Christian Outcasts
But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. Acts 9:27
The name Barnabas means Son of Encouragement. After reading about the way he treated Paul, it’s easy to see why. At this point in the game, Paul was still considered public enemy number one. His was still thought of as Saul the Christian-killer, not Paul the preacher of Christ. Simply not enough time had passed for the word to get out that he had truly changed. When Paul sought out the fellowship of other believers, they shunned him. He was a Christian outcast.
They still exist today—Christian outcasts. You’ve seen them. They’re Christians, blood-bought and fully redeemed, but they have messy records. Not enough time has passed in their discipleship for other Christians to see them as brothers and sisters and not as who they used to be. They’re all over the church, some are even well known: the drug dealer, the prostitute, the White House conspirator, the homosexual, the girl who had the abortion, the porn addict, the murderer, the corrupt politician, the terrorist, the other woman, the mob executioner. These believers in Jesus may indeed have messy records, but don’t we all? Doesn’t the New Testament teach that God sees all sinners the same? Aren’t we really just like them–redeemed only by God’s grace? The trouble is that while God sees them as Holy, we don’t. While God sees them through the blood of Jesus, we just see them as who they used to be. Funny how short our memories can be–we used to be exactly the same way.
The church today needs some Sons and Daughters of Encouragement. Barnabas embraced Paul and reminded the other disciples how he should be treated. He said in short, “Hey guys, there are no outcasts in Jesus’ family.” Indeed not. So to whom can you be a Barnabas? What former ___________ (you fill in the blank) needs your loving acceptance and care? Who needs to be guided safely into the midst of your community of disciples? Are you shunning someone who really needs your Christian embrace?
Jesus knows no outcasts. Neither can we.
