the Holy Spirit?
I John 4:13 reads “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” Well how can I know that God has given me of his spirit, you might ask me. Well, the best I can tell you is “I know it in my knower." My spirit bears witness with his spirit. When I read God’s Word, I am in agreement. When I sin, he convicts me of my sin and I feel pained by it. Another great hallmark of the true Christian is his desire to be around others of God’s people (this point really deserving of its own elaboration). The Bible tells us in Hebrews 10:25 that we should not forsake the assembly, which is to say that we ought to have a desire to be in church, around other believers, and draw joy and strength from it.
4. What is your attitude about sin?
Heb 10:26-27 (NIV) If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.
Being saved, my dear friend, does not ensure that you and I will not sin. The truth is that we are weak, and we have an enemy in Satan who is single-minded in his desire to see us fail, fall and bring shame to Christ. We will fall down - and often. But we must get back up, confess our sin to a caring and forgiving God, and move ahead. Paul warns us that we do not have license to sin just because our sin will be forgiven. Indeed, as children of God, we have a higher responsibility to try to live in righteousness and holiness, not succumbing to our own selfish desires for pleasure. The true Christian is heartbroken when he realizes his sin; he feels “at a distance” from God and desires to be restored to fellowship with the Father.
5. What is your attitude about lost people?
Do you have a concern for those who do not believe in Christ? Do you desire to see them enjoy the riches of salvation? Do you rejoice at hearing that someone has prayed to receive Christ into their hearts? Are you willing and eager to share your faith with others? The true child of God realizes what Christ’s blood has spared him from, and will go to great lengths (including persecution, ridicule and in many cases around the world, risk of physical harm) to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Well, my friend, I hope that this gives you some things to think about. And I hope that you can look through these writings and identify affirmatively to these “Signs of the Christian”. I hope your life is marked by the signs of the Christian according to God’s Word, which is all I have shared with you. If you simply can’t identify with these things, I pray that you will seek out the truth of the Gospel with all of your heart. Seek it out day and night. The consequences of saying “no” to God - or responding in silence (both are the same) - are too heavy. As always, feel free to email me with any questions or if you need someone to pray for you.
God bless you tonight.
Rudy
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Barnabas: Profile of an Encourager - II
In the last several days, as I have reflected some on what I shared with you last week concerning Barnabas - and as I have continued on in my study from the book of Acts - I feel compelled to share a bit more about Barnabas, as the Holy Spirit has brought it to my attention.
As a review, we noted together in our first study of Barnabas that he was “a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith.” (Acts 10:24a)
And we noted that there were three essential points of action that Barnabas took relative to the faith:
1. He surrendered all to Christ
2. He defended the Gospel
3. He exhorted
These are some of the very important additional distinctions and points to be made. The Bible tells us in Acts 4:36-37 that “..Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation), a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”
I don’t intend to repeat portions of Part I just for repeating them, but I shared those just to review for these additional observations.
1. Barnabas’ heart was correct
This attitude stands in stark contrast to Ananias and Sapphira - a Christian couple referenced in Chapter 5 of Acts:
1But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 7And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. 9Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 10Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. 11And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. 12And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. 13And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. 14And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
The story of Ananias and Sapphira is a very sobering one. It tells of people - people who had believed on Christ and received him into their hearts, mind you - who conceived sin in their heart. They lied to God, according to the scriptures. We are told by the scripture that they would well have been “within their rights” to keep back a portion of the proceeds, as the land rightly belonged to them (as much as anything belongs to anyone, when we realize that when push comes to shove, all that we have and all that we are belongs to God).
The moral of the story is that God will not be mocked. And he was sending a powerful and assertive message to the early church that hearts to deceive would not be tolerated. These days, we rarely see a person or couple straightway struck dead if they fail to give to the local church or in some other way “hold out” on God (so far as I know). But don’t be fooled; just because God doesn’t appear to resort to this degree of “earthly punishment” doesn’t mean that there isn’t a heavy price to be paid in spiritual separation and the natural consequences of sin in this life and the life to come.
Barnabas’ heart was correct; this is a distinction that the writer and the Holy Spirit wants for us to see - and an example to follow.
2. Barnabas embraced his spiritual giftings and executed them with happiness unto God
Have you ever given any thought to what your spiritual giftings are? The Bible says we all have them. According to I Corinthians 12:1 “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.” The Greek simply reads "spirituals" (ton pneumatikon), meaning "things characterized or controlled by the Spirit." V. 8 goes on to say “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; v. 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same spirit; v. 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits, ; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues: v. 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”
We ALL have spiritual gifts - and that is for another blog entry - but if you haven’t really considered what yours is - or you don’t know what it is - consider taking this spiritual gifts survey: http://www.bellevue.org/uploads/giftsintro.htm
Well, all of that to say this: Paul knew his place in the ministry. Someone from the outside looking in might say “Gosh, a guy with Barnabas’ tenure, seniority and caliber should not be being obscured by, overshadowed by or “folding in to” Paul of Tarsus.” After all, as we spoke about in the first study, look at Paul’s record. He was a murderer and a persecutor of the apostles and early Christians. It might have been easy for Barnabas to say “Wait a second here, I’m in command. This is MY ministry. I don’t know where you get off trying to act like you own this show.”
But the fact is that Barnabas gently and kindly accepted his role in God’s ministry, wherever the Holy Spirit revealed to him it was. Sometimes we can really get caught up in ego - and I daresay that it happens just as much in ministry as anywhere else (unfortunately). Barnabas didn’t allow this to happen; as Paul’s reach, anointing and power by the Holy Spirit grew, Barnabas remained agile, moldable and submissive to the Holy Spirit.
3. Barnabas had a forgiving spirit
We saw this first in Barnabas in his approach to Paul. You couldn’t have found a great many more people around that area where Paul’s name - when mentioned - wouldn’t have been quickly followed by a cry to stone him or run in the opposite direction. But Barnabas came beside him and mentored him with Christ-like care and compassion.
Barnabas and Paul traveled to a great many cities together preaching and leading people to Christ. When they returned to Antioch, they prepared for their second missionary journey. Barnabas proposed that they take Mark (John Mark) on this second journey, but Paul strongly objected on the basis that Mark had left them on their first trip.
The scripture tells of the affair in this passage from Acts 15:
36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.”
There you have it: “they had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company.” I have a feeling that this was a real, knock-down, drag-out fight. Not a fistfight, mind you.. but it just doesn’t get much more descriptive than that. This argument led to broken fellowship between these two. And frankly, I have always thought that Barnabas was right and Paul was wrong. Paul demonstrated through his ministry a very no-nonsense approach: a certain rigidness. We don’t know all of the details about why Mark left them on their first trip, and whether his cause may or may not have been justified. But if anybody should have been willing to forgive, it should have been Paul.
BUT - God worked it out. The Bible tells us in Romans 8:28 (one of my favorite verses in all of scripture), that “and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Am I suggesting God planted this rift? Not necessarily. But I am saying that rather than having this one team of Barnabas and Paul, the situation ended up creating a team of Paul and Timothy on one trip and Barnabas and Mark on another. PLUS - through those trips, I believe Paul was able to disciple Timothy and Barnabas was able to disciple John Mark in ways that would have been possible had the original plan gone through. I believe it turned out just the way God wanted it.
And the scripture tells us that - later on - Paul and Barnabas came together again in fellowship. And if I was a betting man, I would submit that Barnabas probably sent Paul an email and asked him to lunch, saying “hey, let’s get this silly dispute ended.” Our friendship means more than that. That’s just the type of man he was.
I sincerely hope that these two studies have given you a glimpse of this good man. I know that reading about him has edified me, and helped me to want to be more of an encourager, as Barnabas was.
God Bless You tonight.. Get ready - next blog is going to be on this topic: “Do I really know God?” I promise you, it’s going to be a humdinger.
As a review, we noted together in our first study of Barnabas that he was “a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith.” (Acts 10:24a)
And we noted that there were three essential points of action that Barnabas took relative to the faith:
1. He surrendered all to Christ
2. He defended the Gospel
3. He exhorted
These are some of the very important additional distinctions and points to be made. The Bible tells us in Acts 4:36-37 that “..Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation), a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”
I don’t intend to repeat portions of Part I just for repeating them, but I shared those just to review for these additional observations.
1. Barnabas’ heart was correct
This attitude stands in stark contrast to Ananias and Sapphira - a Christian couple referenced in Chapter 5 of Acts:
1But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 7And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. 9Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 10Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. 11And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. 12And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. 13And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. 14And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
The story of Ananias and Sapphira is a very sobering one. It tells of people - people who had believed on Christ and received him into their hearts, mind you - who conceived sin in their heart. They lied to God, according to the scriptures. We are told by the scripture that they would well have been “within their rights” to keep back a portion of the proceeds, as the land rightly belonged to them (as much as anything belongs to anyone, when we realize that when push comes to shove, all that we have and all that we are belongs to God).
The moral of the story is that God will not be mocked. And he was sending a powerful and assertive message to the early church that hearts to deceive would not be tolerated. These days, we rarely see a person or couple straightway struck dead if they fail to give to the local church or in some other way “hold out” on God (so far as I know). But don’t be fooled; just because God doesn’t appear to resort to this degree of “earthly punishment” doesn’t mean that there isn’t a heavy price to be paid in spiritual separation and the natural consequences of sin in this life and the life to come.
Barnabas’ heart was correct; this is a distinction that the writer and the Holy Spirit wants for us to see - and an example to follow.
2. Barnabas embraced his spiritual giftings and executed them with happiness unto God
Have you ever given any thought to what your spiritual giftings are? The Bible says we all have them. According to I Corinthians 12:1 “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.” The Greek simply reads "spirituals" (ton pneumatikon), meaning "things characterized or controlled by the Spirit." V. 8 goes on to say “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; v. 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same spirit; v. 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits, ; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues: v. 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”
We ALL have spiritual gifts - and that is for another blog entry - but if you haven’t really considered what yours is - or you don’t know what it is - consider taking this spiritual gifts survey: http://www.bellevue.org/uploads/giftsintro.htm
Well, all of that to say this: Paul knew his place in the ministry. Someone from the outside looking in might say “Gosh, a guy with Barnabas’ tenure, seniority and caliber should not be being obscured by, overshadowed by or “folding in to” Paul of Tarsus.” After all, as we spoke about in the first study, look at Paul’s record. He was a murderer and a persecutor of the apostles and early Christians. It might have been easy for Barnabas to say “Wait a second here, I’m in command. This is MY ministry. I don’t know where you get off trying to act like you own this show.”
But the fact is that Barnabas gently and kindly accepted his role in God’s ministry, wherever the Holy Spirit revealed to him it was. Sometimes we can really get caught up in ego - and I daresay that it happens just as much in ministry as anywhere else (unfortunately). Barnabas didn’t allow this to happen; as Paul’s reach, anointing and power by the Holy Spirit grew, Barnabas remained agile, moldable and submissive to the Holy Spirit.
3. Barnabas had a forgiving spirit
We saw this first in Barnabas in his approach to Paul. You couldn’t have found a great many more people around that area where Paul’s name - when mentioned - wouldn’t have been quickly followed by a cry to stone him or run in the opposite direction. But Barnabas came beside him and mentored him with Christ-like care and compassion.
Barnabas and Paul traveled to a great many cities together preaching and leading people to Christ. When they returned to Antioch, they prepared for their second missionary journey. Barnabas proposed that they take Mark (John Mark) on this second journey, but Paul strongly objected on the basis that Mark had left them on their first trip.
The scripture tells of the affair in this passage from Acts 15:
36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.”
There you have it: “they had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company.” I have a feeling that this was a real, knock-down, drag-out fight. Not a fistfight, mind you.. but it just doesn’t get much more descriptive than that. This argument led to broken fellowship between these two. And frankly, I have always thought that Barnabas was right and Paul was wrong. Paul demonstrated through his ministry a very no-nonsense approach: a certain rigidness. We don’t know all of the details about why Mark left them on their first trip, and whether his cause may or may not have been justified. But if anybody should have been willing to forgive, it should have been Paul.
BUT - God worked it out. The Bible tells us in Romans 8:28 (one of my favorite verses in all of scripture), that “and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Am I suggesting God planted this rift? Not necessarily. But I am saying that rather than having this one team of Barnabas and Paul, the situation ended up creating a team of Paul and Timothy on one trip and Barnabas and Mark on another. PLUS - through those trips, I believe Paul was able to disciple Timothy and Barnabas was able to disciple John Mark in ways that would have been possible had the original plan gone through. I believe it turned out just the way God wanted it.
And the scripture tells us that - later on - Paul and Barnabas came together again in fellowship. And if I was a betting man, I would submit that Barnabas probably sent Paul an email and asked him to lunch, saying “hey, let’s get this silly dispute ended.” Our friendship means more than that. That’s just the type of man he was.
I sincerely hope that these two studies have given you a glimpse of this good man. I know that reading about him has edified me, and helped me to want to be more of an encourager, as Barnabas was.
God Bless You tonight.. Get ready - next blog is going to be on this topic: “Do I really know God?” I promise you, it’s going to be a humdinger.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Barnabas: Profile of an Encourager
Ever once in a while, someone comes into our life who is just “different”. Most people suck the life out of the air, a room and - sadly - each other. Our world is raft with negativity, despair and bad news reported from day to day on televisions, the internet and in the daily newspapers. People are losing their jobs, the economy seems to be in continued turmoil, our country finds itself entering another conflict, gas prices are on the rise and - of course - people inevitably go through the things that people go through on their own that makes their own lives sometimes difficult. It’s different for every person or family: financial problems, marriage problems, disobedient or rebellious children, failing health or the death of loved ones. There’s certainly plenty to be discouraged about.
But have you ever had someone who walked up to you, placed his arm on your shoulder and breathed the breath of life into you? Someone whose very demeanor, disposition and face exuded a confidence in the Lord and it was so powerful that it just seemed to transfer over to you and fill you up to be around them?
Barnabas - before that Joseph - was such a man. I have heard Barnabas preached about from time to time, but the truth is that the Bible says precious little about this dear man. There’s no doubt that he would have had it that way, too, for it is clear that he wasn’t a man caught up in personal gain, glory or vanity. In fact, I'm going through a book presently called "Men of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Men in Scripture" by Ann Spangler and Robert Wolgemuth. Of 52 men profiled in that devotional (one per week), somehow, Barnabas was "passed over". His fingerprints on the early church, however, is indelible.
I want to share with you some principles about this man that I hope will be an encouragement to you in your walk with the Lord Jesus.
1.) He surrendered all to Christ
Isn’t that always the starting point? Perhaps the old hymn says it best - “Just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, Oh lamb of God, I come, I come..” Just as he was, he heard the gospel, believed, turned to Christ (which implies that he turned AWAY from self) and - according to Acts 4:36, “And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation), a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” It puts me in mind of the response of Peter, James and John written of in Dr. Luke’s gospel: “And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.” (Luke 5:11) I love that, don’t you? No hesitation. No consultation with family. No consideration of the consequences. They heard. They believed. And immediately - forthwith - they left everything to their earnings. Barnabas did likewise - he brought the money, “and laid it at their feet.” What a wonderful picture of repentance and humility.
2.) He defended the Gospel
In case, at some future time you happen to be conversing with a learned person (unlike myself), you should be familiar with the term “apologetics”, which is simply a theological expression used to express a defense or explanation of the Gospel, which the Bible calls all believers to do. The Bible tells us in
Acts 9:26-31 says “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. v.27 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. v.28 And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. v.29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. v.30 Which when the brethren knew they brought him down to Cesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. v.31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the holy Ghost, were multiplied.”
Barnabas was certainly not well acquainted with Paul at that time. And one has to believe that his defense of Paul came at great personal risk. It is clearly obvious why there was concern expressed by so many about Paul’s return to Jerusalem. After all, this is the man who had persecuted and perhaps killed Christians himself and formerly taken joy in doing so. He attended the stoning of Stephen and the Bible tells us that he held the cloak of one of the murderers. But Barnabas saw something in Paul. He believed in Paul’s conversion testimony. Did Barnabas know that Paul would go on to write the bulk of the New Testament? No. Did he know that Paul’s ministry would be (virtually) the bedrock of the early church? No. But he came along side Paul as an encourager would, not fixating his eyes upon this murderer’s past - but as Jesus would - seeing what was possible in his future.
3.) He exhorted - which is to say, he encouraged. Acts vv 22-26 tells us:
“Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch, v.23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. v.24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. v.25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: v.26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people, and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”
The church at Jerusalem knew exactly the man for the job. They sent Barnabas. Look at all that is contained in this passage. He saw the grace of God - and was glad. He exhorted - or being translated “encouraged” them all. Take note: he encouraged them all. The Bible says in Acts 10:34 that “God is no respecter of persons”. Barnabas subscribed to that same philosophy. I can see him entering that city and those neighborhoods and embracing each with the same sincerity, smile and warmth of spirit: from the mayor and chief tax collectors to the poorest, the prostitutes and the lepers. Each soul is valued in God’s eyes because all are bought with the same high price: the blood of Christ. He encouraged them to “cleave unto the Lord.” And then the Bible says he was a good man. I love that - “full of the Holy Ghost and faith”. And then you have the outcome: “much people was added unto the Lord”.
Sounds to me a little bit like a recipe for winning people to Christ. Go to them. Love upon them. Tell them of the love of Jesus. Encourage them to cleave unto the Lord. His method of operation was not complex; it was just sincere and his gifting God-given.
Well, there’s so much more that could be said of this good man.
But, oh, if I could be just a little bit like Barnabas. If it could be said by a few of me, “man, I love to be around him.. he just breathes life into me.. he really seems interested in ME and my life!” That was Barnabas. I’m striving today to be a little bit more like this good man who walked beside, who encouraged, exhorted and - as Isaiah 50:4 says - “that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary.”
God bless you.
But have you ever had someone who walked up to you, placed his arm on your shoulder and breathed the breath of life into you? Someone whose very demeanor, disposition and face exuded a confidence in the Lord and it was so powerful that it just seemed to transfer over to you and fill you up to be around them?
Barnabas - before that Joseph - was such a man. I have heard Barnabas preached about from time to time, but the truth is that the Bible says precious little about this dear man. There’s no doubt that he would have had it that way, too, for it is clear that he wasn’t a man caught up in personal gain, glory or vanity. In fact, I'm going through a book presently called "Men of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Men in Scripture" by Ann Spangler and Robert Wolgemuth. Of 52 men profiled in that devotional (one per week), somehow, Barnabas was "passed over". His fingerprints on the early church, however, is indelible.
I want to share with you some principles about this man that I hope will be an encouragement to you in your walk with the Lord Jesus.
1.) He surrendered all to Christ
Isn’t that always the starting point? Perhaps the old hymn says it best - “Just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, Oh lamb of God, I come, I come..” Just as he was, he heard the gospel, believed, turned to Christ (which implies that he turned AWAY from self) and - according to Acts 4:36, “And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation), a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” It puts me in mind of the response of Peter, James and John written of in Dr. Luke’s gospel: “And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.” (Luke 5:11) I love that, don’t you? No hesitation. No consultation with family. No consideration of the consequences. They heard. They believed. And immediately - forthwith - they left everything to their earnings. Barnabas did likewise - he brought the money, “and laid it at their feet.” What a wonderful picture of repentance and humility.
2.) He defended the Gospel
In case, at some future time you happen to be conversing with a learned person (unlike myself), you should be familiar with the term “apologetics”, which is simply a theological expression used to express a defense or explanation of the Gospel, which the Bible calls all believers to do. The Bible tells us in
Acts 9:26-31 says “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. v.27 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. v.28 And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. v.29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. v.30 Which when the brethren knew they brought him down to Cesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. v.31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the holy Ghost, were multiplied.”
Barnabas was certainly not well acquainted with Paul at that time. And one has to believe that his defense of Paul came at great personal risk. It is clearly obvious why there was concern expressed by so many about Paul’s return to Jerusalem. After all, this is the man who had persecuted and perhaps killed Christians himself and formerly taken joy in doing so. He attended the stoning of Stephen and the Bible tells us that he held the cloak of one of the murderers. But Barnabas saw something in Paul. He believed in Paul’s conversion testimony. Did Barnabas know that Paul would go on to write the bulk of the New Testament? No. Did he know that Paul’s ministry would be (virtually) the bedrock of the early church? No. But he came along side Paul as an encourager would, not fixating his eyes upon this murderer’s past - but as Jesus would - seeing what was possible in his future.
3.) He exhorted - which is to say, he encouraged. Acts vv 22-26 tells us:
“Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch, v.23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. v.24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. v.25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: v.26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people, and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”
The church at Jerusalem knew exactly the man for the job. They sent Barnabas. Look at all that is contained in this passage. He saw the grace of God - and was glad. He exhorted - or being translated “encouraged” them all. Take note: he encouraged them all. The Bible says in Acts 10:34 that “God is no respecter of persons”. Barnabas subscribed to that same philosophy. I can see him entering that city and those neighborhoods and embracing each with the same sincerity, smile and warmth of spirit: from the mayor and chief tax collectors to the poorest, the prostitutes and the lepers. Each soul is valued in God’s eyes because all are bought with the same high price: the blood of Christ. He encouraged them to “cleave unto the Lord.” And then the Bible says he was a good man. I love that - “full of the Holy Ghost and faith”. And then you have the outcome: “much people was added unto the Lord”.
Sounds to me a little bit like a recipe for winning people to Christ. Go to them. Love upon them. Tell them of the love of Jesus. Encourage them to cleave unto the Lord. His method of operation was not complex; it was just sincere and his gifting God-given.
Well, there’s so much more that could be said of this good man.
But, oh, if I could be just a little bit like Barnabas. If it could be said by a few of me, “man, I love to be around him.. he just breathes life into me.. he really seems interested in ME and my life!” That was Barnabas. I’m striving today to be a little bit more like this good man who walked beside, who encouraged, exhorted and - as Isaiah 50:4 says - “that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary.”
God bless you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)