Welcome back to the podcast! Today we’ll examine a certain kind of person we see in Acts - so profound, his name still carries a reputation: Barnabas.
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We're starting the speed round: taking one chapter a week.
- Focusing in on one element in the chapter
- You’ll have to go back and read the whole chapter on your own
- Today: we’ll examine a certain kind of person we see in Acts - so profound, his name still carries a reputation
- There’s a name for this: a generic trademark or proprietary eponym. This happens when a brand name becomes so widely recognized that it’s used to describe a general product or category rather than the specific brand.
- tissue paper = Kleenex
- adhesive bandage = Band-Aid
- Cola = Coke
- lip balm = ChapStick
- cotton swab = Q-tip
- slow cooker = Crock Pot
- hook-and-loop fastener = Velcro
- Today: Q. What are the trademark qualities of a “Barnabas”?
- Barnabas = Encourager
- We’re going to drill down to identify 5 qualities of a “Barnabas”
1. A “Barnabas” gives more than takes.
- We already saw this in ch 4
- Acts 4:32 (NLT) 32 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had…. 36 For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus. 37 He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.
- “Tribe of Levi”
- These were the priests, the givers
- They were supposed to serve the people
- “The Lord was their inheritance”
- Joseph had that kind of heart
- Giver, not a taker
- Do you know someone like that? (SG question this week)
2. A “Barnabas” sees the best in people.
- We saw this in ch 9 with Saul after his dramatic conversion
- Acts 9:26-27 (NLT) 26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! 27 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.
- Barnabas miraculously appears to vouch for Saul
- He saw the best in him
- Paid attention to his changed life
- rather than judging him on his past life
- Do you know someone like that? (SG question this week)
3. A “Barnabas” embraces the chaos.
- This is where we get to today’s text, ch 11
Acts 11:1-3 (NLT) 1 Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God.
