If you prefer, you can find this on YouTube here: https://youtube.com/shorts/rHjUakMbs9o?si=XDsoqNr3OjB-7s3_
Acts 4:32-37 If you haven’t yet, you can read this here:https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%204%3A32-37&version=NLT
This was such a beautiful chapter in the history of the church. They were so focused on spreading the message and glorifying Jesus, that the believers were looking out for each other the way God designed us to. It was such a remarkable time that Luke brings it up again. They weren’t concerned about maintaining their own wealth. There were many people who gave sacrificially and generously.
One such person they nicknamed Barnabus, which means son of encouragement. I want to be that kind of person. I want people to see me coming and anticipate being lifted up. I want to have a kind word. I want to inspire people and help them know they are loved and valued. What’s the translation for daughter of encouragement? Sign me up to be that.
Barnabus, who we are told was also known as Joseph from Cyprus, pops up throughout this book and the title always fits. He typically plays a background role. We will see that he was loved and respected without question, but he is always in the supporting cast. He’s not leading the charge, he is financing it. He is working to help others succeed at his own expense. We see him doing exactly that here. There are people in need, so he sells a piece of property he owns and hands all the money to the leaders to use as they see fit. He’s not even the guy who hands it out to his suffering friends. You’ll never catch him on YouTube giving money to homeless people. He gives that honour to others. He was something special and people admired him. It appears that he was so respected for his selflessness that some people wanted to be like him. Well, they thought they wanted to be like him. They wanted everyone around to respect them but they weren’t really willing to undertake the sacrifice involved in being so respectable. That’s next time.
