Charlotte’s Hope Church
Acts 9:23-31
Acts 9:23-31 NIV
Five telling episodes in the life of Barnabas:
1. Selling a Field = GENEROSITY
Acts 4:36-37 NIV
GENEROSITY is the first step in being a SERVANT-LEADER.
STINGY PEOPLE ARE NEVER EMPOWERING PEOPLE.
GENEROSITY breaks the absolute natural stranglehold of SELFISHNESS.
Five telling episodes in the life of Barnabas:
2. Sponsoring a Former Enemy = RADICAL FORGIVENESS
Romans 12:2 NIV
RENEW THE WAY YOU THINK AND IT WILL NATURALLY RENEW THE WAY YOU ACT.
When you do this, it also proves that God’s will is perfect. (Tried it and it works)
Empowering people don’t just forgive, they forgive quickly.
Barnabas could have made Saul jump through a bunch of hoops to deserve his forgiveness.
KEY: He offered the same radical, mind boggling forgiveness that he himself had received from Jesus.
Colossians 3:13 NIV
We are not defined by what we have DONE, but by what we have BECOME.
Five telling episodes in the life of Barnabas:
3. Defending the Right to Be Different = ENCOURAGEMENT
Acts 11:19-30, Acts 15:1-35
Encouraging leaders never confuse “I don’t like” with “God doesn’t like.”
Five telling episodes in the life of Barnabas:
4. Trading Places = HUMILITY
Acts 13:1-52
Barnabas was willing to take the 2nd chair and let Paul lead if it meant advancing the Kingdom.
To lift others up, you have to willing to take a pathway that is OPPOSITE of the ways of this world.
Matthew 20:26-28 NIV
Five telling episodes in the life of Barnabas:
5. Offering a Second Chance = MERCY
Acts 15:36-40
What does it take to encourage others?
1. Personal Sacrifice
Philippians 2:3-4 NIV
Matthew 20:26-28 NIV
What does it take to encourage others?
2. Occasional Failure
What does it take to encourage others?
3. Intentional Amnesia
1 John 2:1-2 NIV