Barnabas was sent by the church in Jerusalem to investigate the ministry happening in Antioch where Greeks were being preached to. When Barnabas arrived, he saw evidence of God's grace at work and encouraged the believers to remain faithful. Barnabas was described as a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith. He was open to God's grace, encouraged others, mentored leaders like Paul and John Mark, and was generous with his wealth and ministry despite also being fallible at times. Barnabas was highly respected by Paul and other early church leaders.

1. A Man Called Barnabas
Acts 11:19-24
Dr Alex Tang

3. Why read biographies about
Christians or heroes of faith?
• Hebrews 13:7 "Remember your
leaders, those who spoke to you the
word of God; consider the outcome of
their life, and imitate their faith."
• Hebrews 6:12 "Do not be sluggish,
but imitators of those who through
faith and patience inherit the
promises."
• Hebrews 11 is a collection of excerpts
from the lives of great men and
women of faith.

4. Why read biographies about
Christians or heroes of faith?

7. Who are the heroes of
faith in the book of Acts?

8. Acts 11:19-21
AC 11:19 Now those who had been scattered by
the persecution in connection with Stephen
traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch,
telling the message only to Jews. 20 Some of
them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene,
went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks
also, telling them the good news about the Lord
Jesus. 21 The Lord's hand was with them, and a
great number of people believed and turned to
the Lord.

10. Acts 11:22-24
AC 11:22 News of this reached the ears of the
church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to
Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the evidence
of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged
them all to remain true to the Lord with all their
hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy
Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were
brought to the Lord.

11. Who was Barnabas?
• Joses or Joseph from Cyprus
• Nicknamed ‘Barnabas’
• huios paraklēseōs in Acts 4:36
• son of consolation (KJV)
• son of exhortation (RSV, NIV)
• son of encouragement (RSV, NIV)

12. More about Barnabas
• from Cyprus (Acts 4:36) and settled in
Jerusalem
• a Levite (Acts 4:36)
• owned land in Jerusalem -selling his land
and giving the proceeds to the apostles
(Acts 4:36)
• John Mark was his cousin whose mother,
Mary, lived in Jerusalem and hosted the
church in her home (Acts 12:12)

13. Even more about Barnabas
Barnabas was a good
man, full of the Holy
Spirit and faith (11:24)

14. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit
and faith (11:24)
Good
Barnabas
Holy Spirit Faith

15. “@TozerAW: "Real faith not
only does something for us, but
it also does something to us."
AW Tozer (A Disruptive Faith)”

16. Six Reflections from the Life
of Barnabas

17. Reflections from the life of
Barnabas
1. He is open to the grace of God
11:22 News of this reached the ears of the
church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas
to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the
evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and
encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord
with all their hearts.
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (11:24)

18. Barnabas is open to the grace of God
• Why did they send Barnabas and not
someone else?

20. He drew a circle that
shut me out —
Heretic, rebel, a thing
to flout.
Charles Markham
The Shoes of Happiness, and Other Poems (1852 – 1940)
(1913)

21. He drew a circle that
shut me out —
Heretic, rebel, a thing
to flout.
But Love and I had the
wit to win:
We drew a circle that
took him in.

22. Barnabas is open to the grace of God
• Barnabas extend this openness to
Paul (Acts 9:27-28)
27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the
apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had
seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him,
and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly
in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them
and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking
boldly in the name of the Lord.
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (11:24)

23. Reflections from the life of
Barnabas
1. He is open to the grace of God
2. He is an encourager of men
23 When he arrived and saw the evidence of
the grace of God, he was glad and
encouraged them all to remain true to the
Lord with all their hearts.
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (11:24)

24. Barnabas is an encourager of men
he sees the potential where others see failure
• Paul
AC 11:25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for
Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to
Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met
with the church and taught great numbers of people.
The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

25. Barnabas is an encourager of men
he sees the potential where others see failure
• The Jerusalem Church
AC 11:27 During this time some prophets came down
from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them, named
Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a
severe famine would spread over the entire Roman
world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) 29
The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to
provide help for the brothers living in Judea. 30 This they
did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

27. Reflections from the life of
Barnabas
1. He is open to the grace of God
2. He is an encourager of men
3. He is a mentor to leaders
because he knows the expansion of the work
of God’s grace depends on Godly leadership
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (11:24)

28. Barnabas is a mentor to leaders
• Successful ministry in Antioch

29. Barnabas is a mentor to leaders
• Saul of Tarsus
• Taking a risk by inviting him to join
his ministry (Acts 11:25-26)
• Going on a missionary journey
(Acts 13)
• Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:12)
• Simeon, Lucius, Manaen (Acts
13:1)
• John Mark
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (11:24)

30. Barnabas is a mentor to leaders

31. Barnabas is a mentor to leaders
• Patience with John Mark
When a young missionary has forsaken the work
on his first journey, should you shall give him a
second chance after 18 months of penitent and
faithful service?
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (11:24)

32. Reflections from the life of
Barnabas
1. He is open to the grace of God
2. He is an encourager of men
3. He is a mentor to leaders
4. He is fallible
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (11:24)

33. Barnabas is fallible/makes mistakes
• The incident with Peter in Antioch
(Gal:11-13)
GAL 2:11 When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him
to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12
Before certain men came from James, he used to eat
with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to
draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles
because he was afraid of those who belonged to the
circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his
hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas
was led astray.

34. Barnabas is fallible/makes mistakes
• The incident with John Mark in
Antioch (Acts 15: 37-41)
37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark,
with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him,
because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had
not continued with them in the work. 39 They had
such a sharp disagreement that they parted company.
Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but
Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers
to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and
Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

35. Barnabas broke fellowship with Paul

36. Reflections from the life of
Barnabas
1. He is open to the grace of God
2. He is an encourager of men
3. He is a mentor to leaders
4. He is fallible
5. He is a giver
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (11:24)

37. Barnabas is a giver/generous
• Generous with his wealth
• Sold his land (Acts 4:36-37)
• Generous with his standing in
ministry
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (11:24)

38. Barnabas is generous in ministry
Paul and Barnabas at
Antioch in Pisidia (Acts
13:4-12)
Paul and Barnabas at
Iconium (Acts 14:1-7)
Paul and Barnabas at
Lystra and Derbe (Acts
14:8-20)
Paul and Barnabas Barnabas and Saul at
separate (Acts 15:36-41) Antioch (Acts 11:19-26)
Barnabas and Saul
appointed (Acts 12:25-13:3)
Barnabas and Saul sent off
(Acts 13:1-3)
Barnabas and Saul on Cyrus
(Acts 13:4-12)

39. Reflections from the life of
Barnabas
1. He is open to the grace of God
2. He is an encourager of men
3. He is a mentor to leaders
4. He is fallible
5. He is a giver
6. He is highly respected
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (11:24)

40. Barnabas is highly respected
• Paul
1CO 9:3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment
on me. 4 Don't we have the right to food and drink? 5
Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with
us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and
Cephas? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work
for a living?
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (11:24)

41. Reconciliation between Paul and Mark
• 2 Tim 4:11
11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him
with you, because he is helpful to me in my
ministry
• Philemon 24
PHM 1:23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ
Jesus, sends you greetings. 24 And so do Mark,
Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (11:24)

42. Barnabas is highly respected
• Others
Calvin and Luther were convinced that 2 Corinthians
8:18–19 also referred to Barnabas: “With him (Titus) we
are also sending the brother who is famous among all
the churches for his preaching of the gospel.”
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (11:24)

43. Reflections on the life of Barnabas
Barnabas was a good
man, full of the Holy
Spirit and faith (11:24)

44. Are you a good person,
full of the Holy Spirit and
faith?

45. Reflections from the life of
Barnabas
1. He is open to the grace of God
2. He is an encourager of men
3. He is a mentor to leaders
4. He is fallible
5. He is a giver
6. He is highly respected
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (11:24)

46. Transcript and mp3 of this sermon is
available at
www.kairos2.com/barnabas.htm