+ Feast of St. Barnabas (observed) – June 10th,
2018 +
Isaiah 42:5-12; Acts 11:19-30, 13:1-3; Mark 6:7-13
Redeemer Lutheran, HB
In the Name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Now there
were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was
called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the
tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the
Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I
have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on
them and sent them off. (Acts 13:1-3)
Set apart. That’s the work of the
Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies –gives
the Lord’s holiness to his people, consecrates, and sets apart – the whole Christian
church on earth and keeps her with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.
Barnabas was not the first to be
set apart by the Holy Spirit for the work of the Gospel. The Lord set apart
Noah and called him to build an ark. The Lord set apart Abraham and called him
the father of many nations, for by the Seed of Abraham, all nations on earth
would be blessed. The Lord set apart Moses and later Joshua to lead his people
out of slavery in the exodus, through the wilderness, and into the promised land.
The Lord set apart David to be his anointed king and promised him that one of
his descendants would make his throne an everlasting throne and give us an eternal
kingdom. The Lord set apart the Old Testament people of Israel to be the family
tree that would bring about the birth of Jesus.
The Holy Spirit sets us apart too.
And just like Barnabas, our Lord’s holiness, his calling us, our being set
apart is gift. To be holy isn’t like being bit by a radioactive spider and wake
up in the morning with super-holy powers; it’s not like a caffeine buzz or a
Red Bull energy boost; and it’s not likee that feeling of being twitterpated
that Thumper tells Bambi about in the springtime. No, for Barnabas, you, me,
and all Christians, God’s holiness isn’t something you achieve, but his gift
you receive. Think of it like a noun that our Lord declares about you – you are
holy in Him who is holy - not a verb you do to be holy.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit sets
us apart by water and word in Holy Baptism. We are set apart as God’s children
through baptism into Christ. We are set apart from sin and death by baptism
into Jesus’ death and resurrection. We are set apart by the Holy Spirit to be
God’s holy, chosen people, his beloved, treasured possession. Called by the
Gospel. Enlightened with his gifts of water, word, bread and wine. Sanctified
and kept in the one true faith, just as St. Barnabas was…by grace through faith
in Christ. You are holy in Jesus. You are set apart in Jesus.
Barnabas was too. We first meet Barnabas in Acts 4,
where Luke tells us that he sold a field that belonged to him and brought the proceeds
to the feet of the apostles for the work of the Gospel. Barnabas had heard
Jesus’ call to take up his cross and follow him, by grace in the same Lord
Jesus Christ, who though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that
you by his poverty might become rich.
After Paul’s conversion to Christianity, it was Barnabas who
took Paul under his wing, introducing him to the apostles and assuring them that
Paul no longer persecuted the Church, but proclaimed Christ Crucified.
Barnabas also joined Paul on his first missionary journey.
There at the church in Antioch, Barnabas was
ordained by the laying on of hands for a simple, yet important purpose. Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the
work to which I have called them. The work preaching God’s Word of
good news to all nations. The work forgiving sin in the stead and by the
command of the Lord Jesus Christ. The work of teaching and baptizing in the
name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The work of being a steward of the mysteries
of God, faithfully administering the sacraments.
His name says it all. Barnabas means “son of encouragement.” And
if that word sounds familiar, there’s a good reason for it. It’s the same Greek
word for comfort, consolation, and helper. It’s similar to the word Jesus uses when
he promises to send the Holy Spirit, the comforter. Coincidence? No.
As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians (1:3ff) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort
those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are
comforted by God.
This is the work Barnabas was set apart to do, wherever the
Lord called him. But of course, St. Barnabas’
feast day isn’t really about St. Barnabas is it?
It’s about God the Father who sent
his only Son who gave up all he had - not a field, gold or silver, but his holy
precious blood, and his innocent suffering and death…that Barnabas, and you, and
me, and all people, would be his own.
It’s about Jesus who was set apart
for you. Born for you and called the Holy Child, the Holy One of Israel. Jesus
is God and man to deliver us from everything we think, say, and do that is
unholy. Jesus is holy for you. He is called and set apart in His perfect life,
lived for you, and His perfect death on the cross where He died for you. Jesus
was set apart and called by God to accomplish salvation for Barnabas and for
you. Jesus our greater Noah by whom we are set apart in his holy ark of the
Christian Church. Jesus the Offspring of Abraham who is our brother, Lord and
Savior, who set’s us apart to be God’s own children. Jesus, David’s son and David’s
Lord who reigns as king from his manger to his cross, and from his resurrection
to his heavenly throne.
It’s about the Holy Spirit who
set apart Barnabas for the work he was called to do, which means today is also
about how the same Holy Spirit calls and sets you apart too.
Through Jesus’ dying and rising
you are also set apart and called. In Baptism you are set apart from your sin,
and you are holy. In your Baptism you are set apart by God for His calling:
your calling to faith in Jesus, and to love your neighbor. Your vocation may be
entirely different from Barnabas’, but like Barnabas, you are set apart to
receive the Lord’s treasures: His Word, water, Body and Blood, and called
to speak that Good News to anyone who asks you for a “reason for the hope that
is within you” (1 Peter 3:15).
As a congregation you are set
apart as well. The work that our Lord called Barnabas to do, he calls Redeemer
to as well. The faithful preaching and teaching of God’s Word to you his
people, and to this community. The work of calling and ordaining pastors who
forgive sin in the stead and by the command of Jesus. The work of teaching and
baptizing in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The work of being
rightly handling the word of truth and faithfully administering the sacraments
as our Lord taught and gave you. The work of being a Barnabas, a son of
encouragement in all you say and do, in your callings in life here at Redeemer,
and in your callings in life at home, work, and society. It is my heartfelt
prayer and encouragement to you all that you remain faithful in these things,
even as our Lord kept Barnabas in the one true faith.
Today, we thank God for St.
Barnabas, the “son of encouragement,” who brought the encouragement of Christ
wherever he went, who lifted up the weak and the wavering, who comforted the
distressed and brought calm to controversy. And we thank God for the Barnabas’
in our congregations today, who encourage the discouraged and bind our wounds,
that the good news of Jesus may be preached even more.
A blessed St. Barnabas’ day to
each of you…
In the Name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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