Bible Character Studies: Barnabas. Pt. 4 Compassion, courage, consecration and commitment.
Good morning,
Yesterday was the Lord's Day all day, not just for a couple of hours. As we start a new week, we can take with us the fresh vision of our risen Lord from Revelation 1.
Our Pastor pointed out that apostle John was flat on his face when he saw the glorified Christ. This is the God
we serve and He stooped to meet our greatest need of Salvation.
Just a reminder. Our youtube channel is:
HBC Smithville, OH. You can see Pastor Alvis's sermons live-streamed from July 14, 2019 onward.
Above photo shows ruins of Derbe.
Faithful men who refused pagan's worship and pointed them to the only God who can save them.
Acts 14:8-18 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: 9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. 11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. 12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. 13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. 14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, 15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: 16 Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. 18 And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.
The text above is a record of where Paul and Barnabas went to Lystra and Derbe. These were Gentile communities steeped in pagan practices. The first thing that happened was that Paul healed a crippled man and they quickly assumed that the pagan gods Jupiter and Mercury had come to the earth.
Jupiter was the chief Roman god of the sky and thunder. Mercury was the god of financial gain, eloquent speech, fortune good or bad. He was also the one who guided the dead to the underworld.
These pagans began to worship Paul and Barnabas and the two men moved quickly to put a stop to the false worship.
This record illustrates the true character of both Paul and Barnabas in that they refused the worship and accolades of the pagans because they knew this was offensive to the One, True God of Heaven.
Courage when facing adversity and exercising care for the new churches.
Acts 14:19-23 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. 20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, 22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
Paul and Barnabas encountered strong Jewish opposition in addition, Paul was stoned and dragged out of the city. Barnabas and the disciples stood around Paul and the text simply says he rose up. They returned to Lystra and then began to retrace their steps to visit the new churches that had formed.
They "confirmed" or made strong and firm the new disciples and encouraged them to remain faithful to Jesus Christ. They also taught them about the reality that there would be persecution against those who were born again and followed Christ.
Something else that Paul and Barnabas did was to ordain elders in each church that they established. The spiritual qualifications are found in 1 Timothy 3:1-13. This action made sure that leaders who had a good testimony and were doctrinally sound would be there to help keep each church on the right path.
One other tender note tells us that at each church Paul and Barnabas prayed, fasted and commended the care of each church to the Lord who saved them.
Points to Ponder...
Yesterday was the Lord's Day all day, not just for a couple of hours. As we start a new week, we can take with us the fresh vision of our risen Lord from Revelation 1.
Our Pastor pointed out that apostle John was flat on his face when he saw the glorified Christ. This is the God
we serve and He stooped to meet our greatest need of Salvation.
Just a reminder. Our youtube channel is:
HBC Smithville, OH. You can see Pastor Alvis's sermons live-streamed from July 14, 2019 onward.
Above photo shows ruins of Derbe.
Faithful men who refused pagan's worship and pointed them to the only God who can save them.
Acts 14:8-18 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: 9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. 11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. 12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. 13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. 14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, 15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: 16 Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. 18 And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.
The text above is a record of where Paul and Barnabas went to Lystra and Derbe. These were Gentile communities steeped in pagan practices. The first thing that happened was that Paul healed a crippled man and they quickly assumed that the pagan gods Jupiter and Mercury had come to the earth.
Jupiter was the chief Roman god of the sky and thunder. Mercury was the god of financial gain, eloquent speech, fortune good or bad. He was also the one who guided the dead to the underworld.
These pagans began to worship Paul and Barnabas and the two men moved quickly to put a stop to the false worship.
This record illustrates the true character of both Paul and Barnabas in that they refused the worship and accolades of the pagans because they knew this was offensive to the One, True God of Heaven.
Courage when facing adversity and exercising care for the new churches.
Acts 14:19-23 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. 20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, 22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
Paul and Barnabas encountered strong Jewish opposition in addition, Paul was stoned and dragged out of the city. Barnabas and the disciples stood around Paul and the text simply says he rose up. They returned to Lystra and then began to retrace their steps to visit the new churches that had formed.
They "confirmed" or made strong and firm the new disciples and encouraged them to remain faithful to Jesus Christ. They also taught them about the reality that there would be persecution against those who were born again and followed Christ.
Something else that Paul and Barnabas did was to ordain elders in each church that they established. The spiritual qualifications are found in 1 Timothy 3:1-13. This action made sure that leaders who had a good testimony and were doctrinally sound would be there to help keep each church on the right path.
One other tender note tells us that at each church Paul and Barnabas prayed, fasted and commended the care of each church to the Lord who saved them.
Points to Ponder...
- Barnabas helped bring gospel light into pagan darkness.
- Barnabas helped stop the pagans from worshiping Paul and Barnabas after Paul healed the impotent man's foot.
- Barnabas demonstrated courage when Paul was stoned.
- Barnabas helped Paul confirm the churches, appoint elders and remain in prayer and fasting for them.
Barnabas was a very passionate Jew who was born again and fully embraced the grace of God and salvation through faith in the work and person of Jesus Christ. Are we following hard after Christ?
Barnabas was always ready to share gospel truth with those who had not heard it. He was always careful to give all glory to God for any good things done in the power of Jesus's name. Do we seek to bring glory to God in all that we do and say?
Barnabas also demonstrated courage in the face of opposition. As Jesus taught in the parable of the Seed & the Sower, some seed of the word of God fell on stony ground. This is a person who hears the gospel and receives it with joy initially but then when persecution comes for his allegiance to Christ, he walks away from the faith.
Barnabas was not like that man. Rather, he was like the seed that fell on good ground and brought forth fruit. Do our lives show that the seed fell on good ground because God is at work in our lives, using us and transforming our hearts?
Matthew 13:20-21 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
Barnabas was a man who prayed seeking God's will, who fasted seeking to draw closer to his Lord and who helped establish sound leadership in each church? Are we praying and fasting? Are we mentoring other believers so that God might use them more?
Bob
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