Barnabas

By Jeff Lucas

Barnabas had a very distinctive feature—he was a great encourager, and so was dubbed “Son of Encouragement.” In this book, we will look at this warm, wonderful man and consider, not only the power of encouragement, but also how this virtue is rooted in the character of God, which might come as a surprise to some.

Wherever he went, and whoever he talked to, Barnabas left people feeling better as a result. How many of us can say the same about ourselves? In these studies on the life of Barnabas, you will find examples to follow, lessons to learn, and an approach to life that all of us would do well to adopt.

Bible Daily notes are written by Jeff Lucas to help you apply the lessons of God’s Word daily. Each day and with each devotion, Jeff uses his signature wit and wisdom to reveal insights and practical application you can use in your own life. Each Bible devotion takes only a few minutes to read, but the lessons learned can last a lifetime.
 
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: David C Cook
• Release date: Mar 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9780830780891

Jeff Lucas

Jeff Lucas holds a teaching post at Timberline Church, Fort Collins. He is author of 18 books, and a highly popular speaker. He writes a monthly column for Christianity magazine and regular Bible notes for CWR.

Book preview

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CONTENTS

Introduction

1. The Encouraging God

2. Encouragement and Strength

3. Remember God’s Encouragement

4. God Encourages through People

5. A Good Habit

6. Thoughtful Encouragement

7. Meeting Together

8. Mutual Encouragement

9. Encouragement Commanded

10. Rebuke and Encourage

11. Legacy

12. A Background of Service

13. No Big Conversion Story

14. An Anatomy of Encouragement

15. A Bridge Person

16. Generosity

17. Quiet Bravery

18. Risk and Courage

19. Taking the Initiative

20. Listening

21. Believing in Others and Speaking Up for Them

22. Trustworthy

23. Seeing Grace

24. No Petty Rules

25. Grace and Suffering

26. A Good Man

27. Full of the Holy Spirit

28. Outrageous Grace

29. Trusted with the Money

30. Finishing and Beginning

31. Available through Prayer and Fasting

32. Better Together

33. Not Nice

34. What Do We Leave Behind Us?

35. Refusing to Be Prejudiced

36. Not Giving Up

37. Grace and Poison

38. The Time Comes

39. Surviving Applause and Honor

40. Fickle People

41. Paying the Price for Encouragement

42. Our Story

43. Authentic Encouragement

44. Accountable

45. God with Them

46. Mission Undermined

47. Carriers of Grace

48. Paul and Barnabas

49. Not Superman

50. A Sad Falling-Out

51. A Special Bond

Note

Introduction

It’s a personal detail that I’ve never gone public with before, which is amazing: most of my foibles and gaffs have been shared for the entertainment and (hopefully) edification of the wider Christian public. The confession concerns a nickname I was tagged with when I was just sixteen.

Here goes. As an enthusiastic member of the local Army Cadets Corps (you can call me Sergeant Lucas—my squad did, and I wore three stripes on my arm), I was nicknamed after a part of a gun. The SLR rifle has a metallic component beneath the barrel called the gas plug. I have a somewhat indented nose, a deviated septum. And so I was tagged Groove in the Gas Plug because I am blessed with a beak that apparently looks like the end of a dangerous weapon.

There. I feel so much better for sharing that.

Over the next couple of months we’re going to look at a man who also had a nickname, one that I envy. Barnabas had a very distinctive feature—he was a great encourager and so was dubbed Son of Encouragement. We’ll be looking at this warm, wonderful man and considering, not only the power of encouragement, but also how this virtue is rooted in the character of God—which might come as a surprise to some. Thanks for joining me. I haven’t thought about that lengthy gas plug nickname for years. So call me Jeff. It’s shorter and a little more encouraging.

Day 1

The Encouraging God

Psalm 10:17

Romans 15:4–5

It’s a wonderful memory I have of my father. Rendered speechless by a massive stroke, he was unable to communicate with words but wanted to let me know he was proud of me. His old face broke into a broad smile, his eyes shone, and he patted me on the back—an elaborate, theatrical pat that left me in absolutely no doubt he was very pleased with me indeed.

Scripture reveals a God who is the greatest encourager of all. Those who suggest that Barnabas is the Bible’s most encouraging character are wrong—that description belongs to God alone. But many of us struggle to picture a God who is delighted by our efforts, who cheers us on as the ultimate source of all strength and encouragement. The notion of an encouraging God seems almost too good to be true. And some of us live tortured lives because our view of God is anything but encouraging. We see Him as a relentless taskmaster, never satisfied, always demanding more, no matter how hard we work or what sacrifices we make. We call Him Father but respond to Him as if He were a tyrant. Perhaps we have this twisted picture of God because of our own upbringing or experiences of harsh preaching. Some of us have been bruised by earthly fathers and now the idea of a loving, encouraging God seems impossible for us to grasp. Perhaps you’re feeling exhausted and driven, and you think that God is the reason for your weariness. If that’s the case, you might