Encouraged to Encourage
Acts 4:36,37
Intro: There is an old story about a preacher leaving a church. At his farewell dinner, he tried to encourage one of the founding members that looked very sad, “Don’t be so sad. The next preacher might be better than me.” She replied, “That’s what they said before you came but it just keeps getting worse.”
. That wasn’t a very encouraging thing to hear was it?
. We all need encouragement.
. This old life that we live can be challenging at times and we all need encouragement.
. We all need someone to lift us up don’t we?
. Fifty six years ago, on June 18, 1956, a freak accident happened on a lake in New York. A speeding motorboat bounced on a wave and shot into the water two of its passengers, a 50-year old man and a little girl. To keep her from drowning, the man held her head above water while the boat circled back. They rescued the girl. But the man sank and drowned.
That’s how Dawson Trotman died, the founder of the Navigators, an international discipleship ministry. According to a quote in Time Magazine, “He lived to save others. His death was just the way he would have planned it. In his obituary someone wrote that he died just the way he lived, always lifting someone up.
.What a legacy. To be known as someone who always lifted others up.
. Someone who was always encouraging others.
. It has taken me many years to learn that one good word, one word of encouragement can inspire and physically help people.
. There was a study done using children and the affects that encouragement has on them.
. These psychologists hooked up all these wires and sensors to children and then they would either use encouraging words and gestures or discouraging words or gestures.
. What the study showed was that when children were encouraged, their physical energy would increase.
.When they used discouraging words and gestures, the energy level of the kids would drop immediately and dramatically.
. While this particular study was done using children, I’m sure that they would get the same result in adults.
. We all need some encouragement.
. We all like to receive encouragement don’t we?
. When we receive encouragement we feel that others care about us.
. I titled this message Encouraged to Encourage.
. My prayer is that through this message God will inspire you to become an encourager..
. I want us to look at one of the great encouragers in the bible this morning.
Acts 4:36 is the first time we hear of this man.
. The church was young. It had really just gotten its start there in Jerusalem and all of the church was in one accord the scriptures tell us. The apostles were preaching and teaching every day and more and more believed that Jesus was their long awaited Messiah and they were placing their faith in Him and what He had done on the cross for them. They were excited and on fire for God.
. The scripture says that they were selling their property so that everyone in the church would be provided for.
. There is one man though who was singled out for his generosity and encouragement of others,
. Let’s read our scripture this morning.
. 36For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus.
. 37He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.
. His name was Joseph but we don’t know him by this name. This is the last time that his proper name is used in scripture for him. His nickname was Barnabas.
. The apostles gave him a nickname.
. How many of you have had a nickname?
. I will probably regret this but when I was growing up my next to the oldest brother gave me a nickname that one of my brothers still uses today.
. He nicknamed me Diddle. Don’t ask me why because I don’t know. To this day though, one of my brothers will slip up and call me Diddle.
. My nickname didn’t mean anything but Joseph, nicknamed Barnabas did.
. Names had a meaning back in Jesus’ day and it meant “Son of Encouragement” or encourager.
. Barnabas’ character as an encourager was so well known that they actually changed his name. His nickname became who he was .
. As you look through the New Testament you will find that everywhere he went, Barnabas was an encourager.
. Look at Acts 11:22-24;
. 22When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.23When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.24Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord.
. The church was expanding and starting to reach the gentiles. When the church in Jerusalem heard about this guess what they did, they sent an encourager.
. They sent the encourager, Barnabas.
. Everywhere Barnabas is present; you will find encouragement going on.
. Even when the great apostle Paul was angry with John Mark and didn’t want him to be part of his ministry team anymore Barnabas chose to stay and encourage John Mark.
. Look at acts 15:36-40
. 36After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.”37Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark.38But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work.39Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus.40Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s gracious care.
.Paul didn’t want John Mark with them because he saw him as a quitter. One who wouldn’t follow through on his commitments.
. Barnabas saw a young man who needed encouragement.
. Obviously it worked. This young man we call John Mark is the writer of the Gospel as recorded by Mark.
. This episode happened around 50-52 AD and the Gospel of Mark was written somewhere around64 AD according to most biblical scholars.
. Something happened in those 12-14 years to bring John Mark from a young man that wasn’t committed to one that wrote boldly about the life and purpose of Jesus Christ.
. I don’t know all that happened but I do know that Barnabas had something to do with it by not abandoning him and encouraging and spending time with him.
. As I prayed through and meditated and studied through this sermon, I realized that all of us should want this nickname of Barnabas.
. I encourage you this morning to be a Barnabas, an encourager.
.The Greek word we translate encourage from is parakaleo.
. This word in its original form means “to call to one’s side, to comfort, to console, to strengthen.”
. When we encourage each other we walk beside them which means to share in their life by way of support and strengthening.
. To do what we can to strengthen instead of tear down.
. I want to take a few minutes this morning and look at just how we can become encouragers.
. The first thing we must realize in order to be an encourager is that Encouragement Must Be Spoken
.It doesn’t do any good just to think good thoughts about a person, we need to communicate with people in order to encourage them.
. We need to learn to speak words that encourage each other.
. Acts 13:15 says: 15After the usual readings from the books of Moses and the prophets, those in charge of the service sent them this message: “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, come and give it.”
. Paul and Barnabas had just arrived in Antioch and had gone to the synagogue on the Sabbath for worship. What would happen at these services was the reading of part of what we call the Old Testament. After they did that people would stand and speak.
. It’s amazing that they looked at Barnabas and Paul and said, Brothers if you have any word of encouragement come and give it.
. They were looking for words of encouragement.
. We all look for those words of encouragement. Words that will build us up, words that will help us in times of despair and trouble.
. Words that will help us stay the course when times get tough and words that affirm that what we are doing is the right thing.
. While we need to speak words of encouragement, it’s easy to speak words of discouragement. It’s easy to put someone down isn’t it?
. Scripture warns us about this repeatedly.
.In James 3:2-6a we see the brother of Jesus write;
. 2Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be fperfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
3We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth.
4And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong
.5In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.6And the tongue is a flame of fire…
. The words that we choose to use are so important.
. We need to think and speak slowly.
. My mother used to tell me that if you don’t have anything good to say, then don’t speak.
. Ann Landers once said, "The trouble with talking too fast is you may say something you haven’t thought of yet."
. Eph. 4:29 : 29Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
. How many of you have heard of hoof and mouth disease that cattle get.
. Sometimes we in our rush to speak and discourage we get what I call the “Foot in Mouth disease.” We must be careful to not let our words discourage.
. Our society today has a new phenomenon that wasn’t present in Jesus’ day.
. We have social networking. We have twitter and facebook and other sites that someone like me who is technologically challenged can’t even begin to understand.
. This is the way many communicate in our world today.
. Let me encourage you to think carefully what you speak through writing in this medium.
. Use this great technology to encourage and build people up, not to tear people down and discourage them.
. While speaking with our voice is limited by those that hear us, this medium can place your words forever in the land of technology.
. Encouragement must be spoken, fill you mouths and technology pages with words that comfort, uplift and inspire.
. Not only do we encourage with our words, We Encourage With Our Actions.
.I’m sure that you have heard the saying, “Actions speak louder than words”. While that may be true in some cases, in the context of encouragement, they go hand in hand with each other.
. We encourage people with our actions as well as our words.
. Let’s look at another example of Barnabas to see encouragement in action.
. Act’s 9:26-27: 26When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!
27Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.
. Paul was still going by the name Saul at this time. He had been saved on the road to Damascus and had answered god’s call to preach and teach others about Jesus.
. The trouble was that he was known as a persecutor of Christians. Not a follower of Jesus.
. The Christians in Jerusalem were afraid of him. They thought maybe he was trying to trick them.
. Barnabas took Paul to the Apostles and stood up for him. He told them of Paul’s conversion and how he personally had heard Paul preach the Gospel of Jesus.
. Think what might have happened had Barnabas not took Paul by the hand and encouraged him to go see the apostles.
. It would have been easy for Paul to say. These people don’t accept me. Maybe I don’t belong here.
. Barnabas through his actions encouraged and strengthened Paul in his faith and his reputation.
. Barnabas’ actions matched his words didn’t they?
. Folks our actions need to mach our words if we are to truly encourage people.
. People need a warm touch sometimes.
. Someone just to wrap their arms around them and hold them. No words necessary, just the action of comforting and encouraging.
. Occasionally I get a card from some of you here in the church.
. I may be having a bad week or need a little encouragement. I will go to the mail box and a card will be there. No special occasion, just an encouragement.
. While the words are comforting, I realize that it took an effort to do this action of encouragement.
. Most of all, people need our prayers.
. What an act of encouragement just to pray for someone.
. Let them know that you are praying for them and then do it.
. Folks, we encourage by our actions and our words.
. I encourage you this day to be an encourager.
. Lift each other up. Encourage your friends and neighbors.
. You never know how God uses our encouragements to bring people into a relationship with Him.
. Invitation.
*** To my Christian brothers and sisters, thank you for taking the time to read this sermon. I ask that you take another second and score this for me. I am always open to feedback so that I can continue to grow in the proclamation of God’s word.
May God bless you as you continue to strive to walk worthy of His calling.
Sources: The Holy Bible, NLT
The Power of Encouragement, Eyriche Cortez
The Power of Encouragement, Jeffery Anselmi
A Message of Encouragement, Steve Shepherd
