For example, it use to be for us to make a good grade on our report card we had to have a good memory.
For example, in homiletics in college we were assigned to take a test on:
• Memorize 10 of these
• Memorize 13 of these
• Memorize 25 of these
And if you had a good memory you made “A” in that subject.
And if you had a bad memory, you did not do so well even though you might be smarter than someone with a good memory in the class.
But the problem with this method of teaching we cannot retain all of these things we memorize after a couple of days.
Unfortunately, memorization often comes without understanding.
In this sermon instead of listing a bunch of stuff that you are going to forget in several days.
I want to show you HOW TO FIND THE SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR ENCURAGEMENT IN TIMES OF DISCOURAGEMENT.
Everybody gets discourage from time to time.
Yes, even preachers.
Illus: Years ago, a famous preacher, I want to mention his name because he has died, and I do not want to say anything bad about the dead.
But at this conference of five-thousand preachers he said, “I have never been discouraging in a day of my life.”
I did not believe then and I do not believe it now.
In fact, some of the greatest men in the Bible got discouraged.
For example…
• When Jezebel was on the trail of Elijah in the Old Testament he got so discourage, he almost had a nervous break down.
• When John the Baptist was put in prison the Lord had to send someone to cheer him up BECAUSE HE GOT DISCOURAGED.
• That great servant King David got discouraged many times as we read the psalms.
If there is one thing that we all have in common is that we are all are subject to discouragement.
Many things can get us discourage
(1) Domestic problems in the home.
(2) Money problems
(3) Relationship problems
(4) Job problems
(5) Health Problems
Sometimes it is bad news that gets us discouraged when it comes to our HEALTH.
Illus: Makes me think of a man had a physical checkup and then he went later to see his doctor to get the results.
The doctor said he had bad news and worse news for him. Which did he want to hear first?
• The man was shocked and said, “Well, give me the bad news first.
• The doctor said, “The bad news is that you only have 24 hours to live.”
• At this the man jumped up, totally distraught and said, “24 hours to live? What could possibly be worse than this?”
• The doctor replied, “The worse news is that I was supposed to tell you yesterday, but I forgot.”
Even the great apostle Paul got discouraged.
Look at 2 Corinthians 1:8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:”
There are three things that I think contributed to Paul’s discouragement in the ministry.
(1) The Strain of the ministry can be discouraging.
For example, no pastor can do the work alone.
Illus: You ever tried to pick up something and it was too heavy for you to pick up alone. But someone came alone and helped you and they took on half the load itself and you picked it up.
This is why a church must have:
• Sunday school teachers
• Deacons
• Ushers
• Song leader
• Janitors
• Money counters
• Church Clerk
No pastor can do it ALONE! It does not matter how many DEGREES he has behind his name HE CANNOT DO IT ALONE!
In his job he assumes…
• The member of the congregation loves the Lord as much as he does.
• He assumes that the members who have joined the church love their church as much as he does.
• He assumes that the members of the congregation who hired him will support him when he preaches God’s Word.
• He assumes the members of the congregation love him as much as he loves them.
• He assumes those who love him and support him will be lifetime friends.
But when these ASSUMPTIONS do not WORK OUT, the ministry can be very DISCOURAGING.
The Strain of the ministry can be discouraging.
Another thing that can be discouraging for Paul…
(2) Secondly, The Little Success of the Work Can be discouraging.
We all like to see growth and success in ANYTHING WE DO!
• And while Paul saw some success, he has been basically run out of every TOWN he WENT TO MINISTER.
• While he has seen some success come to the Lord’s work, he still sees the masses of people rejecting the truth and that is discouraging.
Then finally…
(3) The Lonely Service of the ministry can be discouraging.
Illus: When the apostle Paul was in jail for preaching the gospel, it must have been a sad moment when he had to write in 2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world…”
• If he gets friendly with any man he is showing partiality.
• If he gets friendly with any woman, he is a womanizer.
He has to do a lot of the work alone.
But during these times we can all be THANFUL…
• While the devil is active in discouraging us, God is at work to encourage us through a friend.
• While the devil is trying to drag us down, God is there to lift us up.
• While the devil aims at getting us to quit, God is working to encourage us to keep up the good fight.
Something we all have in COMMON is the battle against discouragement.
Yes, the best way to overcome discouragement is KNOW WHERE THE SOURCES FOR US TO FIND ENCOURAGMENT.
We are given “Three Encouragements to keep us going.”
I. OUR FRIENDS
One of the greatest and deepest needs we have as human beings is friendship.
We cannot make it through life without OUR FRIENDS.
Illus: A little girl had been trying for months to learn the art of tying her shoes. She finally grasped the knack and was able to do it by herself. Her parents expected the child to be delighted but were surprised by her disappointment.
• Her father asked why she was crying. She sobbed, "I just learned how to tie my shoes."
• He said, "That’s wonderful, Honey, but why are you crying?"
• She replied, "Because now I’ll have to do it all by myself for the rest of my life."
Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loveth at all times…”
Notice the words “At all times.”
Let me illustrate…
Illus: A brilliant lawyer. He was somehow wrapped up in the Watergate mess that caused Richard Nixon to lose his presidency and to resign in disgrace before impeachment.
And people hated Richard Nixon, especially on the campuses, and people hated the Watergate debacle, and they hated that cluster of friends that were there in those inner workings of the White House.
But through all of that, Charles Colson came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and Lord.
He spent some time in prison. He came out of prison and wrote a book called, “Born Again.”
Because of that book, he began to lecture some, and he was speaking to a group of students in a western university.
And they were very hostile, hostile toward Nixon and hostile to anybody that had a part in the Watergate thing, and after Charles Colson spoke, they began to bombard him with questions.
And the questions got sharper and sharper and more hostile.
And one of the students stood up, and he read a criticism that Henry Kissinger had made of Richard Nixon, a very biting, harsh, criticism of Richard Nixon.
And then that student said, “Mr. Colson, I want to know, do you agree with what Mr. Kissinger has said?”
Colson in his book said he scanned the audience; he knew that every ear was listening to hear what he would say. It was one of those moments.
He thoughtfully replied, and here’s what he said. “We all know Mr. Nixon’s negative qualities. He has been dissected in the press like no one in history. I can tell you his good points, but I don’t believe that I can persuade you to accept them.
But what it comes down to is, no, I don’t go along with Mr. Henry Kissinger’s comments. Mr. Nixon is my friend, and I don’t turn my back on my friends.”
When he said that, in this university, there was a moment, he said he thought the roof would fall in.
There was a moment of silence. Nobody knew how they would respond.
And then, do you know what happened to that hostile audience? They stood on their feet like one man and gave Charles Colson a thunderous applause, an ovation.
Even hostile students like that could appreciate loyalty to a friend. “Mr. Nixon is my friend, and I will not turn my back on my friends.”
The Bible says, “A FRIEND LOVETH AT ALL TIMES.”
This is one of the things that kept the apostle Paul going.
One of the greatest God given encouragements is our friends.
Illus: I am not talking about what Facebook friends. I am talking about real friends.
The load we have to carry is always tougher if you have to bear it alone.
Paul turned to his friends.
Illus: Given eviction papers Aqulia and his wife Priscilla came to Corinth.
• It seems that Aquila and Priscilla had a tent making business that they set up in Corinth.
• Paul just so happened to be a tentmaker and so he began to work with Aquila and Priscilla in their business.
• This gave him the funds for his support so that he could go into the synagogue every Sabbath and reason with the Jews and Greeks for Jesus Christ.
What a blessing Aquila and Priscilla were to Paul. They became his best and closest friends.
Then God sent Silas and Timothy from Macedonia to Corinth to reunite with Paul.
So, God has not only blessed Paul with two new friends but brought back to him two familiar friends.
Listen, we should stand for God if we have to stand alone, but it always easier when you have friend who will stand with you.
Illus: I believe this is one of the reasons God established the church so that we do not have to stand alone.
One of the reasons I like to attend church is because FRIENDS in Christ – I DO NOT FEEL ALONE IN THIS SPIRITUAL WAR WE ARE IN EACH DAY!!! This is encouraging when I see you come through those church doors.
Illus: It makes me feel like the little boy when his dad came to see him play little league baseball.
His dad was late for the game, and he went up to the dugout and asked his son…
• What inning is it?
• The little boy said this is the first inning.
• Dad said, “What is the score?”
• Little boy said, 18-0, but don’t worry dad OUR TEAM IS UP TO BAT!!!
When you walk through those church doors I feel, OUR TEAM IS UP TO BAT!!!
Thank God for friends who God puts in our path who will encourage us in the work of the Lord.
The first encouragement that we see in this chapter TO OVERCOME DISCOURAGEMENT IS OUR FRIENDS.
Acts 18:1-3 After these things Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth; And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. And because he was of the same craft, he abodes with them and wrought for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
Thank the Lord for OUR FRIENDS.
The second encouragement is from-
II. The Positive Results-
Look at verses 5-8, we read, and when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
We all like GOOD RESULTS.
In Macedonia he got bad results.
Scripture said, and when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
Negative results can be very discouraging. We all like GOOD RESULTS!!!
After we get BAD RESULTS IT IS ENCOURAGING TO GET SOME GOOD RESULTS.
Illus: In 1782 Charles Simeon was appointed pastor of Trinity Church in England.
But many in the congregation did not want Simeon they wanted Bro. Hammond to be their pastor.
• The first thing the congregation did in rebellion was to refuse Simeon to be the afternoon lecturer.
• They assigned the afternoon lecture to Bro. Hammond.
• And when Bro. Hammond left five years later they gave it to another man for the next 7 years.
• Simeon tried to start a later service on Sunday evenings but the pew holders refused to come and locked their pew doors so that no one could sit in their personal pews. So he had to set up chairs in the isles and in the corners so that those who came could sit. This went on for 12 years.
The question is what was it that kept Charles Simeon going forward in the midst of this most discouraging situation?
• It was this, while many did not want him, some did.
• While many did not come, some did.
• While many were unaffected by his ministry, many were.
• While much was discouraging, he saw hope in the situation.
Here is what he wrote:
• We can either dwell on the negative and be discouraged or we can encourage ourselves on the positive results.
• Look and see even though many don’t grow an inch, some have grown.
• Many visitors did not come back, but some did.
• Many lost people still remain lost, but some trusted in Jesus as their Savior.
Don’t look at what God has not done but dwell on all that God has done.
We all need to know where we can find encouragement
I. First, encouragement was godly friends
II. Second, encouragement was GOOD RESULTS.
III. Third, Promises of God-
Look at verses 9-11, we read, Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
While it is true:
• That friends encourage us
• Positive results encourage us
• The greatest encouragement of all is the Lord himself.
The Lord speaks to Paul and tells him, “Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have many people in this city.”
God says,
• “Speak and hold not thy peace.”
• Don’t stop, don’t quit, don’t let up,
But speak.
Sometimes it takes courage to PREACH GOD’S WORD.
Illus: Dr. Odell Belger tells how that one day he got a called from a very prominent magistrate judge in town.
The judge asked the officer if he could see Dr. Belger before the service started. Dr. Belger said he would be there in an hour.
The judge said I need to tell you, do not come to my office, the Governor Riley and I had a very serious disagreement and he had me put in jail.
Also, I need to tell you also my wife has died, and I want you to preach her funeral. Belger agreed to do the funeral.
But he said as you know my wife family will be there, and they were Mormons.
When Dr. Belger reached the funeral home, he discovered that auditorium was packed with Mormons.
Before he went on the platform, with police escort the Judge wanted to see Dr. Belger.
He only had time to give him a letter and asked him to read it to the congregation when he was through with his remarks.
When Dr. Belger got though with his remarks he told the congregation the Judge wanted him to read this to the congregation.
Without having time to pre-read the letter he opened it and began to read it.
First, he mentioned how much he loved her, and it was nice.
But next in this letter he expressed
• How much he detested the Mormons.
• How much the Mormons are a bunch of idiots
It was only two pages, but later Dr. Belger said he FELT LIKE THE LONGEST LETTER HE HAD EVER READ IN HIS LIFE! AND GET TO THE CLOSING.
As he closed, he said at the graveside not ONE MORMON greeted him.
Listen, I mention that to mention this, it takes courage to preach God’s Word.
This is why so many preachers will mention the word SIN, but they have not got the courage to call what sin is!!!
Listen, if no one in the congregation like the preaching of sin…PAUL SAID, “PREACH THE WORD!”
God makes a promise to the preacher when He preaches THE WORD OF GOD…The promise, I am with thee.
• Aqulia and Priscilla may not be there.
• Silas and Timothy may not be there.
There may be no earthy presence there at all but don’t be afraid to speak up for I am with you.
• Here is the promise of God’s presence.
Oh, what encouragement it is to have God on your side.
• Another promise is made, no man shall set on thee to hurt thee, and there is divine protection.
• Not only will God be present but also he will be there to protect.
1. Sometimes he is THREATENED
2. Sometimes he is BETRAYED
3. Sometimes he is BLACKMAILED
But God always protects HIS MAN!
Illus: Dr. Charles Stanley one Sunday morning on Live Tv. a man got up and slapped Dr. Stanley in the face. But look how God protected him, and his ministry continues to grow world-wide.
And they tried.
Look at verses 12-17 we read, And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you: But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters. And he drave them from the judgment seat. Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.
They tried to come against Paul. But it all came to naught as the matter was dismissed.
There is a third promise here.
Not just a promise of presence, and protection, but a promise of power.
God says, “For I have many people in this city.”
What did that mean?
There were those who were to be saved by the power of God.
• Friends are great encouragers
• Results are encouraging
• But when God comes to you and promises his…
(1) Presence,
(2) Protection,
(3) Power,
You have every reason to keep on going forward.
CONCLUSION:
One of the tragedies of life is that the lost person goes through life rejected the greatest friend they ever had…. JESUS!
WHAT A TRADEGY!!!
But lost person I want you to come to know the Lord as your Savior and friend today as we give the invitation.
As Christians we get our encouragement from three places.
From-
I. FRIENDS
II. RESULTS
III. GOD.
