Barnabas

There was a man named Joseph, who lived in Jerusalem during the time that the disciples started their ministry. Their numbers were increasing greatly, and many were selling their land, possessions, and other goods and giving them to the disciples and joining their ranks. This man, Joseph, made the decision to sell one of his fields and join their ranks as well. This would be a decision that very well could have altered the landscape of the New Testament. He was better known as Barnabas, the Son of Encouragement.

Barnabas was a Cypriot, but lived in Jerusalem. Being a landowner, he possessed some level of affluence. He was also a Levite, which held authority since the Levite tribe was responsible for duties in the Temple. This should help people understand that he was walking away from a decent life to join the disciples, but also he was giving credibility to this rag tag religion. He would become an important member for multiple reasons, and the scriptures clarify that.

Acts 9:19-28: This is the story of Paul escaping Damascus and coming to Jerusalem. When Saul makes it to Jerusalem, he immediate contacts the believers. Barnabas is the one that recovers him, and brings him to the apostles. The apostles remember what he had done in the past, and become rather wary of him. Not ready to accept him, it took the likes of Barnabas to step in and vouch for Paul. That begs the question, if Barnabas would not have stepped in and helped him out, what would have happened to Paul? He might have felt that this whole Jesus thing was a phase, and went back to being a Jew. Or he could have went a completely different direction. None the less, if it was not for Barnabas, Paul as we know him might not have come to be.

Acts 11:19-24, 25-30: 19-24- Barnabas was sent to Antioch to encourage the church. What is interesting about this is that the importance of starting a church in Antioch was great since it was the third biggest Roman city, behind Rome and Alexandria. Port cities are always a great way to get a religious view out there, because people come and go and bring with them these ideas. As Barnabas was helping construct this church, it would turn into the hub for missionary activity as well. This shows that Barnabas had a crucial role as a missionary and apostle in one of the most important churches in history. This was, after all, where Christians were given their name. This section also shows more about Barnabas’ character.

25-30- As Barnabas went to search for Saul, he put himself at great risk. Saul had returned to Tarsus, which was his home, because he was in great danger. The fact that Barnabas went to retrieve him says a great deal about his value of people. The other interesting detail is that the two times Barnabas and Saul are mentioned, Barnabas is always written first. If you understand how Greek writing works, the most important details are always toward the front. So the fact that Barnabas is mentioned first, it is an interesting indicator of how he is viewed. I mention this because many people place Saul before Barnabas, mainly due to the fact that he wrote more letters.

Acts 13:1-7- There are two parts to this section, the first is Barnabas and Saul being sent out with teachers and prophets as missionaries. Again, Barnabas is mentioned first. This scene also draws attention to the detail that they are considered prophets and teachers, probably the best of the best, and strangely enough Saul was on the back end of the paragraph. This was the beginning of the first missionary journey.

The second part discusses their trip to Cyprus. When at Cyprus, they encounter Bar-Jesus, who worked for the proconsul. The proconsul was an intelligent man, so guess who he called for? Barnabas and Saul. They came and helped clarify the situation, and exposed Bar-Jesus for false prophet. This is also, when Saul takes on the name “Paul” and starts being mentioned before Barnabas.

Acts 14:1-3, 11-13- Paul and Barnabas come to Iconium, where they spoke boldly and performed miracles. This ability to teach and do miracles enamored the locals so much that they believed that Barnabas was Zeus and Paul was Hermes. They actually went to the temple of Zeus and brought oxen and wreaths to sacrifice to them! The story behind this is that in Greek mythology, the city was destroyed by Zeus and Hermes because they went once and were not received hospitably by anyone, with exception to an older couple. They were blessed, and everyone else was killed. In an attempt not to repeat that story, the citizens went overboard and showered them with gifts!

What would have happened if Barnabas did not exist? The answer would be intriguing. As mentioned before, Paul might have went a completely different course. Antioch might not have looked the same, and the establishment of the early church would have looked different because of that. Also, the Gospel of Mark may not have come into fruition. Understanding that Barnabas was the one that reconciled John Mark, his cousin, after Paul lost faith in him after Mark fled from Paphos. Barnabas split with Mark, and in doing so, the group covered more ground by splitting up. As for the Gospel of Mark, it is considered the Gospel in which Luke and Matthew used for validating their own text. So if Mark never went through and wrote his Gospel, it might be a completely different text today.

Barnabas eventually met his end in Salamis, Cyprus. It is believed that he was stoned to death by jealous Jews. His body was buried, and later recovered and placed in a church. As the story goes, they figured out that it was him by finding an epistle written by him in his tomb. Tertullian believes that the book of Hebrews was written by Barnabas, though it is not confirmed.

Even though the last paragraphs have a lot of question marks behind its validity, one thing that we can learn from Barnabas is that being positive opens many doors. Barnabas carried many roles, and often times went overshadowed by his colleague, Paul. I have learned in my life that it is important to be positive, because you never know who is watching you. I have found that growing up, I was able to influence people and encourage them without even realizing it. But as I always say, people are either watching Christians to see them fail or to see them succeed and give hope. Just like the fact it is easier to attract flies with honey than it is vinegar, my hope is that you begin to give hope to everyone that you encounter.

Perspective in Adversity

One of the major life issues that I have had to deal with is trying to understand why God allows things to happen. I know that I am not the only one who has dealt with this question, so that’s why I feel comfortable talking about it with everyone. This devotional has two parts, and it includes perspective on people and events that happen to interfere with our lives.

The one, which is negative events, is a probably one of the more common issues that I have dealt with since I have committed myself to ministry. Mind you, I have not had much church ministry experience, but I have done a lot out in the field so to speak. So when people ask me “why did your God, who is supposed to be loving, allow this to happen?” The truth is, that often times we do not have sure answer all the time. But what I have been able to do is talk about my own life and talk about how this happens in the Bible.

In my own life, I have asked similar questions. Growing up with my situation was not easy for me, I had a hard time articulating thoughts, communicating, and I was not the smartest student. Because of that, I was discouraged from public speaking, discouraged from having high goals, and discouraged from anything that could expose my weakness instead of embracing it. Christians told me that I lack faith and that God should heal me and wants to heal me. Then one day it hit me, what if God is allowing this to happen because it glorifies him? To think that I have made it this far with my condition is a testament to God’s grace and my hard work. It proves that anyone can do what I have done with God’s grace and hard work. So in the big picture, the gains of me being who I am outweigh the cost, and until he is willing to take it from me, I will remain patient.

Another question that I often had was why it was so hard for me to get around in the church. I have had a horrible time trying to find a church the first 9 years of my walk, and have been accused of so much. Those that know me know the threats and accusations, but I don’t want to bog us down. The thrust is that if I did not experience persecution from the hands of Christians, I would probably have a much weaker resolve when it comes to being a leader. Now that I can see this, I have a much stronger sense of urgency when it comes to my faith.

Read 2 Corinthians 11:21-30

To give a quick reference to context, Paul is writing the Corinthians about true apostleship. There had been false leaders entering the church, and they were viewed as “super-apostles” and were leading Christians astray. Their speech and charisma attracted the masses, and began questioning the validity of Paul since he did not focus moving speech speech. They actually taught that they should be paid based on their performance when teaching. So instead of giving in to the extravagant life style and performances that the false teachers were portraying, Paul taught about the suffering he endured for being a true apostle. Which to him, was worth bragging about.

As I look at what Paul had to endure in 2 Cor 11:21-30, I blush at the thought that I might have been persecuted. My list, though it is a lot to some, does not stack up well against Paul’s. But the way it works is that if we try to live a life for Christ, we will receive opposition. Paul was being stretched in ways that most of us cannot understand, but it was also a testament to God needing him since he survived all of those hardships. So when you go through trouble, I would encourage you to look at it as “how is God forming me or what is God teaching me by allowing this to happen?” Keep an eye on the big picture.

The second part is dealing with people who oppose you.

One day I was reading in the book of 1 Samuel, and I tripped over the story of David and Goliath. Something registered, and I looked at Goliath and the Philistines in a new light. You begin to wonder what these well-trained men were doing threatening and tormenting the Israelites, who from what I understand, weren’t even well equipped. So Goliath strolled around bullying them for days, but never attacking them. David comes onto the scene, remembering how he had slain lions and bears, and claiming that Goliath is no different. The rest is all history, but I want to focus on the different groups in 1 Sam 17. You have Saul, who is armed and well built to be a warrior, and he is busy posting rewards for anyone who goes and fights Goliath! If you are one of his country men, what do you think of this? Then you find David, who wants to do God’s will and is out to fight. He goes in confidently and is mocked by the Israelites and his family for his willingness. He fights Goliath, who is extremely over confident and very condescending. Some studies I have read have mentioned that due to some of his comments, he might have had a hint of jealous due to the comments about being ruddy and handsome and despising him (v 42). Kind of makes you wonder about Goliath. After he is slain, what do the Philistines do? They run off! They are fully armed, trained and ready to destroy this peasant army, and they run off. Not so tough, eh?

So this illustration just shows you a little bit about what people are really like. I have had a lot of people attack me in my life, and it is always strange to me. I am one of those people who is happy when everything is smooth. So it always confused me that people just hated me for no reason at all. Then one day, this idea popped in my head. I started looking at the people in my life who disliked me, and I was suddenly having pity for them. Whether they were coworkers, former friends/girlfriends, I started seeing them for who they are. Like instead of seeing my boss as a perfectionist tyrant like everyone else did, I saw a weak man who thrived on picking on the low men, who feared failure and rejection and spent long hours at work because that’s all he had and he was just lonely. I started sizing everyone up with that idea that David used, and realized that they can’t and won’t hurt me.

So I say this today not to brag or say how wise I am or anything like that. I say this so that you can get the word out and teach those in your about what I have learned so you can create confident people.

Perspective in Adversity

One of the major life issues that I have had to deal with is trying to understand why God allows things to happen. I know that I am not the only one who has dealt with this question, so that’s why I feel comfortable talking about it with everyone. This devotional has two parts, and it includes perspective on people and events that happen to interfere with our lives.

The one, which is negative events, is a probably one of the more common issues that I have dealt with since I have committed myself to ministry. Mind you, I have not had much church ministry experience, but I have done a lot out in the field so to speak. So when people ask me “why did your God, who is supposed to be loving, allow this to happen?” The truth is, that often times we do not have sure answer all the time. But what I have been able to do is talk about my own life and talk about how this happens in the Bible.

In my own life, I have asked similar questions. Growing up with my situation was not easy for me, I had a hard time articulating thoughts, communicating, and I was not the smartest student. Because of that, I was discouraged from public speaking, discouraged from having high goals, and discouraged from anything that could expose my weakness instead of embracing it. Christians told me that I lack faith and that God should heal me and wants to heal me. Then one day it hit me, what if God is allowing this to happen because it glorifies him? To think that I have made it this far with my condition is a testament to God’s grace and my hard work. It proves that anyone can do what I have done with God’s grace and hard work. So in the big picture, the gains of me being who I am outweigh the cost, and until he is willing to take it from me, I will remain patient.

Another question that I often had was why it was so hard for me to get around in the church. I have had a horrible time trying to find a church the first 9 years of my walk, and have been accused of so much. Those that know me know the threats and accusations, but I don’t want to bog us down. The thrust is that if I did not experience persecution from the hands of Christians, I would probably have a much weaker resolve when it comes to being a leader. Now that I can see this, I have a much stronger sense of urgency when it comes to my faith.

Read 2 Corinthians 11:21-30

To give a quick reference to context, Paul is writing the Corinthians about true apostleship. There had been false leaders entering the church, and they were viewed as “super-apostles” and were leading Christians astray. Their speech and charisma attracted the masses, and began questioning the validity of Paul since he did not focus moving speech speech. They actually taught that they should be paid based on their performance when teaching. So instead of giving in to the extravagant life style and performances that the false teachers were portraying, Paul taught about the suffering he endured for being a true apostle. Which to him, was worth bragging about.

As I look at what Paul had to endure in 2 Cor 11:21-30, I blush at the thought that I might have been persecuted. My list, though it is a lot to some, does not stack up well against Paul’s. But the way it works is that if we try to live a life for Christ, we will receive opposition. Paul was being stretched in ways that most of us cannot understand, but it was also a testament to God needing him since he survived all of those hardships. So when you go through trouble, I would encourage you to look at it as “how is God forming me or what is God teaching me by allowing this to happen?” Keep an eye on the big picture.

The second part is dealing with people who oppose you.

One day I was reading in the book of 1 Samuel, and I tripped over the story of David and Goliath. Something registered, and I looked at Goliath and the Philistines in a new light. You begin to wonder what these well-trained men were doing threatening and tormenting the Israelites, who from what I understand, weren’t even well equipped. So Goliath strolled around bullying them for days, but never attacking them. David comes onto the scene, remembering how he had slain lions and bears, and claiming that Goliath is no different. The rest is all history, but I want to focus on the different groups in 1 Sam 17. You have Saul, who is armed and well built to be a warrior, and he is busy posting rewards for anyone who goes and fights Goliath! If you are one of his country men, what do you think of this? Then you find David, who wants to do God’s will and is out to fight. He goes in confidently and is mocked by the Israelites and his family for his willingness. He fights Goliath, who is extremely over confident and very condescending. Some studies I have read have mentioned that due to some of his comments, he might have had a hint of jealous due to the comments about being ruddy and handsome and despising him (v 42). Kind of makes you wonder about Goliath. After he is slain, what do the Philistines do? They run off! They are fully armed, trained and ready to destroy this peasant army, and they run off. Not so tough, eh?

So this illustration just shows you a little bit about what people are really like. I have had a lot of people attack me in my life, and it is always strange to me. I am one of those people who is happy when everything is smooth. So it always confused me that people just hated me for no reason at all. Then one day, this idea popped in my head. I started looking at the people in my life who disliked me, and I was suddenly having pity for them. Whether they were coworkers, former friends/girlfriends, I started seeing them for who they are. Like instead of seeing my boss as a perfectionist tyrant like everyone else did, I saw a weak man who thrived on picking on the low men, who feared failure and rejection and spent long hours at work because that’s all he had and he was just lonely. I started sizing everyone up with that idea that David used, and realized that they can’t and won’t hurt me.

So I say this today not to brag or say how wise I am or anything like that. I say this so that you can get the word out and teach those in your about what I have learned so you can create confident people.