The Ministry of Encouragement Part 10
ByThis Preaching in Shorts sermon series is about the Ministry of Encouragement.
You can listen to this message by clicking hereor you can watch it below:
The Ministry of Encouragement Part 10 from Preaching In Shorts on Vimeo.
This is what you should have memorized:
Hebrews 10:19-25 (NIV)
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 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. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 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.
T – Thinking
R – Recognizing
U – Understanding
T – Talking
H – Helping
We are now in the home stretch of this series. Over the next few weeks I want to talk about the practical applications of the Ministry of Encouragement. We are going to look at some examples of the Ministry of Encouragement and its impact on people. We are going to take a brief look at a man named Barnabas today. His name was actually Joseph, but the Apostles named him Barnabas which means son of Encouragement.
Acts 4:36 (NIV)
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement),
Barnabas had a significant impact on the lives of a lot of people in the early church and his ministry was one of encouragement.
Acts 11:24 (NIV)
24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
Looking at the stories of Barnabas in the New Testament we can learn some practical applications of how to embrace the ministry of Encouragement in our own lives.
1. Walk the talk
Acts 4:34-37 (NIV)
34 There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. 36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
As the early church was getting started, people were often led to sell some of their property and give the money to the church to be used for the ministry. Barnabas did this with a field that he owned. Contrast this with Ananias and Sapphira:
Acts 5:1-2 (NIV)
1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
What is the problem here? Ananias and Sapphira were pretending to give the whole amount when they weren’t. This would not have been a problem if they were honest and said we sold a piece of property and here is half the money, or ten percent of the money or whatever portion they decided to give. The problem was pretending to be or do something that they weren’t doing.
To be Ministers of Encouragement we are going to have to decide that we want to do more than just talk the talk of being a Christian, we are going to have to walk the talk. We are going to have to decide to live doing the next right thing.
2. Focus on people’s potential
When the apostle Paul was first converted, the early church was afraid of him because he had previously been in charge of persecuting them. Barnabas however, sees Paul’s potential, he sees past Paul’s problems to what God wants to do with him.
Acts 9:27-28 (NIV)
27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
Barnabas’ came along side and stood with Paul before the early church and they received Paul because of him. Come along side and standing with someone is a significant part of the ministry of encouragement.
Later on, Barnabas will do the same thing with John Mark.
Acts 15:36-41 (NIV)
36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Barnabas sees the potential in John Mark, even though Paul is not able to at that time. Their disagreement is actually so sharp that they part company for a season. It is interesting to note that Paul, who had needed someone like Barnabas to stand with him, has trouble seeing this when Barnabas stands with John Mark. You will be happy to know, that later on in Paul’s ministry, this entire mess is fixed and Paul includes John Mark once again in his ministry.
We need to see people the way that God does. Looking past their problems and seeing and recognizing their potential. John Mark goes on to write the book of Mark.
3. Let us consider how we may spur one another on
Acts 11:23-26 (NIV)
23 When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. 25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
This event is before the disagreement that we just looked at in point two. This happens at the beginning of Paul’s ministry. What happens here is that the Apostles send Barnabas to go and take care of the new church in Antioch. The church flourishes under his care and yet Barnabas, rather than just being content to sit back and let the good times roll, goes to Tarsus and gets Saul (Paul) and brings him to Antioch the share the ministry there with him. Except for one instance, from this point forward, there is a shift from the two men being referred to as Barnabas and Paul, to Paul and Barnabas. Barnabas is willing to let others rise up around him. He is others focused, not self focused.
To be effective ministers of encouragement we will have to take the focus off of us and get it on to the Lord and others. We have to take time and consider….how God might be able to use us to lift up other people, to move them forward, to bless and encourage them, without worrying about me, me, me.
So, lets live doing the next right thing, always looking for the good in people, and let us really consider how we might encourage others!
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