Welcome
Thanks for joining us for our online worship.
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, you have called us together as your people.
You have called us your friends and invited us to follow you.
And so your church has grown from scattered homes in ancient times—to a worldwide community,
embracing men and women, old and young,
from many nations and cultures.
In our worship today,
inspire us to wonder at the miracle of your church.
Help us see the privilege we share
to be part of your people across the ages and across the continents.
It is your love that keeps drawing us to you and to each other,
and so we offer our wonder and praise with millions of people
who also gather in your name this day.
God of all the ages,
we gather in worship week by week,
hoping to encounter your presence.
But we confess it’s not easy to hear your voice.
Sometimes we get distracted by what’s happening around us.
Sometimes we get confused by conflicting views
of what you expect from us.
Sometimes we feel challenged and resist a new word from you.
We confess it is hard to turn our lives around
when we think we already know where we’re going.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Remind us that when we confess our sins to you,
You are faithful and just and will forgive our sins
And help us to move forward in faith.
Accept the worship we offer you now in Christ’s name. Amen.
Sermon: Barnabas, Son of Encouragement
Today I want to continue to look at the theme of encouragement by looking at a leader of the early church named Joseph, who is given the renamed or nicknamed Barnabas, which means “Son of Encouragement.”
Barnabas is one of the overlooked examples of faith in the New Testament. We have much to learn about how to encourage other through his example.
I hope by looking at his example you will be both affirmed and challenged in your efforts to encourage others.
In Acts 4, we catch our first glimpse of Barnabas as “an encourager.”
“There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” (Ac 4:36–37)
What stands out here about Barnabas is that he gave freely of his time, talent, and treasure to the life and witness of the church. His depth of faith, expressed in his generosity towards others, brought him to the attention of the 12 Apostles.
Have you known someone who was always willing to help you out when you need them? When you ask for help, their answer is always “Yes, tell me what I can do.”
These faithful individuals will bring to bear whatever resources they have to help you be it large or small. In many ways, Barnabas is a living breathing example of what a “Good Neighbor” looks like as Jesus defined good neighbor in his parable of the Good Samaritan.
Encouragers like Barnabas give without condition and see all that God has given them is a gift to be shared in Christ’s service.
Once when I became very ill with a sudden disease and I was taken to the hospital, a friend phoned Kathy and asked what she could do. She heard my children arguing in the background and perceptively asked if she could look one or both of them. Since my son often played with her son, Kathy asked our friend to look after our son for the day.
It was as wonderful gift to Kathy on a day where she was concerned about me. Our friend brought what resources she had to help Kathy difficult day.
Thank God for people who have responded to and helped.
How freely do your offer your help when you are asked?
Are you continually looking for ways to help and come along side those in need in your life? .
The Second quality of encouragement that we see in Barnabas is his willingness to take risks in coming along side to offer encouragement in the name of Christ.
In Acts chapter 9, we read the story of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, a zealous young man who sought to destroy the church in faithfulness to his Jewish faith. Saul, as we know would later be known as Paul. Hear this familiar story from Acts 9:26-30.
When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He spoke and argued with the Hellenists; but they were attempting to kill him. When the believers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
At first, the early church wanted nothing to do with Paul because of the way he attacked the church before coming to know and follow Christ. What Paul needed was an advocate, a helper and a counselor. God sent Barnabas to come along Paul, for Barnabas saw in Paul the gifts and skills that would help the church’s mission.
Barnabas spent time getting to know Paul. And through his conversations with him, he discovered a man whose heart and very being had been transformed by Christ.
This story echoes the Old Testament story of how God tells Samuel, the priest, to go anoint a young shepherd boy named David to be the new King of Israel. God tells Samuel, who is suspicious of God’s choice of David as king, the …
“LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” (1 Sam 16:7)
God gave Barnabas the eyes to see that He was going to use Paul despite his infamous past, to proclaim the good news of Christ to both Jews and Gentiles living in the Roman Empire.
And so Barnabas took a risk by putting his own good reputation on the line in convincing an extremely suspicious church leadership in Jerusalem to accept and embrace Paul as one of their own.
Barnabas’ example of standing up for another in the face of opposition is reflected in the relationship of two athletes: one an Afro-American and the other was a German.
At the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, Jesse Owens, an African American runner and long jumper received some wise counsel and encouragement from an expected source.
Jesse Owens who has previously set a world record in the long jump, was having great difficulty with his take off.
His fellow competitor from Germany named Luz Long offered Owens some advice that helped him to qualify and then win the long jump. Luz Long took a huge personal risk given the fact he offered aid Owens a black man in front of largely white German crowd.
In the finals, Owens set an Olympic record and earned the second of four gold medals. The first person to congratulate him was Luz Long, which he did in full view of Adolf Hitler. Owens never again saw Long, who was killed in World War II. “You could melt down all the medals and cups I have,” Owens later wrote, “and there wouldn’t be enough platting on the 24-carat friendship I felt for Luz Long.”
God puts people into our lives and puts us into people’s lives who need someone to stand beside them when they feel that others are against them.
Our words and actions of solidarity, advocacy, and counsel are what are needed to help us and others grow in their faith and to take on new responsibilities.
Encouragers like Barnabas teach us to look past what is seen from the outside to understand and see people as God sees them. God invites us to help out bring out the best in people and to encourage people to use their hidden talents and gifts for the sake of God’s glory and for the sake of the church.
The last quality of Barnabas as an encourager is that he was open to the work of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Encourager. We see this in the passage from Acts 11:19-26.
“Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, and they spoke the word to no one except Jews. But among them were some men of Cyprus and Cyrene who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists also, proclaiming the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord. News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast devotion; for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for an entire year they met with the church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.”
When the word came to the Jerusalem church about how non-Jewish believers were coming to faith in the town of Antioch, the early church was suspicious of what was going on.
The church turned to their trusted encourager named Barnabas to go and investigate the situation. Like many in Antioch, he too had emigrated from Cyprus. Barnabas was the perfect person for the task and the church has learned to trust him.
Barnabas saw this as an opportunity to not only serve the church, but also as a way to encourage his new friend and colleague Paul. He knew that Paul’s gifts and background would be a great asset for this important task.
What strikes me about Barnabas in discerning what was going on in Antioch was didn’t see threats, but saw opportunities for the church. The fact that many were coming to faith and were strengthened in their faith was an indication Barnabas and Paul that the Holy Spirit was active.
I see in Barnabas’ actions an encouragement to us to discern and celebrate where God is moving in these challenging times of ours. Encouraging others to see opportunities in these times is an important role we have to play with one another. It is easy to feel threaten, and much harder to see and embrace the opportunities.
For many of us, the learning curve has been huge in learning how to connect with others and do busines on line.
Faith leaders of all strips have learned how to record and live stream their worship services. This has often been done with the help of younger members, colleagues and friends. I thank God for all who have patiently mentored me in how to use the new technologies. My Thanks go Chris, Kevin, Keith, and Brian my techno Barnabas’!
Barnabas and Paul stayed with the church for a year encouraging them and teaching them more about Christ. It was in this church, that Luke says the followers of Christ became known as Christians or “little Christs.”
May we continue to Rejoice and Be
Sons and Daughters of Encouragement
In example of Christ’s servant named Barnabas
To the glory of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit Amen.
Closing Prayer
God of all times and situations,
We bear on our hearts concerns for many around us,
people we know and situations we care about,
where suffering exerts its power and challenges seem overwhelming.
Hear us in this time of silence as we open our hearts and their needs to you:
(Keep silence for a count of 30 seconds.)
Bind up the broken hearted, O God.
Bring justice for the vulnerable.
Send your Spirit of healing and hope to embrace those who need you.
We dare to ask all this because we trust in the name of Jesus, your Son,
In whose name we pray, Amen.
Charge / Benediction (Rom 15:5)
We go into this new week
Reminded of our calling to be Encouragers
Who give generously to others,
who take risks to help and stand by others,
and to encourage others to see what God is doing in our midst.
May the God of steadfastness and encouragement
Grant you to live in such harmony with one another,
In accordance with Jesus Christ,
So that together you may with one voice
Glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Have great week. Stay safe!
Be a blessing to someone this week!
Prayer Partnership
Sunday, January 24 We pray that, with the support of food baskets provided by PWS&D partners, the many Syrians facing food insecurity due to ongoing conflict will find the sustenance they need.
Monday, January 25 We pray for children, and that their parents and guardians demonstrate the kind of love we have been shown by God.
Tuesday, January 26 We give thanks for the beauty of God’s creation, and pray that we cherish the earth and treat it wisely.
Wednesday, January 27 We pray for vacant congregations; may they find ministers who will help them faithfully live out Christ’s calling.
Thursday, January 28 We pray and give thanks for Phulu Rai, manager at the New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center in Nepal, and the staff, for their dedication as they care for residents.
Friday, January 29 We pray for healthcare workers who put their own health and life at risk every day to bring healing and comfort to those who suffer.
Saturday, January 30 We pray for the staff and volunteers serving in the Presbyterian Church Archives as they preserve the church’s historical records.