Bible Study - Leadership - Invest Others - Acts 9, 11 and 15 - May 29, 2011

Bible Study – Leadership – Invest in Others – May 29, 2011

This is our final study entitled “Taking the Lead.”
Our scripture is Acts 9:26-27; 11:19-26 and 15:36-41.
Why is it important for Christians to invest in others? It is because each Christian has had someone to invest in him or her – Christian friends, parents, grandparents, siblings, teachers - both Bible teachers and other teachers, pastors, those standing at the crossroads of your life who said just the right word that kept you from going down the wrong path of life and the list goes on and on.

In our study of Queen Esther, we remember the words spoken to Queen Esther by Mordecai, “Who knows, perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this.” GOD has a plan and purpose for every Christian. In our study this week, we see that GOD had a purpose for Barnabas. He invested in Saul but he also invested in John Mark. Barnabas was a person led by the HOLY SPIRIT. That is vital when obediently serving GOD. There are times when a person who is obediently serving GOD must take a hard stand, even if it makes a fellow Christian angry. Let’s explore.

Background – Let’s read Acts 7:
The First Christian Martyr – Young Saul (Paul) was standing guard over the clothes and watching the Jews stone Stephen. Saul/Paul was a strict Jew and was out to destroy the Christian movement known at that time as “The Way.” He saw Stephens’s faithfulness to CHRIST.

54 When they (Jews) heard these things, they were enraged in their hearts[21] and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen (Christian), filled by the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw God’s glory, with[22] Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, 56 “Look! I see the heavens opened and the • Son of Man[23] standing at the right hand of God!” 57 Then they screamed at the top of their voices, stopped their ears, and rushed together against him. 58 They threw him out of the city and began to stone him. And the witnesses laid their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 They were stoning Stephen as he called out: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin!” And saying this, he fell • asleep.[24]

Saul witnessed the faithfulness of Stephen to CHRIST. Saul was eager to kill, mistreat or imprison those who followed CHRIST. The followers of CHRIST (Christians) knew that Saul had a passion to annihilate all Christians.

Saul was traveling to Damascus to take Christian prisoners. This is recorded in Acts 9:1-9: The Damascus Road

1 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and requested letters from him to the • synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, either men or women, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. 4 Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 “Who are You, Lord?” he said. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied. 6 “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9 He was unable to see for three days, and did not eat or drink.

Saul encountered the living CHRIST on the road to Damascus and his life changed forever. Saul went on to Damascus and ministered there as a follower of CHRIST and baffled the Jews by proving that JESUS was the promised Messiah. After three (3) years in the Damascus area, he went to Jerusalem. However, some Christians thought Saul was playing a game and possibly acting as if he was a Christian to find out who the leaders were of this new religion. This brings us to our scripture for this lesson.

Let’s read Acts 9:26-27: Saul in Jerusalem
26 When he (Saul/Paul) arrived in Jerusalem,[5] he tried to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple. 27 Barnabas, however, took him and brought him to the apostles and explained to them how, on the road, Saul[6] had seen the Lord, and that He had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.

Saul preached in Damascus about CHRIST and debated with the Jews.

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to associate with fellow Christians but they were afraid of him. GOD provided someone for a time such as this, Barnabas. Barnabas was a nickname and means “Son of Encouragement.” Barnabas’s real name was Joseph and he was John Mark’s cousin.

Barnabas vouched for Saul and confirmed that his conversion experience was genuine. Barnabas mentored Saul. How would you like to mentor a Saul/Paul? Barnabas had no clue where mentoring Saul would lead. Neither do Christians know what GOD has in mind for those they mentor. The point being, whether another Paul or someone who lives a normal Christian life in GOD’S eyes, all Christians are vital and important to HIS plan and purpose. Ask GOD to lead you to someone who needs mentoring.

Barnabas knew the background of Saul and knew that he was a true Christian because of his testimony, his work in Damascus and fervent witness for CHRIST. Barnabas saw Spiritual fruit in Saul’s life.

The name Saul was Paul’s Jewish name. Paul was his Roman name. Paul was a Roman citizen because his father was a Roman. Since, Paul was a Roman name, it served him well in his ministry to the Romans and Gentiles.

Paul left Jerusalem and returned to his home town of Tarsus to minister there for about ten (10) years. Barnabas was commissioned by the Christian church in Jerusalem to go to Antioch to see firsthand what was going on. They had heard that some Hellenists or Greeks/Greek-speaking Jews had accepted CHRIST. This was indeed good news and expanded the scope of the Christian ministry. We fast forward to Antioch.

Let’s read Acts 11:19-26: The Church in Antioch
19 Those who had been scattered as a result of the persecution that started because of Stephen made their way as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, Cypriot and Cyrenian men, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Hellenists,[6][7] proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 Then the report about them reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to travel[8] as far as Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he encouraged all of them to remain true to the Lord with a firm resolve of the heart— 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith—and large numbers of people were added to the Lord. 25 Then he[9] went to Tarsus to search for Saul, 26 and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers, and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

When bad things happen to good people, only GOD can make triumph out of tragedy. Stephen was martyred for his faith in CHRIST. As such the Christians were scattered as stated in our scripture. GOD used the martyr of Stephen to spread the Gospel of CHRIST to others areas. Stephen’s death was a witness to young Saul.

Christians fled to Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch. Phoenicia was in the coastal region, northwest of Jerusalem where Tyre and Sidon were located. Cyprus is a large island in the Mediterranean 75 miles west of Phoenicia. Antioch was located in Syria on the Orontes River about 15 miles from the Mediterranean. Antioch was the third largest city in the Roman Empire.

At the early stage of Christianity, Christians only witnessed to Jews. Word came to them that Greeks/Gentiles and Greek-speaking Jews were accepting CHRIST as their SAVIOR and worshipped together. Barnabas was sent to Antioch to check it out and found it to be true. Barnabas, true to his name, encouraged those who were ministering in the name of CHRIST and to those who had accepted CHRIST.

Barnabas encouraged these new converts to remain true to the LORD with a firm resolve. GOD does not make Christians robots. Christians have the freedom to choose. These new Christians had to choose to continue to follow CHRIST on a daily basis. We have to do the same. They had to resolve to stay focused upon CHRIST as they grew Spiritually. They had the Old Testament scriptures and the personal experiences of the Apostles. They needed to focus on the fulfillment of the scriptures through CHRIST, which Saul was an expert. They needed to allow the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT to lead, guide, empower, enlighten and confirm their new life in CHRIST.

We learn from this scripture that Barnabas was not only an encourager but he practiced what he preached and was empowered by the HOLY SPIRIT. Many people responded to the message of CHRIST. Barnabas needed help.

Who better to help than his friend Saul? Barnabas led by the HOLY SPIRIT went to find Saul in Tarsus. Barnabas found Saul and Saul returned to Antioch with Barnabas and they ministered there for a year. It was in Antioch that those who accepted CHRIST as his/her SAVIOR were first called Christians. The followers of CHRIST where “called” Christians because of their actions. It was because of their lifestyle. Do others know we are Christians because of our lifestyle?

Let’s read Acts 15:36-41: Paul and Barnabas Part Company
36 After some time had passed, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers in every town where we have preached the message of the Lord, and see how they’re doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take along John Mark.[11] 38 But Paul did not think it appropriate to take along this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work. 39 There was such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed off to Cyprus. 40 Then Paul chose Silas and departed, after being commended to the grace of the Lord by the brothers. 41 He traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Time passed and Paul felt led to return to the towns where he and Barnabas had planted Christian groups. It is always good to stay in touch with those we have ministered to. Barnabas liked the idea but he wanted to take his cousin, John Mark. Paul said, no. His reason was that John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia. Barnabas thought they should give John Mark another opportunity to prove himself. Paul did not bend.

Leaders have to make decisions. Paul owed a great deal to Barnabas. He had vouched for him in his early days of his Christian journey. He had gone to Tarsus to get him to come to Antioch. Friendship did not change Paul’s mind. There are times leaders must stick with what they believe the HOLY SPIRIT is leading them to do. GOD knew what Paul and Silas would be encountering. GOD also used this spat to have Barnabas and John Mark go in another direction, thus two (2) mission trips.

We have the benefit of knowing what GOD knew about Paul and Silas’s journey. It resulted in them being beaten, put in jail, singing in jail, an earthquake, conversion of the jailer, they narrowly missed another beating in Thessalonica, etc. - it might have been too much for John Mark. GOD knew and may have been the reason Paul held his ground with Barnabas. We know that Silas stuck with Paul through thick and thin.

This does not diminish the missionary journey of Barnabas and John Mark. We know that John Mark came back in favor with Paul. He joined Paul in Rome later. He wrote the first gospel, Mark.

Christians in leadership must be careful not to write off fellow Christians. This does not mean they have to park their common sense or brains. We can pray with fellow Christians who may have come from a questionable background but we can keep one eye open when we pray.

We have been discussing leadership for the past four (4) lessons. We saw that Joshua, a trained military leader, had to trust GOD when GOD told him to march around the walls of Jericho once a day for six (6) days. and on the seventh day march around the walls seven times with the priest’s blowing the ram’s horns. On the seventh circle have the priests give a long blast on their horns and have the people to shout. The walls would fall down. Joshua had been mentored by Moses and he was at the right place at the right time. He had been prepared for his calling. Esther was at the right place at the right time to influence the king and the outcome of a potentially tragic matter. Ezra was a man who wanted to know GOD and obediently serve HIM. He realized that he was at the right place at the right time and that GOD had been very much involved in all aspects of his life. Then we studied, as Christians, we are accountable to GOD and to those to whom we minister. Robert E. Gibson made the statement that “A Christian is the keyhole through which other folk see GOD.” Christians are accountable. Then our final lesson focuses on investing in others. So many of us have so much we can share with others. Mentoring is a wonderful way to share your experiences with living and in walking as a Christian.

Life is much like a nice warm fire. The coals together provide the warmth. If you take a coal away from the fire, the fire itself continues but the coal removed slowly dies. When we separate a person from fellowship, that person begins to die. The world and yes even the Christian world separates people from fellowship. Reach out to others who need encouragement and be a Barnabas but use your common sense, brain and pray. Blessings.