Acts 11:19-23

So we've seen the need for encouragement, and last week we looked at the practice of encouragement.

! This evening what I want to do is look at a kind of flesh and blood example, an example

! of encouragement. The best example I think we have in the New Testament is that of Barnabas.

Medical students, you've looked at your textbooks, and you've lectures, but then it comes to

the point where you've got to get on the ward, and you see real life examples of what you've

learnt in the classroom and in their books. I imagine that's quite thrilling. And we've

looked at the theory of encouragement, and now I want to see that encouragement is embodied

in a living human being. He's introduced there in Acts 4 verse 36. Can you see that? Joseph,

Acts 4:36

Acts chapter 4 and verse 36. That's Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas,

Acts 4 · chapter mention

which means son of encouragement, a Levite, a native of Cyprus. Barnabas was a cousin of

John Mark, we know that in Colossians chapter 4 and verse 10. And the early church met for

Colossians 4 · chapter mention

prayer in the home of John Mark's mother in Jerusalem. Mary. Barnabas had relatives in

Jerusalem, and his name was Joseph. But no one knows him by Joseph, do they? Are they

knowing by his nickname? That's quite reassuring, the New Testament nicknames. And that name was

attached to him by the apostles, because of the man he was and the way he lived. And it

means a son of encouragement. When the Jews spoke of the son of someone, and they met all

his character, and was summed up in that word. It was as if they were saying, this man's father

and mother are encouragement. Wherever he went, whatever he did, he was Mr. Encouragement.

He was always encouraging people. And this man, Joseph, became known as the encourager. Now

I wondered about how did you do this? Do we list these virtues? Do we classify them? But

I think that the easiest way is to look at kind of six references in the New Testament to

who Barnabas was. It's not a particularly neat way of instructing a sermon, but I hope to leave

with it. These aren't all the references to Barnabas, but I think they are the main ones. The

first one is in Acts chapter 4, verse 37. Barnabas sold a field that belonged to him, and he

Acts 4:37

brought the money, and he laid it at the apostles' feet. So that's the introduction. I'm just

encouraging. He sells his land, he donates the money to the church, and this is the context.

I'm sure you know, in the early church there's this tremendous outburst of love and generosity.

We're told about it in Acts chapter 4, verse 32. Now the full number of those who believed

Acts 4:32

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. Occasionally you hear that the early church

practiced a kind of rudimentary form of communism. That what we're being told is that Christians

all had a giant sale, they put out everything that they had, they realized all the proceeds,

and they put all the money into a common pot, so that all the possessions were merged into

one. I think that's a misunderstanding. I don't think that's what the early church did at all.

I think they did something prudent, practical, and sensible. Look at Ephesians 34. 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 they laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was

distributed to each as any had need. They sold them, they brought the proceeds, and they

laid it at the apostles' feet. Now all those mirrors are what is called iterative, perfected,

I'm sure you knew. I didn't even know that from the beginning of this. We'll go there soon.

And we all know what that is. This is what they are. That when a need arose, when occasion

demanded, a member of the church would sell some of his property and help a brother and

sister in time of need. And then again, perhaps there would be a further occasion, another crisis.

And there would be a young widow, maybe with a family, with no property or money, and again

on that occasion, a member of the church would sell a land or a house or give the money as

it was needed. And the apostles would give it in the case of need. The NIV is a better

translation. It says, from time to time, those who owned land or houses sold them, brought

the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet. From time to time. They were ready

to give out everything they possessed if it was needed. And in this context, Barnabas is an

outstanding instance. And I think he's meant to contrast this to the Ammonias and Sapphira

in the next chapter. Do you remember, they were, well, of the appearance, so religious,

didn't they? They say, we've sold this house, they bring the money in a kind of massive charity

check. But they're hypocritical, unselfish and dishonest. Their pretense of Christian love

is contrasted, I think, with Barnabas, who sells his property, gives all the money to the

apostles for them to use. In other words, Barnabas is not self-protective.

That's the first thing the Bible tells us about him. He is able to face personal loss

for the sake of others. He's willing to impoverish himself in order to help his brothers and

sisters in need. And we saw last week, didn't we, that is an essential quality of an encourager.

But it's not an easy thing. It's not something shallow or trivial. We must be prepared to

be givers. You must be prepared to give. To give to other people. Time is so precious,

consistent. Your time. Your time that you might have liked to keep for yourself. To give your

energy. To helping other people when you're feeling tired. And you would far rather rest

to make yourself available. To help other people. To lose. Sometimes. As we'll see later.

Sometimes to face loss, embarrassment, misunderstanding. And you're attempt to help other people.

It's costly and it's demanding. An encourager cannot be selfish. The encourager cannot be self-protective.

And if we're serious about being encouragers, we have to be prepared, don't we, for God's pruning

knife. You know the pruning knife that you prune your branches? That God prunes something

that we may feel is ours. And I have got the right to keep it. But we have to surrender that

right gladly for the greater good to help someone else. Let's turn to the second reference.

It's on your sheet. Acts chapter 9 verse 26. When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join

Acts 9:26

the disciples. That's the apostle Paul. When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the

disciples, but they were all afraid of him. Not believing that he really was a disciple.

But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey

had seen the Lord and how the Lord had spoken to him. And how in Damascus Paul had preached

fearlessly in the name of Jesus. So Saul stayed with them. And moved about freely.

Freely in Jerusalem. Speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. It's one of the most significant

moments in the New Testament. Saul of Tarsus has been converted. And he returns through the

mother church to Jerusalem. And he wants to join the church. And the disciples, understandably

and naturally, are terrified. And they are cautious. And they are suspicious. And Katie, they want

nothing to do with this man. So remember, here is the great persecutor of the church. He

tells us that he had some of the Christians in Jerusalem put to death. He was responsible

for the murder of husbands and sons and fathers. Of some of these Christians in Jerusalem. And

now their murderer wants to join the fellowship. And this is interesting that to the end of

his life, Paul had such a burden for the Jewish, for the Jerusalem church. Wherever he went. You

see that, don't you? He's collecting money for them. And praying for them. And urging the

Gentile churches. Remember the saints in Jerusalem. And I'm sure there's a personal element in

that, isn't there? I'm sure there was a burden and a grief on Paul's heart. And so he knew

why some of those families were poor. He had made them poor. He'd removed the breadwinner.

And to his dying day, he tried in some way to make up for the wrong that he'd done. But

in any case, the church wanted something to do with him. Except Barnabas. But Barnabas

took him. And brought him to the apostles. It's like an even more poignant expression,

isn't it? In Acts chapter 9 verse 17. Just come with me. It's a little kind of detail

Acts 9:17

but it's alright. Chapter 9 verse 17. Two little words there. Which are incredibly moving.

I don't know if you've picked that up. There's a Saul is blinded sitting in a room in Tarsus.

This is the man who's the terror of the Christians. And God speaks to a teenage disciple called

Alonais. And he says, I want you to go and meet with Saul of Tarsus. And speak with him.

And Saul is in the room. He's blind. He's repentant. He's broken hearted. He thinks of what

he's done. He's done the evil, the murder, the slaughter, the threats. How he has fought

against Jesus Christ. And perhaps he knows that there's a believer coming to see him.

And how will this believer behave towards him? What will be the first words Saul of Tarsus

ever hears from the lips of Christian? And Ammonius comes into the room and says,

Acts 9 verse 17. Brother Saul. That's the grace of God, isn't it? Brother Saul to the murderer.

Acts 9:17

What must that word must have meant to Saul of Tarsus? He calls me brother.

Oh, he's coming here to kill him. He calls me brother. And Barnabas is the same. He receives

Saul. Let's note a couple of things. He's open minded. He did not react instantly like

other Christians. Barnabas is willing to listen to what Paul has to say. He's able to explain

what happened to Saul. He's seen the Lord on the road. Christ has spoken to him. He's

preached boldly in the name of Jesus. He's spent time with Paul. He has been unprejudiced

and open minded and open hearted. He is troubled to take time with Saul. He's a discerning

man. He sees great potential with Saul. This suspect, isolated, lonely man with a very

bad track record. And Barnabas sees his gifts, his energy, his passion, and all these how they

could be used for the Lord. He's not naive. Some Christians are very naive, aren't they?

They're easily taken in. They're imposed upon. They're deluded. But Barnabas is not naive.

But he does see the reality of his Christian experience. He sees the marks of grace.

And change. He sees the true potential in people, in this person, and he's courageous.

It would be far safer, wouldn't it, and far easier, to Barnabas to join all the other

Christians to stay clear of this man and to have nothing to do with him. But Barnabas

takes it as a risk. And it was a risk to Barnabas. We're reading now, aren't we, two thousand

years later. Put yourself back then. It was a risk, isn't it? The risk of sponsoring this

man. Of going bail for him in the church. Saying, I believe in him. I think he's genuine.

And when I just stand with him. We say, can we, I think we can do this. I think we can

say in human terms, what if there'd not been a Barnabas? Suppose the whole Jerusalem church

had stayed clear of Saul and no one had anything to do with him. Suppose if he hadn't found any

way into the Jerusalem church. How different his ministry would have been? And I think God

is showing to us that if we're truly going to have the spirit of Barnabas, we will be

ready to listen. We will be ready to listen to that awkward and promising, difficult individual.

We'll be ready to befriend the outsider. We'll be ready to be patient with the person who

might have strange views and very incomplete knowledge. We'll be ready to try and help them

fit into the group. We'll not always be concerned with playing it absolutely safe. And I know

we're a Presbyterian church. And the problem with Presbyterians is we so easily get into

the mentality of don't make any mistakes. And don't take a step out of line and make sure

that your back is covered. Make sure that you're not exposed in any way. And we become terrified

of making mistakes. Let me say to you the biggest mistake in Christian ministry is to do nothing.

The biggest mistake in God's service is to run no risks. To attempt nothing for God.

And I think there are times when we have to run these risks with people. We need wisdom,

don't we, to pray earnestly that we'll be able to discern the work of how he's spreading people,

to see the potential of someone, of that pharaoh or that girl who is so argumentative and

every time you talk to them they give you a hard time about the gospel. But think about that

person. Think about if the Lord was to win them. And all that ability and all that incisiveness

and all that intellect used for God. Think of the guy in your office. He's a great, he's great fun.

Everybody loves him. He's very popular. His jokes are inappropriate but he's really bright.

And you think he'd never be interested. But just suppose the Lord were to change him. Think

about what he could do with young people. Or the girl who is slightly wild. She's a flirt.

She's always out clubbing. It's easy to say, isn't it, but she's shallow and superficial. But think

of the attractiveness of that person. Think if that personality was transformed by grace, what could

it be done for the work of God's kingdom? The other Christians, they looked at Saul and they said,

oh no, no, no. It's better not to risk it. Barnabas says, I will go and talk with him. I

will go and listen to what he says. I will spend time with him. And as he did, he was convinced

that there'd be the work of God. Number three, Acts 11 verses 19 to 26. There's been a dramatic

Acts 11:19–26

work of God in Antioch. And many from outside the church have been won to the Lord Jesus.

The city of Antioch is the third largest city in the ancient world after Rome and Alexandria.

It's a city at this time of about half a million people. It's a city with street lighting, with

paving stones. It's complex. It's sophisticated. It's a metropolis. And amongst this kind of

sophisticated Greek speakers, a whole load of people have been won for the Lord. And

the church, the mother church, years about it in Jerusalem, and they're not sure what to

think. And they're not sure whether it's a good thing or a bad thing. So try to put yourself

in their position.

Let's say a man at O'Brentford, they begin in a few weeks time, and David George goes down

to do a book table in Brentford on a Saturday, with Pete Lofthouse and Sue and the gang. And

they ring Stuart up and they say, we've had a great morning. And we've had a really great

morning. We've been out witnessing, and 250 people have been converted. And they will be

coming to church tomorrow, tomorrow morning. Now, I'd be very interested to see what the

reaction would be. One would be great joy, but one would be you'll be swamped. Suddenly

you've got any background. You haven't got any teaching. I know a church in Tasmania about

15 years ago that saw about 120 students converted over an academic year. She'd been praying for

students for years, but actually when they came in, they couldn't handle it. They couldn't

handle it. A very funny story about that, that I can't tell, but I'll see what I do to

them, I'll tell you. But people come into church with no shoes on. And the people who've been

in church for years, they just couldn't handle it. They'd prayed for it for years. These

people didn't have any background, they didn't have any teaching. They had all their own ideas.

They were mixed up with the world. Communion, church, discipline was an absolute nightmare.

And it's been a tick, it's a lot of time to sort that out. And these conservative

Jewish Christians, they hear of this work of God among the Gentiles, but is it sound?

Is it biblical? Is it genuine? They're good questions. Are they truly Christians?

Calvin says this, he says, Satan's cunning, cunning. Satan's cunning is well known as soon

as he sees a door open for the gospel, he writes by all sorts of means to corrupt what is pure.

And so that the result, the result is that along with the teaching of Christ, various heresies

proliferate. Calvin is saying there's nothing easier than for growing corn to be ruined in

the early stages of growth. When there is a work of God, there's often a degree of disorder

and confusion. I think you can look through church history and see those. But actually,

when there's a genuine work of God, there's a mixture of things which maybe aren't quite

right and things which we shouldn't defend. And gradually they sort themselves out. Growth

is always messy. It is always messy. Even the little bit of growth we've known as a church,

I think you can point to some of the messiness of that. There's an untidy period. And so the

church was assigned to send someone to investigate. Well, who do you send? And they said Barnabas.

And you can imagine coming the anxiety amongst the young Christians in Antioch. One of the big

boys is coming down. Presbytery have sent one of their own. One of the top men. He's

heard all the great preachers. He's possibly seen the blessing on the great day of the Pentecost,

the phenomenal growth of the church. And now he's coming down to our little work. What would

you think when he arrives? And we're told that Barnabas came. Barnabas came and he saw the

grace of God and he was glad. And he encouraged them all. That with purpose of heart they should

continue with the Lord. Now, I have no doubt that there were many, many imperfections. And

those new Christians would have been very raw and very immature. And they had much to learn. But

Barnabas saw the evidence of God's grace and he was glad and he was encouraged. And we're

not told he found fault. And we're not told that he started criticizing and saying, well, that is wrong

and that is wrong and you need to reform. His initial contact with them was gladness. And encouragement

and positive reinforcement. Now, I am not saying that unsound teaching doesn't matter. Don't

think that. I'm not saying that we should be woolly minded. I am not saying that we should be

foolishly enthusiastic and undiscerning. But we do need to have the mentality which will start

by encouraging what is good rather than criticizing what is bad. And are you not in danger sometimes

of being a fault finder? You show me a work of God and I'll show you what's wrong with it.

Isn't that what's spreading us sometimes? We know that there are things wrong. But that's

not the way to put them right. We don't need to be glad at what's been achieved or do we always

feel like criticizing what has been accomplished. So let me ask you, you hear a sermon, what do you

focus on? What has helped you or the flaws? You go to a church, what do you focus on? The weaknesses

or the strengths? You see a bucket of water on your way to the crash and it's what do you see? Half

full or half empty. Barnabas was encouraging and he was glad. And where we see the evidence of the

real grace of God we can be glad even if it's not our party, even if it's not our group, even if it's

something that would not line up exactly where we would line up. When we hear of many genuine

conversions in the church which may not be dominantly sound, can we honestly say praise God and thank God

for that and I glorify you Father for your work. Or do we say, God why don't you work with those

people over there? Why don't you work with us? We are far sounder. Well that's one of the reasons why

God doesn't work with us. And Acts tells us as a result of this, look at verse 24, a great number of

people were added to the church, weren't they? Acts chapter 11, a great number of Acts chapter 11 and verse 25.

Acts 11 · chapter mention Acts 11 · chapter mention

So Barnabas went to Tarsus, he took the sword and when he found him, oh that's not right,

it's the next one it says, um, Acts 13, where am I? I've got lots of my notes.

Yeah, Acts 13, verse 25 and, um, verse 6.

Acts 13:25

That's not right either. Anyway, a great number of people rallied to the Lord, take my word for it,

alright? Somebody can point out the verse 24.

24.

11.

11.

24. At least someone's listening.

Yeah.

That's right. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul and when he found him, they brought him to Antioch

and for a whole year they met with the church and told a great many people and in Antioch the disciples

were first called Christians.

It's the verse before, isn't it? A great number of rabbits to the Lord.

It's amazing.

It's not all, anyway.

It's positive, isn't it? He has an impact.

Now, just notice in the verses I did just read to you which, he doesn't leave them in their immaturity.

Can you see that? He doesn't just say, oh carry on with all the things that are wrong, he does it tactfully

and wisely and positively. He takes Paul with them and they teach for a year.

but notice, just notice

the huge influence of this man

in two crises, when Paul wanted to

join the Jerusalem church

and in the deputation to Antioch

Barnabas plays this pivotal role

in the history of the New Testament church

an encourager

an encourager

is far more significant than you imagine

you think it's a peripheral thing

so that you may think

there are the missionaries aren't there

there are the church planters, there are the preachers

there are the elders

and there are the people that can't do much else

they're simply the encouragers

but actually you look through the New Testament

and Barnabas is key

and number 4, Acts 13 verse 9

Acts 13:9

and you may say that's a really strange reference

Acts 13 verse 9

Acts 13:9

it says this

but Saul, who was called Paul

filled with the Holy Spirit

looked intently at him

it's the point in the New Testament

where Paul takes over the leadership

and from now on

Paul is not called Saul anymore

Saul is called Paul

so just notice the change

look at verse 2

look at verse 2

there were in the church of Antioch

prophets and teachers

Barnabas and Simeon

in the end

can you see verse 2

set apart from me

Barnabas and Saul

can you notice who's in the leader's role

and then look at verse 7

he was with the proconsul

so she is Paul

a man of intelligence

who summoned Barnabas

and Paul

again Barnabas is in the driving seat

isn't he

but look at verse 13

now Paul and his companions

from now on

it's Paul and his party

and Barnabas has merged

as he into the supporting group

it's the moment the protege

surpasses

the teacher

who befriended him

here's the moment

when the one who is encouraged

outstrips the encourager

and he begins to leave him

far behind in usefulness

and they move out of the Gentile world

to Cyprus

Saul's asses is far more qualified

by birth

and educating him

so from now on

Paul takes over

that

so I like encouraging people

I like encouraging people

because they owe something to me

I like people who owe something to me

I like people who depend on me

and look up to me

and admire me

I'm not so keen on people

who expect me to admire that

I wonder why that is

we can feel good

can't we have having people

under us if you like

it feeds our ego

but when they outstrip us

when we realise

that the younger Christian

is far more gifted

than we are

when we see someone

that we helped

now the Lord is using

in a way that he's never used us

well that's what happened to Barnabas

that's what happened to this encourager

and how easy it would have been

to be jealous

and say wait a minute

I brought this man into the church

where has all this Paul

and his party come from

but this is what has happened

God is tactfully warning us

of the realities of encouragement

that we will see

God willing

some of us

some of whom we knew

as spiritual toddlers

going far beyond us

and of that we should be glad

we should be ready for that

Calvin again says

no matter whom the Lord

has used to make his name

illustrious

the faithful servants of Christ

ought to follow the example

of Barnabas

and rejoice at the success

of the gospel

perhaps the best way

is for those who are

children

when we think of our children

what do we want for our children

we want our children to go beyond us

don't we

nothing would make your parents

happier children

than for you to kind of

surpass them

we pray that our children

will be far better Christians

than us don't we

we pray that our children

will be far more used

of the Lord

than we are

we pray that our children

will far surpass us

in gifts and graces

we won't feel jealous of that

will we

our nose won't be put out of joint

I hope not

we will feel nothing

but gladness and thankfulness

to God

and that is the way

that we have to learn

to feel about people

whom the Lord

uses us to help

and so if they go to Brentford

and 350 join in a few weeks

and it becomes a kind of marriage

we've got to be thrilled

haven't we

and we can trickle down

with them

that's alright

the story is all positive

Galatians chapter 2

Galatians 2 · chapter mention

Galatians chapter 2

Galatians 2 · chapter mention

and we see the frailty

of Barnabas

you remember the incident

Paul was being a hand job

and he's

Peter was being a hand job

and he's really

been happy to eat

with Gentiles there

he's disregarded

the Jewish food laws

but then

a party of friends

come down from Jerusalem

kind of ultra-conservatives

right wing

of the church

very extreme

and then they come to Peter

and Peter withdraws

and he separates himself

he fears those

in the circumcision party

and the rest of the Jews

and he plays the hypocrites

Galatians chapter 2 verse 11

Galatians 2:11

when Kephas

came to Antioch

I opposed him to his face

because he stood condemned

for certain men

came from James

he was eating with the Gentiles

but when they came

he drew back

and he separated himself

from the circumcision party

and the rest of the Jews

acted hypocritically

along with him

so that even

Barnabas

was led astray

by the hypocrisy

the details

don't matter

so much to us tonight

the chronology

of that passage

is quite difficult

but clearly

Barnabas is

indefensibly in the wrong

he shouldn't have done

what he did

it was hypocritical

he knew better than that

he was being manipulated

by public opinion

in the church

and you can hear

Paul's surprise

that he had pain

in that little expression

even Barnabas

I would have expected

better from Barnabas

now I'm not excusing

what he did

I'm simply reminding you

of something

that I find enormously

encouraging tonight

and that is

that we don't have

to be perfect

to be an encourager

that is used by God

we say don't we

in our church circles

that we don't believe

in sinless perfection

I hope we don't

and yet the way

we react

when somebody

points out

our faults

it's almost as if

we did believe

in sinless perfection

and we can get

very edgy

can't we

when people

point out our faults

and very irate

when someone comes

and puts their finger

on a sore point

we get very defensive

even angry

and many many Christians

struggle

because they think

I've got to be perfect

and sometimes

people who seem perfect

they're not actually

the most encouraging

people to be around

are they

and again

I'm not excusing

Barnabas mistaken

imperfection

he shouldn't have

done it

he was wrong

but there's something

encouragingly human

about it

he made a wrong

decision under pressure

hands up

if you've never

made a wrong

decision

no hands up

we all do it

we do it in the church

and here's a man

and perhaps it's

part of his quality

as an encourager

he's made his own

share of mistakes

and I'm not using

this as a apology

for his sin

at all

but there are times

when it is

of the utmost

encouragement

to put your arm

around someone

and say

look I've done

what you did

I've made that

mistake

and I understand

and the Lord

forgave me

and I was able

to start again

that is wonderfully

encouraging

isn't it

and people felt

close to Barnabas

because of that

last thing

last one

Acts 15

36-39

and it's the time

when Paul and Barnabas

have a bitter

angry quarrel

about Barnabas

his relative

John Mark

and John Mark

has fallen by the

wayside

he went on the

first missionary

journey

and he quit

he'd given up

he'd gone home

and they're about

to set out

on the second

missionary journey

and Barnabas

wants to take

John Mark

with him again

and Paul doesn't

and Barnabas

urges that he

be taken

and Paul refuses

Luke says

the contention

became so sharp

that they parted

from one another

they split up

here were mates

here were friends

close friends

they'd walked

over a thousand

miles together

in the cause

of Christ

they'd been

stoned together

by stones

they'd preached

together

they'd suffered

together

they loved each

other

they were indebted

to each other

and yet those

two Christians

they have a

violent quarrel

the word literally

is a very very

bitter quarrel

it's the word for

a fever

you have a high

point of a fever

there was an

angry feverish

shouty quarrel

between two

godly Christian

men

what was it

about

was it about

doctrine

was it about

theology

was it about

the substance

of the faith

let's be honest

it was about

a minor detail

of practical

missionary strategy

and they reached

such rage with

each other

that they actually

split up and

they couldn't

agree

it's quite

interesting to

read the

commentators on

this verse

Howard Marshall

is a New

Testament scholar

says the

reason for the

contention between

Paul and Barnabas

has seemed so

trivial that some

deeper cause has

been suspected

two Christians

couldn't fall out

could they on

something as

trivial as this

there must be

something deeper

there must be

something theological

well let me say

to you when

Christians fall out

it is almost

invariably over a

trivial detail

disagreements

amongst Christians

and sadly there

are many of

the estrangements

coldness

separation

breaking of

fellowship

they are not

often about the

great pillars of

faith

they are not

often about

great doctrine

they are normally

about something

practical

some matter of

common sense

I think it's

wise to go this

way

I think it

needs to go the

other way

it's not important

and Satan uses

that and we have

to be very very

careful

things escalate

under control

although something

very small can

divide Christians

who was right in

this controversy

it's very hard to

say

the Bible doesn't

go his clear

direction

it says Paul

was commended

by the church

it doesn't

actually say that

about Barnabas

but again

was Paul too

harsh

or was he too

critical of John

Mark

was Barnabas

too soft

it's possible to

say

it's hard to

contradict

somebody who

you've been

befriended with

and it must have

been hard for

Barnabas

I brought this

man into the

church

I was his

friend when no

one else was

I took the

risk

and how does

he repay me

he repays me

by quarrelling

with me and

following a

different course

that we can't

assume

we can't assume

that the people

we befriend and

help and give

ourselves to

and sacrifice

ourselves for

we can't assume

that they will

always be our

friends

that they will

always stand

with us

that they'll

always be

grateful for us

that they'll

always agree

with us and

follow our

lead

we have to

face the

possibility

don't we

in church

life

that as we

open ourselves

up to people

they may let

us down

and they'll

take a different

path

a different

path of

doctrine

I find that

hard

a different

path of

understanding

christian

service

we've got to

be ready for

that

we've got to

be willing to

let them go

we can't claim

that they have

to be dependent

on us

that is a

wrong thing

we can't say

you owe me

and after all

I've done for

you this is the

way you repay

me

he wasn't to

help people

just to help

people knowing

that they might

disagree with you

in the future

are you still

willing to

help

still willing

to be thankful

for them

and it's

wonderful

in the

new

testament

we see how

wonderfully

God overruled

the situation

that the

quarrel between

Paul and

Barnabas

led to

two missionary

groups

instead of

one

and sometimes

it is far

better for

Christians to

go their

own way

when they

cannot agree

than for

there to

be a

split

W.M.

Taylor

says the

quarrel may

have been

the making

of John

Mark

he says

Paul's

disapproval

might have

broken Mark's

spirit

Barnabas

partiality

might have

made him

soft

but together

together

that is the

beauty of the

body of

Christ

I think on

every eldership

you want to

have good

cops and

bad cops

you want to

have people

who are

soft hearted

and generous

to a fault

than others

who are

maybe not so

much

you need

both

you see

both in

the New

Testament

and at

the end

of Paul's

ministry

the split

and the

friendship

has been

restored

here is

the path

of a

typical

encourager

in the

Christian

life as

we see

in pilgrims

progress

there are

ups and

downs

there are

joys and

sorrows

there are

successes

and failures

and in

many ways

to be an

encourager

is a

very only

human life

it's an

easy calling

to be an

encourager

but it

is very

very

significant

I don't

think

that there

is a

more

attractive

more

likeable

more

winsome

figure

in the

New

Testament

church

than

Barnabas

and

Luke

says

this is

the secret

of it

all

he was

a good

man

full of

the Holy

Spirit

and of

faith

may God

give us

in this

church

many

encouragers

we're

going to

sing to

Christ