Courage Connection
1 Thess 5:11
Introduction: One of the greatest gifts we have to offer one another as Christians is the gift of encouragement!
Last week I spoke about enlarging our tents, lengthening our cords and strengthening the stakes.
But it takes encouragement from one another not just to exist but to excel.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 ‘Therefore comfort each other and edify (encourage) one another, just as you also are doing’. (NKJ)
Encourage = put courage into someone.
Courage = quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face challenges.
Hebrews 10:24-25 ‘And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 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’. (NKJ)
Romans 15:2 ‘Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification’. (Rom 15:2 NKJ)
• Please = stirve to please / accommodate one’s self to the opinions and desires and interests of others. Probably from another Greek root which means to excite.
• Edification = to build them up (one version).
Romans 1:11-12 ‘For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established– 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me’. (Rom 1:11 NKJ)
Here Greek for encourage = exhort or strengthen
For the purpose of establishing – steadfast, fixed, resolute
Quotes to remember:
1. “A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success.” – author unknown
2. “Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.”― Ralph Waldo Emerson
3. “Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.”
(Letter to A.F. Oeser, Nov. 9, 1768)”
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Early and Miscellaneous Letters of J. W. Goethe: Including Letters to His Mother. With Notes and a Short Biography
Transition / Question: What might / should Encouragement look like?
I. Honest authentic / fair / straightforward/virtuous yet gracious.
Application: We’ve all heard the term ‘brutally honest’ Brutal should mean genuine but not harsh and critical!
• Being brazen and harsh should not be a badge of courage (it is probably more in keeping with pride).
Our honesty should be seasoned with salt and laced with honey!
• Being gracious includes patience, room for failure and support as needed.
Transition:
II.
Wholesome
(conducive to moral or general well-being; beneficial…nutritional)
but not flattering.
(Trying to please by complimentary remarks or attention. Insincere, excessive praise.
Transition:
III. Motivational yet realistic
Illustration: Telling a 5’9 kid who can’t dribble a basketball that he can become an NBA star is not encouragement!
Transition:
IV. Supportive and accountable.
Application: We can and probably should provide continual support and even ask about progress / movements / answers.
Word to the Wise
Introduction: Let me finish my thoughts on Matthew 8-10. Jesus is moved for the people and to send disciples/others into the whitened harvest field. Jesus does give additional instructions and awareness of lays before them. Question: Why did Jesus not send the disciples to Gentiles and Samaritans? In Romans 1:16 Paul writes, “I am not…
Author and Authorization
Matthew 10:1-15 Introduction: This is where I left off last week. Because there is a ripen harvest prepared by God himself… Jesus says, 9:38, ‘So pray, to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into the fields.’ Pray =Ask =Send = thrust forth – ‘The harvest is…
The Lost – A Whitened Harvest
Introduction: Last week I spoke about what the oil running down Aaron’s beard was all about. It was about the separation of objects and especially people for God’s use. Transition: In the Book of Matthew, after Jesus taught about matters like praying, not judging others, the ‘golden rule’, the problem with worrying, and some other…
Oil on Aaron’s Beard
Psalm 133:1-2; Lev. 8:10-12 Introduction: Some of you may have heard or studied this image in scripture of oil soaking Aaron’s beard and dripping down all the way to his toes. This comes from Psalm 133:1-2 & Leviticus 8:10-12. I sensed the Lord was putting this in my heart and mind and what the significance…
Nothing Formed
Isaiah 54:1-17 Introduction: The last verse of Isaiah chapter 54 is one of the verses we lean on frequently. NLT – Isaiah 54:17 ‘But in that coming day no weapon (turned, formed, forged) against you will (succeed, prosper)’. ‘You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants…
Harvest Seed
2 Corinthians 9 Introduction: Last weekend I spoke to you about Sabbath rest and how (Labor Day) was one of those days as a day of extra ‘rest’. Labor Day is also known as the last (unofficial) weekend of the summer. That’s the natural time (God’s time) we are moving into. The first official day…
Why Rest
Labor Day today is a welcomed day not only because it recognizes workers/labors, but because it gives us an extra day of ‘rest’. Judaism[edit] Main article: Shabbat See also: Hebrew calendar Jewish Shabbat (Shabbath, Shabbes, Shobos, etc.) is a weekly day of rest, observed from sundown on Friday until the appearance of three stars in…
The Big Stick
Exodus 15:22-16:27 Introduction: Trustin God during Bitter Times ‘The people complained and turned against Moses.’Meaning: 1) to lodge, stop over, pass the night, abide 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lodge, pass the night 1a2) to abide, remain (fig.) 1b) (Hiphil) to cause to rest or lodge 1c) (Hithpalpel) to dwell, abide 2) to grumble, complain, murmur…
The Big Wave
Exodus 14:15-31 Question: The ‘Big Wave’! God told them to tell Pharoah,‘to hold a feast’ better interpreted ‘make a pilgrimage, keep a pilgrim feast’ Exodus 5:1, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: Let my people go so they may hold a festival in my honor in the wilderness.’ Exodus 6:6-7 Ancient…