Change Your World…through Encouragement
Change Your World
Change Your World…through Encouragement
1. Encouragers are practitioners instead of pretenders
Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.
Acts 4:36-37 NIV
2. Encouragers see potential instead of problems (the past)
When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
Acts 9:26-28 NIV
3. Encouragers care about people instead of prominence
News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
Acts 11:22-26 NIV
Changing Your World
Who has been a Barnabas to you? Who has God placed around you that you might be a Barnabas to?
Welcome
Sermon Series…Change Your
World…last week…prayer
This week…Encouragement
Encouragement has been called: Oxygen to the soul.
Someone has said:
Flatter me and I may not believe you.
Criticize me and I may not like you
Ignore me and I may not forgive you
But encourage me and I will not forget you!!
Wow! Isn’t that true of all of us?
Encouragement is so important to every one of us!!
It’s a major theme in the bible.
The word encourage or encouragement is found over 35 times in the Bible.
There is a right way and a wrong way when it comes to encouraging others.
I’m reminded of the little boy who asked his father a question.
His father was a pastor and the little boy said, “Daddy, before you preach, why do you bow your head and put it downs in your hands?”
“Well,” said the pastor, “I am praying; I am asking God to help me with my sermon.”
The little boy said, “Then why doesn’t He?”
That is obviously the wrong way to try to encourage someone.
This morning I want to share with you the right way to encourage one another.
The book of Acts tells of a man who was such an encourager that they had to change this name.
They quit calling him by his real name—Joseph—and started calling him Barnabas…which means Son of Encouragement.
And through His encouragement he changed the world.
And through his example we can learn how to be encouragers and change our world.
2 Types of people: Joy Suckers and Joy Givers.
Which do you want to be?
Barnabas teaches us how to be Joy Givers…Encouragers.
As we look at his story in the book of Acts we find three insights about being an encourager.
You can change your world through encouragement!!
Encouragers Change their world…
1. Encouragers are practitioners instead of pretenders
In Acts 4:32-35 we find the early church together…they cared for one another and encouraged one another and helped one another when there was a need.
They would even sell their property to help the needy among them!!
That is what we find Barnabas doing as we pick up the story in Acts 4:36…
Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.
Acts 4:36-37 NIV
By his act of charity Barnabas demonstrates he is the real deal...he practices what he preaches.
This becomes very clear as you consider the contrast between Barnabas’ example and that of Ananias and Sapphira.
Their story is place right beside the example of Barnabas as you look at Acts ch 5.
Like Barnabas we see this couple also made a gift to the church…but that’s where the similarities end.
Notice vv. 1-2 of Ch. 5:
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet. Acts 5:1-2 NIV
Do you see the problem?
Ananias and Sapphira, a married couple in the Jerusalem church, concocted a plan whereby they hoped to give a little to God but get credit for a lot.
Their scheme was dishonest, and God’s judgment was swift and severe.
As you read the rest of their story you discover that God struck them dead!!
Why?
They were judged harshly because they gave under false pretenses….and ultimately lied to God.
Our culture has come up with a word to describe their actions…Posers!
The word poser means a wanna-be or a pretender…trying to be something that you are not.
Ananias and Sapphira were posing as encouragers…but it was Barnabas who was the real deal.
What was the difference?
Barnabas actually practiced the art of encouragement from the heart… Ananias and Sapphira simply pretended…and played to the crowd.
According to the NY Times in the summer of 1994 a Virginia State Trooper who was a member of the bomb squad, and his dog, became local celebrities when they found bombs at malls in Hampton and Virginia Beach.
That bit of celebrity went to the State Trooper’s head.
A hidden camera later recorded him planting a bomb in shed that he had been asked to search for explosives.
He was arrested and later pled guilty to planting explosives at 2 malls, a courthouse and coliseum.
He told investigators he had not intended to hurt anyone.
He said he was “simply trying to enhance his image.”
This man was posing as a hero…he was more interested in enhancing his image than truly helping others.
If we’re not careful we could easily fall into that trap… more interested in enhancing our image than truly helping others.
We need to get real when it comes to encouragement.
How??
10 Commandments of encouragement…
1. Speak to people
There is nothing as nice as a cheerful word of greeting.
2. Smile at people
It takes 72 muscles to frown but only 14 to smile.
3. Call people by name
The sweetest music to anyone’s ear is the sound of their own name.
4. Be friendly and helpful
If you would have friends, be friendly.
5. Be cordial
Speak and act sincerely and with real pleasure.
6. Be genuinely interested in people
You can like everyone if you try.
7. Be generous with praise, cautious with criticism
Try for a ratio of 7 praises to 1 criticism.
8. Be considerate of the feelings of others
It will be appreciated.
9. Be thoughtful of the opinions of others
Someone has said, “People love their opinions as they do their own children; calling them ugly won’t get you anything but anger
10. Be alert to give service
What counts most in life is what we do for others in the name of Jesus.
Let me encourage you to be an encourager!
Someone has said, “The greatest power of healing known to man is encouragement”.
Every heart cries out for it!!
Everyone needs encouragement…so many people are starving for encouragement.
Like the little boy who said to his father,
“Let’s play darts. I’ll throw and you say wonderful!”
Be a practitioner of encouragement…not just a pretender.
Celebrities or servants??
Practitioners or pretenders???
Motive…
Matt 6—hypocrites…fasting, giving, praying to seen by men…they got their reward…from men
But God rewards a heart that truly loves, trust and serves Him!!
Do you want to change your world?
Start practicing the art of encouragement…
Encouragers Change their world…
1. Encouragers are practitioners instead of pretenders
2. Encouragers see a person’s potential instead of their past
We see this principle fleshed out in Barnabas’s life in Acts Ch 9.
Acts 9 records the conversion of the Apostle Paul.
He was known as Saul the persecutor of Christians.
But Christ would meet Him on the Damascus road and change his life from persecutor to preacher!
But there was just one little problem…Paul’s past!!
Who would believe that the former persecutor of Christians was now a preacher for Christ?
That is where Barnabas emerges once again as Mr. Encourager.
Look at Acts 9: 26-27…
When he (Saul) came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
Acts 9:26-28 NIV
When no one wanted anything to do with Saul, Barnabas stood up with him and for him…and believed in him!!
That’s a sure mark of an encourager…they see the potential where others see the past.
They will jump on the bandwagon when everybody else is jumping off!!
While everybody else saw a persecutor…Barnabas saw a preacher.
While everybody else saw a murderer…Barnabas saw a minister.
While everybody else saw trouble…Barnabas saw a trophy.
One of the greatest things we can do for another person is to see the potential in them.
You see, our tendency is to give up on people.
If they happen to mess up we have a tendency to always remember the negative instead of the positive.
What a huge difference it can make in our life when someone comes alongside us and says…I believe in you!!
The movie Hoosiers captures Indiana's obsession with high school basketball through the story of the 1951-52 Hickory Huskers.
A small school with only eight players on its team, they defied all odds and marched to the state title.
Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) coaches Hickory into the regional semifinal.
The underdog Huskers are up by three with 55 seconds remaining in the game when Buddy, a star defensive player, fouls out.
Because of an earlier injury, the only player left on the bench is Ollie, the five-foot-three equipment manager who never planned to suit up.
When Dale arrived at the first practice, Ollie explained he wasn't an actual player because he was "too short and not no good."
Now, the Huskers desperately need him on the court. But he sits on the bench, looking at the floor, gripped with terror.
The coach calls out, "Ollie, we need you."
But Ollie sits glued to his seat and unwilling to look up.
The coach crouches to look Ollie in the eye.
With the tender firmness of a dad coaxing his son off the high-dive for the first time, he says, "Ollie, we need you…now."
Ollie ends up making some big mistakes…including a botched free throw attempt.
But watch how his coach encourages him when he has a chance to make free throws to win the game.
Ch. 27
Who hasn’t felt like Ollie…feeling insignificant and like a failure.
We need someone to come alongside us to speak encouraging words into our lives.
When they do, it can change our lives.
I know…I have been the recipient of so much encouragement in my life…
My wife…
My pastor…
My Director of Missions…
Many of you…
God has changed my world because of the encouragers He has placed in my life at opportune times!!
The same is true with many of you…
A parent…a teacher…a coach…a friend…
Barnabas teaches us an important principle in life…
Don’t give up on people…look for their potential instead of dwelling on their past!!
Chuck Swindoll asks an important question:
“How many people stop because so few say, ‘Go’?”
A lot of people around you are ready to give up…encourage them to keep going!!!
When you do God will use you to change their world!!!
There is always someone who needs encouragement!!!
1. Encouragers are practitioners instead of pretenders
2. Encouragers see a person’s potential instead of their past
3. Encouragers care about people instead of prominence
In Acts 11we find Barnabas once again doing what he did best.
Look at Acts 11:21-26…
News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. Acts 11:22-26 NIV
What we find happening here is Barnabas has been commissioned by the church in Jerusalem to go as her representative to the Gentile church in Antioch.
A great movement of the Spirit had taken hold of that assembly and word had reached the leaders in Jerusalem.
When Barnabas arrived in Antioch he did one thing he always seemed to do in very situation…v. 23 says…He encouraged them all…
As a result of his ministry of encouragement a great number of people were brought to the Lord…
He was in the midst of a movement of God!!
I love what Barnabas did next.
Instead of jumping on the platform and starting his own TV ministry…Barnabas Ministries Incorporated….and making a name for himself…He left to look for Paul.
Why?
More important making a name for himself…he wanted the new converts to be discipled.
So he invited Paul to come and help him disciple these new believers.
What was on his heart were people not prominence.
That’s the heart of an encourager!
Encouragers care about people instead of prominence!!
You can easily spot a modern day Barnabas…how?
They will always focus on serving people instead of self.
They will always be reaching out to people instead of recognition.
Bear Bryant was the legendary football coach of Alabama.
He once said,
“I’m just a plow hand from Arkansas, but I have learned how to hold a team together…
…How to lift some men up, how to calm others down, until finally they’ve got one heartbeat together as a team.
There are just three things I’d ever say to them:
If anything goes bad, I did it.
If anything goes semi-good, then we did it.
If anything goes real good, then you did it.”
Wow! How refreshing!!
That is what needed in the church today…
…people more interested in being servants instead of celebrities!!
Instead of grasping for power and prominence may God helps us to see the incredible opportunity to encourage people!!
God has made us in such a way that we need encouragement…all of us need encouragement!
And all of us can be encouragers…when we are God will sue us to change our world.
Through the encouragement of one man…Barnabas…God changed the world.
[Show ppt of his influence…]
One person can change the world through encouragement.
Will you be that person?
In your marriage?
In your family?
In your workplace?
In your church?
Changing Your World
Who has been a Barnabas to you?
Who has God placed around you that you might be a Barnabas to?
Upward Sunday…
Have you ever wondered whether or not you should offer a word of encouragement?
Some people are worried their encouragement might give the recipient a big head.
Others convince themselves that the person in question really doesn’t need encouragement.
Doug Fields has proposed a helpful litmus test for determining if a person truly needs encouragement.
He says, “If the person is breathing, they need encouragement.”
Jamie Scott tried out for the play at his elementary school.
He had his heart set on being one of the main characters, but his mother feared he would not be chosen.
On the day the parts were awarded to the children, Jamie's mother and a friend went to pick him up, just in case he was terribly disappointed.
When Jamie saw his mother, he rushed up to her, his eyes shining with pride and excitement, and said, "Guess what, Mom. I've been chosen to clap and cheer."