go and Barnabas

Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”) Acts 4:36 (NIV)

When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. Acts 11:22-24 (NLT)

Do you have a Barnabas? Are you someone’s Barnabas? Barnabas’s name means encouragement. It’s so important to encourage one another. Just as much as we need to encourage others, you need someone to encourage you.

When Barnabas arrived he encourage those around to stay true to God. He was good and full of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is what made it easy for him to encourage others. Barnabas was the extreme kind of encourager. He stood by Paul. Once Paul and Barnabas meet up, Barnabas spent many years standing beside Paul. It didn’t matter what was going on Barnabas stuck by Paul’s side.

But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:50-52 (NASB)

Some of the Jews convinced the most respected women and leading men of the town that their precious way of life was about to be destroyed. Alarmed, they turned on Paul and Barnabas and forced them to leave. Paul and Barnabas shrugged their shoulders and went on to the next town, Iconium, brimming with joy and the Holy Spirit, two happy disciples. Acts 13:50-52 (MSG)

Paul and Barnabas were speaking the word of God. They were telling others about God. The Jews didn’t like this too much, so they stirred up trouble against them. Paul and Barnabas were forced out of the town. What did they do? I like what the Message has to say, “they shrugged their shoulders and went on to the next town.” They took the oh well to bad, we’ve got other place we can go approach and off they went.

At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. Acts 14:1-5 (NIV)

Paul and Barnabas move on. They speak of God. They speak boldly about God. In fact many begin to believe what they are saying about God. Look what happens though. Again, trouble stirs and they are told they would be stoned. This could be a little discouraging but it’s not for Paul. Paul and Barnabas pack their bags and move on. Paul doesn’t have to flee by himself, his friend goes with him. It must have been nice for Paul to have somebody go along with him.

It didn’t matter what was happening to Paul, Barnabas stuck by his side. Everyone needs someone to stick by their side. You don’t have to be the person filled with great Godly wisdom to be a Barnabas. You just have to stay by someone’s side. You won’t have to worry about getting stoned like Barnabas did we don’t really do that anymore. Sometimes though, you might have an awful storm to sit through. Sometimes you might just have to sit there and listen.

If you’ve had someone who’s stuck by you through that storm and was an encouragement, try and return the favor. I’m sure Barnabas got tired and need to Paul to encourage him.

So I challenge you, find someone who needs a Barnabas and don’t forget to thank your Barnabas.