Feast of St. Barnabas 2023
St. Luke Anglican Church, Georgetown, PA
Isaiah 42:5-12
Psalm 112
Acts 11:19-30, 13:1-3
Matthew 10:7-16
Today we look at the life of Joseph Barnabas, a Jewish saint. His life exudes the aroma of Christ and so points to our Lord and Messiah. Like Jesus, Barnabas is generous, he seeks and gathers the lost and the outsider, he gently instructs and equips the followers of Jesus, and he encourages his companions to walk in their Holy Spirit gifts and calling. Finally, he imitates Jesus and dies a martyr, a witness of the Gospel, confidently pointing to Jesus, the way, the truth, and resurrection life itself.
We’ll walk through Barnabas’ four key appearances in the book of Acts. Most of what we know about Barnabas comes from, Luke, your namesake and the author of Acts.
Let’s start in Acts 4. The chapter ends with the passage that tells us all the followers of Jesus held everything in common. “There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold” and gave it to the apostles for distribution to those in need. Then verse 36 gives us an example: “Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”
The first thing we learn about Barnabas is he’s generous. The community of Jesus is giving like Jesus gave. Barnabas is example number 1.
We also learn a little of Barnabas’ background:
- He’s a Levite, from the priestly tribe. He’s not a cohen, but he would assist the cohen. I think there’s a parallel between deacons and the levites. The levites would serve alongside the priest and assist them.
- He’s from Cyprus, so a diaspora Jew. We see Barnabas is in Jerusalem, but he was born in Cyprus. Levites weren’t allowed to own land in the Promised Land. So the land Barnabas sells was probably in Cyprus.
- His name is actually Joseph, which means “ the Lord will add.” There is a sense of multiplication and harvest in this name.
- But the others called him Barnabas – Bar-Naba. Luke defines Bar-Naba as ‘son of encouragement.’ ‘Naba’ is related to the Hebrew verb “to prophesy” and speaks of something that bubbles forth. Let’s call him “Mr. Joe Bubbly” because the encouragement and comfort of the Spirit bubbled from him.
So, in Acts 4, we learn that Joe Bubbly is generous and an encourager. Surely his generosity flows from his desire to comfort and encourage his brothers and sisters. We see Barnabas living out our psalm:
3 Riches and plenteousness shall be in his house, * and his righteousness shall endure for ever. 4 For the upright, there rises light in the darkness; * he is merciful, loving, and righteous. 5 It is good for him to be generous in lending * and to guide his words with discretion. The next time we see Barnabas is in Acts 9.
When Saul of Tarsus comes to faith in Jesus, much of the Jesus community is skeptical. Remember, Saul was approvingly present at the stoning of Stephen and was headed to arrest Jesus-followers in Damascus when Jesus himself arrested Saul.
Nobody wanted to touch Saul. Saul went to Jerusalem and “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 and brought him to the apostles…” (Acts 9:26-27)
Acts 9 will not be the last time Barnabas seeks out Saul and draws him into the community. Not only will Joe Bubbly include Saul, he’ll activate his Spirit-empowered gifting.
In our epistle reading, which beings in Acts 11, we learn that the followers of Jesus – at that point only Jews – fled Jerusalem after Stephen’s execution. The Gospel is going out along the Mediterranean rim, but only to orthodox Jews, synagogue-going Jews. But then some believers from Cyprus and Libya go to Antioch (in what is now southwest Turkey) and start talking to Hellenists, that is non-observant Jews assimilating into the culture of the empire. To many people’s shock, these “secular” Jews believe the Good News about Jesus.
Word reaches Jerusalem, and the leaders of the church send trusty Barnabas to investigate.
Acts 11:23-24:
23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
Did you catch that? A great many were added to the Lord. What does the name Joseph mean? The LORD will add. The LORD is fulfilling Barnabas’ first name, Joseph.
What does Joe Bubbly do next?
25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
According to Acts, Saul returned to his hometown of Tarsus after meeting the disciples in Jerusalem. Barnabas sees the need for discipleship in Antioch. A lot of those who are coming to faith are biblically illiterate. They are secular Jews who have probably not been in the synagogue. Barnabas sees that Saul the Pharisee is equipped to teach and disciple.
Like the Good Shepherd, Barnabas leaves the new sheep in Antioch to fetch Saul and include him in the growing community. They spend a year teaching in Antioch.
This is the work of a prophet, an encourager. He proclaims the Gospel. He sees that the people need shepherding. He sees the gifts of God in his brothers and sisters and encourages them to live into their calling.
Next is Acts 15: Barnabas, again gathers the outsiders into the community of God, with Saul. In Acts 10, through the testimony of Cornelius the centurion, the Jesus community begins to understand that the Father is calling all the nations – not just Israel – to himself through the work of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Saul and Barnabas are seeing this in stages. First, they see that secular Jews are receiving the Gospel and the Holy Spirit. Then, as they travel the lands around the Mediterranean, they see that non-Jews are hungrily accepting the Good News of Jesus. But the church leadership needs convincing. At the first Jerusalem council, Barnabas, Saul, and Peter testify that the Holy Spirit is indeed validating the faith of the Gentiles. These three Jews are understanding Jesus’ heart for all the nations and advocate for acceptance of the outsiders – not of their own accord but because they believe it is the Holy Spirit working in the lives of their Gentile neighbors.
The Jerusalem leadership listens and discerns by the Spirit that Barnabas, Saul, and Peter are right. Jesus is the Messiah of Israel and the King of all the nations. The Holy Spirit validates and seals the faith of all believers – both Jew and Gentile, secular and religious, man and woman.
As we are encouraged by Barnabas’ faithful life 2,000 years later, is there an area where God is calling us to imitate Barnabas as Barnabas imitated Jesus Messiah?
Where is God calling you to be radically generous? Is there some great possession the LORD is calling you to surrender for the benefit of the church’s mission to help the needy and to make disciples?
Where is God calling you to boldly advocate for the outsider and bring them into the family of God?
Where is God calling you to gently mentor a new believer? Or maybe you can see that some friend or family member is being called and equipped of God. Is he calling you to encourage them and help them step into their calling?
At the end of Acts 15, after the triumph of the Jerusalem council, Barnabas and Paul fall out. Paul, ever focused on his call and mission, finds Barnabas’ cousin John Mark unreliable. Barnabas, the son of encouragement, is still showing mercy to his probably younger cousin. The two great teachers cannot agree and part ways.
Barnabas and John Mark head to Cyprus. Tradition says Barnabas is stoned there by his Jewish compatriots after some sharp disagreement in the synagogue.
Barnabas, Son of Encouragement, was generous like his Lord to the end. Like Jesus, he died at the hands of those he loved and longed to see reconciled to God.
Barnabas was not Jesus. He was not Zeus incarnate, as the people of Lystra at first believed. He was a plain ordinary human like you and me. His generosity, his encouraging spirit, his instinct to gather the outsider and teach them the things of God all came from the God of Israel. Barnabas was empowered and comforted by the Holy Spirit even as he followed his Messiah into death knowing full well that he would follow him also into resurrection life.
What is the Holy Spirit calling you to this morning here in Georgetown and where you live? What act of generosity or hospitality is God whispering into your heart, saying, “I’m right here. I will help you.” Who does he want you to teach and disciple and invite back into the community of God?
Let us close by saying Psalm 112 again, responsively by half verse. As we do, I pray that you will see Jesus and his student Barnabas – aka Bubbly Joe – calling us to eternal life and into God’s pleasure.
1 Praise the Lᴏʀᴅ! Blessed is the one who fears the Lᴏʀᴅ, * who has great delight in his commandments. 2 His seed shall be mighty in the land; * the generation of the faithful shall be blessed. 3 Riches and plenteousness shall be in his house, * and his righteousness shall endure for ever. 4 For the upright, there rises light in the darkness; * he is merciful, loving, and righteous. 5 It is good for him to be generous in lending * and to guide his words with discretion. 6 For he shall never be moved, * and the righteous shall be kept in everlasting remembrance. 7 He will not be afraid of any evil tidings, * for his heart is steadfast and trusts in the Lᴏʀᴅ. 8 His heart is established, and will not fear; * at the last he shall see his desire upon his enemies. 9 He has given freely to the poor, * and his righteousness endures for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honor. 10 The ungodly shall see it, and shall be angry; * he shall gnash his teeth, and waste away; the desire of the ungodly shall perish. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; * as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.