The Parish Church of St John-at-Hampstead

“Fear God and keep his commandments; that is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
The writer of Ecclesiastes sums up his collection of sayings and proverbs having, as we heard, grown weary with the writing of books and with study. Preachers can recognise the feeling. But our task is to inspire ourselves and others to keep God’s commandments -or as the Christian would say, spread the Good News. Rather than theorising, the best way to do this is by examples and especially by the example of those holy men and women whom we call the saints, and perhaps particularly, from those saints who achieved their sanctity by popular consent or quiet acclamation. Barnabas did not have to undergo an inquisition and he doesn’t seem to have performed any miracles. True he is reputed to have been martyred in his home in Cyprus but this doesn’t appear in Acts or elsewhere in the canonical books of the Bible. The record in Acts is, however, enough in an unspectacular way to secure his place as a saint and certainly evidence of the respect with in which he was held by his contemporaries, and, should be, I suggest, by us too.
He is introduced as a Levite from Cyprus called Joseph, so both a Jew with a traditional and orthodox pedigree but equally one who belongs to the Hellenistic civilisation which is then supreme in his world. He is likely to be both a man of the secular world and especially conscious of his Jewish roots. He already has a nick name, Barnabas, which is translated as the Son of Encouragement. Right from the start even his name evokes an appealing sympathy and respect.
We see the grounds for that respect chiefly in the mostly brief mentions that he receives in Acts, in a supporting role in the central story of Paul. But perhaps his most important characteristic is mentioned before Paul comes on the scene as we are told that Barnabas was one of the first to act on the communist principles of the early church, selling his house and presenting the proceeds for common use. We have the impression of a man quick to put his hand in his pocket; quick to act on principle-a man who fears God and keeps his commandments.
We next find him checking out the new converts in Antioch and welcoming the newly converted, and understandably suspect Saul/Paul when he comes to Jerusalem after his life changing experiences; Barnabas is open minded, sympathetic and positive and certainly more perspicacious than his cautious fellow leaders in the Christian congregation in Jerusalem. That open mindedness is clearly not inconsistent with reliability. Barnabas is entrusted with delicate and important missions; inspecting enthusiastic new converts and carrying funds from the wealthier Christians in Antioch to their poorer brethren in Jerusalem; and chosen after prayer and a specific instruction from the Holy Spirit to accompany Paul on his first missionary journey. Did the Holy Spirit have his own lingering doubts about the somewhat volatile Paul; or did He think the authorities in Jerusalem would feel happier with Paul accompanied by a safe pair of hands?
The Son of Encouragement; what sort of encouragement might Barnabas’ example give us who are so far away in time and space from the world of Joseph the Levite from Cyprus?
Most obviously I suggest his practical approach to life and how he should live. We can only speculate on how he may have feared God, but we do know that he was prompt and effective in keeping His Commandments and this is apparent most clearly in his evident open-mindedness and his reliability; that he could be trusted to act in a righteous way.
That open mindedness is a virtue that Christians have always needed, but it is perhaps tested more in our world where different cultures mix on our doorsteps and as long traditions like Christianity itself are challenged and questioned. Barnabas the Levite was deeply rooted in his traditions (deeply rooted enough to fall out with Paul on one occasion) and was yet able to welcome gentiles as Christians in a way that should encourage us to welcome those whom the church has traditionally excluded, of whom women and homosexuals are only the most obvious examples. The Son of Encouragement was able to accept the new and unconventional because he was able to see the true meaning of God’s commandment. We too need not jettison tradition (tempting though it often is) but rather think imaginatively about what, essentially, is being handed down- what is the real tradition? It seems to me that its essence has always been an open kindness, which may express itself in many different ways in different times and places but is always the same (although sadl often perverted) driving force.
An open-minded kindness is not, however, quite enough unless we have the inner resource and practical means to put it into effect-unless in a word we are reliable in our expression of the commandments and our carrying out of the Gospel. The example of Barnabas and his readiness to do what he thought right may be thought particularly pertinent to our own situation here in Hampstead where we may be proud of our generosity as a Parish and the welcome we extend to those on the margins of our community; but this activity needs constant impetus and can always go further; emulating Barnabas, Joseph the Cypriot Levite and accepting the his encouragement would be a good way to do so. Amen.