Encourage and Comfort One Another (Hebrews 10:19-25)

Encourage and Comfort one Another (Hebrews 10:19-25)

 

19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;   

 

21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

 

 intro)

1. Today’s scripture tells us to “let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” The phrase “one another” appears countless times in the Bible. We are told to consider one another, accept one another, forgive one another, and love one another.

 

The idea and instruction on how to treat “one another” is mentioned so often it is not an exaggeration to say it is essential in being a Christian. Without it, the very fundamentals of Christianity are stripped away.

 

2. Heaven emphasizes the idea of “one another.” Hell, on the other hand, emphasizes “me, myself, and I.”

 

A man traveled to Heaven and then traveled to Hell. According to him, Heaven and Hell shared many similarities. Both places had a long table laden with food along with long utensils. These were the only utensils people were allowed to use if they wished to eat.

 

In Hell, everyone ran towards the tables, but no one could get food in their mouths with the absurdly long forks and spoons. No matter how hard they tried, no one could feed themselves. Eventually, they all died of hunger.

 

But in Heaven, instead of using the utensils to feed themselves they used the long forks and spoons to feed each other. No one went hungry, and everyone left the table full.

 

When we serve, love, and help one another, we create our own Heaven. Today we will take a moment to look at what it means to encourage and comfort one another.

 

Body)

 

A) The Laws of Christ

 

Galatians 6:1-2 gives us a very important message, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

 

Christ’s law tells us to bear one another’s burdens. This is not a mere suggestion; it is law. As such, we are bound to uphold it in Christ. But what does it mean to “bear one another’s burdens?”

The answer is in verse 1, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”

 

B) Thus, Accept one Another’s Weaknesses and Shortcomings

We are all disciples of Jesus. Therefore, we all learn from him, follow him, and strive to be like him. Paul emphasizes in Romans 15:7, “7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.”

 

As Christ has accepted and forgiven us, we too must accept and forgive one another.  Romans 15:1-2 also says, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.”

 

The strong must help the weak. A true Christian does not act just for his/her own benefit. We must help those of weaker faith to stand strong and joyfully share God’s blessings. Take a second to reflect on whether you have ever ignored or turned your back on a coworker or neighbor.

Verse 25 of today’s scripture says, “25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Helping one another, looking out for one another, and assembling together is a matter of habit. The better habits we develop, the better we are able to help others.

 

*A Dutch man worked in London selling art. one day, he decided to become a pastor and started studying theology. He dedicated his life and passion to becoming a servant of God.

 

He spent his time volunteering at church and helping those need. But the first church he served criticized his still clumsy sermons. Instead of building him up, they tore the inexperienced pastor down. Deeply discouraged, the man decided to pursue a different career.

 

It would have been easy for him to denounce God. But turning away from ministry did not mean he turned away from his faith. He started to paint instead and became the world renowned painter, Vincent van Gogh. 

 

The author of his biography stated that while the world gained a great painter, it had lost someone who would have been a great preacher, for through his work it was clear that Vincent van Gogh was a man of unrivaled creativity and passion. 

 

Having someone who genuinely supports and encourages you is a great gift. It is what brings people back from the brink of death. It is what fuels people to push forward. It is something everyone needs.

 

​*Born with cerebral palsy, 19-year-old Johnny Agar completed a 5K and become the

“Unlikely Ironman.” His friends and family congratulated his unexpected accomplishment. Cerebral palsy prevented Johnny from moving freely like others his age. But with his dad, Jeff, pushing his wheelchair, Johnny participated in many races.

 

Then one day, Johnny stated his desire to finish a race on his own. During one of the events, Jeff let Johnny out of his wheelchair when they were about halfway through the race. Johnny completed the rest of the race on his own with his walker. When he crossed the finish line, all of his friends and family congratulated him.

 

Johnny told reporters that he was able to accomplish this unexpected feat because of the support and encouragement he received from his family and friends.

 

John 13: 34-35 says, “34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

 

We as humans have meek and sensitive hearts. Encouragement builds us and ​reassurance can revive us. Today’s world needs such interaction more than ever. Each day people grow more selfish and unforgiving.  But everyone needs encouragement, no one is the exception.

 

Isaiah 40:1 says, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.” God’s comfort reaches those who comfort others. If you are in need of comfort or encouragement, start by giving it to one another.

 

A church must be a place where people can heal. Those who are healthy must reach out to the hurt and envelop them in encouragement and love. That is what a church is called to do.

 

*Deep in the African mountains live about 300 species of monkeys.  A British exploration party discovered 3 strange phenomena:  

 

First, all of the monkeys on the mountain one day cried out deafening screams. It turned out the leader had died and they were all mourning.

 

Second, a mated pair of monkeys were caressing each other’s faces and wiping away tears. Their baby had died and they were comforting each other in their grief.

 

Third, a python had wrapped itself around a monkey, killing it slowly. Tens of other monkeys surrounded the python, throwing stones at it and fighting to free their friend. But the python was too strong, and when the monkey was finally consumed, the other monkeys cried from the trees in despair.

 

The exploration team realized there were great lessons to be learned from these monkeys about empathy and sympathy. There are many humans in the world who lack such basic emotions and only think about themselves.

 

Con)

 

Our family, friends, church, and society all need comfort and encouragement. Love can be as simple as offering food to the hungry, praying for the sick, or sharing kind words with the lonely.

 

We must become someone who not just seeks comfort and encouragement, but selflessly shares it with others. Just as God loved us and gave us the blessing of hope, we too must love, comfort, reassure, and build up one another as Christ’s  law commands.

 

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