Encouragement

SERMON TOPIC: Encouragement

Speaker: Ken Paynter

Language: ENGLISH

Date: 17 May 2015

Topic Groups: ENCOURAGEMENT, DISCOURAGEMENT

Sermon synopsis:
What is encouragement?
Oxford Dictionary: To give hope or confidence or stimulus.
Vines Gk noun: Paraklesis IE: a calling to one’s side, same as comforter or burden bearer.
1 Thess 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
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Encouragement

1) What is Encouragement?

Oxford Dictionary – to give hope or confidence or stimulus

Vines Gk noun – paraklesis i.e. a calling to ones side – same as Comforter or Burden Bearer

2) Why is Encouragement so important?

WITHOUT ENCOURAGEMENT OUR HEARTS HARDEN

Hebrew 3:12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. 15 As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” 16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

2) Why is Encouragement so important?

DO YOU HAVE A SINFUL HEART?

v12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.

SIN IS DECEITFUL – people harbour sin without realising it

v13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

DO YOU HAVE AN UNBELIEVING HEART?

v12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.

3) You may leave it to the Lord to encourage - examples

DAVID

1 SAM 30:3 When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5 David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.

PAUL IN PRISON

ACTS 23:10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks. 11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

3) You may leave it to the Lord to encourage - examples

PAUL IN THE STORM

ACTS 27:23 Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.

JESUS IN GETHSEMANE

LUKE 22:39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

BUT NOT EVERYONE HAS SUCH AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD

3) You may leave it to the Lord to encourage - examples

EVEN PAUL NEEDED HUMAN ENCOURAGEMENT AND WAS TESTED TO THE LIMIT IN IT’S ABSENCE

ACTS 28:15 The brothers there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged.

2 TIM 4:16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.

ACTS 23:10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks. 11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

3) You may leave it to the Lord to encourage - examples

EVEN PAUL NEEDED HUMAN ENCOURAGEMENT AND WAS TESTED TO THE LIMIT IN IT’S ABSENCE

ACTS 21:4 Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray….10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”15 After this, we got ready and went up to Jerusalem.

3) You may leave it to the Lord to encourage - examples

EVEN PAUL NEEDED HUMAN ENCOURAGEMENT AND WAS TESTED TO THE LIMIT IN IT’S ABSENCE

ACTS 20:22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.

4) People need encouragement in their ministry

I’VE SEEN PEOPLE GROW AND DEVELOP THEIR MINISTRY IN SPITE OF CRITICISM

1 THESS 5:14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

5) Spiritual gifts are to encourage

ROM 1:9 God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you. 11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

2 TIM 1:5 I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time

5) Spiritual gifts are to encourage

WHAT WAS TIMOTHY’S GIFT?

2 TIM 4:1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

6) Even in failure, people must be encouraged

GAL 6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ….. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

7) My word to you for 2005

AS WE GO INTO 2005 I WANT TO REMIND YOU OF GOD’S WORDS TO JOSHUA AS HE WAS ABOUT TO TAKE POSSESSION OF THE LAND OF PROMISE

JOSH 1:1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: …. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

7) My word to you for 2005

TO THOSE WHO HAVE HELD MY HANDS UP IN 2004, MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU.

I TRUST THAT I’LL BE THERE TO LIFT YOUR HANDS IN YOUR TIME OF NEED.




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