PerryDox – BeJustAChristian

            Paul needed encouraging.  In order to see Paul’s need, let’s set the scene: Paul is before the Sanhedrin.  He astutely turns his antagonists away from him and against each other.  He simply and shrewdly makes a statement knowing the effect will turn their focus on their differences between each other and away from banding together against him.  A heated argument in the Sanhedrin between the Pharisees and Sadducees erupts: And as a great dissension was developing, the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks (Acts 23:10).

            Why Paul needed encouragement is intricately connected to what encouragement is.  Just look at the English word encourage…can you see it means to put courage back in?  Isn’t that what happens when we become discouraged?  Our courage for life, our zeal to defeat foes whether internal or external, and even the simple joy of taking on the day, disappears. We feel deserted.  The word courage is derived from the word heart.  When people are discouraged, they lose heart – they are disheartened.

            Now that we are aware of Paul’s need for encouragement, let’s learn how to encourage from Jesus: But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also (Acts 23:11).”

            How can we put courage back into others?  How can they put courage into us?  How do we instill spiritual bravery?  How do we give people the heart to go on?  Jesus shows us how.

Be There When Needed:

• Be there – Simply and foremost, just be there.  Verse 11 says, the Lord stood at his side.  Visit the distraught in the hospital, at their homes, in the nursing homes, and even in prisons.  Invite them to eat in your home, take them out for some ice cream. Send them a cheerful e-mail or funny card. Spend time with them.  Sometimes simply giving them a shoulder to cry on is all we can do or need to do.  But whatever we do is secondary to simply being there.
• Don’t delay – Jesus went immediately.  Too often when needing to do a good deed for another, we let other priorities delay us.  And before we know it, the time has passed, and we are not needed any more.  Let’s make each other our priority.

Speak When Needed:

When Jesus informed Paul for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also, he accomplished several needed goals.

• Remind Them of Past Accomplishments:  When Jesus reminded Paul of his past witnessing, in essence He simply reminded Paul that what he once did, he can do again.  Sometimes we forget that simple lesson.
• Speak Uplifting Words: Take courage.  Jesus did not say, “You idiot, what’s wrong with you?!
• Speak The Truth.  In saying take courage, Jesus reinforces to Paul that courage will be needed.  People who are discouraged do not need to hear lies, no matter how well-intentioned.  Present and future problems are never made better by prevarication.
• Instill Personal Responsibility – Jesus spoke of personal responsibility in telling Paul to take courage.  There are certain things we can only do ourselves; others cannot do them for us.
• Speak of the Future – In telling Paul about Rome, he let Paul know he had a future.  Jerusalem would not be the end.  Sometimes when suffering, all we see is the present distress.  Hope – one of the strongest human emotions – exists only by looking to the future. To encourage means to give hope.  As one wise counselor said, “This too will pass.”
• Help Them Get Busy – Jesus mentioned the work he had for Paul to do. The best way to remove discouragement and disillusionment is to work for God.  Isn’t that what God did for Elijah (1 Kings 19:15-16)?  Remember, although we do not know if God has a specific plan detailing every aspect of our lives, we do know whatever plans He has for us is, that they are to ultimately glorify Him.
• Focus on God – Jesus forced Paul to stop looking at himself, and instead focus on God. Paul’s life wasn’t about him.  Witness about God and His cause.  Life is about God, not us!

            Are you discouraged?  Be encouraged that even Paul got disheartened.  Do you need to encourage someone?  Jesus shows us how!

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This entry was posted by PHall on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 6:19 pm and is filed under Acts, I Kings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.