
Luke introduced another friend of God in his fourth chapter.
“Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus by birth, the one the apostles called Barnabas (which is translated Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 4:36–37). Like Simon Peter, Joseph was given a descriptive name. The Apostles called him The Encourager… Barnabas.
He encouraged the early church when he sold a piece of real estate and donated one hundred percent of proceeds to the church’s benevolence fund. Consequently, there “was not a needy person among them” (Acts 4:34). Selfless generosity is encouraging.
Barnabas is next mentioned after Saul of Tarsus was marvelously transformed by his Divine encounter on the road leading to Damascus. The born-again Saul showed up in Jerusalem and “tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple” (Acts 9:26). While everyone else rejected Saul, Barnabas took a risk. He befriended the Christian brother and soon “took him and brought him to the apostles and explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus” (Acts 9:27). Without the encouragement of Barnabas, Saul might have slipped into obscurity. Imagine a world without the influence of the Apostle Paul.
Because Barnabas “was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts 11:24), he was commissioned to lead and pastor the mission work in Syrian Antioch, where he recognized a desperate need for discipleship. The church needed teachers, and Barnabas knew just who he wanted as his partner. So, “he went to Tarsus to search for Saul, and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers” (Acts 11:25-26).
When the dynamic duo was commissioned to take the Gospel to the uttermost, “Barnabas and Saul” (Acts 13:2; 7) departed, and later, “Paul and Barnabas” (Acts 15:2) returned. Yes, Saul became known as Paul (Acts 13:9). But note the order of their names. At first, Barnabas was the leader. He obviously stepped aside, and Paul became the team leader. Humbly and strategically, Barnabas must have encouraged Paul to exercise his God-given gift of leadership.
God’s people need to be encouraged, to be stimulated by selfless generosity and brotherly love, given opportunities to develop, and urged to fulfill God-given potentials. Is your church encouraging? Are you an encourager?
“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).

Comments