Encouraging One Another
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· 3 viewsBuild others up by affirming what God has given and assuring what God can do.
Notes
Transcript
Announcements:
We will be having a dinner after service today and everyone is invited to join us for a time of fellowship.
There will be no Bible Study, youth or kids church this Wednesday November 2nd.
Worship:
Forever
Your Great Name
Healer
Surrounded
Introduction:
This morning I would like to talk about Paul and Timothy’s relationship and how Paul encouraged Timothy which is what we should be doing as well.
Paul showed confidence in young Timothy, who was probably in his 30s and pastoring churches (multiple small churches). He needed encouragement and Paul gave him just that.
All of us need that. We need someone to spur us on in our walk with God.
And we need to do that for others as well.
11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
We don’t usually do that actively.
We react to needs around us. Only when we see someone struggling do we come by and support them.
We can learn to be more proactive in giving support and encouragement, not just when they are needed but something we give constantly, as part of our lifestyle.
Please turn to 2 Tim 1. Before we read our passage this morning, I will like to give you some background.
This was Paul’s final book, and many consider it as his “last will and testament”; his last words.
He wrote it while in prison in Rome; he was in chains (2 Tim 1:16) and he knows that his end will come soon (2 Tim 4:6).
Christians were under persecution by the Emperor Nero. Many did not dare to confess Christ openly, and there were desertions.
2 Tim 1:15 You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.
2 Tim 4:9-10 Do your best to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
2 Tim 4:14-15 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.
It was a difficult environment, but Paul being more mature, experienced and seasoned in ministry, wanted to encourage Timothy to stay strong and faithful.
Please turn in your Bibles to:
3 Timothy, I thank God for you—the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.
4 I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted. And I will be filled with joy when we are together again.
5 I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.
6 This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
8 So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.
9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.
10 And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.
11 And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.
12 That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.
13 Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus.
14 Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.
Paul voiced out his confidence in Timothy in at least 2 areas:
1. his “sincere faith” (v.5)
2. “the gift of God” in him (v.6).
5 I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.
6 This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.
What exactly the gift ( GR charisma) was, we do not know, but there’s surely a God-given gift in his life and Paul knows it. (The gift is what the Lord gave Timothy to help accomplish the task God had called him to.)
So what does this mean for us today and how can we build one another up?
Transition: First of all, we can encourage one another by:
Body:
I. AFFIRMING WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN
Most of the time, we don’t see that in ourselves. Others can see that in us.
We need to affirm one another when we see the gifts God has given one another. And He has given, according to the Scripture.
So we want to affirm what God has given to each one of us. We are inspired and encouraged through affirmations.
Be proactive in giving that and let’s remind one another of what God has given us.
To do that, we need to FOCUS on what God has blessed us with, not just our failures or weaknesses. Look at the GOOD in others and affirm them!
[In the book ‘The 360-degree Leader’]
John Maxwell, a famous author and writer of many books on leadership, shared that once he was visiting his parents and needed to make a conference call. He needed a quiet place and his father let him use his office.
As he sat at his desk, he noticed a card next to the phone with these words written in his father’s handwriting: “#1 Build people up by encouragement. #2 Give people credit by acknowledgement. #3 Give people recognition by gratitude.”
John Maxwell said, “I knew why it was there. My father had written it to remind him of how he was to treat people as he spoke to the phone with them.”
Look at the good in others and affirm them. Catch them when they are doing right and tell them so.
Illustration: TC/write ups & positive write ups; being more encouraging to the staff
See the potential in people because God has made them unique and has given them gifts to accomplish the calling God has given them.
Notice Paul did not compare Timothy to anyone else, not even to himself.
Paul has the maturity, the experience and even the knowledge to set himself as the standard for Timothy (do as I have done). But he simply told him what he saw in him. (I see something in you; not to make you like me to do what I have done but what God is wanting to do through you!)
We don’t have to compare with others, try to be like others or even try to compete with them. We just need to appreciate God’s calling in their lives and affirm them.
Paul is saying, “I believe in you. I believe you can do well, because God has given you the sincere faith and His gift.”
It’s easy to recognize great talent once people have already blossomed, but how about before they become full bloom, before they are developed?
Paul looks at the potential in Timothy and believes in what God has done for him and can do through him. He draws them out (to remind him) and encourages him.
Paul saw people as they can be, not as they are.
Tradition tells us Timothy went on to become the first bishop of Ephesus, and later died a martyr’s death.
Questions:
What has God given you?
What is God doing through you today?
Do you see what God has given others?
Do you encourage them in their gifts?
Don’t write off yourself too soon. Don’t waste the gifts of God.
Eph 4 tells us one of the jobs a pastor does is to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry and build up the saints which results in unity of faith and knowledge of Christ and spiritual maturity. This is done by getting the right people in the right seats on the bus (Recognizing the gifts God has given to others to accomplish their calling)
Don’t run from the gift you believe God has given you. Instead, talk about it with someone and learn more about it and how to use it.
God has given you gifts in order to accomplish the calling He has given you.
Paul says, “fan into flame the gift of God” and keep it ablaze! Don’t let it cool down!
Then Paul writes about not being afraid. To stand up and walk in what God has given you!
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
Don’t allow fear to keep you from walking in the gifts (teaching, hospitality, serving, encouragement, cleaning, praying, etc.) that God has given you to accomplish the calling He has given you.
Surround yourself with seasoned believers to help you walk in the gifts God has given you just as God gave Timothy Paul to help and encourage him!
Transition: The 2nd point I want to share is in 2 Tim 1:8-12
8 So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.
9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.
10 And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.
11 And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.
12 That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.
We not only encourage one another by affirming the gift God has given them but also by being:
II. SURE OF WHAT GOD CAN DO
Paul assures Timothy that God will be his strength and shield to weather the persecutions.
God will guard His work to the end - just as He did for him.
Nothing will be lost. Nothing will be in vain. All that God has called him (and Timothy) to do will be keep intact.
1 Cor 15:58
58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Paul knows his time is short (cf. 2 Tim 4:6 “the time has come for my departure”) - Satan can take his life, but he cannot stop the work of the Gospel.
That’s what the Lord said (to Peter), “I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it.” (Matt 16:18)
It was really good for young Timothy to hear that from someone older, more mature, more experience, and more seasoned in ministry.
Note how Paul puts it: “I know WHOM I have believed/trust.” (2 Tim 1:12)
He doesn’t say, “I know what I have believed,” though that would be right.
He doesn’t say, “I know how much I have believed,” that would be true too.
And he doesn’t say, “I know when I believed,” or “I know why I have believed,” even though these would be encouraging too.
He directed Timothy to dwell on the ONE to whom they have given their lives to.
Charles Spurgeon paraphrases this part this way:
It is as if he says, “I know the person into whose hand I have committed my present condition, and my eternal destiny. I know who he is, and I therefore, without any hesitation, leave myself in his hands.”
If you are trying to keep yourself safe and avoid difficulty/trials, then you are in trouble and will be disappointed one day.
You cannot keep yourself safe. Your only hope is to entrust all that you are and have to Jesus. Lay it all at his feet and you will be safe.
Put your trust in Christ and not yourself!
Jesus is not with you to protect you from storms, but to protect you in the midst of the storm! That’s where the most spiritual growth occurs!
Can you trust God enough to stand by what you believe and testify of what you know, despite the difficult circumstances? Even if you are the only one standing?
Illustration: driving here going the speed limit and multiple cars are passing us. Start questioning “is our speedometer correct?” “Should I speed up to keep pace with everyone else?” Chose to stay the course and speed and a good thing since a state trooper was sitting not too far ahead on the right!
There was a test conducted by a university where 10 students were placed in a room.
Different cards were shown with pictures of things with 3 differing lengths. The students were told to raise their hands when the instructor pointed to the longest item.
But 9 of the students had been instructed beforehand to raise their hands when the instructor pointed to the second longest line.
The one student who was kept in the dark would put his hand up, look around, and realizing he was all alone, pull it back down. Puzzled and confused at first, but he joined them eventually.
They repeated this test with students from other grades and 75% of the time, it was the same reaction.
The researchers concluded that many would rather stand with the majority than risk being right and alone.
Conclusion:
We know that we don’t go by what we see. We go by what we know is true.
• But we need support, we need faith.
• We need encouragement to stand firm and stay strong.
We need support to keep to what is true and right.
• Especially so during times of difficulty, confusion or loneliness.
Let’s be generous in doing this – let’s build confidence in one another by:
• AFFIRMING what God has given – look out for that (encourage each other in learning and utilizing their gifts for Christ), and
• ASSURING one another of what God can do (in and through us no matter what our past may be).
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
Don’t walk in fear but in encouraging others!