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THE BARNABUS EFFECT - Summary Sermon  - Gill Khoury – 19/8/2018PP

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

It’s very easy to get discouraged and there are many reasons for discouragement

But as Christians we need to be able to give encouragement? But does that mean just saying nice things occasionally?

To encourage means to “give courage”.  The Greek word is paraclesis very like  Paraclete,  H.S comes along side

To discourage means to remove courage: always has impact on other people.

We are not an island. Our actions affect others.

We have a good example is Barnabas.

• Acts 4;36-37 He has a giving heart: Understood functional unity.

Giving is interwoven with encouragement. Giving, values people and projects.

2) Acts 9: 20-30.  Barnabas was an affirmer.  Rescues Saul. He believed    in people. Benefit of the doubt.

I Cor 13:5-7  Love is affirming: all people need affirmation in some way.

How we see life affects how well we can affirm others. If we see our life in terms of lack. i.e. we are a hard-done-by person,  its difficult  to give encouragement to others because we tend to feel we have nothing to give.

If we see life in terms of what we have, its much easier to see God’s grace and to celebrate what other people have- easy to encourage.

If you can’t have something that you want, does that mean you can’t be happy?

• Acts 11:19-23 Barnabas was able to adapt and make the best of difficult Antioch was not easy. New challenges everywhere.

• Acts 11 24-26 Barnabas was prepared to work in the background and develop others. All organisations, operations and families need people to work in the background. Not everyone is seen.

As Christians we can choose to live positively or negatively and that affects our ability to encourage each other.  2 Cor 9:6  what are we going to sow?