# Joseph Called Barsabas

Key Passage: Acts 1:14
Date: June 7, 2024

H. O. G. Paffra, I believe, was his name. He was going to go to Europe to be with D.L. Moody on some of his tours, whatnot. The Chicago fire had just happened, and he was not able to go. He had a little bit more business to take care of, so he sent his wife and kids ahead.

And, of course, that ship, many of you know the story, sank. He got a telegram about it from his wife, saying, “Survived alone.” He got the next ship out and was sailing over to where his wife was. The captain came and guided him and said, “Sir, the best we can tell, this is the point where your daughters went down.”

He went out on that. It was, of course, just trying to draw from God’s strength, and God gave him that song, “It Is Well with My Soul.” Some of the great hymns are born out of tragedy when God just works in a special way. Great song. I appreciate them singing. They did a great job. Appreciate them all, and praise the Lord for it.

Turn your Bible to Acts chapter number one. Acts chapter number one in God’s word. And Acts chapter number one. It is somewhere after the book of Genesis, somewhere in there, I promise you. You have had those people out when you are witnessing to them and whatnot. Have you read the Bible? Oh, yes, I have. I have literally had people say that I have read the book of Hezekiah and all of it, you know. Of course, there is no book of Hezekiah.

So it is always interesting. Book of Acts, Book of Acts, chapter number one. We are going to look at the early church for just a moment here. We have been studying many in Sunday school. We just want to point out a thing or two about the early church. The title tonight is Joseph Called Barsabas. Joseph called Barsabas.

Brother Chip is going to stand up and testify a little bit about Joseph Called Barsabas because I am teasing with him. He is my friend. Brother Chip went and ate liver and onions with me the other day. What about that? I tell you what, he went outside the restaurant and threw it all up after it was over. He did not. But what a friend. I tell you what, I do not know if he just acted like he liked it or not, but he seemed like he enjoyed it.

Acts chapter 1. The Bible just gives us a brief description of this early church: 120 meeting in the upper room. What would they be like? This is the little group that the Spirit of God came upon. Out of that, about 3,000 were saved and baptized, and God just worked in a great, great way. We want to look at this early church just briefly. We will start at verse number 14, Acts 1 and verse number 14.

Would you please stand together? I respect the word of God if you are able to. Acts 1 and verse number 14. Acts 1, verse number 14. If you are there tonight, would you say, “Amen?” Good deal. Here we go, verse number 14: “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and with his brethren.”

That is interesting. These all continued with one accord—harmony, if you will, unity—with all with one accord in prayer and supplication. By the way, if you pray with someone, there is a good chance you might get in accord, one accord with them.

Now jump down, if you will, to verse number 23. The apostles were there. Of course, Judas had already betrayed Jesus, gone into eternity. Watch what they did here, Peter leading them on this, verse number 23: “And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.”

“And they prayed and said, Thou Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen, that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.”

“And they gave forth their lots.” Let me pause for just a moment. Lots would be—have you ever seen someone pick a straw? Have you seen that? Flip a coin before a ball game nowadays? When we go golfing, typically who is going to tee off first, you know, and they will throw the tee up, and whichever way it points, that is the guy that has to tee up. Nobody wants to tee off first. It was something along that line there, you know. Lots was something like that they used in their day and time, so just to understand that.

“And they gave forth their lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.”

Now, let’s keep reading. “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” Kind of the same description we read in verse number 14 of chapter one. Unity. The Holy Spirit—He loves unity, harmony. They were all with one accord in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled—excuse me—and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

“There appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Now, let me just pause and say a word or two here. Later on, we will not read it, but they all heard in their own language. It was not just here on the day of Pentecost, much of gibberish, nobody understood what they were saying. They understood it as the wonderful works of God. In fact, they say they heard in their own language—sixteen different languages there that day.

By the way, it was not just tongues that happened on that day. I remember years ago, I used to have a Bible study at work. My car was broken down, and a fellow needed a ride home. I knew this fellow was going to give me a ride home, a good man, but he was a Pentecostal type. I knew he would want to argue about speaking in tongues. Of course, we got the car; I needed a ride home, amen. So, I mean, we will debate a little bit, just give me a ride home, you know.

But I believe the Lord gave me a little bit of an answer for his debating, whatnot. I said, “Hey, so you want us to speak in tongues like they did on the day of Pentecost?” “Exactly. That is what they did on the day of Pentecost.” I said, “All right, well, we are going to do that.”

They also had a sound of a mighty rushing wind—have you done that? They also had cloven tongues of fire sat on their head—have you done that? No, they cannot mimic that, see. But there are three things that happened on the day of Pentecost. Of course, the big thing: 3,000 people saved and baptized. But it was not just speaking in tongues on that day; two other things happened that they have a hard time mimicking, you understand? So, just a little side note there.

Verse number five: “And they were all dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men out of every nation under heaven.” And now, when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together and were confounded because that every man heard them speak in his own language. We will read it tonight. I think we were—oh, let’s jump down to the last part of the chapter. I have it covered up. I just want you to see it. You will know it. Oh, let me see here.

Oh, verse number 41, if you would. Verse number 41: “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized. And the same day there were added unto them about 3,000 souls.” I do not know about you, but I would like to be in a service like that right there. I mean, 3,000 souls saved and baptized and added. I mean, that is a pretty good revival, I will say for sure. I would take it any day.

It is amazing what all God did there that day. We just want to talk about this man, Joseph, called Barsabas.

Would you pray with me that God would just grow us and fine-tune us for Him tonight? Would you do that? Lord, we come to you. It is all in vain, Lord, like the soul says, unless your Spirit comes. Lord, I believe He has noise here from your word, two or three. Lord, would you send your Spirit here in power? Lord, do it only you can. I cannot get the job done, Lord. So I pray, Father, that you would through your word, to your Spirit, grow us for you tonight. And Father, the folks online, grow them also. And Lord, we will thank you and praise you for what you do, Lord. And it is in Jesus’ name we ask, Father. Amen.

Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.

Now, let me just talk to you a little bit. It is kind of a way of introduction, and I am going to give a little bit of my thoughts—Pastor Paulology, I call it sometimes—about this.

Now, Judas had failed. Judas, of course, was not saved; he is in hell at this point. God never told them to do this, but they did it, Peter’s leadership. So, well, we have got to have somebody take the spot. Of course, that was going to happen in God’s time. So they said, “Well, let’s pick out”—they appointed two. I do not know if they voted or how they did, but they appointed two. They got this guy, Joseph called Barsabas, and Matthias. And then they cast lots. Flip the coin, if you will.

Personally myself, I do not think God wanted them to do that. The Bible never records where He told them to do that; they just did it on their own. Of course, somebody is going to win if you flip a coin. It is going to land on heads or tails typically, and you heard it: heads out, you win; tails, you lose, that type of thing, you know.

Here is the thing about it. There are some thoughts on it. Matthias, after this, of course, he is the one chosen. But the Bible never mentions him again. He is never mentioned again. Never. There is a little bit of history there, and there is even debate about if he ended up in Ethiopia and whatnot, and some debate that. There is not Bible, just in history. There is a little bit of debate about that and all that where he ended up at. But he is never mentioned again.

Of course, later on, Apostle Paul comes on the scene, see? Let me just mention a couple of things. Of course, God used Apostle Paul in a great way. We are studying that in Sunday school and started so many churches and blessed and used by God this morning. In my class, we discussed how God gave him special power, even just one of his handkerchiefs. I am talking about—that is why they sell them, you know, these faith healers nowadays; they try to use that, but they are nobody compared to Apostle Paul, amen, you know, they are just nobody’s. But anyway, just his handkerchief, and people could be healed and demons could be cast out. He is a great man. God used him greatly. Not perfect, but a great man.

And God used him to pen thirteen, probably fourteen, books of the New Testament, over half if he was the one that penned Hebrews. Let me just read for you some of the verses that God used him to pen while it was under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 15:7: “After that, he was seen of James; and then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.”

1 Corinthians 9:1: “Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?” Of course, he did on the road to Damascus. I think other times—we will not get into that—but he goes on. Verse number two of that, 1 Corinthians 9: “If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord?”

1 Timothy 2:7: “Wherein I am ordained a preacher and an apostle, I speak the truth in Christ and lie not; a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.”

2 Timothy 1:11: “Whereunto I am appointed a preacher and an apostle.” Most call him an apostle to the Gentiles.

Now, here is my thought. Here is my thought. I believe God—God said, “Hey, Apostle Paul, he is going to be that twelfth Apostle.” His apostle was born at the due time; an apostle had to see Jesus Christ. He saw Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, excuse me. And I believe at other times too. So he fit the bill, if you will, and he called himself several times under the influence of the Holy Spirit as he is writing Scripture, and he called himself an apostle many, many times, see, as he is penning the Word of God.

My thought is, God—God did not tell them to do that, and the Bible did not tell us anywhere that God told them to do it. They just did it. And God did not really whip them, if you will, for it. But Jesus—we do not hear anything about Matthias after this in Scripture. All right?

Now, I just wanted to kind of put some things in there on that. In this thing, the Bible, verse number 14, chapter 1: they are all in one accord. Then chapter 2, verse number 1: they are all in one accord, and that is when the Spirit of God came in power. Now, Jesus already breathed on them, said, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” They already had the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is the empowering of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses, see? And it is very important that was unity.

Look over, if you will, in Psalms 133. Keep your finger there. But very briefly, let us just talk for a moment, as a way of introduction, about unity and the Spirit of God. If you want to read a chapter on unity or harmony among the brethren, Psalms 133 is it. Just a great chapter, just three verses, I believe, about God’s people dwelling together in unity.

When you find the Spirit of God working in a great way, more often than not, you are going to find some unity going on, some harmony. It does not mean there are not problems, but a lot of harmony. Psalm 133, you have read this chapter; it is a great one. Verse number one right there. If you are there, what do you say? “Amen?” Good deal.

He says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s high priest beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments.”

They would anoint the high priest there, and that anointing all represented the Spirit of God. It would kind of run down. By the way, the Holy Spirit, you cannot control Him, like the wind, the Bible says. It would just flow down just all kind of different parts, but it would cover it. It would come down even to the skirts of his garments, and he was filled or anointed with the Spirit of God. That is just speaking of the Holy Spirit coming.

Verse number three: “As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord—Jehovah, the Lord—commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” You have dew, and you have things growing; you have green grass. I am ready for the rain and the dew to stop so the grass would stop growing. Somebody want to say amen right there?

I tell you for sure, you know, I mean, but there is dew, and you have life, you have fruit, and you have the Spirit of God working, and you have life and you have fruit in the spiritual realm, see? The Holy Spirit is the one that brings life—Spirit of life, Spirit of Christ, see?

But what is the thing? It is about unity, and the Holy Spirit moves. Look over in Ephesians 4 very briefly here, just real quickly, just talking about the association of the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, and unity. The Holy Spirit works when there is unity, harmony. Often when I think of this, I often think of an invitation years ago, and it just seemed like the Spirit of God was working. What a blessing that is; we pray and work for that. It is just awesome to see. We have not had one like this in a while where just somebody comes down, you know, God is working, a little while later someone else comes down, and it just kind of prolongs for a while of the invitation. It was wonderful to see God work. Man does not do that; God does that.

I see that lady—and it could be a man—but a person back over here years ago, years ago, and boy, they started complaining. You can see them back there grumbling, complaining about the time, about the service going along. And it just seemed like the Spirit said, “All right.” It just seemed like the invitation—just things stopped happening. I thought, what a sad thing. The Spirit of God likes harmony; likes unity.

Look over in Ephesians 4 and verse number 30, if you would please. Ephesians 4 and verse number 30, speaking of the Holy Spirit and unity. Watch what he says here. Ephesians 4, verse number 30: “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” So, praise the Lord, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, but He can be grieved. Of course, we know that He can be quenched; He can be grieved here. Now that is the context.

Let us look at the next verses: “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.” What is the context here about the Spirit of God being grieved, and it continues on? Just disgruntled, mad, angry, malice, bitterness.

Verse number 32: “And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” It had been quenching or grieving here. Grieve not the Spirit of God. And it was talking about this bitterness and fighting with one another and the words that you use toward each other and the malice and unforgiving, and all these things. And that is all the context: grieve not the Spirit of God. We are just talking about how the Bible associates unity and the Spirit of God working.

They were all in one accord. Then they chose these two men, Joseph called Barsabas. When they flipped it, you know, the other guy said heads, and so he was tails, and it landed on heads; he lost. Now think about this: it would be pretty easy to get your feelings hurt there. Pretty easy to get bothered.

I mean, he lost out. He could have been named or numbered, at least according to that moment right there, with the twelve apostles, but he lost. The Bible never mentions Joseph Barsabas—called Barsabas—being disgruntled. In fact, in the next chapter, they were all with one accord in one place, and the Spirit of God descended.

Now, just think about this saying for a moment here: what if Joseph had been out of shape over this thing? Think about if Joseph said, “Well, I didn’t get named with the apostles. Dirty Bickerbacker’s ladder, that is not fair,” you know. But he did not. And they were still, even though he lost, if you will, they were still with one accord in one place. There was still unity; there was still harmony. God can still bless and work in a great way.

By the way, sometimes God removes when someone is maybe so in discord. God takes care of those things in His time. We did not have to hear, and the Spirit of God descended. What a wonderful thing! 3,000 people got saved and revived in the church of Jerusalem just takes often. At that early church, I wonder if the narrative would have been different if Joseph had said, “Well, I do not get to lead in any service. Nobody knows my name.” We did not do that.

There are a couple of things about that. Big people, big people, strong people, do not have to have their way all the time. You can say amen right there. Good Christians, strong Christians, godly Christians, they do not have to have their way all the time. They just do not. Joseph called Barsabas, he was not numbered with it.

This is an interesting statement. I remember when I was in Bible college, someone preached a message along this line, and I still remember it. Here is basically the truth of it: usually, the stronger gives in. I am talking about where there is not right or wrong. Do not compromise. Do not give in on right or wrong. But usually, you remember Abraham and Lot? Remember that?

Abraham, a man of God, called a friend of God and Father Abraham. How many ever sang that song in Vacation Bible School? Wow. How many ever wished you did not sing that song? Would do—bus rights wherever it is, you know. But Abraham, Abraham said, “Hey, Lord, our herdsmen are fighting with one another; there is just not enough room. Tell you what, you pick. You get your way. If you go to the east, I go to the west. If you go to the west, I go to the east.” Abraham, that strong man—I mean, he was uncle, he was nephew; he ought to be able to have his way—but he said, “No, no, you have your way, and I will go the other way.”

It is interesting in marriage: a good marriage, that people realize that the “we” in marriage comes before the “I.” Wedding, excuse me, not marriage. I get my spelling right. Wedding. It is amazing. Sometimes when we do not get our way, we go around and we… That records Joseph a good name.

Strong Christians can handle not always getting their way. In the New Testament, Romans 12:10 says, “In honour preferring one another.” I am not talking about right or wrong in a situation. I am not talking about compromising. I am not talking about if God is giving you a job to do, you are not fulfilling your role that God has given. I am not talking about all that. I am just talking about where there is not a right or wrong: in honoring, preferring one another. Abraham gave in.

Can I say this, young people: do not be a young person where you always have to have your way. Sometimes you have moms and dads that are able to give you a lot, and they love you, and if you are not careful, you will always get your way. That is a bad thing, friend. By the way, parents, sometimes you ought not get their way. The rest are going to grow up thinking they will get their way in life all the time, and life is not like that.

Every church must have big people in it. Have you ever thought about it? Preacher, pastor preaches the message. It is not my choosing; it is God’s choosing, I promise you that for Him. But God chose me to be pastor here. So I preach and all that, and people look at me and all that. Sometimes I do not necessarily like the role, but it is where God wants me to be, so I am going to be there.

But at the same time that is going on, there are people in the nursery. Nobody ever knows about them. I do not even know who is back there tonight. Somebody is back there because I heard them a little bit. Somebody is in the nursery. Ms. Busho was here yesterday cleaning to make sure everything looked nice. People put money in the orphan fund, and they pay the electric bills. We have air conditioning; that is a good thing. And the musicians have been playing and singing. Ushers have been involved. Just think about everyone that goes into one service, all the people that make it happen.

And friend, I am saying those are big people—people in junior church, people in primary church—while this goes on. And they are not in the limelight. And they might not be getting, oh, the glory of everything. God ought to be getting the glory, you know. But there have to be some big people, if you will, some strong people that are in the shadows doing their jobs. Maybe that is why God says the first shall be last and the last shall be first.

I wonder on Judgment Day if Joseph might be called to the front of the line. Joseph called Barsabas. Who is that? Who in the world? People do not know about him. God does. And there must be every family—there must be that. Every good family, there must be that. Every Sunday school class, every ministry, every workplace, there must be some strong Christians that do not have to have their way all the time. They do not want to be in the limelight; they do not want all that.

Can you imagine if Joseph had gotten his feelings hurt? We might not have had Pentecost. There might be a different narrative in the book of Acts. There always has to be those strong Christians. I wonder how many churches have been destroyed because somebody does not get their little line. Joseph did not get it, but Joseph did not complain. He was not biting and bidding, if you will, for everybody’s attention in his little spot in the world, for everybody to hear him. They were still in unity and harmony.

I am not always a good example of it, but I remember our very first business meeting years ago. We had support coming in, praise the Lord for that, but we had not gotten any money from the church. We were, of course, helping pay rent and all these things, but for the church also. I was just dreaming about, man, our first business meeting—I think we are going to get maybe $200, $250 a month. I was, “Whoo, praise the Lord, the church is going to start giving us some money,” you know, $200 a month.

In the first business meeting, one of the men who was coming at the beginning, a good man, he is on the mission field now, praise the Lord for it, but in the business meeting, he raised his hand. We had just limited funds, of course. He raised his hand, you know, and I said, you know, and he said, “I recommend that we put a missionary in that church budget.” Mine—I thought, “Well, you are dirty Bickerbacker’s ladder. I am the missionary here, man. We have to support the pastor first,” you know, and all that.

I just felt like the Lord to give in. I did not make a fuss over it; never said anything. And we lowered what I got, and we took a missionary on the very first business meeting. Now that has been twenty-one years ago, and I am glad I did that. I am thankful the very first church budget had a missionary on there. But I am saying there must be that—us giving in our will. Us saying, “Hey, if we do not get what we want, we are not going to rock, turn the whole ship over,” you know. Some things are bigger than what we want, bigger than us getting the recognition maybe we think we deserve.

I am not talking about compromising. I wonder, though, how many rewards Joseph of Barsabas—I wonder if maybe every one of those 3,000—God said, “Well, a portion of that goes to Joseph.” Because if he had gotten all out of shape, “Nobody knows about me,” maybe those 3,000 got saved, the Holy Spirit would not have been able to work it in a great way. Families need that. Workplaces need that. Churches need that.

You see, it is a sad thing, but some will not participate unless they get their way. They are just not going to participate. I think if a family dealt with it, and one of the family members—I will not say one of the parents, I will be honest with you—if they did not get their way, they would go to their bedroom. And so the family would always give in to that individual. Boy, it created a bad system in that home.

Look over, if you will. Look over, if you will, in Luke chapter number two. Luke chapter number two, very interesting here. Luke chapter number two, if you would, please, here. And praise the Lord, our church is good about this. We have got a ton of wonderful people that are strong Christians that give in. But it felt like the Lord just wanted us to cover this. Preventive maintenance is always best maintenance, amen. And I am thankful for the church God has given us that is good in some of these areas.

This is Jesus Christ. He is twelve. He went to the temple with his parents—excuse me, his mom and his stepfather. I want you to see what happens. Remember Jesus, He got left; they forgot about Him. Three days later, they made their way back. They had been looking for Him for a while, and He was left there. They found Him. I want you to see this. Luke chapter number 2. Look at verse number 48, please. Verse number 48, Luke 2 and verse number 48:

“And when they [Mary and Joseph] saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.”

Now, let me just say a word or two here about this. Remember, Joseph was not Jesus’ father. See, Mary was a virgin, and the Holy Spirit—He was deity; He was God in flesh. This is another one of the Pastor Paulologies. When a boy reaches that age—twelve, thirteen in Jewish things, some twelve, thirteen—in a Jewish family, that boy reaches that age, and he enters into almost like apprenticeship under his dad. He would learn a trade. Maybe watchmaker—you do not want to repair watches—but he would learn that, just to be an apprenticeship. That way, when he grows up, wherever he chooses to do for life, he always has a trade; he can fall back on. Pretty good practice.

The Jewish families would do that. I believe Jesus, when He went to the temple, grew and increased in wisdom and favor with God and man. I believe that is when He fully—oh, grasped it. I know He always had—not trying to take away from the deity of Christ—but He did grow in wisdom, the Bible does say that. I believe that is when He fully grasped who He is and what He was supposed to do. And if you will, do not judge me on this, but He went under the apprenticeship of God the Father, if you will. And He was there for three days learning and asking questions. They are all amazed at Him, see?

His mom and his stepfather come back, and she said, “Do you not know me and your father have been seeking for you? Why have you done this to us?” That is what you say it. Okay.

Verse number 48: “And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold thy father and I sought thee sorrowing.” Imagine Jesus said, “No way to do it, Mom. That is not my dad; you know that.”

Watch what Jesus says. And then He said to them, “How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” Jesus said something else is going on here, if you will. “I have to do my Father’s business.” A little difference of opinion here. “Why are you doing me and my dad—your dad—this way?” Well, that is just… I got… Maybe it must be about my Father’s business.

But watch this. Watch what Jesus did here. Verse number 50: “And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.” They did not get it. They understood not the saying. And so Jesus said, “Well, I am going to do what I am going to do.” I am being facetious there.

Verse number 51: “And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” If you will, Jesus did not get His way. And for eighteen years, for eighteen years, He was a carpenter. Of course, that is what His stepfather was, and I am sure He learned much from him about carpentering.

But I am saying, if you know, Jesus did not get His way. The Bible never records Jesus going and pouting, “Well, I ought to be doing the business of the Father, and yet I am stuck here with my mom and my step…” The Bible does not record that, see. Strong Christians, they do not always have to get their way. Strong Christians, they do not always have to have everything just like they think it ought to be. I do not think Jesus did. He went home, and He was subject to them.

People will leave a church: “Well, they won’t give me a position.” Can I say, friend, if they are doing that, they are not serving the Lord; they are serving that position. And friend, if they are serving that position, they do not need a position. Whatever happened to, “Hey, Lord, what would You have me do? Lord, You are in control. If You want me there, You can put me there.” There always, always has to be strong Christians. I say, “You know, I do not always get my way.” Men say, “Well, I am the Bible; she is supposed to submit.” Christ is the head of the church, and Christ does not get His way in the church often, yet He still loves it.

Whatever happened to loving leadership? Love wants what is best for them. Whatever happened to Christ? He was the—He is the head of the church—and yet He stooped down and He washed the apostles’ feet. Never happened to that. Even in the home, there must be times you do not get your way, and you are all right with that. It does not break the harmony of the home where the Spirit of God cannot be. What a wonderful thing when the Spirit of God is in your home, bringing peace and joy to those wonderful things. And yet He likes it when there is unity; it is harmony.

Here is a good thing about it all. Here is a good thing about it all: “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Joseph called Barsabas is not really known in the Christian community at all. I have never heard anybody else preach a message on him, but heaven knows about him. Heaven knows. In all your situations, heaven knows about it all. The little details, you say people never know about it—God knows about it. He knows all the ins and outs that nobody will ever, ever know. You will never be able to explain it all. People will not get it even if you try to explain it. But heaven knows; God knows it all.

Now, I imagine when you stand before the Lord at judgment seat of Christ, and maybe we are standing there, and the Lord says, “Where is Joseph?” Of course, the Lord knows where he is. “Joseph! No, not Joseph over there in Genesis. No, no, Joseph called Barsabas. I want you to get up here.”

Now, I am not saying it is going to happen exactly like that. Maybe the Lord says, “Hey, well done, now good and faithful servant.” We would not have had a day of Pentecost, the Spirit coming in power, if it had been selfish—“Got to have my way, got to have my limelight, my part in it all.” God knows all about it. I do not know, but Joseph made himself a whole lot of rewards for the day of Pentecost and the strength and the courage that we have gotten over the years from the day of Pentecost. They were in one accord, chapter 1:14. Then you did not think whatever, but the Bible never says He told them to do it, but then they—well, we have to appoint another man. By the way, aren’t we good about getting ahead of God? I have been there many a time.

Now, I am not sure Peter was pretty impulsive. Peter went to lead, “Man, we have to elect another guy to be the apostle.” I do not know, but just—of course, he is never mentioned after that, Matthias. Paul is often an apostle born at any time. And yet even when they did vote—I do not even know that they should have voted—but when they did vote, if you will, and cast lots, Joseph did not win. I mean, he lost out of the deal, if you will. Maybe God did not even want to go through all that. Yet chapter two, and they are still in one accord, and the Spirit of God came. 3,000 people saved, baptized.

Would you bow your heads, please? Our heads are bowed. If you are there tonight and you say, “You know, preacher, God spoke to my heart. I do not know.” It may be about your family. It may be a unique way God spoke to your heart. But, preacher, God spoke from the heart some of the message, and I needed it. God just spoke to my heart in a unique way, and I know He did. Now I want to respond, and I will be obedient to the Lord. God spoke to my heart in a certain way. If that is you tonight, with heads bowed and eyes closed, “Preacher, God spoke to my heart”—that is you, just lift your head.

Preacher, God spoke to my heart. God bless you. God bless you. Oh, God bless you. That is wonderful. Let the Lord work in your heart. Thank you so very much. What a wonderful thing. Would you please stand tonight? We are going to have a word of prayer. Let us just be obedient. Let us draw nigh unto Him. So, Lord, use me. How do you want to use me? Would you use me? Would you let them know that? Let us pray. Would you just be obedient? Would you follow the Lord’s lead?

Father, thank you so much for the great example of Joseph. Lord, would you use that in my heart, my life? I need it, Lord. Grow us all. Speak to us. Lord, help us to draw nigh to you tonight. Father, we do pray that in our homes, our families, our workplaces, our church, that You would come in power and move in great ways. Father, we will thank you for what you do. We love you, Lord. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

I do not know about you, but when I get to heaven, I would like to shake Joseph’s hand. Thank you. I imagine the old devil was there tempting him. I mean, telling him everything in his mind is hard. He can do that; Satan can do that. Acts 5:3. Praise the Lord. Old Joseph said, “No, I am not going to go there. I am going to honor the Lord. I want to see Him work. I want the Spirit to come in power.” Praise the Lord for the Josephs over the years. Would you just spend some time with the Lord and sing another verse? “To Jesus, I surrender. Make me Savior, wholly Thine. May Thy Holy Spirit fit me. I know Thy power.” I surrender. I surrender. Hold to Thee, my blessed Savior. I surrender.

And amen. Glad you are here tonight.

Original File: Joseph Called Barsabas - Pastor Paul Chisgar - Sunday PM 8222021