"Blessed Are The Encouragers"
The Sermon on the Move • Sermon • Submitted
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“The Sermon on the Move”
“Blessed Be The Encouragers”
Acts 4:36-37
AGAIN, Let me say, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
Even as I say that, even as I acknowledge and love both this holiday, and the people it represents, I also want to say that this is one of the hardest days of the calendar year to preach!
I can’t really say why other than it seems like anything I can or will say is completely inadequate to express the honor a mother deserves!
The truth is that very few, IF ANY OF US, ever show our moms the THANKS, the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, or the HONOR they deserve.
Sure, we thank them for the big things, but what about the small stuff? How often do we miss the small stuff? How many times have you taken time to think about how much your mom played a role in getting you to where you are today?
VIDEO: Thanks, Mom by Twelve:Thirty Media?
How many times have you thought about the endless dirty diapers, the sleepless nights when you had colic or a fever, how about the times when you projectile vomited and cried from the upset stomach?
How many times have you considered the sacrifices or the encouragement that your mom made to keep you pushing along to be the healthy, alive, successful human you are today?
MOMS, Today, we thank you for your love towards us. We thank you that you care more about our own well-being than most of us do. We thank you for being our moms!
ROSES
The last line in that video said, Thanks for pushing me to achieve.
For the majority of this year we have been in a series called “Church on the Move.”
The idea is we I have been preaching through the book of Acts on what was happening and what the disciples were doing that made the Early church so incredibly successful.
What was happening that led to Christianity becoming the predominant world religion in just a few short centuries?
This morning I am going to continue that series and I will be looking at 2 short verses from Acts 4.
The more I spent time thinking about this, the more I realized that SOME of the things that were happening that helped the church move forward are some of the things that help make a family successful.
For example…
I preached a sermon from Acts 2:38 that I titled “Repentance that leads to Revival.”
Imagine how much more successful a family is when acknowledgement of personal failure flows freely.
When I mess up, if I say I am sorry, and I go forward trying to not do that again, My family is happier.
In Acts 2:42-47 I talked a lot about engagement.
Specifically, engaging in prayer, worship, reading the Bible, and general fellowship.
If we’re honest, families just don’t work very well without personal relationships.
In the verses directly preceding what I am about to read, we saw that Peter and John were able to count on or rely on the other disciples for prayer and shared spiritual strength.
Even more than that, they were all able to count on each other for ALL OF THEIR NEEDS!
Even in saying all of that, we need to be careful to remember that EVERYTHING that we have read or will read about Church Movement and Growth was, is, and always will be dependent on help from the Power of God through the Holy Spirit!
So, before we even read this Scripture this morning, Let’s take a minute to Pray and invite the Holy Spirit to ready us to receive from Him and His Word this morning.
PRAY
And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Selling of possessions, lands, and homes was not new to Acts 4. It seems that this was a common practice from the beginning of the Church. Starting in Acts 2:44-45
And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
But, here it seems to be repeated as a way of introducing someone that will be a huge part of Church Growth for a while in the book of Acts.
Additionally, it introduces an idea or an action that is necessary to keep the Church on the Move.
As I was praying and thinking about what to preach for Mother’s Day I realized that the next Sermon for this series, lined up with what Mothers have been doing through the ages.
Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus,
Imagine being given the nickname, “Son of Encouragement”
Imagine being known as someone that could be counted on to lift the spirits of other people.
Imagine being known as someone so willing to give your time, treasure, and talent to others that you would be given the Nick Name “The Encourager.”
By show of hands, How Many of You have ever been encouraged?
I hope that at some point in everyone’s life they have experienced at least some level of encouragement from others.
I am certain that everyone here has at some point in their lives been an encouragement to others.
If you haven’t just look at MOM’s for an example.
Chances are, everyone here learned to talk, because they had a mom that goo gooed and gagaged. They endlessly pronounced MA MA or DA DA until you started mimicking the same syllables.
It was probably your mom that encouraged you to use the Big Boy or Bog Girl potty and now you walk around dry and clean!
It was probably a mom that encouraged you…
When Math was hard…
When someone bullied you…
When you went through your first breakup with THE ONE!!!
Mom’s encourage us that we can be more than even we believe we can be
And it might have been a mom the encouraged you to come back to reality when your dreams turned into fantasies!
For the next few minutes, I want to look at some biblical examples of encouragement.
I. Encouragers Are Required to Drive the Plan of God Forward
a. Moses was instructed to Encourage Joshua Deuteronomy 3:27-28
Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes westward and northward and southward and eastward, and look at it with your eyes, for you shall not go over this Jordan. But charge Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he shall go over at the head of this people, and he shall put them in possession of the land that you shall see.’
b. Paul needed Baranabas’ Encouragement Acts 13:1-3
Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
II. Encouragers are often Burdened With The problems of Others
a. Colossians 2:1-3
For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
i. Burdened For Others
ii. Burdened For Unity
iii. Burdened for Others to Experience the Full ASSURANCE and Understanding of the richness afforded IN CHRIST
b. Bear with the weaknesses and faults of others
i. Romans 15:1-7
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
ii. Galatians 6:1-2
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
III. Encouragement Require AND Develop Unity
a. Acts 2:44-45
And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
b. Philippians 2:1-4
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
IV. Encouragement Might Cost You Something
a. Acts 4:34-37
There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
b. I have to lay down my pride to build someone else up
V. God is the God of Encouragement
a. Paraclete vs. Paraklesis
i. John (advocate, helper, comforter…)
b. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
VI. How Do We Encourage Each Other?
a. 1 Thessalonians 4:18
Therefore encourage one another with these words.
b. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.