The Barnabas Files - Part 2

Ministry is not a career. It is not better to be the pastor a large church in a city or a small rural parish, it is not more significant to be the President of an organisation or the junior administrator. The key thing is to serve and to use whatever platform you have to advance others and encourage their growth.

Transcript

Day 98

Yesterday I shared three lessons on leadership and encouragement from the life of Barnabas.

We take up the story in Acts with what will become known as Paul’s First Missionary Journey.

The apostles commission Barnabas and Saul to send them out. When they arrive on Cyprus an important official sent his attendant to bring them to him.

”Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.” (13:7)

There is a confrontation with a sorcerer who is trying to oppose the work of God and turn the consul away from the faith. At this point it is Saul, also called Paul, who steps forward full of the Holy Spirit. When they get to Pisidian Antioch it is Paul who speaks in the synagogue. When they leave the synagogue an interesting change happens in the narrative.

 “As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.” (13:42-43) 

Up to this point it has always been Barnabas and Saul but from here on almost every time they are mentioned together is Paul and Barnabas. Barnabas is willing to take a step back to give Paul the space to step forward.

The Barnabas Files - Lesson 4: Leadership does not cling to position and power but promotes, supports and passes on. This is a key mark of servant leadership. Are we willing to let others have the spotlight that once lit us up on centre stage. Being in the limelight is always fleeting and does not mean we are the star of the show.  Encouragement is recognising when someone is called to step into leadership ahead of us and backs them in that role. 

It is really interesting how immediately after this shift that Barnabas is with Paul working together. Barnabas continues to urge and encourage people to focus on the grace of God. Our call, passion and gifting is not contingent on our place in the pecking order. 

Ministry is not a career. It is not better to be the pastor a large church in a city or a small rural parish, it is not more significant to be the President of an organisation or the junior administrator. The key thing is to serve and to use whatever platform you have to advance others and encourage their growth.

Paul and Barnabas continue to travel and share the good news. They experience opposition and persecution but also fruitful response. When they come to Lystra Paul heals a lame man.

“When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them. 

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. (14:11-15)

It is fascinating that the crowd name Barnabas “Zeus”, the supreme deity and Paul, “Hermes”, the messenger of the Gods. Perhaps there was something in Barnabas bearing or stature that seemed to the crowd to be superior in some way to Paul. In any event they are dismayed by the adulation and quite clear that they are not going to be put on a pedestal and worshipped.

The Barnabas Files - Lesson 5. Leadership is about being clear about our identity. Leaders are no different from anyone else, ministry comes out of common humanity. Whenever leaders buy into the mythology of their own superiority the temptations of material reward, adulation and control are never far behind. Barnabus and Paul are distraught and tear their clothes in an expression of grief, humility and pain. Encouragement constantly points people to the good news of Jesus, it seeks to reorientate them away from serving idols to faith in the one true God. 

It is the amazing grace of God that has sustained Paul and Barnabas through the ups and downs of this journey and will see them through yet more challenges that lie ahead.  In the words of the well known hymn written much later

“Through many dangers, toils and snares
We have already come
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far
And Grace will lead us home

 Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind but now I see” 

There are still more dangers, toils and snares for Paul and Barnabas to face. There is going to be a major disagreement that fractures their partnership, Barnabas is going to be led astray by factional hypocrisy but they will persevere and many will hear the good news through their life and work. 

Perhaps Barnabas greatest impact was in the influence that he had in the development of Paul. Some of the legacy of that may well have played out in the way that Paul invested in Timothy. 

Today i am thankful for some of the great team that I have been having catch ups with this week. I try to remember that every conversation is an opportunity to appreciate, thank and encourage.

Today I am also thankful for people who have encouraged and invested in me and continue to do so. 

I don’t think they deserve the blame for my many faults and foibles but they do warrant a great deal of credit for the occasional glimpses of grace. For us all the glory for growth belongs to the Lord.

I want to be more like Barnabas