Encourager

I would like to start by saying that preaching to adults is less intimidating than preaching at the academy. It takes a special kind of preacher to be able to do both. Preaching in front of 3 to 17-year-olds will push you to the limit. I actually would love to see Pastor Ward preaching to them

We’ve been reading Philippians this month, and I believe Paul wanted to be an encourager for those in Philippi. After writing from prison to the “troublemakers” in Corinth and the “legalists” in Galatia, we can read the “relief” in Paul when he writes in chapter 1 verses 3 and 4, “3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy,” 

It’s not that he didn’t love the other churches, but Philippi was his crown, the one church that he told other ministers about. We can’t find many things going wrong in that church, except for a couple of verses where he begs a couple of ladies to work out their disagreements. And that’s about it. The rest is really commending them, encouraging them, telling them to keep up the good work.

And today I want to be an encourager. I believe there is someone here who needs just that. It might be one person or it might be 100, but this is what I believe the Lord wants to do. 

It might not be the deepest message you hear all year, but I have the coolest russian accent, although I’m from Spain, so there is that. 

Some scientists suggest that a positive thought takes at least 15 seconds to take effect. A negative thought or comment is instantly taken in. The world and the enemy don’t want you to be happy, to stay positive, or to prosper. 

Discouragement is a powerful weapon that the enemy uses against Christians, so we need encouragement. 

One of the most important persons in the New Testament is Barnabas, whose name literally means “Son of Encouragement”. Without him, we probably wouldn’t have most of the writings in the New Testament. 

After Paul gets born again miraculously on the road to Damascus, every other Christian doubts him, rightfully so. He had persecuted, incarcerated, and killed Christians. Not the first person you would invite to a prayer meeting. But Barnabas, I believe, through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, gives him a chance and takes him under his wing.

Some time later, Barnabas is elected to lead the church in Antioch, and he goes out of his way to Tarsus, where Paul is, to serve with him at that Church.

Acts 11:24-26 “24 Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord.

25 Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. “

Without Barnabas, there might not have been Paul. Paul, the great Paul, needed an encourager. And if he did, I believe some of us might need it today as well.

Some of you need encouragement. And some of you need to step up and be an encourager. This church needs both.

I mentioned that the enemy and the world don't want you to prosper, to get better, to help others. He wants to trip you up with negative thoughts that will take root instantly. 

I want to focus on chapter 4 of Philippians, where I believe Paul summarizes and presents three key points to encourage them as he concludes the letter.

Stand Firm in Truth

In verse 1, we read “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!” In other versions, it says “stay true to the Lord”. 

He is referring to imitating Christ, to know the truth and practice it. He has told in previous chapters to stand against legalists, people who put rules and works instead of grace. 

A Christian might know the truth and sometimes sin. Some people recover, but others deal with thoughts of “I’m not good enough, there is no point in this,” which is so far from what God says. Yes, you might have sinned, but there is a way back. Don’t be prideful and choose not to repent. Repent and come back. It is that easy, and at the same time, difficult for some people to grasp.

And you can’t let other people tell you otherwise

I read this testimony from someone at another church yesterday 

When I'm late to church, people turn around and stare at me with frowns of disapproval. I get the clear message that I m not as responsible as they are.

But when I'm late to AA, the meeting comes to a halt, and everyone jumps up to hug and welcome me. They realize that my lateness may be a sign that I almost didn’t make it. When I show up, it proves that my desperate need for them won out over my desperate need for alcohol.

The Church can’t do that. We can’t discourage people, especially if we think we are above them, when God has brought us from the same pits or worse than them. We can’t forget His love for us and not show it to other people. 

Stand firm in Unity

Another way that Paul repeatedly tells the Philippian church to do is to stand united. He knows how important that is.

He begs those two ladies to work it out, in chapter 4 verse 2, as I said before. Paul knew that if we didn’t resolve our disagreements, we would lose the very strength we need to face the world, and we could get discouraged.

I hate church splits, more than anything, splits about stupid stuff. We can’t allow that to happen. In this day and age, we see everyone arguing for things, and more than anything, the love for arguing, the love for being right. That is just plain pride dressed as righteousness. 

Of course, I’m not saying to agree blindly, but work out the differences. We are adults here, and we might have disagreements, but we are commended time and time again to be united. God doesn’t want a split bride.

I might not agree with everything that a Calvinist says, or a Baptist, or whoever, but I know they are my brothers. I truly do. And it honestly saddens me that there are so much bickering between denominations. As a pastor from Spain called them, abominations. And I know I can’t fix the world, I can’t fix denominations, but by God, at least in this church, if a disagreement comes, let’s work it out together. Let’s hear each other. We share a common goal to reach all of Maine, and I assure you, we won’t be able to do it if we are not united.

And that goes for anyone here, there might be a disagreement between you and a family member, or a church member. The same thing as Paul said to those two ladies. Work it out, settle it. Don’t let a disagreement build up hatred. Know that there is common ground, a common love, a common goal.

 Ultimately, standing united is how we prove that the power of the Lord is with us, just as it was when Barnabas and Paul stood together in Antioch.

Stand firm in Joy

And finally, Paul writes in verse 4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” In the previous chapter, in 3:1, he says “Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.”

Joy is a safeguard to your faith.

You know that saying, “Don’t let anything steal your joy”? Well, it’s true. 

Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

We are called to stand joyful. For Paul, joy was never about his surroundings, the situation he was in; it was his weapon against a prison cell, against anxiety. To stand joyful is to declare that the goodness of God is greater than whatever our circumstances.

Conlcusion

How does it come together? Good question, and Paul has a good answer. 

In chapter 4 verse 13, Paul writes the famous verse “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Some preachers say it’s a very misquoted verse that people misuse all the time.

The truth is, I don’t know how you can misuse that verse. right before that, Paul explains: “I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

That verse literally means, you can do everything through Christ. Now, you have to be in the same mind with Him, of course. You have to stand firm in Him, in his Truth when you say that. 

It means that in every circumstance you can do it, your past, your economy, are no match for God’s plan.

You can be in unity through Christ.

You can have Joy, through Christ.

I said before, discouragement is a weapon against you.

Open the altars to get encouraged. If you are facing some situation, whatever it might be, and you need to be encouraged, come forward,