Making Others Greater

My Barnabas – My Wife

Barnabas was a minor character in the NT church who played a major role in facilitating the spread of the Gospel. It was Barnabas who brought the recently converted Paul (formerly Saul) into the network of the Christians. Barnabas was a guy who made others around him better (he was a true missionary). I found the Scriptures to describe him as generous, a “connector of people”, an encourager, a teacher, and a coworker. Of those things he is best known as an encourager.

Cindy and I met when we were young. We were married young – I was 19. I owned a ’75 Chevy Nova. Everything I owned fit into the trunk of that car and the things that took up most of the space were a tackle box and a soccer ball. For career skills I had about 6 months of experience in construction. I didn’t know where we were going or what I was doing but we started out.

What I didn’t really understand at the time was that Cindy was a Barnabas. She was an encourager. She saw me for something that I never saw in myself. She thought I was the smartest man on the planet. I didn’t, but her belief in me encouraged me to take on things I never would have imagined. I started college – something I never expected. I joined the Army and completed one of the more difficult tracks that the Army offers and then became a warrant officer in that field. I ended up with 2 master’s degrees – Education Administration and Bible and Theology. I don’t say this to brag on myself, I want to be clear. The truth is, I never would have attempted any of it had it not been for Cindy encouraging me early on.

This morning I would like for us to focus on an instruction that the Bible gives us about encouraging one another.

We are Called to Encourage

There are a number of Bible passages that encourage us to encourage one another. One of those is found in the middle of a passage that reminds the church about the exciting things God has in store for us…

1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Max Lucado tells a story about running a half Ironman triathlon that demonstrates the power of encouragement. After the 1.2-mile swim and the 56-mile bike ride, he didn’t have much energy left for the 13.1-mile run. Neither did the fellow jogging next to him. Lucado asked him how he was doing and soon regretted posing the question.

“This stinks. This race is the dumbest decision I’ve ever made.” He had more complaints than a taxpayer at the IRS. Lucado’s response to him? “Good-bye.” He knew if he listened too long, he’d start agreeing with him.

Lucado says he caught up with a sixty-six-year-old grandmother. Her tone was just the opposite. “You’ll finish this,” she said. “It’s hot, but at least it’s not raining. One step at a time … don’t forget to hydrate … stay in there.” He said, “I ran next to her until my heart lifted and my legs were aching. I finally had to slow down. She waved and passed me.”—Max Lucado, Facing Your Giants (W Publishing Group, 2006)[1]

Who would you rather be running next to?

How Do We Become Better Encouragers?

The passage in 1 Thessalonians was not written to a bunch of people hanging out at Walt Disney World enjoying Dole Whips (vanilla ice cream in pineapple juice). Paul had started a church there in about AD 50. The church had suffered persecution and many had died.

“Despite persecution and their sorrow over fellow believers who had died, the Christians needed to encourage one another about the certainty of their future reunion with all believers who had gone on before (4:13–18) and the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ (5:9–10).

Encourage One Another About the Blessed Hope

They ought also to build up each other in the faith as they dealt with the difficult issues and to seek to be ready for Christ’s return (5:1–8). Apparently, the Thessalonians were already doing this, so Paul took note of that fact; yet he wanted them to continue to do so. Believers will never stop needing encouragement or building up. Just as one believer receives encouragement, he or she at another time will be able to offer it. The mutual giving and receiving in the body of Christ keep the church strong against the forces that attack it. God’s people always need to stand together with one another as they anticipate their Savior’s return.[2]

The word "maranatha" is a Syriac expression that means: "our Lord comes." It was used as a greeting in the early church. When believers gathered or parted, they didn't say "hello" or "goodbye" but "Maranatha!" If we had the same upward look today, it would revolutionize the church. O that God's people had a deepening awareness of the imminent return of the Savior!

While on a South Pole expedition, British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton left a few men on Elephant Island, promising that he would return. Later, when he tried to go back, huge icebergs blocked the way. But suddenly, as if by a miracle, an avenue opened in the ice and Shackleton was able to get through. His men, ready and waiting, quickly scrambled aboard. No sooner had the ship cleared the island than the ice crashed together behind them. Contemplating their narrow escape, the explorer said to his men, "It was fortunate you were all packed and ready to go!" They replied, "We never gave up hope. Whenever the sea was clear of ice, we rolled up our sleeping bags and reminded each other, 'The boss may come today.'"

Things may look bleak in our lives but as Christians, we can encourage one another with the exciting promise of eternal things!

Encourage One Another By Pursuing Peace

I think it is easy for us all to admit that we are different people. I am not you, and you are not me. My favorite ice cream is probably not your favorite ice cream. Where God has me right now may not be where God has you right now and we need to understand and accept it.

In the Book of Romans, Paul has to deal with a church that is trying to figure out how to live in the Age of Grace that came through Jesus Christ. They were sifting through Jewish customs and laws and trying to understand it on this side of the Cross. In some cases, the religious Jews were forcing rules on the new Greek converts.

Romans 14:13–19 NIV

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Christianity has been criticized as being about rules. If that is true it is because of what Paul is talking about here. This is not saying that everything is okay. In fact, the issue that the Holy Spirit convicted you about may not be an issue for someone else. That is okay. At the same time, the Holy Spirit is constantly at work convicting people of sin and bringing people to the truth. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. Don’t become a roadblock to someone by constant confrontation. Instead, ‘make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”

Encouragers Are Team Players

I love the following story from the American Revolution:

During the American Revolution a man in civilian clothes rode past a group of soldiers repariing a small defensive barrier. their leader was shouting instructions, but making no attempt to help them. Asked why by the rider, he retorted with great dignity, "Sir, I am a corporal!" The stranger apologized, dismounted, and proceeded to help the exhausted soldiers. The job done, he turned to the corporal and said, "Mr. Corporal, next time you have a job like this and not enough men to do it, go to your commander-in-chief, and I will come and help you again." It was none other than George Washington. Today in the Word, March 6, 1991.

A few years ago, I used a teaching, “Build Your Team”, to encourage veterans to get well. I challenged them to TEAM UP with their spouses, their children, their churches, and their community to help others.

Often, we take a look at the 5-fold ministry in Ephesians 4, but 1 Corinthians 14 also points out how the body of Christ ministers to one another.

1 Corinthians 14:26–28 NIV

What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.

Together, as a team, we become greater!

Encouragers Understand that Words are Powerful

Larry Crabb was attending a communion service. At his church the young men were expected to pray out loud…

…So the young Larry Crabb felt pressured to pray, even though he had a problem with stuttering. He remembers offering a terribly confused prayer in which he thanked the Father for hanging on the cross and praised Christ for triumphantly bringing the Spirit from the grave. When he was finished, he vowed he would never again pray out loud in front of a group.

At the end of the service, Crabb made for the door. Before he could get out, an older man caught him. “Larry, there’s one thing I want you to know,” the man said. “Whatever you do for the Lord, I’m behind you 1,000 percent.”

“Even as I write these words, my eyes fill with tears,” says Crabb, who has since become a bestselling book author, psychologist, and speaker. “Those words were life words. They had power. They reached deep into my being.” —Based on Larry Crabb, Encouragement (Zondervan, 1984)[3]

Proverbs 25:11 ESV

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

It is amazing, and challenging, to know that every idle word that we say is heard by the Lord. And, the Scriptures say, we will give account for them. God is serious about words! I like this from Robert Morris

“That’s the bad news—every word you speak is being recorded. Now let me tell you the good news. Whatever kind of recording mechanism God used, it is equipped with an erase button. (I’m so glad that’s the case, because I’ve said some pretty dumb things in my life.) Because of God’s grace, when we confess our sins, including sins of the mouth, they are cleansed, erased and remembered no more! ”[4]

On the other hand, think of all the good that can be done by speaking a good word. Cindy spoke good words to me. A 66-year-old runner spoke a good word to Max Lucado. An older gentlemen spoke a good word to the young Larry Crabb. Joseph Conrad once said, “Words have set whole nations in motion…Give me the right word and the right accent and I will move the world.” I suppose that is true. I know that God spoke the world into existence!

Sometimes We Just Need a Reminder

I sometimes think that my job is often just to remind people about what they ought to be doing. It was not a surprise to hear me open up a message about being encouragers. We all know that it is what we ought to be doing. It is just that we aren’t intentional enough.

Hebrews 10:24 NIV

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,

‘Consider’ means to “fix your thoughts on”, “face the fact”, and “pay attention to” – the fact that we need to encourage one another.

Jean Nidetch, a 214-pound homemaker desperate to lose weight, went to the New York City Department of Health, where she was given a diet devised by Dr. Norman Jolliffe. Two months later, discouraged about the 50 plus pounds still to go, she invited six overweight friends’ home to share the diet and talk about how to stay on it. ... Why was Nidetch able to help people take control of their lives? To answer that, she tells a story. When she was a teen-ager, she used to cross a park where she saw mothers gossiping while the toddlers sat on their swings, with no one to push them. "I'd give them a push," says Nidetch. "And you know what happens when you push a kid on a swing? Pretty soon he's pumping, doing it himself. That's what my role in life is--I'm there to give others a push." Irene Sax in Newsday.

I guess that is what I’m doing today. Nobody is shouting down the house today and there will probably not be a lot of tears in the altar. But, maybe I can push you, and you can push another, the they will push others to encourage one another. We’ll be forever grateful!

[1]Craig Brian Larson and Phyllis Ten Elshof, 1001 Illustrations That Connect (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2008), 420. [2]Bruce B. Barton and Grant R. Osborne, 1 & 2 Thessalonians: Life Application Commentary, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999), 81–82. [3]Craig Brian Larson and Phyllis Ten Elshof, 1001 Illustrations That Connect (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2008), 320. [4] Excerpt From: Robert Morris. “The Power of Your Words.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-power-of-your-words/id894762909