Editor’s Note: I once again welcome Molly Stouffer as guest blogger. Molly is from Hagerstown, MD, studying Pastoral Ministries at Lancaster Bible College.
Did you know that there is flowing movement of encouragement? At the end of 1 Thessalonians verse 10, Paul describes a flowing movement of encouragement. The movements starts with the Christians he encouraged. Then the movement keeps flowing as they encourage one another in the church. Finally the movement continues as the Christians encourage those beyond the church. Let’s take a deeper look at Paul’s flowing movement of encouragement.
The flowing movement of encouragement starts in verse 10, where we read that Paul, Silas, and Timothy (see Acts 17:1–4; 1 Thessalonians 1:1) have been encouraging the church. The apostles’ encouragement comes from a place of knowing and living in God’s love. Their encouragement is for the church to love even more, that brotherly love we talked about in the previous post.
In case you missed it, twice within these two verses (1 Thessalonians 4:9–10), Paul affirmed the Christians in Thessalonica that they were already participating in the flowing movement of encouragement. Paul in verse 9 said they have already been taught, and then in verse 10 Paul encourages them to keep encouraging even more than they already were. This church knew and practiced brotherly love, and yet Paul says “I urge you to do so more!” Keep the flowing movement of encouragement going!
Encouragement starts with love from God, but jump over to 1 Thessalonians 5:11, and we see what comes next in the flowing movement of encouragement: the church. As Paul wrote in chapter 4, verses 9–10, “you’re already doing this.” Does this stand true for your church? Are you already participating in the flowing movement of encouragement?
Faith Church is my college church, and we have a wonderful, supporting community that looks for ways to encourage and build each other up. Whether it’s willingness to serve in ministries or with the refreshments after service, or willingness to lead songs or give announcements. I also see us encouraging one another when we mention Fruit of the Spirit sighting.
That support for other believers goes beyond our immediate church family. We open the doors and sanctuary to other churches, coming from different styles, backgrounds and languages. I see it in our worship service prayer times, when we pray each week for a church in our community.
Just as Paul is encouraging the Thessalonians to continue encouraging one another, I want to encourage you too. Keep building each other up. Keep looking for the fruits of the Spirit, keep praying for other churches, keep serving where help is needed. Keep being there and loving each other, because that’s what we’ve been called to do, love. We know love is so important, or Paul wouldn’t have mentioned it four times in two verses. We know love is so important because John said that God Himself is love. Brothers and sisters, love.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash
Engaging Scripture 