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Welcome back for Part 3 of our Door Keeper Mini-Series on Hope in the Healing! If you are just now joining us, you may catch up by reading Part One here and Jacob’s story, Part Two, here. Today we are looking at a different Door Keeper that we discover in the New Testament. Stay with me…

I do not mean to be taking liberties here with the scripture but let me explain how I think Barnabas, an apostle of Jesus Christ, was a Door Keeper.

In Acts 4:36, Luke introduces Barnabas as the Son of Consolation, or Son of Encouragement. The Greek word was paraklesis, meaning encouragement, consolation, comfort, exhortation, etc. We are assuming that the apostles, who renamed Joses as Barnabas, actively saw the qualities of an encourager in their friend Barnabas. The Bible calls encouraging a spiritual gift (Romans 12:8, NKV).

“And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,

Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” Barnabas gave the profit from his land to the apostles to help spread the Gospel. To own property in Cyprus at that time probably meant Barnabas was at least somewhat wealthy. He didn’t hold back, he realized it didn’t belong to him anyway. But there was more to Barnabas. 1 Thessalonians 3:2-3NIV tells us, “We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them.” It is speaking of Timothy here but it wasn’t just about Timothy. Ministers of the Gospel are to establish, comfort, strengthen and encourage the saints in their faith (and I love this next part) so that no one would be unsettled by their trials! And there are many examples in the New Testament scriptures where Barnabas did just that; he encouraged the saints in their faith. (Acts 11:23)

Also, you may recall that a doorkeeper prefers others before himself. He points them to Christ. He gets out of the way. This is how Barnabas enters the picture.

Saul (later renamed Paul) was a persecutor of the Early Church. After his conversion on the road to Damascus he attempts to join the other apostles in Jerusalem but they were literally afraid of this one who had thrown so many into prison. Saul had also stood by and held the coats of those that stoned their fellow laborer, Stephen, and did his very best to make sure Christians were punished for their faith. The other apostles were having a difficult time believing this man had been converted.

“But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.” Acts 9:27.

But Barnabas took him. Barnabas stood in the gap, Barnabas wasn’t afraid of Saul and he wasn’t afraid to tell the others that this man had met Jesus too! He was risking his life and his reputation but stepped out in faith and assurance that what Saul had seen on that Damascus road had literally changed his life just as the other faithful apostles had been changed. It is good to know that the Greek word for comforter or counselor means one who is called to stand next to! 

Sometime after that, the Council tells Barnabas to head to Antioch, in Syria, to see if there was truth to the report that Jews and Gentiles were worshipping together. The Jews that had fled Jerusalem because of persecution had settled in Antioch and some shared their faith with their new neighbors, the Greeks:

“When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord.” Acts 11:22-24.

Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and full of faith. Many people came to God because of him! He pointed them away from himself and to Jesus. It was here, at Antioch, that they were first called Christians. Some historians say that was not a compliment, nor just a religious designation or affiliation. In Antioch, by calling them Christians, they were mocking them, similar to Christians today being labeled right-wing extremists. So these new babes in Christ were already being persecuted for their faith. Enter Barnabas, the Encourager! Barnabas helped the newest believers become established in the faith and in relationship with Jesus Christ. And the Church grew. Even though the people of Antioch may have been mocking these spirit-filled believers, they didn’t realize they were truly complimenting them anyway. Because of people like Barnabas, unassuming, not as loud or commanding as Paul, so influential with his servant attitude, his willingness to get out of the way and give all he had that they named him and those that followed him, Christ-like. Just as he stood in the gap for Saul, he again had decisions to make. Some followers of Jesus were sure this message was only for the Jews, God’s chosen people, but Barnabas “saw the grace of God, he rejoiced”! But, you ask, where do I get that he was a Door Keeper? Barnabas was a Levite. (Acts 4:36) Do you remember from our first post in this series about the Levites? The Levites were in charge of the care and daily running of the Temple. One of their duties was that of a Door Keeper. They came in every seven days to fulfill their responsibilities and even lived in the temple on the third floor! In the New Testament it is not clear that Door Keepers still performed the same duties as they did hundreds of years before in the temple. But that didn’t change the fact that Barnabas was a Levite, raised to serve, and he exemplified this character trait in his role as apostle.

Barnabas and Saul go on to co-pastor the church in Antioch. Barnabas went so far as to go and get Saul to come back and help him in this work. He knew Saul was more dynamic but he wasn’t afraid of being overshadowed by this great preacher. He also knew he couldn’t do this alone and was willing, again, to do his own work, what God had called him to do and to realize when he couldn’t handle it by himself to seek out Godly men to help him.

Door Keepers, then and now, invite others IN.

Door Keepers guard the Church, the Body of Christ.

Door Keepers prefer others before themselves.

Door Keepers point the lost and weary to an able God.

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Barnabas was such a man. He was honored by those who served with him because he was humble and knew when to step out of the way. He also wasn’t afraid to stand up for something when he knew it was right, such as with Saul’s conversion. He stood in the gap!

How about you? Are you a Door Keeper? Do you exemplify Christ in all that you do? Do you point others to the One who gave His very life for each one of us? Are you a game-changer?

I want to be a Door Keeper. I want to be IN the Church, IN the Body and doing my own work that God has called me to do!

I would love to hear YOUR thoughts on the Door Keeper and join me tomorrow for Part 4 in this series!