Encourage and Build Up Others

What I think you agree with me that coveted has resulted in exhaustion, frustration, loneliness, anger, strife, and even division in our country we disillusion with politicians whose priority seems to be to stay in power rather than think of righteous leadership were saddened with educators who no longer believe in absolute truth, were confused by the CDC messaging where tired of media, which so often caters to sensationalism, rather than giving us the facts of the news were weary of compromise and so many pulpits in America. Yet at this time of: it is very very important that we who are followers of Jesus Christ. Encourage and build up one another and this brings us to our third theme for 2022 is a very important theme and it is this encourage and build up others encourage and build up others.

The church of Jesus Christ is to be a place of harmony, a place of peace, a place where we are spiritually recharged a place of unity and can also say the church of Jesus Christ is to be a place of kindness place of encouragement, a place of hope someone treats he says it this way, brothers dwell together in unity that God commands the blessing you and I want to be blessed.

We want Calvary church to be blessed by God and so how important it is that we keep this theme before us like 2022. Encourage and build up others. Our Lord Jesus said that people will know that we on his followers by the love that we have for one another, God's purpose when he and his grace saves us when our sins are forgiven when we place our trust in our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, God's purpose in saving us is not to leave us as isolated individuals perpetrating our loneliness in the society where so many don't even know their neighbors, where many binge watch TV shows where many check social media hundreds of times every day and yet say it enough time to worship God, our Lord Jesus Christ said I will build my church, and in the medical of the gospel, Lord Jesus builds our new community comprising people of all ages from all educational backgrounds.

In fact, from all over the world on this new community is called the church want to remind you that we should have a very very high regard for the church. It is, after all, the only institution which our Lord Jesus Christ built and I love the church roaming the building. I mean the people and if we keep with a high regard for the church, my dear brothers and sisters. We will keep this theme before us, which is a very practical theme encourage one another, build all one another, but I find it very interesting that the writers of the New Testament use different metaphors different pictures to help us to understand this important aspect of unity and community in the church of Jesus Christ. For example, the church is described as the body of Christ. Christ is the head of the body and we are the members of the body. What a privilege. Think of this, the church is the very body of Christ.

Think of the intimacy. Think of the unity that we have with our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the head, and we are the members of the body, the church is also described as the flock of God. I love this our Lord Jesus Christ is the chief Shepherd of the flock, and we are shaped of the same flock.

He is the chief Shepherd and we are the sheep the church is also described in the New Testament as the building of God as the temple of God, our Lord Jesus is the chief cornerstone, and we are stones being built into the same building. You get that we have the building of God the temple of God, our Lord Jesus is the chief cornerstone and we being built into the same building. The church is also described as the household of God because they is the family of God. God is our father and we are his children. Children of the same family. We are brothers and sisters in Christ and the family of God.

This new community which is being billed by the Lord Jesus Christ.all of these metaphors emphasize price leadership and interdependence and community I live this charge Calvary church is the function as God desires it to function all of us must be committed to and connected to the community, the church would not to function in isolation, realizing that they like this because of the weather. Most of you want to stay home. I understand that I understand the restrictions of quoted because of illness on the underlying conditions and so on. But we as the people of God are instructed to come together in Carson to encourage and build up others.

Isolation you find it difficult to encourage and build up others. We need one another covert is isolating as white Calvary. During this time of quoted we try to continue worshiping in person as well as lifestream we have had zoom we have phone calls with tax with social media to do all we can to continue this unity and community of the church but nothing comes close. Does it to worshiping and serving in person realizing the very negative effect on children being shafted on the home rather than being a school as human beings we need each other, and I certainly to in the church know if you have your Bibles their time to first Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 11.

This is our key verse for this, our third theme to encourage and build up others rights to the Thessalonians 1st Thessalonians 5 verse 11. A very short verse but very pointed. Therefore encourage one another… The spiritual fight earlier in the chapter talked about the forces of darkness and told us we are children of the day.

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up just as you are doing an exhortation to continue and then in the first test of achievement in first Peter first Peter chapter 4 verse 10 Peter writes as each has received the gift use it to sound one another as good stewards of God's very grace each Christ follower has received a spiritual gift.

As we function in the church as we encourage one another as we build up one another blog and his grace has given each of us a spiritual gift sent to first Peter four verse that each has received negative after the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He ascended to his father in heaven on this part of the celebration of his ascension. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4 that the Lord Jesus Christ gives gifts to every single one of us. God gives you a gift God has given me a gift and he gives us a gift to help one another to encourage one another to build up one another as we together under the Lordship of Jesus Christ serve Christ.

Others was a spiritual gift well spiritual gift, supernatural ability for Christian service and is given. Think of this is given to each one of us every Christ follower. The ascended Christ in his grace and his sovereign purposes has given each of his followers.

I give know when you receive a gift you don't ignore the gift you not to better your gift you not to put it on the shelf you not to leave it as it were, unwrapped no you are to use your gift again.

First Peter 410, I think, has received the gift use it to set one another. Think how important that is. Ask your encouraging one another you building up someone, so I'm not sure what my gift is well of that advice for you. You don't know what your gift is begin by serving the Lord, for there's a need then to this message are going to tell you of some of the needs that we have a Calvary for people to serve the story is told of four people named everybody. Somebody, anybody, and nobody there was an important job to be done and everybody was sure that somebody would do anyone could have done it, but nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was everybody's job everybody thought anybody could do it but nobody realized that everybody wouldn't do it and ended up that everybody blamed somebody when nobody did what they could've done you can follow that stuff in the case is something has to be done to be wonderful or something that we stand back and we wait for others to sound of us, rather than encouraging and building up others I'm saying to very forcibly this morning. You should gift set others. The church of Jesus Christ is very diverse as we use a gift that is not a loss of individual identity. No, but rather we complement one another. We have different gifts with different personalities different talents different backgrounds different perspectives and then the wonderful unity of the body of Christ is very diverse group of people they come together united to Christ and doing all to the glory of God.

I find it interesting that Peter describes here this gift. First Peter 410 as each has received the gift. The Greek word for that is charisma you have, somatic.

The Greek word for gift is canis use as a bastion of that insane each one has received a charisma that is the greatest gifts as well as spiritual and grace should always accompany the exercise of these gifts. These gifts are in evidence of the law that the ascended Christ has for the church that had our Lord Jesus Christ loves the church and he is an evidence of his love, and no evidence of his grace gives us a remember the days coming up to my wedding being married in Scandinavia in a different culture.

I was told to me that was very customary in the sense expected that the bridegroom would present to his bride on her wedding day a piece of jewelry. The young man was very good at buying jewelry. But on the wedding day, I presented to good night, a gold necklace. Did I give that to my wife because she was beautiful know she was beautiful, but it was an evidence of my love for my brides. I want to turn to look good. Just think of this, we are the bride of Christ the Lord Jesus Christ not only saves us he manifests his grace in so many ways.

One of the ways is by giving us a spiritual gift and is for the adornment of the party to make the body of Christ. Beautiful, so that as we look in the body of Christ, and we see this brother and this sister using gaps in harmony. Beautiful is the body of Christ, and we express our love for one another by humbly using our gifts to encourage one another and to build up one another thing is when someone uses their gifts with grace will know people who are very talented and very capable, very gifted with the exercise of that gift with grace divides rather than unifies and destroys rather than the bills. It puts the spotlight on the person rather than on Christ. This is why the New Testament is full of one another's we are to love one another. We are to accept one another, we have to submit to one another. We have to pray for one another. We have to be the one another.

Yes, we are to encourage one another. That means we must know what you just wrapped up in your own little family, your little group.

Your little clique of people know each other's demonstration of the love of God. Usually gift to encourage and build up others. Your gift is not to be used for your own ego because gifted. I is not to be used to entertain others what I can do all rights first Corinthians 12 72 each one is given the manifestation of the spirit for the common good. First Corinthians 14 verse 26.

Let all things be done for edification. That's the goal. The goal is to build up the body.

The goal is for the common good.

The goal is for the unity and the community of the church of Jesus Christ, your gift in mind are to be used.

This Christ and others. When did you last encourage someone you last will love being so Calvary did you last gifts are to be used then as an evidence of the grace of God to present the unity of the spirit doubt one another grow in the Lord to equip one another to encourage one another to build up each other in the most holy faith. I I'm very very thankful for men and women over the years who encouraged me Bill company who wanted me to be strong in the Lord, your thankful plunger for those who encourage you serve you come along by your side administered to you building each other up in our most holy faith were you doing that you know in our fallen nature. We can become critics we could come complainers you like that there are people who never encourage this people never say anything positive but quick to complain that the quick to find fault something isn't quite right in the church and that's what they focus on the can be very destructive. Current Polaroids do all things without grumbling or disputing in the body of Christ goal is to glorify God. Our goal is to submit to the Lord Jesus Christ goal is to be led by the Holy Spirit and when the critic is there, the critic rather than unifying divides will be like our brother.

Don't be like that since they don't have that critical attitude don't have that little circle of gossip set on you would you all the negatives stories told of George Whitfield and John Wesley to great preachers, but they disagreed on some theological matters.

Whitfield was one of the Calvinist John Wesley. There are many in whether very careful not to create problems in public, and to do a thing which would hinder the preaching of the gospel someone one day critic asked Critchfield if you would see Wesley. In other words, he was an individual questioning the salvation of John Wesley and Singer would build when we get to heaven will we see John Wesley and his refills reply he said I feel not for he that John Wesley will be so near the Cardinals thrown and we had such a distance. We show how the site of well said George Whitfield. Instead of criticizing. He humbly responds no man John Wesley who loved his Lord.

Usually gift to encourage and build up others and when we encourage and build up others. We are fulfilling the law of Christ with me to Galatians Galatians chapter 6. Here is one of the one another's Galatians 6 verse two bear one another's burdens was that of the one another's bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Mutual birding bearing is a command living isolated lives of contrary to the word of God you can't bear someone's bargains. If you are isolated know we demonstrate the love of Christ, we evidence the grace of God. When we bear one another's burdens, be aware what's going on in others people's lives. You see, will I have a burden.

Listen, we all burdens.

You can opt out bearing someone else's burdens because you have your own garden know he is a command bear one another's burdens. This is the way we encourage. This is the way we build up each other is a brother was fragile. What do we do criticize not come time gossip about you know build it to someone who Calvary's war notes taking care of a relative who is terminally is a widow living alone is a single mother is very anxious with her teenage daughter is becoming a bit rebellious here as a student is attending UNC is this guy is the press is a brother who just lost his job as a man who's this is edited by his wife as a young man was going through severe temptation where there is love with and alongside that individual. We encourage we help to what a joy it is to share a burden. Many of you have experience you gone through difficult time unit Calvary the grace of God. Someone is come to your site good and I are so thankful for brothers and sisters at Calvary right who helped us to bear the burden who encouraged us who supported us who prayed for us throughout time of sorrow and encouragement isn't for the brother or sister to help them financially to be kind to them appointment the Christ.

Perhaps an old pops of tax perhaps a handshake perhaps a hard but absent a reminder that would win with you. How can I help you, and encouraging and building up others results in this supernatural maturity of the body is your pastor at Calvary when my fears were Calvary is that we are much was in the poll in Ephesians 4.

He's talked about the gifts this what he says here Ephesians 413, July the gifts he talks about the work of the of the Lord in the body and then he says in verse 13, Ephesians 4 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God, to mature manhood to the measured office that of the fullness of Christ is a church like hell. The church many gifts many times my last tremendous gifted people or tremendous congregation. This is that God is put together now brother and sister.

Usually gift as you encourage as you build up the brother that sisters redo that collectively what is happening body is maturing pulsates to the very fullness to the measure of the stack here of the fullness of Christ somebody life wonderful Jeff functioning on loving family helps one who you praying for who you mentoring who you think you encouraging as I conclude, here are some ways you can encourage and build up others at Calvary to give you some practical ways in which you can do this. Thank God for so many of you who are doing this to encouraging her starving on the front line is it work with others of you doing this so you're not serving a tall use the excuse of clover that I understand with illness and so on. We I understand that but there some were sitting back, perhaps even complaining instead of encouraging and serving one another.

Here are some specific needs.

Right now we need at Calvary church teachers and children's ministries.

Wonderful, wonderful ministry to be involved in children's ministries with hundreds of children coming need help they need teachers, they need assistance volunteers in the nursery. Wonder of God's grace and giving us many babies were drawing to take care of the nursery while I you volunteered to help their used ministries. We need leaders for the small groups for your life as we thought of last week to invest in the next generation. There you are getting to know that 15-year-old young man getting to know that 17-year-old young woman to encourage them in the Lord what I need.

We need women counselors of the pregnancy resource Center was the sanctity of life Sunday. We are committed to helping woman that will not get an abortion. We need women to cancel the pregnancy resource Center very shortly. One of the missions conference. We need people to host admits our mission is for males. Think missionary into your home for a meal or you can do that to take them out somewhere but was better than your own home and understand and sell them without missions projects during the missions conference. Samaritan's feet and servants with a heart something you can do as a family we need coaches and assistant coaches for champ. We minister to hundreds and hundreds of young man young woman boys and girls. We need coaches we need camera operators. We need help without technical departments. Thank you for those of you who do this but we need more, not operators. We need ushers and greeters were very thankful for those of you who serve in that area easy to criticize the usher so we need volunteers for good news clubs. We have a new club starting at South Pine Academy will building a relationship. There need volunteers for that.

What I'm saying is that is wonderful opportunities sent back, ask yourself what would God have yourself, how can you encourage and build up others. The Christian life is not a spectator sport. You may be criticizing some athletes today as you as you watch a game but easy to criticize and know all of us ought to be on the field is a work mightily involved in ministry giving as well as receiving enjoying the privileges of being part of a local church, yes, but also joyfully accepting his responsibility of encouraging and building up others finish with his well-known verse in Hebrews Hebrews chapter 10 verse 24.

Let us consider how to stand one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near, but is not as Christ is coming. Let's focus on the internal let's not live in isolation. Let's not be critics. Let's together use the grace that God has given us desire to glorify God. Is our third theme then for 2022.

Don't neglect it. Don't forget, encourage and build up others. Father God, thank you for your grace not only in saving us from our sins, but thank you for these grace gifts that you've given us. Poor diet, grace upon grace upon us here at Calvary. They each one of us respond humbly and say Lord, what would you have me to do work in our hearts we pray in Christ name