Introduction: The Courage to Begin
When Gandalf first visited Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit, Bilbo wanted nothing to do with adventure. He loved his comfortable hobbit-hole — his tea, his chair, and his quiet little life in the Shire. But Gandalf saw something in Bilbo that Bilbo didn’t see in himself. He told him, “I am looking for someone to share in an adventure.”
And Bilbo replied, “Good morning — but we don’t want any adventures here, thank you! You might try over The Hill or across The Water.”
Yet, as the story unfolds, Bilbo steps out his front door, and everything changes. He leaves comfort behind and discovers that courage was in him all along, courage he never knew he had until he took the first step.
Courage always begins that way.
It’s not about fearlessness; it’s about faithfulness.
It’s about stepping forward even when you’re trembling.
It takes courage to live faithfully.
Courage to love when love costs you.
Courage to forgive when it hurts.
Courage to trust when you don’t understand.
Courage to grow when it would be easier to stay the same.
And that’s the kind of courage God calls each of us to; an everyday courage that chooses obedience over comfort, faith over fear, and purpose over passivity. It’s the courage Gideon needed when God called him from hiding in a winepress to leading Israel against overwhelming odds.
Let’s begin by reading about Gideon’s call and then turn to Paul’s closing words in 2 Corinthians 13:11.
Judges 6:11-16 (CSB)
The angel of the Lord came, and he sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which
belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. His son Gideon was threshing wheat in the wine vat
in order to hide it from the Midianites. Then the angel of the Lord appeared to him and
said, ‘The Lord is with you, valiant warrior.’ Gideon said to him, ‘Please, my lord, if the
Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonders that
our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, “The Lord brought us out of Egypt”? But
now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.’ The Lord turned to
him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and deliver Israel from the grasp of Midian.
I am sending you!’ He said to him, ‘Please, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Look, my
family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s family.’ ‘But I
will be with you,’ the Lord said to him. ‘You will strike Midian down as if it were one
man.
2 Corinthians 13:11 (CSB)
Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice. Become mature, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Courage.
Background: Paul’s Final Words to Corinth
Paul had poured himself out for the Corinthians. He had corrected them, confronted them, and comforted them. And now, as he finishes this letter, he gives a rapid-fire series of five commands: short, simple, but powerful.
These are not casual words. They are summonses. They’re calls to courage.
He says:
1. Rejoice.
2. Become mature.
3. Be encouraged.
4. Be of the same mind.
5. Be at peace.
And then he adds the promise:
“And the God of love and peace will be with you.”
Every one of those commands takes courage to obey.
1. It Takes Courage to Rejoice
Paul begins, “Rejoice.”
It seems strange to tell people who are hurting, confused, and divided to rejoice.
But Paul’s joy isn’t based on circumstance; it’s rooted in Christ.
He’s saying: don’t let the storm inside you or around you steal the song that God put within you.
It takes courage to rejoice when your heart is heavy.
It takes courage to praise when the answers haven’t come.
Joy is not pretending; it’s trusting.
In Judges 7, Gideon faced an impossible battle. He started with 32,000 men, but God reduced his army to just 300. Yet before the battle began, Gideon worshiped. Scripture says that when he heard the dream about the enemy’s defeat, “he bowed in worship before the Lord.” (Judg. 7:15)
That was an act of courage — to rejoice before the victory, to praise before he saw results.
Courageous joy says, “God, I trust You even here.”
2. It Takes Courage to Grow
Next Paul says, “Become mature.”
The Greek word katartizesthe means “to be restored, to be made complete, to mend.”
It’s the word used for repairing torn fishing nets — bringing what’s broken back into usefulness.
Growth requires honesty.
You can’t grow if you won’t face what’s wrong.
You can’t mature if you hide from the mending hand of God.
It takes courage to look in the mirror of God’s Word and say, “Lord, I need You to change me.”
It takes courage to admit your need for grace, to face your flaws, and to grow beyond them.
Gideon didn’t start out brave. He was hiding in a winepress when the angel called him “mighty warrior.” But God saw what he could become — not what he was.
And that’s how He sees you.
Becoming mature isn’t about perfection; it’s about progress.
And progress takes courage.
3. It Takes Courage to Be Encouraged
Here’s the heart of the message: “Be encouraged.”
In Greek, parakaleisthe means “be comforted,” “be strengthened,” or literally “take courage.”
It’s from the same root as Parakletos — the name Jesus used for the Holy Spirit, “the Comforter,” the One who comes alongside us.
To be encouraged means to let God’s presence put strength back into your soul.
Courage is not something you drum up; it’s something you receive.
When Jesus walked on the water toward His terrified disciples, He said, “Take courage! It is I; don’t be afraid.” (Matt. 14:27)
The courage came not from the storm being still, but from knowing He was there.
Paul’s word “be encouraged” is really an invitation:
“Let the Holy Spirit breathe courage into you again.”
It takes courage to keep believing.
Courage to keep showing up.
Courage to keep doing good when you don’t see fruit yet.
But when you draw near to God, courage rises.
4. It Takes Courage to Stay United
Then Paul says, “Be of the same mind.”
That doesn’t mean we all think alike, but that we all submit our thoughts to the same Lord.
Unity takes humility — and humility takes courage.
It’s easy to divide.
It’s easy to distance ourselves from people who hurt us or disagree with us.
But it takes courage to forgive, to listen, and to love.
The 300 men with Gideon had one heart and one purpose. Their unity made them unstoppable, because God fought for them.
And the church is strongest when it moves in the same Spirit — when we’re not competing, but completing one another.
It takes courage to stay in the fight for unity.
5. It Takes Courage to Be at Peace
Finally, Paul says, “Be at peace.”
Peace is not passivity; it’s active trust.
It’s choosing rest when everything around you says panic.
Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you.”
It takes courage to slow down in a world that never stops.
It takes courage to let go of what you can’t control and trust that God is working.
And Paul gives the promise:
“The God of love and peace will be with you.”
That’s the outcome of courage; not just peace from God, but the presence of God.
Exhortation: A Call to Courage
Paul’s words are not just instructions; they’re invitations.
They call us to a way of living that can only be sustained by courage, by divine strength in human weakness.
It takes courage to rejoice when it’s easier to complain.
It takes courage to grow when it’s easier to coast.
It takes courage to be encouraged when it’s easier to give up.
It takes courage to stay united when it’s easier to divide.
It takes courage to rest in peace when it’s easier to worry.
But every time you choose courage, you experience His nearness.
Like Bilbo stepping out the door for the first time.
Like Gideon stepping onto the battlefield with only 300 men.
Like Jesus setting His face toward Jerusalem, knowing what awaited Him.
Courage doesn’t mean you’re not afraid; it means you trust God more than your fear.
Conclusion: The God Who Is With You
Paul ends with the greatest assurance of all:
“And the God of love and peace will be with you.”
That’s the promise that fuels courage.
The presence of God is the foundation of our faith and the source of our strength.
You can take courage today, not because you have it all figured out,
not because the path is easy,
but because the God of love and peace is with you.
So take that first step.
Rejoice. Grow. Be encouraged. Stay united. Rest in peace.
And you will find that the God who called you to courage is walking right beside you.
Final Line (to close in prayer or exhortation):
“Lord, give us the courage to rejoice, the courage to grow, the courage to be encouraged, the courage to forgive, and the courage to rest, until Your peace fills every corner of our hearts.”
