Be a Barnabas
Category: Evangelism & Soul Winning
Key Passage: Acts 4:32
Speaker: Paul Chisgar
Date: April 24, 2025
Turn your Bibles to Acts chapter number four. Acts chapter four. We have been out of the book of Acts for a bit, and we’re going to get back to it tonight. Last week we talked about what day Jesus died on the cross. And that’s an interesting study. The big thing is, praise the Lord, he died and rose again, amen. And then before that, we were out of town. Brother Steve Goldford did a good job preaching for us.
Tonight we’re going to get back to the Book of Acts, just kind of a way of review, getting our minds back on subject. Who was the one that God used to pen the Book of Acts? Somebody help me out? Come on now. Who was the one that wrote it? Come on now, y’all said it out loud. Luke, yeah, good. What occupation? What was he? Dr. Luke, good, good, good.
He’s the one that God used to pen the book of Luke, one of the Gospels. It’s kind of like the thought, “The former things I have written to thee, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began to do and teach.” And he said, now, all right, we’re moving on. And now it’s the apostles, the Holy Spirit through the apostles in the book of Acts, really about Jesus, but working through the apostles by the Holy Ghost.
In chapter number one, there’s a very familiar, very probably most known verse in chapter one, verse number eight: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” Notice how we looked at that: indwelling among you, indwelling in you, and has come upon you the power of the Holy Spirit. And three things happened. Help me out. What three things happened?
On the day of Pentecost, that next chapter, chapter two. Three things happened. Speaking in tongues, good. Sir, I got the easy one out of the way. You’re smart. That’s good, good, good. Two other things happened. Mighty rushing wind. Boy, I got a smart fan, but they’re getting a gay. They got it. One other thing? Yeah, cloven tongues of fire. That’s why all the apostles were bald-headed after that. It was a fire burned it off. And that’s it.
By the way, somebody said, well, just like the Day of Pentecost, speaking in tongues. Okay, you got to do them all three, you know. And that’s what happened on the Day of Pentecost. It was just a mighty hand, a miracle of God. And people came rushing in to see that. How many people got saved and baptized on the day of Pentecost? 3,000. 3,000, good. Just a great, great revival, all over 16 different languages there that day.
And then chapter number three. These two preachers go to the temple, this lame man, been lame since his mom’s—since his mom, since his birth. And how old? How old was he? Anybody remember how old he is? It’s just trivia, Bible trivia. 40, good, good, good. And who were the two preachers going in there? Peter and John? Peter gave a classic preacher answer: “I have no… money.” That’s a preacher for sure. “But such as I have give I unto thee in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, rise up and walk.” Good.
And boy, people came, you know, this guy leaping and praising God there in the temple. People came running in there. And how many? We don’t know if it’s all total, but at least by that time we know how many men—how many men saved? Yeah, not the right hand anymore, the left hand now. Five thousand. That’s exactly 5,000 men.
And so people getting saved, great. And then, then after that, what happens? Oh, man, you’re doing something, God’s blessing. The devil always gets his smutty old nose in there, you know. Going to get it chopped off one day. But sure enough, persecution comes in. And Peter and John, they were real timid and said, well, just quiet down, didn’t they? Is that what Peter and John did? They said, “Oh, we won’t talk about Jesus anymore. If that offends you, we don’t want to offend anybody, right?” Is that what they said? No.
Well, they’re bold. And they said, “Well, these people, they’ve been with Jesus. These are unlearned and ignorant men.” They’re bold. They’ve been with Jesus. And they threatened them. And eventually they went over and had a prayer meeting. And in that prayer meeting at the end of the place was shaken, I mean, like an earthquake. And they were filled with the Holy Ghost again and just ready to get back out there for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now that’s where we’re at, Acts chapter 4. We’re going to pick it up in verse number 32 and read a couple of verses. We’re going to really just focus on one man in just a bit here. We’re in Acts 4 and verse number 32. Would you please stand tonight as we’re reading God’s Word together? Acts 4 and verse number 32 of God’s Word.
“And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul.” That’s amazing. It’s the early church. Wow, that would have been an awesome time to be in the church. Man, just maybe one of the most purest, just a wonderful time. That one heart and one soul, that’s amazing. “Neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common.”
Now, let me just say a word, a little side note. We’re not going to get into this real deep tonight. But some will, they have used that to promote communism. But you notice they were not forcing anyone to do this. They were doing it of their own accord. Communism forces them to do that. You’ll never find that now, never find it. No, they were willingly offering up these things.
Verse number 33: “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.” By the way, in the early church, Resurrection Sunday was the big deal. In fact, it was much bigger than Christmas. It was the biggest holiday. It was the big deal in the early church, the resurrection, and Easter, if you will. That was a big thing. They gave great witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
I like this: “And great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.” Notice that: not one, but need.
“And Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, which is interpreted the son of consolation, a Levite and of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, brought the money, and laid it out at the apostles’ feet.”
For just a bit tonight, we’re going to talk about Joseph here just a bit tonight. Would you pray that God would maybe just challenge us, bring life to us through this man here, Joseph? Would you pray that?
Father, Lord, I pray that you would let us get a glimpse into the type of Christian you’d want us to be more tonight. Father, use this man to let us see clear your will for our life. Lord, help us maybe to live better with each other because of it and how we’re all different. And Father, we’ll thank you for what you do. We ask for this, Father, in the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Now, who was this man that had a couple acres? We don’t know. Maybe we’ll say five acres. He had five acres down over in Eagleville. And it’s interesting. Who was? He just sold it and brought all that money, five acres in Eagerville nowadays. Oh, my goodness, that’s going to be half a million dollars plus, whatever, you know, and more than that. And he brought all that, and he just laid it down. And that’s a step of faith and really of trust, too. And he believed in that early church. And, boy, he proved it by giving.
Who was this man? Well, it was actually from an island, Cyprus, kind of the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, this island was. He was a Jew. So imagine he was there, not in Israel, their homeland, but there in Cyprus, but he was a Jew. He was a Levite. And maybe—we don’t know—maybe he actually came for Pentecost, that religious holiday, and got saved. That was maybe two, three months earlier. We don’t know.
But people from all over the world, and it seems somebody got saved and said, “Hey, man, this has changed my life. I’m just going to stay here and be a part of it all.” We’re not sure. Maybe the land was back in Cyprus. We don’t know. But he sold this land, and he gave all the money to the apostles, to the early church.
Now, this is interesting. Look in that—oh, let’s see. Let me get back there to it. Verse number 36 in Joseph. Some would pronounce it Hoses. I tend to think the J, Jerusalem, and others, is a real letter in the Bible. There’s a whole long thing with all that, but we won’t get in there. I’ll call it Joseph. “Who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas.” So the apostles kind of gave him a nickname, if you will.
Now, what does this Barnabas mean? Which is being interpreted, “a son of consolation.” A consolation there. If you look up Webster’s 1828, comfort. Actually, the word has to do with paraclete, the Greek word, and it does very much have to do with comfort, maybe even encouragement. And they said, “That guy, that guy there, he is such a man of comfort. He comforts people. He encourages people.” Not about himself, but he’s comforting, he’s encouraging. You want to be around the guy like that, especially if you’re down. You want to be around [him]. And they said, “Let’s don’t call him Joseph. Let’s give him a new name. His name is Barnabas.” That’s the guy.
Just to note before we dive more into Barnabas’ life, just a note about him. He must have been somewhat a man of means. I mean, he had land. I would take it. We don’t know. He kind of read into it a little bit. Probably had his own house and land, but he had land. And so he’s a man of some means, some financial standing.
Can I say this? Sometimes, if we’re not careful, we can be guilty of writing someone off if they’re wealthy. And that can be some wonderful people. That can be some very godly people. They can be very surrendered people. You know, and I try to emphasize this, but the Bible never says money is a root of all evil; the love of money is.
I was thinking about it today when we went to start the church years and years ago. And it was a tough time. I just had two—I think I thought one, my wife reminded me two—and while she said, “That’s exactly right.” Two different men, about the same day, I think it’s the same day, both preachers, prominent, pretty good-sized churches. That same day, one said, “Don’t start that church. You come to my church and be here for a while, then you go out of my church and start the church.” And I said, “Well, you know, he’s older and all that other stuff.”
And then another pastor I was calling for advice, and he said, “Man, you don’t have near the finances you need. You don’t have enough support.” And stop everything. Go on temptation, all that. And man, my head was spinning. We just left, moved from Indiana down here to start the church. What are we going to do, you know?
And we went to a church up in Springfield, Tennessee, South Haven Baptist Church. And Pastor Gagliano knew we moved here to start the church, and he just said a little line during maybe announcements. He said, “Well, good to see Paul Chisgar, he’s here to start a church.” That’s all he said. And a very wealthy man during song service came to me.
And he just this quick—I never, ever met the guy before—he gave me a third. He said, “Put your name and address down there.” He said, “I’ll support you $100 a month.” I think he said for a year at first; he did a lot longer than that. But I tell you what, with all of things going on that day, and then come there, and a wealthy man says, “Hey, man, I didn’t know the guy from the man on the moon.” He said, “Put your name down there.” Man, I’ll be honest with that, the tears started coming. I mean, I just like, “Wow,” you know.
And I had to know that man. He’s a good man. And he worked very hard on businesses and whatnot, but he worked very hard, but if you got to know him, his heartbeat really was to support missionaries. Now, he lived well, he did. He had a Mercedes-Benz. I remember him telling me if he went over 100, it would hunker down on the road. Some of you know about that. Garrett could probably tell you the exact model of that, you know. What is it, Garrett? Tell me, what is it? Do you know which car it is? The Mercedes-Benz, it goes 100 and it’ll lower down. See, I told you he’d know. That’s the car. He’s all that. He lived good. But if you got to know him, he really—I mean, he would ask me, he said, “Paul, you pray over my missionaries.” He’d give me a list. He was supporting 300 missionaries personally. I mean, all of them. Just, just, and that’s—he kind of, he really worked hard because he just wanted to give to God’s work.
And be careful. Sometimes we can write off people with means. Hey, sometimes they’re very devoted Christians. Be so careful of that. This guy had some money. I mean, he had enough to have this land. But, boy, he was a good, godly man.
By the way, in the Old Testament, you know, some of our fathers, our founders, if you will, Abraham—that we sing that crazy song about Father Abraham, you know, and you have to kill yourself all that, you know—Abraham was pretty wealthy. Yeah. Isaac and even Jacob, Joseph, into being—I mean, a lot of the godly, the patriarchs of the faith were wealthy. Paul probably grew up fairly wealthy. He grew up at the feet of Gamaliel. That’s like Harvard of the day and time. So I’m not—you’re saying, be a little careful with that.
Look over in Acts chapter number 20. Just a little thought. We’re going to move on, but just trying to pull a couple truths out about this man. I’m going to start calling him Barnabas because that’s what they nicknamed—that’s what he’s shown at later on in the book of Acts. But look over here in Acts chapter number 20. And Paul here is talking to the elders of the church at Ephesus. He’s about to say goodbye to them and is reminding them of some of the things that Jesus had said. And look what he says. Acts 20, look in verse number 35. Acts 20 and verse number 35. Pretty good way to live your life right here. Acts 20, verse number 35.
“He said, I’ve showed you all things, how that so laboring”—notice that, working, laboring—“you ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” And he’s saying, why should I want some wealth? Well, one thing: so you can help the weak and so you can give out, whatever, however God wants you to give to him. And this fellow was giving. Oh, my goodness. He had land and he just sold it and brought it all and laid it at the apostles’ feet. And what a great, great man.
Now, this guy, Barnabas, they changed his name, said, “Hey, is Barnabas, the son of consolation, a Comforter.” He was an encourager. His name fits. And Barnabas is mentioned often. He’s a prominent figure in the early church. Barnabas was really becoming known. Look over in Acts chapter number nine. Acts chapter nine.
And we’re jumping over here. We’re going to talk for just a minute here about this fellow named Saul. And Saul, you know about him. He’s the guy that’s persecuting the church, making havoc of the church daily. And he’s putting people in jail. They’re killing Stephen. He’s encouraging them to kill him, you know, and laying down their coats at his feet and all that. Well, you know the story. He was on the road going to where? Where was he going down the road to? Damascus, right? Trying to make sure you’re still with me a little bit there, you know.
And the bright light, the Lord—he met the Lord personally there, and, boy, he got saved and began to preach and tell about Jesus there in Damascus. Well, they didn’t like that. And remember, they were going to persecute him, and so they let him down outside the wall in a basket there. And then he went over to Arabia. I think Arabia is over there for three years. Galatians tells us that. I think that’s where any religion got grounded. Some even believe this, and I’m getting off course—some even believe Jesus met with him, kind of trained in there in those three years. Interesting little study, Arson verses that maybe shine that light a little bit. We’ll know that when we get to heaven for sure, you know, whatever that might happen.
But anyway, then he comes back to Damascus a little bit. Then he goes up to Jerusalem. Now, he’s never been to Jerusalem at that time. Jerusalem was a little bit like headquarters. It was home base. And that was the hub where it was the beginning of Jerusalem. That’s where Pentecost happened. And Jesus died and was crucified, resurrected there. And it’s just home. The temple was there. The Jewish people were meeting there. And Paul had never been there. So he goes to home base, to the hub at the time, and things don’t go good for Paul. Look in verse number 26. Verse number 26. Acts 9:26.
“And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.” Now stop for just a second. Think what had happened to Paul. Well, that’s why Christians are—he may end up being a maverick and not really be used as much. He had a man went over on his own and kind of did his own thing and, you know, fool he owned those Christians there in Jerusalem because they wouldn’t meet with him.
What happens? Look at verse number 27: “But Barnabas, that’s Joseph, that’s the guy that gave the land and sold it, they changed his name—that’s Barnabas right there—son of consolation, the encourager, the comforter, but Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord in the way.” He’s giving a testimony for Saul, and that he has spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. “And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.”
That’s a life changer, Fred. I mean, nobody wants to talk to Saul. Scared to death of the fellow. I remember when he was encouraging everybody to kill Stephen. That was in Jerusalem. And he comes back, you know, three and a half years later, and nobody wants to talk to that fellow, but Barnabas. Barnabas, he just seems like a little bit—God used him to really just to help develop men. Oh, I wonder what Saul, Paul, I wonder what he had been like if it wasn’t for Barnabas. Wow. Maybe when we get to heaven, Barnabas, you know, he’s not as prominent as far as the great leader, but, boy, he had a great impact. And he may be, you know, the first shall be last and the last shall be first. That may be Barnabas, one of those. Oh, what a difference he made in Paul’s life.
Now, a couple chapters later, look over in chapter number 11. Chapter number 11. And things are starting to shift from Jerusalem being the hub to Antioch. Things are happening in Antioch. People getting saved. Life’s getting changed. I mean, they had to put chairs out in the back of the auditorium in Antioch. I mean, things are happening. They’re going to build a building and just everything’s going on. And look what happens. Look in verse number 21 of Acts 11. Acts 11, verse number 21.
“And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.” Then tidings of these saints came unto the ears of the church which was at Jerusalem. They sent forth Barnabas—well, he’s a comforter, he’s an encourager, he’ll help them—that he should go as far as Antioch.
Now, a friend, a little bit later on, Antioch becomes the hub. It’s a revival center. Christians are called Christians first in Antioch. It’s the main thing. You know who is the main part of developing that early church? Barnabas. I mean, when things are—people getting saved—somebody leaves to go down there and help them get this thing going, you know. We’ll sit in Barnabas. Man, he was a promise. That’s the guy that gave the land. They changed his name. That’s Barnabas right there.
Yeah. He said, God—look what happens. Look at verse number 23. We’re still in chapter 11. Look at verse number 23: “Who, when he came and had seen the grace of God, he knew what it was, and was glad, and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.” I like that. Watch this. Look at what the Bible says about him: “For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.” Interesting how it just talks about how good a man, full of the Holy Ghost. Boy, he was helping him out. And much people added to the Lord. I mean, God’s using Barnabas to start this, and you get this church developed, if you will. He’s a key part of it all.
Watch what he does. It’s not all about Barnabas. “Well, I can become a leader in this church.” What is it? Watch what he does. Look at the next thing here. Look in verse number 25: “Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus for to seek Saul.” He said, “I know this guy. He can really help this church. I’m going to go with this guy.” He didn’t say, “Well, I can do a lot here.” He said, “I know somebody who can do a real good job. Let me go get him, bring him over here.”
Verse number 26: “And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” By the way, in some ways, this is when Paul is really learning the ministry—the ropes a little bit. I wonder how much you learn from Barnabas, how to help people, how to truly minister, serve people, you know? Oh, Barnabas had so much to do with the early church.
Verse number 27: It kind of takes a twist here. Verse number 27: “And in those days there came prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.” Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea. Kind of reminds you of what Joseph or Barnabas did, yeah. And they said, “Let’s get an offering together for these needy people.”
Watch what they did, verse number 30: “Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.” I mean, they’re kind of getting a team together. And they’re becoming a little bit of a—you know, they got a lot of churches guide. I love to do it. I think Brother Powers, and maybe some of you have been a part of these when they have, you know, a hurricane somewhere, a tragedy. You’re sending someone there for relief. Lived along that line, they sent money, and they sent Barnabas and Saul.
I’m just saying Barnabas, this guy that gave that money, he said, “Well, nobody ever knows about him.” Oh, yeah, they know about it. Yeah. God used him so much in this early church, and Saul, I think he’s learning so much from Barnabas about how to serve people. “Oh, we’re not like the Pharisees you grew up around, Paul. No, no, no, no. We’re not doing anything for show. We’re doing it for the Lord. And we want to truly help people.” Yeah, he’s learning the different way to live. Now they go help Jerusalem. They come back to Antioch.
And look in chapter number 13. Chapter 13. And look what happens here. Many will say this is the first true missionary sent out of a church right here. Look who it is. Chapter 13, verse number two: “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, ‘Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.’” And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
Now Barnabas starts—he’s some of the first missionaries sent out of the church, Barnabas. I wonder how much Saul learned from him. Now, Saul, he’s the more outspoken Paul. He’s more outspoken. He’s a guy usually, you kind of, you know, the figure-up, everybody sees with old Barnabas. I think he had so much to do with him in over the days. I wonder how many times Paul got discouraged, and Barnabas, the comforter, was there to encourage him. Yeah, yeah. First missionary is a… Barnabas and out of a church.
Can I just say this? Paul, he really does—if you read him, many of you know it, you hear so much about Paul—he becomes the leader, like out in front of everybody. But, you know, every leader has got to have some people helping him behind the scenes. Oh, there’s no way a leader can get the job done. Oh, no way. Praise God for the Aarons and the Hurs. Praise God for the people in our church.
I think about Sunday. How many people came in Sunday night ready to sleep, amen? You know, I’m wore out, you know. Brother Bill shaking and said, “Yeah, I was.” No, he’s less than he was. But there’s just so many to work. It’s interesting. Saul, King Saul, when God had Samuel anoint him with oil, and he went back home, and the Bible says, there’s a band of men whose hearts God touched. They said, “We’ll help that man right there.” God does that. Oh, praise the Lord for the Barnabases. I mean, that tribe is so very, very key. For that tribe, those leaders can’t get my son—oh, there must be that.
I thought about how God’s been so good over the years to give us Barnabases. He’s been so good on that. I’m talking a little bit about the beginning days of our church. The very first service there in Laverne, that little bitty real estate neon building where it is our first church. You know, right there across from the new post office, the Duncan Hinkle’s. Everybody knows where Duncan Hinkle’s is right there, you know. And that’s when you’re going there to get those frappuccinos, you know, and all the other unhealthy stuff and coffee and macchiatos, all those good things there. You know, anyway, right across the street down there, there’s a little neon building. That’s what we started at.
Our first service. We had been inviting people to come. We had a good amount of people from out of town. You know, the first service was all that. But the first time, you know, I really had to do everything because we didn’t have anybody. I think it was the very—maybe not the very first, I can’t remember—we’re the first or the second one, but because some of the people were going to think. But I was like, man, I’ve got to do everything, you know, now. And I had it all planned out, everything besides the invitation song. I mean, you start a church, you start from scratch. Sometimes you don’t start from scratch, you start from itch. You don’t talk about, you know, that’s what we do. We start from itch.
Anyway, you know, who’s going to take the offering? Who’s going to lead singing? Who’s going to, you know, pass? Where are you going to put the money when you’re done? All try to have it all thought through, you know. And all besides that invitation, so I didn’t have a plan to help. I thought, man, I got the invitation. And maybe it was the first Sunday. I think it was the first Sunday. And because people got saved that day, and I thought, oh, man.
You know, just as I am, where’s that at? You know, “I surrender all.” Where’s that at? And I just was lost. And the man sitting up over here—he’s a missionary today and doing a good job in Cambodia, winning people and passing out gospel tracts, learning the language—but Gary, his first name, would you just say his first name? And Gary said, “You’re looking for such and such page number.” I thought, “How in the world do you know that?” I don’t even think it said the name of the song. He just said, and I looked. Praise the Lord, it was there. And just a little bit, God’s saying, “I’m going to give you the people, the Barnabases.” It’s just so very important. Everybody’s got to have a Barnabas—bus captains in Sunday school classes, all of them got to have Barnabases in there. That’s just part of it. It’s just so very, very important that Barnabas, he was such a key figure in the early church.
Look over, if you will. This is the internet. Look over in Matthew chapter number 10. Just an interesting truth about that. Barnabas, he was just an assistant, if you will, for the most part. I think God used him so much. This over here, Matthew 10. Jesus is sending out the 12 apostles to do a job, to do ministry for him. And I want you to notice something Jesus says. Look over in Matthew 10. Look in verse number 40, if you would. Matthew 10 and verse number 40. You all there tonight? Amen? Good deal. Matthew 10:40.
“He that receiveth one of these 12 apostles sent him out. He that receiveth you receiveth me,” that’s Jesus. “And he that receiveth me receiveth the Father, him that sent me. Watch this: And he that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward.”
Dr. Lee Robertson. How many know Dr. Lee Robertson? You know, you ever heard of Dr. Lee Robertson? He had an assistant, J.R. Faulkner. And he was just a devoted assistant. He had just—they say he would look for somebody just, you know, that time killers is going to come and get Dr. Robertson and take a lot of time, and he would catch him before they actually got to Dr. Robertson. He would talk to him for a while so Dr. Robertson would get away, you know. And I say that—he’s just a faithful, loyal man. You know, according to that, Dr. Faulkner got just as much reward as Lee Robertson did.
For all those Barnabases and ministries, they get the rewards, according to that. Isn’t that interesting? Maybe that’s part of the last shall be first, too. Yeah, that’s what Jesus is talking about.
Let’s keep going. Let’s keep going. We won’t get everything about Barnabas. Later on, we’ll get a—yes, Barnabas and Paul did have a dispute. We’ll talk about that later on in our study of Acts. And we’ll get into that. But Barnabas, just a great, great man. And by the way, Barnabas actually was right in that because of the end, Paul says, “Hey, send John Mark, he’s profitable to me.” In fact, John Mark is the one that wrote the book of Mark, penned it, you know.
But Barnabas, but remember the beginning? Barnabas, probably just got saved, young Christian, and he gave all that money. Hey, there’s something about giving. I’m not trying to get you to give to our church tonight, but it’s just giving. There’s something—I am for you giving. Oh, preacher, I would do you disfavor. It’s amazing, there’s something about giving how it changes the heart. I wonder if Barnabas, when he was a young Christian, if he just hung on to that land, said, “Ah, that’s mine, I’ve been working hard for that for long.” I wonder if it ended up being Barnabas.
Look over in Matthew chapter number 6, if you would, please. You’ll know these verses. Something about giving, though. It changes your heart. Yes, for the cause. Oh, yes, but much, much more than that for the giver. It changes. I wonder how many times Christians hang on to something, and the heart kind of gets hardened. Look over here, Matthew 6. You’ll know the verses. Look in verse number 19. Matthew 6, verse number 19: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Is that what it says? Help me out. Is that what it says?
This side’s awake over here. This side’s awake over here. Where’s that? For where your what? Where your… Yeah. We used to have Belle. Belle was our little Yorkie. She was about this tall, but about this wide. If you just—if you saw her shadow, she looked like a little pig. She really did. She’d make a good little, little, just, you know, midget pig, you know, and she’s—she loved to eat. Now, she loved Tammy. She knew Tammy. She was in a bad situation. Tammy went really and rescued her. And she loved Tammy. She loved us both. But here’s amazing: food trumped anything to Belle. I mean, just food. If you filled the bowl up, she would keep eating literally—don’t want to be gross here—but she’d eat until she flew up. She would. She just food trumped everything.
And we did it many a time. We would have Tammy over here call Belle, “Come on, Belle, come here, Belle.” And usually she’d come. But you put food over there? Uh-uh. So you’re going to go where the food is. I called Belle, “Belle, come here. Come on, Belle,” you know. Uh-uh. If there’s food up, she’s going to go to the food every time. You ever did it with dogs? It’s Pastor Paul smart, and you bring that, and they just do like that, you know. And then the kids would say, “Is Dad dumb?” And they would, you know, they get the dog to do like that. You just follow that, wherever it goes, you know. And, yeah, and that’s the way your heart is with treasure. Where your treasure is. Don’t you see how important it is when he was a young Christian, he sold that land and he gave the money to the church? Don’t you see that?
Where your treasure is, there that doesn’t kind of make sense when people just put their treasure here, there, and there. Where are they at? Where your treasure is, there will your heartbeat be. It may take a minute or two, but it’ll be there. Nobody’s exception to the rule, friend. Oh, it’s so key. When he was a young Christian, man, he just said, “I’m going to give it to the work of the Lord.”
Well, and I’m not—tonight I’m not pushing. It was at the building banquet I was pushing for money, amen, you know. But if you want to give to the building, I’m not going to knock that. You go ahead and do that. But I’m not—I’m just saying for your heart. You know, they say when God blesses you and you got blessings in your hand, hold it with an open hand. You know, you’re recognizing God’s the one that gave it to you and it’s God’s anyway. You know, you close your hand up on God, want you to give, however it may be, you realize your hand’s closed. A little bit harder to put something in there.
Oh, this Barnabas, he may have so much when it’s all said and done, but in the beginning, he sold that land. I thought about when we had the bucket offering. You remember the bucket offering? And our buckets we had up here, we had a teenage girl coming at the time, rolling her buses in for the moment, just Sunday morning, but we got here, bus girl. And she wanted to give to the bucket offering. She had just a little bit. She put that. And so she had a bunch of stuffed animals she was saving for, and that was her treasure. I mean, she brought in—she wanted to bring in, to be honest with you, hopefully they’re not watching online, anybody, you know—they were pretty old. We’ll just put it that way. And a couple trash bags of stuffed animals. But that was her treasure. And someone in her church, praise the Lord for wonderful—someone in our church found out about it and they gave for that and would say, “Hey, your stuff down was raised.” I think it was a couple hundred dollars. I remember 300 or something. But it was so money. But you know what? That girl, she had to move to a distant state. Mom moved. There was a mom. And just so happened a good, good independent Baptist church just starting right down the street from her. And she’s in church. And she’s happy. And she’s excited about it. Part of it, you know why? Her treasure is. And wherever your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Giving is so much more. You know, God can provide for his work about a million different ways. Our money is so menial to him. You know, the bottom line of it always: faith in our heart. He wants faith in her heart. This guy, Barnabas, Joseph at the beginning, having land, he sold it. And, boy, his heart was in there. God used him greatly.
Would you bow your heads and close your eyes? Heads are bowed and our hearts are bowed. That’s what I’m trying to get out there, amen. I’m not going to have you raise your hand, but maybe you just want to say, “Hey, how’s my attitude towards people with…” Well, sometimes we’re so quick to condemn them. Oh, friend, they may be the sweetest person and a loving, giving… Oh, be careful of that. By the way, maybe God wants you to use your means for the Lord’s work, however, wherever it may be. But where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Maybe you say, “Hey, I’m not the leader, and I get that, but I can be a part of us. And I’m not the one that’s always comforting, encouraging, and helping and assisting and be a part of making of the man, the lady for the Lord Jesus Christ.” We’ll just spend some time with the Lord tonight. I’m going to ask if you stand. We won’t be long. We’ll just have a quick prayer. If you’d like to come to the altar, feel free to do that. No push towards that. You just spend some time with the Lord.
Father, thank you for this man, Barnabas. Help us to learn from him, Lord. Father, help me to just have what you’ve given me. Hold it with an open hand. Lord, work in our hearts individually tonight, in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Original File: Pastor Paul Chisgar ＂Be a Barnabas＂ The book of Acts- Wednesday 04⧸23⧸2025 [0_laz8-URuo]