Encouraging the discouraged
Notes
Transcript
Our culture
Our culture
We live in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation (Php2:15), just as it was in the first century
Our culture today the difference is we have a cancel culture
Don’t agree, cancel
Don’t like, just leave
Don’t speak face to face, just argue on social media (put in illustration of men of Christ Facebook page).
We, even in the church, look for little differences, disagreeable things and can divide or cancel because of it.
For many the face to face has been replaced by texts where things can be taken wrong. We have closer relationships with our phones, laptops than we do with people
Our culture today with mass media we are quick to see, hear of the bad, and the good is not spoken of as much, so it can get discouraging.
Our culture today is all too often the “me first,” and not as scripture not to merely look out for your own interest but that of others too(Php2:4)
Even in the church, we know the answers to these things, “Jesus.” Yet we can still get discouraged (insert personal feelings, story here)
(Transition) Paul in his last writing, from prison, knowing he was already being poured out as a drink offering (2Tim4:6) writes to encourage his young protege.
So, this series is about who needs it, encouragement that is. So, let’s get into this now.
Thank God for others!
Thank God for others!
Turn to with me (2Tim1:1-7) listen to how Paul starts his letter to Timothy.
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, 4 longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
Paul thanks God for Timothy
Are you taking time to thank God for others? Be specific!
For his sincere faith (v.5)
For the gift of God that is in him (v.6)
This can help even encourage us, for we take the focus off us and put it on God and others.
Fan into flame
Fan into flame (ESV), in the GNB it says “keep alive the gift” in the NASB says “kindle afresh.” So, when it comes to encouragement
Know The Spirit has given you gifts (turn to and read)
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
A variety of gifts to be used for the body (see 1Cor12).
Our part is to use know them, then use them. - (expand on knowing, finding your spiritual gifts); this can go with using your God given talents (physical, mental) one’s too. They may be separate from your spiritual gifts.
Paul does not say “hey Timothy let me fan into flame” no, he tells him to do it! How do you keep a fire going? You stoke the fire, you add to the fire.
Stoke the fire by continuing to purify yourself and preventing impurities in you
Stoke the fire by continuing to put God’s word in you
Stoke the fire through prayer, obedience, your words, your actions with others, stoke your fire!
Spiritual gifts, God gives us, we need to use them. Don’t hide them, bury them like the man with one talent, use them for the glory of God and the building up of the saints, the church.
(Transition) - So from a imprisoned man to a under attack young preacher, Paul gives instructions to “fan into flame” - Paul says basically encourage yourself and here is how. Now we get to our next point of encouraging the discouraged.
Encourage one another to use their spiritual gifts
Do you see someones gifts/talents? Encourage them in them. Paul while instructing 2Tim1:6, is also encouraging.
Don’t be critical of someones gifts, but complimentary of them. Now, if there is correction that is needed, we need to do it with gentleness and respect. Remember they are using them for the body for the good and maybe the gift still needs to be developed more. So don’t judge and condemn, encourage and lift up one another.
Encourage as it says in 1The5:11
11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
God is the giver of perseverance and encouragement (Rom15:5) so you encourage one another. Maybe you have the right words to help someone to “fan into flame” a flame about to go out for not being used or not seen as useful.
Encourage one another in love and into good deeds (Heb10:24)
Encourage one another today (Heb3:13) -so no one get caught in the deceitfulness of sin.
Each have gifts (1Cor12:11); encourage each other to use the gifts for the good of the body.
Engage your spiritual gifts
Spirit distributed (1Cor12:11)
God powered (turn to 2Tim1:7)
7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
Engaging comes with knowledge first
Engaging comes with believing
Engaging comes with a decision, direction followed by
Engaging comes with power, love and self-discipline, a determination to use it for the good of the body.
Engage knowing it is God who is at work in you and works through you!
Engage your head, heart, hands picture inserted here.
When it comes to your spiritual gift, to be engaged with them, God uses the head, the heart and the hands. I found a great article by focus on the family I will briefly pull from it.
From the head
Know your God given gifts, talents, abilities.
Thank God for them
Ask God to help you to grow and develop them for His purpose and His glory for the building up of the kingdom of God
From the heart
Use the gift to develop the gift, to master the gift for the glory of God. You heard the phrase practice makes perfect? Well practice from your heart knowing it is for the glory of God
Zealously, passionately seek God through His word to give you direction and growth in your God given gift. Remember He created you for good works (Eph2:10) in His image (Gen1:27) and you are beaufifully and wonderfully made (Ps139:14), so use what He created, what He gave for His glory, from your heart to His!
With your hands
Share the use of your gifts at home first, then with the church family.
Inquire of others how can you put to use the gifts, talents, abilities that God has given you for the glory of God
Couple, use your gifts along with others gifts coupling together to serve the kingdom of God. That is encouraging one another.
Volunteer: Don’t wait to be asked to use a God given gift, put it to use without being asked. See something you can do, do it, or ask if you can do it. (illustration of discipleship/accountability group here)
Encourage one another: Mentioned this before, encourage one another to use their God given gifts, talents, abilities and that will help each other “fan into flame.” - - - - one who was discouraged can be encouraged by someone coming along side with them.
Encouragement for the discouraged
Timothy was in the city of Ephesus a place surrounded by ungodly people with many idols, beliefs
Timothy was looked down on because of his age
Timothy must have had some discouragement hence why Paul wrote this second letter, some final words of encouragement and direction for him.
We can get discouraged easily in this world that faces many of the things that Timothy did then, this series is about that. Let me leave with one more verse
6 Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
(insert invitation slide) (Prayer) (Exit)