Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And large numbers of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to find Saul. When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching great numbers of people. (It was there at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.) Acts 11:24-26

The bible is filled with unsung heroes – people who stepped out in faith and did great things but we hear very little about.  Barnabas is one of those.  It would be easy to pass by these verses and see this as the beginning of Paul’s ministry and almost discount Barnabas.  After all, Paul is one of the great teachers of the church and his sermons and letters continue to guide us in faith.  Barnabas is seemingly just a name – one among many early church leaders who helped get the church up and running.  But a deeper look reveals a man who had great influence – a major giver to the church (acts 4:36), a missionary leader (Acts 12-15), and, as we’ve just read, the reason that Paul is involved in ministry!

The greatest influence Barnabas had, though, comes in his nickname – the encourager.  It was Barnabas that encouraged givers in the early church.  It was Barnabas that encouraged Paul and Mark and other early missionaries.  Barnabas walked beside these great leaders and encouraged them to give their all to God.

Great things happen when we encourage each other to live greater lives in Christ.  I hope you will be an encourager to fellow believers to go out and live their all for Jesus Christ!

So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all– it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” I say, “I can’t see your faith if you don’t have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds.” Do you still think it’s enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror! Fool! When will you ever learn that faith that does not result in good deeds is useless? James 2:17-20

James is a great book, but sometimes a difficult book to read.  Most of the New Testament is focused on living under grace and not under law and talks about how our salvation is not dependent on what we do.  James, however, points out an important distinction – true faith is more than belief, it is also action.  Belief in Jesus and trust in his grace may save us, but that faith that matters is a faith that is lived out in actions that honor and please God.  It is through our good deeds, James reminds us, that our faith is revealed.

How we live out our faith is a greater testimony of our faith in Jesus Christ than what we say that we believe.  If we say that we believe in a just and loving God, than our faith should reflect that belief.  Our testimony to the love of God is more than just what we say (though it is important that we share our faith through our words), it is also about how we live out our faith.

We are called to a living faith in a living God, and that faith lives through our actions.  Do our actions reflect what we say we believe?  When they do, then our faith is living out in a way that honors and glorifies Christ.

The LORD is a jealous God, filled with vengeance and wrath. He takes revenge on all who oppose him and furiously destroys his enemies! The LORD is slow to get angry, but his power is great, and he never lets the guilty go unpunished. Nahum 1:2-3

When we read about the “Old Testament God” we usually get a picture of a mean and vengeful God who looks to punish evil-doers.  But in the story of Nahum and his message to Nineveh, we see a different story.  Just 150 years earlier, Jonah delivered God’s message to Nineveh and they repented, so God relented.  But 150 years later we see God sending another messenger to foretell of destruction.  This time the people do not repent and the nation is destroyed.

A few years ago, Veggietales came out with a Jonah movie and one of the songs had a great line, “Our God is a God of second chances.”  And it’s true.  God is very consistent across scripture as being a very patient God who gives us a myriad of chances to turn from our sin and turn to a life of righteousness.  He is a God that is slow to anger, but we must never confuse that with a God that is unwilling to act.  What many people see as vengeance in the Old Testament is really God acting on His warning.  He had given ample time to change and when people didn’t, then He acted.

God gives us a second chance, but we must not squander it.  He is a God who is slow to anger, but eventually He will act if we do not set our lives straight.  God’s justice will prevail at the same time that God’s grace is offered.  God urges us to change before He must act.  Now we must go forth to act on God’s message of repentance.

“So my advice is, leave these men alone. If they are teaching and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. But if it is of God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.” Acts 5:38-39

For my generation, it was David Koresh.  Those a little younger remember the cult with the purple cloths and the nikes.  Previous generations may remember Jim Jones.  It seems each generation has a story to tell of a cult of people following a false teacher who promises them life and blessing only to end with tragic death.  This isn’t anything new.  Acts tells us that there were even others in the time of Jesus who made claims to be the Messiah only to have those claims disappear with their deaths.  But the story of Jesus is different.  We don’t worship a dead teacher, but a living God.  We worship a Jesus who is alive, not just in a message of hope but in the eternal person of God.  It’s a message that isn’t one that will fade because it isn’t a message from man, but from God.  Nothing in this world can stop the eternal message of the everlasting Christ.

Each generation has it’s own false messiahs, but there is one Everlasting Messiah who’s message will never fade.  Jesus isn’t some story made up by man, but given by God.  We worship a risen Savior, and His message of hope and life through faith will not be stopped.  Nothing wins over the power of the message of Christ!