Presented by Graham Kelly

Presented by Pastor Chrystal Zidon

God has equipped His Church to build each other up through encouraging words.

God calls us to bear with each other through all that comes in life. One way we do this is by encouraging each other. It is easy to become discouraged by life’s trials. But, we have this hope that we are living for something better, something greater.

Hebrews 10:24 ESV - 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works…

Ephesians 5:18-20 TPT - And don’t get drunk with wine, which is rebellion; instead be filled continually with the Holy Spirit. 19 And your hearts will overflow with a joyful song to the Lord. Keep speaking to each other with words of Scripture, singing the Psalms with praises and spontaneous songs given by the Spirit!  20 Always give thanks to Father God for every person he brings into your life in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Encouragement is nourishment for our souls.

Presented by Pastor Chrystal Z.

When we hurt our arm we use our other hand to massage and care for it. This is a picture of how we are to be as the body of Christ. The Apostle Paul uses the analogy of the church body functioning like a human body.

Caring is sharing, and sharing is caring.

1 Corinthians 12:12-26 TLB

12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.

14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

Hebrews 10:24 ESV - 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works…

Truly accepting one another can be harder than you think. If we want to know how to accept one another we need to look no further than how Jesus accepts us and others.

We must understand that acceptance doesn’t mean agreement. We are not called to agree on every issue, but we are called to accept one another. Help explain the difference.

Acceptance means letting people into our hearts and our homes.

Hebrews 10:24 ESV - 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works…

Romans‬ ‭15:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬ - Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.

Galatians 3:28 NIV- 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

This series is all about the numerous ways God has called us to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. Love is a command with a million applications.

Hebrews 10:24 ESV - 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works…

Romans 16:16 NIV - 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.

1 Corinthians 16:20 TLB - 20 All the friends here have asked me to say hello to you for them. And give each other a loving handshake when you meet.

When we’re willing to make ourselves uncomfortable, we can help make someone else comfortable.

The first attributes of God described for us in Exodus 34:6-7 have been at the heart of this entire series. Now it’s Easter! It is at the cross where we discover that all of these attributes of God (compassion, grace, slowness to anger, loyal love, and faithfulness) are on display through His Son.

If you want to know what God thinks about you, look at what Jesus did for you.

Exodus 34:6-7 NIV - 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

2 Timothy 1:9-10 TLB - 9 It is he who saved us and chose us for his holy work not because we deserved it but because that was his plan long before the world began—to show his love and kindness to us through Christ. 10 And now he has made all of this plain to us by the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ, who broke the power of death and showed us the way of everlasting life through trusting him.

Romans 5:8 TLB - 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

When it’s hard to trust God because our circumstances seem to contradict the promises he has made, we can remember the history of God’s trustworthy character. God has always been faithful in the past, and he will remain true into the future. So we can join the long line of people who have put their trust in God and discovered God’s enduring faithfulness!

Exodus 34:6-7 NIV - 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

Deuteronomy 7:9 New Living Translation - 9 Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.

God’s track record is one of trustworthiness.