Barnabas: An Example of Exhortation (Sun. A.M. 2-8-26)

Acts 4:36 introduces Barnabas—literally “son of consolation”—and his life becomes a blueprint for a church shaped by exhortation. The community described refuses scarcity and hoarding, instead modeling sacrificial generosity and mutual care; from that context Barnabas’s nickname reveals a defining character: he not only comforts, he calls people onward. Exhortation is unpacked as a deliberate, gospel-shaped invitation to press further—an insistence against complacency that nevertheless refuses compromise. True exhortation does not affirm sin; it summons people out of bondage by pointing to the Savior’s power to change lives.

Exhortation is both a spiritual gift and a corporate discipline. The assembly exists not merely for information but for mutual stirring toward holiness; leaders are to steward reading, doctrine, and exhortation together. Practical marks of Barnabas’s ministry illustrate how encouragement operates: he acquires the outcast, associates the newcomer with the body, and applauds visible signs of God’s work rather than replaying past failures. When Saul (Paul) appeared to the Jerusalem believers as a converted persecutor, Barnabas received him, vouched for his testimony, and integrated him into fellowship—an act that altered church history.

Barnabas’s faithfulness extends to apparent failures. John Mark’s abandonment on an earlier mission did not earn final rejection; Barnabas chose persistent support over final dismissal. That patient, hands-on restoration led eventually to a powerful reversal: Paul later calls Mark “profitable for the ministry.” The pattern is clear—previous service, premature stoppage, persistent support, and then a powerful shift. The gospel’s restorative power often works through those who will invest long enough to see the dormant fruit awaken.

The ethical demand is urgent and practical: when people fall, the community must choose between kicking them while down or reaching out to pull them up. Exhortation is costly work—requiring proximity, patience, and prophetic hope—but it is precisely how the church multiplies faithful witnesses. The challenge is to be a people who make room for redeemed strangers, who refuse to weaponize others’ pasts, and who labor until the Spirit’s transformation becomes visible and beneficial to the whole body.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Exhortation should define church culture Exhortation is not occasional pep talk but the regular oxygen of congregational life. When exhortation shapes patterns of welcome, accountability, and mutual stirring, the church becomes a formative environment where believers are pushed toward deeper obedience and hope. This requires intentional rhythms—teaching, fellowship, and relationships—that prioritize growth over comfort. [03:02]
• 2. Encourage out of, not into, sin Biblical encouragement never affirms wrongdoing; it calls sinners toward repentance and empowers new obedience. To exhort rightly is to refuse complacency while also refusing to normalize failure—to hold both truth and grace in tension as the Spirit refines. The goal is restoration, not tolerance of habitual sin. [06:41]
• 3. Acquire the feared and failed Following Barnabas means intentionally receiving those whom others shun: the visibly broken, the socially awkward, the notorious. Acquisition is active—it looks like invitation, hospitality, and practical investment—so that stigma is replaced by belonging and opportunity for discipleship. A single welcoming act can reorient a life and, by extension, the church’s witness. [14:14]
• 4. Persistent support restores service Restoration often requires repeated, patient investment rather than a one-time intervention. Barnabas’s insistence with John Mark transformed a quitter into someone Paul later called “profitable for the ministry,” showing that perseverance in care can recover calling and fruitfulness. The church’s long obedience in restoring others bears kingdom results beyond immediate sight. [36:57]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:27] - Scripture reading: Acts 4:34–37
• [00:47] - Barnabas: “son of consolation”
• [02:33] - Exhortation defined and desired culture
• [04:37] - What true exhortation looks like
• [14:14] - Barnabas exhorts the feared (Saul/Paul)
• [24:19] - How Barnabas receives and associates
• [33:15] - Barnabas exhorts the failed (John Mark)
• [36:57] - Restoration, legacy, and Paul’s reversal
• [40:55] - Invitation, prayer, and charge

1. What was Joseph's given name and what new name did the apostles give him? What does this new name mean?
2. According to the sermon, what are the two primary groups of people that Barnabas was known to exhort and encourage? [13:34]
3. What specific actions did Barnabas take when he encountered Saul in Jerusalem, as described in Acts 9:27? [24:19] [25:22] [26:26]
4. What was the initial reaction of the disciples in Jerusalem when Saul tried to join them, and why did they feel this way? [18:27] [19:55] [20:24]

1. The sermon makes a distinction between exhorting someone *into* sin and exhorting someone *out of* sin. What is the crucial difference between these two approaches, and why is this tension so important for a healthy church? [06:11] [06:41]
2. Why is persistent, long-term support often necessary for true restoration, as seen in Barnabas's relationship with John Mark? What does this process typically look like? [32:52] [35:08] [37:42]
3. When someone new or different visits a church, people often have a "negative perception" based on past reputation or current appearance. What is the biblical response to this fear, and what are the risks of getting it wrong? [20:58] [22:01] [22:46]
4. How does the act of "applauding" what God is currently doing in a person's life, rather than rehearsing their past failures, create an environment for growth and change? [26:26] [27:15]

1. Exhortation refuses complacency but does not require compromise. [06:11] Is there an area in your walk with God where you have become complacent? What would it look like for someone to lovingly exhort you to press into a deeper level of obedience or faith?
2. When somebody falls off into sin, you've really got one or two options. You can either kick em while they're down or you can reach your hand out and try to get em up. [08:34] Which option do you most naturally gravitate towards? Identify one person in your life who might need a hand up rather than criticism.
3. When somebody walks in the church that nobody else wants to touch with a 10 foot pole, be the first one that goes back there and speaks to him. [24:19] Who is the "feared" or overlooked person in your sphere of influence—your workplace, neighborhood, or even church—that God might be calling you to intentionally "acquire" and encourage this week?
4. There's a time where you got to handle things when people are living in open sin... but even then, what's the motive behind it? It's restoration. [40:20] How can we ensure that even necessary church discipline is carried out with a heart for restoration rather than punishment?
5. You go run into people that quit. You got two choices with them... Make your choice. Somebody's on the ground. You're kick em or you're try to pick em up. [38:51] Think of a "John Mark" in your life—someone who started well but has since stopped. What is one practical, persistent step of support you can take to help restore them?
6. The assembly exists not merely for information but for mutual stirring toward holiness. [09:39] How can we move beyond just receiving information on Sunday to actively participating in "mutual stirring" throughout the week with other believers?