Humble Encouragement

Snap shot:

Pastor Greg Stansel Acts 20:1-16 September 25, 2022

Trials are a great opportunity for us to glorify God and encourage one another.

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VI.

VII. Encourage others with God’s power over death (20:9–12)

Have the right mindset through trials (20:1a, 24) Encourage others in persecution (20:1, 2)

Encourage others through partnership (20:3–6, 13–15)

Encourage others through fellowship (20:7)

Encourage others through telling of God’s faithfulness (20:8–12) Encourage others by celebrating God’s faithfulness (20:6, 16)

Connect

Tell of a time you were encouraged in a trial.

Study

Point 1: Have the right mindset through trials (20:1a, 24)

READ James 1:1–4

1) To whom is James writing? Why is understanding James’ audience important to the following verses? What is the mindset James calls for in trials? What are trials producing in you and why does that help with “count[ing] it all joy”? How do you practically “set” your mind when trials come?

Point 2: Encourage others in persecution (20:1, 2)

READ 1 Peter 1:3–7

2) Make a list of how Peter encourages those to whom he is writing. What is Peter doing by telling those of the Dispersion these truths? What are some persecutions Christians may face today? What are some you have personally experienced? How can you take what Peter is doing in these verses and use it to encourage someone in persecution?

Point 3: Encourage others through partnership (20:3–6, 13–15)

READ Colossians 4:7–18

3) How do you see encouragement through partnership in the ministry in this passage? How can you encourage one another as you work out your place in the ministry? How can you encourage the church? The church leadership? Our missionaries? Our local missions (e.g, South Coast Gospel Mission, Pacific Pregnancy Clinic)?

Point 4: Encourage others through fellowship (20:7)

READ Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 10:16 (fellowship = participation); 2 Cor 9:13 (fellowship=contribution); Gal. 2:9; Phil. 1:5 (fellowship = partnership); Phil 3:10 (fellowship = share) [In the ESV, the words in brackets are the same Greek words translated differently in English]

4) How do the different uses of the word for fellowship (koinōnia) help you understand various methods of fellowship? What are some practical ways you can encourage others through fellowship?

Point 5: Encourage others through telling of God’s faithfulness (20:8–12)

READ Isaiah 40:28–31

5) Why does Isaiah encourage Israel with the character of God? What is true of all humanity according to this passage? Why is it important to encourage one another with God’s faithfulness? What are some practical ways the church tells of God’s past faithfulness? Take some time to create a way to remember God’s faithfulness in your own life and share that with others in their time of trouble.

Point 6: Encourage others by celebrating God’s faithfulness (20:6, 16)

READ Luke 22:14–23

6) Why did Jesus implement the Lord’s Supper? In what ways should the Lord’s Supper encourage the weary, brokenhearted, downtrodden, those in trials? How do you prepare yourself for the Lord’s Supper? Have you ever thought about others when coming to the table? If no, why? If so, what does that look like?

Point 7: Encourage others with God’s power over death (20:9–12)

READ 1 Kings 17:17–24; Luke 7:11–15; Acts 9:36–41

7) What do these stories have in common with the sermon text? Why is it important to see that this is not normative in the church every day? What do these miracles tell about those performing them? How can we use these miracles to point to a greater hope and give encouragement?

Pray the passage

Spend time praying through each point in the sermon . . . Glorifying God, seeking forgiveness, thanking Him for His faithfulness, and asking for help from His Spirit to glorify God and encourage others.

Memorize & Meditate

“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).

Preparing for next week

Read: Acts 20:17-38

Ask: questions of the text.

Pray: through text, for Pastor as he prepares, for your heart to hear, for the congregation to hear, for all of us to be obedient.