You are welcome to reflect on this message
From the First Baptist Church in America pulpit
October 22, 2006
"Our Need of Encouragement”
(Acts 11:19-26)
Dr. Dan Ivins, preaching

Of all the benefactors we meet in life, few are more helpful than the courage-bringer. Of whom David the King was certainly one. Not only was he “a man after God’s own heart,” but he was able to put heart into others, as well as himself. Samuel writes "He encouraged himself--in the Lord his God." When you can do that to yourself, no matter what happens, you’re onto something!

David’s counterpart in the New Testament, was Barnabas. So proficient was he in bringing courage to the discouraged, they nicknamed him "Son of encouragement." I call him “Barney the preacher.” Whatever you call him, he was incarnate consolation, because he seemed to always show up in crisis situations. When everything was uncertain he helped turn conflict times into opportunities for growth.

The first time we meet him in The Book of Acts, he’s encouraging Christians facing economic uncertainty. Sound familiar at budget time? "There were no needy persons among them. Those who owned lands or houses sold them, and laid the proceeds at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to whoever had need. “Barney the preacher,” stood out when he “sold a field he owned and brought the proceeds to the church." In a moment of financial difficulty, Barnabas did the unthinkable. And didn’t even ask for an IRS receipt! He staked his own existence on the fellowship that he loved. His extreme generosity had an electrifying effect on the church.

The next time we meet Barnabas, he’s encouraging some guy named Saul, to make a fresh start in life. The man from Tarsus was the least likely prospect in all Jerusalem to becomes a member of the Christian movement. Because he was doing his best to destroy it. Before his conversion, this fiery fanatic had zero tolerance for difference of any kind. When the Christians were just trying to eke out a foothold, Paul was no Gamaliel, who could "live and let live." Nah, he’s more like a James Bond, who preferred to "live and let die!" He personally saw to it that Stephen was stoned to death for "heresy;" then lit out for Damascus to track down and imprison all followers of "the way." On that road, Paul's world got turned upside down and inside out, when he learned what a wrong-headed extremist he was. Always a painful lesson. But Paul did a 180 and swapped sides after the encounter with Christ on the road. And people are rightly suspicious of "quick-change artists." So Paul was out there all alone, on a limb with no one to believe in him and nurture him to faith.

In that crucial moment in the life of the early church Barnabas stepped up: "Paul came to Jerusalem and tried to join the disciples. They were afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas told the leaders how Saul had seen the Lord and how in Damascus he preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.” At the risk of losing face by being tainted by the likes of the murderous Saul, Barnabas didn't let it keep him from encouraging St. Paul to make a fresh start. This time, instead of laying his property on the line, he staked his reputation on it. How much is that worth?

Another thing Barnabas did was to encourage people to bridge the old with the new. Is that an important quality in a church or what? Born a Jew in a Greek world, Barnabas understood the perspectives of both. It’s amazing how God seems to have just the right person at the right time to help the early church launch its mission to the Gentile world. Barnabas led the work at Antioch--where innovative things were happening, unlike what Jerusalem was accustomed to. Antioch was about change and new ways of doing church, which always calls for big-spirited people. The new is constantly colliding with the old in life, and the church needs people who can be bridges to both. For there is great value in each.

The last time Barnabas shows up in Acts, he’s at it again, encouraging John Mark, who stumbled along the way. Paul wanted to re-visit the churches he’d started. Barnabas suggest they take Mark along. But Paul hadn’t forgotten how Mark deserted ‘em in Pamphylia.” Luke says “They had such as sharp disagreement that they could no longer walk together. Barnabas and Mark sailed for Cyprus. But Paul and Silas went their way."

It’s another relational land mine that resulted in what’s all too common in churches to this day: Baptists divide by multiplying! Barnabas wanted to give Mark another chance. But not Paul. He was one of those one-chance-only guys, as the traces of his old fundamentalism raised its ugly head. And the 1^st church split in history occurred over a disagreement about missions! That’s the best religious perfectionism can do, which is at a loss when it comes to failure or imperfection. They’d rather kick people while they're down.

But thank God for Barnabas’ gracious acceptance. Because Mark indeed redeemed himself and later wrote our earliest Gospel. Another reason we must “reserve the right to accept everybody?” Give me a church full of Barnabases and I’ll show you a church that people will be attracted to. Lord knows we need a grace-place to bring out the best in us when we’re at our worst.

Yeah, God needs his Pauls, to go all over the place starting churches. But the church needs it's Barnabas' too, who care about the hurting. Because there are plenty of Marks in different stages of life all around us, who keep dropping out, because the church is judgmental, adding to their guilt, rather than relieving it.

What can Barnabas show us that’ll make our church better? Wouldn’t it be good if, like David, we could "encourage ourselves in the Lord." But to encourage others, we've got to be willing to risk; to stick up for somebody else, who’s having a hard time. And that's not easy to do when you've been burned a few times. But a church that isn't willing to stick out its neck for people--over tradition, over ritual, over institutional trappings, isn't being true to its Lord--who was the riskiest encourager who ever lived!

He saw more in people like Peter, a profane fisherman; or Matthew, a tax collector; or Magdalene, stooping over in the dust, or Zacchaeus, up a tree. Jesus was always taking risky prospects like John Mark and turning them into gospel proclaimers. Gambling on the unlikeliest people who don't look like much; people with bad track records, and looking deeper until he found something worth redeeming. That’s still what makes church at its best.

It’s risky because you can be taken advantage of and you’re going to lose every now and then. But it’s better to take a chance and lose sometimes, than to lose all the time because you refused to try something new. What would've become of the early church or Paul or Mark if Barnabas had not seen a future in them worth salvaging? Haven’t we all had somebody in our lives who saw more in us than we were at the time and tried to bring it out? That’s Barnabas.

He had a forward-looking outlook and faith in the future. That's not easy, considering some of the blows I’ve seen people endure from life. But the cause of a lot of discouragement is the inability to perceive a hopeful future. Don’t we all need something to look forward to? Think of someone who has encouraged you. Maybe a parent or a child, a teacher or hopefully a pastor. But too often in life we feel alone. In my life I’ve always been blessed by someone to take my hand in such times. Maybe that’s because I’ve always been part of the church. That and having a wonderfully supportive wife and daughters.

Luke tells a gripping story that played a role in Saul becoming Paul. After being blinded on the Damascus Road by the brilliant light of Christ, he was taken to a “street called Straight” in Damascus. There he sat all alone, in the middle of an upper room, still wondering what on earth happened. The Christians were afraid of him and thought it was a trick. But with a little push from God and some guts, Ananias entered the room to lift the man from Tarsus to his feet. Next, he extends a warm hand an unexpectedly gave him a welcoming hug. Then he said some of the most gracious words in scripture: “Brother Saul!” And the world was never the same. From enemy #1 to part of the family! Brother Saul. I can’t think of anything more encouraging to a despairing person than extending a hand to the downtrodden. That’s what really makes God smile. Weren’t we made to travel life’s journey hand-in-hand; instead of sword-in-hand? Our faith teaches us the church is here to see to it that somebody is always here to hold our hand. And somebody else is out there needing you to take theirs.

I believe as long as we hang-onto one another, there’s nothing we can’t handle in this church together. Financial challenge, or failure, whatever. Because no matter what else happens, the people of God always have hope, characterized by one of my favorite Bible verses and I'll leave you with that: “It does not yet appear what we shall be" (I Jn 3:2). God isn’t finished with us yet, and no matter what happened to us yesterday, there’s always tomorrow. There’s more to come. With God, the best is always yet to be. This applies to us as both individuals and as a congregation. This fellowship is different than it was even a few years ago because a lot has happened here in the past as people come and go. But it’s my responsibility to keep our eyes on our present mission and especially the future direction. So today I point you to Barnabas.

There are unrealized capabilities that need to be developed here. And opportunities to minister. And realistically, there’s always going to be some my-way-or-no-way Apostle Paul’s in a church this old. But also the Barnabases.

And if we are like him, I believe The First Baptist Church in America has a bright future. "It doth not yet appear what we shall be." So let's get busy being it. And the best way I know how to do that is to be Barnabas to each other. Cause there’s lots of sons and daughters of encouragement around here who've already been that to us. And that's what I hope to be as well. As we stand in-between the times, I’m challenging all of us to try our best to put heart in those who are despairing. And the folks in ol’ Providence will say, “Now that’s a church I want to be a part of!”

Pastoral Prayer: (10-22-06)
Father, into whose world we have come, you have not created us to be alone and none of us is created alike. We thank you for the varied society in which we reside, through which we discover your purpose for our lives.

We pray for our church which has ennobled many lives for centuries, that it may share to the full today -- the work of your son. And be a place where people can be lifted up not put down; encouraged not discouraged, and that our members may learn to love one another as you have loved us. May this worship help us to be what you want us to be and do what you want us to do.

We pray for our families and friends, with whom we live every day. By all that we do and say help us to build up the faith and confidence of those we love. When we quarrel, help us to quickly forgive.

Father, in whose world we must live. We pray for our country and other nations as well. Our prayer is for peace amidst the drumbeats of war. And for those who suffer because we can’t find a better way to get along. Because Christ is the prince of peace, help us to be peacemakers; part of the answer not the problem.

We pray for those who are ill. Strengthen them so that illness won’t break their spirit. We remember the grieving and ask that you enable each of us to be content with whatever comes across our path.

So often you astonish us -- granting requests that are only ½ formed, enriching our lives in unexpected ways, reminding us of factors we overlooked. However you answer our prayers, may the outcome be that we love you more and other people better, and believe in you with greater confidence.

Father, into whose eternity finally we must go, we praise you for your goodness and grace and love and for all who have maintained the fabric of our communal existence in the past and left to us an inheritance to be proud of. May we embrace what is good and encourage what is kind and hand it on to those who come after us, believing that our work in your name will not be wasted. Amen.