Stronger together (part 15) - Encourage One Another

Encourage One Another

Today were goingt to talk about a very vital aspect of building a relationship supportive church.

The Bible teaches that we are in this together. That the Holy Spirit places every member of the Body of Christ right where He wants them.

You are not here by accident

but rather by divine appointment.

And your not just here to fill a seat.

God has a purpose for you.

And one of His primary purposes for all of us, is to Build one another UP.

One of the primal ways of doing that it to intentially build each other up.

1 Thessalonians 5 NASB95

1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. 12 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, 13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. 14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. 16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit; 20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil. 23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. 25 Brethren, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. 27 I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Let’s pray

This is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible.

not just because of verses 12& 13 although its probably good to memorize them, and keep them close to your heart

This chapter is packed full of useful instructions, and today we will springboard from verse 11

1 Thessalonians 5:11 NASB95

11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

Whenever you see the word “therefore” it good practice to take a look and discover why its “there”

1 Thessalonians 5:9–10 NASB95

9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.

This letter from Paul to the church at thessalonica reminds of that we are different from the world.

We are of the light, not the darkness, so we don’t have the same concerns as the those caught in darkness are consummed by.

Because of Jesus’s death and subsequent ressurection we are now with Him in the light in this life and the life to come

Therefore we should encourage and build one another up!

I like how the Apostle Paul puts in the last part of the verse “just as you also are doing”

He’s saying “ I know you are already do this. Keep it up!”

There are many of you who are already doing this.

That’s great. Keep it up.

let’s this message be a gentle reminder of what your already doing.

for some of you this may be a struggle.

you may have wounds of the past that get in the way of you doing this.

well let’s discover together how to build and encourage one another.

I would like you to think about someone who you like to be around. who you like to hang out with

everyone thinking of someone.

Now as you think about this person, is one major characterics of them is that they encourage you?

pretty good chance

Why?

well is natural to want to be around a person who encourages you.

just like its natural to want to avoid those who discourages you.

One of the best ways to let your light shine in this dark world is to be an encourager.

Define “encouragement”

means to “give courage”

Define “courage”

The meaning of COURAGE is mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.

Definition:

give support and advice to (someone) so that they will do or continue to do something.

encouragement is not simply saying something nice or polite to someone

Its not just giving someone compiments, that may be part of it”

complimenting their clothes, are their haircut

It’s actually speaking into them God’s truth so they have the tenacity to do what God wants them to do.

let’s admit. When God askes us to do something. It often outside our comfort zone.

can I get an Amen

It often stretches us beyond what we feel we are capable of.

its hard, its difficult

often we are forced to change the way we are thinking.

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 NASB95

9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. 10 For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. 11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

When God wants you to do something, its often a requirement that you will need people along the way.

Hebrews 10:23–25 NASB95

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Although I like technology one thing became very obvious to me during the lockdowns

the church cannot survive without meeting together

Now I’m not talking about the current model of church.

sing a few song

Throw a few bucks in the plate

hear a long winded preacher.

true we can can do all those things online

but the one thing we tried but could not do was for each of you to be an encouragement to each other

I believe part of the new wine skin, is a return to the original purpose of the church.

1 Corinthians 14:23–33 NASB95

23 Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you. 26 What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; 28 but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. 30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; 33 for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

1 Corinthians 14:26 NASB95

26 What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.

I know this sounds foreign to us.

eash one:

has a psalm. We have one leader who selects the songs

has a teaching: 1 Preacher preaches

Has a revelation: not alot of opportunity for people to prophesy

Speaks in tongues and interprets..... been a while

The church as a whole has fallen into this pattern of the song leader leads, the pastor preaches, maybe someone will prophesy or give a tongue in Holy Spirit filled churches.

but what has this lead us too.

A church for the most part, is people come to be served

sing songs I like, preach a sermon that tickles my ears. don’t make me feel uncomfortable.

It’s like were producing a show.

that’s how I felt during the lockdown

I felt more like a producer than a pastor

rather the purpose of the church is for us to come together and serve one another with the gifts God has given you.

What is this going to look like an the 21st century church.

I don’t have all the answers.

But I know we have to get there.

One of the ways we are going to get there is by encouraging one another.

Sometime that encouragment breaks us out of the bondage of sin

Hebrew 3:13

Hebrews 3:13 NASB95

13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Hardened by the deceitfulness of sin

This passage is a warning to Christian believers not to allow stubbornness, sin, or a lack of faith to rob them of God's promised blessings.

The nation of Israel suffered when it failed to "hold fast," and spent forty years wandering in the desert.

So too can a Christian suffer when they lack trust and faith in God. One key to avoiding this pitfall is the influence of other Christian believers.

One of the great benefits of healthy church relationships is loving correction.

Having a meaningful, personal relationship with other Christians means "watching each other's back."

This means warning our brothers and sisters in Christ when they are being pulled away into sin and helping them to resist temptation and error.

The urgency is highlighted by using the phrase "as long as it is called 'today.'"

Today we would say "do it while you still can."

The New Testament often explains that sin is deceptive, destructive, and deadly

2 Timothy 3:13 NASB95

13 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Titus 3:3 NASB95

3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.

It can also create a spiritual callous, making us less sensitive to our own sin

1 Timothy 4:2 NASB95

2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,

We shoud love each other enough to "encourage, uplift, or challenge" each other when it comes to living a righteous life.

This is not done out of a spirit of judgement, but our motivation should be love.

Application

So how do we be an encouragment to one another?

remember our definition;

speaking into them God’s truth so they have the tenacity to do what God wants them to do.

In order to do this it’s helpful to have insights into the plans God has for them.

To do this we simply ask Holy Spirit to reveal it to us

daily pray.

Holy Spirit show me who I can be an encouagement to today?

He may speak a name, show you a picture of someone, bring up a memory of someone, place someone in your minds

however God speaks to you, you will get it.

Then once you have someone in mind

Ask Father, How do you want me to encourage them today?

He may ask you to say something to them.

Word’s of Life

He may ask you to do something for them.

But this is where the test begins.

When God tells you something, make sure you are obedient and do it.

it may be easy, or it may really stretch you.

the purpose is to train you in obedience and be an encourment to somone else

so the can better be obedient to Jesus.

Let me close with these verses

Romans 15:5–6 NASB95

5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2:2–3 NASB95

2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Let’s pray