“A Living Sacrifice: The Son of Encouragement”
[By Gerald Gates]

 In Acts 4:36 we are introduced to Joseph, whom the apostles named Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”).

In Romans 12:1 we are encouraged to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God which is our spiritual worship. In Acts 4:32-37, we see how the believers looked out for one another spiritually, as well as physically, selling their possessions, land and houses, to contribute to the needs of all those among them. Joseph, or Barnabas, was singled out here for his generosity and desire to help when he sold his land and gave the money to the apostles. 

In Acts 9:26-27, Saul (who had been persecuting the church, but was baptized into Christ at Damascus) came to Jerusalem and the disciples were afraid to welcome him.  But Barnabas brought him to the apostles telling them how he had seen the Lord on the road to Damascus, the Lord had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly in the name of the Lord there.  We see that Barnabas cared, he listened to what Saul had to say, discerning the truth and encouraging Saul and his work for the Lord.  He looked beyond Saul’s past life in the world, honoring the change brought in Saul by the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Acts 11:19-22, when it was reported that the gentiles received the gospel at Antioch in Syria, the church at Jerusalem sent Barnabas.  Who else would they send but the “Son of Encouragement”?  “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, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.  And a great many people were added to the Lord” (Acts 11:23-24, ESV).

Barnabas went to Tarsus to find Saul and brought him back to the work at Antioch.  For a full year, they met with the church and taught a great many people (Acts 11:25-26).  Barnabas worked and encouraged others, like Saul, to work with him as they had ability. He went with Saul to bring the brethren’s contributions for the needs of the disciples in Judea in light of the coming famine (Acts 11:27-30).

In Acts 13-14, when the Holy Spirit told the church to set apart Barnabas and Saul to the work to which He had called them, they went teaching and preaching the word of the Lord. They traveled through Cyprus, then through Perga in Pamphylia, and on to Antioch in Pisidia, and Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe enduring opposition and persecution, continuing on to other places teaching the word to all who would hear among the people of whom many believed. They revisited the disciples appointing elders in every church and encouraging them to continue in the faith before returning to Antioch in Syria reporting all that God had done with them, opening the door of faith to the Gentiles.

In Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas stood against false teachers from Judea that were telling people that they must be circumcised according to the law of Moses in order to be saved. They went up to Jerusalem with others to settle the matter among the apostles and elders. And they returned to Antioch with a letter, “it has seemed good to us having come to an accord to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 15:25-26, ESV). It was a letter of encouragement and instruction that they were not required to keep the law of Moses to be saved. The church rejoiced together with Barnabas and Paul after receiving the encouraging message. Paul and Barnabas continued in Antioch teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others also.

When Paul wanted to return to visit the brethren in the cities they had taught, Barnabas wanted to bring Mark, but Paul did not want to. They had a sharp disagreement, so Barnabas took Mark with him to Cyprus and Paul took Silas and went through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the churches.

Barnabas supported the work from the beginning and supported the brethren to use their gifts in the body also. He worked with Paul and Mark and others. He was also susceptible to sin even as apostle Peter, showing favoritism to the Jews over the Gentiles (Gal 2:11-13). Barnabas needed, as we also, to “… not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom 12:2, NKJV). It is what he worked on and helped others to do in his walk to be a “living sacrifice unto God.” Walking according to the word of the Lord, he was truly a son of encouragement.

It is no wonder why brethren have encouraged us with lessons titled: “Be a Barnabas.”