I. Acts 17 gives us an account of Paul’s preaching of the gospel in Thessalonica.
A. During his Second Missionary Journey, having just been arrested on false charges, beaten, jailed, and run out of town in Philippi, Paul and his companions came to Thessalonica. There he very quickly converted Jews, Greek proselytes, leading women, and even Gentiles. But some of the unconverted Jews stirred up a mob, grabbed the brethren, and dragged them before the city officials, accusing them of promoting another king. Paul and his friends had to escape the city by night. In fact, the opposition in Thessalonica was so strong that some followed Paul to Berea (60 miles away) and made it untenable for him to stay there.
B. Arriving next in Athens, Paul was plagued by worry over the new congregation in Thessalonica. Thessalonica was a tough environment due to the governmental and pagan religious influences. It was made tougher still (even dangerous) by hostile Jews. The new converts faced the loss of their friends, the alienation of their families, their displacement in the social structure within which they had lived, and persecution by the Jews who had been their friends, neighbors, and coworkers. We can easily see why Paul would be concerned. He felt that these new Christians were in dire need of encouragement.
C. Consequently, Paul sent Timothy back to check on them. In 1 Thes 3:1-2, Paul writes to them, “Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith….” [NKJV] Thus Paul says that he sent Timothy back to them in order to establish them and to encourage them in the face of afflictions.
II. Encouragement
A. We all need encouragement. This is particularly true in difficult times, but really at all times. Life is not smooth sailing and is full of difficulties, disappointments, and setbacks. It is easy for these to discourage us, to cause us to lose sight that there is hope. Christianity comes with wonderful blessings, but is often still a difficult row to hoe. We are unlikely to be chased out of town, but our faith will often be the source of opposition or even hostility be those of the world around us. Proverbs 29:27 says, “An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.” And we are far outnumbered by the wicked and worldly. The manner in which we live our daily lives pricks consciences, thus provoking animosity. Matt 7:14 says, “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Christianity is not an easy part, but a difficult way.
B. Thus it is easy to find sources of discouragement. There is a Peanuts cartoon in which Snoopy is playing on the ice, sliding about on his bare paws. He smiles broadly as he glides, spins, and jumps. Along comes Lucy, who says, “That’s not skating; that’s sliding! You don’t have any skates on. Skating is when you have skates on. You’re not skating at all; you’re just sliding!” Snoopy hangs head and leaves, dejected. “How could I have been so stupid. And I thought I was having fun.” How often have you been gliding through life having a ball, only to have something take the wind out of your sails completely.
C. So, where do we find encouragement? When we are discouraged, we lose perspective, focus on the negative, and spiral into even greater discouragement. [Here I project a cartoon by Mike Baldwin from CartoonStock.com which shows an office worker approaching a vending machine labeled “Encouragement.”] If only it were that easy.
D. Our greatest source of encouragement is one another. Heb 10:24-25 reminds us, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” An important part of why we assemble is to “stir up love and good works,” to encourage one another. In 1 Thes 5:11 Paul will tell the Thessalonians that they need to encourage one another in their congregation. In the ESV, this reads, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up.”
E. But how do we do that? What do we do or say? In the second and third chapters of his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul’s words of encouragement to them give us a model of how it is done.
III. A Model Encourager
A. Let’s begin in 1 Thes 2:13, where we see that an encourager recognizes what others are doing right. “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” Paul said they (1) accepted the gospel as the word of God and (2) put the gospel to work.
The church in Thessalonica had some serious problems. Why then start by talking about what they already know and are doing? Firstly, because doing the right thing is hard and takes courage. Col 4:6 suggests another reason. “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” Medicine you aren’t willing to swallow does no good at all. Praise prepares the heart, stirring up the courage to hear the hard things. It is easy, like Lucy, to become a discouragement when that was not our intent at all. Paul began with praise; we should look for the good and recognize it, reinforce it.
B. Going on to 1 Thes 2:14-16, Paul’s example shows us that an encourager also acknowledges the difficulties others are enduring. “For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.”
1. Hardship naturally makes us become more focused upon ourselves. It is easy to then feel that nobody else notices or cares. However, it is surprising how much more courage you have when you are reminded that someone else is watching. Thus it can be a great encouragement just to have someone say, “I know you are facing a tough and scary situation.”
2. Paul acknowledged the persecution the Thessalonians were enduring, but he also reminded them that God was there for them. In verse 14 he said of their persecutors, “…they do not please God,” and in verse 15, “but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost,” reminding them that God saw and had concern for their persecutions. Again, our first reaction to hardship is to focus on the problem and upon ourselves; we often fail to turn to God for help until we are going under for the third time. We all know it; we all forget it. A simple word can remind us and help us to find courage. Isaiah 40:29 tells us, “He gives power to the weak,” and Phil 4:13 reminds us that with God’s strength we can do anything that needs doing. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
C. Returning to 1 Thes 2, verses 17 and 18 show us that and encourager also makes an effort to be present. “But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.” Paul assured the Thessalonians that he wanted to be present with them.
1. Simply being present is one of the most powerful forms of encouragement. It defeats negative self-talk by demonstrating that the one we are present with is loved, valued, and therefore worth loving. It gives them a chance to talk through their problems, using you as a sounding board. It is as comforting and reenergizing as a warm hug.
2. In Matt 25:32-40 we have the parable of the dividing of the sheep and the goats. “All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”
Notice how Jesus describes the behavior of the righteous. They take care to provide for the physical needs of one another. But in verse 36 He also makes clear that they provide for one another’s emotional needs by simply showing up and being there. “I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” Jesus tells us that when we do this for one another, God considers it as if we had done it for Him. We may not know how to make someone’s situation any less burdensome or how to lessen their pain, but we can make it more bearable simply by being there.
D. Continuing in 1 Thes 2:19, Paul’s example of encouragement shows us that encouragers remind the discouraged of their heavenly hope. “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?”
1. When we are overwhelmed by difficulty, our problems can easily seem to be all-important and cause us to lose perspective. As we wrestle with the difficulties at hand, we need frequent reminders that we have a hope: a hope makes our struggles worthwhile; a hope that makes giving up an even greater tragedy; a hope that cannot be taken from us.
2. Consider how 1 Pet 1:3-7 describes our hope of inheritance. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ….” Peter encouraged those who were suffering by reminding them that their heavenly inheritance is imperishable, undefiled, unfading, kept for us by God’s power–it cannot be diminished by what we are suffering at the moment “though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials.”
3. As we remind one who is in difficulty of their heavenly hope, we need to take care not to sound like we might be trivializing their difficulties or grief. Even Jesus Himself, though surely certain of His heavenly home, still suffered and grieved. So notice how Paul acknowledges their trials in verse 14 before he subtly reminds them of their heavenly reward in verse 19.
E. 1 Thes 2:19-20 also demonstrates that an encourager will simply tell others that they are loved and appreciated. “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.” Certainly our actions will speak more loudly than our words; but that doesn’t mean that we want to overlook just telling someone in need of encouragement that we love them.
F. As Paul continues to encourage the Thessalonians in chapter 3, we see in 1 Thes 3:1-2 that an encourager freely sacrifices for others. “Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning the faith.”
1. Sending Timothy deprived Paul, leaving him alone as he himself faced very difficult situations. It deprived him of the companionship of a brother. It deprived him of the benefits of a fellow servant of God. It deprived him of a fellow laborer. But he sent Timothy anyway because he knew that it would help to establish and encourage the Thessalonian brethren.
2. Nothing says “love” like sacrifice. That sacrifice can be as simple as taking the time and effort to call, write a card, or simply be there. It might be suffering inconvenience ourself in order to lighten the load of our brother or sister. Those who know us know that our lives are busy and that we are wrestling with our own hardships. They will recognize that the time and effort we spend to help them or just visit them comes at a cost to us and will be encouraged by our act of selfless love.
3. Rom 12:1 tells us that we are to be living sacrifices to God. As we saw a moment ago in the parable of the sheep and the goats, sacrificing for God includes sacrificing for one another. Our sacrifice makes our gift meaningful to God, but also more meaningful to the recipient of our efforts. Don’t delay your encouraging efforts until it is easier or more convenient. That may be too late. Sacrifice to step up now when it is most needed, and your sacrifice will make your efforts even more meaningful and effective.
G. In 1 Thes 3:6-9, Paul demonstrates that an encourager also tells others how they make a difference. “But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you—therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God….”
It is easy to take one another for granted and to never stop to think, much less say out loud, how much we depend upon one another. And when we become discouraged it is easy to feel as if we won’t be missed as we lose courage and slip away. Paul tells the Thessalonian brethren:
•They were faithful and loving (6),
•They were a comfort to Paul when troubled (7),
•Their steadfastness invigorates Paul (8),
•They bring him joy (9).
We are all different and all bring unique elements to the strength and success of this congregation. Stop to consider exactly what we like most about one another. And then tell one another about it! We all need the encouragement of knowing that we are loved and valued.
H. Finally, Paul shows us in 1 Thes 3:9-13 that encouragers pray for each other. “For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith? Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.”
Our encouragement provides strength, but God can provide even greater strength. But while praying, don’t neglect to do what we can do. And also, having prayed, tell them we are doing so, just as Paul told the Thessalonians that he was “night and day praying exceedingly” for them. Or better, pray with them, as Paul here wrote his prayer that the Lord would make them increase and about in love. Sharing our prayers for another tells them that they are important to us even as it reminds them that God’s strength is available to them.
IV. There we have a model with a host of little things we can do to encourage one another. My hope is that this lesson will stimulate thought about how we can better encourage one another, something that can have a profound effect upon our congregation. And this is something that every one of us, young or old, new convert or lifelong Christian, can do.
Inspired by “Being an Encouragement,” by David Owens, SermonCentral, with the Snoopy illustration and a few sentences borrowed from that lesson.
