What’s in a Name?

Whose Nickname is this? Dubya

Whose Nickname is this? Dubya George W Bush

Whose Nickname is this? The Desert Fox

Whose Nickname is this? The Desert Fox General Erwin Rommel

Whose Nickname is this? The Iron Lady

Whose Nickname is this? The Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher

Whose Nickname is this? The Iron Duke

Whose Nickname is this? The Iron Duke The Duke of Wellington

Whose Nickname is this? Macca

Whose Nickname is this? Macca Sir Paul McCartney

What is a Nickname? Do you have a nickname? “A name added to, or substituted for, the proper name of a person, place etc., usually in ridicule or pleasantry” Shorter Oxford Dictionary Do you have a nickname?

Can you think of any New Testament Nicknames?

New Testament Nicknames * Jesus called Simon, Peter, which means Rock. Maybe today, he would have called him Rocky. * Jesus called James & John, Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder. * Simon was called the Zealot. * Simon, in the Church at Antioch, was called Niger - the Black. In today’s reading, there are 2 nicknames

The Church in Antioch of Syria: Acts 11: 19-30 What’s in a Name? The Church in Antioch of Syria: Acts 11: 19-30 Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria.

What’s in a Name? They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus.

What’s in a Name? The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

What’s in a Name? When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.

What’s in a Name? Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch.

What’s in a Name? Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.)

What’s in a Name? During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius).

What’s in a Name? So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem. Acts 11:19-30 NLT

Barnabas – Son of Encouragement What’s in a Name? …there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus.  He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles. Acts 4:36-37 Barnabas – Son of Encouragement

Barnabas “The man with the biggest heart in the Church” William Barclay

He was Generous When Others Were Grudging Barnabas He was Generous When Others Were Grudging He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles. Acts 4:37

God Loves a Cheerful Giver… and so do we! www.we-are-lucky.com

God Loves a Cheerful Giver… and so do we! www.we-are-lucky.com “ Ultimately, it forced me to pause and shift my focus away from the question of what we need to make us happy to the less examined question, what can we give to make us happy?” Melanie Mulhern Daily Telegraph 7 July 2012

“There is more happiness in giving than in receiving” Jesus said: “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving” Acts 20:35

He saw Potential Where Others saw Problems Barnabas He saw Potential Where Others saw Problems When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!

He saw Potential Where Others saw Problems Barnabas He saw Potential Where Others saw Problems Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.

He saw Potential Where Others saw Problems Barnabas He saw Potential Where Others saw Problems So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. Acts 9:26-28 NLT

Do I see potential or problems?

He affirmed the Grace of God while others tried to enforce their rules Barnabas He affirmed the Grace of God while others tried to enforce their rules “When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.

He affirmed the Grace of God while others tried to enforce their rules Barnabas He affirmed the Grace of God while others tried to enforce their rules Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord” Acts11:23-24 NLT

He affirmed the Grace of God while others tried to enforce their rules While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers:

He affirmed the Grace of God while others tried to enforce their rules “Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.” Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently.

He affirmed the Grace of God while others tried to enforce their rules Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question” Acts 15:1-2

Which one of them is a Christian?

He understood human frailty when others were less forgiving Barnabas He understood human frailty when others were less forgiving After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.”

He understood human frailty when others were less forgiving Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work.

He understood human frailty when others were less forgiving Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus.

He understood human frailty when others were less forgiving Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s gracious care. Then he traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches there. Acts 15:36-41 NLT

Barnabas “Mark was supremely fortunate that he had a friend like Barnabas… it may well have been the friendship of Barnabas, the man of the kindly heart, which gave Mark back his self-respect, and which made him determined to make good.

Barnabas The greatest thing a man can have is someone who believes in him. Barnabas believed in Mark and in the end, Mark justified that belief” William Barclay

Barnabas He was generous when others were grudging.

Barnabas He saw potential where others saw problems.

Barnabas He affirmed the grace of God while others tried to enforce their rules.

Barnabas He understood human frailty when others were less forgiving.

Barnabas What’s in a Name? A nickname often reflects a person’s most noticeable feature – their most prominent characteristic – what makes them unique. With Barnabas, it was the gift of encouragement.

Another Nickname “It was there at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians” Acts 11:26 Their most prominent feature was that they were always talking about Christ.

Do you have a nickname? If someone gave you a nickname, what would you like it to be? What would you like people to say about you? How would you like to be remembered? What word or phrase would you want to have as your epitaph?