Let's take
a look at mentorship in the life of Barnabas. As we look at his life we
discover that...
Barnabas
was the ideal mentor because he was an ENCOURAGER.
He was part
of the multitude of believers who were of one HEART and of one SOUL (Acts 4:32-35).
There was a
spirit of SHARING among them, but Barnabas was especially
noted for his GENEROSITY. (Acts 4:36-37).
His name
was Joses, but he was nicknamed “Barnabas” which means “SON OF CONSOLATION.”
Consolation
means “the act of emboldening another in believe or course of action,
encouragement, exhortation.”
- Barnabas did something in emboldening others to act in a similar manner.
- He did something that was an encouragement, a help, an example to the other Christians.
- The apostles were amazed by his spirit and his example and called him the basically “THE ENCOURAGER.”
From Barnabas, we learn
that if we are going to mentor others, we must be willing to:
- ENCOURAGE others to and MOTIVATE them to serve the
Lord especially with the Word of God.
Hebrews 13:22 And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. - Set a GOOD
EXAMPLE for others to follow.
1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. - GIVE generously
of what we have to help others.
2 Corinthians 12:15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. - Mentors are willing to TRUST when
others won’t.
- Mentors are willing to TAKE
RISKS when others are afraid.
- Mentors BELIEVE when others doubt.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not;
charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself
unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth
all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail;
whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it
shall vanish away.
If we are
going to mentor and disciple leaders, we must be willing to HELP those
that no one else will help, BELIEVE in those that others won’t
believe in, and TAKE RISKS on people.
Barnabas
sought out and believed in Saul when others did not.
Saul was
not trusted by the disciples at Jerusalem (Acts 9:23-26). Running for his life from
the Jews at Damascus, He came to Jerusalem. But the church there would
not let him join them because they were afraid of him and did not believe he
was a true disciple.
Barnabas REACHED
OUT TO SAUL when no one else would (Acts 9:27-31). He took a risk and
brought Saul to the apostles. He told them how he had seen the Lord in
the way, how the Lord had spoken to him, and how he had boldly preached at
Damascus in the name of Jesus. The apostles accepted the word of Barnabas,
and Saul was with them COMING IN and GOING OUT at
Jerusalem.
From
Barnabas, we learn about BELIEVING in people.
