No Ordinary Joe:

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No Ordinary Joe What does it take to Change the
World? Acts 436-37 1122-24
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This week How are your investments ?
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What about your M.I.F.G. ? Maximum Impact for
God
What does it take to make a difference? Acts
436-37 1122-24
4
There was a man named Joseph a
Levite from Cyprus whom the Apostles
called Barnabas who sold a field and
brought the money and placed it at the Apostles
feet.
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There was a man named Joseph

• Common name among the people
• Joseph, Son of Jacob, 2nd to Pharoah
• Joseph, earthly father of Jesus
• Joseph of Arimathea, who gave his tomb to Jesus
• Nothing to draw attention to Barnabas just an
  ordinary Joe

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There was a man named Joseph a Levite

• Jewish Tribe of Levi entrusted with the sacred
  task of spiritual leadership of the people and
  the preservation of the Scriptures.
• Barnabas learned to read and write in the
  Synagogue.
• Memorized most of the Pentateuch by age 13.
• Social position within the Jewish culture and
  honed him for future leadership.

7
There was a man named Joseph a
Levite from Cyprus

• Jews of the Diaspora seen as 2nd Class by
  Jerusalem leadership
• Saw themselves as survivors
• Advantage of cultural understanding and Greek
  education
• Possibly knew those in Acts 8 who went to Antioch
  to preach

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What do we learn from Scripture?
God prepared Barnabas God prepares us too! (1
Corinthians 14)
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There was a man named Joseph a Levite
from Cyprus whom the Apostles called Barnabas

• Means Son of Encouragement
• Same root word for PARAKLETEO John 1416
• How would you like your nickname to be The
  Comforter ?

10
There was a man named Joseph a Levite
from Cyprus called Barnabas
who sold a field and brought the money and
placed it at the Apostles feet.

• 2 Considerations
• What was a Levite doing with land?
• What was the significance of the sale?

11
There was a man named Joseph a Levite
from Cyprus whom the Apostles called
Barnabas who sold a field and brought the
money and placed it at the Apostles feet.
12

• What does it take to change the world?
• God prepared Barnabas.
• Barnabas consecrated himself.
• But theres more!

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Acts 1122-24 Barnabas was a good man
full of the Holy Spirit and full of faith
and a great number of people were brought to
the Lord
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• What does the story of Joe from Cyprus teach
  us?
• God uses the events in our lives to prepare us.
• God calls us to consecrate ourselves (give
  ourselves completely over to His purposes).
• God gives us the Holy Spirit to cause us to grow
  and lead fruitful, purposeful lives.

15

• How does God change the world?
• God takes normal, ordinary people
• Transforms them through an encounter with Jesus
• And uses them to change the world through the
  power of the indwelling Holy Spirit
• What do we need to do? (John 112)
• Believe in Christ Jesus
• Consecrate (give) ourselves to him
• Receive the Holy Spirit

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Can God use an ordinary Joe and make him a
world changer?
Wilbur Chapman
Edward Kimball
Billy Graham
Mordecai Ham
D.L. Moody
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Can God use us and make us into world changers ?