"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

 

         Some time ago I was meeting with a group of pastors who came from a variety of church traditions. One veteran pastor was feeling the aftereffects of preaching what he felt was a really bad sermon. That is pretty common among preachers. When you feel you really preached poorly, it tends to hang with you for a while, especially when because of distractions or busyness you did not prepare well.

The other problem, he said, was a conviction about his lack of physical exercise. He knew he needed to take better care of himself, but had never enjoyed physical exertion and felt some guilt in taking the time to do it.

         So, we prayed for him. I prayed out of my tradition, a good Pietistic prayer, asking that he might experience grace that day, asking Jesus to very personally express love to him, and so set him free from these discouragements.

         Another pastor, coming from a different tradition, prayed for him that he might learn the discipline of exercise and the proper study of God's Word. I had to smile a bit about our different prayers. I am always confident that a little grace will take care of things; my friend from a stricter tradition felt some self-discipline would help.

         I am thinking now that the ministry of encouragement probably sits somewhere between the two.

         Encouragement moves us to do God's Will. I recall taking some training on the team concept of doing ministry. The idea of a team is that each person brings a special gift or ability to the project at hand. Each team needs four types of people:

• The first is an initiator, an idea person, an entrepreneur, someone who can creatively and prayerfully grasp a vision for a new ministry.
• The second person is one who thinks in terms of structure. He takes the visionary idea and breaks it down into parts that can be accomplished: budget, personnel, and logistics. This is what it will take to make the vision a reality.
• Then the third person is the editor. She rewrites the proposal so it will work. She streamlines it, eliminates waste and problems, and makes it more practical.
• Finally there is the bean counter. This person raises the money needed, purchases the supplies, limits the expenditures, and makes sure the computers work.

Encouragers are the people who move the Will of God through the team process. They provide the energy that keeps the idea moving. They bring unity to the team because there is a natural tendency for the idea person and the practical person to not understand or even value each other.

         The gift of encouragement moves us to do God's Will. Today we celebrate Reformation Sunday. We remember a time in history when foundational elements of faith were clarified and set out in bold and inspiring language; when people were called to personal faith in Jesus Christ, and reliance upon God's Word.                 Some time later another group came along, called the Pietists. They stood in line with the Reformers, but they added a very helpful insight. They said that the Reformation of doctrine must lead to the Reformation of life. Doctrine cannot remain as ideas, even inspiring ideas. Our beliefs must lead to renewal, must lead us to be transformed in heart and soul, so that we actually do God's Will.

         For example, I believe that God wants hungry people to be fed. I am supportive of the community food banks in our county. But it took some energy and some encouragement last Saturday morning to get me to take a stack of grocery bags and go across the street and give them to our neighbors. I know it is easy for me to disconnect what I believe from what I actually do, how I in fact live. Encouragement is the gift of the Holy Spirit that connects my faith to my feet, my beliefs to my actions.

         So much of our modern secular life is disconnected living, aimless living, and empty living. It is often fun and even materially rewarding, but it has no purpose. Jesus, our guide and friend, leads us to live in a way that is purposeful. He is our encourager, our hope. When we follow Christ, we are led into lives of doing God's Will.

         I think of the way Halloween is observed in our culture as a symbol of empty, aimless living. Halloween is truly an empty celebration, an aimless, indulgent practice, yet hugely popular. It is a symbol for the kind of life I want to avoid.

         There is a temptation in our world to live self-indulgent and aimless lives. Ajith Fernando writes, "Our generation is so committed to feeling good that it fears the experience of bearing the pain of being close to people." We might add, "it fears the pain of doing God's Will." But Paul writes in Romans 15 that encouragement is a guiding gift that draws us into a life of serving and glorifying God. Encouragement leads us, energizes us to move to that which is eternal.

         Look at the words that are associated with encouragement in this passage: bearing with the failings of others, building up the neighbor, endurance, hope, unity, follow Jesus, glorify, accept one another. All of those are strong, purposeful words. Encouragement brings us to a unity in fellowship so that we can follow Christ, and glorify God.

         In Romans 15 Paul is speaking of a tension or conflict in the church between two groups. One he calls "the strong" and he identifies with them. These seem to be those whose personal convictions allow them more freedom in their behavior; specifically they eat meat even though that could be associated with idol worship. They do not keep a kosher diet. They do not observe all the special days and Sabbaths.

In contrast are a group of people Paul calls "the weak," and they are those who now as Christians continue to rely on the regulations and rituals and observances they grew up with in the synagogue. Paul says that those who think of themselves as being "strong" should not live to please themselves. Rather they should look at Christ, who did not come to earth to live for his own pleasure, but rather to do the will of his father. The "strong" should modify their behavior, they should bear with or identify with the weak, and then go beyond that to support and build up their neighbors. It is this kind of encouragement of one another that will lead to unity in that church, so they can worship together and follow Christ.

         What does this ministry of encouragement look like in our church?

How can we experience more of the unity God has for us, given our differences? How can we keep moving in the directions of evangelism and discipleship that we feel God has called us to do?

         Fernando gives us some ideas. He says that encouragers are people who are easily gladdened. They see a ministry developing and are able to focus on what is right with it.

         Encouragers have endurance. Problems can be discouraging. Things rarely go as we hope they will. Encouragers do not give up to soon, do not feel isolated, and do not fall into sin. They continue moving ahead in the call.

Encouragers are helpers. They come to stabilize ministries. They practice the basics and focus on the meaning of "love one another."

         Encouragers have goodness and faith woven into their character. They believe in God and in the power of God. They also believe in God's people. They know that to encourage people you have to communicate to them that you believe in them. They are able to focus on the possibilities of grace in people lives, and pray for them.

         Encouragers move us from our heart commitments to doing God's Will.

         Pray for the gift of encouragement in your life.

         Pray also for those in whom you see encouragement being expressed.

         Commit your heart to Christ, and step out in faith to do God's Will.

         Amen.