INTRO.- ILL.- Chuck Swindoll in his book Growing Deep in the Christian Life tells about a man getting ready to make an around-the-world voyage in his homemade boat. Without exception everyone on the pier was vocally pessimistic. Everyone was telling him everything that could possibly go wrong. “The sun will broil you.” “You won’t have enough food.” “That boat of yours won’t withstand any storms.” “You’ll never make it.”
A man standing nearby heard all these discouraging words and decided instead to offer some words of encouragement. As the little boat began pulling away from shore, he went to the end of the pier and began waving both his arms wildly and shouted, “BON VOYAGE! YOU’RE REALLY SOMETHING! WE’RE WITH YOU! WE’RE PROUD OF YOU! GOOD LUCK, BROTHER!”
This story is so similar to our lives. In a sense, all of us are in a little boat. We are on a long journey, not knowing if we are going to make it or not. And as we push out to sea, there are very few people who stand there giving us encouragement. Most are only critical or negative.
That’s a pretty sad commentary on life, but often, it’s very true for most of us. THERE ARE MANY DISCOURAGERS IN LIFE BUT FEW ENCOURAGERS!
Many people are better at discouraging others than encouraging them.
ILL.- One three-year study found that most school teachers were 75% negative and critical in dealing with their students. The study also indicated that it takes four positive comments to offset the effect of one negative or critical comment.
Now, brethren, there is also the other side of the coin.
ILL.- On June 1, 1965, a 13 1/2 foot boat slipped quietly out of the marina at Falmouth, MASS. Its destination was England. It would be the smallest boat ever to make the trip. Its name was TINKERBELLE. And its pilot was Robert Manry. He had been a copy editor for the CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER for ten years and was bored, so he took a leave of absence to fulfill his secret dream.
Robert Manry was afraid, though not of the ocean. He was afraid of all those people who would try to talk him out of the trip. So he didn’t tell many people, just a few relatives and his wife, Virginia who was his greatest supporter and encourager.
The trip was anything but pleasant. He spent many sleepless nights trying to cross the shipping lanes without getting run down and sunk. Weeks at sea caused his food to become tasteless. Loneliness caused him to have hallucinations. His rudder broke three times.
Storms swept him overboard, and had it not been for the rope he had tied around his waist, he would never have made it back on board. Finally, after 78 days alone at sea, he sailed into England on August 17th.
During his many nights, he fantasized about what he would do once he arrived in England. He expected simply to check into a hotel, eat dinner alone, then the next morning see if the Associated Press might be interested in his story. But word of his approach had spread far and wide. To his amazement, three hundred vessels, with horns blasting, escorted TINKERBELLE into port. And 40,000 people stood screaming and cheering him to shore.
Robert Manry became an overnight hero. And his story has been told around the world. BUT ROBERT MANRY COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT ALONE! Standing on the dock was an even greater hero, his wife Virginia. She had refused to be critical and negative about her husband’s trip. She gave him constant encouragement which enabled him to pursue and complete his dream!
And the world needs a whole lot more people just like Virginia Manry! Both men and women alike who will give others the needed encouragement for life and it’s obstacles!
We need a word of encouragement! The world needs a word of encouragement!
PROP.- Let’s see what this text teaches us about the importance of encouragement in life.
1- Encouragement must be spoken
2- Encouragement deals with good news
3- Encouragement ultimately leads people to God
I. ENCOURAGEMENT MUST BE SPOKEN
ILL.- Pianist Arthur Rubenstein once told this story on himself. Some years ago he got a bad case of hoarseness. The newspapers were full of reports about smoking and cancer; so he decided to consult a throat specialist. Rubenstein said, "I searched the doctor’s face for a clue during the 30 minute examination, but it was expressionless. He told me to come back the next day. I went home full of fears, and I didn’t sleep that night." The next day there was another long examination and again silence. "Tell me," the pianist exclaimed, "I can stand the truth. I’ve lived a full, rich life. What’s wrong with me?" The doctor said, "You talk too much."
I wonder if this is ever our problem. It could be and generally, the more we speak, the more we get into trouble or the more we sin.
James 3:2 "We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check." One of the easiest ways to sin is with our speaking and especially, the more we talk.
Prov. 10:19 "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise."
ILL.- Pres. Calvin Coolidge was known for not talking much. A woman bet her friend that she could get Coolidge to speak to her. She went up to him and said: "Hello, Mr. President, I bet my friend that I could get you to say three words to me." "You lose," Coolidge replied dryly, and walked away.
Do you just blurt out whatever comes to your mind? Or do you weigh your words?
ILL.- Ann Landers once said, "The trouble with talking too fast is you may say something you haven’t thought of yet."
Another said: "The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment."
Have you stuck your foot in your mouth lately? When was the last time you took a speech examination? By that, I mean when was the last time you thought about your speaking habits? And I’m not talking about grammar. I’m talking about the words that you speak to others and the manner in which you speak them.
Some people use mean words and may speak to others in a mean way. We all could do better or speak better.
If one of the easiest ways to sin is with our mouth or our speaking then perhaps one of the easiest ways to bless people is with our mouths or our speaking!
Acts 13:15 "The synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak."
We all need to learn to speak words that encourage others. It’s easy to discourage someone or put them down but what about lifting them up? If you have a message of encouragement, please speak!
Eph. 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Speaking words that build up people should be our goal. It’s easy to tear down but to build up takes special care and work.
Col. 4:6 "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." We should work at speaking gracious words to others.
If you have a message or a word of encouragement, please speak it to others! If not then don’t speak.
II. ENCOURAGEMENT DEALS WTIH GOOD NEWS
Acts 13:16, 22-23, 38-39
16Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: "Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! 22After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: ’I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ 23"From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised.
38"Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses."
ILL.- Man hides lottery winnings from wife. Nov. 20, 07, MIAMI, Fla. A woman whose husband has kept about $600,000 in lottery winnings from her says she has a number for him: half. Donna Campbell is suing her husband in her attempt to get it.
However, American Airlines mechanic Arnim Ramdass disappeared after his wife confronted him about the secret, so process servers haven’t been able to hand him the lawsuit papers yet, Campbell’s attorney said.
"Here’s a guy who for years has spent marital money on the lottery and at casinos, and he’s always lost," Bruce Baldwin said. "And now he finally wins, and he’s trying to keep it from his wife. That’s pretty low."
That was pretty low of him! And it’s also pretty low of us to keep good news from others! What am I talking about? It could be any good news but it could also be the best good news ever!
Any time we keep something good from people or from sharing it with others we should be ashamed!
Prov. 11:25-26 "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. People curse the man who hoards grain (or good news), but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell." (or speak good)
ILL.- One man said, "MY WIFE was fascinated by the elegant calligraphy on the hand-written menu in a Chinese restaurant. She took it home and spent months knitting a sweater with Chinese characters down the front. She was wearing it at a cocktail party when a Chinese physician asked where she got the symbols. ’From a menu,’ she admitted. "’Do you know what they say?’ ’I’m afraid to ask,’ my wife said, ’but tell me anyway.’ ’Cheap, but good.’"
Suppose I found something very cheap but also very good and failed to share it with you? How would you feel?
ILL.- Suppose I found a store where you could buy name brand clothing at only 20% of the regular price and yet, I never told you about it. $100 suits for only $20. HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?
Some of you could care less and others would feel slighted, cheated or perhaps insulted that I didn’t tell you.
I wonder how people are going to feel toward us when after this life is over that we never bothered to tell them the good news about Jesus? Right now some of them could care less but at death or the judgment it may be a different matter.
ILL.- Ronnie Hoyer is a former Paragould boy who went to MidSouth Christian College and now works for White Fields Overseas Evangelism. He wrote me recently and said, "We had a great crusade in Liberia, West Africa. God blessed the preaching of His word with 535 baptisms. God is GOOD."
Yes, God is good. He was and is good enough to give us the good news of Jesus so that we can be saved from our sins and go to heaven forever. That’s the best news there is and we need to share it with others! Whatever you talk about, please end up talking about Christ. Tell a story and somehow point to Christ.
III. ENCOURAGEMENT ULTIMATELY LEADS PEOPLE TO GOD
Acts 13:42-44 42As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. 43When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God. 44On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
48When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
They were urged to continue in the grace of God. They gathered to hear the Word of God. They were glad and honored God’s Word. To me, this says that encouragement must lead to God and always point to Him.
ILL.- The conversation (on Einstein’s sailboat) drifted back and forth about the nature of God, the universe and man, to lighter questions. Suddenly, Einstein lifted his head, looked up at the skies and said, “We know nothing about it at all. Our knowledge is but the knowledge of school children.”
His friend asked, “Do you think that we shall ever probe the secret?” “Possibly, we shall know a little more than we do now. But the real nature of things—that, we shall never know, never.”
Einstein was wrong and that’s because he was looking in the wrong place. He kept looking at the universe, trying to figure out our existence instead of examining the Word of God.
ILL.- Certain aborigines of Australia do not know how to count above three. They say, “One, two, three, enough.” They have a limited horizon in material things. Their desires do not go beyond “three.” But if we had no knowledge but a knowledge of God, that would be enough and would be the most important knowledge we could possess.
I have one book in my library by preacher/writer Chuck Swindoll entitled, "Christian Life." He has one whole chapter devoted to the subject of knowing God - life’s major pursuit.
Swindoll wrote, "I am more convinced that ever that life’s major pursuit is not knowing self, but knowing God. As a matter of fact, unless God is the major pursuit of our lives all other pursuits are dead-end streets, including trying to know ourselves. They won’t work. They won’t satisfy. They won’t result in fulfillment. They won’t do for us what we think they’re going to do.
"You never really begin the process of coming to know yourself until you begin the process of coming to know God."
I AGREE! Everything revolves around knowing God. Nothing in life makes real sense unless it is connected to knowing God who created us. And true encouragement points people to knowing God.
ILL.- One time an old preacher of the gospel and a distinguished actor were together at a social gathering. When the actor was asked to give a reading, he repeated at the preacher’s request the 23rd Pslam. He quoted it in such a way that it brought applause from everyone in the room. Then he invited the old preacher to repeat that same Psalm and when he finished there was a hushed silence and some even had tears in their eyes.
The actor then said, "I know that Psalm but that man knows the Shepherd." DO YOU KNOW THE GOOD SHEPHERD? Just how well do you know God? We need to know God better than we know ourselves or anybody else.
CONCLUSION--------------------------------
Someone 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. Encourage me, and I will not forget you."
Brothers and sisters, we need to be in the encouragement business! If you have any message of encouragement for others, please speak it!
