“The Ministry Of Encouragement”
INTRODUCTION:
“O give me a home, where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play;
Where seldom is heard, a DISCOURAGING word,
And the skies are not cloudy all day.”
Can you imagine that? … No DISCOURAGING words!
Ever been DISCOURAGED? Not a good feeling.
- MAYBE … some of you are DISCOURAGED … NOW.
- IF NOT … may be before too long.
WHY? IF … a Christian … THAT’S 1 of the OBJECTIVES of Satan … to DISCOURAGE you.
- SINCE … he can’t “un-save” you … he will DISCOURAGE you.
“Discouraging words” will eat away your … joy … desire to serve Him … worship … read word … pray.
· ENCOURAGEMENT … is like a SOOTHING SALVE on a fresh sunburn.
· ENCOURAGEMENT … is God’s VITAMIN to perk us up & get us going again.
· ENCOURAGEMENT … is the ANTI-BIOTIC to fight the infection of DISCOURAGEMENT.
· ENCOURAGEMENT … can do wonders to an AILING SOUL.
NOW … Let’s take a look at the IMPORTANCE of a “Ministry Of Encouragement”.
JESUS knew the IMPORTANCE of an encouraging word.
1.- WHEN … LAZARUS, a friend of Jesus, DIED … his sisters, Mary & Martha were DISCOURAGED & disappointed in Jesus.
John Ch. 11 – all turn
The FIRST THING Jesus did … WAS … give them words of ENCOURAGEMENT – 11:23
BUT … He wasn’t the ONLY ONE.
11:19 – “comfort” = ‘encourage’ – GK – (paramutheomai) – “par-am-oo-theh’-om-ahee”
THEN … 11:31
2.- There was a LEVITE in early Church named JOSEPH.
· He gave liberally to the Church … sold some land & gave it to the Apostles.
· When none would take in Saul … Joseph took him in … got Paul started in his ministry.
· He headed up Paul’s 1st Missionary journey.
· He encouraged Mark when Paul split w/ him.
His NAME was “Joseph of Cyrus”.
- MAYBE … you’ve never heard of him … BECAUSE … they CHANGED HIS NAME.
- They started calling him “Son of Encouragement”.
WHO is this man? Acts 4:36 – all turn – BARNABAS!
He was such an ENCOURAGER to others … they RE-NAMED him “Son of Encouragement”.
The Scriptures ENCOURAGE us to ENCOURAGE each other … WHY?
1.- ENCOURAGEMENT GLORIFIES GOD – Rom. 15:5-6
ANYTIME you ENCOURAGE someone else … the end result is “glory to God”.
- It’s IMPOSSIBLE to ENCOURAGE someone … WITHOUT … glorifying God!
There’s lots we can do to DISHONOR God … speech … habits … prayerlessness … lifestyle.
- BUT … HERE’S A WAY to bring HONOR & GLORY to God … AND … it’s SO EASY!
EXAMPLE: Someone is LONELY … HOW can you ENCOURAGE them?
VISIT … BUT … may be impossible … too far … not able …
IDEA: Send them an “Encouragement Card” … (I printed up enough to put 1 in every bulletin, with extras on the table).
This is an EASY, WONDERFUL ministry that YOU can do.
IF … you’ve ever been DISCOURAGED … you know how IMPORTANT this is.
Some of the most UPLIFTING things I have ever received … IS … a letter/card/e-mail from someone who just wants to ENCOURAGE me.
SOMETIMES … I’ll get a card/letter from someone from my past 30 yrs. of ministry … WHO … OUT-OF-THE-BLUE … writes to tell me what my ministry has meant to them in their life.
· THINK … what an “Encouragement Card” would mean to a FORMER PASTOR … who thinks their ministry has been in vain … had no impact on anybody’s life.
· WHAT ABOUT … the person who LED YOU TO THE LORD … Ever THANKED them?
· HOW ABOUT … a S.S. Teacher from years gone by … OR … current S.S. Teacher.
· THINK … of a Christian who has meant a lot to you … been an INSPIRATION … EVER LET THEM KNOW?
SHAME ON YOU!
THINK … what a “Word of Encouragement” will do in their life.
· IT WILL … revive their faith … give renewed energy … lift their spirits … for the GLORY OF GOD!
· IT WILL … put a “spring in their step” … a spark of joy in their heart.
What a THRILL it is to know … THAT … God has used YOU to minister to them.
BIBLE SAYS … the “Comforter” … the “Encourager” … LIVES W/IN every believer … the Holy Spirit.
- ENCOURAGING OTHERS … IS … simply allowing the Holy Spirit to do His work THRU you … TO … give “Glory to God”.
1.- Encouragement Gives Glory To God
2.- ENCOURAGEMENT IS A REMINDER OF YOUR LOVE & CONCERN – 1 Thess. 2:10-11
“comforted” = ‘encouraged’ – GK – (paramutheomai) – “par-am-oo-theh’-om-ahee”
EXAMPLE given of Father/Children.
HOW OFTEN do we ENCOURAGE our children?
- IF word “NO!” was eliminated from many parent’s vocabulary … there would be SILENCE in the home!
Col. 3:21 – “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”
STORY – Someone asked a little boy what his name was.
- He said: “I’m not real sure, but I think it’s ‘Stupid Idiot’”!
As PARENTS … we have tendency to EMPHASIZE the NEGATIVE when they do WRONG.
- HOW MANY TIMES … do we give them a word of ENCOURAGEMENT when they do RIGHT?
- BUT … we EXPECT them to do RIGHT … SO … we never let them know when they do it!
PERHAPS … some PARENTS need to send their children an “Encouragement Card” … AND … vice-versa.
- Being a PARENT is a HARD JOB … AND … so is being a CHILD!
ENCOURAGEMENT … is simply an “act of love”.
1.- Encouragement Glorifies God
2.- Encouragement Is A Reminder Of Your Love & Concern
3.- ENCOURAGEMENT IS COMMANDED BY GOD – 1 Thess. 5:11
“comfort” = ‘encourage’ – GK – (paramutheomai) – “par-am-oo-theh’-om-ahee”
It’s NOT AN OPTION … a COMMAND!
SEVERAL WAYS to do this.
· MATERIAL NEEDS … SOMETIMES can help financially … (I was helped while in Bible College) …
· SPIRITUAL NEEDS … Do what you can. Are you PRAYING for someone?
- THEN … send them an “Encouragement Card” … to let them know.
- It REMINDS THEM of your prayers … concern … availability to give comfort.
REMIND them of the PROMISES of God.
- WHEN we’re DISCOURAGED … we often forget God’s great promises.
- God can use YOU to remind the DISCOURAGED how great God is!
DO YOU KNOW anyone who’s BURDENED … going thru TRIALS, TROUBLES?
- God COMMANDS us to “bear one another’s burdens”.
We have a RESPONSIBILITY to ENCOURAGE them.
4.- ENCOURAGEMENT WILL MAKE US HAPPIER TOO – Hebrews 3:13
“exhort” = ‘encourage’ … NOTICE – “daily”
· DISCOURAGEMENT “hardens” us to God’s blessings of JOY & PEACE.
· ENCOURAGEMENT will make them/us a more joyous Christian.
“Encouragement” is CONTAGIOUS.
- You can’t spread it to others … WITHOUT … getting a little on you.
- LIKE … PERFUME … you can’t put some on somebody else … WITHOUT … getting some on yourself.
ENCOURAGEMENT is the best medicine … money can buy.
WHAT WILL IT COST YOU?
· A little bit of TIME … AND … 24 cent STAMP.
- OR … you can HAND-DELIVER them.
- BUT … GOOD to MAIL … BECAUSE … it’s a good SURPRISE in mail box … along w/ BILLS!
· OR … can put them in my mailbox on door … AND … I’ll stamp them & mail them myself.
LOOK AROUND YOU … see anyone who has been a BLESSING to you?
DON’T YOU THINK … it’s about time you LET THEM KNOW how much you APPRECIATE them?
Your “Encouragement Card” is just a BLESSING … waiting to happen!
IT’S UP TO YOU … to be an INSTRUMENT for God to use … to ENCOURAGE someone else.
Everybody you know has been placed into your life for a PURPOSE.
- AND … you have been placed into their life for a PURPOSE.
MAYBE that purpose NOW … is for you to be an ENCOURAGEMENT to them.
CONCLUSION:
· What a TRAGEDY … to be ABLE to ENCOURAGE someone else … AND … not do it.
· What a TRAGEDY … to miss an OPPORTUNITY that God has given you.
- How SELFISH … how CRUEL!
USE these “Encouragement Cards” … flood the Post Office with them.
There’s MORE on table in Foyer.
USE THEM to lift someone’s spirit.
- Let them know you … care … thinking of them … praying for them … love them.
AND … you don’t even have to SIGN it … IF … you don’t want to … (THO … might be a good idea!)
MAYBE the Lord has spoken to your heart this AM … brought someone to your mind.
- IF SO … DON’T IGNORE this ministry.
DON’T let it be just a ONE-TIME shot … keep it up.
You want a MINISTRY in this Church? You have one!
MAYBE … you can’t … preach … teach S.S. … sing in choir …
- HERE’S something YOU can do … as a MINISTRY … the “Ministry Of Encouragement”.
ENCOURAGEMENT is … God’s PLAN … God’s PROGRAM … God’s COMMAND.
It’s a ministry that will bring … JOY, HOPE, COMFORT to those who need it.
- Let’s be FAITHFUL … in “The Ministry Of Encouragement”.
STAND - PRAY
