This week’s message comes from Acts 9, the story of Saul and Barnabas. Encouragement is often seen as something some people do becausEveryone likes to be encouraged and motivated because being encouraged makes them stronger. Also, God wants us to be encouragers; the word encourage is used 45 times in the Bible!

As Proverbs 16:23-24 says, “The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction. Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” But there are two types of encouragement. One is about persevering and staying strong, and the other offers kind words of affirmation. Either way, encouragement is a catalyst for growth.

As we encourage our friends and family this week, let us not forget our fellow church members. If someone in our church family needs encouragement, we must not be silent. When we encourage each other as individuals, we grow; and as we grow personally, the church will also grow. That will indeed be ‘sweet to the soul’!

e they are good at it, but others are not. Encouragement, however, is commanded for followers of Christ. In this week’s message we discover what the Bible says about encouragement and what the outcome of a lifestyle of encouragement really is. Join us as we discuss God’s call to Make Someone Else Stronger. Be encouraged!

Sunday’s lesson was the final session in the “Is God Really There?” series where we’ve discussed how to talk to non-believers, or people who are doubtful, about God. One question to ask them is “Do you believe there are such things as good and evil?” Most people will say yes to that.

If you believe there is good and there is evil in the world, take a step back and consider: Who decides what is right or wrong? Who set the standards? Where does that sense of right or wrong come from? If, indeed, there is a moral sense of right and wrong, then someone/something would have created it. God is the one who sets our standards, who gives us that sense of right and wrong, and He is the one who puts morality into our hearts.

When we do wrong, we either deny it happened or hide from it. That sense of having done wrong comes from God. As the Bible states in Jeremiah 31-33: “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

God knit us together to make us humane and moral. Our goal is not to win a debate, but to point people towards Christ. So when you’re talking to someone who doubts, guide them always towards the mercy and hope that God gives us.

In week 3 of our Is God Really There? sermon series, Josh discusses the contributions of thought that began nearly 1,000 years ago with Anselm of Canterbury in what has come to be known as the Ontological Argument for the existence of God. It’s a masterful attempt at demonstrating the reality of God purely through logic and reasoning. Listen and learn about how this argument has answered critics, how it’s evolved over time, and why it still matters to us as Christians in 2019.

In part two of our Is God Really There? sermon series, Josh turns his attention to another classic indicator of God’s presence and creative work in the Universe. There is a significant difference between order and chaos and a fine line separates the two. Order, precision, and purpose are indicative that something more than random chance are at work. Order, precision and purpose point to the work of Someone who gives them.

In part one of our Is God Really There? series, Josh teaches on one of the classic ways that we can have confidence in the existence of God. It starts with something we all observe in every facet of our lives, that for every effect, there is a cause. That reality points us in a powerful way to God’s presence in the universe.

Michael Rankin’s lesson on Sunday was “Messengers of Mercy” -- a continuation of Josh Parrish’s lessons on the Book of Jude. Michael concentrated on just two intense verses: Jude 22-23, “Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear - hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”

Those who have no faith yet, or those who are struggling with their faith, all deserve our mercy. We must not be adversarial or judgmental. If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ve all had moments of doubt or confusion and we would want to be treated with compassion during those times. As to “mercy mixed with fear’, we must hold to our own faith tightly, and be careful not to fall into the trap that is pulling them into the fire.

‘Hating even the stained clothing’ speaks to hating the sin, but loving the sinner. We can only try to open the door to repentance; not all will accept the gift. If it’s refused, we must still show mercy. Accept that they are on their own path and pray that they will find their own way to God’s grace.

In continuing our two-part series on Jude, Josh looks at Jude 17-25, a text that confronts arrogance in people who claim to have obtained superior understanding. Jude addresses these people and reminds them that while they may have the breath of oxygen in their lungs, they lack the breath of life that comes only from God, and that makes all the difference.

Jude was Jesus’ brother, although after the resurrection, Jude gave up everything and called himself a servant of Jesus Christ.

Our modern society gives us lessons along the lines of “Do what makes you happy” and ‘You be you”, usually regardless of the effects on yourself or others. Even for some who say they believe, their logic tells them to do whatever they want; they will be forgiven anyway. The letter written by Jude describes these as “ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality... “ (Jude 4). Further, “...they pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings” (Jude 8). Also, (Jude 12-13) they are “... shepherds who feed only themselves… they are clouds without rain… wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.”

These are people who might look good on the outside but they do evil things, and they will be destroyed. We must contend for the faith against these people. As long as we believe the truth of His grace and love, we will be saved.

The Bible invites us to life and love - not to control us, just to love us. What does Jesus want from our lives? To live in truth. To make Jesus your sovereign and your Lord -- not your work or your possessions or other people. Simply love Jesus with all your heart.

What happens when the older believers in the Church assume a position of service and teaching of the younger believers? In Paul's letter to Titus, he told Titus that the key to a thriving Church in Crete was not the methods or the traditions or perfect theology; they key were the older believers and the kinds of relationships they had with the younger believers.

This week's message imagines the effects of, and challenges older believers to grow their mindset about the role they play in a healthy, thriving, vibrant Church.

Proverbs 20:29 states, “The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.” Leviticus 19:32 says “Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.”

Continuing that line of thought, 1 Peter 5:5-6 says, “... you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’ ” How difficult it is to be humble nowadays, to not think of ourselves at all. But if we are to live as God wants us to live, we must rise above our own self-importance.

How do we respect and relate to old people? How do we honor them? One way is to just be in their presence and listen to their stories. To truly honor and respect our elders, we must approach them with a pure heart - and having a pure heart begins and ends with faith in Jesus.