Be Like Barnabas
Sing a new song to the Lord,
….for he has done wonderful deeds.
His right hand has won a mighty victory;
….his holy arm has shown his saving power!
The Lord has announced his victory
….and has revealed his righteousness to every nation!
He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel.
….The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God. Psalm 98:1-3 NLT
Acts 11:19-26 (<<click here to read the passage)
As we go through this journey of life, I believe that there are those who Jesus would encourage us to emulate in that they follow His example so closely. We first meet Barnabas back in Acts 4:36, and as we’ve spoken of before his given name was Joseph but because of his lifestyle, the apostles nickname him Barnabas – the Son of Encouragement – and it stuck. From that time on he is referred to as Barnabas.
I’m sure if you were asked to think of someone in your life whom you would describe as “good”, not everyone would fit into that mold. Some may be seen as publicly good, but someone who is both publicly and privately good, that may be a little tougher. But verse 24 states that Barnabas fit the bill. It goes on to that that his godly character benefited both himself and others.
Shouldn’t we all aspire to be like Barnabas? It’s most certainly a pretty tall order, I mean those are pretty big shoes to fill, but it would at least be something to reach for, don’t you think?
I’m sure there were core personality traits but enhancing them all was their Creator – the Holy Spirit. He filled Barnabas taking the things he was born with and making them so much more. The question we must ask ourselves is, what could the Holy Spirit do with me if I just allowed Him the opportunity – if I didn’t constantly get in His way but gave myself totally over to Him?
It is an area where we must yield, He will not force Himself upon us. If we think we are unable to do so we would do well to take up the next statement regarding Barnabas in this passage. He was full of faith. He believed who Jesus was and that He could do anything He needed to do, in and through his life. Again, it has everything to do with yielding our hearts and minds to Him. If we truly love Jesus that way – you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength (Mark 12:30 NLT) – then we can joyfully yield those things all over to Him.
Barnabas lived out his faith, in public and in private, for all to see and his impact was obvious. Because he did so a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
Lord Jesus, may we follow in the steps of Barnabas. May we yield to Your Holy Spirit, allowing Him to enhance the gifts with which You have already blessed us. Amen.
Apr 7th, 2022, Thurs, 5:03 pm
Who Was I To Stand in God’s Way?
It has been trudgingly accomplished, but I have been able to get through most of the sermon today, Father. I know I struggled on my end but thank You for getting me to stick to it.
Acts 11:1-18 (<<click here to read the passage)
After the amazing way God had expanded His Kingdom to embrace non-Jews (Gentiles), it’s surprising to see the response back in Jerusalem. The Amplified Bible uses the word astonishment to describe their reaction, but it goes on to say that those of the circumcision [certain Jewish believers who followed the Law] took issue with Peter [for violating Jewish customs] v2 AMP
It’s hardly been any time at all that Jesus has been gone from their presence and already I can see Him at the right hand of the Father shaking His head…
Just like the Pharisees who had been more concerned about when Jesus healed (on the Sabbath – oh, my!) than about the man who had been healed of an infirmity that had plagued him from birth. They missed the point completely!
Their lament to Peter? “You went to uncircumcised men and [even] ate with them!” v3 AMP
First of all, whoopidy-dingdong! Yes, it was part of their long-held tradition but really?
So, to help pry their eyes open Peter began [at the beginning] and explained [the events] to them step by step… (v4 AMP) from his vision through all that God had led him through to bring the saving news of the Gospel to Cornelius and all of his family and friends.
The last line of his dialogue grabbed my attention.
And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?” v17 NLT (emphasis mine)
That led me to think of the phrase, “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.”
I looked it up and found that it was attributed to Thomas Paine, a figure out of the time of America’s revolution who was an author that penned a number of influential pamphlets that served as a catalyst for the United States’ 1776 declaration of independence from Great Britain.
But after my mind had gone to that thought, I had to stop and think it through a bit. As followers of Jesus, He calls us to be active participants in His work here on earth. Some are gifted with leadership (and that includes those who would never ever think God that could use them that way – but He not only could, but He does!) The body of Christ also needs diligent followers, as well. Those who will faithfully follow His leading, wherever that may take them.
If we don’t find ourselves in either of those positions, then maybe it is best that we get ourselves out of the way! Now I’m sure not saying ditch on God but it might be best to spend a great amount of time praying and reading God’s word seeking His direction and enlightenment. Never doubt, He will show us how to move forward! Amen!
Apr 6th, 2022, Wed, 4:49 pm
Don’t Hold at Arm’s Length
Father, the last couple of days I have felt a lift in my spirit, and I am going to attribute it to You! I don’t know what else would have caused it, for things have been going along as usual. Thank You, Father…for You!
Acts 10:34-48 (<<click here to read the passage)
A friend of mine posted a statement on Facebook today that reminded me of something I have shared with my congregations on multiple occasions. As the body of Christ, we should welcome with open arms anyone – let me repeat that – anyone who steps through our doors. And if we have any objections, we are the ones who need to go to the Lord in prayer!
Let me stop here for just a moment… I started to type some examples, but I hesitate to even put down some of the things that are in my head. I grew up in a pretty conservative denomination (though they are much less so now) and these are things that in many churches would have thrown up red flags.
Here’s a quick list of attributes that for sure in the past and maybe even yet today in some places that some (but by no means all) in the church would bristle at welcoming them into the fellowship of believers. Those with tattoos, piercings, drug/alcohol addictions, and differing views on sexuality, to name just a few. In my youth, divorcees weren’t allowed to teach Sunday School classes or hold positions of leadership.
I want to personally make it very clear that I vehemently oppose these limitations that certain factions of the body would hold at arm’s length instead of with open arms.
Most assuredly sin is in direct opposition to God and His will for our lives. But I don’t know of a single example of Jesus rejecting any sinner. He would minister to them, touching their lives to the very core, and get them going in the right direction.
One sentence in today’s passage got me going. Verse 45 reads,
All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. AMP
What caught my eye was “…the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.” (emphasis mine)
“Wow! Go figure…God even loves them!” “Who would’ve guessed?!”
And the list goes on – God loves and accepts all who will repent! And His free gift of salvation is accessible regardless of race, religion, or creed! God loves us…every single one of us!
Lord Jesus, may we strive to be like You – loving and accepting the least of these as we guide them into Your arms. And as the old Gospel song goes,
“I catch ’em, God cleans ’em
I bait the hook with the love of the Kingdom
I’ve been called to be a fisher of men”
Mar 5th, 2022, Mon, 5:23 pm
Anticipation
An overall good day, Father, and I thank You for Your guiding hand. May I have a listening ear attuned to Your Word. Amen.
Acts 10:24-33 (<<click here to read the passage)
When I was in high school, way back when, Heinz came out with an ad promoting their ketchup.
Heinz ketchup is known for being thick and pouring very slowly – and remember this was way back before squeeze bottles when it was sold in glass bottles. The ketchup took quite a while to come out. In the commercials, a person would be shown waiting as the ketchup slowly came out of the bottle. The chorus of Carly Simon’s Anticipation played in the background. The iconic ad has led many to think of the song as “The Ketchup Song.”
The lyrics of the commercial
Anticipation, anticipation,
..Is makin’ me wait
As I read through today’s passage, I couldn’t help but think of anticipation…not the ketchup kind, or the Carly Simon kind, not something that is here today and gone tomorrow, but the genuine kind that brings the best reward of all – a relationship with Jesus Christ – and that is for all eternity!
This short portion of Scripture begins and ends with palpable anticipation. Cornelius had sent a small entourage to find and bring Simon Peter back. Verse 24 says,
They arrived in Caesarea the following day. Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. v24
His anticipation was high! He was not going about normal daily business; he was waiting so that he would be ready for whatever was to come without a moment’s delay. And it was important to him, so much so that he called all of those close to him to join him for this highly anticipated revelation of God.
After mistakenly falling at Peter’s feet (…Peter pulled him up and said, “Stand up! I’m a human being just like you!” v26), he told Peter the story of his interaction with the man in dazzling clothes and that he had sent for him at once.
Cornelius concludes what he had to say with, “Now we are all here, waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you.” v33 NLT
Anticipation! Palpable anticipation!
This was what was important…nothing else. Press “pause” on life, this is what really matters! Stop. Listen. Yield. God has brought us all together for the distinct purpose of fulfilling all we have strained to know!
Lord Jesus, we have become so jaded and sadly our spiritual appetite has become satiated with the mundane and mediocre. Heighten our spiritual cravings for the smorgasbord of Your creation! Oh, Lord, may it be so! Amen!
Apr 4th, 2022, Mon, 4:52 pm
That’s Not Good Enough…
Reel me in Father. My mind is going in different directions and I need to focus on You, allowing things to get back in order. Amen.
Acts 10:17-23 (<<click here to read the passage)
I appreciate Tyndale House, the publisher of my Life Application Study Bible. If you have read the MoreThanUseless blog for any length of time, you know that I often refer to it. Sometimes an application note hits a chord in my heart and speaks to me. Oft times it will bring to life a thought that had never crossed my mind before, and then my heart and mind run with it. And best of all, God uses it to teach and direct me!
This passage, about which I have already written, has one more thing to say to me…and to my readers as well.
One thing we have to address with all seriousness is the fact that many seriously religious people strive to do all the right things. Just as Cornelius, they are religious, devoted, generous, respected, and sincere…and though those are wonderful attributes, in and of themselves, they are simply not good enough. Those things can bring us closer to God but without one key ingredient in the mix, we will still be spiritually separated from God.
The gospel – the good news – of what Jesus accomplished by His death and resurrection is that key ingredient that our salvation depends upon. Without understanding that truth, we are lost. And no matter what we do, no matter how much we work at pleasing God, it is a fool’s errand. We must understand, acknowledge, and accept, by faith, Jesus’ sacrifice and the salvation that He freely extends. That is our only hope.
But as I spoke of in last Wednesday’s post – To Know and To Be Known (click on it to read it) – God doesn’t leave us hanging. We are too precious to Him to ever do that! He fervently pursues us not wanting any to be lost! Remember that old familiar verse, John 3:16?
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. NKJV
There alone is our redemption, but we must be careful not to equate earnestness with righteousness before God. We are brought into right standing with God by faith in Christ alone.
So, the questions that we each must address are, have you trusted in Jesus? Are you sharing with others – even those who seem religious – the truth that Christ is the only way to God?
Lord Jesus, fill us with Your love. May we seek out Your wisdom. May we first acknowledge the truth for ourselves and then may we – again in love – never give up sharing the truth with others so that all who are lost may come home. Amen.
Apr 3rd, 2022, Sun, 7:46 pm