Barnabas: Son of Encouragement

The sermon for today came from Acts 4:32-37. The pastor preached on this text with Barnabas as the focus. Sue and I both think that the pastor delivered a good sermon today. As a Levite, Barnabas’s original name was Joseph. But in 4:36, it says that he “was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement).” In the literary context, we see that Luke purposefully places this brief summary of the early church in front of story of Ananias and Sapphire (5:1-11): Those who sold their possessions for the common good sets a sharp contrast with this couple who lied about their possessions. Among them, Barnabas “sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet” (4:37). Sacrifice is one of the marks for Christian discipleship. The early Christians demonstrated this basic principle. We must give up something in order to follow Christ: “let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mk. 8:34). The early Christians took up their own crosses and followed the cross of Christ. Ananias and Sapphire failed to take up their cross. So they died for that cross. They lived, but they didn’t follow. Can we say that they merely existed in God’s sight?

After the conversion of Paul, he came to Jerusalem and attempted to join the disciples. But “they were afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple” (Acts 9:26). Who would believe that a prosecutor of the church would become a proclaimer for the church? The text says, “But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles…” (9:27). No one accepted Paul except this son of encouragement. Perhaps, Barnabas saw something unique in Paul. Or he believed that the worst sinner could be turned into an obedient saint by His grace. Barnabas took Paul. And later on, both Barnabas and Paul were sent off by the church at Antioch to do mission work (Acts 13:1-3). The result of Barnabas embracing Paul was that they became partners in ministry. Maybe there would be no Paul without Barnabas’s encouragement. Who knows whom God would use in our surrounding?

It is not enough with Barnabas’s encouragement alone. I believe that the reason why the disciples listened to Barnabas when he accepted and introduced Paul to them is that Barnabas had a good testimony among them. He earned their respect when he spoke. He backed up his talking; they respected his living. Who would trust someone who just talks aloud with no integrity, faithfulness, and commitment in life? If Ananias and Sapphire didn’t die in Acts 5, would the disciples believe this couple when they introduced and recommended Paul to them?