This week, we are considering our relationship with one another as members of the body of Christ.  Last night, we looked at the importance of caring for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25).  Tonight, let’s think about the importance of encouraging one another.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 (ESV)
⁹ For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. ¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5 is mostly about the approaching day of the Lord.  The day of the Lord refers to the second coming of Christ.  It is going to be a day that is vastly different for two groups of people—those who are unprepared to meet the Lord, and those who are faithful followers of Him.  For those unprepared, it will be the worst day of their lives.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 (ESV)
² For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³ While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

For those who have followed Him faithfully by obeying the gospel of Christ and, to the best of their ability, lived by the commands of God, it will be a day more blessed than we can imagine.  It will be our hope coming to fruition.  It will be the day we obtain our salvation.  This salvation should always be the basis for offering encouragement to one another.

When we encourage the sick among us, it should not be by telling them everything is going to be alright in the here and now.  We can pray for that with them, but we can make no promises.  Only God knows about such things.  One thing we can remind them of is that whatever they are going through, it does not compare with the glory that they will experience on the day of the Lord (Romans 8:18), as long as they remain faithful to God.

Paul said that our encouragement is meant to build one another up, and what better message could there be to do that than a reminder of our salvation.  Our salvation is not something we hope for with worldly hope that is shrouded in doubt.  Our hope is biblical, meaning it involves desire and confident expectation.  Our salvation is something we can and should be sure about.

2 Corinthians 5:1 (ESV)
¹For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Still, sometimes amid the problems of life, brethren get discouraged.  It might be financial problems, health issues, or even difficulties with family.  It could be an ongoing problem at work or just a dissatisfaction with life and how it is playing out.  Lost dreams, unexpected developments, and disappointed outcomes in life can all lead to discouragement that can put our souls at risk.  None of us are experts at life, always knowing the right thing to say or do when a brother or sister is hurting.  But we all have the same message of encouragement—the day of the Lord is coming, and our salvation draws near.

We have a responsibility to encourage one another in the body of Christ.  We all need it once in a while.  There are many different ways to encourage each other, but one truth that can always help to build each other up is that the best is yet to come, for a home in heaven awaits us (John 14:1-4).

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.