The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-08-22
~ IMPROVED
UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
CUNDAy 4
OCHOOL Lesson
BY REV. P. B. FTTZWATER, D. D..
Member of Faculty, Moody Bible
Institute of Chicago.
q. Western Newspaper Union.
Lesson for August Is
BARNABAS


LESSON TExT-Acts 1886. 81; 1879
80.
GOLDEN TEXT-He was a good man.
and full of the Holy Spirit and of
faith.-Acts 1924.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Barnabas' Love
Gift.
JUNIOR ToPIC-The Friendly Barn
abas.
INTERMEDIARY AND SENIOR TOP
IC-How Barnabas Used His Possess
sions.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
1C-In Partnership With God.
The explanatory title given by the
lesson committee, "Barnabas "a Con-
secrated Man of Means)," is not entire
~ satisfactory, as it emphasizes only
one of his many excellent qualities.
|. Barnabas the Man (Acts 1867.
His original name was Joseph. When
he became a Christian he was by the
apostles renamed Barnabas, which
doubtless signifies the change from the
old life to the new. This was COM
mon custom, e. g., Simon to Peter and
Saul to Paul. The name means "son
of prophecy" or "son of exhortation
and consolation" This shows not only
the nature and spirit Of Barnabas but
indicates that he possessed a gift of
hortatory preaching.
II. Barnabas the Philanthropist
(Acts 4:37).
So fully had the divine love per-
meated the very being Of Barnabas,
that, seeing the need of his fellow
believers, he sold his property and
brought the money and laid 1t at the
apostles feet He was in no sense
obliged to do this as there was no
such binding law of community Of
goods in the early Church. Private own
ership of property was recognized
(Acts $40.
Ill. 8arnabas the Christian States
man (Acts 9 :26-30; IL 1890.
1. Befriended Saul 60 &c, 27). After
SauPs conversion he came to Jerusa-
lem and tried to join himself to the
disciples, but they were afraid Of him.
Barnabas saw that Saul was really
converted man. Being good man he
could see there was good in Saul. To
be able to judge personality is the
first mark Of Christian statesman.
2. Sent to Antioch (Acts IL :22-24).
Violent prosecutions of the Church sent
many disciples to the regions about
the Mediterranean sea. AS they went
they preached the gospel and churches
were established. The most conspicu-
Gus of these was at Antioch, the capt.
tai of Syria, becoming the most i'm
portant center in the spread of Chris
tianity. Everything went we'll as long
as the gospel was preached to the
Jews only, but certain of these dis
ciples deliberately preached Christ
among the Greeks. They announced to
them that God had become incarnated
in a man, that that man, after a min
istry of love and grace, had died a
sacrifcial death on the cross, and that
salvation was now offered to all who
would accept him.
Tidings having reached the ears of
the Jerusalem Church that great
work of grace was expressing itself
through the Grecians who were preach
ing the Lord Jesus Christ at Antioch,
Barnabas was sent to look after it.
Barnabas was a good man and full Of
the Holy Ghost and faith. He, there
fore, had spiritual discernment and
broad sympathy. Those who have
IN tboroSo1x-nc will ho oh tO
see grace in others. He eXhorted them
and urged them forward in their work
8. Goes after Saul I'll %, 26). The
work at Antioch so prospered that help
was needed; therefore, Barnabas went
after Saul. Barnabas thus introduced
Saul to his great work as the apostle
to the Gentiles. The gifts of both of
these men were needed on that field.
Different temperaments when brought
into harmony by Gods grace are need
ed in the church.
4. Disciples called Christians first
in Antioch ". 2G). After a year of
teaching by Paul and Barnabas the
name Christian" was given to the
disciples. Observe that the name was
associated with the teaching. Paul
taught the vital oneness of the be-
lever with Christ therefore, 1t was
natural that the disciples should be
called Christians The notion that the
name "Christian" was given in de-
rison has no factual basis.
w. Barnabas the Dispenser of Aims
wv. 27-30). Because of the oneness of
Christians with Christ and with one
another, the distress of the brethren
at Jerusalem must be relieved by the
gifts of believers at Antioch. The
Spirit Of God, through Agabus, made
known the coming dearth which was
to prevail throughout all the world.
The disciples were therefore moved,
according to their ability, to send re-
lief unto the brethren in Judea. These
gifts had a powerful effect in remov-
ing the suspicious of the brethren at
Jerusalem.