Missio Dei Communities

A dude named Barnabas has come up a couple times in our study of Acts.  We learned in Acts 4 that his name means “son of encouragement.”  When I think of an “encourager” I think of someone who says nice things to me.  They tell me they like my shirt, my sermon or my personality.  But this doesn’t seem to be the same way Barnabas encourages.  He doesn’t go around telling the Apostles how great they are or what he likes about them.  Let’s take a look at three ways Barnabas uses his gift of encouragement in the book of Acts.

1.  Sacrificial and Generous Giving.  Chapter 5 begins with the bad example of Ananias and Sapphira.  They were stingy with their money and lied about it.  We all know about them.  But we often overlook the fact that we were introduced to Barnabas at the end of Chapter 4 simply because he was the positive example of a sacrificial and generous giver. 

2.  Vouching With His Voice.  After Saul, the persecutor of the church, is converted he goes down to Jerusalem.  However, as you can imagine, none of the Apostles want to have anything to do with him.  They are scared to death of him!  But Barnabas uses the voice that he has in the community to vouch for Saul.  “But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them...” (Acts 9:27). 

3.  Going Alongside.  In Acts 13, Saul is going to be sent off.  The rest of the book of Acts will be largely about Saul/Paul and his crazy ministry to the ends of the earth.  However, what is often overlooked is that it is Barnabas who is sent off with Saul.  Saul does not go alone.  He has Barnabas alongside him for the journey. 

Who do you see as the “Barnabas” in your life?  What about in Missio Dei?