Encouragement in the Lord

Introduction

Where is Paul at on this current journey

We live in a world that is always attempting to bring you down

we can look anywhere online or on TV and see all kinds of reasons why we should not be happy

especially happy serving the Lord

Acts 20:1–12 CSB

1 After the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples, encouraged them, and after saying farewell, departed to go to Macedonia. 2 And when he had passed through those areas and offered them many words of encouragement, he came to Greece 3 and stayed three months. The Jews plotted against him when he was about to set sail for Syria, and so he decided to go back through Macedonia. 4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5 These men went on ahead and waited for us in Troas, 6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread. In five days we reached them at Troas, where we spent seven days. 7 On the first day of the week, we assembled to break bread. Paul spoke to them, and since he was about to depart the next day, he kept on talking until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we were assembled, 9 and a young man named Eutychus was sitting on a window sill and sank into a deep sleep as Paul kept on talking. When he was overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 But Paul went down, bent over him, embraced him, and said, “Don’t be alarmed, because he’s alive.” 11 After going upstairs, breaking the bread, and eating, Paul talked a long time until dawn. Then he left. 12 They brought the boy home alive and were greatly comforted.

PRAY

Biblical encouragement does not simply make you feel better about where you are, but pushes you to follow the Lord more closely.

Planned Encouragement

Paul sets out on this missionary journey with the purpose of strengthening the believers

Acts 18:23 CSB

23 After spending some time there, he set out, traveling through one place after another in the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

Acts 20:1 CSB

1 After the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples, encouraged them, and after saying farewell, departed to go to Macedonia.

After the riot calls the disciples of Ephesus together to speak to them

purpose was to encourage them

why would they need encouragement

the riot!

Paul was leaving

What is Paul’s message?

Luke does not record it for us, but uses the word encouragement

encouragement - to urge, beg or exhort

the word that Paul gave to these people was not it will be okay

Paul is urging them in the Lord, his message is, He is worth whatever may come

Paul leaves because he knows that they encouragement is not based on him

if their following of the Lord is based on Paul being there, they are not following the Lord but Paul

if we are following the Lord because your parents make you, your spouse makes you, then you are not following the Lord

our following the Lord is not based on circumstances

Encouragement in Difficulties

I gave my grandson a book called, “The Moon is Always Round”

the premise of this children’s book is that just like the moon is always round, even when it doesn’t appear that way, God is always good, even when we do not see it

Two different difficulties in this passage

one that Paul is going to experience

one that others will experience

Acts 20:2–12 CSB

2 And when he had passed through those areas and offered them many words of encouragement, he came to Greece 3 and stayed three months. The Jews plotted against him when he was about to set sail for Syria, and so he decided to go back through Macedonia.

Paul moves on to Greece and as he was about to leave he learned of a plot against him

this means the Jews knew Paul was going to sail out of Greece and plotted to kill him

we would think it might be time to go home

Paul has been through a lot, a little threat is not going to scare him

maybe its time to worry about a little self preservation

Unfortunately it takes far less to frighten us

fear of loss

of reputation, stuff, relationships

we will make excuses for each other

you need to put you first for a while…

the call to encourage each other is not one with a caveat

if you are experiencing loss, danger, heartache

but it is not a fake encouragement where we put on a happy face and pretend like we do not feel what we are

some of the greatest encouragement that I have felt has come from watching strong believers in a time of loss

Acts 20:2–12 CSB

4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5 These men went on ahead and waited for us in Troas, 6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread. In five days we reached them at Troas, where we spent seven days. 7 On the first day of the week, we assembled to break bread. Paul spoke to them, and since he was about to depart the next day, he kept on talking until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we were assembled, 9 and a young man named Eutychus was sitting on a window sill and sank into a deep sleep as Paul kept on talking. When he was overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 But Paul went down, bent over him, embraced him, and said, “Don’t be alarmed, because he’s alive.” 11 After going upstairs, breaking the bread, and eating, Paul talked a long time until dawn. Then he left. 12 They brought the boy home alive and were greatly comforted.

This story is famous for Paul talking so long and putting the kid to sleep

Luke makes note throughout our passage today that Paul talks a lot, uses many words

encouragement does not always come in many words

v12, they brought the boy home and were greatly comforted

What had taken place to get to the point of comfort, or encouragement

Comfort is same word translated comfort twice previously

listened to preaching, worshipped through communion, fellowship together over a meal and saw God work

these are all things that could be done together every time believers get together

our worship is an encouragement to those around us

hearing people sing together is an encouragement, you rob people of a blessing when we refuse to sing aloud out of fear

This is why we must not fail in meeting together

Fellowship of Encouragement

I love worshipping with fellow believers

Heather has said that her favorite days are when I do not preach, but still come here to worship

we worship as a family with our spiritual family

We have good fellowship after our service, but it is not always what we see described in Hebrews

it is not simply talking about the weather or the latest game

we are to speak about spiritual things

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.

We are to come thinking of others before ourselves

striving to provoke each other into good works and love

Not only is the worship to be about God, not ourselves

we are to think of others after the Lord to encourage them, provoke them to love, serve

When we worship in this way, we leave encouraged the way that the boys family was taking him home alive

we have seen God at work

Discussion Questions

What was Paul's primary purpose in his missionary journey?

What message did Paul convey to the disciples before leaving, and why was it important?

How did Paul demonstrate encouragement to the believers during difficult times?

In what ways can we encourage one another in our faith?

What does the book 'The Moon is Always Round' symbolize in relation to God's goodness?

What dangers does Paul face on his journey, and how does he respond to them?

Why is it significant that the disciples gathered to break bread on the first day of the week?

How can our worship together serve as encouragement to others?