(The audio recording of this sermon will be uploaded here after the Sunday service.)
Good morning!
Let me begin by asking a question. Brothers and sisters! Do you think you are good at introducing people to others? Or do you usually not introduce people and not get introduced to others?
Some people do not easily introduce someone to others. They also do not easily get introduced. They think, “If the person I introduce makes a problem, it becomes my fault.” If something bad happens, the relationship can become broken. So they choose not to introduce people from the beginning. To them, introducing someone is more than simply connecting two people. It’s like saying, “You can trust this person.”
On the other hand, some people enjoy introducing others. They believe that having many connections is a valuable asset. For them, introducing someone is a way of showing care and kindness. They say, “If I know someone, I’ll connect you!”
I was also able to come to Japan as a missionary because several people introduced me to the Japan Covenant Church. I studied at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, and its building was located on the campus of North Park University. While I was there, I met two college students from Japan. Actually, they were Americans, but their parents were missionaries serving in Japan. Through them, I met David, an American missionary who had served in Japan for many years. He introduced me to the Japan Covenant Church, and through that connection, I was able to come to Japan as a missionary.
Now, I want to tell you about a man in the New Testament who was very good at introducing people to others. If he had not introduced Paul to the apostles, Paul—who became one of the greatest figures in history—might never have been known to the world. Who is he? Yes, it is Barnabas.
The name Barnabas first appears in Acts 4:36–37. I will read the passage:
“Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.”
Barnabas’s real name was Joseph. But, the apostles called him Barnabas, which means “Son of Encouragement.” In other words, he was a person who encouraged others. In the church community, Barnabas always encouraged and comforted people.
From this, we can clearly see what kind of character he had. In addition that, Barnabas made a financial sacrifice. He sold his land and gave the money to the church. This shows that in the early church, he shared not only his faith but also his possessions with others.
Farthermore, Barnabas was not just someone who encouraged people and gave financial support. The Bible calls him an apostle and shows that he was a spiritual leader who saw potential in people and helped them grow into devoted workers.
In fact, Barnabas had good judgment about people. He had an eye for people. If a leader lacks discernment about people, it can lead to serious problems. After all, choosing the right people is extremely important.
In today’s words, Barnabas was like the head of the HR department. In English, we call this a CHRO (Chief Human Resources Officer). The HR department is very powerful. Sometimes, they can even say “no” to a person that the CEO wants to hire.
So, what does the HR department do? HR hires people, trains them, manages them, rewards them, and helps keep the organization healthy. Simply put, it is the department that takes care of people inside the company.
Now, let’s take a look at a Bible passage that shows Barnabas’ talent as a kind of HR leader. It is in Acts 9:26–27. Let me read these verses for you.
“When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 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.”
Saul and Paul are the same person. “Saul” was his Hebrew name because he was a Jew. “Paul” was his Roman name because he was also a Roman citizen. He did not change his name after believing in Jesus. He already had two names and used them in different places.
All the disciples were afraid of Paul. Why were they afraid? Because Paul had persecuted Christians. He went to Damascus to arrest believers and put them in prison. He even wanted to kill them (Acts 9:1–2). But something amazing happened. On the way to Damascus, Paul met Jesus in a miraculous way. He repented and changed. Right there in Damascus, he began to preach about Jesus boldly.
But, for those who believed in Jesus, Paul was still remembered as a persecutor. The disciples could not easily believe that he had truly changed. They may have thought, “We heard that he preached about the Lord in Damascus, but what if it is not true?” They felt doubt and fear because of his past. His past made it hard for them to trust him.
The man who once persecuted the followers of Jesus was now preaching about Jesus. It was hard to believe. Everyone suspected him and wondered, “What if he is pretending to be one of us?”
But Barnabas was different. He did not look at Paul’s past. Instead, he looked at his changed life. He was not afraid of Paul. He saw God working through him. We can clearly see Barnabas’s spiritual insight here.
So Barnabas took Paul to the apostles and spoke for him. He helped them trust Paul. Without Barnabas, Paul might not have been accepted by the Jerusalem church so quickly, and he might not have entered wider ministry so smoothly.
Right after his conversion, the apostle Paul spent about three years in the Arabian desert. During that time, he had deep fellowship with God and organized the message of the gospel. After that, he escaped from Jewish persecution and preached the gospel in his hometown of Tarsus and in Damascus. He also trained disciples there. Scholars say this period lasted about four to five years.
So even though Paul knew the Old Testament very well, he did not begin his ministry right after he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. Instead, he spent about seven or eight years preparing himself before he finally began his full ministry to the Gentiles.
While God was preparing the apostle Paul to become a great missionary to the Gentiles, something amazing was happening in the church of Antioch. The church in Antioch was a multi-ethnic church. Many of the believers were Gentiles.
News reached the church in Jerusalem. They heard that something unusual was happening in Antioch. The believers who had been scattered because of persecution went there and preached the gospel. Not only Jews but also Greeks began to believe in Jesus. The number of believers was growing day by day.
The church in Jerusalem did not ignore this news. They wondered, “Is God really working there?” So they decided to send someone to find out what was happening. The person they chose was Barnabas.
When Barnabas arrived in Antioch, he saw the believers with his own eyes—their changed lives, their joy, and their strong faith. Barnabas immediately understood that this was not the work of people, but the grace of God. In Acts 11:23, it says, “When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad…”
Barnabas did not doubt. He did not say, “This is not a Jewish church. It is a Gentile church. They do not even have a proper meeting place. They do not have enough leaders.” Instead, he saw God working even in their weaknesses. He rejoiced because he recognized the great potential in them.
Truly, a man of faith sees situations differently. Barnabas was such a man.
Then Barnabas encouraged the believers, saying, “Remain faithful to the Lord with all your heart. Do not turn away from Him.” That was the kind of person Barnabas was. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith. Because of him, many people came closer to the Lord. The church in Antioch continued to grow and became stronger.
As the church kept growing, it became too much for one person to handle alone. Barnabas began to look for a co-worker who would be a perfect fit for the church in Antioch. Then one person came to his mind—the apostle Paul.
Barnabas thought to himself, “Oh, that’s right. There is Paul. Yes, he is the right person. He is exactly the kind of worker this church needs. Paul is the perfect person for the church in Antioch. Yes, for a Gentile and multi-ethnic church, we need Paul. God must have prepared Paul for a time like this.”
Barnabas immediately went to Tarsus to look for Paul. After explaining everything that had happened, he brought Paul back with him to the church in Antioch. Paul joined the church there and taught the believers together with Barnabas for one year. During that year, the church in Antioch grew greatly. It was there that the name “Christian” was first used.
Later, the church in Antioch became the center of world missions. When we think about it, Barnabas’s introduction of one person changed the history of world missions. Barnabas did not look at a person’s weaknesses. He saw what God could do. He did not give up on someone because of past failures. Instead, he believed in that person’s future. He did not judge Paul. He believed that God would work through him.
I believe IBF church also needs people like Barnabas. We need someone who builds others up, who finds hidden gifts, and who helps those who have failed stand up again.
Let us pray.
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