Sermon Cloud

Building a BCI Church:

ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER

Hebrews 3:13

13) But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

Hebrews 10:24-25

24) And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

25) Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

11) Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

            God in His goodness has gifted us with relationships. And these relationships were divinely designed to bring countless blessings in our lives.  

            If there is one important truth that we need to be reminded again and again, it is the fact that each one of us is touching people in our sphere of influence that likely no one else will touch. Take for example, parents to their children, or among brothers and sisters, or closest friends, or co-workers, or even neighbors. I wonder if we have truly recognized the value of this influences that God has given us. Are we using these influences positively?

            So many times we often forget that we live in a very negative world. To establish my point, just think of the many good things you have contributed in your workplace or to your co-workers, is it possible that one serious error can cost you to lose your job or to be judged as incompetent? Absolutely! You see, in our world, people have a great tendency to downplay good performances and qualities; instead they would rather magnify the faults and failures of people.

            Now, how about you? Do you bring a positive impact to someone today? Our emphasis in our series is all about how we can accomplish this. In addition to everything we have said already like being devoted to others, praying for others, and bearing one another's burden, we want to learn how we can encourage one another.

            Very clearly, this is also one of the exhortations the apostles have given the early church. Being conscious of how challenging the Christian life is, they taught the New Testament believers to develop the habit of encouraging one another. Someone has commented that there are basically two categories of Christians in the church - the ones who are discouraged about life, and the ones who are called to be encouragers. If you belong to the discouraged ones, I hope someone will take the time to encourage you. Once you are encouraged, you can be the encourager. This is what God wants to see in His church. Listen to 2 Corinthians 1:3-4:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

            Let's discover this morning how we can be good encouragers to one another:

I           STAND BESIDES ANOTHER:

            When the apostles used the word encourage in the New Testament, they have chosen to use the Greek word Parakletos, which speaks of a person who have chosen to walk besides another individual in order to provide support and help.

            Interestingly, this is the very same Greek word used to refer to the Holy Spirit:

John 14:16-18

16) And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-

17) the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

18) I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

            As the Lord Jesus announced to His disciples his imminent departure, He assured them that they won't be left like orphans or without someone to care and help them. This is one of the precious functions of the Holy Spirit in our lives. He is our Counselor - our Parakletos.

            Therefore, just like the Holy Spirit, we are all being called to stand besides another Christian in order to provide support and help.  Based on Hebrews 3:13, if we choose to be an encourager, we have to remember to do it:   

•A.     Regularly - "daily"

The word daily suggests consistency and regularity. The context of this verse is the wilderness wandering of Israel whereby many Israelites became hardened against the Lord. Their hard-heartedness cost them to miss the promised land. Think how different it might have been for Israel if they had daily encouraged one another instead of falling to negativism and grumbling and quarreling. Isolation, and particularly isolation from the regular mutual encouragement of the body, is a dangerous thing.

•B.     While Receptive - "as long as it is called Today"

There is a sense of urgency in trying to encourage someone. Being receptive does not continue for a long time. There will come a time when the person will already be hardened because of the deceitfulness of sin. We cannot afford to procrastinate.  While we still have the chance to make a difference in the life of someone, we have to do whatever it takes to be an encouragement.

II         STUDY EFFECTIVE WAYS TO DO IT:

            How can we be effective encouragers? Sometimes, instead of providing help we end up hurting someone. In order to avoid this, we have to be conscious of using two primary means:

•A.     The Word of God:

Romans 15:4

4) For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

            The Holy Spirit authored the Bible so He can work through it in encouraging us. Remember, He is the Counselor provided by Jesus Christ for the believers today. Based on this verse, the Bible was written for the very purpose of teaching us to be steadfast and encouraging us to be hopeful in our Christian journey. This is the reason why Paul had instructed the pastors to preach the Word consistently:

2 Timothy 4:2

2) Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction.

            So, if anyone desires to be an encourager, he or she must be familiar with the Word of God and learn to use it effectively.

            B. The Word of Grace

            Aside from the Word of God, we can also use kind words to minister to others.

Proverbs 12:25

25) An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.

            If we only open our eyes, we would find so many people who are going through life with heavy hearts, really discouraged. A gracious word or kind word can work like magic in cheering them up. Sometimes a kind word can simply mean an honest compliment. Mark Twain once said, "I can live for two months on a good compliment."  Let's continually find opportunities to cheer up others by intentionally choosing to say gracious words to them.

III        STIMULATE EDIFICATION:

            Last but not the least; we need to see the ultimate goal in encouragement. When you read 1 Thessalonians 5:11, you will find the significant connection between encouragement and edification. By edification, we simply mean building up other Christians.

            You see, the very reason why God wants us to be involved in the body of Christ is so we can be well-balanced, mature Christians. But we need the ministry of others in our lives in order for this to happen.

            If you examine the words in Hebrews 10: 25 where believers are reminded not to be neglectful of their church attendance, you would discover in its surrounding verses the areas of growth where we can encourage others:

•A.     Growth in Faith:

Hebrews 10:22

22) let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

            We all need to grow in our faith - full assurance of faith. It would be difficult to relate to an invisible God unless we have the kind of faith, which allows us to believe that He exists and He rewards those who passionately seek to honor and serve Him (Heb. 11:6).

            Is your faith strong enough to sustain you through the tough times of your life? Satan wants you to believe that you cannot count on the Lord and that He really doesn't care for you. Don't believe him, instead keep trusting in God and as you grow in your faith, remember to stimulate the faith of the Christians around you.

•B.     Growth in Hope:

Hebrews 10:23

23) Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

            For people who are discouraged, their estimate of the future is dim and gloomy. Believers don't need to feel this way, we can be confident of the God who gave us precious promises about our future. It doesn't matter what situation you are in right now, everything will turn out for the best.  This is the kind of perspective we need to impart when we seek to encourage a brother or a sister in the Lord.

•C.     Growth in Love:

Hebrews 10:24

24) And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

            Lastly, our mutual encouragement can also lead towards growth in love and good deeds. You see, love is absolutely necessary in the body of Christ.  Without it, relationships in the church will be shallow and hypocritical. Paul himself has declared in 1 Cor. 13:1-3:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

            Therefore, the more we encourage one another, the more love can be visible in our midst.  Now, who can you encourage today? You probably don't have to look very far. Your spouse might need some encouragements, or your children, or your relative, or a Care group member; just be sensitive to the people around you. I hope all of us can continually help in building a BCI church.