The Ministry of Encouragement Part 4

This Preaching in Shorts sermon series is about the Ministry of Encouragement.

You can listen to this message by clicking here
or you can watch it below:

So far you should have memorized:

Hebrews 10:19-21 (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,

This week is a little tougher:

Hebrews 10:22 (NIV)
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.

As we continue in this series on the Ministry of Encouragement we are still laying a foundation for the importance and the need of this vital ministry. We live in a grumpy world that is filled with fear and has caused people to be greatly discouraged and become extremely self-focused. The enemy is having a field day, turning people inward because of their fears and worries, causing them to lose hope in the Lord, and making them believe that it is all about them and that they are responsible for making life work. The problem is that no matter how hard we try to accomplish that goal, it is unreachable because no matter how much we think we want to be in control we aren’t and the cycle gets worse. Hopefully by now we are all realizing that the answer for living in a fearful discouraged world is to embrace the Ministry of Encouragement. What else might be keeping us from fully embracing this calling from God?

I. Common Obstacles of Encouragement

a. How do you define success?

When you think of what a successful person looks like to you, what are your parameters? Is it about how much money they have, or how much stuff they have? Is it about their status or position in life? Perhaps it is about celebrity? The reality is that God defines success in a very different way. What does it look like to be successful in the Kingdom of God? Consider this verse:

Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

I think success is measures by how well we love God and others. If we are loving extravagantly, then we are successful!

b. Isolation

The fear and pressure of this world are causing many people, even believers, to withdraw and isolate. However, we are called as believers to be involved in life. Our isolation is selfish and keeps us from living the life that God has called us to.

Proverbs 18:1 (ESV)
1 Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.

c. Low Self Esteem

Another by product of the culture is the amount of people struggling with low self esteem. If you are measuring success the way they world does, then not meeting those expectations causes people to feel somehow less than. Here is what you need to know:

Genesis 1:27 (NIV)
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

You are created in the image of God and as a believer you are a child of God!

1 John 3:1a (NIV)
1 How great s the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

d. Lack of Experience/Instruction

The final obstacle to encouragement is often a lack of experience or instruction. It is this that we will be talking about from this point forward in our series.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

Let’s start to day by talking about five things we need to remember to be encouragers.

II. The Encouragers Five to Thrive

a. The Golden Rule

Matthew 7:12 (NIV)
12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

b. The Encouragers Equation U + 2PE = 3PE

Luke 6:38 (NIV)
38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

c. God first, then people

Mark 12:29-31 (NIV)
29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

d. Encouragement is an every day ministry

Hebrews 3:13 (NIV)
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.

e. God has demonstrated this ministry to us

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 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.

Related posts:

1. The Ministry of Encouragement Part 6
2. The Ministry of Encouragement Part 7
3. The Ministry of Encouragement Part 9
4. The Ministry of Encouragement Part 10
5. The Ministry of Encouragement Part 12

Tags: encourage, encouragement, Jesus moment, ministry of encouragement, Preaching in Shorts

Category: Preaching in Shorts