In the Bible Christian Ministry
Sunday 5-10-26 (Humble Walk, Part 4)
  • Worthy of My Praise
  • Victory Chant
  • This is How We Overcome
  • Fill Me Up / Overflow
  • What a Mighty God We Serve
  • Happy
  • Father, Jesus, Spirit
  • I Give Myself Away
  • Shabach
  • We've Come to Worship
  • One Thing Remains
  • I'm Yours
  • You Are Good
  • I Am a Friend of God
  • In the Room
  • I Am Not Alone
  • He Is
  • Freedom
  • I Know Who I Am
  • Trust In God
  • Welcome Holy Spirit
  • Worthy of My Praise
  • Lord I Love You - Todd Galberth
  • My Worship - Phil Thompson
  • Lord I Lift Your Name on High
  • Joy To The World
  • O Come All Ye Faithful
  • Excellent
  • Father, Jesus, Spirit
  • Closer / Wrap Me In Your Arms
  • Lord, I Love You (TGalberth)
  • Let It Rise
  • Lord You're Mighty
  • He is Exalted / Give Him Praise
  • Sing a New Song
  • My Worship
  • Just a Closer Walk with Thee
  • Awesome God - Tammi & Gerald Haddon
  • Fire
  • We Believe
  • Holy Forever

  • The Ultimate Posture of Sponsorship

    I. The Hook: The "Ghost Producer"

    The Story: I I I I I I
    Politics: What I will do. What I have done.
    In the music industry, "Ghost Producers" are the world-class musicians who write the melodies, arrange the harmonies, and perfect the beats for the biggest stars. They have the talent to be center-stage, but they choose the studio. Their joy isn't in hearing their own name announced; it’s in hearing a song they crafted reach the top of the charts through someone else’s voice.
    The Point: Humility isn't the absence of talent; it is the choice to use your talent to make someone else successful. Barnabas was the "Ghost Producer" of the early Church. Without his humble investment, we might never have had the Apostle Paul or the Gospel of Mark.

    II. The Historical "Greenhouse": Why the Land Sales?

    To understand Barnabas’s sacrifice, we have to understand the economic crisis of the early church.
    Acts 4:32–37 NIV
    32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. 36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
    The Pentecost Hangover: Thousands of pilgrims from across the Roman Empire converted at Pentecost. Many didn't want to leave. This created a massive population of "transient" believers with no homes or jobs in Jerusalem.
    The Imminent Return: The early church believed Christ was returning so soon that long-term real estate was less valuable than short-term mercy. So they stayed instead of going home like they plan. But after a while resources started getting short.
    Proactive vs. Reactive: Most people wait for a crisis to move them. Barnabas didn't wait for Saul’s persecution to scatter the church; he proactively sold his field in Cyprus to fund the "Greenhouse" before it was eventually shattered.

    III. The Integrity Audit: Barnabas vs. Ananias

    Humility is what you do when the camera is off. Performative humility is what you do for the camera.
    Acts 5:1–10 NIV
    1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. 3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” 9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” 10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
    Barnabas (The Real Thing)Ananias & Sapphira (The Counterfeit)Motivation: The Mission. He saw a need and met it.
    Motivation: The Optics. They saw the "applause" Barnabas got and wanted the status.
    Integrity: He brought the full amount and left it.
    Deceit: They "kept back" part of the money while pretending it was all.
    The Result: He became a "Son of Encouragement."
    The Result: They became a "Warning."
    The Lesson: We often focus on the tragedy of Ananias, but the tragedy only happened because they tried to buy the Title of a "Giver" without picking up the Towel of a servant.
    Some of you all are warnings of what not to do.
    Psalms 1 Says don’t sit with scorners or mockers. Some of you all are scorners and mockers.

    IV. The Bridge: Sponsoring the Threat

    Text: Acts 9:26–27
    Now later. Here comes Paul after his conversion (Acts 9). He had just persecuted Christians now he joining up.
    Acts 9:26–27 NIV
    26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
    When Saul (Paul) converted, the church was terrified. They saw a murderer; Barnabas saw a masterpiece.
    Barnabas took Saul by the hand and "vouched" for him. He put his own reputation on the line.
    Sponsorship vs. Mentorship: A mentor talks to you; a sponsor talks about you in rooms you haven't entered yet. Barnabas used his influence to provide Saul a foundation to stand on.

    V. The Decrease: From "Barnabas" to "Paul"

    Watch the "Rhythm of Decrease" in the text of Acts 13:
    Acts 13:2 NIV
    2 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.”
    The Spirit says, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul." Barnabas is the senior leader.
    Acts 13:43 NIV
    43 When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
    The text shifts to "Paul and Barnabas. "As Paul’s gift for preaching began to shine, Barnabas didn't get jealous. He was secure enough in his identity to let his protégé take the lead.
    John 3:30 NIV
    30 He must become greater; I must become less.”
    But you don’t lose your voice:

    VI. The Friction of Grace: The John Mark Conflict

    The "Perga Incident": On their first trip, John Mark (Barnabas’s cousin) abandoned the mission at Perga. Whether it was the fear of the rugged Taurus Mountains or the shift in leadership away from his cousin, Mark bailed. Paul saw a liability; Barnabas saw a family member who needed a second chance.
    The Paroxysmos: In Acts 15:36-41, Paul and Barnabas had a "sharp disagreement"—literally a seizure of emotion—over Mark.
    Acts 15:36–41 NIV
    36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
    The Split: Paul took Silas (a fellow Roman citizen) and went to Syria. Barnabas took Mark and went to Cyprus.
    The Long Game: Humility is willing to be "wrong" in the short term to be "right" in the long term. Because Barnabas invested in Mark, Paul eventually wrote from a death-row prison: "Get Mark... he is helpful to me"
    2 Timothy 4:11 NIV
    11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.
    Years later, in 1 Corinthians 9:6, Paul writes something very revealing. He asks the church, "Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?"
    1 Corinthians 9:6 NIV
    6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?
    The Takeaway: Even after they had stopped traveling together, Paul still spoke of Barnabas as a peer and a pioneer. He viewed Barnabas as a man of identical integrity—someone who, like Paul, was willing to work with his own hands (tentmaking) rather than burden the church. He saw Barnabas as an equal in sacrifice.

    The "Takeaway" Story: The Man Who Taught the Giant

    In the mid-1800s, there was a humble Sunday School teacher named Edward Kimball. He wasn't a famous preacher; he was a man who felt a quiet "rhythm of encouragement." One day, he walked into a shoe store in Boston to talk to a young, uneducated clerk about Christ.
    That clerk was D.L. Moody, who went on to lead millions to Christ and change the face of global missions. But the story doesn't stop there.
    Moody’s ministry influenced F.B. Meyer, who influenced J. Wilbur Chapman.
    Chapman influenced Billy Sunday, who influenced Mordecai Ham.
    And in 1934, at a revival led by Mordecai Ham, a young man named Billy Graham gave his life to Jesus.
    The Point: We all know the name Billy Graham. We know the name D.L. Moody. But none of them would be on the stage if Edward Kimball hadn't been humble enough to walk into a shoe store and "sponsor" a clerk.
    Barnabas is the "Edward Kimball" of the Bible. He didn't write the Epistles, but he held the hand of the man who did. He didn't write the Gospel, but he restored the man who did.

    Closing Challenge

    Dr. Benjamin Mays: The "Sponsor" of a King

    While the world knows Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the man who "vouched" for his potential when he was just an unproven student at Morehouse was Dr. Benjamin Mays.
    The Sponsorship: Mays was the President of Morehouse College. He didn't just teach King; he gave him the theological and intellectual "scaffolding" for the Civil Rights Movement. He took the time to mentor King during their famous "Tuesday Morning" talks.
    The Humility: Mays was a powerhouse in his own right, but he never tried to outshine his most famous student. He was content to be the "intellectual father" of the movement, standing behind the man who would eventually take the message to the world.
    The "Barnabas" Connection: Like Barnabas with Saul, Mays saw the "raw talent" in a young man and used his own established "Title" to give King the credibility he needed to lead.

    S. Truett Cathy: The "Operator" of Potential

    For an audience in Fayetteville or Peachtree City, the Chick-fil-A story is part of the local DNA. Truett Cathy’s legacy wasn't just about a chicken sandwich; it was about the Operator model.
    The Sponsorship: Truett didn't just hire managers; he "sponsored" entrepreneurs. He created a system where he provided the capital (the "land," in Barnabas terms) so that young men and women could build their own businesses.
    The Humility: He spent more time in the "mud" of individual lives—writing scholarship checks and mentoring foster children—than he did polishing his own reputation as a billionaire.
    The "Barnabas" Connection: He took people who had potential but no money (social or physical capital) and "took them by the hand," giving them a seat at a table they couldn't afford to buy themselves.
    Legacy is not about how many people follow you; it is about how many people you helped lead.
    When you build something big you need scaffolding. This is the frame you put up to stand on that holds all the weight while something Big is being built. Many of us don’t want to help others be great. but while that scaffolding is there you can’t really see what is being built it’s every where.
    See you need to be the scaffolding in your kids lives. Not trying to be the star and outshine them. Quit bragging on them so you get some shine. So many brag on their kids (not saying don’t be proud) but BRAG. Just because they are your kids. Look at US!!!!
    Be the scaffolding in your friends life and when they get good don’t try to tear them down.
    "Be the scaffolding that allows the cathedral to be built. When the building is done, no one remembers the scaffolding, but the cathedral couldn't stand without it."
    The Story of the "Second String" Bridge "There is a bridge in a small town that everyone admires because of its beautiful stone arches. Tourists come to take pictures of the stones. Architects study the design of the stones. But if you talk to the engineer, he’ll tell you a secret. The stones aren't what's holding the bridge up.
    Underneath the water, deep in the mud where no one can see, are thousands of tons of rock called 'riprap.' It’s not pretty. It doesn't get in the brochures. But the beautiful stones only stay in place because the 'ugly' rocks are willing to sit in the dark and take the pressure of the current."
    The Close: "For the last four weeks, we’ve talked about 'A Humble Faith.' And it all comes down to this: Are you willing to be the rock under the water?

    The "Gospel" Reveal (The "Mind-Blower")

    This creates excitement by revealing a "hidden" truth about the Bible that people rarely think about.
    The Setup: "Paul and Barnabas had a 'sharp disagreement' over John Mark. They split up. It was messy. It was loud. It probably felt like a failure. Paul went his way, Barnabas went his."
    The Hit: "But look at the scoreboard 2,000 years later.
    Paul wrote the Epistles that teach us our doctrine. But who wrote the very first Gospel? Not Paul.
    It was the 'dropout,' John Mark. And why did he write it?
    Because Barnabas was humble enough to stay in the 'mud' with him when everyone else walked away."
    Now Paul’s message is based more on what Mark said than vice versa.
    The Punch Line: "Paul won the argument, but Barnabas won the man. And because Barnabas won the man, we got the Gospel. Sometimes God will let you 'lose' an argument with a giant just so you can win a soul for the Kingdom. Don't be so right that you end up alone!"
    "The Barnabas Flex." People usually think of humility as "shrinking," but you want to flip the script and show that Barnabas was actually the most powerful man in the room precisely because he didn't need to be the center of attention.
    Are you secure enough to be the reason someone else looks beautiful?
    Are you pliable enough to let God put you in the mud so the bridge can stand?
    Church, let’s stop trying to be the 'Arches' and start being the 'Barnabas.'
    Let’s go find a Saul who needs a friend and a Mark who needs a second chance.
    Because when we finally get to Heaven, the Father isn't going to ask how many statues we built for ourselves;
    He’s going to ask: 'Whose hand were you holding when you walked through the gate?'
    You made it but who is with you?
    Who needed a word that you didn’t give
    who needed encouragement that you didn’t have time for
    Who needed YOU but you were too busy focused on YOU!!!
    Sometimes the background singer sound better than the main attraction/.
    And sometimes that background in what gets you to the stage:
    Luther Vandross: Roberta Flack, David Bowie, Chic, Stevie Wonder, and Diana Ross
    Mariah Carey for Brenda Starr
    Whitney Houston - Chaka Khan and Lou Rawls
    back up singer. I’m every woman
    Cissy Houston - Elvis, Aretha
    Ashford and Simpson
    "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (also Diana Ross)
    "You're All I Need to Get By" – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
    "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
    "I'm Every Woman" – Chaka Khan
    "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" – Diana Ross
    "Let's Go Get Stoned" – Ray Charles
    "California Soul" – Marlena Shaw (originally The Messengers)
    "The Boss" – Diana Ross
    "Remember Me" – Diana Ross
    "Your Precious Love" – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
    "Is It Still Good to Ya" – Teddy Pendergrass

      • Acts 4:32–37NIV2011

      • Acts 5:1–10NIV2011

      • Acts 9:26–27NIV2011

      • Acts 13:2NIV2011

      • Acts 13:43NIV2011

      • John 3:30NIV2011

      • Acts 15:36–41NIV2011

      • 2 Timothy 4:11NIV2011

      • 1 Corinthians 9:6NIV2011

In the Bible Christian Ministry
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