T. S. Hoefker Sermon Handout Cincinnati East PM 01/30/16 Scriptural references to praise: Be Ye Encouraged Matthew 3:17 (KJV) And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Romans 1:8-9 (ESV-Goodspeed) First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because the news of your faith is spreading all over the world. As God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the good news of his Son, I never fail to mention you when I pray. Romans 16:1-16 Notice the praise of many of the brethren, as Paul closes his letter. He mentions many personal things about them, which personalizes his praise even more. (KJV) 16 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: 2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: 4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. 6 Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us. 7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. 9 Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. 10 Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household. 11 Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord. 12 Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord. 13 Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14 Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them. 15 Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them. 16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you. 1 Corinthians 16:15-18 (Williams) 15 I Now beg you brothers, you know that the family of Stephanas were the first converts in Greece, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of God s people, I beg you to put yourselves under leaders like these, and under anyone who cooperates with you and labors hard. And, I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, have come to see me, because they have supplied what you lacked. Yes, they have cheered me in spirit, and ours too. You must deeply appreciate such men. 2 Corinthians 7:13-16 (NKJV) 13 Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14 For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true. 15 And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. 16 Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.
2 Corinthians 8:16-19 (Phillips) 16-19 Thank God Titus feels the same deep concern for you as we do! He accepts the suggestion outlined above, and in his enthusiasm comes to you personally at his own request. We are sending with him that brother whose services to the Gospel are universally praised in the churches. He has been unanimously chosen to travel with us in this work of administering the gifts of others. It is a task that brings glory to God and demonstrates also the willingness of us Christians to help each other. 2 Corinthians 9:1-4 (Phillips) Of course I know it is really quite superfluous for me to be writing to you about this matter of giving to fellow Christians, for I know how willing you are. Indeed I have told the Macedonians with some pride that Achaia was ready to undertake this service twelve months ago. Your enthusiasm has consequently been a stimulus to many of them. I am, however, sending the brothers just to make sure that our pride in you is not unjustified. For, between ourselves, it would never do if some of the Macedonians were to accompany me on my visit to you and find you unprepared for this act of generosity! Philippians 2:19-23 (Phillips) But I hope in Jesus Christ that it will not be long before I can send Timothy to you, and then I shall be cheered by a first-hand account of you and your doings. I have nobody else with a genuine interest in your well-being. All the others seem to be wrapped up in their own affairs and do not really care for the business of Jesus Christ. But you know how Timothy has proved his worth, working with me for the Gospel like a son with his father. Philippians 2:25-30 (Phillips) I have considered it desirable, however, to send you Epaphroditus. He has been to me brother, fellow-worker and comrade-in-arms, as well as being the messenger you sent to see to my wants. He has been home-sick for you, and was worried because he knew that you had heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, very dangerously ill, but God had mercy on him and incidentally on me as well, so that I did not have the sorrow of losing him to add to my sufferings. I am particularly anxious, therefore, to send him to you so that when you see him again you may be glad, and to know of your joy will lighten my own sorrows. Welcome him in the Lord with great joy! You should hold men like him in highest honour, for his loyalty to Christ brought him very near death he risked his life to do for me in person what distance prevented you all from doing. Philippians 4:2-3 (Phillips) Euodius and Syntyche I beg you by name to make up your differences as Christians should! And, my true fellow-worker help these women. They both worked hard with me for the Gospel, as did Clement and all my other fellow-workers whose names are in the book of life. Philippians 4:8 (NIV) Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things. Philippians 4:15-19 (Williams) And you Philippians yourselves know that immediately after the good news was first preached to you, when I left Macedonia, no church by yours went into partnership with me to open an account. Even while I was at Thessalonica you sent money more than once for my needs. 2
It is not your gift that I want, but I do want the profits to pile up to your credit. I have received your payments in full and more too I am amply supplied after getting the things you sent by Epaphroditus, they are like sweet incense, the kind of sacrifice that God accepts and approves. My God will amply supply your ever need, through Christ Jesus, from His riches in glory. Colossians 1:3-9 (Phillips) I want you to know by this letter that we here are constantly praying for you, and whenever we do we thank God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ because you believe in Christ Jesus and because you are showing true Christian love towards other Christians. We know that you are showing these qualities because you have grasped the hope reserved for you in Heaven that hope which first became yours when the truth was brought to you. It is, of course, part of the Gospel itself, which has reached you as it spreads all over the world. Wherever that Gospel goes, it produces Christian character, and develops it, as it had done in your own case from the time you first heard and realised the amazing fact of God s grace. You learned these things, we understand, from Epaphras who is in the same service as we are. He is a most well-loved minister of Christ, and has your well-being very much at heart. As a matter of fact, it was from him that we heard about your growth in Christian love, so you will understand that since we heard about you we have never missed you in our prayers. Colossians 4:7-13 (Phillips) Notice again how Paul weaves individual praise and encouragement into his closing for the epistle. He personalizes it, not a general, vague comment. Greetings and farewell Tychicus (a well-loved brother, a faithful minister and a fellow-servant of the Lord) will tell you all about my present circumstances. This is partly why I am sending him to you. The other reasons are that you may find out how we are all getting on, and that he may put new heart into you. With him is Onesimus one of your own congregation (well-loved and faithful, too). Between them they will tell you of conditions and activities here. Aristarchus, who is also in prison here, sends greetings, and so does Barnabas cousin, Mark. I believe I told you before about him; if he does come to you, make him welcome. Jesus Justus, another Hebrew Christian, is here too. Only these few are working with me for the kingdom, but what a help they have been! Epaphras, another member of your Church, and a real servant of Christ, sends his greeting. He works hard for you even here, for he prays constantly and earnestly for you, that you may become mature Christians, and may fulfil God s will for you. From my own observation I can tell you that he has a real passion for your welfare, and for that of the churches of Laodicea and Hierapolis. 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4 (Phillips) We are always thankful as we pray for you all, for we never forget that your faith has meant solid achievement, your love has meant hard work, and the hope that you have in our Lord Jesus Christ means sheer dogged endurance in the life that you live before God, the Father of us all. We know that God not only loves you but has selected you for a special purpose. 1 Thessalonians 1:8 (Phillips) You thus became examples to all who believe in Macedonia and Achaia. You have become a sort of sounding-board from which the Word of the Lord has rung out, not only in Macedonia and Achaia but everywhere where the story of your faith in God has become known. 3
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 (Phillips) Yet who could take your place as our hope and joy and pride when Jesus comes? Who but you, as you will stand before him at his coming? Yes, you are indeed our pride and joy! 1 Thessalonians 3:5-9 (Phillips) You will understand that, when the suspense (of your condition) became unbearable, I sent someone to find out how your faith was standing the strain, and to make sure that the tempter s activities had not destroyed our work. But now that Timothy has just come straight from you to us with a glowing account of your faith and love, and definite news that you cherish happy memories of us and long to see us as much as we to see you how these things have cheered us in all the miseries and troubles we ourselves are going through. To know that you are standing fast in the Lord is indeed a breath of life to us. How can we thank our God enough for all the joy you give us as we serve him... 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 (Phillips) for God did not choose us to condemn us, but that we might secure his salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. He died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we share his life. So go on cheering and strengthening each other with thoughts like these, as I have no doubt you have been doing. 2 Thessalonians 1:3-5 (Williams) We always ought to be thanking God for you, brothers, as it is right to do so because your faith is growing so much and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing so that we are always boasting of you among the churches of God for your patient endurance and faith, in spite of your persecutions and crushing sorrows which you are enduring,. This is a proof of God s righteous judgment, His aim being to let you show yourselves worthy of His kingdom, for which you are suffering. 1 Timothy 5:25 (Williams) Good deeds, too, are usually very evident, and if they are not, they cannot be completely concealed. 2 Timothy 1:3-6 (Phillips) I thank the God of my forefathers, whom I serve with a clear conscience, as I remember you in my prayers. Every day and every night I have been longing to see you, for I can t forget how moved you were when I left you, and to have you with me again would be the greatest possible joy. I often think of that genuine faith of yours a faith that first appeared in your grandmother Lois, then in Eunice your mother, and is now, I am convinced, in you as well. 2 Timothy 1:16-18 (Phillips) But may the Lord have mercy on the household of Onesiphorus. Many times did that man put fresh heart into me, and he was not in the least ashamed of my being a prisoner in chains. Indeed, when he was in Rome he went to a great deal of trouble to find me may the Lord grant he finds his mercy in that day! and you well know in how many ways he helped me at Ephesus as well. 2 Timothy 4:2 (Phillips) Never lose your sense of urgency, in season or out of season. Prove, correct, and encourage, using the utmost patience in your teaching. 4
Philemon 1:4 (Phillips) I always thank God for you, Philemon, in my constant prayers for you all, for I have heard how you love and trust both the Lord Jesus himself and those who believe in him. And I pray that those who share your faith may also share your knowledge of all the good things that believing in Jesus Christ can mean to us. It is your love, my brother, that gives us such comfort and happiness, for it cheers the hearts of your fellow Christians. Hebrews 6:9-12 (Phillips) But although we give these words of warning we feel sure that you, whom we love, are capable of better things and will enjoy the full experience of salvation. God is not unfair: he will not lose sight of all that you have done nor of the loving labour which you have shown for his sake in looking after fellow-christians (as you are still doing). It is our earnest wish that every one of you should show a similar keenness in fully grasping the hope that is within you, until the end. Hebrews 10:25 (Williams) Let us stop neglecting our meeting together, as some do, but let us continue to encourage one another, and all the more because you see that great day drawing near. Deuteronomy 1:38 (NIV) But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it. Deuteronomy 3:28 (NIV) But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see. This is only a partial listing to demonstrate the Bible s focus on Praise and Encouragement. 5