The purposes of this lesson: (a) to stress the fact it is difficult to be an encourager and (b) to stress God is active even in human mistakes.
Sometimes what appears to be the most simple commitments are the most complex commitments. It is easier to condemn than it is to encourage. It is easier to see the error in others than it is to see the worthwhile in others. There is always something wrong with all of us. "My" flaws are glaring to "you." However, what is commendable in "me" or "you" tends to be "ho-hum" to each of us. For many of us, it would be demanding (if not impossible) to commend actual strength for one week than it would be to criticize flaws for one week.
Stress it is much easier to criticize and see faults than it is to encourage and note beneficial strengths.
We have been trained by our society to criticize everything--the President, the Congress, business, the media, parents, kids, husbands, wives, non-spiritual programs, spiritual programs, the elders, the preacher, organized religion, etc. Nothing in our society is respected so much that it is beyond "the arms of criticism." In virtually everything we first look for the flaws, and we second criticize the imperfect. The first question usually is, "What is wrong with this?"
Note that it appears to be "normal" to be skeptical and suspiciously look for flaws in our society and cultures.
Please see in Barnabas how unusual it was for him to a be an encourager who looked for and saw the good, the possibility. The apostles named him the encourager or the exhorter. His given name was Joseph. He was a Levite who came from Cyprus. Evidently he owned some land near Jerusalem which he sold and gave the money to the apostles because he wished to help struggling Jewish Christians.
Barnabas must be seen as unusual for his age in the Jerusalem environment.
Who did this man encourage? Struggling Jewish Christians, Paul (Saul) who encouraged the deaths of Jewish Christians in the Jerusalem area, gentiles in Antioch who believed in Jesus Christ, Jews and gentiles on his and Paul's (Saul's) first missionary journey, and John Mark received his encouragement That is a strange mix! It was not characteristic of the mindset of Palestinian Jews of the first century! Barnabas (as well as Paul, Silas, and Timothy) did not represent the typical Jewish mindset. Barnabas saw good where it existed, even when it existed in unusual people.
Two things need to be obvious. (a) Barnabas saw potential in people other Christians easily "wrote off." (b) Jewish Christians like Barnabas, Paul, Silas, Timothy, John Mark, and other such New Testament characters were unusual people in their time period, not typical of Jewish Christians.
Consider three examples. When Paul, the converted persecutor of Christians, appeared in Jerusalem sometime after his conversion, the Jerusalem Christians were afraid of him. They did not believe Paul followed Jesus Christ. Who could blame them? He was the man who had dragged men and women from their homes in Jerusalem to put them in prison (Acts 8:1-3). Some of those Christians likely lost family members as a result of Paul's (Saul's) hatred of Jewish Christians prior to his conversion to Jesus Christ. He had been a dangerous man in Jerusalem! Why should they believe in his conversion in Damascus (another country)? Perhaps this was just a trick! Perhaps he just wanted to get into the Jerusalem Christian community to do more damage!
Stress how hostile Paul had been to Jewish Christians in the Jerusalem area. The teacher might wish to refer to passages like Acts 26:9-11 and 1 Timothy 1:12-16. He was a violent man when he opposed Christianity.
It was in this atmosphere of distrust in the Jerusalem Christian community that Barnabas had the courage personally to bring Paul (Saul) to the apostles, to vouch for the genuineness of his conversion to Jesus Christ, and to declare the boldness with which Paul spoke for Jesus Christ in other places. The result? Barnabas provided Paul the right to move freely in the Christian community and in Jerusalem, the right to speak boldly for Jesus Christ in Jerusalem, and the right to confront the Hellenistic Jews (who were formerly his allies).
Stress that Barnabas has the courage to vouch for Paul (Paul was his Roman name; Saul was his Jewish name) in an atmosphere of Jewish Christian fear and distrust. Had Barnabas not vouched for Paul, Paul's work in Jerusalem would have been limited because of limited access.
When the Hellenistic Jews plotted Paul's death, the Jerusalem Christian community escorted him (for his own protection) to the coast and sent him home to Tarsus. What an astounding declaration and display of Christian fellowship! The man who brought arrest and death to many Christians in Jerusalem was provided safety (likely at their own expense) by the congregation he formerly hurt prior to his conversion. Jesus Christ taught them to do good, and they did good to the Christian Paul.
Stress the incredible fellowship shown by Christians in Jerusalem.
Things to note: (a) Barnabas took Saul to the apostles. (b) In an atmosphere of distrust, Barnabas vouched for Saul's genuineness. (c) Saul could do what he did in Jerusalem because Barnabas saw Saul's potential. (d) It took great courage to see what other Christians could not see!
Emphasize two things: (a) Barnabas went to the people of greatest spiritual influence. (b) It took courage to see what he saw and to do what he did.
Second, Barnabas did the same thing in Antioch of Syria in the first known gentile congregation. The church in Jerusalem sent him to Antioch. When Barnabas saw what was happening among the gentiles, he "rejoiced" and "encouraged then all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord." Do you realize how unusual it was for a Jew from Jerusalem to rejoice at anything happening among gentiles? Why did he do it? He was a good man filled with the Holy Spirit and faith (that Jesus was the Christ).
Discuss the fact that what Barnabas did in Antioch was consistent with what he did for Paul in Jerusalem. Stress how unusual it was for a Jew from the Jerusalem area to see anything good gentiles did (aside from converting to Judaism). Note Barnabas was simply being who he was. Righteous behavior needs to reflect righteous characteristics.
Third, to be an encourager is dangerous! The encourager saw potential in John Mark like he saw in Saul. Barnabas saw potential; Paul saw a quitter. The result: Paul and Barnabas argued, Paul and Barnabas split (best friends split!), and two mission teams formed. 2 Timothy 4:11 would indicate the potential Barnabas saw was real.
Note that encouraging is often dangerous among Christians. Distinguish between what Barnabas saw and what Paul saw. What both wanted to do was a godly thing. Note at this time Barnabas was people-centered and Paul was message-centered. Note that God used (not caused) their disagreement.
For Thought and Discussion
Sometimes simple commitments are quite complex. (a) It is easier to criticize than encourage. (b) It is easier to see error than to see what is worthwhile.
Our society has trained us to criticize. As examples, we are critical of the President, the Congress, business, the media, parents, kids, husbands, wives, non-spiritual programs, spiritual programs, elders, preachers, organized religion, etc.
He saw good, possibility, wherever it was.
The discussion should include that Barnabas saw good in unlikely people.
The discussion should include the fact that Barnabas' actions created opportunity for Paul.
The discussion should center around delivering Paul from physical death. Imagine how determined the enemies of "the traitor" were.
The discussion should center around this Jewish Christian rejoicing at what was happening among the gentiles. He did not feel threatened by the gentiles' faith in Jesus Christ!
To be an encourager is dangerous!
God made two mission teams.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 8