Last week in this space I gave some time here to encourage you (us) to actively encourage one another, to provoke one another to love and good works. In short to be “encouragers” in the purpose of Christ’s body.
In finishing that admonishment and exhortation, I wrote “You may think you are not equipped to encourage others because you are not a preacher, teacher, or don’t know enough. Let me encourage you. You are equipped. The Holy Spirit is the The Encourager. Jesus promised He would send a Helper, a “parakletos” – one called alongside to help, an advocate, a defending attorney. He is in you for this very work.”
I’d like to pick up there with a bit more on the equipping to encourage this week. And, then take a look at one of the best examples of an “encourager” (if you will) in the scriptures. Barnabas, the son of encouragement
CALLING TO ENCOURAGEMENT
Ephesians 2:10 tells us we are all created as His (God’s) workmanship and have been purposed for good works in Christ.
[Ephesians 2:10 NASB95] 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
We, in fact have, in the eternal purpose of God, been saved with purpose in Christ to do good, His, works. Don’t get confused. We are not saved BY those works (see vs 8-9), but we have been saved and created specifically FOR those works. And, again, don’t get confused. These are not works we dream up to somehow appease or please an angry God. No, these are works that He, God, has prepared and called us to walk in, in His eternal purpose in Jesus.
We are to be in Christ doing what He did, what He does, what He is doing. If we look at His ministry on earth, I think we can all agree He encouraged disciples. So, the chances are very good He is still doing so now, and intends to do that through us.
Last week we touched on Hebrew 3:13 which shows us the primary shield we have against the deceitfulness of sin is encouragement from one another.
[Hebrews 3:13 NASB95] 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is [still] called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Do note that this is not simply a suggestion. It is a directive, a mandate. And, it is to be consistent.
ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER! ….. DAY AFTER DAY AS LONG AS IT IS STILL CALLED TODAY. In other words, day after day after day after day … …. …
Perhaps from these two verses we can see and understand we are called and purposed for encouragement.
EQUIPPING FOR ENCOURAGEMENT
[John 14:16-17 NASB95] 16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 [that is] the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, [but] you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
As alluded to last week Jesus promised His disciples another Helper. And, this one will be with you forever. The word Helper here is Greekparakletos: One called alongside to help, to aid. An advocate, one to plead your case before a judge, counsel for the defense. In John 13 Jesus had told them He was going away, but not to worry because He would come back to them. But, in the meantime I am going to send ANOTHER helper. And this one will never leave you, but will be with you forever. I think He uses the term another because He personally had been their parakletos while with them, but was going to send this Helper to be with them by being IN them forever..
This Helper, He says, is the Spirit of truth. It is the Holy Spirit. He tells them they know Him because He abides with them. This inference I believe is that in the same way He told them they have seen and know the Father in verse 7-8 of John 14, so have they also seen and known this Helper the Holy Spirit. The only difference coming is He will be in you and He will be with you forever.
Again I make no pretense of being a Greek scholar. I do know This word parakletos is from a root word parakaleo which is most often translated ENCOURAGE (as it is in Hebrews 3:13). So this Helper is an/the “encourager” in fact, He is the source of all encouragement as our defender, and the One that leads us into all truth.
The reason our encouragement is so critical is that our adversary is busy accusing us day and night. The deceitfulness of sin is consistent. Let us not fear for the accuser is defeated, and conquered. But, let us not let our guard down in terms of encouraging and protecting one another as Hebrews 3:13 directs.
[Revelation 12:10 NASB95] 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.
Here are a few scriptures that speak to us about the work or the Encourager/Helper that has been sent to us and that is abiding within us. The things He does, He also equips and enables us to do; the work of encouraging one another.
[John 14:26 NASB95] 26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
Let us encourage by teaching and reminding one another consistently what Jesus has said and is saying.
[John 15:26 NASB95] 26 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, [that is] the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,
Let us encourage one another consistently testifying of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, all His benefits and love for us as the Spirit of truth enables us to manifest His life as His body, the church, the fullness of Him.
[John 16:13 NASB95] 13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
Let us encourage one another consistently that Jesus is the truth, all truth, and the only truth is in Him. Let us encourage one another with what the Spirit speaks to us, reveals to us, and about the hope we have in what is to come.
[John 16:7-8 NASB95] 7 “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;
Let us encourage one another consistently that the Holy Spirit has come and is with us, and let Him show us what is wrong , what is right, and that Jesus has lifted us out of judgment.
We have been equipped to encourage one another day after day as long as it is called today.
THE SON OF ENCOURAGEMENT
I hear a lot in our times about restoring the church of the first century. I’m not so sure we need a restoration of the church of that time, but I think a restoration of the love for one another, and commitment they seemed to have to one another and the kingdom, would be wonderful.
Sometimes, I wonder if they didn’t labor under the misconception that the Lord’s bodily return was to be quick (see Acts 1:11), and so they holed up in Jerusalem, looking for His return rather than the opportunity to minister to the world around them. We, for sure, can be inspired by their sense of community and their unity in sharing all things in common. But, let us not mistake economic equality for spiritual unity. Spiritual unity is not dependent on economic equality but rather holding all things in and before Him as we function under His Lordship.
In Acts 4 we are introduced to some of this sense of community… and to Barnabas.
[Acts 4:32-37 NASB95] 32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one [of them] claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. 34 For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales 35 and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need. 36 Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement), 37 and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Our first introduction to Barnabas shows him to be a man who was unselfish. I think perhaps he had been given the name “Barnabas” before this gift was made, because Luke seems to indicate the Levite, Joseph” was called Barnabas/Son of Encouragement by the apostles making me think it is a handle he had earned before.
So the first thing we can learn by his example is that encouragement, in all its forms, is founded in an unselfish attitude. One who would encourage others will sometimes, if not often, be required to give of themselves putting the interest and needs of others before themselves, and encouragement may come at a personal cost.
Secondarily, some would say an encourager will “encourage leadership” as in embracing “supporting the hierarchy”. I would take issue with that, as I see Barnabas laying the gift it at the feet of the apostles, not to honor them or their “leading”, but rather as a practical matter of showing his interest in supporting , and his passion for, the church and ministering to those in need among the household of faith. Either way, it speaks of His passion for the church and unselfishly serving others. He was seeking the Kingdom first, knowing an attitude toward possessions reveals an attitude of heart toward the Lord and His Kingdom. Seeking the Kingdom first knows ..It is all His and He will provide.
We know He gave from proper motive in love and honesty. Ask Annanias and Sapphira in Acts 5 how we know.
In Acts 9 we find Saul (who will be Paul the apostle) breathing murder against the church at Damascus with authority from Jerusalem. He is knocked off his feet by a flash of light and asked by Jesus why he is persecuting Him. He is gloriously converted and begins preaching Christ in the synagogues to the point the Jews are plotting to do him in, but he escapes to Jerusalem. The homeboys at Jerusalem feared Saul, but now entered the son of encouragement, Barnabas.
[Act 9:26-28 NASB95] 26 When he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples;but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.
In the midst of fear and thinking Saul was deceiving them we read Barnabas took hold of him/Saul. Barnabas defended Saul to the apostles. Barnabas supported Saul giving testimony of His meeting Jesus and Paul sharing boldly that Jesus is the Christ.
At Acts 9:3 we read 31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.
Again by the example of Barnabas we learn that encouragement is people oriented. It is willing to take hold of people, to get to know them, give them a chance, to discover the truth regarding who they are in Christ and encourage their calling. It will meet those who are rejected with acceptance. It is again rooted in unselfish counting of cost. Barnabas laid both his life (if Saul was deceiving them) and his reputation on the line to meet and embrace Saul. Encouragement is willing to believe people and that they can be radically changed by encountering Christ and to support them in those changes. Barnabas did not let exceptions in others in the past dissuade him from taking the risk to love and support someone else, like Saul.
We know Barnabas was consistent in this attribute of encouragement because we read in Acts 15:37-41 that he and Paul (Saul) came to such a disagreement over John Mark’s failures that they parted company after many travels and much ministry together. Paul and Silas going one way, Barnabas and Mark another. Barnabas would not give up on Mark. Later in 2 Timothy 4:11 we see Paul has evidently learned from Barnabas’ example as well and He writes bring Mark for he is useful to me for service.
Encouragement stays consistent even in the face of moral or practical failure.
(side note: Can’t prove it, but I believe Barnabas knew about bouncing back to calling from rejection, because I think he may well have been the Joseph considered for the open 12th disciple/apostle position when the lot fell to Matthias in Acts 1:23-26 [Act 1:23-26 NASB95] 23 So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen 25 to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.)
From Acts 9 through 12 we consistently read “Barnabas and Paul” and from Acts 13 onward “Paul and Barnabas.” I believe Barnabas helped disciple, support, and move Paul forward in ministry and calling until a point that Paul took his place in ministry. Barnabas was a consistent encouragement to Paul in His calling in the gospel and particularly to the Gentiles.
In Acts 11 Jerusalem was receiving word of Gentiles coming to Christ at the report of Peter, and were skeptical. And when reports came Greeks were being converted at Antioch, the homeboys at Jerusalem sent their man Barnabas to once again check out if they were true conversions.
[Acts 11:20-26 NASB95] 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and [began] speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. 23 Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and [began] to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain [true] to the Lord; 24 for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. 25 And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
I believe Jerusalem sent Barnabas because of their experience with him testing the conversion of Saul. They knew he could tell if the LORD was in it. More than that, they knew he would encourage the converts in the Lord to be faithful and true to he LORD. When Barnabas arrived and saw what the Lord was doing by grace, he REJOICED and he ENCOURAGED THEM! He encouraged them in his Christ likeness.
Barnabas was qualified to recognize the grace and work of God on the lives of others! He was qualified to encourage them in serving and walking with Jesus. What a report!!! “He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit (the source of encouragement) and faith! And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.” These were Gentiles or Hellenistic Jews!
And what did Barnabas do on top of that. Did he just bask in the glory of it? No! He chased down Paul, one he had encouraged and worked to disciple, and brought him along because he knew of Paul’s calling and passion for the Gentiles. And he continued to work with, I think encouraging, Paul in his gifts and calling, for a year as they made disciples of, and taught, CONSIDERABLE NUMBERS. In fact it was there the saints were first given the derogatory moniker of “little Christs” or “Christians”.
From the example of Barnabas may we also learn to be Sons of Encouragement…
1) Seeing Unselfishness as the basis and root of all encouragement.
2) Giving of ourselves sacrificially in finances and practical service as required of the Lord Jesus.
3) Encouraging those gifted to serve and equip others (not necessarily lead in hierarchical position ).
4) Encouraging out of concern for church, people, and a passion for the Kingdom of God first.
5) Being people and relationship oriented.
6) Taking a chance on supporting and encouraging those changed by Jesus. Even at the cost of being vulnerable, our reputation, judgement or rejection.
7) Taking time to get to know people, establish relationships, and find out the truth about people in Christ.
8) Not letting a few “bad apple” experiences sour or dissuade us from trust of those changed by Christ.
9) Although it may cost us, giving anyway.
10) Being excited about what new things God is doing with people, and encouraging them in Christ.
11) Encouraging others in Christlikeness. Hopefully like we have displayed in our character in Him.
12) Supporting others gifts and calling, and giving opportunities for others to grow and be released in His purpose.
Encouragement takes commitment. Commitment is a decision of the will to act in a certain way no matter what, because it is what God is asking of you.
Build relationships. Build up the Church. Remember people are the only stuff of eternity we touch here, and the only “things” going to the other side.
Invest deeply. Make the calls, messages, e-mails, write the letters, do meals together, practically serve and give. Encourage one another day after day.