1 00:00:02,580 --> 00:00:09,360 - Well good morning Springhouse. 2 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:10,680 It's a good day to be in the house. 3 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:13,520 Welcome back ladies from your retreat. 4 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:15,160 Lot of sea of blue in here. 5 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:17,900 For joining us on live stream, 6 00:00:17,900 --> 00:00:20,600 we're glad that you're joining us today as well. 7 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:23,000 A couple of things before we get rockin' and rollin' here. 8 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:25,140 Next Sunday is October 6th, 9 00:00:25,140 --> 00:00:27,480 and we are going to have a Springhouse picnic 10 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:29,600 immediately following this gathering, okay? 11 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,600 So we want you to invite your friends and your loved ones. 12 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:33,920 Come, you don't have to bring anything, 13 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:37,160 but an empty stomach and ready to go and fellowship. 14 00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:38,680 If you've been looking for an opportunity 15 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:39,920 to get to know some people 16 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,440 and spend some time with people here at the church, 17 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:43,840 it's an excellent way to do so. 18 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:47,000 Breaking bread together is always in order, 19 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:47,840 and it's wonderful. 20 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:49,520 So come and be a part of that next week. 21 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,360 It will be immediately following this gathering. 22 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:55,200 Second, we are opening this month 23 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:57,080 a parent's day out here at the church, 24 00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:00,200 and so we want to make sure that you at Springhouse 25 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:04,040 have the first opportunity to have those spots. 26 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:05,560 But we are opening this month, 27 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:06,480 and as we open this month, 28 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:08,480 we're gonna begin advertising to the public. 29 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:10,000 And if you're interested in that, 30 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:11,520 Lisa, would you stand for just a second? 31 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:13,760 This is Lisa North, she's over our PDO. 32 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:17,400 And so if you have questions or anything, see Lisa, 33 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:19,800 and she will get you the information that you need, okay? 34 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:21,060 Does that sound good? 35 00:01:21,060 --> 00:01:21,980 All right. 36 00:01:21,980 --> 00:01:25,340 We are continuing our series, His Church, 37 00:01:25,340 --> 00:01:28,760 and we are going to jump into Acts 11 today. 38 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:31,180 Next week, we will be in Acts 14. 39 00:01:31,180 --> 00:01:33,240 So if you're following with us, 40 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:35,300 you know that we kinda got a little bit out of order, 41 00:01:35,300 --> 00:01:38,840 but we are doing 11 today, and we'll go into 14 next week. 42 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,980 And so if you're reading with us, that would be great, okay? 43 00:01:41,980 --> 00:01:45,020 Today, I am super excited 44 00:01:45,020 --> 00:01:49,220 because we don't get to hear from James Jansen 45 00:01:49,220 --> 00:01:50,540 in this platform very often, 46 00:01:50,540 --> 00:01:52,340 but today we're gonna hear from him. 47 00:01:52,340 --> 00:01:54,220 Would you come here for a second, James? 48 00:01:57,380 --> 00:02:02,220 I wanna tell you how much you mean to my life. 49 00:02:02,220 --> 00:02:03,540 You're very important to me, 50 00:02:03,540 --> 00:02:05,840 and I can't imagine doing this journey without you. 51 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:09,180 One of my favorite things about you here at Springhouse 52 00:02:09,180 --> 00:02:11,260 is the way that you see people. 53 00:02:11,260 --> 00:02:13,120 There's not a stranger that passes by, 54 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,120 and as I have seen you and your family, 55 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:17,740 your precious family, walk through these doors 56 00:02:17,740 --> 00:02:19,460 each week so faithfully, 57 00:02:19,460 --> 00:02:21,140 I notice that there are people here 58 00:02:21,140 --> 00:02:23,660 whose lives have been significantly changed for eternity 59 00:02:23,660 --> 00:02:24,820 because of your fingerprints, 60 00:02:24,820 --> 00:02:26,180 because of the words that you bring, 61 00:02:26,180 --> 00:02:27,740 because of the example that you set, 62 00:02:27,740 --> 00:02:30,060 because of the faithfulness that you display. 63 00:02:30,060 --> 00:02:31,860 We have the most incredible youth group 64 00:02:31,860 --> 00:02:33,540 because we have incredible youth pastors 65 00:02:33,540 --> 00:02:35,660 who love the teens beyond anything else, 66 00:02:35,660 --> 00:02:38,020 and it's evident in what you do and what you say 67 00:02:38,020 --> 00:02:39,540 and how you order your steps. 68 00:02:39,540 --> 00:02:42,980 You're one of my favorite people on the planet. 69 00:02:42,980 --> 00:02:43,940 I love you, buddy. 70 00:02:43,940 --> 00:02:46,260 Guys, would you all stand and let me, 71 00:02:46,260 --> 00:02:48,820 let's pray over this guy before he brings the word. 72 00:02:48,820 --> 00:02:51,500 Father, I thank you for my friend, 73 00:02:51,500 --> 00:02:53,900 and I pray, Lord, today that you would anoint him. 74 00:02:53,900 --> 00:02:55,940 I know he has prepared a word for us, 75 00:02:55,940 --> 00:02:57,820 and I ask, Lord, that we receive it, God. 76 00:02:57,820 --> 00:02:59,860 Holy Spirit, flow through James. 77 00:02:59,860 --> 00:03:01,220 Use him mightily, God, 78 00:03:01,220 --> 00:03:02,740 and thank you for the mighty warrior 79 00:03:02,740 --> 00:03:04,060 you've supplied to this house. 80 00:03:04,060 --> 00:03:05,940 In Jesus' name, amen. 81 00:03:05,940 --> 00:03:06,780 I love you. 82 00:03:06,780 --> 00:03:12,180 - Excuse me while I go cry in the corner for a little bit. 83 00:03:12,180 --> 00:03:14,660 Thank you, Kevin. 84 00:03:14,660 --> 00:03:18,340 All right. 85 00:03:18,340 --> 00:03:20,240 Good morning, church. 86 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:22,340 How's everybody doing this morning? 87 00:03:22,340 --> 00:03:23,800 All right. 88 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:27,240 This morning, my prayer is that you would be encouraged. 89 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:31,480 This morning, I hope that you see the power of encouragement 90 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:34,060 through the life of an encourager, 91 00:03:34,060 --> 00:03:37,100 and we're gonna be talking about in Acts chapter 11. 92 00:03:37,100 --> 00:03:40,380 And then I pray that you would see ways 93 00:03:40,380 --> 00:03:44,020 in which you yourselves can be an encourager 94 00:03:44,020 --> 00:03:46,100 to those around you, amen? 95 00:03:48,060 --> 00:03:50,260 All right, so like Pastor Kevin said, 96 00:03:50,260 --> 00:03:52,300 we'll be in Acts chapter 11. 97 00:03:52,300 --> 00:03:55,220 However, I'm a little sporadic, all right? 98 00:03:55,220 --> 00:03:56,660 Like some context. 99 00:03:56,660 --> 00:03:58,140 So we're gonna jump to four. 100 00:03:58,140 --> 00:03:59,300 We're gonna jump to two. 101 00:03:59,300 --> 00:04:00,500 We're gonna read out of nine, 102 00:04:00,500 --> 00:04:04,860 and then we'll follow up at the end with 15, all right? 103 00:04:04,860 --> 00:04:07,880 So make sure your Bibles are prepped and ready, 104 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:11,280 and let's get after it, okay? 105 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:15,040 Acts chapter 11, if you would stand, 106 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:16,940 and we'll read it together. 107 00:04:16,940 --> 00:04:21,260 Chapters 19, or verses 19 through 26. 108 00:04:21,260 --> 00:04:24,580 It says, "Now those who had been scattered 109 00:04:24,580 --> 00:04:29,080 by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed 110 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:33,540 traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, 111 00:04:33,540 --> 00:04:36,660 spreading the word only among Jews. 112 00:04:36,660 --> 00:04:40,940 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, 113 00:04:40,940 --> 00:04:45,200 went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, 114 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:49,160 telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 115 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:51,140 The Lord's hand was with them, 116 00:04:51,140 --> 00:04:55,600 and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. 117 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,020 News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, 118 00:04:59,020 --> 00:05:01,980 and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 119 00:05:01,980 --> 00:05:06,080 When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, 120 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:08,940 he was glad and encouraged them all 121 00:05:08,940 --> 00:05:12,780 to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 122 00:05:12,780 --> 00:05:17,320 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, 123 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:21,220 and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. 124 00:05:21,220 --> 00:05:25,020 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 125 00:05:25,020 --> 00:05:28,640 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. 126 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:33,240 So for a whole year, Barnabas and Saul met with the church 127 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,020 and taught great numbers of people. 128 00:05:36,020 --> 00:05:40,380 The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." 129 00:05:40,380 --> 00:05:41,440 You can be seated. 130 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:47,100 So Christians, we are Christians, amen. 131 00:05:47,100 --> 00:05:52,300 Back in that day, Christians was almost a derogatory term. 132 00:05:52,300 --> 00:05:53,920 It was kind of a put down. 133 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:55,260 It was an insult. 134 00:05:55,260 --> 00:05:59,220 Before they were known as Christians here in Antioch, 135 00:05:59,220 --> 00:06:01,500 they were known as Nazarenes, 136 00:06:01,500 --> 00:06:04,580 primarily because Jesus came from Nazareth. 137 00:06:04,580 --> 00:06:08,440 So they called followers of Jesus Nazarenes. 138 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:10,420 Also, they were called followers of the way. 139 00:06:10,420 --> 00:06:13,060 When Jesus came and preached at the Sermon on the Mount, 140 00:06:13,060 --> 00:06:14,680 he said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. 141 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,380 No one comes to the Father except through me." 142 00:06:17,380 --> 00:06:21,000 Followers of the way is also to what they were referred to. 143 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,900 They were persecuted by both Roman officials 144 00:06:24,900 --> 00:06:26,660 and Jewish officials. 145 00:06:26,660 --> 00:06:28,440 So it wasn't just one sect. 146 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:29,900 It wasn't just one group. 147 00:06:29,900 --> 00:06:34,000 It was a whole group of persecution. 148 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:38,680 They were generally not liked, 149 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:41,840 but let's, like I said, give you some context. 150 00:06:41,840 --> 00:06:44,620 We're gonna jump back to chapter four. 151 00:06:44,620 --> 00:06:48,260 It says, "All the believers were in one heart and mind. 152 00:06:48,260 --> 00:06:51,380 No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, 153 00:06:51,380 --> 00:06:54,100 but they shared everything they had. 154 00:06:54,100 --> 00:06:57,940 With great power, the apostles continued to testify 155 00:06:57,940 --> 00:06:59,820 to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. 156 00:06:59,820 --> 00:07:03,340 And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them, 157 00:07:03,340 --> 00:07:06,560 all that there were no needy persons among them. 158 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,380 For from time to time, those who owned land or houses 159 00:07:09,380 --> 00:07:11,260 sold them, brought the money from the sales 160 00:07:11,260 --> 00:07:13,380 and put it at the apostles' feet. 161 00:07:13,380 --> 00:07:17,180 And it was distributed to anyone who had need." 162 00:07:17,180 --> 00:07:19,900 Now this is where we first meet Barnabas. 163 00:07:19,900 --> 00:07:23,100 It says, "Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, 164 00:07:23,100 --> 00:07:24,900 whom the apostles called Barnabas," 165 00:07:24,900 --> 00:07:26,980 which means son of encouragement, 166 00:07:26,980 --> 00:07:30,060 "sold a field he owned and brought the money 167 00:07:30,060 --> 00:07:33,660 and put it at the apostles' feet." 168 00:07:33,660 --> 00:07:38,440 Now, Joseph is a very common Jewish name. 169 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:42,240 Lots of Jewish people named their sons Joseph. 170 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:46,100 It means to lift up, to add increase. 171 00:07:46,100 --> 00:07:49,880 It means to encourage. 172 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:55,640 And it was just a name that a lot of people had. 173 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:59,660 So when the disciples nicknamed Joseph Barnabas, 174 00:07:59,660 --> 00:08:04,660 it was because they saw him in a way, in the same way, 175 00:08:04,660 --> 00:08:06,500 and as a son of encouragement. 176 00:08:06,500 --> 00:08:09,700 The nickname Barnabas means son of encouragement. 177 00:08:09,700 --> 00:08:13,760 And so the disciples calling him that was just kind of like, 178 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:15,260 okay, this is confirmation. 179 00:08:15,260 --> 00:08:18,060 Your parents named you to add to, to lift up, 180 00:08:18,060 --> 00:08:19,500 to add increase. 181 00:08:19,500 --> 00:08:21,680 Now we're calling this out in you as well, 182 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:23,620 son of encouragement. 183 00:08:23,620 --> 00:08:28,340 So next part of this is he actually decides to sell a field 184 00:08:28,340 --> 00:08:29,340 that is family owned. 185 00:08:29,340 --> 00:08:33,700 And this is important to note that the field's land 186 00:08:33,700 --> 00:08:35,020 was an inheritance. 187 00:08:35,020 --> 00:08:38,740 Land was passed down from generation to generation. 188 00:08:38,740 --> 00:08:42,780 So this land had probably been in Joseph's family for years. 189 00:08:42,780 --> 00:08:45,780 He'd, you know, his father, his grandfather, 190 00:08:45,780 --> 00:08:47,040 and all those before him. 191 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:48,820 So for him to say, you know what, 192 00:08:48,820 --> 00:08:50,220 I'm gonna get rid of this land 193 00:08:50,220 --> 00:08:52,220 and I'm gonna bring all the money 194 00:08:52,220 --> 00:08:53,700 and put it at the disciples' feet 195 00:08:53,700 --> 00:08:57,380 was an extremely courageous act in that day. 196 00:08:57,380 --> 00:09:01,240 It was a sacrifice or a giving 197 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:03,800 that was supernatural almost, right? 198 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:08,460 A generous giver is who Barnabas was. 199 00:09:08,460 --> 00:09:15,760 So, an encourager walks in a spirit of generosity. 200 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:21,420 Each one of us in this room are encouragers. 201 00:09:21,420 --> 00:09:25,140 And when we are encouraged somebody, 202 00:09:25,140 --> 00:09:26,860 we are generous with our time, 203 00:09:26,860 --> 00:09:29,500 we're generous with our words, our thoughts, 204 00:09:29,500 --> 00:09:32,040 even our gifts, right? 205 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:33,620 The things that we give, 206 00:09:33,620 --> 00:09:37,220 it doesn't always have to be monetary, right? 207 00:09:37,220 --> 00:09:41,200 The things that we give sometimes mean more than money. 208 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:42,040 Amen? 209 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:45,920 So, again, give you a little bit more context, 210 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:49,120 back in back up in Acts chapter two. 211 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:53,860 Now we read here that all the God-fearing Jews 212 00:09:53,860 --> 00:09:57,500 from every nation were in Jerusalem at one time. 213 00:09:57,500 --> 00:10:00,240 This was during the time of Pentecost, okay? 214 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:03,600 So all the Jews from every nation came back. 215 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:05,760 What happened at Pentecost? 216 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:09,820 Pentecost, the Holy Spirit broke out, right? 217 00:10:09,820 --> 00:10:13,580 3,000 were added at a single night. 218 00:10:13,580 --> 00:10:16,840 I sometimes think, 219 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:18,300 and I read my Bible a little bit different, 220 00:10:18,300 --> 00:10:21,220 but I sometimes think I'm like, okay, 221 00:10:21,220 --> 00:10:22,860 was Joseph here then? 222 00:10:22,860 --> 00:10:25,020 Was Joseph in Acts chapter two? 223 00:10:25,020 --> 00:10:27,000 Is this where he heard about Jesus? 224 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,640 Is this where he was filled with the Holy Spirit? 225 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:33,220 Is this why he was flowing in such a generous spirit? 226 00:10:33,220 --> 00:10:37,540 I think that maybe he was there 227 00:10:37,540 --> 00:10:40,340 as Peter was preaching outside of the temple, 228 00:10:40,340 --> 00:10:45,260 and he saw the lame man pick up his mat and walk, right? 229 00:10:45,260 --> 00:10:48,880 I think that that could have been what happened. 230 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:51,220 Now, that's just speculation, 231 00:10:51,220 --> 00:10:52,980 'cause it doesn't tell us in the Bible, 232 00:10:52,980 --> 00:10:55,840 but there was a reason that he walked 233 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,680 in such a spirit of generosity. 234 00:10:58,680 --> 00:11:05,540 Barnabas lived wholeheartedly for Jesus. 235 00:11:05,540 --> 00:11:09,060 He was known as an encourager, son of encouragement. 236 00:11:09,060 --> 00:11:13,540 This is what we read, an encourager, as a definition. 237 00:11:13,540 --> 00:11:16,260 An encourager is someone who deposits life, hope, 238 00:11:16,260 --> 00:11:18,820 and courage into others in such a way 239 00:11:18,820 --> 00:11:23,100 that it inspires them to be better and go further 240 00:11:23,100 --> 00:11:26,140 than they would have otherwise. 241 00:11:26,140 --> 00:11:28,740 Barnabas believed that everyone 242 00:11:28,740 --> 00:11:31,160 was someone who needed encouragement. 243 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:36,020 So the question I ask is, who is a Barnabas, 244 00:11:36,020 --> 00:11:38,900 or who are the Barnabases in your life? 245 00:11:38,900 --> 00:11:42,600 Now, I think about my life, 246 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:47,060 and I grew up in a really competitive household, okay? 247 00:11:47,060 --> 00:11:49,500 I got a brother and a sister here. 248 00:11:49,500 --> 00:11:50,960 They can testify to that. 249 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:52,960 We were always in competition, 250 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:57,380 trying to get one up on the next, right? 251 00:11:57,380 --> 00:12:01,700 And it really didn't breed an environment of encouragement. 252 00:12:01,700 --> 00:12:05,060 Go figure. (laughs) 253 00:12:05,060 --> 00:12:12,580 But what happened is, whenever I left my father's house, 254 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:20,080 I left home, I experienced a level of encouragement 255 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:23,500 that was unmatched, it was like none other. 256 00:12:23,500 --> 00:12:27,120 And it all came through a guy, 257 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:29,160 he's actually not my father-in-law, 258 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:30,440 it's this guy right here. 259 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:32,480 His name's Kirk Whitworth. 260 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:37,480 Kirk, in 2005, showed me what encouragement was. 261 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:44,840 It was every word that came out of his mouth. 262 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:48,800 I was 20 years old at the time, and I was struggling. 263 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:51,820 I was living a life not for the Lord, 264 00:12:51,820 --> 00:12:54,340 and I was working at UPS at the time, 265 00:12:54,340 --> 00:12:56,480 and I said, "You know what, God?" 266 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,040 This was abnormal. (laughs) 267 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:00,140 "You know what, God? 268 00:13:00,140 --> 00:13:02,940 "If there is anything else for me, 269 00:13:02,940 --> 00:13:06,460 "then bring it, and I'll quit UPS." 270 00:13:06,460 --> 00:13:08,540 Right, and so I started working with Kirk 271 00:13:08,540 --> 00:13:10,660 in November of 2005. 272 00:13:10,660 --> 00:13:14,420 I acted on that pretty quickly, 273 00:13:14,420 --> 00:13:16,120 'cause a month later, I went to him and I said, 274 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:18,660 "Hey, just so you know, I'm quitting UPS, 275 00:13:18,660 --> 00:13:20,620 "and then I'm gonna come on with you full-time." 276 00:13:20,620 --> 00:13:23,060 And he said, "Oh, really?" 277 00:13:23,060 --> 00:13:24,700 (audience laughs) 278 00:13:24,700 --> 00:13:27,860 He said, "What happens if I don't have any work for you?" 279 00:13:27,860 --> 00:13:31,040 I said, "Well, I guess we'll put our heads together 280 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:32,340 "and we'll figure it out." 281 00:13:32,340 --> 00:13:33,760 (audience laughs) 282 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,260 That was another encouragement that I learned from Kirk 283 00:13:36,260 --> 00:13:37,560 from very early on. 284 00:13:37,560 --> 00:13:39,560 He said, "Well, let's put our heads together, 285 00:13:39,560 --> 00:13:40,860 "we'll figure it out." 286 00:13:40,860 --> 00:13:44,660 So one of the things that he taught me, I used for him. 287 00:13:44,660 --> 00:13:47,940 (audience laughs) 288 00:13:47,940 --> 00:13:51,500 I remember one time, I was tasked to go 289 00:13:51,500 --> 00:13:54,400 and put some countertops on at a house for a kitchen, 290 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:56,380 and I didn't know how to put countertops on, 291 00:13:56,380 --> 00:13:58,140 I'd never done it before, 292 00:13:58,140 --> 00:13:59,900 but I thought, you know what? 293 00:13:59,900 --> 00:14:01,540 Countertops are thousands of dollars, 294 00:14:01,540 --> 00:14:04,420 and if I mess up, it's gonna be bad. 295 00:14:04,420 --> 00:14:05,700 So I called Kirk and I said, 296 00:14:05,700 --> 00:14:07,900 "Hey, just to let you know, 297 00:14:07,900 --> 00:14:12,060 "I'm a little bit intimidated about these countertops. 298 00:14:12,060 --> 00:14:13,400 "I don't wanna mess up, you know? 299 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:15,620 "If I mess up, it's gonna cost the company thousands." 300 00:14:15,620 --> 00:14:19,800 And he said, "Don't worry about it, man, just go for it. 301 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:21,100 "You can do it." 302 00:14:21,100 --> 00:14:24,260 (audience laughs) 303 00:14:24,260 --> 00:14:27,020 Now let me tell you, the confidence that I got from him 304 00:14:27,020 --> 00:14:28,580 at that moment was like, 305 00:14:28,580 --> 00:14:30,860 "Man, this guy really doesn't care about money." 306 00:14:30,860 --> 00:14:33,700 (audience laughs) 307 00:14:34,620 --> 00:14:37,980 But really, it was that he saw something in me 308 00:14:37,980 --> 00:14:42,120 that he wanted to nurture, and he wanted to build up. 309 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:45,420 And when he gave me that confidence, 310 00:14:45,420 --> 00:14:48,380 I was like, "Okay, let's go." 311 00:14:48,380 --> 00:14:50,380 Let me tell you, I messed up a lot of stuff. 312 00:14:50,380 --> 00:14:51,780 (audience laughs) 313 00:14:51,780 --> 00:14:53,140 It wasn't those countertops, 314 00:14:53,140 --> 00:14:56,780 but all the trial and error that took place 315 00:14:56,780 --> 00:14:58,200 over the next couple of years 316 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,340 was a tremendous impact in my life, 317 00:15:01,340 --> 00:15:03,840 and I'm super grateful for it. 318 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:06,920 I think we all wanna help others. 319 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:09,360 We all wanna be a part of the solution, right? 320 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:14,360 So it's actually a heroic thing to do, 321 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:19,320 to step out, to say, "I wanna give you all of my confidence. 322 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:21,520 "It's okay if you mess up. 323 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:23,120 "Go and run. 324 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:24,940 "Run full steam." 325 00:15:24,940 --> 00:15:26,880 That's the heroic thing to do, 326 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:28,880 and that's what Kirk did for me. 327 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:31,300 A hero says, "I'm gonna do the unselfish thing 328 00:15:31,300 --> 00:15:33,820 "and a culture of selfishness." 329 00:15:33,820 --> 00:15:36,880 A hero also accepts responsibility 330 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:39,560 in a fear-driven culture. 331 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:41,020 This is an offensive position. 332 00:15:41,020 --> 00:15:42,340 It's a position that he took. 333 00:15:42,340 --> 00:15:45,240 It's a position that he instilled in me, 334 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:47,840 and I now hope to take it as well. 335 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:50,500 We take this stand because as Christians, 336 00:15:50,500 --> 00:15:53,020 we're called first to love. 337 00:15:53,020 --> 00:15:54,680 We're called first to love, 338 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,840 and then we're called to have compassion for the lost, 339 00:15:57,840 --> 00:15:59,860 compassion for others. 340 00:16:01,940 --> 00:16:06,300 So as we get back into the Word in Acts chapter nine, 341 00:16:06,300 --> 00:16:10,120 we read about Saul. 342 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:13,240 He's still Saul at this time in Acts chapter nine. 343 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:15,000 He is going through a battle. 344 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,560 He just saw the risen king on the road to Damascus. 345 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:21,280 He was blinded and went to Ananias. 346 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:22,980 Ananias prayed for him. 347 00:16:22,980 --> 00:16:24,700 Scales fell off of his eyes. 348 00:16:24,700 --> 00:16:26,960 He was filled with the Holy Spirit. 349 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:29,800 Automatically, his response was to go get baptized, 350 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:32,320 and then he starts preaching. 351 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:36,940 He starts preaching to the Jews in Damascus, 352 00:16:36,940 --> 00:16:39,180 and they didn't like it. 353 00:16:39,180 --> 00:16:40,700 No, they did not like it at all. 354 00:16:40,700 --> 00:16:45,100 They said, "Who is this preaching in here?" 355 00:16:45,100 --> 00:16:46,520 And so they ran him out, 356 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:49,820 and Scripture actually talks about the disciples 357 00:16:49,820 --> 00:16:51,840 taking him and putting him in a basket 358 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:54,420 and lowering him outside of the city walls 359 00:16:54,420 --> 00:16:59,020 so he can flee for his life, right? 360 00:16:59,020 --> 00:17:02,980 So then he ends up going to Jerusalem, 361 00:17:02,980 --> 00:17:05,680 and we pick back up in Acts chapter nine, 26 through 28. 362 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:07,560 It says, "When he came to Jerusalem, 363 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:10,020 "he tried to join the disciples, 364 00:17:10,020 --> 00:17:11,740 "but they were all afraid of him, 365 00:17:11,740 --> 00:17:14,660 "not believing that he really was a disciple. 366 00:17:14,660 --> 00:17:17,220 "But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. 367 00:17:17,220 --> 00:17:20,700 "He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord, 368 00:17:20,700 --> 00:17:23,000 "and that the Lord had spoken to him, 369 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,920 "and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly 370 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:27,440 "in the name of Jesus. 371 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:30,180 "So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely 372 00:17:30,180 --> 00:17:34,800 "in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord." 373 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:38,140 This guy right here is another Barnabas in my life. 374 00:17:38,140 --> 00:17:40,400 (laughing) 375 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:44,240 This guy right here was one of the first people 376 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:48,680 that I met in coming to Springhouse in 2015. 377 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:52,320 2015 was nine years ago, and I met Justin 378 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,920 at his son's second birthday party. 379 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:59,920 Noah is now 11, and so yeah, 380 00:17:59,920 --> 00:18:03,000 this is how we became in a life group, 381 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:04,440 and then we started walking together, 382 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:06,520 working out together, doing life together. 383 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:09,140 We coached on the same football team together, 384 00:18:09,140 --> 00:18:12,720 and now we serve at the same church together. 385 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:17,040 Justin is a extreme encouragement in my life. 386 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:19,680 He encourages me to be better. 387 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:22,780 He encourages me not in a soft way. 388 00:18:23,780 --> 00:18:25,740 Not in a soft way. 389 00:18:25,740 --> 00:18:29,220 If anybody knows Justin, Justin, 390 00:18:29,220 --> 00:18:30,680 as a matter of fact, let me tell you, 391 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:34,680 I told Justin that I wanted to make better choices 392 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:36,080 in my eating, right? 393 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:41,080 And so he knew this, and I am opening a bag of chips, 394 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:44,800 and I'm walking around, I got this bag of chips, 395 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,660 and he comes and slaps the bag of chips out of my hand 396 00:18:47,660 --> 00:18:50,140 and says, "No, no, you don't get to do that. 397 00:18:50,140 --> 00:18:52,740 "You told me that you wanted to make better choices 398 00:18:52,740 --> 00:18:54,380 "when it comes to your eating." 399 00:18:54,380 --> 00:18:59,360 That's the type of encouragement that I need. 400 00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:02,600 That's the type of encouragement 401 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:05,300 that I definitely needed at that time, 402 00:19:05,300 --> 00:19:09,980 and we all need a Justin in our lives, amen? 403 00:19:09,980 --> 00:19:14,240 He also taught me, and this was early on, 404 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:19,240 he taught me that when I drop my excuses, I find results. 405 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:22,980 And so I live by that now, I'm like, 406 00:19:22,980 --> 00:19:25,280 "Okay, I can't make an excuse for this 407 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:30,280 "because Justin said that I will find results." 408 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:33,940 And then Justin called me higher. 409 00:19:33,940 --> 00:19:36,500 See, it was about a year or so 410 00:19:36,500 --> 00:19:38,500 after I started attending Springhouse, 411 00:19:38,500 --> 00:19:42,280 and we were going to this Breakfast Blend Ministry group. 412 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:44,040 It started at nine o'clock in the cafe. 413 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:48,120 There was about 70 to 90 people at any given time, 414 00:19:48,120 --> 00:19:50,240 and everybody would bring breakfast, it was great. 415 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:51,600 We'd come in there for a Bible study, 416 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:53,760 and Justin was running it at the time. 417 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:55,140 And he came up to me and he said, 418 00:19:55,140 --> 00:19:58,960 "Hey, man, I want you to pray about sharing your testimony." 419 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:00,640 I looked at him like, "What? 420 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:05,800 "My testimony, do you know the things that I've done? 421 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:07,840 "You know what I've walked through?" 422 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:10,020 And he did. 423 00:20:10,020 --> 00:20:15,740 And so I was like, "Yeah, let me pray about it." 424 00:20:15,740 --> 00:20:18,720 It's a Christian response, let me pray about that, right? 425 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:23,720 And so after a couple weeks, Justin's asking me every day, 426 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:26,080 "Hey, what do you think, what do you think?" 427 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:28,600 And I'm like, "I don't know, man, I don't know." 428 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:29,880 And then I finally felt something. 429 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:32,100 I was like, "Okay, I just need to share it. 430 00:20:32,100 --> 00:20:33,600 "I need to share it. 431 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:38,600 "I love that he has this confidence in me to share. 432 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:42,680 "I'm really trusting on you, Lord." 433 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:47,140 And so I share my testimony, and I'm a ball of tears. 434 00:20:47,140 --> 00:20:52,140 I can barely get through it because of what the Lord's done 435 00:20:52,140 --> 00:20:55,520 and how I'm just telling everybody, you know, 436 00:20:55,520 --> 00:20:57,080 all of my business. 437 00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:00,980 And then afterwards, I look up and I see a room 438 00:21:00,980 --> 00:21:05,560 full of people who are the exact same posture as me, crying. 439 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:10,980 And eight people came up to me after that, primarily guys. 440 00:21:10,980 --> 00:21:14,200 They came up to me and said, "Hey, I just wanna let you know 441 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:16,440 "I'm struggling with this, I did this, 442 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:21,260 "and man, what you just shared encourages me to share, 443 00:21:21,260 --> 00:21:24,200 "to be vulnerable, to open up to other people, 444 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:25,980 "to allow others in. 445 00:21:25,980 --> 00:21:29,520 "Thank you for encouraging me." 446 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:35,940 It was at that point that I said, "Okay, God, I get this. 447 00:21:35,940 --> 00:21:38,120 "This is powerful. 448 00:21:38,120 --> 00:21:39,300 "This is more than just me. 449 00:21:39,300 --> 00:21:42,420 "This is bigger than my life." 450 00:21:42,420 --> 00:21:46,940 So it was from that point that I said, 451 00:21:46,940 --> 00:21:49,700 "Okay, if you got something for me to share, 452 00:21:49,700 --> 00:21:52,300 "then I'll be obedient." 453 00:21:52,300 --> 00:21:55,360 And I failed 'em. 454 00:21:55,360 --> 00:21:56,200 I failed 'em. 455 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:58,060 I haven't shared some things that I wanted to. 456 00:21:58,060 --> 00:22:00,420 Just in passing, even, when the Holy Spirit prompts me, 457 00:22:00,420 --> 00:22:03,820 and I'm not obedient to just go and tell that person. 458 00:22:03,820 --> 00:22:08,820 But sometimes that's all it takes, is a couple seconds. 459 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:09,920 Maybe a minute. 460 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:13,240 That helps somebody get past something 461 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:15,740 that they didn't think that they would be able to. 462 00:22:15,740 --> 00:22:20,560 This is why it's so important to share. 463 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:22,240 Every day we're fighting a battle 464 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:24,140 that others know nothing about. 465 00:22:24,140 --> 00:22:27,160 Unless we allow 'em in. 466 00:22:27,160 --> 00:22:29,920 We're fighting a battle. 467 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:32,500 Each one of us in this room, we're fighting a battle. 468 00:22:32,500 --> 00:22:34,060 It could be the smallest thing. 469 00:22:34,060 --> 00:22:37,120 It could be talking about where you're gonna eat 470 00:22:37,120 --> 00:22:39,980 after church with your wife or your husband. 471 00:22:39,980 --> 00:22:42,280 It could be the littlest thing. 472 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:44,800 Or it could be this big thing right in front of us 473 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:49,700 that we can't even see past it because it's so eclipsing. 474 00:22:49,700 --> 00:22:52,400 It just takes over our whole view. 475 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:57,160 We don't know unless we're vulnerable and we share. 476 00:22:57,160 --> 00:23:05,020 About three or so months after I share my testimony 477 00:23:06,100 --> 00:23:10,300 and breakfast plan, I said, "Yes, Lord, I wanna serve. 478 00:23:10,300 --> 00:23:12,160 "I wanna do something in this church. 479 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:16,800 "I wanna be a servant for you, God." 480 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:19,660 And so I went to, probably went to Justin. 481 00:23:19,660 --> 00:23:21,540 I'm not sure who I went to, but I went to somebody 482 00:23:21,540 --> 00:23:24,000 and I said, "Hey, where can I serve?" 483 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:26,500 And I was put on the greeting team. 484 00:23:26,500 --> 00:23:28,600 And let me tell you, if you have not served 485 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:31,520 on the greeting team, opening doors for people, 486 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:34,720 learning their names, talking to them, 487 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:39,440 encouraging everyone who passes in and out of this building, 488 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:41,420 you need to do it. 489 00:23:41,420 --> 00:23:46,340 I met more people just in that brief stint of time. 490 00:23:46,340 --> 00:23:50,280 I wanted to continue serving in the greeting team. 491 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:52,580 But I was called to the youth group. 492 00:23:52,580 --> 00:23:54,140 And I love these kids. 493 00:23:54,140 --> 00:23:55,840 I love 'em with all my heart. 494 00:23:55,840 --> 00:24:00,220 But man, there's something about those doors. 495 00:24:00,220 --> 00:24:03,680 There's something about each face that you get to see 496 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:06,580 and communicate with that's walking through this building. 497 00:24:06,580 --> 00:24:13,680 So I was encouraging people, welcoming them in church. 498 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:16,880 And all of a sudden, one day, 499 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:19,480 this guy came up to me after service. 500 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:22,680 And I was at the door and he came up to me, 501 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:23,760 grabbed me by the arm and he said, 502 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:28,760 "Hey, I just wanna let you know that whenever I walked in, 503 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:34,040 "you opened the door for me." 504 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:36,820 He said, "You put your hand on my shoulder 505 00:24:36,820 --> 00:24:38,240 "and you looked me in the eyes, man, 506 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:42,580 "and you said, 'Good morning, welcome in. 507 00:24:42,580 --> 00:24:45,500 "'I'm glad you're here. 508 00:24:45,500 --> 00:24:48,800 "'I'm glad you're here.'" 509 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:50,340 He said, "You don't know what that did, man. 510 00:24:50,340 --> 00:24:55,340 "I was in a deep, dark place and I had lost hope. 511 00:24:55,340 --> 00:24:57,880 "I didn't know if I was gonna make it to tomorrow." 512 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:01,260 He said, "But no one has told me, 513 00:25:01,260 --> 00:25:05,500 "I'm glad you're here in years. 514 00:25:05,500 --> 00:25:08,680 "No one has given me the encouragement 515 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:12,200 "that that little word was this morning." 516 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:15,520 And the next Sunday, he came back. 517 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:16,900 And the next Sunday, he came back 518 00:25:16,900 --> 00:25:20,880 and we became a constant source of encouragement 519 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:24,720 for one another because of this interaction. 520 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:26,800 And I just thank the Lord so much 521 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:31,360 for that small little moment, that small little moment, 522 00:25:31,360 --> 00:25:34,160 because it formed something in me and him 523 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:36,420 that we can't deny. 524 00:25:36,420 --> 00:25:42,920 So as Christians, we need to be looking for opportunities, 525 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:46,400 always looking for opportunities to encourage one another. 526 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:49,260 We don't know what other people are going through. 527 00:25:49,260 --> 00:25:53,140 To a lonely person, it could mean everything. 528 00:25:53,140 --> 00:25:56,740 To a grieving person, it could be the world. 529 00:25:56,740 --> 00:25:59,340 So let's not, 530 00:25:59,340 --> 00:26:05,980 let's not get into our own things. 531 00:26:05,980 --> 00:26:08,140 Let's be open and vulnerable, amen? 532 00:26:08,140 --> 00:26:13,440 All right, so it takes the Spirit of God 533 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:15,440 in someone's life to encourage others 534 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:18,020 in a world full of discouragement. 535 00:26:18,020 --> 00:26:22,100 Did you know that encouragement is a gift of the Spirit? 536 00:26:22,100 --> 00:26:24,920 It is a gift of the Spirit. 537 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:26,640 So when you have the Spirit of God, 538 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:30,400 you're gonna operate and you're gonna flow in those gifts. 539 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:34,760 So as you receive, you give, amen? 540 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:39,180 Romans 12, six through eight says we have different gifts. 541 00:26:39,180 --> 00:26:41,100 According to the grace given to each of us, 542 00:26:41,100 --> 00:26:42,540 if your gift is prophesying, 543 00:26:42,540 --> 00:26:44,720 then prophesy in accordance with your faith. 544 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:46,160 If it is serving, then serve. 545 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:47,880 If it is teaching, then teach. 546 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:50,760 If it is to encourage, then give encouragement. 547 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:52,920 If it is giving, then give generously. 548 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:55,480 If it is to lead, do it diligently. 549 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:59,680 If it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. 550 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:04,240 The attitude of an encourager see people, 551 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:07,040 doesn't see people how the world sees them. 552 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:09,400 The attitude of an encourager sees people 553 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:11,200 the way Jesus sees them. 554 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:16,800 So picking back up in Acts chapter nine, it says, 555 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:20,600 then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria 556 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:23,320 enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened, 557 00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:26,360 living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged 558 00:27:26,360 --> 00:27:27,580 by the Holy Spirit. 559 00:27:27,580 --> 00:27:30,160 It increased in numbers. 560 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:34,600 So Saul had been, went to Jerusalem 561 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:37,720 and then started preaching in Jerusalem, 562 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:39,520 enjoyed a time there of preaching, 563 00:27:39,520 --> 00:27:41,680 and then, guess what? 564 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:44,080 He encountered another battle. 565 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:45,440 They didn't like it. 566 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:47,100 They wanted to kill him. 567 00:27:47,100 --> 00:27:50,960 So they fled him out, and it says that the apostles 568 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:55,840 took them to Caesarea and then to his hometown of Tarsus. 569 00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:59,000 Tarsus was Paul's hometown and a place 570 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:00,700 that he probably hadn't been in a while 571 00:28:00,700 --> 00:28:02,360 because of all of his journeys, 572 00:28:02,360 --> 00:28:05,120 first being one that was killing Christians 573 00:28:05,120 --> 00:28:10,120 and now one that is proclaiming the name of Jesus, right? 574 00:28:10,120 --> 00:28:16,540 So then Barnabas says, I'm going to your home 575 00:28:16,540 --> 00:28:19,000 and I'm gonna pull you up out of that mess. 576 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,960 I'm gonna take you over to Antioch 577 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:24,400 where there is a harvest. 578 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:27,440 And I'm not talking about right up the road, all right? 579 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:31,520 The Antioch I'm talking about was a big city. 580 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:33,220 It was a port city. 581 00:28:33,220 --> 00:28:38,060 It had lots of people coming in, going out, right? 582 00:28:38,060 --> 00:28:42,780 But Saul at this time was still at home. 583 00:28:42,780 --> 00:28:44,460 Saul was at home. 584 00:28:44,460 --> 00:28:46,880 How many of you have heard of the phrase 585 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:48,440 home is where the heart is? 586 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:52,400 How about this, home is where you make it. 587 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:55,680 Yeah, home is where you make it. 588 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:59,760 It's safe, home is a comfortable place. 589 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,620 Home is familiar. 590 00:29:02,620 --> 00:29:05,160 But in Saul's instance here, 591 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:07,780 it could have been an isolated pit. 592 00:29:07,780 --> 00:29:10,520 It could have been a locked fortress. 593 00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:12,620 It could have been a deep cavern. 594 00:29:12,620 --> 00:29:15,820 Guys, this guy is ready to go 595 00:29:15,820 --> 00:29:17,280 and deliver the word of the Lord, 596 00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:19,060 but he is running from his life 597 00:29:19,060 --> 00:29:22,260 and he's in his home all by himself. 598 00:29:22,260 --> 00:29:28,900 He's hiding out, but Barnabas goes to pull him up 599 00:29:28,900 --> 00:29:32,960 and take him over to Antioch. 600 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:35,100 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 601 00:29:35,100 --> 00:29:37,160 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. 602 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:40,080 So for a whole year, Barnabas and Saul met with the church 603 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:42,460 and taught great numbers of people. 604 00:29:42,460 --> 00:29:45,980 The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. 605 00:29:45,980 --> 00:29:50,980 Barnabas and Saul are then commissioned from Antioch 606 00:29:50,980 --> 00:29:54,600 after about a year of preaching there. 607 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:56,880 They're commissioned to go and bring gifts 608 00:29:56,880 --> 00:29:58,440 to the elders in Judea. 609 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:01,720 And so they hit the mission field. 610 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:04,720 Barnabas and Saul become traveling partners. 611 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:06,680 They start the journeys together, 612 00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:08,720 go and preaching the name of Jesus 613 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:11,560 in the towns and the cities along the way. 614 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:14,100 And it's time, right? 615 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:19,120 So in Acts chapter 13, verses two and three, it says, 616 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:22,000 "While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, 617 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:24,940 "the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me, Barnabas and Saul, 618 00:30:24,940 --> 00:30:27,080 "'for the work to which I have called them.' 619 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:29,760 "So after they had fasted and prayed, 620 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:32,960 "they placed their hands on them and sent them off." 621 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:35,440 This is what they were doing. 622 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:36,640 In their missionary journey, 623 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:39,460 they were setting apart them for the journey. 624 00:30:39,460 --> 00:30:44,460 To set apart means to dedicate for a special purpose. 625 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:46,440 So they gave them gifts. 626 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:50,720 They said, "Here, this is your mission, now go." 627 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:53,840 We also see that Saul is first called Paul 628 00:30:53,840 --> 00:30:55,300 in this missionary journey. 629 00:30:55,300 --> 00:30:59,600 And also, when they came back, 630 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:01,920 they took a guy named John Mark. 631 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:06,920 And if you read in the book of Mark, 632 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:10,240 this is the same guy, the name John, 633 00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:12,280 but actually they call him Mark. 634 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:17,280 So, Acts 15, 36 through 41, it says, 635 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:20,340 "Sometime later, Paul said to Barnabas, 636 00:31:20,340 --> 00:31:23,120 "Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns 637 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:24,740 "where we preached the word of the Lord 638 00:31:24,740 --> 00:31:26,440 "and see how they were doing." 639 00:31:26,440 --> 00:31:27,280 Paul is setting them up. 640 00:31:27,280 --> 00:31:29,360 Let's go on our second missionary journey now. 641 00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:30,860 I'm ready, let's go. 642 00:31:30,860 --> 00:31:33,600 That was so much fun the previous time, let's go again. 643 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:38,880 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 644 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:41,080 but Paul did not think it was wise to take him 645 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:43,280 because he had deserted them in Pamphylia 646 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:45,960 and had not continued with them in the work. 647 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:50,600 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. 648 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:53,160 Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 649 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:57,400 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers 650 00:31:57,400 --> 00:31:58,720 to the grace of the Lord. 651 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:00,960 He went through Syria and Cilicia, 652 00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:03,080 strengthening the churches. 653 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:08,080 So, the traveling partners, Paul and Barnabas, 654 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:10,920 had to split ways, why? 655 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:14,600 Because Barnabas took up for Mark. 656 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:18,000 Barnabas gave Mark a second chance. 657 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:21,580 But this also created two missionary efforts. 658 00:32:21,580 --> 00:32:24,140 See, this was the Lord's plan all along, 659 00:32:24,140 --> 00:32:26,620 'cause the two of them only could travel so far, 660 00:32:26,620 --> 00:32:28,740 but when the disagreement happened, 661 00:32:28,740 --> 00:32:30,480 it split the two parties up, 662 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:32,760 and then they went on their own missionary journeys, 663 00:32:32,760 --> 00:32:34,240 and guess what? 664 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:36,580 Many were reached for the kingdom. 665 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:41,500 God works even through conflict and disagreement. 666 00:32:41,500 --> 00:32:48,600 Barnabas saw Mark's, I'm sorry, 667 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:52,840 Mark failed, but Barnabas did not see him as a failure. 668 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:56,480 Barnabas saw past his mistakes. 669 00:32:56,480 --> 00:32:59,000 He saw past the flaws, 670 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:01,940 and he saw him as Jesus would see him. 671 00:33:01,940 --> 00:33:03,600 He gave him a second chance. 672 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:07,360 See, when someone feels like a failure, 673 00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:10,700 it's easy to call them out. 674 00:33:10,700 --> 00:33:14,160 It's easy to see the failure, 675 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:16,960 and then sometimes we even act on it, and we call it out. 676 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:21,280 Speak words that bring life. 677 00:33:21,280 --> 00:33:24,000 Let's be a people that speak uplifting words, 678 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:28,440 encouraging words, words that bring healing, not hurt, 679 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:33,600 words that don't cause destruction, but build up. 680 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:38,740 We must always remember that life and death 681 00:33:38,740 --> 00:33:40,960 are in the power of the tongue, 682 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:45,060 and our words can build someone up or tear them down. 683 00:33:45,060 --> 00:33:49,760 You're chosen. 684 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:51,420 You're called for his purposes. 685 00:33:51,420 --> 00:33:52,820 You are free from sin. 686 00:33:52,820 --> 00:33:54,840 You're created for good works. 687 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:56,240 You're God's temple. 688 00:33:56,240 --> 00:33:57,480 You're forgiven. 689 00:33:57,480 --> 00:33:58,840 You're more than a conqueror. 690 00:33:58,840 --> 00:34:00,320 You're not condemned. 691 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:01,660 You're a new creation. 692 00:34:01,660 --> 00:34:03,120 You are redeemed. 693 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:04,480 You are one with Christ. 694 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:06,080 You are safe in Christ. 695 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:10,280 You are victorious, and you are a child of God. 696 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:14,680 These are the words that we should be speaking 697 00:34:14,680 --> 00:34:19,680 over one another right out of the truth of God's word. 698 00:34:19,680 --> 00:34:20,640 Amen? 699 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:21,480 - Amen. 700 00:34:21,480 --> 00:34:24,660 - Sometimes it's the smallest things 701 00:34:24,660 --> 00:34:26,920 that make the biggest different, 702 00:34:26,920 --> 00:34:30,360 a small word, a simple phrase, a thought even. 703 00:34:32,440 --> 00:34:35,340 Kind of like this match. 704 00:34:35,340 --> 00:34:37,440 It's really small. 705 00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:43,060 This match doesn't really have any power, right? 706 00:34:43,060 --> 00:34:48,060 It's simple, but when struck on the box here, 707 00:34:48,060 --> 00:34:55,140 this match actually causes a flame, 708 00:34:55,140 --> 00:35:00,140 and it has the power to burn down cities, forests, acres. 709 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:04,300 Guys, this match, this fire is destructive. 710 00:35:04,300 --> 00:35:07,560 The same is with our words. 711 00:35:07,560 --> 00:35:09,480 Our words can cause destruction. 712 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:14,340 Our words are small, just like this match, it's small, 713 00:35:14,340 --> 00:35:19,640 but if this flame gets anything else, it will spread. 714 00:35:19,640 --> 00:35:21,560 It'll cause destruction. 715 00:35:21,560 --> 00:35:27,320 So let's remember that. 716 00:35:27,320 --> 00:35:30,160 Sometimes it's the smallest things 717 00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:32,240 that make the biggest difference. 718 00:35:32,240 --> 00:35:36,480 It could be the encouragement 719 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:38,240 that someone needs to keep going. 720 00:35:38,240 --> 00:35:45,680 It could be in the form of our giving as well, 721 00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:47,920 like just a couple of dollars. 722 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:52,720 It's not much, but if everybody pulled a couple of dollars 723 00:35:52,720 --> 00:35:55,080 in here, we'd have a big pile of money 724 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:57,800 that we could really bless and encourage some people with. 725 00:35:57,800 --> 00:35:58,640 Amen? 726 00:35:58,640 --> 00:35:59,480 - Yeah. 727 00:35:59,480 --> 00:36:00,320 - Amen. 728 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:03,820 When we give our strength to others, 729 00:36:03,820 --> 00:36:05,980 invest our confidence in others, 730 00:36:05,980 --> 00:36:08,760 we leverage our influence for others, 731 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:13,400 and we believe in others and give second chances, 732 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:15,140 it's the Barnabas thing to do. 733 00:36:15,140 --> 00:36:22,140 Each one of us in here are Barnabases to someone else, 734 00:36:22,140 --> 00:36:27,180 and we have people who are Barnabases in our lives. 735 00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:33,160 Now, it could be in the smallest way, 736 00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:36,400 but I want us to ask ourselves a question today. 737 00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:39,780 How can I encourage someone today? 738 00:36:39,780 --> 00:36:45,000 How can I, what thing can I do today? 739 00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:46,040 And you know what? 740 00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:49,600 If we're coming from here, 741 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:54,000 then it could get muddled up. 742 00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:56,800 But if we go here and we ask the Lord, 743 00:36:56,800 --> 00:37:00,200 Lord, show me, highlight people in my life 744 00:37:00,200 --> 00:37:03,380 that have been Barnabases, God, show me someone 745 00:37:03,380 --> 00:37:05,560 that I can go and be a Barnabas to, 746 00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:09,560 it'll start here, right, and it'll work its way up here. 747 00:37:09,560 --> 00:37:12,980 And then we have a choice to be obedient at that point. 748 00:37:12,980 --> 00:37:19,180 I want us to point out those people who are Barnabases 749 00:37:19,180 --> 00:37:23,860 and those that need a Barnabas in their life as well. 750 00:37:25,420 --> 00:37:28,000 Everyone can be an encourager. 751 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:32,220 So we're gonna take the next couple minutes, 752 00:37:32,220 --> 00:37:34,400 and we're gonna end the service this way. 753 00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:39,880 I believe Springhouse is a source of encouragement. 754 00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:44,400 I believe this place is a refuge for others. 755 00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:48,380 And so as the worship band begins to play 756 00:37:48,380 --> 00:37:51,840 in this final song, I want us to take the next five 757 00:37:51,840 --> 00:37:55,960 or so minutes and just stand up, go and encourage 758 00:37:55,960 --> 00:37:59,440 someone today, go and pray over somebody today. 759 00:37:59,440 --> 00:38:03,260 Ask the Lord who it is that you're supposed to go 760 00:38:03,260 --> 00:38:06,680 and encourage right now in this moment. 761 00:38:06,680 --> 00:38:09,700 This space is open and free. 762 00:38:09,700 --> 00:38:14,700 Move about this space and go be an encourager. 763 00:38:14,700 --> 00:38:18,260 And after we get finished, we'll give you a blessing, amen? 764 00:38:18,260 --> 00:38:19,100 Amen. 765 00:38:19,100 --> 00:38:21,680 (gentle music)