16/08/2026
SUNDAY WORSHIP CELEBRATION
August 16, 2026
Topic: MINISTER GRACE (ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER)
Speaker: Ptr. Eds Gedaya
Ephesians 4:29-30
Let us be intentional with the words we speak, choosing to use our voices to build others up, strengthen their faith, and remind them of God’s goodness. We do not need a pulpit, many tools, or a perfect message to minister God’s grace. Sometimes, our voice is enough. We may never know what someone is silently going through, but a simple word of encouragement can bring hope to a weary heart and remind them that they are not alone. May our words always reflect the grace of Christ, bringing comfort instead of discouragement, healing instead of hurt, and faith instead of fear. Let us be people who speak life, encourage one another, and become vessels through which God’s grace is ministered to others.
Hebrews 3:12-13
Encouragement should be a daily practice, not something we do only when someone is already struggling.
“Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today.’”
It means that every day is an opportunity to encourage someone. So that our hearts will not grow hardened through sin’s deceitfulness or drift away from the living God, but remain tender and responsive to God’s voice.
WHY WE NEED ENCOURAGEMENT?
1. GOD COMMANDED IT BECAUSE HE KNOWS WE NEEDED IT.
John 16:33
Reminds us that in this world, we will face troubles. Jesus never promised us a life without difficulties, but He promised us His presence and victory. Encouragement is the act and expression of love. When we encourage someone, we are showing them that we care about their heart, their faith, and their journey with God. There are moments when our faith becomes weak, our hearts become heavy, and we feel like giving up. God knows that we need one another to remind us of His truth, strengthen our hearts, and help us keep going.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
We encourage because we are called to build, not break; to strengthen, not weaken; and to lift one another closer to God.
2. WE LIVE IN A BROKEN WORLD AND VULNERABLE TO SUFFERINGS
We need encouragement because we live in a broken world where suffering is part of everyday life. People carry different burdens such as financial struggles, family problems, broken relationships, pressure at work, loneliness, disappointment, rejection, grief, uncertainty, and battles that others may never see. These experiences can slowly drain our strength and make us feel hopeless or alone.
But 1 Peter 4:12–13 reminds us not to be surprised when trials come. Instead, we can rejoice because even in our suffering, we share in Christ’s sufferings and are never abandoned by Him. That is why encouragement matters: sometimes, a simple word of hope can remind someone that their struggle is not the end of their story, and they do not have to walk through it alone.
James 1:2-3
Reminds us that trials are not meaningless. They test our faith and produce perseverance, shaping us into stronger and more mature believers.
In everyday life, people face financial pressure, family conflicts, heartbreak, disappointment, rejection, uncertainty, and many silent battles. These trials can make us weary, but God can use them to strengthen our faith. This is why encouragement matters: when someone is going through a trial, our words can remind them that the struggle they are facing can produce something greater in them. We encourage them not because the trial is easy, but because God can use the trial to grow their faith.
John 15:20
Reminds us that following Christ does not mean we will be free from rejection, opposition, or suffering. Jesus Himself said that if the world persecuted Him, His followers would also experience persecution.
This is another reason why we need encouragement. There will be moments when doing what is right means being misunderstood, rejected, criticized, or even treated unfairly. In those moments, encouragement reminds us not to give up or compromise our faith. We can remind one another that we are not alone in our struggles, and that following Christ is worth remaining faithful to.
3. ENCOURAGEMENT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL LOVED, IMPORTANT, VALUED, AND CHERISHED
HOW TO BE AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO OTHERS?
1. Pray to God to make you an encourager
Start with prayer. Acknowledge that, on our own, we are not enough to consistently encourage others. We can be too focused on ourselves, our own struggles, and our own concerns. We need to die to self-centeredness and ask God to give us a heart that genuinely loves and cares for people. Pray that He will use your voice, creativity, wisdom, experiences, and even the simple things you have to encourage someone. Ask God to make you sensitive to the people around you and to recognize when someone needs a word of hope, strength, or love.
2. Pray to God to show you who to encourage
Ask God to open your eyes to the people around you who need encouragement. Not everyone will openly say that they are struggling. Some may smile, laugh, and carry on with their day while quietly dealing with pain, disappointment, fear, or exhaustion. Pray for discernment to notice the person God is placing in your path. Ask Him to make you sensitive to their needs and courageous enough to reach out.
Be intentional, but don’t limit yourself. Don’t think that you can only encourage the people you are close to, your friends, family, or people you know well. Ask God to show you anyone who may need encouragement. It could be a stranger, a coworker, a classmate, a churchmate, or even someone you barely know.
3. Make Encouragement a daily discipline
Encouragement should not be something we do only when we feel like it or when someone is going through a crisis. Make it a daily discipline. Look for opportunities every day to speak life, strengthen someone’s faith, and remind them of God’s goodness.
4. Use scripture as much as possible
Let God’s Word be the foundation of your encouragement. Our words can comfort for a moment, but Scripture carries the truth and power of God. When someone is discouraged, remind them of what God has already spoken. Share a verse that speaks to their situation, pray Scripture over them, or simply remind them of God’s promises.
5. Be wise
Encouragement requires wisdom. Not every situation needs the same words, and not every person needs the same kind of encouragement. Sometimes, the wisest thing we can do is listen before we speak. Ask God for wisdom to know when to speak, what to say, and how to say it with grace and love.
6. Pray that God would create a culture of encouragement in our church
Let us pray that encouragement will become part of the culture of our church, not just an occasional act. May we become a community where people feel seen, valued, welcomed, and strengthened in their walk with God. May we be quick to encourage, slow to criticize, and intentional in building one another up.
7. Get started
Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity, the perfect words, or the perfect moment. Start today. You may think your words are too simple, but God can use even the smallest act of encouragement to make a difference in someone’s life.
Acts 4:36
Introduces us to Joseph, whom the apostles called Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement.” May we also become people whose lives are marked by encouragement—not only known for what we do, but known for how we build others up.
