faith is encouraging
Post on 15-Apr-2017
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Introduction 1. All of us need encouragement, which means all of us should be encouragers. So far, we have studied many facets of faith-‐ victory, understanding, pleasing, and rewarding. I am looking forward today to our study about how faith is encouraging.
2. It’s my prayer that this study encourages you to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the object of our faith, who not only saves us but also strengthens and directs our way.
3. You know regardless of where or who you are you have within you by the power of God to be encouraged by Him and to be an encouragement to others.
4. The writer to the Hebrews tells us that one of the things we want to accomplish whenever we assemble together as the
church is “to encourage one another.” Hebrews 10:25
5. Paul really wanted to visit Rome so he writes this great letter to Romans that contains a lot of great Christian advice and doctrine. But when you read the letter through in its entirety you are struck by how encouraging it is.
6. For example, in the very first chapter-‐ he tells them he can’t wait to see them to “impart some spiritual gift to them to make them strong-‐ that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.”
7. Or how about, “in all things God works for the good of those who love him,” (8:28); “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” *8:37; “nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is Christ Jesus our Lord” (8:39); then: Romans 15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity
among yourselves as you follow Jesus Christ, so that with one heart and one mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
8. Encouraging-‐ get ready for the rest of the lesson as we study how faith is so encouraging.
Faith is encouraging because it is strength for my troubles. 1. When we’re weary, pressed, discouraged, or disappointment our mind begins to be filled with all sorts of negative thoughts, concerns, and fears. We begin to dwell on our troubles and problems. Have you ever noticed that the more you think about your troubles the worse they become?
2. I want you to be encouraged that in your troubles when you turn to God by faith he strengthens you. He is the God you gives endurance and encouragement.
3. A common image in the Old Testament is the vineyard owner tending to his
vineyard. Israel is compared to the vineyard and God is the vineyard owner. The picture is of God tenderly, firmly, and diligently taking care of Israel as a vineyard owner would with his vineyard.
4. Vineyards are subject to weather conditions. Stormy, windy conditions can knock some vines down off their trellis, break them and they are fallen on the ground. If the branches of the vine remain on the ground they might die, go wild, and cannot bear fruit.
5. So, the vineyard owner takes the fallen branches of the vine and lifts them back up on the trellis so they can bear fruit.
6. The act of “lifting up” the branch back onto the trellis to bear fruit is a recurring thought throughout the Old Testament. God lifts up: the burdened the distress the needy
the broken the grieving the sick How encouraging that he lifts us up out of our burdens, distress, need, brokenness, sickness, and suffering.
7. Job refers to this in 22:29 When men are brought low and you say, “Lift them up!” then he will save the downcast.” Job knew and experienced tremendous suffering and troubles. You read his testimony and he goes through all the emotions that are associated with suffering. He knew what it was to be downcast-‐ to be fallen-‐ but he was encouraged by his faith-‐ that God lifts up the downcast.
8. Storms are not the only thing that can cause a vine to fall down. Solomon, when addressing the importance of neglecting your marriage wrote: Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom Song of Songs 2:15 Solomon’s point is that the love
between a husband and wife is usually not afflicted with a major problem to overcome but over the course of time the little things, the little foxes, gnaw at the relationship, to the point that a strong marriage of love is brought down by accumulation of little things. So, he says you got to catch the little foxes, pay attention to them.
9. Our faith is the same way. Most of us will not a major crisis of faith moment where we are suddenly faced with a major issue that challenges our faith. No, the little things, the little foxes, like fear, worry, stress, unhappiness, discouragement, disappointment, begin to take their toll and we stop exercising faith, believing in the power of prayer, and gradually over time we start to rely less on God and are controlled more by our emotions and circumstances.
10. Instead of fruitful faith that encourages us and strengthens us, we are left discouraged, weak, and
unfruitful. Here is the good news-‐ the encouraging news. I don’t have to stay that way-‐ I can exercise my faith-‐ whatever faith I have-‐ and God is going to give me strength for my troubles: When you do, get ready because he is going to lift you-‐ that is what he promises and in Christ Jesus all the promises of God answered.
11. Are the little foxes gnawing at your faith? Are you feeling downcast, weak and fearful? Here’s a promise from Peter’s letter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
12. In the New Testament, Jesus says He is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:1-‐5. The encouraging promise to Christians is that if we remain in him we bear fruit, glorify God, and experience the incredible lifting power of God’s love.
13. Oh course, the greatest example of God lifting us up is on the cross. Just
prior to his crucifixion as he was predicting what would happen to him, and the crowd is challenging his statement about death, he said, “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself” (John 12:32).
14. Who would have thought that in the dark despair of the sinless Jesus being nailed to the cross beams and then lifted up on cross between earth and heaven, that the most encouraging act of God was about to be achieved-‐ that from the death of Jesus-‐ everyone who would put their faith in him-‐ would have their sins forgiven. So, we can sing, lay your burdens down at the feet of Jesus, lift up your hearts, lift up heads …
15. Jesus said that in this world you will have troubles, but let not your hearts be troubled, believe in God believe also in me-‐ and be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.
Faith is encouraging because it is protection in temptation. Everyone faces temptation. Even Jesus did. Maturing in faith is not the absence of temptation but how you deal with temptation. 1. Faith is encouraging because it provides protection in times of temptation. While the temptations are the same that face every generation, we are not the same. Some things that tempt me might not tempt you. Or, we may find ourselves tempted by the same things.
2. The point the New Testament clearly makes, is that a Christian is not helpless in the face of temptation. In fact, just the opposite. Throughout the New Testament we are told that by faith in Christ we can resist, escape, fight, and be strong in the Lord.
3. Can you think of some things that tempted you prior to being a Christian that are no longer have that great pull
on you? What is the difference? Will power or the Holy Spirit changing you from the inside out? You know the answer.
4. Even as a Christian there are some things that use to be a real strong temptation that do not have the same strength they use to? Why is that-‐ because you are maturing, you are trusting in God’s protection, and He is changing you from the inside out.
5. Listen, there will always be some things that will be a strong temptation for you no matter how old you get-‐ hang in there. Here’s the encouraging part. God protects us in temptation. How?
6. 1 Corinthians 10:13 God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. Isn’t that an encouraging verse! Temptation is designed to make us unfaithful to a faithful God. God is
protecting us even when we are thinking about being unfaithful to him-‐ how encouraging. In my temptation-‐ when I feel there is no escape, trapped, I have to give in-‐ here is my faithful God-‐ showing me, providing for me a way out… If I will just take my eyes off the temptation and focus on him-‐ the way out will be clear and obvious.
7. Incidentally, do not make this verse say more than what it says. I hear this verse quoted incorrectly quite often. I hear people say, remember the word of God says that God will not give you anymore than what you can bear or handle. So, if you going through this trial God knew you could handle it.
8. Look at this verse-‐ it is referring to temptation not trials or troubles. The promise refers to temptation-‐ it says nothing about trials or troubles. I can point to other scriptures where God
cares for us and comforts us in our trials and troubles but this is not one of them.
9. This verse deals with his protection in times of temptation: Two things: a) In his faithfulness he knows my limits and won’t let me tempted beyond my abilities through faith to overcome. b) In my temptation, God provides a way out-‐ an escape.
10. Now, let’s think about that for a moment-‐ the first promise: won’t be tempted beyond what I can bear. When sharing with other Christians throughout the years, I use to say about certain temptations-‐ that is not a temptation for me. Here is where I am tempted.”
11. So, over the course of time, without realizing it, it became somewhat a source of pride for me to say-‐ that is no temptation for me-‐ as if I was not capable of that particular sin because it did not appeal to me. You know what, I
began to realize my view of this was a little skewed.
12. It was too much about me-‐ that does not tempt me. I started thinking-‐ why is not tempting to me but this is tempting to me. Then it dawned on me-‐ the reason why I am not tempted by certain things is because God, in his faithfulness, knows me better than I know myself-‐ and He knows if I was tempted by that-‐ I could not stand up under it-‐ I would fall into sin-‐ it would be beyond my ability to endure.
13. So now, when someone is describing to me a temptation they are having and it is not a temptation for me, I say a prayer to God thanking him for his grace to protect me from being tempted by that.
14. And you should be so encouraged as a Christian, that God loves you so much that he protects you from the things that would drive you into sin by not letting you be tempted by them, and letting you
know that are you being pulled towards to make you unfaithful to him by sinning-‐ He knows what you’re going through and he is providing a way out.
15. He also knows how human we are-‐ there is only one human that will ever leave this earth being tempted with every imaginable temptation-‐ yet he never sinned. His name is Jesus. It is because Jesus know the pull the temptation and did not sin that Hebrews writes 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
Faith is encouraging because it brings mercy to my discouraged heart. 1. In recent conversations with different people a common thread linked them all together. One was talking about financial hardships from underemployment, another stressed that insurance would not cover the
medicine they needed, another perplexed as to why their marriage failed, in a conversation with a preacher for over 30 years who now finds himself under heavy criticism and his job threatened not because of anything he preached or taught, but over personality conflicts. What is the thread that links all these Christians together?
2. Discouragement. All of them need a heavy dose of encouragement. They need mercy, grace, help, comfort, and encouragement. They are losing heart because they are discouraged.
3. Are you discouraged this morning? Something gotten you down where you are losing heart? You don’t have to stay there. God promises us mercy for our discouraged heart. Discouragement is contagious and deadly.
4. It certainly was afflicting the Corinthian congregation. The two letters contained in the New Testament has Paul encouraging the Corinthians to
trust more in God and have more faith in him. In the 2nd letter 4:1-‐18 he deals with it extensively. He writes: 2 Corinthians 4:1,7-9 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power if from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair: persecuted but not abandoned struck down, but not destroyed.
5. We do not lose heart-‐ God encourages us by giving us mercy when we are discouraged. Sure things in life get tough-‐ Paul says he has been hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. That is tough-‐ every one of those could bring on a bout of discouragement.
6. But do you hear the triumph, the victory in Paul’s voice: By God’s mercy we will not lose heart: In life I have taken the shot of being hard pressed-‐ but not crushed been perplexed-‐ but no despair been persecuted-‐ but not abandoned been struck down-‐ but not destroyed.
7. In other words, the devil has thrown his best punches, and they hurt and sting and leave their marks-‐ but I have put may faith in God-‐ and by God’s grace I am still standing and I will not lose heart.
8. God’s mercy in time of need is greater than the fear of discouragement. When I feel like a fragile clay jar-‐ God says-‐ no-‐ my surpassing power will energize you and get you through the pressing times, the perplexing times, the persecuting times, the times when you are about to cave in.
9. Be encouraged in the times you’re discouraged and claim God’s promises of mercy.
Faith is encouraging because it gives eternal perspective to life. 1. Whether it is trouble, temptation, or discouragement, they all can distract us from focusing on the strength, protection, and mercy provided by God.
2. In fact, we often reminded in the New Testament that the very things the devil uses to discourage us-‐ God can use to stretch and grow our faith.
3. What are apparent defeats and failures are sometimes the very areas where God is doing his greatest work. So, we are encouraged to fix our eyes on Jesus, to focus on heaven.
4. Back in October, my son David and I were guests of people who owned terrific seats in the Tennessee Titans stadium. The game was also on the NFL Thursday night Network: It was between the Tennessee Titans and the
Pittsburgh Steelers. We had great seats and it was perfect weather conditions. And the evening was topped off with the Titans upsetting the Steelers in overtime.
5. It had many decades since I had been to a pro game. With the seats we had we had a close up view of the players and field. The players are super athletes-‐ giants-‐ and the game was played at a very fast speed and the hits sounded very violent.
6. I particularly enjoyed watching Ben Rothsberger-‐ the quarterback for the Steelers-‐ superstar quarterback. What I noticed in watching the game live as opposed to being on T.V. were the passing routes. Ben would call the play, the ball was hike and Ben released the ball and threw it to a certain spot while we watched the play unfold, as the receiver in his route would run to the spot to catch the ball.
7. If Ben threw in the direction of the player it was either real low so the player could look back and catch the ball as he hit the ground or it was over his head leading the player to the spot in front of him.
8. The only time Ben would throw directly to the player was pretty much on a very short pass or broken play.
9. As I watch this transpired-‐ I thought of faith. The coaches drew up the plan and route, the quarterback trusted the plan to throw to the spot, and the receiver ran his route trusting that at a certain time if he got there the ball would be there to catch.
10. Here’s the connection I want to make. God wants to walk by faith and not by sight. As much as we want him to just focus on our current trouble or trial or discouragement-‐ God’s purpose is to stretch us, to make us in faith trust him to run to the spot where he wants us. If we do not trust him, we will not run the
route and we miss what he has in store for the place where he wants us to be.
11. Walking by faith encourages me to trust God and his ways. To know he is stretching me, leading me, and sometimes directly me to cut to the left or slant off my course to meet him where he wants me to be. Isn’t that what Paul is speaking of in the rest of 2 Corinthians 4 v.13 I believe; therefore I have spoken. With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus. The next time you are discouraged and waiting on God where you are, instead of speaking words of discontent, confusion, fear, or worry-‐ why not pray and begin to speak words of faith into your situation.
12. Say a prayer like this: Dear God, I know by the power of your words this
creation came into existence. By your power your raised Christ Jesus from the dead. You have promised me strength and mercy and with confidence I believe in your promises and therefore I will speak words of faith into my situation.
13. When we turn it over to God and trust him I will go to whatever place He wants me to be – because my faith encourages me to speak words of faith.
14. Again from 2 Corinthians I keep my eternal perspective by doing the following: The grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. When I respond to my troubles, temptation, and discouragement with words of faith that claim God’s strength, protection, and mercy-‐ it not only encourages me but also encourages those around me. I become a great witness for my loving and generous
God. Others will be drawn to the mercy and strength of God because of how I respond in faith. That thanksgiving gives glory to God. That thanksgiving takes the place of my troubled, tempted, or discouraged heart-‐, which keeps me from losing heart. Now, that’s encouraging.
15. So, Paul concludes: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. He is speaking to you this morning and saying is encouraged-‐ keep your eternal perspective to life. Heaven is your spot-‐ it is your goal. Will you trust God, run the route he sets before you, and trust that he will be there when you arrive in faith?
16. Just like he did with Moses who was living in Egypt but trusted God to meet going towards the Promised Land.
17. Just like Joshua who on the this side of the Jordan but trusted God to go into the promise land and found God and victory in Jericho.
18. Or, David who was living as the youngest among many brothers and a shepherd who by faith trusted God and by God’s power became the great King of Israel.
19. Just think of Jonah who wanted to keep running in Israel, to run his own route but eventually after running from God, he ran to God, and finally ran with God and found God’s awesome forgiveness in the repentant land of Nineveh.
20. I could give you many other illustrations of fixing our eyes on where God wants us to go in faith but I think you get my point.
21. May you leave worship this morning encouraged in your faith. Fix your eyes on Jesus-‐ trust him to lead you where you need to go, claim by faith that God
will lift you in times of trouble, be confident that God will give you the protection you need in times of temptation, and fill your heart with his mercy so that instead of being discouraged and losing heart-‐ you are encouraged and overflowing with thanksgiving that God is being glorified by your faith in Christ Jesus.
22. Let’s close with an invitation, that in light of what we talked about this morning now has even greater impact upon us. Here it is-‐ is from Jesus himself: Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
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