Throughout the New Testament there is a little guy who doesn't get a whole lot of press. His name is Barnabas. He was a Levite, meaning he was from the line of Israelites who served the priests in the temple. He probably grew up learning how to serve others. He was also from Cyprus - an Island in the Mediterranean, yet the Levites still had particular responsibilities in Jewish worship, no matter the locale. Though things changed by the time Barnabas was living compared to the time when the Levites were first assigned duties in worship, the line was still responsible in religious affairs.
But Barnabas was a believer. His real name was Joseph but he was called Barnabas by the Apostles. Joseph means "may he add" and Barnabas means "son of encouragement." It's interesting, this little name play, because the first we hear of Barnabas, he has sold a field [things changed, originally the Levites weren't given any land] and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet. Not necessarily an action indicative of a man known as "may he add." Better to call him an encourager.
He was an encourager: he saw the potential in people and sought to lead them in God's way. He mentored Paul, encouraged the early church, and was highly trusted. He vouched for Paul - pretty important at the time because the first leaders of Christianity weren't about to accept Paul [aren't we glad Barnabas stood up for his friend!]. He was so trusted by the early church that they sent him around investigating, to see if the reports of Greeks believing on Jesus were true. He went to Antioch 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." [Acts 11:23]. He was described as a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith. He co-taught the church at Antioch with Paul, this is where the disciples were first called Christians. Even though prominent in the church, they weren't called Pauline's or Barnabasians {okay, I'm making that one up} but Christians. His focus was christ. His life wasn't about himself - he sold his land and gave the money to be given to the poor. He wasn't obsessed with material or money or power or fame, but Christ. Because of his obsession Paul was accepted, and the disicples were knows as Christians 'little Christ's'.
The church in Antioch sent a gift to the Jerusalem church, and they sent Barnabas and Paul to take it. Barnabas saw the potential in people, and raised up leaders, so the church wasn't "his" but God's. It didn't need him or Paul to survive, but Christ. And they had leaders to take them further and deeper with Christ. Most of us today, we'd stick with Paul. We'd work to keep Paul as our Pastor. Some would even move to where Paul went. That's called cultish. Paul and Barnabas - they were Christians, and people who followed them knew they were only pointers - pointing to Christ.
Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch, and the Spirit told the church to set them apart. They took what became Paul's first missionary journey. They went first to Cyprus - Barnabas' home. An encourager isn't scared to encourage his hometown in the way of Christ. No matter how close the friendship, an encourager seeks to speak truth. Along the journey there was a huge response to God's word and God worked miracles through Paul and Barnabas. At one Greek town, Barnabas was called Zeus and Paul was called Hermes, because he did all the talking. Encouragement is more about action than talking, doing than saying, and being than doing. The Greeks also recognized the leader of the two was the encourager. Barnabas was, in our terms, the "older, more mature" Christian [doesn't feel right saying that compared to Paul]. Anyway, the priest to Zeus brought them a bull and wreaths. Normally, when people pay me for religious services, like a wedding, a prayer, a memorial service, for preaching at a church - I'm pretty happy to take the money. The worker does deserve their wages. However, Zeus and Hermes weren't working for Zeus, they were working for Jesus. So Barnabas and Paul didn't take the bull. If you're hungry, a bull is a pretty attractive thing. If you want fame, a wreath is great to wear around town because people look at you. But if you want to glorify Jesus, don't take the bull. They went a step further - Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes and yelled at people to turn from their worthless things to the living God. Some Jews showed up and turned the crowed against Paul - stoning him and dragging him out of the city thing he was dead. But the disciples gathered around him and he got up and went back to the city. whew. that was close. Anyway, the next day Barnabas and Paul left - encouragers aren't afraid to help out in the worst of circumstances. Encouragers are also team players.
They took along a friend - John Mark, who would later cause them some problems. He left for Jerusalem, leaving Paul and Barnabas to complete the journey. The next time around Paul wanted nothing to do with him, but Barnabas, ever the encourager, did. And he took John Mark and went a different way. That's pretty much where the close attention to Barnabas ends. John Mark was later an encouragement to Paul, in prison at the time - Barnabas rubbed off. Later in Antioch Barnabas was pulled astray, along with Peter, and followed some Judaizers - he stopped eating with Gentiles. This is the big weakness of encouragers: being a people pleaser. The big lure: encourage people: affirm them, don't confront them. That's why Paul and Barnabas were a great team. Paul: he could confront. Barnabas: he could encourage. And neither of them cared about things, they cared about people. Our strengths, together, when we all say "count us in" grow stronger. God calls us to join Him and join His church and do our part. It doesn't have to be done alone. Life doesn't have to be lived alone. We all need some encouragement, and we need to encourage.
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