Barnabas The Encourager

Photo by Dawid Zawiła on Unsplash

Do you have a nickname? If so, what does your nickname say about you? If you do not have a nickname, what nickname would you give yourself, and what would you like it to communicate about you or God?

In Acts chapter four, we meet a man named Joseph, or Barnabas, and we learn a lot about him, his nickname, his character, and his contributions to the early followers of Jesus and the early church. We see Barnabas as a man of encouragement, and as a man of self-sacrifice and giving to the early church.

We also learn much about the nature of the early church and the characteristics of the body of believers that met together to worship and to serve the Lord Jesus as a sacrificially giving and serving body of Christ followers.

Luke tells us in Acts chapter four that “The full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.” (Acts 4:32-35, ESV).

Here in this Acts chapter four passage, we see the following concerning the early church:

1. The early church was unified together as one as “the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul”.

2. The early church was sacrificial in their generosity and in their concerns for others as “no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common”.

3. The early church was expressive of their faith, sharing the good news of Jesus with God’s power and their personal experience, as “with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all”.

4. The early church was extremely generous as they gave what they had for the benefit of those who had need, and as they shared what they had in common with one another—“There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.”

The early church was marked by their unity in Jesus, by their sacrificial service, by their powerful and personal expressions of their faith, and by their provision for one another through holding everything in common.

Barnabas, whose real name was Joseph, exemplified encouragement and this radical generosity and sacrificial service in the early church. Barnabas was named “son of encouragement” by those closest to him because of his extraordinary contributions.

Barnabas was a Levite from birth, from the priestly line, and he modeled priestlike service and giving sacrificially.

Luke tells us, “Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.” (Acts 4:36-37, ESV).

Barnabas exhibited recognizable Godly character as he lived out his faith through selling his field and giving it to the apostles for the church.

Barnabas was a true encouragement to the church and rightfully earned the nickname, or title, “Son of Encouragement”.

Like Barnabas, may we sacrificially and generously serve Jesus and his church, as his living body, as we live out our faith in the world as encouragers—as we express our unity in Jesus, by our sacrificial service, by our powerful and personal expressions of our faith, and by our common provision for one another.

In Christ alone, Robbie

A Prayer For Those Who Serve Others: “O Lord our heavenly Father, whose blessed Son came not to be served, but to serve: We ask you to bless all who, following in his steps, give themselves to the service of others, especially for those who are encouragers, those who, like Barnabas, are faithful and fruitful servants of the Lord, endue them with wisdom, patience, and courage, that they may strengthen the weak and raise up those who fall, and, being inspired by your love, may worthily minister to the suffering, the friendless, and the needy; for the sake of him who laid down his life for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.” (#45, Book of Common Prayer, 2019).

Photo by Dawid Zawiła on Unsplash