Barnabas

 

Scripture: Acts 4:36-37 (ESV)

³⁶ Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, ³⁷ sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Devotion:

            In this blog post we are going to examine the life and character of one Joseph who was nicknamed Barnabas. Everything that is said about this man in the Book of Acts gives evidence that his nickname was true to his character. How many people in today’s church could earn such a name? Many Pastors leave the pastorate each year discouraged and feeling like abject failures. If only they could have found a Barnabas in their congregation who knows what these men of God might have accomplished for the kingdom.

            Let us look at some of the people Barnabas encouraged and stood behind in the stories of Acts:

            ²⁶ And when [Saul] 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. ²⁷ 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. (Acts 9:25-27)

            In this brief scene Saul (who later was called Paul) tried to join the believers in Jerusalem. However, these believers knew only too well the havoc this Saul caused among them before his conversion. Barnabas, however, knew that Jesus had met this man and changed him (in the way only Jesus can) and now God was using Saul soon to be Paul in mighty ways. Preaching in the name he had before hated now declaring how great a love could be found in Jesus. Paul owed his ministry to the encourager Barnabas.

            Later there arose a sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas over a disciple named John Mark. Barnabas wanted to take him on the missionary trip, but Paul did not, so they went their separate ways:

            Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. (Acts 15:39-41)

            Just who was this Mark that Barnabas stood up for and encouraged? None other than the author of the Gospel that bears his name. Barnabas had a knack for figuring out who God was going to want to use mightily in the work of the gospel. He set about mentoring and discipling these men in the Lord. Can you say you are a “Barnabas”? Let us pray that we all might become an encourager to people we meet every day.

Prayer:

            Heavenly Father, you know that within each of us is someone who both needs encouragement and can be an encourager to someone else. Help us be sensitive to the needs of others who need a word of encouragement right now. Give us discerning eyes that we might see and respond to the needs of those around us. In Jesus name, Amen.