Rising Above: The Call to Encourage One Another

Bible Passage: Hebrews 10:24-25, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Colossians 3:16

INTRO:

Purpose of today is to encourage.

So far, we have have seen in this ‘follower’ series that

The call to follow.

What it means to follow.

The cost to follow.

and

Now we will look at the encouragement recieved to follow as we wrap up this series.

1. Gather and Grow

Hebrews 10:24–25 CSB

24 And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, 25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

Super simply, Christians are called to gather together.

that is for a couple of reasons, one of them is to grow together as brothers and sisters,

the other

to encourage one another through the struggles that we all will face in our time on earth.

For growing together, we are all to gather together to provoke love and good works.

as Christians all face struggles, it is easy for us to get into a rut. In reality, we cannot quit or stop doing what we are called to do.

Too many people quit on God and on each other.

We are all called to provoke love and good works through each other.

The way we provoke love and good works is by encouraging each other.

Think about what happens when you are made fun or / brought down a few notches.

does it make you want to produce good works? What do you want to do?

Crawl into a hole and disappear.

That is NOT what we are called to do as Christians.

We are called to encourage one another.

That is how we become the best version of Christians that we are able to be.

One of the main times that we get to encourage one another is during the times that we gather together.

As Christians, we are called to gather together, so we may encourage one another.

We are told in Hebrews 10:25

Hebrews 10:25 CSB

25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

We are not to stop encouraging until the Lord comes back. This is our task, and it will not end until we see glory.

2. Build Each Believer

1 Thessalonians 5:11 CSB

11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.

The Apostle Paul gives us this verse, and it is one that I want us to think about.

We have already talked about encouraging one another, but I want us to look at building up one another.

When Jesus called the disciples to follow him, He was not calling for perfection.

Jesus knew that perfection short of Him was not to be had.

Instead, Jesus wanted obedience from the disciples, so that He could build them up.

Look at Matthew 4:19

Matthew 4:19 CSB

19 “Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fish for people.”

Here is the reality. Jesus wanted to build us up.

Jesus came to this earth for us to have an example, but to also become the perfect sacrifice on Calvary for us.

We are called to show Jesus, to be like Jesus.

Jesus built people up. He took broken people and built them up to live constructive lives to spread His gospel.

That is the same as what we are called to do.

Not just to live a life worthy of the gospel, but to build up others to do the mane.

Matthew 28:19 CSB

19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

3. Sing and Share

Colossians 3:16 CSB

16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Sing and Share

Everything that we do as Christians is supposed to be done as it is unto the Lord.

It should all be done from a place of overflow of the Holy Spirit.

Naturally, that overflow will also show the Holy Spirit in everything that we do.

Vv. 16 - The Holy Spirit will overflow out of us while we go about our lives as a Christian.

Through the times that we share God’s Word (wisdom), teach, admonish (instruct), sing.

But when the Word of God dwells richly among us, we have no other option but to SING and SHARE Jesus.

Conclusion

Colossians 3:17 CSB

17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Everything that you do, do it in the name of Jesus, and do it in a way that gives thanks to Him for what He has done for you.

You are NOT alone in this journey.

You have the church behind you, and you have Jesus in front of you. Just follow Him.