Key Verse: “He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.” (Acts 11:24)
A Brief Summary
He encouraged ordinary people and raised them to important positions;
He encouraged the early Church to found new mission centres ( eg. Antioch);
He encouraged missionaries (Paul, John Mark).
He encouraged others to offer their resources (eg. Ananias)by himself first offering his wealth to the Church without being asked;
He encouraged new leadership in Paul by taking willingly a second place in the missionary journeys and in the Church;
He searched, found and enabled Paul to join the Church and enabled him to offer unique contributions.
1. INTRODUCTION - His story
Only a few of the Biblical characters may be referred to as a ‘man of encouragement or exhortation’ (Acts 4:36). His other name was Joseph. He offered much of his personal wealth without being asked. It was he who encouraged Saul, who later known as Paul (in his Roman name) and a great missionary of the Church. He also encouraged an evangelist, like John Mark and offered an opportunity of service to him. It is not said whether Barnabas was married or not (1 Cor. 9:5-6). Barnabas may be called a precious stone (Manickam) or a pearl (Muthu) of the early Church and the missionary movement.
2. HIS HOME BACKGROUND
He was a Levite, and a native of Cyprus. His family had moved to Cyprus, so Barnabas did not serve in the temple. He gave the gift of the Gospel to his country people in Cyprus – one of the first Roman provinces to know Christ. He was one of the earliest believers in the risen Saviour, and seems to have had special skill in encouraging/exhorting people. It was Barnabas who offered the Gospel to ordinary people and God transformed them to be His missionaries. It seems Barnabas was the first man to be referred to as a “good man” (Acts 11:24). St. Luke, the Companion of St. Paul, described him as a man full of the Holy Spirit and faith and Barnabas brought many people to Christ (Acts 12:24-25). Barnabas was willing to forgive Paul, the persecutor of the Church, and introduced him to the Christian community for their acceptance. Later Paul became a great missionary and writer of the Epistles and founder of evangelists and Churches. Little is known of then Barnabas. It is asserted that he suffered martyrdom, not an unlikely event. (A.R. Buckland, The Universal Bible Dictionary, Morrison & Gibbs, London, 1963, p. 56).
3. WHAT DID THE MAN OF ENCOURAGEMENT GIVE?
a) Gave encouragement through his gift. His life was overflowing with God’s goodness and His Holy Spirit and he encouraged ordinary people and people not so acceptable to join their ministry.
b) He gave encouragement to others by first giving his personal property without being asked. “He was a man of wealth, but sold his possessions and laid the price at the feet of the Apostles”. (Acts 4:36-37). He gave without being asked and encouraged many Christians to offer their resources to the Churches for her mission. Ananias and Saphira also sold a piece of property. However, Ananias kept part of the money for himself and attempted to lie to the Holy Spirit and Simon Peter (Acts 5: 1-4).
c) He gave the Gospel to Cyprus, his homeland. Not everyone would return to his hometown or country to share the Gospel. As one of the first converts at Cluny Estate, Slim River, God helped me to share the Gospel by opening the first Sunday school at the old Anglican Church in Cluny Estate in 1959. It is Jesus’ will that we return to our homes or villages to share the gift of salvation (Mt. 8:20-34; Mk. 5: 1-20; Lk. 8:26-39). The mad man in Gerasa also possessed with demon was later healed. As a token of gratitude after being healed, the man asked whether he could follow Jesus and be Jesus’ companion. But Jesus said, “Go back home and tell what God has done for you.” (Lk. 8:39). The man went through the town, telling what Jesus had done for him.
d) Barnabas – a great missionary to the Church- Paul, a member of Judaism, a student of a great Jewish scholar, Gamaliel, became a great persecutor of God’s Church. When Paul became a preacher of God’s Church, there was reluctance on the part of the people to believe his conversion experience and to welcome him into the Church (Acts 9:27). Initially Barnabas seems to have led the mission team (eg. Acts 13:1-3) Later, Paul seemed to have been given leadership by the consent of Barnabas. Barnabas was prepared to give leadership position to Paul a new convert. Very few would abdicate their positions to others.
People would not believe that he was a disciple and they were afraid of him, as he persecuted the Church then. Barnabas went in search of Paul. He went to Tarsus to search for Saul. He brought him to Antioch (Acts 12:25). The Barnabas came to Paul’s help and took him to the apostles. He explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road to Damascus and that the Lord had spoken to him. He also told them how boldly Saul had preached in the name of Jesus in Damascus (Acts 9:26-27) He seemed to have the risk in introducing Paul to the Church.
e) Barnabas gave a Great Missionary Church
The Church at Antioch, a great missionary Centre, was a sending Church (Acts 13:1-3). “Whilst they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and send them off.” Though he was not directly appointed by the Lord, he was called Apostle by the Church. Antioch was the first Church to send missionaries.
f) He gave, with Paul, a missionary movement. He also initiated the Second Missionary Movement. Paul was not so keen to give an opportunity to John Mark, Barnabas’ nephew, to accompany them. As Mark returned from the first missionary journey without completing it. Paul was reluctant to take with him in his Second Missionary Journey. However, Barnabas wanted to give him a second chance. As they were not able to agree on this issue, two separate missions was initiated. Paul took Silas with him and Barnabas took John Mark. Barnabas was patient and a source of encouragement. At one time Paul said John Mark was useless. However, later he said, Mark was useful and Mark later was reunited with Paul in his missionary efforts. The useless person was transformed to be useful by the Lord. It was this Mark who wrote the Gospel of Mark.
CONCLUSION
All are sinners (Rom. 3:23) and Barnabas is not an exception (Gal. 2), with Peter, Barnabas temporarily stayed aloof from the Gentile believers until Paul corrected him. We questioned ourselves: What has your Church done to be a missionary (sending) Church? What has been your personal contribution to the missionary movement of the Church? Encouragement is one of the most effective ways to help both Christians and non-Christians. Like the jasmine flowers which attract people through the aroma/scent, if we are people of encouragement, we may be able to attract people to Christ. Jesus said, “Let your light shine before people and glorify God.” The spirit of Barnabas can help us to be a powerful Christian and an effective missionary.
As the secular pressures upon the Clergy and the Church are on the increase, this could affect adversely both the Clergy and the laity. Both Clergy and laity need encouragement and counseling. In my 35 years of ministry in the Anglican Church, I have experienced both ups and downs. We are thankful that a few people did encourage us to be faithful to our calling. Parishioners must be guided to give suitable encouragement to both Clergy and lay workers. This is our joint partnership for our Lord.
4. BIBLE REFERENCES:
The Gospel of Luke and Acts of Apostles, 1 Corinthians, Galatians and 1 Peter are helpful.5. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
5.1 What is his homeland?
5.2 How did he help Paul?
5.3 How did he help John Mark?
5.4 How you may encourage others to join God’s ministry?
5.5 Later how did Paul appreciate Barnabas’ work in John Mark?
ELIZABETH, WIFE OF ZECHARIAH AND MOTHER OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
Key Verses: “But why am I so favoured that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is he who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” (Luke 1:43-45)
A Brief Summary
She and her husband came from the priestly family.
They brought forth a son called John the Baptist.
God was faithful to this couple.
Both of them gave a prophet to prepare many hearts.
God’s time is different from ours.
1. INTRODUCTION - Her Story
Elizabeth means ‘God is my oath’. In societies like in Israel, a woman’s value was largely measured by her ability to bear children, to be aging and without children often led to personal hardship and public shame. For Elizabeth, a childless old age was a painful and lonely time yet she remained faithful to God.
Both Elizabeth and Zechariah came from priestly families. For two weeks each year, Zechariah had to go to the Temple in Jerusalem to attend to his priestly duties. After one of those trips, Zechariah returned home excited but speechless. He had to write down his good news because he couldn’t give it any other way. And what a wonderful surprise he had for his wife – their faded dreams would become an exciting reality! Soon Elizabeth became pregnant and she knew her child was a long-hoped gift from God.
News traveled fast among the family. Seventy miles to the north, in Nazareth, Elizabeth’s relative, Mary, also unexpectedly became pregnant. Within days after the angel’s message that she would bear the Messiah, Mary went to visit Elizabeth. They were instantly bound together by the unique gift God had given them. Elizabeth knew that Mary’s son would be greater than her own, for John would be the messenger for Mary’s son.
When the baby was born, Elizabeth instead on his God-given name, John, Zechariah’s written agreement freed his tongue and everyone in town wondered what would become of this obviously special child.
Elizabeth whispered her praise as she cared for God’s gift, knowing about Mary must have made her marvel at God’s timing. This had worked out even better than she could have planned. We too need to remember that God is in control of every situation. When did you last pause to recognize God’s timing in events of your life?
2. STRENGTHS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
a) Known as a deeply spiritual woman.
b) Showed no doubts about God’s ability to fulfill His promise.
c) Mother of John the Baptist.
d) The first woman besides Mary to hear of the coming of the Saviour.
3. LESSONS FROM HER LIFE
a) God does not forget those who have been faithful to him.
b) God’s timetable and methods do not have to conform to what we expect.
4. BIBLE REFERENCES:
Elizabeth’s story is told in Luke 1:5-80.
5. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
5.1 What is the meaning of Elizabeth?
5.2 Did she believe in God’s promise?
5.3 Who was her son?
5.4 Who was the woman who heard about the coming of John?
5.5 How did God remove the disgrace in her life?
MARTHA, SISTER OF MARY AND LAZARUS OF BETHANY
Key Verse: “But Martha was distracted by all the preparation that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40)
Key Verse: “But Martha was distracted by all the preparation that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40)
A Brief Summary
Sister of Mary and Lazarus of Bethany.
Known as a hospitable homemaker.
Believed in Jesus with growing faith.
Had a strong desire to do everything exactly right.
Expected others to agree with her priorities.
She had little time to listen to Jesus when He came to her home.
Jesus rebuked her for her impatience with her sister.
1. INTRODUCTION - Her story
Her name derived from an Aramaic form not found in Hebrew, meaning ‘lady’ or ‘mistress’. Many older brothers and sisters have an irritating tendency to take charge, a habit developed while growing up. We can easily see this pattern in Martha, the older sister of Mary and Lazarus. She was used to being in control.
The fact that Martha, Mary and Lazarus are remembered for their hospitality takes on added significance when we note that hospitality was a social requirement in their culture. It was considered shameful to turn anyone away from your door. Apparently Martha’s family met this requirement very well.
Martha worried about details. She wishes to please, to serve, to do the right thing – but she often succeeded in making everyone around her uncomfortable. Perhaps as the elder, she feared shame if her home did not measure up to expectations. She tried to do everything she could to make sure that wouldn’t happen. As a result, she found it hard to relax and enjoy her guests, and even harder to accept Mary’s lack of cooperation in all the preparations. Martha’s frustration was so intense that she finally asked Jesus to settle the matter. He gently corrected her attitude and showed her that her priorities, though good, were not the best. The personal attention she gave her guests should be more important than the comforts she tried to provide for them.
Later, following her brother Lazarus’s death, Martha could hardly help being herself. When she heard Jesus was finally coming, she rushed out to meet him and expressed her inner conflict of disappointment and hope. Jesus pointed out that her hope was too limited. He was not only Lord beyond death, he was Lord over death – the resurrection and the life! Moments later, Martha again spoke without thinking, pointing out that four days-old corpses are well on their way to decomposition. Her awareness of details sometimes kept her from seeing the whole picture, but Jesus was consistently patient with her.
In our last picture of Martha, she is once again serving a meal to Jesus and his disciples. She has not stopped serving. But the Bible records silence this time. She has begun to learn what her younger sister already knew – that worship begins with silence and listening.
2. STRENGTHS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
a) Known as a hospitable homemaker.
b) Believed in Jesus with growing faith.
c) Had a strong desire to do everything exactly right.
d) Her great confession of faith in John 11:27 is a help.
3. WEAKNESSES AND MISTAKES
a) Expected others to agree with her priorities.
b) Was overly concerned with details.
c) Tended to feel sorry for herself when her efforts were not recognized.
d) Limited Jesus power to this life.
4. LESSONS FROM HER LIFE
a) Getting caught up in details can make us forget the main reasons for our actions.
b) There is a proper time to listen to Jesus and a proper time to work for Him.
5. BIBLE REFERENCES:
Martha’s story is told in Luke 10:38-42 and John 11:17-45.6. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
6.1 Who were her sister and brother?
6.2 What are her strengths?
6.3 Highlight her weaknesses.
6.4 How did our Lord help her to see the right priority?
6.5 Have you worked out your priority in terms of worship and reading God’s Word?
PAUL, ONE OF THE GREATEST MISSIONARIES AND WRITER OF THE EPISTLES
Key Verses: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. (Philippians 1:21-24)
A Brief Summary
One of the greatest missionaries of the Church, apostle of the Gentiles.
Founded many churches.
Wrote many pastoral letters (epistles).
Suffered much pain and persecution and martyrdom for the Gospel.
His encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus – transformed his life style, ministry and he touched many lives.
1. INTRODUCTION – His story
Saul means ‘asked’. Paul means ‘little’. This was a Roman’s name. His Hebrew name was Saul. No person, apart from Jesus himself, shaped the history of Christianity like the apostle Paul. Even before he was a believer, his actions were significant. His frenzied persecution of Christians following Stephen’s death got the Church started in obeying Christ’s final command to take the Gospel worldwide. Paul’s personal encounter with Jesus changed his life. He never lost his fierce intensity, but from then on it was channeled for the gospel.
Paul was very religious. His training under Gamliel was the finest available. His intentions and efforts were sincere. He was a good Pharisee, who knew the Bible and sincerely believed that this Christian movement was dangerous to Judaism. Thus Paul hated the Christian faith and persecuted Christians without mercy.
Paul got permission to travel to Damascus to capture Christians and bring them back to Jerusalem. But God stopped him in his hurried tracks on the Damascus road. Paul personally met Jesus, and his life was never again the same.
Until Paul’s conversion, little had been done about carrying the gospel to non-Jews. Philip had preached in Samaria and to an Ethiopian man; Cornelius, a Gentile, was converted under Peter, and in Antioch in Syria, some Greeks had joined the believers. When Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem to check on this situation, he went to Tarsus to find Paul and bring him to Antioch and together they worked among the believers there. They were then sent on a missionary journey, the first of three Paul would take, that would carry the gospel across the Roman Empire.
The thorny issue of whether Gentile believers had to obey laws before they could become Christians caused many problems in the early church. Paul worked hard to convince the Jews that Gentiles were acceptable to God, but he spent even more time convincing the Gentiles that they were acceptable to God. The lives Paul touched were changed and challenged by meeting Christ through him.
God did not waste any talent of Paul – his background, his training, his citizenship, his mind or even his weaknesses. Are you willing to let God do the same for you? You will never know all he can do with you until you allow him to have all you are!
2. STRENGTHS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
a) Transformed by God from a persecutor of Christians to a preacher for Christ.
b) Preached for Christ throughout the Roman Empire on three missionary journeys.
c) Wrote pastoral letters to various churches, which became part of the New Testament.
d) He was never afraid to face an issue head-on and deal with it.
e) He was sensitive to God’s leading and, despite his strong personality, always did as God directed him.
f) Paul is often called Apostle to the Gentiles.
3. WEAKNESSES AND MISTAKES
a) He witnessed and approved of Stephen’s stoning. The latter paved the way for his conversion.
b) He set out to destroy Christianity by persecuting Christians.
4. LESSONS FROM HIS LIFE
a) The Good News is that forgiveness and eternal life are a gift of God’s grace, received through faith in Christ and available to all people.
b) Obedience results from a relationship with God, but obedience will never create or earn that relationship.
c) Real freedom doesn’t come until we no longer have to prove our freedom.
d) God does not waste our time – he will use our past and present so we may serve him with our future.
e) Very few have suffered like Paul for the Gospel.
5. BIBLE REFERENCES:
Paul’s story is told in Acts. 7:58-28:31 and throughout his New Testament letters.6. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
6.1 What do you know of his Jewish background?6.2 How did he encounter the Lord?
6.3 What were his weaknesses?
6.4 Why he was called the Apostle to the Gentiles?
6.5 What lessons may we learn from his life?
