Do you remember playing “follow the leader” when you were younger? Or maybe you remember watching a round of “follow the leader” at a Vacation Bible School or child’s birthday party? The goal is to follow everything the leader does and do it yourself the same way the leader does it. You have to pay close attention to the leader, follow the leader when and where they go, and sometimes you even help others find their way through the game.
As the church, we need to follow Jesus and help others do the same. What does it look like to follow Jesus?
You GO when & where God leads
You GO for the purpose of the gospel
You actively mentor & encourage others (13:5)
Barnabas sought out Saul, “showed him the ministry ropes,” and gave him genuine friendship in ministry when others would not give him the time of day because of his background. It was Barnabas who brought him to the other disciples (Acts 9:26-31). It was Barnabas who went looking for Saul for the purpose of discipleship and ministry (Acts 11:25-26). It was Barnabas who chose Saul as a missionary partner, found Saul in Tarsus, and led Saul to travel to Antioch for a year of teaching and preaching in that location. In fact, their ministry was so effective, and God enabled, that the followers of Jesus were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26) during their ministry in that city.
Saul is the younger believer in this relationship. Saul’s ministry part began with maintaining a willing heart to serve, a teachable spirit to learn, and a heart focused on the Lord. Saul will eventually take the lead in this relationship; however, he takes the lead after several years of mentoring and spiritual growth. Barnabas was that mentor for Saul.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a “mentor” as a trusted counselor or guide, a tutor, a coach. Seasoned doctors mentor new doctors coming out of med school— they call it their ‘residency.’ Parents mentor their children. Businesses mentor new employees, and Barnabas mentored Saul. A mentor “guides or teaches” the one being mentored. So, choose your mentor wisely. Be certain your guide or teacher (mentor) leads you closer to Jesus! Be sure you mentor others in a way that points them to Jesus!
Here are some crucial elements to effective mentoring:
1. TEACHABLENESS
Jn. 8:31; Ps. 119:66; Ps. 86:11; Acts 17:11; II Tim. 3:14
A toddler is struggling with a task and a parent comes along to help them. However, a popular response from a toddler is, “No! I do it!” So, they continue struggling, getting angry, and even crying because they refused to be taught how to do it! A toddler often needs to be taught how to be “teachable.”
Are we living the Christian life like toddlers – “No! I do it!” Are we unwilling or too proud to be taught better relationship with Jesus? Both the mentor and the mentored need to be teachable. No one can effectively mentor an unwilling person, nor can an unwilling mentor help a willing person. Some people will play “hard to get” believing their value is worth the chase, yet they will often spend years wanting to be chased. The time we still have on this earth is unknown, so engage with those willing to pursue Jesus. There are many (Matt. 9:37-38)!
2. SPIRIT-FILLED LOVE
Love is selfless, kind, and sacrificial (among other things). We hear things like: “I love pizza,” “I love hiking,” and “I love you.” Yet, we do not mean the same level of love with each of these statements – at least, we would all hope we love our spouse more than we love pizza! Right?!
Mentoring is a time consuming, yet vital, occupation. It is also spiritually, physically, mentally, and relationally draining at times. Mentoring can be an exhausting, but vital opportunity! If we engage in mentoring with selfish motives, impatience, or pride…we will mentor a person in the wrong direction! We need something – someone – more than ourselves. We NEED the enabling power of the Spirit of God to demonstrate genuine love. It is the love of Jesus we must embrace and model (I Cor. 13:4-8).
3. PRAYER
Abraham Lincoln once said, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day.”
Mentoring is rewarding, but it is also laborious. This is hard, challenging work that has eternal value! We lack the wisdom needed for such a task. Also, not one of us can make someone choose decisions that brings them closer to Jesus. They must make the choice themselves for genuine, transforming change. We need the help of another. We all need one who is able to affect such change of heart. We all need Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit! The Bible promises that prayer effectively impacts such needs (Jn. 14:14; 15:7; Jas. 5:16; I Jn. 3:22)!
4. MODELING
A father told his children they could not have any treats before dinner and sent them out to play until dinner. The father then sat down to a bowl of chips and dip (and a few cookies), since after all, he is the father and had worked hard all day. The children came back inside to use the restroom and unexpectedly found their dad eating a snack (a snack they were told they could not have before dinner). The children were upset and felt unjustly treated!
The “do as I say and not as I do” model simply does not work. In fact, that model inspires rebellion! The mentor can only lead as far as he or she has traveled themselves. The mentor needs to keep a teachable spirit, but the mentor also needs to continue to grow their relationship with God, as well — so they might model Christ with greater clarity each day.
…finally, following Jesus will have…
You boldly face opposition to truth (13:8-12)
In the next 5 verses, Acts 13:8-12, we read of Sergius Paulus wanting to hear from Barnabas and Saul. However, there is a distraction to the gospel named Elymas (or Barjesus). In Elymas’ attempt to distract his friend from the gospel, Saul confronts Elymas. It is here that Saul is now called Paul. Paul calls Elymas the child of the devil, a liar, and the enemy of righteousness – and then calls him out for perverting the “right ways of the Lord.” This is quite the scene that has an incredible surprise ending! After Paul declares that Elymas will lose his sight for a time, he immediately becomes blind and begins seeking for someone to lead him. Sergius Paulus then swiftly believes and is astonished at the teaching of the Lord. Now this is one dramatic scene – Paul boldly faces opposition to the gospel!
What do we do with opposition to the truth of the gospel? We stand for the truth! There will be those oppose the gospel. Two popular opposition stands to the gospel are:
“All paths lead to God.” Nothing could be farther from the truth! Acts 4:12; John 14:6 are two of many passages in the Bible that clearly declare Jesus is the only way.
God is love, not judgment. The truth is, God is both! Jn. 3:36; 5:24 remind us that God demonstrated His amazing love to satisfy His justice without contradicting Himself.
These oppositions to the gospel have no ground on which to stand!
The story is told of an old man who was wandering in the desert looking for water. He approached an old shack and on the porch area he found a water pump. Next to the water pump he saw a one-gallon jug. A note on the jug said, “Use all the water to prime the pump.” The man’s instincts said to drink the water and not trust the pump. Nevertheless, he poured the water into the pump and began pumping until an abundance of cool water came to the top.
The Bible is like the note on that water jug. Sometimes the instructions contained in the Bible do not make sense to us, but it is always right. (Source: Unknown)
God’s leading is always consistent with God’s Word! Follow the Bible to follow God’s leading.