WEBVTT 00:00:11.730 --> 00:00:12.449 The word of God. 00:00:13.650 --> 00:00:15.410 So here's the thing. 00:00:17.890 --> 00:00:25.410 A physical Bible is something that I treasure so much more than any electronic Bible. 00:00:25.570 --> 00:00:27.250 And here's why. 00:00:28.049 --> 00:00:33.329 My phone distracts me from so many other things with notifications. 00:00:34.049 --> 00:00:38.130 Sometimes it rings and I don't want to answer it, but I have to. 00:00:40.049 --> 00:00:47.729 And there is something to be said about setting all that aside and saying, God, I want to hear from you. 00:00:48.530 --> 00:00:51.729 And so I believe in the value of a physical Bible. 00:00:51.890 --> 00:00:56.689 If you do not have one, there may be one in about every other seat in front of you. 00:00:56.850 --> 00:00:59.570 You can take it, you can write your name in it. 00:00:59.649 --> 00:01:00.769 It is yours. 00:01:01.089 --> 00:01:05.329 But our goal is that we make sure that everyone has a physical Bible. 00:01:05.489 --> 00:01:07.250 And I encourage you, bring it to church. 00:01:07.329 --> 00:01:10.290 It's it's so funny when we started pressing the need for this. 00:01:10.450 --> 00:01:16.370 We started finding more Bibles being left at church just because people got in conversation and forgot. 00:01:16.689 --> 00:01:21.090 And where typically it's like, man, it's a shame they forgot their Bible. 00:01:21.250 --> 00:01:23.010 Now it almost blessed my heart. 00:01:23.250 --> 00:01:25.250 It's like, well, they brought it to church. 00:01:25.409 --> 00:01:28.370 So they they did what we're asking. 00:01:28.609 --> 00:01:30.849 And so just just consider that. 00:01:30.929 --> 00:01:35.569 If you don't have one, grab that one in the seat in front of you and consider it yours. 00:01:36.530 --> 00:01:40.049 There's two more messages in this one another series. 00:01:40.609 --> 00:01:49.649 And you know, I have been asking myself if we like when I was planning it, I was asking, is this series convicting enough? 00:01:49.810 --> 00:01:56.769 I don't get up here and say, I just want to give flowery words so that you receive it and you're like, man, church always makes me feel good. 00:01:57.010 --> 00:02:00.530 Sometimes we should leave here a little upset. 00:02:02.209 --> 00:02:05.890 Sometimes we should feel the sting of the word of God. 00:02:06.049 --> 00:02:07.250 Are you hearing me? 00:02:07.489 --> 00:02:13.409 And so I think there needs to be times where we read the word of God and we're like, that hurt. 00:02:13.890 --> 00:02:15.250 I don't like it. 00:02:15.650 --> 00:02:25.010 And I was going through it and I'm like, God, I don't know if there's enough meat on the bone here, but I believe that if we choose to open up our heart, hear me out, open up our heart. 00:02:25.330 --> 00:02:28.690 Because we can be closed off sometimes of what people are saying. 00:02:28.930 --> 00:02:41.890 If we open up our heart to the word of God and we choose to dive deep and receive what the word of God says in regards to the 66 individual one-another commands, it can be very convicting. 00:02:45.650 --> 00:02:53.010 And the message today is a huge burden that we should have in encouraging one another. 00:02:55.890 --> 00:02:57.810 It's easy to be critical. 00:02:59.250 --> 00:03:00.450 So easy. 00:03:07.090 --> 00:03:18.050 And so often we're we do that, and I'm not saying we we can't do that, but it is never coupled with just encouragement of believing and supporting and embracing the person. 00:03:21.010 --> 00:03:24.290 And I was thinking about my ministry in Waterloo. 00:03:24.370 --> 00:03:33.250 I was there eight years, and it was a challenging time, and I was I was trying to do the right thing in place of conflict. 00:03:34.050 --> 00:03:43.730 And when you're trying to live according to the word of God, and it seems like no one else is standing on that standard of the word of God, it's incredibly difficult. 00:03:43.890 --> 00:03:52.690 The picture you see up there was my first full Sunday in the pulpit, 32 years young. 00:03:55.650 --> 00:04:03.090 And I'm gonna tell you, one of the most difficult seasons of my life was those first two years of that church. 00:04:06.530 --> 00:04:12.770 Going from my first year to my second year, I'm 33, and here I am, I'm pastoring my second church. 00:04:12.930 --> 00:04:20.930 You know, I pastored for five years before that at a church in Illinois, and this was a church with a lot of problems that I inherited. 00:04:21.410 --> 00:04:25.170 And I had to make some really tough decisions, but here was the problem. 00:04:25.329 --> 00:04:35.169 When you have to make tough decisions, and the rest of the leadership of the church is overlooking those, and they're not even seeing them, they're not even seeing the issue. 00:04:37.490 --> 00:04:48.609 And what I what I was reading in scripture in the situation I was looking at in front of me, what I am seeing as sin was looked by every other person as, oh, that's just a small character flaw. 00:04:48.689 --> 00:04:50.050 Don't worry about it. 00:04:50.529 --> 00:04:51.729 It's no big deal. 00:04:51.889 --> 00:04:56.449 It's no big deal to just let them continue living in that space. 00:04:56.609 --> 00:05:02.609 And so I would hear this phrase often, oh, that's just so-and-so. 00:05:04.930 --> 00:05:13.409 You know what that phrase does, it excuses the behavior, it excuses the sin. 00:05:14.050 --> 00:05:24.930 And I felt like I had no support except for one family that started coming, that lived in Dallas, Texas for 13 years. 00:05:26.289 --> 00:05:39.490 They say they saw all the issues I saw, and like I everywhere I turned, I had no encouragement, but it was their encouragement and a few others outside of the church that helped me embrace that the fight is worth fighting for. 00:07:02.050 --> 00:07:09.089 And you know, the word of God calls us to persevere, and we need to learn how to persevere. 00:07:09.169 --> 00:07:17.729 And I encourage you to open your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 10, verses 19 through 25, and I want you to listen to the words of the author here. 00:07:21.329 --> 00:07:23.810 Hebrews 10, 19 through 25. 00:07:30.129 --> 00:07:40.769 It says, and so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven's most holy place because of the blood of Jesus. 00:07:40.930 --> 00:07:42.609 Who says amen to that? 00:07:43.009 --> 00:07:50.050 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the most holy place. 00:07:50.209 --> 00:07:59.569 And since we have a great high priest who rules over God's house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts, fully trusting him. 00:07:59.729 --> 00:08:03.250 First and foremost, I think that should be read before every worship service. 00:08:03.889 --> 00:08:08.609 Like here we are, we have the opportunity to go into the presence of God through the blood of Jesus Christ. 00:08:08.689 --> 00:08:18.529 And continuing on, verse 22, it says, For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. 00:08:20.930 --> 00:08:29.490 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 00:08:29.969 --> 00:08:45.810 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works, and let us not neglect our meeting together as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. 00:08:46.370 --> 00:08:47.650 Let's pray. 00:08:50.610 --> 00:09:02.210 Father God, I pray that we see the value in being around the body of Christ and encouraging one another and understanding the responsibility that we have in that. 00:09:02.370 --> 00:09:19.250 And God, part of this means that we need to stop whatever's going on in our mind, surrender this day to your Holy Spirit to be led and directed to those who need encouragement, Father. 00:09:20.290 --> 00:09:22.770 I thank you in Jesus' name. 00:09:23.410 --> 00:09:24.050 Amen. 00:09:25.970 --> 00:09:46.370 You know, as I'm searching these reasons that we need encouraged, first and foremost, as someone who has a dream of living on a mountain somewhere where I can't see another human being, I can also tell you, isolation hardens us. 00:09:47.330 --> 00:09:49.009 It makes us hard people. 00:09:58.690 --> 00:10:06.129 One of the most dangerous things for our faith is being convinced we can go through the most difficult times alone. 00:10:07.250 --> 00:10:09.090 That's a dangerous thought. 00:10:09.410 --> 00:10:11.250 We say, I'm strong. 00:10:11.570 --> 00:10:13.410 I don't need anybody. 00:10:13.970 --> 00:10:16.210 I got this on my own. 00:10:16.770 --> 00:10:29.730 Here's the thing: when we try to tackle lifestyle, life's challenges, excuse me, and hardships alone, it opens this door to unbelief and doubt. 00:10:30.690 --> 00:10:33.250 And it's not immediate, it happens over time. 00:10:33.330 --> 00:10:41.970 It's it's a slow progression because when we are alone, we tend to drift and we open the door to telling ourselves lies. 00:10:43.570 --> 00:10:50.050 At first, we don't believe them, eventually we start believing our lies, and then eventually we take on the identity of those lies. 00:10:52.050 --> 00:11:11.650 We might tell ourselves things like, God doesn't care, or I'm a burden to other people, so I don't want to bother them with that, or we might just convince ourselves that the suffering means that we're disqualified from entering into the presence of God, the people of God. 00:11:14.770 --> 00:11:24.050 And these lies without others in our life correcting our thoughts, it sets like concrete. 00:11:26.050 --> 00:11:27.810 Hebrews 3 13. 00:11:28.050 --> 00:11:41.730 It says, you must warn each other every day while it is still today, so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. 00:11:42.770 --> 00:11:49.410 How many times has someone come to your mind and you have thought, I'll make that phone call tomorrow? 00:11:50.129 --> 00:11:51.170 I'll give them a call. 00:11:51.330 --> 00:11:54.450 I intend to reach out, I need to connect with them. 00:11:58.690 --> 00:12:00.770 Tomorrow might be too late. 00:12:01.650 --> 00:12:03.650 Tomorrow might be too late. 00:12:05.090 --> 00:12:09.090 While I was in Waterloo, there was a Baptist pastor in the town of Dunkerton. 00:12:09.889 --> 00:12:26.210 Dunkerton was about 17 miles from the church, and there's this Baptist pastor in Dunkerton that took on a small church, and he's trying to lead his church, but the church people didn't like the direction he was going. 00:12:27.570 --> 00:12:34.610 And so what they did, they decided to start turning the church against that Baptist pastor. 00:12:35.810 --> 00:12:42.450 That pastor in his isolation on a Monday went out behind the church and killed himself. 00:12:48.610 --> 00:12:56.129 When the Lord prompts you to call someone out of their isolation, you might not have tomorrow. 00:12:59.810 --> 00:13:05.730 You must warn each other every day while it's still today. 00:13:06.690 --> 00:13:07.889 Still today. 00:13:20.530 --> 00:13:24.850 But really, what people want, most people want that lifeline. 00:13:25.009 --> 00:13:27.970 They want that hand reaching out to try and save them. 00:13:28.210 --> 00:13:42.050 And the this word that shows up time and time again about this encouraging one another, it's the Greek word parakeleo, which means to come alongside of, to walk beside a person. 00:13:42.290 --> 00:13:45.970 It is used in the same emphasis as the role of the Holy Spirit. 00:13:47.970 --> 00:13:52.930 We're to come alongside others, performing a similar role to what the Holy Spirit does in our lives. 00:13:53.009 --> 00:13:55.090 We're like, we are going to walk with you. 00:13:57.410 --> 00:14:01.170 In church, we need the body of Christ around us. 00:14:03.490 --> 00:14:05.490 Don't refuse them. 00:14:08.690 --> 00:14:13.730 One of the biggest excuses we make is they don't understand what I'm going through. 00:14:14.050 --> 00:14:14.610 You know what? 00:14:14.690 --> 00:14:15.730 They don't have to. 00:14:16.450 --> 00:14:19.410 They don't have to understand what you're going through. 00:14:19.810 --> 00:14:25.889 They have to just repoint your eyes to the only thing that matters. 00:14:27.970 --> 00:14:29.810 Hebrews 10, 25. 00:14:30.370 --> 00:14:42.370 It says, and let us not neglect our meeting together as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. 00:14:42.690 --> 00:14:45.889 Church, I feel that more and more and more every day. 00:14:46.690 --> 00:14:51.410 His return is drawing near, and you and I, we need each other. 00:14:51.730 --> 00:14:53.330 We need each other to get through. 00:14:53.410 --> 00:15:00.050 We need each other to let that iron sharpen iron and continuing to point our eyes up to heaven. 00:15:00.129 --> 00:15:05.490 And this isn't the pastor just wanting to lecture you about missing a Sunday here and there. 00:15:05.730 --> 00:15:07.170 That's not what this is about. 00:15:07.330 --> 00:15:13.250 But here's the thing: the more we excuse not assembling with the body of Christ, the easier it becomes. 00:15:16.690 --> 00:15:19.889 And here's the problem behind the empty chair. 00:15:20.129 --> 00:15:22.850 Behind the empty chair that you typically sit in. 00:15:23.009 --> 00:15:24.610 We are creatures of habit. 00:15:24.850 --> 00:15:28.850 Many of you probably do sit in the same chair Sunday after Sunday. 00:15:31.330 --> 00:15:34.690 The problem behind your empty chair is not poor attendance. 00:15:36.610 --> 00:15:41.090 It's a heart that slowly is losing its ability to hear God. 00:15:43.330 --> 00:15:46.930 And so I believe meeting together matters. 00:15:47.250 --> 00:15:48.530 It matters. 00:15:49.170 --> 00:15:54.930 Because here's the thing: it's God's way of keeping our hearts soft toward one another. 00:15:56.610 --> 00:16:05.810 You walk into church, and there Jeanette's standing there, and there's that familiar face that's just ready to give you a hug, and you can't wait to give her a hug. 00:16:05.889 --> 00:16:08.610 And you might even be like my wife, and you don't like hugs, but you know what? 00:16:08.690 --> 00:16:10.050 It's Jeanette, so why not? 00:16:10.129 --> 00:16:11.490 Let's just go for it, right? 00:16:11.650 --> 00:16:16.450 And so you just make a decision that I saw that familiar face and it mattered. 00:16:16.610 --> 00:16:24.370 Or that particular voice that when they pray, there's just something that lifts up my spirit, and I need to hear that in my life. 00:16:24.530 --> 00:16:29.090 Or when the word is read aloud, it just speaks to my heart. 00:16:29.250 --> 00:16:36.690 Because here's the thing: it is that presence that interrupts what we have been telling ourselves in private. 00:16:38.210 --> 00:16:40.210 It completely interrupts it. 00:16:44.690 --> 00:16:53.170 It's the habit we have of withdrawing from God's people that no longer are we allowing to let that iron strike iron and sharpen one another. 00:16:53.330 --> 00:16:56.129 Here's the thing God doesn't count heads. 00:16:56.370 --> 00:17:00.210 He doesn't count heads, so it's not an issue of, you know, we had this thing out of town. 00:17:00.370 --> 00:17:01.490 That's not it. 00:17:02.530 --> 00:17:08.690 God wants our heart that can still hear him. 00:17:09.730 --> 00:17:11.970 He wants a heart that can still hear him. 00:17:13.089 --> 00:17:18.609 And so we gather together so that none of us go deaf in the darkness. 00:17:20.129 --> 00:17:21.569 That's so critical. 00:17:24.609 --> 00:17:30.129 Because so often we we we we go through these dark parts of our life, and I think, you know what? 00:17:30.289 --> 00:17:49.569 That is that is also for us, it's it's by God's design on this earth that we we we have to we have to tread this life through very difficult things, and that can either build us up or we can let it tear us down. 00:17:50.769 --> 00:17:51.409 Nice. 00:17:53.730 --> 00:18:16.369 But God wants our hearts, and when we're in the darkness, check this out your identity can steady you, or your lack of identity can destroy you. 00:18:18.849 --> 00:18:27.490 Because new seasons have a way of renaming us at our darkest moments when we finally discover that we're not alone. 00:18:27.809 --> 00:18:31.169 We need a true name, an identity that we can embrace. 00:18:31.409 --> 00:18:33.889 Dark seasons rename people. 00:18:34.369 --> 00:18:35.649 I've I've seen it. 00:18:35.809 --> 00:18:48.689 I'm too young, I'm too weak, I'm too late, or I'm too much, or I'm finished. 00:18:50.129 --> 00:18:54.210 Those are the identities that sometimes we take on during these dark periods. 00:18:54.369 --> 00:19:03.569 And here's the thing that we as the body of Christ, when we come alongside someone, it is a chance to rebuild them up, that new identity and who they're supposed to be. 00:19:03.730 --> 00:19:06.049 Listen to 1 Thessalonians 5.11. 00:19:06.129 --> 00:19:11.089 It says, so encourage each other and build each other up just as you are already doing. 00:19:11.649 --> 00:19:15.409 Here's the thing about this scripture: some things that can be overlooked. 00:19:15.569 --> 00:19:22.449 Here in this scripture, you see the word so right there, Hebrews 1 Thessalonians 5.11. 00:19:22.689 --> 00:19:29.490 It starts that it starts up with that in in some other translations, it shows up as therefore. 00:19:30.449 --> 00:19:35.569 Here's what that therefore means with what Paul just got done saying. 00:19:36.689 --> 00:19:50.529 Therefore, in light of the gospel, because Jesus Christ died for us, encourage each other and build each other up just as you're already doing. 00:19:52.609 --> 00:20:07.809 So here's the result when we start building up others' lives, and and and what we're doing is we're re-establishing in that person's life and building on a foundation that God has already given us in Christ Jesus, and we're starting to tell them who their identity is in Him. 00:20:07.970 --> 00:20:17.089 And so you and I we're just stacking up bricks of encouragement, building each other up, and we don't have to invent the worth in people's lives. 00:20:18.529 --> 00:20:20.609 You don't have to invent their worth. 00:20:20.689 --> 00:20:23.169 You you just tell them who they are in Jesus. 00:20:23.490 --> 00:20:25.250 That's all you have to do. 00:20:27.730 --> 00:20:35.329 Paul had a young apprentice named Timothy that he sent to a church in Ephesus. 00:20:36.449 --> 00:20:45.569 I've been to Ephesus, and it was so cool walking around there, and they're going over Acts 19 and just bringing the place to life. 00:20:45.649 --> 00:20:47.490 And Ephesus was a rough town. 00:20:47.569 --> 00:20:48.689 It was a trade town. 00:20:48.769 --> 00:20:51.490 It sits right along the coast right there. 00:20:51.649 --> 00:20:53.490 Well, it used to back in that day. 00:20:53.569 --> 00:20:55.250 It's receded since then. 00:20:55.569 --> 00:20:59.089 And there, it being a trade town, they also worshiped many gods. 00:20:59.169 --> 00:21:01.889 They worshiped one God in particular, a God called Diana. 00:21:04.369 --> 00:21:05.250 Sorry. 00:21:08.849 --> 00:21:16.449 And in that, in that town, there was there was so much worldly influence, and the church was being influenced by the world. 00:21:16.609 --> 00:21:20.689 And here was this young Timothy that was sent to Ephesus. 00:21:22.609 --> 00:21:29.409 And Paul left there to try and help them be on the straight and narrow, and he had he had many successful things. 00:21:29.649 --> 00:21:33.490 But then Paul charges Timothy as a young pastor. 00:21:33.730 --> 00:21:40.049 Listen to what he says in 1 Timothy 1:3 gives us insight into the charge that Paul gave Timothy. 00:21:40.689 --> 00:21:50.449 When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. 00:21:53.250 --> 00:21:56.289 Think about this a church well established. 00:21:56.609 --> 00:22:06.689 All of a sudden, Paul says, Hey, I've got someone coming, and I can only imagine they're looking for him off in the distance, and they see what appears to be a kid walking toward them. 00:22:07.569 --> 00:22:10.210 And they're thinking, not him. 00:22:11.569 --> 00:22:25.649 Anybody but him, he's not old enough, he doesn't know enough, he hasn't, he hasn't experienced the world, and and we find all these excuses that we can make on what might discredit someone like Timothy. 00:22:26.449 --> 00:22:31.089 And so I can only imagine how he was received and how Timothy felt alone. 00:22:31.250 --> 00:22:39.970 But yet the apostle Paul, when he said, I urge you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. 00:22:40.129 --> 00:22:43.009 Paul is telling him, I want you to hold the line. 00:22:44.210 --> 00:22:47.250 I did some hard work there, I had to establish some hard things. 00:22:47.409 --> 00:22:50.289 Don't let them fall back, don't let them fight you on this. 00:22:50.449 --> 00:22:51.250 Hold the line. 00:22:51.409 --> 00:22:53.009 Do not give up. 00:22:55.329 --> 00:22:59.889 And Paul knew there are many in that church who are going to despise him. 00:23:01.329 --> 00:23:09.809 And so Paul said in 1 Timothy 4 12, it says, Don't let anyone think less of you because you're young. 00:23:10.529 --> 00:23:19.569 Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 00:23:20.769 --> 00:23:26.049 Here's the thing: Paul's words of encouragement, it wasn't just flattery. 00:23:27.169 --> 00:23:35.089 He was calling Timothy back to who he was in Christ Jesus and how he ought to walk in the face of conflict. 00:23:37.490 --> 00:23:38.529 I mean, think about this. 00:23:39.089 --> 00:23:42.289 Paul did a lot of work in Ephesus. 00:23:42.609 --> 00:23:44.289 Almost got killed in Ephesus. 00:23:46.129 --> 00:23:51.970 And Paul said, I am entrusting you, Timothy, with this costly post. 00:23:53.089 --> 00:23:57.169 And so you need to man the post because they already had false teachers. 00:23:57.250 --> 00:24:03.490 They dealt with those practical practicing witchcraft, greed, and Paul is telling him, Don't give up on me. 00:24:04.449 --> 00:24:06.289 Remember who you are. 00:24:08.210 --> 00:24:15.009 And the interesting thing I find is Paul's not speaking to a man that needs to get up off the couch and do something with his life. 00:24:15.169 --> 00:24:16.369 He's already doing it. 00:24:16.529 --> 00:24:20.689 He's entrenched in the darkness and he needs the encouragement to keep him going. 00:24:24.769 --> 00:24:31.089 I think it's so important for you to embrace not to let the dark tell you who you are. 00:24:31.970 --> 00:24:33.490 Don't let it tell you who you are. 00:24:39.730 --> 00:24:42.049 We need to keep doing that with one another regularly. 00:24:42.210 --> 00:24:45.809 Listen to Romans 8, 35 through 37. 00:24:48.529 --> 00:24:53.409 Paul says, can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? 00:24:54.210 --> 00:25:04.529 Does it mean that he no longer loves us if we have any trouble or calamity or are persecuted, hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 00:25:04.769 --> 00:25:08.289 As the scriptures say, for your sake, we are killed every day. 00:25:08.449 --> 00:25:10.849 We are being slaughtered like sheep. 00:25:11.329 --> 00:25:19.169 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us. 00:25:21.089 --> 00:25:22.769 Here's the church. 00:25:23.009 --> 00:25:31.649 They're watching people be arrested, persecuted, martyred for their faith, and they're sitting there and they're looking around. 00:25:32.129 --> 00:25:33.970 They're thinking, I don't know. 00:25:35.169 --> 00:25:36.689 I don't know if I can survive this. 00:25:36.769 --> 00:25:38.210 I don't know if I can emotionally survive this. 00:25:38.289 --> 00:25:40.129 I don't know if I can spiritually survive this. 00:25:40.289 --> 00:25:43.409 And Paul says, can every anything separate us from Christ's love? 00:25:44.529 --> 00:25:44.849 No. 00:25:46.129 --> 00:25:54.289 Doesn't mean he no longer loves us or we're gonna have any trouble or calamity or persecuted or hungry or destitute or in danger or threatened with death? 00:25:54.769 --> 00:25:55.089 No. 00:25:58.210 --> 00:26:05.009 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us. 00:26:06.689 --> 00:26:08.609 Something, a translation. 00:26:08.769 --> 00:26:10.049 I love the way it says this. 00:26:10.129 --> 00:26:14.529 I don't care for the translation, but I love the way it says this in the NIV. 00:26:14.689 --> 00:26:21.250 It says in verse 37, we are more than conquerors through Christ. 00:26:21.649 --> 00:26:23.490 We're more than conquerors. 00:26:24.449 --> 00:26:26.929 So here's what our ministry should look like. 00:26:28.529 --> 00:26:38.849 We are to find those people who need that encouragement, and we are to help them stand back up, continue facing life's challenges. 00:26:39.009 --> 00:26:43.649 And here's the thing: the ministry that we provide is to keep them standing. 00:26:44.609 --> 00:26:47.089 To keep them standing, to come on each side. 00:26:47.169 --> 00:26:51.730 It is that Aaron and her that just lifted up the arms of Moses and wouldn't let him drop down. 00:26:52.049 --> 00:26:55.730 As long as his hands were raised, they were winning the battle. 00:26:56.369 --> 00:27:00.129 It's those people who are gonna say, I will not let you fall. 00:27:14.289 --> 00:27:16.049 Use the word of God. 00:27:16.689 --> 00:27:18.129 Use the word of God. 00:27:20.049 --> 00:27:27.009 Timothy may have felt written off because of his youth, and we can allow so many things in our own minds to disqualify us. 00:27:29.889 --> 00:27:32.609 You may feel written off for other reasons. 00:27:33.569 --> 00:27:36.849 Don't forget who Christ says you are. 00:27:37.490 --> 00:27:39.089 Don't let go of it. 00:27:41.250 --> 00:27:46.449 Because it is that presence that is going to carry us through to the end. 00:27:47.089 --> 00:27:49.329 That is the way we're going to get through. 00:27:49.569 --> 00:27:52.529 You know, the cost of serving Jesus is great. 00:27:52.609 --> 00:27:55.889 And we're going to see that the cost sometimes is very high. 00:27:56.049 --> 00:28:01.169 When Paul writes Timothy again in 2 Timothy, Paul's story had changed. 00:28:02.049 --> 00:28:04.689 Paul is in a prison cell in Rome. 00:28:05.009 --> 00:28:08.210 He's in chains in this prison called Mamertheim Prison. 00:28:09.009 --> 00:28:14.769 And I've been in that prison, it's just blocks away from the Colosseum, and the cell is in the basement. 00:28:14.849 --> 00:28:21.089 You have to walk into this basement, and that that basement is not bigger than this stage. 00:28:25.490 --> 00:28:31.490 And many believed at the time that because it was in this basement, that sewage gathered there in the prison cell. 00:28:31.649 --> 00:28:39.009 And listen to what Paul says as he's as he's he's facing all this in 2 Timothy 1, 7 through 8. 00:28:39.169 --> 00:28:43.250 It says, For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid. 00:28:43.889 --> 00:28:49.970 He's saying this in chains, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline. 00:28:50.769 --> 00:28:58.210 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me, his prisoner. 00:28:58.769 --> 00:29:02.929 Rather, join me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God. 00:29:06.049 --> 00:29:08.289 Hear Paul, he's near death. 00:29:10.449 --> 00:29:13.970 And people had left Paul in his ministry and ashamed of him. 00:29:14.049 --> 00:29:14.929 It's hard to believe. 00:29:15.009 --> 00:29:19.809 It's hard for us to understand now that we have all these great books written by the Apostle Paul. 00:29:19.970 --> 00:29:25.970 But at the time, people were disqualifying him because of his suffering and the things that he went through. 00:29:26.769 --> 00:29:31.250 And here, Paul, even in this letter, he comes alongside Timothy with his words. 00:29:32.689 --> 00:29:39.409 And it's moments like these that we can be so thankful for that in that encouraging human presence. 00:29:39.889 --> 00:29:41.889 No, Paul didn't say, woe is me. 00:29:43.089 --> 00:29:45.970 He never said, Timothy, you think you've got it bad. 00:29:47.089 --> 00:29:50.210 You should see what I'm going through, and just starts listing it all up. 00:29:50.289 --> 00:29:53.250 That's not what, that's not what Paul did. 00:29:55.970 --> 00:29:58.129 Paul wanted to encourage him. 00:29:59.409 --> 00:30:07.169 And as great as it is to have the presence of another human being coming alongside us, it is the ultimate presence that matters. 00:30:07.329 --> 00:30:07.730 Amen? 00:30:08.289 --> 00:30:14.849 And so that's all we're trying to do is bring God into the situation and redirect everyone's thoughts toward God. 00:30:15.009 --> 00:30:19.730 Listen to what Paul says later in 2 Timothy chapter 4, verses 16 through 17. 00:30:20.689 --> 00:30:28.049 Paul says, At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. 00:30:28.529 --> 00:30:34.289 I want you to understand with what I just talked about here, Paul is not saying, hey, Timothy, you didn't even come for me. 00:30:34.369 --> 00:30:35.409 That's not what Paul is saying. 00:30:35.569 --> 00:30:40.689 Paul's trying to build him up because of how he knows Timothy feels in this moment. 00:30:40.769 --> 00:30:43.649 And he says, May it not be held against them. 00:30:44.369 --> 00:30:47.250 That's Paul telling him how Timothy needs to walk forward. 00:30:47.409 --> 00:30:49.089 May it not be held against them. 00:30:49.250 --> 00:30:52.529 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength. 00:30:52.689 --> 00:31:01.970 Let the Lord stand at your side and give you strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. 00:31:03.009 --> 00:31:05.329 And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. 00:31:06.769 --> 00:31:10.289 Paul saying, I escaped that trial. 00:31:12.849 --> 00:31:19.329 No one came to support me at that moment, but the Lord stood by my side. 00:31:20.609 --> 00:31:24.210 Trust and know God is with you and He will get you through. 00:31:25.009 --> 00:31:31.409 You need the Word of God to continually instill this encouragement into your life. 00:31:33.970 --> 00:31:39.730 You see, maturity in faith accepts that even if no one else stands with me, I've got God. 00:31:40.529 --> 00:31:41.730 I've got God. 00:31:42.210 --> 00:31:44.769 And if I have God, I have everything I need. 00:31:46.849 --> 00:31:49.250 Paul mentions something interesting, though. 00:31:50.049 --> 00:31:57.409 In 2 Timothy chapter 1, he mentioned this disciple named Omnisphorus. 00:31:57.490 --> 00:31:58.529 That's a fun name, isn't it? 00:31:58.769 --> 00:31:59.970 Omnisphorus. 00:32:00.210 --> 00:32:03.809 And he says, Onnisphorus did not abandon me. 00:32:05.250 --> 00:32:08.049 2 Timothy is written shortly before Paul's death. 00:32:08.129 --> 00:32:09.730 Listen to what he says. 00:32:10.849 --> 00:32:23.089 2 Timothy 1, 16 through 18, he says, May the Lord show mercy to the household of Omnisphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 00:32:23.649 --> 00:32:28.369 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 00:32:28.529 --> 00:32:32.929 May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day. 00:32:33.089 --> 00:32:36.769 You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus. 00:32:41.970 --> 00:32:54.609 On this verse, he made a thousand-mile journey from Asia Minor to Rome just to comfort Paul in his chains. 00:32:57.169 --> 00:33:02.210 Many believe this one disciple who didn't abandon Paul actually died on the trip back. 00:33:03.889 --> 00:33:11.730 Because if you read about how Paul speaks about him, he's speaking about him in past tense, and he says, Greet the household of Onisphorus for me. 00:33:12.689 --> 00:33:13.970 Because listen to what he says. 00:33:14.449 --> 00:33:16.529 He says it again later in 2 Timothy. 00:33:16.689 --> 00:33:22.129 He says in 419, greet Priscilla and Aquila in the household of Onisphorus. 00:33:23.569 --> 00:33:25.970 See, here's the thing about encouragement. 00:33:27.169 --> 00:33:30.529 Sometimes encouragement is worth going a long ways. 00:33:31.089 --> 00:33:33.569 To make sure someone feels encouraged. 00:33:34.769 --> 00:33:40.369 And encouragement is most biblical when life isn't working. 00:33:45.009 --> 00:33:47.730 It's choosing to bring light into the darkness. 00:33:57.009 --> 00:33:58.849 It's two thousand fifteen. 00:34:03.329 --> 00:34:06.609 We've come out on the other side of our church in Waterloo. 00:34:07.250 --> 00:34:10.929 And it feels like things are starting to pick up and things are going good. 00:34:11.329 --> 00:34:15.889 And I had I had linked myself up with our youth pastor and ministry. 00:34:15.970 --> 00:34:18.849 He he got paid peanuts, but he was there 40 hours a week. 00:34:18.929 --> 00:34:20.130 It was incredible. 00:34:20.210 --> 00:34:22.769 And he was a great, he was a great right hand. 00:34:24.690 --> 00:34:28.769 And him and his wife, their whole family went down to Disney World for vacation. 00:34:28.849 --> 00:34:29.730 They had never been. 00:34:29.809 --> 00:34:32.049 And they his parents lived in Minneapolis. 00:34:32.130 --> 00:34:36.130 So on their way back, they were going to spend some time with mom and dad and then come down to the church. 00:34:36.210 --> 00:34:39.730 And Blake and Sarah get in their vehicle to come home. 00:34:39.889 --> 00:34:45.409 And halfway down between Minneapolis and Waterloo, they get a phone call. 00:34:45.969 --> 00:34:49.809 Blake, your dad was swimming with the girls in the pool and just died. 00:34:51.329 --> 00:34:53.170 And it was on a Saturday. 00:34:53.409 --> 00:34:57.170 And they turned around and went back up. 00:34:58.210 --> 00:35:00.289 And I get that phone call. 00:35:00.529 --> 00:35:01.809 And I talk to Wendy. 00:35:01.889 --> 00:35:03.329 I'm like, I gotta go. 00:35:03.650 --> 00:35:06.449 I don't know if I'll be here for church tomorrow. 00:35:06.690 --> 00:35:12.929 The church had to scramble and they did everything that they needed to do, but I said, I have to be there. 00:35:16.610 --> 00:35:20.130 Halfway through church, I get a text, Pastor, where are you? 00:35:20.529 --> 00:35:22.529 I'm like, I'm where I need to be. 00:35:22.769 --> 00:35:24.449 I'm where I need to be. 00:35:26.369 --> 00:35:29.409 Coming alongside someone is deciding. 00:35:30.529 --> 00:35:33.650 I'm going to take Jesus with me. 00:35:34.210 --> 00:35:36.130 The ultimate comforter. 00:35:36.849 --> 00:35:39.650 I didn't have the words to say, I didn't have the words to speak. 00:35:39.809 --> 00:35:46.369 But I want you to understand that the church looks like Jesus the most when we stand with people in the dark. 00:35:46.449 --> 00:35:48.849 It's not just about them winning in life. 00:35:49.170 --> 00:35:50.210 That's not what it's about. 00:35:50.289 --> 00:35:53.009 It's walking with people through the hard things. 00:35:53.170 --> 00:35:55.969 And we don't come alongside for the win, church. 00:35:56.130 --> 00:36:01.730 We come alongside for the soul of that person, that we don't see it lost. 00:36:02.529 --> 00:36:08.849 Because Onisphorus didn't walk into that prison cell expecting a testimony and for him and a Paul to walk out together. 00:36:08.929 --> 00:36:10.130 He didn't expect that. 00:36:10.369 --> 00:36:12.849 I'm going to comfort my brother. 00:36:13.170 --> 00:36:16.769 Listen to 2 Corinthians 1, 3 through 4 as we wrap up here. 00:36:16.849 --> 00:36:18.769 And Jared, if you'd come up. 00:36:20.529 --> 00:36:37.170 Says, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with comfort we ourselves receive from God. 00:36:40.130 --> 00:36:43.489 Many of you might have burdens for other people, but you're like, you know what? 00:36:43.809 --> 00:36:46.449 I'm going to wait until someone comforts me. 00:36:48.130 --> 00:36:50.369 Listen to what the Word of God says here. 00:36:50.610 --> 00:36:52.929 Who comforts us in all our troubles? 00:36:53.969 --> 00:37:00.210 So that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 00:37:00.369 --> 00:37:07.489 So here's the thing the mature in faith, the mature in faith, no, I God's all I need. 00:37:08.449 --> 00:37:11.009 And to be called immature in faith is not a bad thing. 00:37:11.090 --> 00:37:12.210 I want you to understand that. 00:37:12.369 --> 00:37:15.170 It's just where you're at, and it's acknowledging where you're at. 00:37:17.569 --> 00:37:22.289 But the body of Christ needs to rise up and recognize who we are in Christ. 00:37:23.329 --> 00:37:25.170 And also accept where we're at. 00:37:25.329 --> 00:37:27.250 Sometimes you need encouragement. 00:37:27.569 --> 00:37:28.289 You know what? 00:37:28.529 --> 00:37:31.250 Encouraging anyone's never a bad thing. 00:37:32.529 --> 00:37:34.449 It's always embraced. 00:37:38.929 --> 00:37:46.849 But you and I that have been resilient and strong in the faith shouldn't get discouraged when it's like, I haven't gotten enough attention lately. 00:37:47.889 --> 00:37:48.849 You know what? 00:37:51.730 --> 00:37:53.969 Lord gives us all the attention we need. 00:37:59.569 --> 00:38:03.569 Encourage each other because we have been comforted by Jesus. 00:38:04.849 --> 00:38:11.650 The same word in describing God the Father and Jesus as our comforters, the same word commanding us to encourage one another. 00:38:11.730 --> 00:38:13.650 Don't you find that fascinating? 00:38:13.969 --> 00:38:15.170 Comfort one another. 00:38:15.409 --> 00:38:21.889 Let God comfort your soul so that you can in turn encourage one another. 00:38:23.090 --> 00:38:25.250 Here's the thing as we close. 00:38:30.529 --> 00:38:39.009 First and foremost, before you can encourage anyone else, you have to embrace the ultimate comforter. 00:38:40.289 --> 00:38:41.730 Jesus Christ. 00:38:42.690 --> 00:38:44.849 You have to know that he is for you. 00:38:45.730 --> 00:38:53.170 You have to know that what has ever been spoken in your mind in the dark is not the words of God. 00:38:56.210 --> 00:39:05.250 And you need to root yourself in the word of God and with his people to keep continuing our heart toward him. 00:39:07.329 --> 00:39:14.849 And so one of the first things we need to do is we need to come to Jesus and embrace him as our comforter and understand what that means. 00:39:15.009 --> 00:39:18.369 It's not about just making sure that we feel good all the time. 00:39:19.250 --> 00:39:26.289 It's about when we don't feel good and when we're going through challenging situations, that we know exactly where we need to be. 00:39:26.529 --> 00:39:28.369 We need to be in his word. 00:39:28.929 --> 00:39:30.690 We need to be in prayer. 00:39:31.170 --> 00:39:36.529 We need to make sure that when we don't feel the greatest, we are, baby, we're front row. 00:39:37.489 --> 00:39:39.250 Yeah, I said baby. 00:39:43.329 --> 00:39:49.409 And saying, I need the comforter on my side. 00:39:50.529 --> 00:39:52.769 And I need to remember who I am. 00:39:53.329 --> 00:39:55.650 And I need to not let go of it. 00:39:59.409 --> 00:40:07.090 And so today I just I just want to offer you an opportunity to be encouraged by the comforter. 00:40:07.730 --> 00:40:10.210 And to say, man, I'm going through it. 00:40:11.809 --> 00:40:14.769 This isn't so you can stand up and have other people see it. 00:40:14.849 --> 00:40:15.889