Encouragement Jumper Leads
Unedited transcript of sermon delivered at Windsor Park Baptist Church
550 East Coast Rd, Mairangi Bay, Auckland, New Zealand, E-mail: bnw@wpbc.org.nz
Sunday 29/4/2001, Brian Winslade, All rights reserved
You might have heard the story of the married couple asleep in bed on a stormy night who were awakened by a loud knock on the front door. The man crawled out of bed and grumpily went downstairs. When he opened the front door he found a man dripping wet and obviously very drunk who said to him; "I can’t get my car started. Can you give me a push?" To which the man of the house replied sharply; "NO! Go and sober up and we will sort it out in the morning!" He slammed the door and stormed upstairs.
When he got back into bed and explained what had happened to his wife she was indignant and said to him; "That wasn’t a very kind Christian response. He could be in trouble and you have just sent him out into the storm for the rest of the night!" Reluctantly the man got out of bed a second time and put on his coat and went downstairs. He figured he wasn’t going to get any peace until he did something for the man out in the rain. When he got to the front door the rain was teaming down and he couldn’t see the other man. He could hear a faint noise out in the front yard so he called out;
"Hello? Are you still there? What can I do to help?"
To which the other man replied; "Could you give me a push?"
"I’d be happy to if I could see you, where are you?"
"I’m over here, on your swing!"
Have you ever had the experience of being out some place and the car won’t start; the battery is flat? Everything else in the car works fine but the "get-up-and-go" in the battery has "got-up-and-gone". Leaving aside the more serious reasons as to why batteries run down, the short term solution is usually for another car to come alongside and hook up a set of jumper leads from their strong battery to your weak one. Drawing from the alongside energy and power your car is able to start up again and function normally.
That act of drawing alongside or lending energy to get another going is the basic idea behind a key word in the New Testament. The word is "encourage". Over the last little while we have been tracking the life and example of a man in the New Testament who had a particular reputation for encouragement. His parents named him Joseph but the leaders of the early church called him Barnabas, which literally meant "son of encouragement".
Barnabas was a person who you felt good being around. He was a man who believed in the potential of people – particular those whom others were cautious or suspicious of. Barnabas was willing to give a failure a second chance, and because of his predisposition or default setting towards encouraging people the leaders of the early church gave him the nickname of "son of encouragement".
One of the main reasons why I wanted us to look at the life of Barnabas is to see if there is some aspects of his encouragement DNA that we can isolate and use to genetically modify our personality so that we behave in a similar way. People like to be with people who encourage them. To be a Barnabas towards others is to exercise a powerful influence on people. In terms of the root meaning of the word encourage simply means "to put courage in". It means the imputing or infusion of power or advice or inspiration that makes another person perform better.
There are times for each of us when our battery runs flat. Encouragement means the coming alongside and the inputting of courage or perspective or attitudes that makes us get up and get going again.
There are many things in life that cause us to experience discouragement - the draining of courage. Sometimes it’s a crisis, sometimes it’s simply tiredness or sickness, or sometimes it’s the cutting words or actions of another person. To encourage is to do the direct opposite. Where courage has dissipated encouragement is the replacing or replenishment of courage. It represents the putting back what has been taken or that which has leaked out of us.
While Romans 12:8 indicates that some people have a special gift or Holy Sprint-given ability to encourage the act of being encouraging is a responsibility we all have as followers of Jesus. We are all supposed to be like Barnabas and to a greater or lesser degree there are fellow pilgrims on this planet to whom we are called alongside for the purpose of putting courage into them. People have done it for us in the past and we need to do it for others.
So how do we do it? What are some practical ways that we can be Barnabites to the people we associate with? Let me offer six specific suggestions. There are nothing particularly significant about these six - there are probably more that you can think of too.
1. Allow people to grow
By that I mean give credence to the fact that God is working on people and that their spiritual maturity is not static. People change and do better as the Holy Spirit works on them. A Barnabas encourager expects people to grow and mature and even overtake their mentors as God continues to work on them.
There is an interesting illustration of this in the relationship that Barnabas had with Paul the Apostle. In the early days after Paul’s conversion it was Barnabas who was willing to give him a go. The other Christians leaders were suspicious of Paul but Barnabas took a risk and brought Paul to meet them. Later on it was Barnabas who went and got Paul and launched him into pastoral ministry in the church at Antioch. In his early days Baranabs mentored Paul and coached him in the ways of Christian ministry.
Then Barnabas and Paul launched themselves on an intenerate ministry as missionaries. Once again in the early days the historical record is very much "Barnabas and Paul". Barnabas was the leader and Paul was the apprentice. In the historical culture of the day the leader of the team was always listed first. However later on in the book of Acts we read about Paul and Barnabas rather than Barnabas and Paul. At some point in their journeys Paul assumed the more prominent leadership role. The implication is that Barnabas swopped being the mentor or coach to Paul and instead became his number two. The leader allowed the prodigy to grow and mature and even usurp the leadership role.
I had an experience a bit like this back in 1984. At the time I was finishing my theological studies and Liz and I were invited to become the Assistant Pastor of the Pukekohe Baptist Church working alongside David Jacobson who had been a leading pastor and evangelist for several decades. David was nearing retirement and wanted to ease out, I was finishing my studies and wanted to ease in. So on the 1 March 1984 I began work as the Assistant Pastor with a two year transition process in mind. The arrangement lasted 20 minutes! At 9.20 on my first day on the job David had a heart attack. My first responsibility was taking the Senior Pastor’s wife up to the hospital following the ambulance. David was obviously off work for several months and I was left holding the fort. When he came back to work it was his suggestion that we swap roles. I became formally the Senior Pastor of the church and David Jacobson became my Associate.
David was a Barnabas. He wasn’t enamoured with prestige or position or title, he merely wanted to serve the Lord. A Barnabas like that is willing to believe in what God can do in a person’s life to the extent that they are willing to step aside and allow their servant to become their leader. The person under their spiritual care or apprenticeship is allowed to grow up and take the lead. They are not forever viewed as a junior or a younger Christian. The Barnabas in us allows them to grow and take their place in leadership.
2. Affirm the capability that you see in other people
In the beginning of the Old Testament in the book of Deuteronomy there is an interesting challenge to encouragement. Moses had been telling the Israelite community that because of their stubbornness and rebellion and faithlessness that none of the older generation would enter the Promised Land - that they had been travelling towards for 40 years. He told them that they would all die in the desert and even he wouldn’t make it into the Promised Land. However young Joshua was to be a different story.
"37 Because of you the LORD became angry with me also and said, ‘‘You shall not enter it, either. 38 But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it"
Deuteronomy 1:37,38
In short, people were to recognise the hand of the Lord on Joshua and they were to put courage into him to lead them into the Promised Land. The same sentiment is echoed in Deuteronomy 3:28
28 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.”
The implication is that the people were to affirm the Lord’s call or mantle on Joshua. They were to speak into him words of courage and strength and support. Joshua would be emboldened by the encouraging words that people spoke to him - affirming the capabilities they saw that God had given to him.
That is a task that "Barnabites" fulfill. They see the growing competency in other people and they affirm it or express their support. You know the old saying; "Behind every successful man is a (surprised mother-in-law) wife who believes in them". Great things are achieved by great people and great people are supported by significant others who have spoken affirming words of courage and inspiration into them. Believing what people can become is a very Barnabas-type thing to do.
3. Point people to the "opportunities" side of a problem
Surrounding every dark and gloomy cloud there is always a silver lining. Whatever the Devil means for our harm God can turn around and use for our good or for his glory. The person with a Barnabas-type disposition sees problems as opportunities not as disasters.
That is why James could say to Christians who was facing the most severe persecution;
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4
In other words the encourager looks beyond the immediate pain or suffering to what God is painting on the big picture. They lift the vision of people to see how even this disastrous circumstance can be used by God to bring good.
Corrie Ten Boon tells an amazing story along these lines in her book "The Hiding Place". She and her sister Betsy had been imprisoned by the Nazis for harbouring Jews in their home. The prison camp that they were in was apparently riddled with fleas. The conditions were absolutely horrific and beyond imagination. However during a time of prayer that Corrie once had with Betsy she heard her pray "Lord thank you for the fleas!" Corrie couldn’t go on in their prayer meeting without stopping her sister and asking why she prayed along those lines, to which Betsy lovingly explained from her heart "Corrie don’t you see> The Lord provided the fleas. That way the guards will not bother us in our barracks so we can pray and worship freely". In other words Betsy had Barnabas eyes to see the positive side of a difficult circumstance.
Being a Barnabas doesn’t necessarily minimize the pain and suffering that a person goes through. It is more than just being supremely positive. But in whatever we go through there is always a bigger picture that God is painting and a Barnabas-type encourager helps people to see it.
4. Speak prophetically to one another
On at least two occasions in his letter to the Corinthian Christians Paul clarified the primary purpose of prophecy as being for encouragement.
3 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.
1 Corinthians 14:3
31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
1 Corinthians 14:31
The word of God is given so that others in the family might feel built up and encouraged and the person with a Barnabas-type disposition has an active antenna for what God might be saying to a person in their circle of acquaintance.
I can think of a number of occasions where people have shared with me a special word that they felt the Lord was giving to them for my situation. Sometimes these words, or pictures, or impressions have been really instrumental in helping me clarify a course of action that I should be taking.
I want to encourage us to grow in sharing with each other the prophetic insight that God has given us. For those with more courage and experience, bringing a prophetic word in a large gathering like a church service can happen, however for others the small group context is more conducive to having a go. It’s perfectly okay to couch your prophetic words with; "I’m not sure, but I have a hunch that God might be saying …. to you" or "When I was thinking about you the other day I saw in my mind a picture of …"
Obviously all prophetic words need to be held lightly and tested but lets grow in our experience of encouraging each other with what we sense God is saying.
5. Tell stories about what God is doing with your life
When Paul wrote his letter to the Christians in Philippi he was in prison. On the one hand it was a sad, desperate situation. A beloved brother in Christ was getting a hard time. No one likes the idea of persecution and the fear of something similar happening would have sent shivers down the spines of many a church member. But as we noted before, around the dark cloud of persecution and suffering there is always a shining, silver lining. In the midst of his imprisonment Paul was being effective as an evangelist. He had a "captive audience" and God was using a bad situation for incredible good.
As Paul told the story of how God was at work in his situation it provided a powerful encouragement to other people that God would turn their suffering into good also.
14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
Philippians 1:14
Never underestimate the power of story telling. In fact story telling is the best way to cast vision and hope amongst people you are leading. Stories hook into the feelings and emotions of people, which of course is why Jesus used every day stories/parables to communicate the nature of the kingdom of God.
When we hear how God has worked in the life of a fellow Christian it raises hope and faith in us. If God can do it for them it helps me believe that God can do it for me also.
The only caveat I would want to put on our story telling is be honest! By that I’m not referring to people embellishing the truth as much as the issues about which we tell stories. Many Christian testimonies are so sugarcoated and only focus on triumphs and victories that we experience. That’s great, but we also need to tell stories of our struggles and failures and how God has met us in the midst of our hard times as well. If all we do is testify to the good stuff we sometimes give a false impression that spirituality always means success and victory. That’s not honest. At times life is darn hard work and we need to get good at telling stories of God’s activity with us in the midst of our struggles as well as our triumphs. That’s what Paul was alluding to in this verse in Philippians 1. Paul was suffering in chains yet God was evidentially with him in the midst of his suffering and that story gave courage to others.
6. Be committed to Christian community
What do I mean by that? According to the New Testament to have an encouragement mind set means having a high value on belonging to the community of faith. To be Christian, according to the New Testament, is to belong to a fellowship of believers, and the practice of coming together with fellow Christians is expressly stated as an act of mutual encouragement.
We don’t know for certain who wrote the New Testament book of Hebrews. There are few clues in the original manuscript. However many scholars attribute Hebrews to the authorship of Barnabas. In Chapter 10:24,25 we read these words;
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24,25
One of the ways we encourage each other in the Christian faith is to gather together with fellow believers. To express that the opposite way, to stay apart or to not relate with fellow Christians has the opposite affect to encouragement. It leads to discouragement.
17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17
Coming together with fellow Christians and being part of Christian community encourages fellow believers with their walk with the Lord. Like two burning hot coals within a fireplace each gives off and each receives heat from the other. Separate the two coals and they both go out very quickly.
One of the sad tragedies about contemporary Christianity is the spirit of consumerism that pervades the church. The dominant attitude is "What’s in it for me?" If my personal needs have not been met why bother going to church? In contrast of that Hebrews 10:25 suggests that there is another reason for being in community with other Christians. Apparently it’s not only what I get out of the exercise but more importantly what I am able to give to other people.
To put that more strongly, having a low view of community and gathering for corporate worship or fellowship is not just about me missing out, its also about me robbing other people of what I am capable of inputting into them. When we worship together, or pray together, or play together I observe your connection with Jesus, and when I see that I in turn am stirred and motivated in my relationship with God. If you stay away I miss out, or if I stay away you are robbed.
If we are really serious about behaving in the Barnabas-type manner towards other people then one of the best places to start is adopting a high value of Christian community. Being Christian is much more than just a simple personal belief system. It’s also about belonging to a community of faith that encourages other people.
To put that another way, being Christian is not just "Me and Jesus" it’s more correctly "We and Jesus".
