Encourage One Another (1 Thess 5:11; Heb 10:24-25)
Can you think of someone who lifted you up when you were down? Maybe they didn't think that much of it, but to you, it was the difference between leaving the church and devoting your life to God.
For me, I think about Justin Dobbs smiling and asking me about myself during my first visit. He was just a couple years older than me, but his friendliness and desire to get to know me is why I am where I am today, though he probably didn't think much of it at the time.
Today, we will see why encouragement needs to move from a nice idea to the heartbeat of our congregation, why it's vital and how we live it out. We will see this by looking at a letter written to new church and a letter written to long time believers.
The Thessalonian Example
Encouragement may seem small in the moment, but it has power to change lives. And that's exactly what we see in one of the newest churches in the New Testament. When Paul goes into the region of Thessalonica and preaches the gospel there, he converts a large number of Greeks or Gentiles. This might seem small, but look at what happens as a result.
1 Thessalonians 1:8–10 (ESV) — 8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
This church is months old when Paul sends this letter to them. But he says, "your faith in God has gone forth everywhere." These Christians become the talk of the church everywhere because they repent fully and devote themselves to God. The Gentile faith in Thessalonica never waivers even in the midst of persecution and their zeal spreads encouragement everywhere like wildfire.
When we look at this whole letter, we see that it revolves around encouragement. Their faith encourages Paul, Timothy, and Christians everywhere to keep going. Plus, we read that they are in the habit of loving and encouraging each other.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV) — 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
He wants them to build one another up and strengthen each other to stand against the enemy. But here we see that they are already doing that. He wants them to do it more.
Also, notice the phrase used with encouragement, build one another up. This word means to comfort and challenge. Building up someone gives them the deep roots to withstand any storm life brings them. It's like adding rebar in the concrete. These Christians are facing very difficult trials and persecutions. They need comfort, but also to be challenged. They need to be sharpened in their understanding and their ability to teach the truth. They need a strong faith and bond with each other to overcome the enemy they are facing. Paul says, "Your doing it... keep going!"
This is a great congregation of God's people. There is so much love and encouragement we give to one another. We have to follow their example. If the church is weak and members are falling away, we really need to step up our game of encouragement and building up. We can give one another strong familial ties, comfort, an assurance of salvation, a hope of resurrection, a challenge of holiness, sound reasoning and judgment. They don't have to be losing the battle. God gave us one another to strengthen each other through encouragement.
Every believer must see the local body of believers living out their faith by encouraging one another. It can't be 20% do 80% of the work. It has to be 100% involvement. The shepherds bear the responsibility of setting this example, but we, as sheep, must follow their lead. We must encourage others as they have encouraged us. It must be a constant beat for us to keep living and thriving.
The Hebrews' Wake-Up Call
Now, if encouragement was vital in a brand-new church, what about a church filled with long-time believers? We might expect them to be the strongest examples, but that's not what we find in Hebrews. Let's take a look.
Unlike the zealous new Gentile converts in Thessalonica, the Hebrew Christians had grown dull. Though seasoned in scripture, they were stuck as spiritual babies, and it showed.
Hebrews 5:11–12 (ESV) — 11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
They aren't a source of encouragement to anyone and they are like dried up thorns. They provide discouragement, not encouragement. So the Hebrew writer wants them to wake up and see how blessed they are in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 10:19–25 (ESV) — 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
This text moves from recognizing the greatness of our salvation into our response to this gift from God. What does he say to do? He tells us to "consider how to stir up one another to love and good works," "encouraging one another." These are the phrases I want to zone in on.
In this last part, he tells the Christians to "consider how to stir up one another." Encouragement is about stirring up one another. What does stirring make you think of? It makes me think of cooking. You cannot leave food alone on the stove for too long. It will burn. You have to move it around.
Here the Hebrew writer encourages believers to "consider how to stir up one another." It's intentional and proactive. Spend some time considering what people need to hear or see from you to be stirred up. We have heard of church members who always go through the motions. They arrive at the same time. They sit in the same spot. They say the same things in Bible class like it's rehearsed. They go through the motions. Here is the writer saying, "consider how you can get people moving and showing love to others."
He is calling for his readers to provoke one another to love others and do good works for each other. When we feel stale or stagnant, when we aren't focusing on the mission of God and our purpose, we need to be stirred. We need someone to come into our lives and demonstrate a love for God and a love for others that goes beyond the superficial. We need men and women who are actively considering what they can do to create zeal in others.
So, it doesn't matter how long you have been a Christian. It doesn't matter how much you understand about God's word. Even mature Christians need encouragement to stay active in the faith. If we refuse to do anything, verse 26 says, we can lose our sacrifice for sins. So encouragement isn't a should. It's the heartbeat of the church. When it goes out, we cease to live.
Transformation
So, whether you are new in the faith or you've been here for decades, we all need encouragement. But why is it so critical? What happens when we really live it out? Think about the transformation encouragement brings.
Building Resilience: Encouragement is like spiritual rebar. It keeps us standing when life shakes us down.
Fostering Maturity: Encouragement grows us and those around us. It challenges us to act love, and serve.
Cultivating Unity: Encouragement binds us. It helps us feel connected on a deeper level and removes our sense of loneliness.
Encouragement leads to transformation and spiritual growth of the body as a whole. When we do our part, it has ripple effects. Satan loses ground, darkness becomes a little brighter, and God is glorified in us.
Living It Out
Transformation sounds great, but it won't happen by accident. If encouragement is the heartbeat, then we need to learn how to make encouragement our normal mode of operation. We need some practical ways to do this.
- Words: Affirm effort and exhort potential. A small kind word or challenge can have a lasting impact.
- Presence: Don't neglect meeting together. Don't disregard the power of showing up and participating. There are many here who attend our weekly meetups and services. Just showing up speaks volumes to those who are there.
- Actions: Show up, serve, include others in your work. Others help with providing food for those who are going through a difficult time. Some of you give money or transportation. Some have opened your homes with hospitality. The list of encouraging things is growing by the week. Also, we are starting to bring others in on our good works so they can learn and gain experience or abilities.
Encouragement is the one area where the number of things we can do is endless. That's why the Hebrew writer said, "Consider how to do this." We need to think about what is needed in the moment and do it.
Conclusion
The command to encourage one another, build one another up, and stir up one another is all about being intentional and making an effort to help the group grow. The elders have encouraged the members here to attend more Bible studies because we need that encouragement. So, I challenge each of you to make next week's lectureship a priority. Look for the lonely, the new, or the struggling, and encourage them to come. Connect with our visitors.
When one of us does this and others don't participate, we get discouraged. But when everyone is involved, we build steam and grow stronger. The forces of darkness lose their power, and faith spreads. Be stirred from within, and stir up others in the faith also. Your presence in this building isn't just for you. It's for everyone around you. Someone needs your encouragement.
When we take encouragement seriously, everything changes. Our faith grows. The church grows closer and darkness loses ground. So, encouragement is not just something we should do. It is essential for our growth, maturity, and unity as a faithful group of God's people. Both of the scriptures we have looked at today point to our need to focus on the goal of encouraging one another continually until the day Christ returns.
Imagine a church where encouragement flows out of every member. People who walk in from outside might want to cause issues or turn us against one another, but we have built such strong bonds that no one accepts their words. Instead, we encourage them to be like Christ. They see our love in our encouragement. Like Barnabas, the son of encouragement, we build up one another. Like the Thessalonians, our faith goes out to the whole world, as a testimony to the power of the gospel working in our hearts and minds. Picture us as transformed people who set the standard of righteousness and love for others.
What one encouraging thing could you do each day? I want to challenge you to make it a habit. Do it every day this week.