Encouraging: Encourage One Another - Heb. 10:19-25

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1 Pastor Gordon Douglas Encouraging: Encourage One Another - Heb. 10:19-25 Introduction: For the last eight weeks we have been talking about understanding and living out the one anothers of the New Testament. Here s the ones we have talked about We are to love one another. Honor one another. Accept one another. Live in harmony with one another. We are members of one another and we each have giftings that are needed by the church family. We are to put up with one another and forgive each other just as God in Christ has forgiven us so that the Body of Christ may be marked by love and peace. We are to bear one another s burdens. This includes both restoring those overtaken by a sin and helping those overburdened by life s cares. And this week we add we are to encourage one another. Illus. We all need encouragement. It s easy to get discouraged by evil, life and the news. - Mom s being robbed; beheadings and shootings, lost jobs and financial worries, etc. Sometimes people are so negative. And so we have dystopian futures and Superheroes; life looks bleak but we want hope. Someone has said Positive words are difficult to remember. Negative words are difficult to forget. What is the perfect positive/negative ratio: Harvard Business review = The average ratio for the highest-performing teams was 5.6 (that is, nearly six positive comments for every negative one). The Ideal Praise-to-Criticism Ratio by Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman, March 15, 2013 What is encouragement? To inspire with courage, spirit, or hope. Theme: Speaking words of faith and hope, and acts of love are ways we can encourage one another. Because God is faithful we can offer hope and encourage one another to trust Him with our present and our future. Read Hebrews 10:19-25 (NIV) Larger context in Heb. Doctrinal sections showing Jesus as Superior in every way to the old covenant. His is superior to the prophets and angels (as the Mediator with God - chaps 1-2); to Moses (as the Son, who is the Savior - chaps. 3-4:13) and to Aaron (as the Great High priest - chaps 4:14-10:18) 1. Since we have full access to God (v ) a) Let us draw near to God (v. 22) b) Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess (v. 23) c) Let us consider how we may spur one another on (v. 24) i. Let us encourage one another (v. 25) a. Encouraging: Encourage One Another - Heb. 10: Since we have full access to God (v ) a) We can enter into the holy of holies (v.19) 1

2 i. Therefore, brothers and sisters, having confidence entrance ii. into the true heavenly sanctuary iii. by the blood of Jesus, 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 (NIV) Now a further assurance is given: the way which this high priest has entered into the presence of God is a way which remains open for His people to follow Him there. F. F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Hebrews, p b) Jesus sacrifice provides this new and living way (v.20) i. which way he opened, new (fresh or recent) and living, through the new covenant; a new way which did not exist before and was opened by Jesus sacrifice. It is living, not only because.it is the way of eternal life, but still more particularly because it is not, as the old was, a static code or ritual but a person, and not just a person of past history, but a person of the present, our risen, dynamic, ever living Redeemer the incarnate, crucified, and exalted Son is himself the Life and the Way. Phillip Hughes, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews, p ii. Through the curtain (dividing the holy place from the holy of holies). 38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. Mark 15:38 (NIV) iii. that is through his flesh (by his sacrifice) cf. v. 19; preceding doctrinal section. The flesh of Jesus stands here for the incarnation seen in light of the fulfillment of its purpose in the offering of the perfect and final sacrifice on the cross. Phillip Hughes, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews, p c) Jesus is the Great High Priest over His people (v.21) i. and great priest over God s house = the community of God s people Heb. 3:6 6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. Hebrews 3:6 (NIV) ii. He is both the sacrifice and the great priest over God s people. Since we have full access to God (v ) 2. Let us draw near to God (v. 22) - Faith a) with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, - believers are often exhorted to draw near to God with sincerity and by faith. E.g. James 4:8 b) having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience an allusion to the OT sprinkling of the blood on the altar. Referring to the internal and spiritual cleansing that comes by our trusting Christ s sacrifice, Jesus blood (v. 19). Certainly spiritual renewal is in view here. c) and having our bodies washed with pure water. Baptism; The external witness of an internal reality of spiritual cleansing. 3. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess (v. 23) - Hope 2

3 a) The Christian hope is foundational to our being able to live the Christian life. i. Hold fast hang onto; grip tightly ii. Unswervingly Unwavering for emphasis iii. Profess We are to speak it to others b) Why? for he who promised is faithful. If the promises were to any degree the promises of man, to that degree they would be fallible and uncertain, a question mark would be placed against their fulfillment, and faith and hope would falter. But of God, and only God, it can be affirmed as absolutely and everlastingly true that he who promised is faithful. Phillip Hughes, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews, p Let us consider how we may spur one another on (v ) - Love a) Hey let s provoke each other; stir up; an intense word (cf. Acts 15:39 sharp disagreement ) b) To love and good deeds c) Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing (v. 25) A father was showing his young son through a church building when they came to a plaque on the wall. Curious, the little boy asked, Daddy, what s that for? His father replied. Oh, that s a memorial to those who died in the service. The little boy said, Which service, Daddy, the morning or the evening? R. Kent Hughes, Hebrews, Vol. 2, p. 34. The New Testament lends no support to the idea of lone Christians. Close and regular fellowship with other believers is not just a nice idea, but an absolute necessity for the encouragement of Christian values. Donald Guthrie, Hebrews, p. 216 Four reasons to be regular in your participation in Christian fellowship: i. You are part of the body, your gifts and service are needed and missed. ii. You belong and you diminish the family when absent, likewise you enhance the experience of the family when present. iii. You miss the opportunity to grow through interaction with God s truth and to help others to better understand their faith journey. iv. You miss out on the worship celebration of the church family. d) Let us encourage one another (v. 25) 12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 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. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. Hebrews 3:12-14 (NIV) e) and all the more as you see the Day approaching. i. Paul talks about how in death or Lord s second coming; whenever it may be that our future hope is realized; it is to be a source of joy and encouragement. 1Thess. 4:18, 5:11 Since we have full access to God (vv ) By faith we draw near to God. (v. 22) In hope we profess our Savior. (v. 23) In love we encourage others to serve God and others with love and by good deeds. (v. 24) 3

4 So, Let us encourage one another in all these things until the Savior returns. (v. 25) Encouragement then is giving hope to others, giving them the courage to face life s challenges. This hope is specific, it is in the promises of God; it includes the Christian Hope of Christ s return. But more tangibly it is to be present in the everyday. It is to be present in community and it is to be specific love and good deeds; not to let the world overwhelm you and so forth. Read Hebrews 10:19-25 (NLT) a. The Power of Encouragement 1. I can live for two months on a good compliment. Mark Twain A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Proverbs 25:11 (NIV) 3. Encouragement is a gift that we all have the ability and resource to give. There is no I.Q. requirement or special talent needed to be an encourager. All you have to do is have a desire to use your life and your words to encourage the people positioned around you. Savannah Lindell, Why Encouragement Counts, b. The People who need your Encouragement 1. Spouse 1. Someone in your family son, daughter, a sibling or parent 2. A Co-Worker 3. That friend c. How to Encourage - In an article in Entrepreneur, Ross McCammon, says: 1. Praise the actual. If you read all the research on motivation, it pretty much comes down to this: Praise works better than criticism 2. Acknowledge the potential 3. Challenge specifically. You motivate generally. But you must encourage specifically Illus. Matt and AWANA d. More on Encouraging One Another Lifting the discouraged 1. Power of Presence Just be there 2. Power of Prayer Pray and let them know that you are and what you are praying. 3. Power of Perseverance Continuing as needed to be there e. Encouraging One Another We can encourage each other that 1. Faith trusting God in this life a) What words of faith can I speak to encourage someone to trust God? 2. Hope trusting God for the future a) What words of hope can I speak to encourage someone to trust God? 3. Love living in love in the present a) What acts of love can I do to encourage someone to trust God? Application: In her article on the Power to Change website, Gail Rodgers, gives this advice The art of encouragement has three main avenues. 4

5 1. Give support in the everyday Look for ways to come alongside those in your life and affirm them in what they are doing. Become a cheerleader for those you love as they move through life stretching to meet new opportunities. A phone call or card can say you notice the hard work they are putting in. Actively look for ways to polish up the creativity and efforts of those in your circle as they seek to grow. Recently my daughter gave me a card that said, I see how much you put your heart into your work That simple acknowledgement encouraged me to keep going. Never underestimate the value of sincere recognition. 2. Show honor on special occasions Take note of character qualities in people. Watch for courage, strength, wisdom, patience, cheerfulness, honesty, compassion, kindness and gentleness. When you find yourself noticing an admirable quality in another human being take the time to acknowledge it. Be especially ready to polish up these values in those nearest and dearest to you. It will make a difference in your relationship. It is never too late to recognize and honor the character traits you admire. 3. Bring hope to the discouraged The third level in the art of encouragement is that of giving hope. When hard times come and discouragement settles over the soul, a word of hope can keep one pressing on. A word of hope says, You ll make it through. A word of hope says, I believe in you. A word of hope says, God is with you and will help you. Gail Rogers, the Art of Encouragement, 5