In some ways, I feel like we are here to memorialize a superhero; like we are here to memorialize Batman or Captain America. Hearing these stories told and songs sung about someone really makes me think that this is an enormous task to memorialize such an amazing life. I don’t think Barnabus had any superpowers, although I did see him run really fast and beat Shawn Elledge in a foot race in the parking lot of the I-Max theatre. However, I don’t think Barnabus possessed any real comic book like super powers.
However, when we look at the life that this young man lived, it is easy to see how people can talk so lovingly and heroically about Barnabus. Take for instance the story Barnabus’ mom, Rose, tells about how as a kid, she would buy him a suitcase full of clothes, then leave for a while and when she would return, Barnabus would have given the whole suitcase full of clothes away to the workers of the village and surrounding areas. Finally after numerous suitcases full of clothes, she stopped getting onto him and she, instead, helped him simply give the clothes to the people in need as well. Or there was the time that she bought him a brand new coat here in America because the winters were a bit different than in Kenya. Rose sent Barnabus out with his new coat on the bus. When he returned home, he was without the coat and she began to scold him about losing something that cost so much. When she finally came around to asking where it was, he told her it was with a friend. She asked who this friend was and who his or her parents were so they could go get the coat. Barnabus then explained to her that the friend he gave the coat to was not a friend from school, but rather an older gentleman who looked down on his luck and cold and besides, he didn’t know who the man’s parents were.
Well there were these other legendary times while Barnabus was employed by J Sarge to be the math tutor and like most jobs, Barnabus was only paid for the hours he worked as a tutor on campus . Regularly, Barnabus would invite people to his house after the tutoring center closes because he hated telling people that he couldn’t tutor them after hours. Many family members and friends encouraged Barnabus to become a private tutor and charge those who came to his house for his time, but Barnabus just couldn’t do it. He just had to help those people who needed help and he couldn’t even think about charging them.
You know, now that I think back to all the story of heroism that I heard from people about Barnabus, I believe there may actually be some superpowers there that we need to examine. Maybe it is the superpower of giving. He gave more than anyone else I knew. His Mom said he had a special way about him where he could never say no to anyone. He would simply help everyone at anytime. He simply put himself aside for other people.
Maybe his superpower was encouragement. I am guessing there will be many smiles on many faces right now when I simply mention the thought of Barnabus’ smile. It wasn’t only his smile that was encouraging; he had a way with words as well. He could let you know how special you were as a human being and give you practical advice for how to best accomplish your dreams.
Maybe his superpower was wisdom. If you ever talked politics with Barnabus, you may not have agreed with everything he said, but he was very wise about his view of whatever situation you were talking about. If you were ever blessed enough to study the Bible with Barnabus, you know that his silence meant that he was developing some insightful wisdom about the scripture that he would deliver in a humble, low unassuming voice which was known to make people around him simply sit stunned in awe.
I know what you are thinking, “There are no such things as superpowers. What is this nutjob in a suit talking about?” All I can do today is present to you what everyone who knew Barnabus knows. Barnabus had the capacity to love, serve and encourage in a way that was beyond human. So what was behind Barnabus’ abilities? I believe the answer may have been found as I read a few of his journal entries. In a line titled “The American Dream through the Holy Spirit”, Baranabus had this verse from Galatians:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
(Gal 5:22-23)
You see Baranbus really did posses superpowers. He was given the fruit of the Spirit because of Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for our sins. Barnabus not only believed in Jesus or had faith in Jesus, he lived Jesus. He became more than someone waiting to get to heaven, he lived life here as if somehow he could make a difference and make this place look a little more like heaven.
Here is the point to Barnabus’ life: He knew all life was a blessing of the grace of Jesus and he lived, not to be a nice person and have Jesus greet him last Sunday and say, “Thank you for being a great guy and helping all of those people. That was really nice of you. Come over here and talk about that with Me.” No, Barnabus lived life that he knew was not his own. He lived the gift of life out loud not for his own glory, but for the glory of Jesus. He hoped that after he finished helping you with your Calculus or Trigonometry, that you would have encountered the love of Jesus. He hoped that by him helping you move or by giving you the shirt off his back, you would remember the love of Jesus, because it was that love that compelled him to live out supernatural service, encouragement and love.
On many occasions, Barnabus spoke about his need for a Savior as well as the need of his country, continent and new home here in America to confess their sin as well and receive salvation from Jesus. You see, the Bible is very clear that all have sinned. We all worship things that are not God. Barnabus often commented about the trap of material things here on earth that distracted him from his first love. He knew that these fleeting things could not sustain, could not fulfill. He also knew that he did pursue those things as well and worship them, created things, instead of the creator and that was sin.
Barnabus knew that his sin separated him from God. He became aware from his Grandfather, that sin is an offense to God and creates separation from God that we cannot cross back to God on our own as well as a penalty that we cannot pay. He was also aware that sin destroys him. We prayed many times about having a pure heart free from the effects of sin.
Barnabus believed that in order to be rescued from his sin, he needed someone who could save him. He knew he could not do it on his own. His grandfather again taught him about Jesus and His payment for what we owed to a Holy God because of our sin. He learned that Jesus took our place even though Jesus’ life was absent of any sin.
Barnabus’ life is a testimony to the renewing power of Jesus grace and mercy. He was led to Jesus by his grandfather and Barnabus confessed his sin and surrendered his life, all the decisions, all the plans, all the desires to Jesus and began to live as His Word directed him to live. Do you want to know the source of Barnabus’ superpowers? It is the promise that once a person surrenders their life, Jesus takes residence in your heart. He sends His Spirit to live in us and guide us to live a life holy and pleasing to God. Do you see it? This is why Barnabus could live such and extraordinary, superpowered life, because it was not Barnabus, but Christ who lived in Barnabus who compelled, equipped and guided him to live in such supernatural ways.
As I prepared for this time, I knew that Barnabus would be very disappointed if I didn’t let you know that you have the opportunity to surrender your life to Jesus today. If you ever admired the heart of Barnabus or his ability to be selfless or his desire to see humanity be better, then pray today and ask Jesus to save you from the penalty and consequences of your sin. Barnabus’ life and now his death is being used to communicate Christ’s love to you today. Listen and respond in prayer.
So what about Barnabus now? Where is he? He is with Jesus. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, he was surrounded by two thieves. One of those thieves, that very moment, worshipped Jesus as God and Jesus said, “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” Today, Barnabus is with Jesus in paradise. Psalms 84 gives us amazing insight into what it’s like to be in the presence of King Jesus:
How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!
(Psa 84:1-12)
Despite my initial shock and sadness over losing a dear friend, it was another dear friend who reminded me of:
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
(1Th 4:13-16)
You see, finally today, we do not mourn because we will not see Barnabus again or because we are unsure as to where he is. No we mourn today because we love him and miss him. Our mourning today is for us and that is OK. Jesus mourns with us. What we can’t do is be fooled to think for one second, Barnabus would choose to leave the side of his King right now. He is too busy dancing and singing in honor of Jesus, because being near Jesus makes you want to dance and sing. So let’s sing today. Let’s celebrate a life poured out for Jesus. Let’s celebrate by praying for ourselves to mourn and heal. Let’s pray to accept the gift of salvation today. Let’s celebrate by singing about the glory and majesty of Jesus. Let’s celebrate by mirroring the generosity and selflessness of Barnabus by giving as God leads to help his family get him back to Kenya for burial. Let’s celebrate by being one in Christ today. Quite simply, let’s celebrate because Barnabus did an amazing job showing us how.
