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Behind the Scenes

by Susan Ferguson
3/13/2018 / Devotionals

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV).

One of the Bible’s greatest encouragers is Barnabas, a Levite from Cyprus and an influential Christian leader in the early church. His parents named him Joseph, but the apostles nicknamed him Barnabas, meaning “son of encouragement.” A gifted prophet and teacher, Barnabas preached the gospel to the Jews and Gentiles and brought many people to Jesus. He also ministered to new Christians in Antioch of Syria and encouraged them to remain faithful to Jesus.

Barnabas had a tremendous influence on the controversial new Christian, Saul of Tarsus. Before his conversion, Saul, a Jewish Pharisee, persecuted the early Christians (“followers of the Way”) and attempted to destroy the Jerusalem church. But Saul’s life changed forever when he encountered the risen Jesus on his way to arrest Christians in Damascus.[i]

As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything (Acts 9:3-9).

Meanwhile, God sent a disciple named Ananias to go to Saul and restore his sight. Ananias placed his hands on Saul and prayed that he might see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength (Acts 9:18-19).

Saul spent several days in Damascus and went straight to the synagogues to preach that “Jesus is the Son of God.” When he returned to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were afraid of him. They knew Saul’s reputation as a persecutor of Christians and did not believe he was a disciple of Jesus.[ii]

But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus (Acts 9:27).

The Jerusalem church received Saul because of Barnabas.[iii] Barnabas put his credibility at risk to defend Saul, also known as the apostle Paul, one of Christianity’s greatest missionaries and author of thirteen New Testament epistles.

Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, the church in Antioch of Syria sent Barnabas and Saul on their first missionary journey. They sailed to Cyprus, taking John Mark, Barnabas’s cousin, as an assistant. However, halfway through the journey, John Mark left the group for unknown reasons and returned to Jerusalem.[iv] Saul, who is now known by his Greek name Paul,[v] and Barnabas continued the journey, taking the gospel to the Jews first and then to the Gentiles. After some time, Paul started a second missionary journey with Barnabas, but a conflict arose between them. Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them, but Paul opposed it due to John Mark’s failure to complete the first journey. As a result, Paul and Barnabas parted ways; Barnabas took John Mark and sailed to Cyprus, and Paul teamed with Silas and went to Syria and Cilicia. Once again, Barnabas took a risk and gave the young John Mark a chance to prove himself. John Mark grew in his faith and later wrote the Gospel of Mark. After John Mark proved his commitment to the gospel, Paul welcomed him into his ministry.

Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry (2 Timothy 4:11).

God worked through Paul and Barnabas’s separation for the good of the gospel by forming two missionary endeavors instead of one.[vi] Paul completed his missionary journeys and played a significant role in spreading the gospel to the Gentiles. Although Barnabas was not as well-known as Paul and John Mark, God used him mightily to encourage and mentor them. Barnabas shows us that working behind the scenes in ministry to serve others can be powerful.

At some point, we will need someone to encourage our faith. Some of us will need encouragement to move onward after a failure. Others will need someone to stand with them and be their advocate. In this broken world where people need to be encouraged, God has called us to be encouragers. And He has given us a role model to follow, Barnabas.

Endnotes

[i] Acts 9:2-5 Life Application Study Bible

[ii] Acts 9:26-27 Life Application Study Bible

[iii]Acts 9:26-27 The Jeremiah Study Bible

[iv]Acts 12:25 Life Application Study Bible

[v] No, ‘Saul the Persecutor’ Did Not Become ‘Paul the Apostle’ https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/no-saul-the-persecutor-did-not-become-paul-the-apostle/

[vi] Acts 15:36-39 Life Application Study Bible

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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