Encouragement: Making Others Strong (2015 Revision of an earlier sermon already posted)
1. We are often discuouraged.
2. There is an old story about a pastor leaving a church. At his farewell dinner, he tried to encourage one of the pillar members, “Don’t be so sad. The next pastor might be better than me.” She replied, “That’s what they said last time, but it keeps getting worse.” (Source: John Ortberg, The Life You’ve Always Wanted, p. 159).
3. Christian families and churches generally be sources of encouragement, when possible.
4. Encouragement is artificial if it is not valid and sincere. We are dealing with persons, not projects. Encouragements when possible, but not at the expense of truth.
Main Idea: As long as the church of Jesus Christ has the potential to improve, we need to be serious about encouraging others.
I. Encouragement is Crucial to EDIFY and NURTURE Others
A. The Old Testament word for encouragement suggests STRENGTHENING
In the ESV, we find the word "encourage" 32 times, "encouraged" 11 times, "encouragement" 11 times, and "encouraging" 6 times. The Hebrew word is used hundreds of times and is sometimes translated "make bold," "brave," "strengthen" and "build up."
Deut 1:38: “But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it.”
Deut. 3:28 “But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see."
Part of Leadership training is filling the “encouragement tank” of future leaders…
Is. 41:7, “The craftsman encourages the goldsmith, and he who smooths with the hammer
spurs on him who strikes the anvil. He says of the welding, ‘It is good.’"
2 Chron. 30:22, “Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the LORD . For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised the LORD, the God of their fathers.”
32:6-7, “He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.’”
Encouragement acknowledges the fears that people have as real, and emboldens them despite those fears.
B. The New Testament word suggests COMFORTING
I Thes. 5:11-14, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”
C. Notice the INTENTIONALITY of encouraging words
If we are to accept that encouraging others is crucial toward developing God’s Kingdom, then how do we do it?
II. We Can Encourage People By Developing Encouragement as a HABIT and Manner of Life
A. Principle: begin at HOME
1. The PRINCIPLE of I Timothy 5:8
If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
2. There is nothing MASCULINE about being NEGATIVE
--do not make your life’s mission to keep other people humble by being critical or withholding compliments…people with good self-esteem usually ARE humble…
3. If you compliment only perfection, you have PROBLEMS
There are many ways to divide people; one division is between those who withhold nurturing words and those who encourage and reward sincere effort…
B. The Bible offers us a NUMBER of ways to encourage
1. We encourage people by using PLEASNT words without barbs:
Proverbs 12:25, “Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad.”
2. We encourage people by recognizing what God has DONE through them
Galatians 2:7-9a, “On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.”
3. We encourage people with GRATITUDE for how they have blessed us
2 Thes.1:3, “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. …..ESPECIALLY TO WOFE KIDS FAMILY
4. We encourage people by BELIEVING in them
I needed to put a pipeline in, not confident. Old pastor friend I knew for 25 years said, "Ed, I am not an expert in this either, but have done it -- and you can do it, too. Just put in a lot of unions and take your time." He emboldened me, and I did the job!
Acts 15:36-39, “After some days Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.’
“Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.”
2 Tim. 4:11, “Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.”
5. We encourage people by speaking well of them to OTHERS
2 Corinthians 9:2, “for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the Macedonians, namely, that Achaia has been prepared since last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them.”
6. We encourage people by NOT discouraging them
Some people think that frustrating others will make them try harder, that saying, “You can’t do that” will challenge them to succeed. This is not typically true.
Prv. 16:21 The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction.
7. We encourage people by listening to them, praying for them, and taking their concerns SERIOUSLY
Proverbs 25:20, “Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on soda, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
• There are numerous other ways to encourage people, anywhere from gifts to awards to cards, special events….
C. How to IMPLEMENT this
1. At HOME
(1) express appreciation for a quality your spouse has; suggest no improvement
(2) compliment each of your children about something without an admonition to do even better…
2. At WORK
(1) encourage your boss by thanking him for handling things well (i.e., what he does well)
(2) express appreciation to those under you….recognize progress apart from ideal goals
3. Among BELIEVERS
(1) pray for them, and mention, “I prayed for you”
(2) listen to them when they share; respond with a summary of what they said
(3) when someone does something well, let them know you noticed…
As long as the church of Jesus Christ has the potential to improve, we need to be serious about encouraging others.
CONCLUSION
1. A study was done by psychologist Dr. Henry H. Goddard, on energy levels in children.
He used an instrument he called the "ergograph." How he ever got some children to stand still long enough to connect them to the machine is a mystery. But he did, and his findings are fascinating.
He found that when tired children are given a word of praise or encouragement, the ergograph shows an immediate upward surge of new energy. When the children are criticized and discouraged, the ergograph shows their physical energy take a sudden nose-dive.
Those results could be probably be duplicated in adults. When we are praised our energy levels go up. When we are criticized our energy levels go down. (Source: Sermoncentral)
2. Let us develop the right habits so we become life givers, not life drainers.
