The Positive Power of Encouragement - Part 2
Acts 11:19-26
Sermon by Rick Crandall
McClendon Baptist Church - May 13, 2009
*Last Wednesday, we started looking at the power of encouragement in the life of Barnabas, and we found that your encouragement can do some amazing things.
-Your encouragement can help someone through a crisis.
-It can make the best things even better.
-It can help someone stick closer to the Savior.
-Can help lead more people to the Lord.
-Can bring new friends into the fellowship.
-And your encouragement can help Christians become fully devoted followers of Christ.
*Your encouragement can have great power. One reason why is because everybody needs to be encouraged. The night Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford’s Theatre, he was carrying:
-Two pairs of glasses.
-A small velvet eyeglass cleaner.
-An ivory pocketknife.
-A large handkerchief with “A. Lincoln” stitched in red.
-A tiny pencil.
-A brass sleeve button.
-A fancy watch fob.
-And a brown wallet with a Confederate five-dollar bill.
*But Lincoln also carried 8 newspaper clippings that he had cut out and saved. All of those clippings praised him. Everybody needs encouragement. (1)
*Heb 3:13 tells us to “exhort” or “encourage” one another every day. And it would help us to know more about this important word in the original Greek. It is “parakaleo” and it is found 108 times in the New Testament. That is easy for us to miss, because often this same word is translated as “beseech, plead or beg.”
-For example, Matt 8:5&6 says: “Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, PLEADING with Him, saying, ‘Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.’”
-Matt 14:35&36 says: “When the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and BEGGED Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.”
*Sometimes this same word is translated as “desire” or “pray.” In Acts 16:9: “A vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and PRAYED him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
*Parakaleo is also translated as “comfort.” In Matt 5:4 Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be COMFORTED.” -- same word. Plus, in 1 Thess 5:11 Paul tells believers to “COMFORT each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.”
*All of these words are translations of “parakaleo.” The word picture is to call someone near to your side. And this word is especially important, because God chose the noun form of this word as a name for Himself: The Comforter.
*On the night before He went to the cross, Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Comforter or Helper, that He may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” (Jn 14:15-17)
*Being an encourager then is not only important to people, it is important to God. Being an encourager is a Christ-like, Godly thing to do. How can I be a better encourager?
1. First: Use your feet.
*I am talking about your availability, your presence, just being there for someone. In vs. 20-23, the Christians in Antioch preached Jesus.
21. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.
22. Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.
23. When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.
*Barnabas being there made a difference for those people. And God wants you to make yourself available to someone who needs encouragement. Many times I went with Bro. Savoie when someone was very sick or had died. And I noticed that very often he was quiet during those visits. You see, it wasn’t necessary to say a lot. Simply being there for someone made a difference.
*Using your feet involves availability, but it can also involve hospitality. Rom 12:13 tells us to be “given to hospitality.” Titus 1:8 tells us to be “a lover of hospitality.” And 1 Peter 4:9 tells us to “use hospitality one to another without grudging.”
*Usually for us, hospitality means opening our homes. It means being generous and gracious to our guests. Certainly that’s a big part of hospitality. But the word “hospitality” in the Scripture simply means “love for strangers.” And when the Bible tells us to be “given to hospitality,” the word picture is hunting, going after, running after strangers in love.
*We need to be on the hunt for new people, letting them know we care about them, letting them know we are glad they are here. -- That almost always encourages new people. But we have to get up and go! How can I be a better encourager? Use your feet.
2. But also use your hands.
*Let me tell you 4 good ways you can use your hands to encourage people.
1-You can simply help them. Some of you will remember the story in Exodus 17, when the only way for the Children of Israel to win their battle was for Moses to hold up his rod in his hands.
*Have you ever tried to hold up your hands for a long time? -- One minute, no problem, 10 minutes, I’m in trouble, several hours -- no way. There was no way Moses could keep his hands up either. But Aaron and Hur got next to Moses and helped him hold up his hands.
*People will need our help. And there are many simple ways we can give it:
-Help mow a lawn. Take a meal to someone. Perform some simple act of random kindness. It will almost always encourage someone. Use your hands to help.
2-But also use your hands to give. Every year we get dozens of cards from the people we help at Christmas. Many have been greatly encouraged by our giving. Many consider the gift to be an answer to their prayers. For some it was even a miraculous answer to their prayers.
*In Acts 20:35 Paul said, “I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Use your hands to give.
3-But also use your hands to touch. Great encouragement can come through a single touch. In Matt 8:2-3, “a leper came and worshiped Jesus, saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”
*Peter’s mother-in-law was sick with a fever. But in Matt 8:15 Jesus “touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.”
*In Matt 17:7, Peter, James and John were terrified because they had seen part of the infinite glory of the Lord. Then “Jesus came and touched them and said, ‘Arise, and do not be afraid.’”
*Kenneth Pell tells us that “the power of touch cannot be over-emphasized. Three times the Bible tells the church to “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” Touching can make your immune system stronger and your mood lighter. The more touches you give or receive, the better you feel. Touches can lessen stress making you feel calmer, happier. Kenneth recommends a friendly pat on a person’s back or a gentle touch on someone’s arm during a conversation. (2)
*Some people aren’t nearly as touchy-feely as other people. But a simple hug can often be a big boost to someone who needs encouragement. So use your hands to touch.
4-But also use your hands to write. Great encouragement can come through a simple note or card. Most of Paul’s letters were written in part to encourage Christians.
*That Greek word “parakaleo” is found over 50 times in Paul’s letters. One of the first things Paul told the Roman church was, “I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established, that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. (Rom 1:11-12)
*David Jeremiah said that written encouragement is powerful for five reasons: It’s deliberate, definite, direct, durable and distance-proof. I have a briefcase loaded with encouraging cards and notes I have kept over the years. Let me share a few examples. (I picked 3 spanning several years.)
*Your cards and notes can brighten someone’s day. Right now, you have the power to encourage and inspire other people. Make sure you do it. Use your hands to help, give, touch and inspire other people.
3. But also use your tongue.
*Use your tongue to talk to God about people, and you will see people encouraged as God answers those prayers. Listen to Paul’s testimony from 2 Cor 1:9-11. This is from the Living Bible:
9. We felt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us, for he can even raise the dead.
10. And he did help us, and saved us from a terrible death; yes, and we expect him to do it again and again.
11. But you must help us too, by praying for us. For much thanks and praise will go to God from you who see his wonderful answers to your prayers for our safety!
*Talk to God about people. Then talk to people to encourage them. Proverbs 16:24 says: “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.”
*Kenneth Pell says: We have all watched infants who were on the verge of taking their first unassisted steps. For several days or weeks they stand alone confidently for moments at a time, squealing with delight at the accomplishment of balancing their little bodies on their little feet.
*After a while they consider moving one of those firmly planted little feet in front of the other. -- All the while parents are coaxing the little tyke to venture toward them. "You can do it! Come on!" says mother, arms outstretched to catch Baby if he stumbles. "Look at you! What a big boy!" his father declares.
*Baby responds with trust in his parents but caution in his own ability. When Baby does finally take that first step it is a benchmark day. It leads to new worlds opening up before them -- worlds of adventure that Baby could never imagine. Mom and Dad’s loving, consistent, cheering words were a major ingredient in the achievement.
*In this way, the encouragement of others helps us move from fear to belief and action. It is not a cure-all. But the encouragement of others does help us move forward even though we are uncertain. Encouragement: The word, the note, the look that says, "I am with you. I care about you. You will survive. You can do it!" We cannot measure how many significant advances have been made because another “someone” was behind the achiever encouraging them. (2)
*God wants us to be those encouragers. So talk to people, and especially talk to people about God. That’s what Barnabas did in Acts 11:23: “When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.”
*Barnabas reminded them how good and holy God is. I am sure that he encouraged them to be pure and holy before God. I am sure that he reminded them of God’s grace, and what Jesus did for us on the cross. These are some of the most encouraging words we can ever share with someone.
*God wants us to speak those encouraging words to each other. It can brighten someone’s day. It can give them the strength to go on when they feel like they can’t take another step. Your words of encouragement can even give them a brand new life, as they trust in Jesus Christ.
*There is no telling how much good your encouragement can do for other people! Make the commitment tonight to be an encourager.
1. http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm012.html
2. “The Power of Encouragement” by Kenneth Pell - 1 Thess 5:11 - Potsdam Church of the Nazarene - Potsdam, New York - 11/25/07
