[Biblemat] S:> Encouragement

[Ethan R. Longhenry]

http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/outlines/index.html

                       Encouragement

I. Introduction
   A. Hebrews 10:24-25
   B. We often speak of encouragement and the need to encourage 
      and be encouraged
   C. We speak of the assemblies as opportunities for us to 
      encourage one another
   D. We speak of encouraging one another outside of the 
      assemblies
   E. But what is this "encouragement"?
      1. What is encouragement?
      2. Why is encouragement so necessary?
      3. How do we encourage one another?  
   F. Let us consider this matter today

II. What is Encouragement?
   A. The New Testament speaks of similar concepts: encouragement 
      and edification
   B. Encouragement: "The act of giving courage, or confidence of 
      success; incitement to action or to practice; incentive" 
      (Webster's)
   C. Edification: "A building up, in a moral and religious sense; 
      instruction; improvement and progress of the mind, in 
      knowledge, in morals, or in faith and holiness" (Webster's)
   D. Greek parakaleo: to address, speak to, (call to, call upon), 
      which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, 
      comfort, instruction, etc.; to admonish, exhort; to beg, 
      entreat, beseech; to strive to appease by entreaty; to 
      console, to encourage and strengthen by consolation, to 
      comfort; to receive consolation, be comforted; to encourage, 
      strengthen; exhorting and comforting and encouraging; to 
      instruct, teach (Thayer's)
   E. Greek oikodomeo: to build; to found, establish; to promote 
      growth in Christian wisdom, affection, grace, virtue, 
      holiness, blessedness; to grow in wisdom and piety (Thayer's)
   F. Encouragement and edification, therefore, surround the idea 
      of instilling courage in one another and building each 
      other up
      1. This is often done by word
      2. It can involve comfort or exhortation
      3. It is inherently constructive
   G. The Scriptures often speak of these matters
   H. Encouragement / parakaleo
      1. Acts 14:22     
      2. 2 Corinthians 1:4, 7:13, 10:1
      3. 1 Thessalonians 4:1, 4:18, 5:14
      4. Titus 2:6, 2:15
      5. Hebrews 3:13, 10:25
      6. 1 Peter 2:11
      6. Jude 1:3
   I. Edification /oikeodomeo
      1. Acts 9:31
      2. 1 Corinthians 8:1, 10:23, 14:17
      3. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
   J. We can see, therefore, the many facets of encouragement and 
      exhortation
   K. Why, then, is encouragement so necessary?

III. The Necessity of Encouragement
   A. Encouraging one another and building one another up, 
      therefore, are commands of God that we ought to observe
   B. Nevertheless, why does God require us to encourage one 
      another?
   C. Encouragement and edification are required by virtue of the 
      nature of Christianity
   D. Christianity represents a "volunteer" setup
      1. God does not force or coerce anyone to do anything!
      2. God indeed calls people to Himself, but does expect people 
         to come to Him (James 4:8)
      3. While God will sit in judgment on the last day 
         (Acts 17:30), Christians have no authority to force or 
         coerce any other Christian to do anything!
      4. There are no "grades" in the church, there is no "monetary 
         incentive" or any other such thing
      5. Christians voluntarily take on the call of being God's 
         people
   E. In short, the types of compulsion that exists in the world in 
      other situations do not exist in the local church
      1. If someone does not study for Bible class, it is not as 
         if their grade can be lowered
      2. If someone is negligent in their spiritual 
         responsibilities, it is not as if their pay can be docked
      3. Sure, it is possible to disassociate from someone who acts 
         immorally or teaches error (1 Corinthians 5, 
         Romans 16:17-18), but that does not, per se, force anyone 
         to do anything
   F. Christians, therefore, are to serve God out of their own 
      desire, and not by any form of force!
   G. Compulsion, coercion, or other such tactics, therefore, 
      cannot work
   H. That is why there is encouragement and edification-- that 
      is the way established by God for Christians to work with 
      one another so that all may be found pleasing to God!
      1. If someone does not study for Bible class, we can 
         encourage them to do so
      2. If someone is lax in spiritual responsibilities, we can 
         encourage them to be faithful
      3. If someone is having difficulties, we can strive to build 
         them up
   I. While such may require some exhortation to good conduct, 
      encouragement is to be overwhelmingly positive
      1. Philippians 4:8
      2. One cannot easily build up by tearing down!
      3. Hence, Hebrews 3:12-14
      4. Colossians 4:6-- need to have properly seasoned words
      5. Yes, sometimes one must take down false structures in 
         order to raise up proper and godly ones, but such things 
         must always be done in the proper spirit of love with the 
         goal of building up in the faith!
   J. Thus we see why encouragement is necessary!

IV. How to Encourage
   A. How, then, can we work to encourage one another and build 
      one another up?
   B. Encouragement comes often through joint participation in 
      Christianity!
      1. Being with one another
      2. Speaking with one another
      3. Getting to know one another and know what each other 
         needs
   C. This is done often in the assembly (Hebrews 10:24-25)
      1. Acts 14:22
      2. Regular times of assembly give us many opportunities to 
         get together and be with one another
      3. Joint participation in the Lord's Supper, singing, praying 
         (1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 1 Corinthians 14:16-17, 
         Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16)
      4. If one is not assembling, one is not able to take 
         advantage of this encouragement!
      5. Furthermore, if one is not assembling, one is hindering 
         the rest from receiving the encouragement gained from 
         one's presence and participation!
   D. This is often done also outside of the assembly
      1. 1 Peter 4:9, Galatians 6:1-2
      2. Such things cannot be expected to occur if brethren only 
         see each other in the assembly!
      3. We can gain much encouragement from each other from social 
         association, home Bible studies, and brethren simply 
         getting together to do various things!
   E. Encouragement can be applied in many ways
      1. Discussion, conversation, etc.
      2. Mere presence with others
      3. Sharing in others' lives at different times, both 
         positive and negative
      4. In short, being there for one another through good and 
         bad
   F. In short, encouragement is derived from Christians being 
      involved in each other's lives in various aspects and ways-- 
      if a Christian is not involved with other Christians, he 
      cannot be the source of encouragement he is charged to be!

V. Conclusion
   A. We have examined encouragement today
   B. We have seen what it means to encourage and build up, and 
      what Scriptures indicate as much
   C. We have seen that encouragement is necessary to keep 
      Christians going, and that it is to be mostly positive
   D. We have seen many ways how we can encourage one another
   E. Let us strive to always build one another up, and all the 
      more as the Day draws near!
   F. Invitation/songbook

Ethan R. Longhenry/ disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com
Evangelist, church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio
 (http://www.norwalkchurch.org)
Website: http://www.deusvitae.com
AIM: Deus Vitae / ICQ#: 28317056
MSN Messenger ID: deusvitae at hotmail.com
Yahoo! Messenger ID: discipuliiesus

Subscribe to Good News for Norwalk!
goodnewsfornorwalk-subscribe at norwalkchurch.org