An Encouraging Word
Acts 11:19-30 Intro: Barnabas is a unique character in the book of Acts. We first meet him in Acts 4:36-37: “Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.” This shows us that he must have been a generous person. The next time we hear about Barnabas is in Acts 9:27 when he befriended Saul, who had just become a believer. Everybody else was rejecting Saul, but Barnabas took him to the apostles and helped him along in the ministry. In our text we see that the apostles trusted him enough to represent them to new Gentile Christians in Antioch. He encouraged them and helped lead many more to Jesus. Then he went to find Paul so he could come and help all these new believers in Antioch. Later, Barnabas and Paul become the first missionaries in Acts as they begin to travel all around the Middle East, sharing Jesus with all who will listen.
-The thing I like most about Barnabas is that he lived up to his name: Son of Encouragement. He made it his mission to encourage people everywhere he went. That is exactly the early church needed in order to grow and become strong, and that is exactly what we need in God’s Church these days.
Prop: Every believer who is part of God’s church should be a source of encouragement to others.
Interrogative: Why is encouragement so important to God?
TS: Let’s look at 3 reasons for words of encouragement, and then look at one tangible way to express encouragement.
I. Encouraging Words Help People Turn to Jesus (19-21, 24)
-To encourage someone means to inspire someone with courage, spirit, or hope, to hearten, or cheer. It suggests the raising of someone’s confidence when they were lacking courage or hope. The Greek word for encouragement is parakaleo, which literally means to call to one’s side. It also means to urge strongly or appeal to. It might be easy enough to see how these definitions should fit in the church among believers, but what about with those we are trying to reach? How can we encourage people who do not yet know Jesus as their Forgiver and Leader?
-As I was studying out the meaning of the word “encouragement,” I realized that it was a very good description of what we would like to see happen when we share the good news about Jesus. When we tell people that there is hope, what are we doing? When we tell people they can be free from the darkness and bondage in their lives, what are we doing? Are we trying to inspire someone with courage, spirit, or hope? Yes! We know that Jesus can help them, but somehow they’ve got to see and know that it really works. That is why we encourage them. We call them to stand beside us and watch what God is doing and has done in our own lives. In fact, I believe that we need to invite people into our own lives before we try to get them to invite Jesus into their lives. If they do not see Jesus at work in us, they will not be encouraged to seek Him any further.
-Our text tells us, 19“Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. 20Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.”
-Those verses do not use the word “encourage,” but I believe there was a lot of encouragement going on as they told people that the Messiah Jesus could change their lives and make them right with God. The good news about Jesus is filled with encouraging words of love, deliverance, healing, and forgiveness. So let’s share the encouraging good news with those in our lives who have not experienced God’s love in a personal way.
-TS: After a person hears the encouraging good news and says YES to Jesus, they need even more encouragement, which leads us to the 2nd point.
II. Encouraging Words Help People Stay True to Jesus (22-24)
22“News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When 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. 24He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.”
-Barnabas saw the evidence of God’s grace, and he was glad! Are you glad when you find out that someone has received God’s forgiveness and is now living for Him? There’s no greater joy or excitement than when someone becomes a true Christian. Barnabas was glad, and he encouraged these new believers to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.
-As exciting as it is to see someone repent of their sins and ask Jesus to forgive them and change their hearts, it is equally as heart-breaking to hear that they have fallen away from God. This can happen to any of us if we lose sight of our relationship with Jesus. Sometimes when it happens, it is because there has been a lack of encouragement from other believers. That is why we need to build close relationships with one another- as well as with Jesus.
-Hebrews 10:25 says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” This verse isn’t necessarily about going to church. I think it includes meeting together for worship, but it also includes the other times when Christians are together. You can meet together in your home, as the first century believers did. You can meet together anywhere, as long as you are regularly getting together with other believers who can help you grow. So, whether it is at church, home, or some other place, we need to encourage one another, as Heb. 10 just told us. Give someone an encouraging word this week. Call somebody up and tell them that you’ve been praying for them and that they are going to make it! Let them know you are standing with them. Your influence may be just what they need to help them stay true to the Lord.
-TS: Along these same lines, we need encouragement on another front. We’ve just talked about encouragement within Christian fellowship and friendships, but we also need encouragement on the level of discipleship. Discipleship basically means learning to love God and live our lives for Him. The Bible is our main source for the encouraging words of discipleship.
III. Encouraging Words Help Believers Become More Like Jesus (25-26)
25“Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and 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.”
-Barnabas was seeing so many people come to Jesus that he knew he needed more help. So, he set out for Tarsus (probably on foot) to find Saul. Tarsus was 100 miles around the NE corner of the Mediterranean Sea from Antioch. It probably took him a few days to get there. Why did he go to all that trouble to find Saul? Because he knew that Saul could offer great insight into the Scriptures, which would help these new Christians grow and become strong in their faith. What was the result of Barnabas and Saul investing one year of their lives in the city of Antioch? V.26 says they taught great numbers of people. Now, obviously this was all about the Lord, not about Barnabas and Saul; however, the Lord used them to build His church in that city. Sometime in the 4th century (maybe 300 years after Barnabas and Saul were there) Chrysostom relates that the Christian population of Antioch was about 100,000 people. Not bad for a city with a population of 200,000.
-Do you think we could ask God to help us reach half of our city. If there are around 2000 people in Elgin and the surrounding area, couldn’t we ask God to bring 1000 of them into right relationship with Him? This is not to limit God, but if 1000 Christians were encouraging one another each week, and worshipping in one of the local churches, there wouldn’t be enough room. There is only seating for 600 to 800 in all of our Bible-believing churches within 10-15 miles. Are the churches around here really ready for the revival God wants to send? Are we ready?
-One way we can get ready is to make sure we are encouraging believers through discipleship. Barnabas and Saul spent a whole year teaching God’s word to the new believers in Antioch. I’m sure they didn’t just talk about it, but they prayed it and lived it. They grew into such a strong group that apparently people started calling them Christians. See, members of Caesar’s household called themselves Caesarians (Kaisarianoi in the Greek) to show their allegiance and loyalty to Caesar. Those under Herod were called Herodians (Herodianoi). Apparently, the people of Antioch were known for making fun of groups of people, so they coined the term Christian, or Christianoi in the Greek. It was likely intended as a way to poke a little fun at those who followed Christ, but since it really seemed to communicate the idea of following or being associated with Christ, believers in the following centuries were happy to adopt the name.
-1 Peter 4:16 is the only other place the name appears in the Bible: “However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” We bear the name of Christ. As Christians, or little Christs as some define it, we should be encouraging one another to become more and more like Jesus. Most of us have earned a nickname at some point in our lives. People associate us with someone or something. I would hope that we would be worthy of a nickname that says something about Jesus. What do people say about those who try to be like Jesus? There are some pretty bad things- some of which we might deserve at times. However, there are probably some good nicknames that show who we are associated with.
-The main thing is that we learn to love the Lord and live a life that is a good reflection of who He is and what He can do with a broken life. How do we do that? By the encouragement we give one another through fellowship and through discipleship.
-TS: Lastly, let’s move beyond just words and talk about the power of encouraging works or deeds.
IV. Encouraging Words Often Require Loving Actions (27-30)
-These new Christians at Antioch had been encouraged by Barnabas and Paul through discipleship and had built close relationships with one another. Encouragement was strong at Christian Life Center in Antioch. When some prophets came and said that a severe famine was coming, they decided to send some encouragement to one of the places where the famine would be felt the strongest- Jerusalem.
-Now, notice what they did not do. They did not write a letter that said, “Dear brothers and sisters in Jerusalem: We’ve heard that you are going to be short on food and supplies soon and just want you to know that we’ll be praying for you. God bless! The Christians of Antioch.” There would have been nothing wrong with such a letter, and maybe they did write something and send it to the believers in Jerusalem. However, they knew that something more tangible was needed than just words.
-27During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) 29The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. 30This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
-This was before the famine had even happened! God was lining up provision for His people ahead of time- just like He had done through Joseph in the OT. God takes care of His children!
-In James 2:14-17, we find an example of words without actions: 14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
-How can we apply this to our lives today? Well, we can respond to needs the way the Christians at Antioch did. If each of us, according to our ability, decide to provide help when we hear about someone in need, then our actions will speak louder than our words. Encouraging words are very important, but sometimes the language of encouragement needs to be tangible gifts of provision for those in dire need.
-As we approach the Christmas season, maybe you know of a family who could use a little encouragement. Go ahead and bless them. Let them know that someone is thinking about them and that God is concerned about them. If you aren’t aware of giving opportunities, I can help you find needs that are waiting to be met. Christmas Food Baskets are coming up from the EMA. Bring an offering next Sunday night to Sounds & Tastes of Christmas over at the Christian Church. Support Convoy of Hope, an aid and relief agency of the A/G who takes truckloads of food and supplies to disaster areas. Sponsor a child through Mission of Mercy or Compassion International or some other charitable organization. Encouragement comes through what we say, but it also comes through what we do.
Conclusion: As we close today, have you found yourself in need of encouragement lately? Have you felt lonely, depressed, unimportant, beyond help, maybe even hopeless? You can find an encouraging word when you spend some time with other believers. God has designed us in such a way that we need to hear encouraging words from one another. Have you been encouraging others? Remember what Hebrews 10:25 says? And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near. Maybe in addition to coming to church, you need to meet together with another Christian this week, and encourage them. Encourage them to stay true to Jesus, and to become more like Jesus. Maybe you need to meet with someone who is not a Christian yet, and be a good friend to them. You may have a chance to encourage them with the good news. Don’t force it on them, but let it come out in your life first, and use words when given permission to do so.
I. Encouraging Words Help People Turn to Jesus.
II. Encouraging Words Help People Stay True to Jesus.
III. Encouraging Words Help Believers Become More Like Jesus.
IV. Encouraging Words Often Require Loving Actions.
Invite / Pray
