Hello Friends: 10.13.11- Bold

October 13th, 2011

Hello Friends,

If you have a few moments right now, will you grab your Bible and read this short passage:  Acts 13:42-52.

Have you done it yet?

I’ll wait.

OK. Here we go. Let’s talk about this passage.

This is the next place that highlights a great guy named Barnabas. I’ve been spending a number of weeks spotlighting him in my “Hello Friends” email series.

I really like Barnabas. I like how he always finds himself right in the middle of the action. First, he and Paul were teaching in the synagogue and the Jews and new converts wanted to hear more about the Word of God. Then, the next day the “whole city” gathered to hear the Word of God and it stirred up anger and jealously in the religious leaders. This culminated with intense persecution of Paul and Barnabas – so much so that they shook off the dust from their feet and moved onto another city to  minister.

Bold.

One could easily focus upon the individuals of Paul or Barnabas, but the real star of this story is The Word of God. 

The Word of God is what stirred up such intense feelings. Acts 13:49 tells us that the “word of the Lord spread through the whole region.” It caught fire and was blazing through the synagogue, city center, and ultimately throughout the entire region of Asia Minor.

The Word of God.

It’s Bold.

There is something very powerful about God’s Word when spoken and ministered in truth and spirit.

Are you allowing the Word of God to spread throughout your heart?  What is it stirring up in you?

Blessings,

John

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Hello Friends: 10.7.11- We Go Together

October 7th, 2011

Hello Friends,

Let’s keep looking at Barnabas.  I really dig this guy and have had a blast writing to you each week about an aspect of his life as found in the Book of Acts.  I just returned from a journey in the Footsteps of Paul – including his missionary stops in Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, and Rome. I can say with a great level of certainly that there wouldn’t have been an Apostle Paul without a Barnabas!

In chapter 13 of the Acts of the Apostles (should be called Acts of the Holy Spirit though), we come to the church of Antioch. One of the primary teachers there was Barnabas. Another one was an upstart leader named Saul.  We also know him as Paul. Barnabas and Saul did some tag team ministry in Antioch. Barnabas was sent there by the church in Jerusalem – we read of this in Acts 11:22.  This life-giving, sacrificial church sent one of their best leaders to Antioch. When Barnabas got to Antioch he “saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose” (vs. 23).  It goes on to describe Barnabas as “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (vs. 24).  The result of Barnabas’ ministry in Antioch was that “a great many people were added to the Lord.”

It was there that people were first called…wait for it…Christians.

So much spiritual growth was happening that Barnabas sent for Saul to come help him. They were able to a great deal together.

Together.

Everybody needs a wingman (that’s a quote from Top Gun, in case you missed it).

Barnabas and Saul. The dynamic duo.

Not only did they do the work of the Lord together in Antioch, but they were also SENT OUT TOGETHER from Antioch to minister in other areas. Acts 13:2 says, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work for which I have called them. then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went….”

Sent out together.

This makes me think of the church we are planting in Dallas, Oregon under the leadership of Darrin & Stacy Hausler. At West Salem Foursquare we are like the Jerusalem church – the sending church – giving our best to see the work of the Lord flourish in an other area.

In the coming months we will be laying our hands upon them and their core planting team and sending them out together. What a joy-filled time that will be!

Jerusalem and Antioch.
Barnabas and Saul.
West Salem and Dallas.
You and I.
Together.

It’s so great doing life together.  Denise and I are blessed to be growing together with you.  You are deeply loved.

Blessings,
Pastor John

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Hello Friends: 9.29.11- Barnabas the Uniter

September 29th, 2011

Hello Friends,

Hopefully you’ve been following along in my weekly emails as I’ve been spotlighting a gentleman in Scripture named Barnabas. We don’t know a ton about him except from the Book of Acts. At the time you will be reading this Denise and I will be touring the land of the Acts of the Apostles – Athens, Ephesus, Rome, Crete, Patmos, etc. This is an exciting trip for five of us from West Salem Foursquare, as we join with twenty others from around the United States.

This tour of the Footsteps of Paul wouldn’t have happened without a Barnabas. Sure, God would have accomplished his purposes another way, but I do wonder how many things the Lord simply won’t do without our partnership and obedience. 

Barnabas was an obedient partner.

His primary ministry buddy was Paul, but occasional he would pick up others.  

Case in point:  John Mark.

Acts 12:25 says “When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.”

Who is John Mark?  Colossians 4:10 indicates that he is the cousin to Barnabas. Luke 13:13 tells us that Paul and his companions (which would have included Barnabas and John Mark) put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphilia, but John [Mark] left them and returned to Jerusalem.

Why did John Mark leave?  The text is unclear, but many speculate that he was uncomfortable about the mission to evangelize the Gentiles. John Mark, a resident of Jerusalem, perhaps bailed because of the focus upon “non-Jews.” Some have called him the “New Testament Jonah.”

Acts 15:36-41 points out how Paul didn’t want John Mark to be with them on their upcoming trip because of how he abandoned them during the first missionary journey. There was a sharp disagreement to the point of Paul and Barnabas parting company. This is something certainly worthy of study, however, I want to focus our attention to who Barnabas took with him:  John Mark.

I love this about Barnabas. He is a UNITER. 

You may say, “Well, if he was such a UNITER then why did he part company with Paul and take sides with John Mark?”  That’s a valid point, but one must dig deeper into Scripture to get the full story. The Book of Acts does not give us any further detail but other New Testament writings of Paul do.

2 Timothy 4:11 (Words of Paul) – “Only Luke is with me. Get [John] Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful [useful] to me in my ministry.”

Colossians 4:10 (Words of Paul) – “My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does [John] Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. You have received instruction about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.”

Philemon 24 (Words of Paul) – “Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. And so do [John] Mark…my fellow workers.”  

It would appear as if Paul and John Mark got the band back together again!  Not only that, but Paul now finds John Mark to be a great asset to his ministry.

We don’t know this explicitly from the biblical text, but I have to wonder if Barnabas had anything to do with this change of heart. After all, he’s a UNITER.

Do you bring people together?

Blessings, 
Pastor John

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Hello Friends: 9.22.11- Eyes Wide Open

September 22nd, 2011

“This week’s Hello Friends comes to you while John & Denise are leading a tour of the Footsteps of Paul throughout Greece, Rome and Ephesus. Be praying for them as they travel, teach, film and prepare for our Fall teaching series & small groups.”

Hello Friends,

Barnabas. What a guy.

The Book of Acts would have been much smaller without him. During this season I want to highlight in my weekly correspondence this unsung hero of the New Testament. Acts 11 has Barnabas’ fingerprints all over it. Read about him in verses 22-26.

22 News reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

Two keys phrases jump out to me in these verses:

1. “Saw the evidence of the grace of God…” (vs. 23)

2. “Went to Tarsus to look for Saul…” (vs. 25)

Barnabas was a looker.

By this I don’t mean he was attractive. Of course, I really don’t know if was UNattractive. Ah, I digress.

When I think of Barnabas as “a looker” I mean he was an INITIATOR. He had an eye for good things. He SAW the evidence of God’s grace in Antioch. He LOOKED for Saul in Tarsus in order to bring him to Antioch. Both Paul and Barnabas spent a year in this city, sharing the Gospel and growing the church. It was here that they first began to call followers of Jesus “Christians.” There he goes initiating again!

Are you a looker?

What good things are you initiating?

Blessings,

Pastor John

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Hello Friends: 9.8.2011- It’s all about the Heart

September 8th, 2011

Hello Friends,

Check out this Scripture:

“Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles feet.” Acts 4:36,37

Joseph.

Barnabas.

Son of Encouragement.

Wow, this guy sure had A LOT of nicknames…

I would add to the list this one: Giver.

I really dig Barnabas. I love reading about him. He is one of my favorite characters in the New Testament. Throughout the Book of Acts we find multiple examples of Barnabas’ giving and encouraging spirit.

Barnabas is the reason a radical named Saul got his start. We know him now as Paul the Apostle, but I often wonder if Saul would have ever became Paul if it wasn’t for Barnabas and the interest that he took in the “long-shot” with the dicey reputation.

Barnabas was always about others. We see this most clearly in Acts 4:36,37 when he sold his field and gave the proceeds to the apostles to be used for the needs of a growing faith community.

Barnabas went ALL IN. In contrast, the next chapter of the Book of Acts tells us about Ananias and Sapphira who knowingly withheld from the sale of a piece of property. Now, to be fair, I don’t think the main point of these stories is about money.

It’s about HEART.

One had an ALL IN heart and the others did not. Again, it wasn’t about the money. Verse 4 affirms this when Peter said to them: “Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal?” In other words, they didn’t HAVE to give it. They could have rightfully kept it, but they chose to lie about – making it a matter of the heart.

I love Barnabas’ heart. I want one like his. He is an encourager. He is a giver.

What are some nicknames people would give you? How are you known?

Blessings,

Pastor John

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