846
THE KING ' S BUSINESS
AUGUST 26, 1923 BARNABAS THE CREAT-HEARTED Golden Text: "He was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith." Ac. 11: 24. LESSON TEXT Ac. 4:36, 37; 11:19-30. Devotional Reading.-Ps. 96:1-10.
Outline: (1)
himself, parting with his possessions and adding the proceeds to the common fund. A rich man, he became poor, and through his poverty (like his Mas– ter) he enriched many. His name, Bar– nabas, means "Son of exhortation" and was given him, perhaps, by the disciples as the Lord called James and John "the sons of thunder." This example of liberal giving Is re– corded as a manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit upon the lives of these early Christians, and the contrast is found in the account of Ananias and Sapphira, who sought to pose as liberal givers, contented with a pretense of piety and generosity, but falling under the judgment of God. There was no law compelling believers to surrender all their possessions, but these two out– standing and contrasting pictures are given us in the opening scenes of the church as an evidence that the Lord recognizes the heart attitude In giving. BARNABAS AS A LEADER; the Loving Helper. We later find Barnabas associated with Paul as his companion and helper. He had befriended Saul after his con– version when the believers in Jerusa– lem doubted the genuineness of his con– version (Acts 9: 27). A great revival had broken out at Antioch. God had sent to them a few humble disciples who had left Jerusa– lem because of persecution (11:19). No apostles' hands had been put upon them, but the hand of the Lord was on them. They had been trained In no seminary in the art of preaching, but Just told (2)
Barnabas as a Layman; the
Liberal Giver. ( 2) Loving Helper. (3) Loyal Missionary. Introduction:
Barnabas as a Leader; the
Barnabas as a Laborer; the
This lesson ls but a brief outline ot the life of a great man, but it carries with it lessons of great import, provided the teacher wlll carefully read all the
suggested portions of Scripture and meditate upon the possibilities which may emanate from one devoted life.
LESSON EXPOSITION T 0. Horton
(1) BARNABAS AS A LAYMAN : The Liberal Giver. We get our first Introduction to Barnabas in the fourth chapter of Acts, in which we are told that "The inu1tltude of them that belfeved ·were of one heart nod of one soul; neither snld any of them that ought of the thing• ·which he possessed was his 01,•n; but they had nil things comm.on." What a beautiful picture of that pious, primitive church, whose oneness of object, singleness of standard, hu– mility of heart and depth of devotion make memorable the dawning days of its sturdy spiritual life. The unity of life and of goods was simply the out– flowing of that new nature which makes a heaven of every condition, in which believers may dwell In the simplicity of true separation from the world, and royal separation unto God. To this company of believers, Barna– bas-evidently a man of wealth-joined
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs