Week 8: Joseph

Who was Joseph?

There are a number of different Joseph's in the bible. This Joseph that we will learn about today is found in the book of Acts.

Acts 4:32-37

What we learn about Joseph comes from two verses, but it tells us about his character and genuine heart for God!

What can we learn from this passage?

We see that Joseph was nicknamed by the apostles. They called him Barnabus and his nickname meant "Son of Encouragement." This tells us about his character and the fruit of his love for God. People saw him as someone that uplifted and supported others. As 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, we should encourage one another and build each other up. As sons and daughters of Christ, we should all strive to be sons and daughters of encouragement, too!

How can we do this?

First, we need to ask God to change our hearts. When we ask God to help us to be more encouraging and more loving, we are admitting that we are wrong sometimes in the way we act and respond: we are admitting that we need help. Another important thing we must do is to read the Word of God. We know that the bible convicts us and guides us in our Christian walk. How do we encourage one another? By building each other up!

We also see that the believers at this time were united by their faith and were eager to share their possessions. Joseph was specifically named in this passage as one of the people who sold their property and gave the money to the apostles.

Why is this important?

This group of believers were not attached to their possessions. What I mean is, they knew that Christ was enough for them! We also see that Joseph loved God and sacrificed his belongings and money for His kingdom.

How do we apply this?

Maybe you have a phone, Ipad, tablet, a favorite toy, or even money. These are all great blessings and nice things to have, but if you didn't have them, you would still be okay!!! Even if you gained the whole world, happiness does not come from objects or things: our true joy should come from Christ.

We also learn that we should, not only sacrifice our earthly things for God's glory, but live our lives as a living sacrifice. This means that everything we do must be for the glory of God.