0:10 Let's turn our Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 11. Acts 11 verse 24. We began last Friday about this great man by the name of Barnabas, who was very instrumental in the early church and a great assistant to the apostles. He was a gifted man, a qualified minister. He had the gift of encouragement that was much needed then and still very much needed today.
0:44 He was a man who was concerned very much about others more than himself, about God's kingdom more than his own his own earthly position. He was a generous man, gave it all for the kingdom. He was an initiator. He was an initiator. He saw the need, and he acted upon it.
1:09 He was a discerner. He saw what others failed to see that was evident in his life. So when the need arose for someone to help an emerging church, a new church in Antioch. The apostles thought of this man, Barnabas, is the best fit for this job. Barnabas left his beloved city, Jerusalem, and he went all the way to Antioch.
1:41 Then verse 24 give us more details about this man's character. It tells us, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and a great many people were added to the Lord. The way he interacted with the new believers because of the fact he was a good man. And why he was a good man? Because he was full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.
2:16 If you recall the story in Mark chapter 10, when a young ruler came to Jesus and he knelt there and he told him, good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? You guys responded, why do you call me good? Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. Some have said, you see, Jesus is claiming that he is not good.
2:45 There is nowhere in this conversion or anywhere else in scripture. Even Jesus hinted that he is not good. In fact, everywhere Jesus claimed that he is the Messiah, the son of the living God. He is good and no one else. What did Jesus meant when he when this young man, you know, told him that and his answer was, listen, if you come to me only as a teacher, no more than that, not as the Messiah, not as God in the flesh, why in the world you are calling me good?
3:26 Young man, do you know your Hebrew scripture? Do you know what the scripture says? Do you remember Psalm 10 verse 10? This chapter, this verse that this man should have been aware of it. None is righteous.
3:46 Psalm ten ten. Not one. No one understands. No one seeks for God. All have turned aside.
3:59 Together, they have become worthless. No one does good, not even one. This man should have been should have known this scripture. And if he came to Jesus only as a good teacher, how he dares call him good. For no one is good.
4:19 Oh, we have this popular belief that most people are good. We are naturally good. No. We are naturally evil and wicked. That's why Jesus came and he died for us.
4:34 There was no need for the cross if any one of us was good. We are evil. For this very reason, Paul himself repeats the same thing in Romans three, emphasizing that this is the condition of all humanity. We are evil and distant to hell, but we need someone who is really good and perfect to take our sins, take our place and be our substitute. Why do you call me good?
5:10 Maybe Jesus was trying to tell this young man, have you noticed that I have never sinned? Have you noticed that I have never done anything wrong? Have you heard God's words of truth come out of my mouth? Have you seen the acts of mercy and grace, the miracles I have done and no one else can do but God? Have you seen all of that?
5:34 No one lives the life I live. Have you noticed that? No one does the things that I have done. Have you noticed that? How dare you call me a teacher only?
5:48 If you have seen all of that, you must conclude only one thing, that I am the Messiah. I am the son of the living God. I am God in the flesh. And if you know that, then call me good. Otherwise, don't care to call anyone good.
6:06 But Barnabas here is called a good man. He's called a good man. Where did he receive his goodness from? Barnabas, I believe, could repeat the words of his good friend, Paul, when he said, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
6:37 And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. He is a good man because Christ lives in him. It is not Barnabas' goodness, it is Christ's goodness in Barnabas. You are good only if Christ lives in you, and it is not of you, it's not your goodness, it's Christ's goodness in you. Christ's character, the communicable attributes of God were displayed in the life of Barnabas.
7:19 Are they displayed in my life and in your life? Are they displayed in our life, in the life that he has made his home? He was full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. He was full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. This is the supreme qualification for any pastor.
7:48 This is the supreme qualification for any ministry being full of the Holy Spirit and faith. Listen. All believers, and we know that, are indwelled with the Holy Spirit. This is the act of God upon repentance and true faith in Jesus Christ. Have you done that?
8:13 Have you done that? Have you repented from your sin? Have you come to Christ by faith? And you know what happens then. God, the Holy Spirit, will indwell you, will change you, will transform you.
8:31 You could say I was, but now I am different. There's an old life and a new life. Have you experienced that? The indwelling of the Holy Spirit for all believers. It's made exclusively for true believers in Jesus Christ who have repented, turned away, and put their full trust in him and in no one else.
8:53 But here we're not talking about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which is true for all believers, but the fullness of the Holy Spirit, which is available to all believers. We are commanded in a scripture to be filled by the Holy Spirit. Ephesians five eighteen, do not get drunk with wine for that is debauchery, but be filled with the spirit. I've heard some say, get drunk in the Holy Spirit. No.
9:32 No. You don't get drunk in the Holy Spirit. You don't get drunk with the Holy Spirit. You get filled with the Holy Spirit. A drunk person acts foolishly.
9:44 A drunk person is out of control. The one who is filled with the Holy Spirit is under the control of the Holy Spirit. One of the fruit of the Holy Spirit is what? Is self control. Be filled with the Holy Spirit.
9:59 To be full of the Holy Spirit means to be filled with love, with joy, with peace, with patience, with kindness, with goodness, with faithfulness, with gentleness, and with self control, be filled with the Holy Spirit. We need much more and more men and women like Barnabas to be filled with the Holy Spirit. If we need revival in America, if we need revival in our land, if we need revival in our neighborhoods, if we need revival in our homes, if we need revival in our churches, we need more and more men and women like Barnabas, full of the Holy Spirit, walking in the spirit, trusting in God in everything. Their eyes on things above, not on things on earth. Barnabas was a man full of the Holy Spirit.
10:51 But we see also he was a man full of faith. Man full of faith. Faith. His faith stirred him up to do God's work. He He did not need a cup of of coffee to get him going.
11:11 His faith got him going. His faith got him going. Faith has nothing to do with feeling. It is simply a recognition that God has promised, and since he is God to expect him to do what he has said. That is what faith is.
11:37 Do we struggle with faith? I do some time. I do some time. My natural feelings take over. Humanly, it's impossible.
11:49 It's it's illogical. It does not make sense. Right? We struggle with faith. This man was full of faith.
12:05 I hear often people speaking of faith. Yet themselves, if they split something, it's really the lack of faith. And I think COVID nineteen has just proved it. They're living in a continuous fear. Listen.
12:24 Fear is the opposite of faith. Fear is the opposite of faith. I'm not advocating recklessness. Precaution is good. Washing your hand is good.
12:39 They call this a good hygiene. What I'm saying, are you living by fear or by faith? God desires all of his children to possess great faith, to be like Barnabas, men and women, full of faith. Let us make that request, that man who came to Jesus in Mark nine, he brought his child who was possessed with an unclean spirit, asking Jesus if he could do something. He has answered, if you believe.
13:22 If you believe, all things are possible for one who believes. Do you remember the cry of this man? He said, I believe, help my unbelief. I believe, help my unbelief. Let it be our cry today.
13:42 And may God from heaven answer his prayer, and he grant us faith, great faith. Faith in every word he said. Faith in every promise he made. Faith, unwavering faith in the word of God. We want faith no less than the faith of Barnabas.
14:10 Amen? Let us look at the results of Barnabas' labor. The end of verse 24, great many people were added to the Lord. Great many people were added to the and you see that through the book of Acts, 3,000, 5,000, multitudes. And here we see great many people were added to the Lord.
14:39 Now we have a problem. A good problem. The church is full. There is no longer a place to seat all those new converts. No.
14:49 The Bible does not say that. It's The Bible does not say that. The size of the place is not a concern at all. You think the size of the place is a concern at all? No.
15:03 You see, the problem is not the place too small, but the load of work is too big for one person. What does Barnabas do when he saw that great need? The Holy Spirit reminded him of Saul of Tarsus. Many years have have passed since they met in Jerusalem for a very short time, fifteen days. Paul mentioned his visit to Jerusalem in Galatian one, But that was enough for Barnabas to see the gift Saul has, what God has done for Saul, and the potential Saul has.
15:50 He went to Tarsus, and he began searching for him until he found him. It has been seven years or more since he left Jerusalem. He went to Tarsus. We don't know much about Saul or Paul, what he was doing then for the last seven years or more, but one thing we can be sure, he was in a school. He was in a school of God.
16:21 He was under training of the master himself. You see, he spent several years in Jerusalem in a Jewish yeshiva under Gamli Gail, one of the best schools there, the Harvard of his day, but that was not enough to equip him for the ministry. The highest institutions of his day did not equip him for the ministry. All his knowledge in the Hebrew scripture could not qualify him for the ministry. It is sad today.
16:55 It's tragic today that the church looks for men with degrees. Seminary graduates, and what seminary? And often no consideration for qualifications and gift. I think the better question we need to ask, not which is seminary you graduated from or which degree do you hold, but rather have you been in the school of God. Are you under a training by the master himself?
17:32 Barnabas had many friends, I believe, in Jerusalem. Some might have been scholars in the Hebrew scripture. I mean, he spent many years in Jerusalem, but he does not seek any of them. To partner with him in this ministry, but he travels to Tarsus to seek a man he met in Jerusalem many years ago for very few days. He does not have his address, but God has his address.
18:04 A man who is filled with the Holy Spirit is able to discern God's voice and God's choice. The man who is full of the Holy Spirit is able to discern God's voice and God's choice. I also see also here a man who is very humble and wise. Barnabas was humble enough to recognize his limitations and wise enough to seek the right man to assist him in this ministry. Barnabas never thought of a one man show.
18:39 In fact, he probably saw the the great dangers of this. We see often flocks tend to to follow one man more than Christ. Barnabas believed in the multiplicity of elders to tend the flock. And this brought tremendous blessing to the church. Saul agreed with him.
19:04 The spirit that led Barnabas to go to Saul, the same spirit led Barnabas to follow that led Saul to follow Barnabas. And the two ministered together in Antioch for a full year and taught a great multitude. Ah, yes. I don't think it was a Sunday service only. I believe it was probably a daily meetings for several hours a day.
19:33 And then read verses 27 to 30. Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch, And one of them named Adiabas stood up and foretold by the spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world. This took place in the days of Claudius. So the disciples determined everyone according to his ability to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
20:14 These new believers did not know their brothers and sisters personally in Jerusalem or in Israel or in Judea. But when they heard of their material need, the Holy Spirit stirred their hearts to give according to their ability toward the relief of their brothers and sisters who are in need. Who pressured them into giving? No one. Who made them feel guilty if they don't give?
20:48 No one. Who promised them riches and prosperity if they give? No one. The Holy Spirit stirred their hearts to give. You see, giving in the New Testament is always voluntarily.
21:06 Their giving was a result, not just by the way of the teaching of Paul and Barnabas about a Christian giving, but it was direct result of the sacrificial and the giving life of Barnabas and Paul. The church observed the life of Barnabas. The church did not just hear teaching from Paul and Barnabas about giving, but they saw a life of giving and sacrifice. That's the best lesson. Now when the collection was done and the money was ready to be sent, whom did the church send the money with?
21:47 Barnabas and Saul. Why Barnabas and Saul? Why Barnabas and Saul? Who is more faithful than them? Who is more has a life of giving and sacrifice than them?
22:04 Who is more heavenly minded than them? Who is less business minded than them, who is more filled with the Holy Spirit and faith than them. It has been understood and practiced by many churches that in spiritual matters, we need spiritual people. But in non spiritual matters that pertain to to church affairs, we can just have anyone with some experience, of course, and knowledge. This is not how the early church thought.
22:42 This is not what the early church taught. In all type of ministries, When you were looking for men to serve tables in Acts chapter nine, that probably includes distribution probably of some financial aid for the needs of the saints. The mandatory requirement was for each one of them good reputation, full of the spirit and wisdom. Not businessmen, but wise men. Not earthly minded, but heavenly minded.
23:25 Experience is important. Knowledge is important and essential. We cannot deny that. But more important, to be full of the Holy Spirit, to be wise, doing nothing for self promotion, but for God's glory and kingdom promotion of good reputation. What does really means?
23:50 To be known by others. That you are righteous man, a faithful man, a spirit filled man, a godly man. And an interesting name they say, they send not one but two. Barnabas and Paul. Not because they fear dishonesty in these two godly men.
24:23 Of course not. But because of accountability, safety, that their reputation might not be stained. Two, not one. It was important to send this money in the hand of two worthy men who were god people, who were heavenly minded and kingdom minded. But one more thing resulted in Barnabas and Paul's teaching in Antioch.
24:52 We see that in Acts chapter 13 verse one. Now they were in the church at Antioch, prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon, who was called Niger, Lucas of Cyrene, Manaen, a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. Approximately a year before that, there was only Barnabas. He went to look for Saul to help him. Now we have how many total?
25:34 Five. Three were added. Clearly, Barnabas had vision for the future of the Antico church. He planned for that future. He was eager to equip leaders, to prepare people who are called by God for the work of the ministry.
25:56 He was doing that and Paul for the whole year. Now do you know why the Holy Spirit mentions these five people? Verse two tells us why. Look at it. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, you see the Holy Spirit speaks.
26:17 Right? He is God. The Holy Spirit said, sit apart for me, Barnabas, and solve for the work to which I have called them. Then after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off. Do you see that?
26:34 The Holy Spirit would not have said, sit Barnabas and Paul if there were no other teachers in Antioch. The Holy Spirit waited until the right time when these gifted and qualified men became able to stand up and preach the word of God in Antioch, and they were ready to do that. Now God said, send Barnabas and Paul. We have people in the church to preach the word. And certainly, one of the main reasons the church in Antioch prospered was that the leadership was chosen by the Holy Spirit, not by man.
27:16 It is the Holy Spirit who said. It's the Holy Spirit who chose Barnabas. It's the Holy Spirit who chose Paul. It's the Holy Spirit, Christ himself, who chose the 12 apostles. And Christ when he chooses is always right.
27:34 We are the ones who always cause all the mess because we choose according to the flesh. Let us admit that. The only thing the church did here is to recognize God's calling to these men, to agree with God to bless them and send them off. This is the job of the church. Recognize, bless, and send.
28:01 You don't appoint. You recognize God's appointment. You don't ordain. God ordains. You bless the ordination and you send off.
28:10 You wonder why many ministries fail, why many churches struggle because often the leadership is chosen by men, by popularity, not by spiritual gifts and biblical qualifications. Verses four and five. So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. And from there, they sailed to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews, and they they had John, that is John Mark, to assist them.
28:54 You see, the weight of the evidence suggests it was Barnabas' idea and not Paul to bring John Mark with them. John Mark was the nephew or the cousin of Barnabas. Barnabas saw in John Mark a potential leader. He saw a gifted young man. The same way he saw in Saul years ago when he was back in Jerusalem.
29:32 Barnabas wanted to train John Mark for the ministry, So he brought him with them in their first missionary journey. But not long after that, as they departed Cyprus, on their first link to Asia Minor, John Mark decided to go back home to Jerusalem. We don't know the reasons. Maybe the challenge was so much for him. Maybe he missed his friends.
30:03 He missed his mommy. He missed maybe the Israeli falafel. I don't know the reason behind it. Maybe he realized the journey is going to be very difficult. Cyprus is a fun place.
30:20 Remember, Barnabas, his relative, is from Cyprus, so probably had many friends and relatives. He could visit with them. It was a fun place. But right now, as they left Cyprus to Asia Minor, to to places unknown to him, rugged terrain, mountains to climb, dangers of thieves, hard work, he decides to leave them and go home. How did Paul feel about that?
30:53 In Acts chapter 15, it tells us how Paul felt about that. Verse fifth verse 35. Let us read for verse 35. But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others also. Verse 36.
31:15 And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaim the word of the Lord and see how they are. Now, Barnabas wanted to take with him John, called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with him one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and he had not gone with them to the work. You can see how Paul was feeling. And there arose a sharp disagreement.
31:51 So they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. The first missionary journey has ended. Now Paul and Barnabas, they are back in Antioch. And I want you to pay attention also first to the first verse we read, verse 35.
32:26 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch teaching and preaching the word of the lord with what? With many others also. There was one Barnabas, two Barnabas and Paul, five, and now how many? Many. God is adding.
32:45 God is adding. He's the one who adds. God sees the needs and fill the needs always with the right people. And then we see, and I think it should be clear to all of us, you know, the disappointment of Paul with with John Mark. I mean, they had so much hope in him.
33:11 They put so much trust in him, but he chose to seek his comfort more the hard work of the ministry. He decided to go home. And don't we feel sometime the same way when some people express their desire to serve, and after a few months, they are giving up on the ministry? We feel disappointed, don't we? We feel disappointed with them.
33:43 But should John Mark be judged by this one time failure? Barnabas did not think so. So he suggested they should take John, Mark. With them, Paul disagreed. Who is right?
34:03 I'm not asking you because I know if I ask this question, I'm going to have a split decision here. Who is right? Apostle Paul was or had a good point, a good reason why not to take John Mark with them. He disappointed us in the first journey. He left us when we needed him most.
34:22 No. He is not coming. He's not budging. He's not coming. He's not mature enough.
34:30 We cannot depend on him. Barnabas had a different view. Many scholars feel think that the decision of Barnabas was made really because of being his relative. But honestly, I don't think so. I believe Barnabas, again, saw what others failed to see.
34:57 He saw a young man who is beneficial for the ministry and had a great potential. No question. John Mark had needed time to grow, to mature. He needed more training. Barnabas was willing to give John Mark a second chance.
35:20 You have failed once. It does not mean you're going to fail again. Barnabas believed in John Mark. He was willing to take him with him, to to have him under his wings, to encourage him, to support him, and to put him to work watching over him. Was it worth it?
35:46 Was it worth it? Listen to the words of the apostle Paul himself in second Timothy four eleven. Second Timothy four eleven. Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you for he is very you can underline this word, very useful to me.
36:29 For a minister a few years ago, he was no good. He was no good. But he's now saying, he's very useful. Get him. Get don't forget that.
36:38 Get John Mark for he's very useful to me for ministry. Mark did not say, you know, I'm not going to go with you, Paul. You rejected me a few years ago. I'm not giving each another chance. No.
36:52 He learned from uncle Barnabas. He learned from his uncle Barnabas. No. I'm going to serve the apostle Paul. I'm going to pour water on the apostle's pole hands and wash his feet.
37:09 I'm ready to serve the apostle. Listen to what Paul writes to in his letter to the Philemon beginning in verse 23. Philemon verse 23. Paul says, Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. Mark, my fellow worker.
37:58 John Mark learned from his mistakes, from his mistakes. John Mark grew in his character. He became very useful to Paul for the ministry. John Mark wrote to us the gospel of Mark. Was it worth it to give him a second chance?
38:21 Was it worth it to give him the second chance To take him under your wing, to train him, to put him to work and watch over him, to be patient, to be encouraging, to be loving, to be inspiring, to be supportive, not giving up on him because of one failure. Was it worth it? I would say it was worth it. It was worth it. Let us pray.
39:06 We thank you, Lord Jesus, that you have chosen always the right people for the right ministries. You equip you give the gifts and you equip. Oh, we thank you for the life of Barnabas, the life of Paul, the life of John Mark, the life of the great men of God that we see, the lives there in the scriptures, and we can learn from them. Lord, we desire to be men of faith and women of faith. Lord, we desire to be men and women full of the Holy Spirit, to be good in everything we do.
39:45 Lord, we desire to be heavenly minded, kingdom minded. We pray, God, help us focus not on these things on earth, but on things above. I pray God that you take all of our fear away and give us faith. Lord, you are the giver of faith. Even faith comes from you.
40:07 Lord, we cry with that man, I believe, help my unbelief. I believe, help my unbelief. Lord, we pray you strengthen your church. You guide your church. You protect your church.
40:27 We pray that you raise God from among us. People who are ready to serve. People who are on fire for the work of God. People who will not look behind, who will not turn back, but would look ahead to the great prize. Lord, send us.
40:57 Send us to your harvest that is ready. Prepare us, God, for your coming, which is very soon. Lord, help us honor you in everything we do. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
