Encourage one another

Major Andrew Vertigan reminds us that small actions, deeds or words can lift someone up.

Key text

• Acts 4:1–37

Have you ever woken up, looked at the sky and thought ‘what a beautiful day to be alive’? The sky is blue, the sun is shining, creation is resplendent in colour, and you think to yourself: ‘Today is going to be a good day!’ Then, you might listen to the news or read social media updates or meet people and, all too quickly, you feel dispirited and discouraged.

It can be very easy to be discouraged in today’s world. But does this offer us an opportunity as the Church to offer and model a different way? As a Christian and as a leader myself, it’s vital that I model what I believe: love God, love others.

When I received the invitation to write about encouragement in this Bible study, I smiled to myself. Let me explain why. At the beginning of each year, I ask God for a verse to focus on. You will understand why I smiled when I tell you that God gave me 1 Thessalonians 5:11: ‘Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.’

Pause and reflect

• To what extent are you building up and encouraging others? How is this evident?
• Ask the Holy Spirit to lay on your heart someone you could encourage today.

I think it’s fair to say that those who know me would say I’m a half-full kind of person. Increasingly, God is challenging me to be an encourager of others. A small action, deed or word can lift people up.

The Scripture we are considering is simply full of encouragement. It’s a powerful demonstration of the people of Jesus, full of and empowered by the Holy Spirit, on a mission. I challenge you to read these verses and not be encouraged by what is possible when we totally rely on the Spirit of God! As I read verse 4, some words jump out at me: ‘But many who heard the message believed.’ I wonder if this is a challenge to us today.

Have we forgotten that the gospel is transformational and deeply attractive to those who have not heard it? The name of Jesus is life-giving. We then read that it is by the name of Jesus Christ that a man is healed (see vv8–10).

In his recently written book, On Mission with Jesus, Bishop Graham Cray unpacks a review of the past 20 years of the fresh expressions of Church. In it he concludes: ‘Together as the Church we are the body of Christ, a community of missionary disciples… If we are committed to the Church being “a community of disciples on mission with Jesus”, how could that become a reality?’

He goes on to say that this becomes a reality by congregations following a pattern or rhythm of life and witness, made up of mission-shaped habits.

In our study passage, we begin to see a new normal – a different way of living being modelled. Those first Christians so relied on the calling of Jesus on their lives, that all who saw them could not help but be challenged and encouraged by these so-called ‘unschooled, ordinary men’ (v13).

These first believers knew their own personal limitations. In the face of persecution, attack and criticism, such was their reliance on God that they knew, time and time again, all they could do was cry out to him. We see this in verse 30: ‘Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ Their prayer was answered, their faith increased, and the Holy Spirit enabled them. In verse 31, we then read that: ‘After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.’

Paul writes: ‘My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power’ (1 Corinthians 2:4). Was he recognising that all that we do and are is about the name of Jesus and the empowerment of the Spirit?

I wonder if we have become too self[1]reliant and forgotten that we need the Spirit of God. Is it possible that we have lost sight of Jesus too?

In our study passage, we have a demonstration of the power of transformation and of the body of Christ living a countercultural lifestyle. We are called to live life differently as followers of Jesus. This in and of itself is a great encouragement. As Cray concludes: ‘Ultimately it is new habits which change the default setting as they establish the new normal.’

Pause and reflect

• Read verses 32 to 35 again.
• The Salvation Army is a holiness movement. As Salvationists, in what way is our lifestyle distinct from those in the world around us?
• How might other people encounter us as a Church that builds one another up and encourages?
• How might we be perceived as discouragers?

As I reflected on my verse for this year, I decided that I would take this literally and drop a note to various people on each of the 366 days of the year. My intention is to encourage them by letting them know that someone is thinking of them. It’s a small gesture but I pray it may mean a lot.

I sense we need to pick up the spirit of encouragement. What do you think? How might you make a difference?