Encouragement

A message by Chris Collison 11/03/07

To listen to Chris's message click here mp3

Encouragement literally means to “put courage into someone”. To give someone the emotional strength to go on. That's more than a friendly chat over a coffee after the service! That's about going in at the deep end. I think wetend to stay in the shallow end with our encouragement. It's good that we affirm each other, but God wants us to get closer to that “deep end” kind of encouragement too. (Ezekiel 47 v 3-6)
The Greek root for encouragement, is “para-kaleo” - para means “alongside”, kaleo means “to call”. So to encourage is to be called alongside. In the same way the Holy Spirit is the Helper or Encourager (which comes from the same Greek root) comes alongside to help us, we are called to come alongside and help each other.
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We are instructed to encourage each other
Hebrews 10:24-25 says, we must, ...consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. We must not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing..” This is a command from the Lord - not just a “nice-to-have”. We need each other, and sometimes, just by being together, we encourage each other. We are living stones, built into a holy temple - encouragement is part of the mortar which fixes us together and strengthens us.
Encouraging each other is active. Spurring one another on - Spurs are not always a comfortable experience! Sometimes we all need someone to say “Go on - go for it !”-saying it from a heart of love, from a desire that we grow more in God.

How do we do encourage each other?
1) With our Words: Affirming, encouraging, praying for people, bringing God's word in prophecy for them. Our words could be a lifebuoy in a sea of discouragement for people. Coming alongside someone to encourage them with words requires relationship, trust, time, patience, empathy… That's why we have cell groups! Sometimes we prefer to give true encouragement than receive it, so we don't ever voice our fears. We keep it to ourselves, and deny others the opportunity to obey God. Everybody loses! Let's find new ways to get alongside each other. Cell Group is good for this; particularly the time spent praying in small groups.
2) Through Material Help. Acts 4 v32-39 Barnabas sold his land at a time when the early Christians were under some pressure, many of them were being persecuted. Material encouragement could also be helping someone with a practical issue in a time of need, taking round a meal. When someone is clearly at the end of their tether and says - “I don't know how I'm going to cope…” we, the church must come alongside them and say “we're here!”.
3) Seeing people's God-given potential and urging them to pursue it. Acts 9 v 26-28 and 11 v 25- 28 The early Christians would have been distrustful about the news that Saul was a changed man. And at the risk of his own reputation, Barnabas put all his influence into supporting Paul's credibility. Then, as the church in Antioch began to grow quickly, Barnabas searched for Saul and brought him back to help the leaders. Barnabas saw his potential and urged him to pursue it. I wonder if there are potential Pauls (and Paulas) here, just waiting for someone to encourage them to realise their God-given potential?
4) Giving second chances. Acts 15 - 36-41: On their first missionary journey, Mark had deserted Paul and Barnabas. Paul felt that Mark wasn't dependable and he said so. Paul and Barnabas decided to part company, Years later, when Paul wrote to Timothy and said, When you come, please bring John Mark with you, for he is useful to me. (I Timothy 4:12) John Mark got the message and went to Rome. Then he worked alongside of the Apostle Peter, whom he used as the oral source of the first gospel ever written-Mark's Gospel! Millions of people have been saved through reading it - because Barnabas gave him a second chance. Perhaps there are people in your life who you feel have let you down? If you were to give them a second chance, you could release them (and yourself) from the chains of discouragement.

Questions for Cell Groups.
How can we build the kind of “deep-end” relationships where we regularly “put courage into each other”?
What practical ways can we encourage each other? Pray through the four examples above.