Acts 20:1-16

29 in your pew Bibles.

After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he

said farewell and departed for Macedonia.

When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came

to Greece.

There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was

about to sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

Sopater, the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him, and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus

and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe and Timothy, and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.

These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, but we sailed away from Philippi

after the days of unleavened bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed

for seven days.

On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked

with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.

There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered, and a young man named Eutychus,

sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer.

And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead.

But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, Do not be alarmed,

for his life is in him.

And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while

until daybreak, and so departed.

And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted.

But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there,

for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land.

And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mytilene.

And sailing from there, we came the following day opposite Chios, the next day we touched

at Samos, and the day after that we went to Miletus.

For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he might not have to spend time in Asia,

for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

Well, Christians need encouragement.

I don't know about you, but there are a multitude of things that can easily weigh us down,

distract us, confuse us, intimidate us, divide us, steal our joy, undermine our hope,

and weaken our faith in the Lord.

Maybe it's the feeling that you are alone.

Perhaps you're new here in New Haven.

Maybe you're working in a busy, advancement-driven environment,

and you go home at night to a quiet but empty apartment,

and you wonder how long it will take or whether you will ever find true friends here.

Maybe you've been here for a long time,

but some of your closest brothers and sisters in Christ have left town and scattered across the world,

and you feel weary of the revolving door syndrome.

Or maybe you're growing older,

and with every funeral you attend,

your circle of family and friends becomes gradually smaller.

Or maybe it's the pressures of the world that weigh you down.

Maybe you're wrestling with questions and doubts that you haven't had to face previously.

Perhaps you're surrounded by people who are smarter and seem more accomplished than you

and seem happy and content,

with no need or expressed desire for God,

who seem perhaps vaguely respectful toward you,

but inwardly dismissive of Christian beliefs.

Or maybe you live in the midst of chaos.

Maybe in your family or your neighborhood or your workplace,

there's pervasive gossip, rivalry, addiction, deception, manipulation, backstabbing,

and you're tempted to become entangled in some of these toxic patterns.

Maybe you've become disillusioned with the church.

Sometimes conflict in the church is the most discouraging,

because as Christians we sort of expect to have trouble in the world,

but we know that Christians are called to rise to a higher standard.

And when we don't, when our sinful natures express themselves,

we can easily become deflated or embittered or distant from one another.

Well, I could go on and on, but I think the point is clear.

Christians need encouragement.

And that's what this morning's passage is about.

It's about encouragement from God for us individually and for us as a church.

It's about how we can participate in actively encouraging one another.

Verses 1 to 12 in particular are bookended by references to encouragement.

Verses 1 and 2 talk about how Paul encouraged the disciples at Ephesus

and then in the region of Macedonia.

Verse 12, after Paul raised Eutychus from the dead, it said the people were not a little comforted.

That's actually the same word that's translated encouragement earlier on or encouraged earlier on.

Now, this word encouragement has a broad range of meaning.

Mostly, I think we tend to think of it in terms of comforting or assuring or consoling someone.

It can also mean exhorting or even warning someone against potential future dangers.

But both of these together, the word encouragement, it's as if a coach is speaking to their team

and urging on the runners to finish their race well.

And so, whether it's a warning or a word of comfort, it's a word that motivates us to press on toward the goal of following Jesus Christ.

So, this morning, I want to look at not just the reasons that we need encouragement,

but three ways that God provides encouragement for those of us who follow Jesus.

The first way that God provides encouragement is through community,

through Christians spending time and sharing resources together.

And what we see in this passage is that the Apostle Paul went to great lengths to spend time in person with God's people.

Verse 1, he was in Ephesus, and there had just been a riot.

If you were here last week, Pastor Matt talked about that.

It says, after the uproar ceased, it doesn't say Paul immediately ran out of town.

It says he sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed.

He very intentionally stayed in a city where there had been this furious uproar.

But before he left, he wanted to speak to the disciples and encourage them to persevere.

Then verse 2, he went through Macedonia and gave them much encouragement.

Most scholars believe that this verse 2 actually refers to a period of one or two years.

Paul refers to some of his travels in this period in 2 Corinthians chapter 2 and chapter 7.

2 Corinthians 2 · chapter mention

And then it says he spent three more months in Greece, and then he returned through Macedonia again.

He spent a lot of time traveling around, and his main purpose was to encourage the Christian believers in these different places.

For much of Acts chapter 16 through 19, we've seen Paul traveling around and preaching the gospel

Acts 16 · chapter mention

and planting churches in cities where none had previously existed.

But in this chapter, he changes his focus.

He goes back around to those same cities where he had planted new churches,

and he spends time with these believers, encouraging them and building them up.

You know, Paul wasn't just concerned about preaching the gospel to as many people as possible,

as quickly as possible, as extensively as possible.

He was also concerned that these people who had come to believe the good news of Jesus

would grow and go on to maturity.

And so we invested this time, this probably a two-year period in this chapter,

encouraging these Christian believers.

Now, we see not only the Apostle Paul, but also ordinary Christians spending extended time together.

In verse 7 through 12, between…

Verse 1 through 6 sort of focuses on Paul's travels,

and then 13 through 16 again focuses on Paul's travels.

But in the middle sandwiched between those two sections,

we get a little insight, a glimpse into one particular Christian community,

the one at Troas.

And verse 7 says,

they met on the first day of the week, that is, on Sunday.

Now, in the pagan Roman Empire, most people had to work on Sunday.

Sunday was not normally a day off.

And so Christians would either meet very early in the morning, sometimes before sunrise,

or in this case here, in the evening, after work.

And Luke tells us they gathered together to break bread.

And that phrase was a common expression for sharing a meal together.

The Christians didn't just meet in a building, hear somebody talk,

and then go their own separate ways.

It seems that every week they sat down and shared a meal together.

As an expression of mutual trust and love,

they were treating each other like family, like close friends.

And this was the common practice of the early Christians in several places.

Acts 2 talks about the Christians in Jerusalem who broke bread in their own homes.

1 Corinthians 11 refers to a common meal that Christians in Corinth routinely share together.

And it was in this context of regularly sharing meals together

and sitting around a table and spending extended and both formal and informal time together

that Christians also celebrated what we now call the Lord's Supper.

1 Corinthians 11 also talks about this.

Share eating bread and drinking from a cup to remember Jesus' death and resurrection

and to celebrate His ongoing presence with them by His Holy Spirit.

So the Lord's Supper wasn't just a time where individuals connected with God.

It was celebrated in the context of a community of people

who were committed to each other and sharing their lives with each other.

So just imagine, right, at the end of a tiring day of work in Troas,

which was a port city where people were constantly coming and going,

Christians found refuge and joy in gathering together.

And they were reminded as they gathered together,

they were reminded of their true identity,

that it wasn't just whatever work they had done throughout the day,

but they were God's beloved people,

welcomed into His household, empowered by His Spirit,

and provided for by their loving Heavenly Father.

And so they were encouraged.

Christians spent time together,

and they also shared their resources with one another.

Verse 4, interestingly,

tells us that Paul was accompanied by seven other guys

from five different cities.

And in verse 5,

Luke seems to include himself in the mix

because the pronouns turn from they to we.

So it seems that Luke also joined them,

and Luke may have been from Philippi,

which would have been a six-different city.

Now you wonder,

well, why does Paul have this group of people

that seem to be randomly mentioned as traveling with him?

Luke doesn't tell us here why they were together,

but we learn later in Acts, Acts 24, 17,

and also more extensively from 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 and Romans 15,

we learn that at this time,

Paul was in the process of collecting a large amount of money

from the churches throughout Macedonia and Greece.

And the reason he was collecting a large amount of money

is because the Christians in Jerusalem,

the Jewish Christians,

were going through a time of extreme financial hardship.

And so Paul wanted to collect a generous gift

to support these brothers and sisters.

And it was a sign of solidarity

between the Gentile churches scattered throughout the Roman world

and the Jewish Christians back in Jerusalem

where it all began.

And it was a generous gift that showed the unity of the church

across geographical boundaries

and across ethnic and national boundaries.

And so most likely,

this team of guys in verse 4

were a team of representatives from different churches

who were going together

to deliver this gift to Jerusalem.

Because as we'll see,

this is where Paul's going.

Luke gives us a lot of the stops along the way,

but he's heading to Jerusalem,

and he gets there in the next chapter,

in chapter 21.

So these Christians were spending time together,

and they were sharing their resources with one another.

Now, what can we take away from these examples?

You know, this passage doesn't give us rules

for how or when or where we should gather

for weekly Christian worship services.

But it does give us a glimpse into what I think is an attractive community.

So let me say two things.

I want to say, first, it's worth it

to gather together in person

with other believers.

Now, I know it's not always easy.

Maybe, you know,

it wasn't easy for you to get here this morning.

Paul had to travel long distances

to meet with believers in different cities.

The Christians in Troas had to work all day

and then meet in the evening.

That's probably why Eutychus fell asleep, by the way.

Eutychus was a common name for a slave.

And he had probably spent all day,

I don't know, loading ships in the port

or working in the field

under the sweating in the hot sun.

And then he was listening to Paul talk for hours

in a hot and stuffy room.

No wonder he fell asleep.

We'll get back to him later.

The point is, it's worth it to spend time together.

Even if you're tired.

Even if you have to travel some distance.

Even if coming to church delays

your kid's regular nap schedule

one day a week.

Even if there is disorder and rioting in the city

like there was in Ephesus.

It's worth it.

Because when we come together,

God encourages us.

We're reminded that we're not alone.

God has called us to himself

and God has called us into his family.

And so I want to encourage you.

Take advantage of the opportunities

to not only come on Sunday

and listen to the message

and participate as we sing and pray together

but also to connect informally with one another.

As the Christians did

by sharing a meal every week in Troas.

Stay for fellowship hour

or come to the picnic in the park today

or join a small group

that meet either here in the building

or in people's homes during the week.

Christian community takes time to develop.

It can't be rushed.

And so that's why it's worth it

to spend time together.

And yet it's as we spend time together

and as we encourage one another

that God builds us up

and strengthens us

for the challenges that we're facing.

So it's worth it to gather in person

with other believers.

It's worth it to share our resources

with other Christians more broadly.

And we have some great opportunities

to do that as well.

That's why we're supporting

the New London Church Plant

and wanting to send this group

of believers off

as they prepare to launch a church

in the next few months

by praying for them,

by investing in them personally,

and by giving generously to them.

That's why we have ongoing partnership

with missionaries

and campus workers like Laura

and missionaries like Hannah Massad

who's coming next week.

And there's all kinds

of other opportunities

that we'll be sharing

in the coming weeks

about how we can share resources together

with other churches in New Haven,

with other churches throughout the world,

and how we can learn to give

to one another

and receive from one another.

And that's one way

that God builds us up

and encourages us.

So God encourages us

through community.

That's the first thing.

Second, God encourages us

through His Word.

Verse 2 says,

Paul went through the regions

and gave them much encouragement.

Literally, it could be translated,

some other translations

say something like this,

having encouraged them

with many words.

Specifically mentions words.

And words are some

of the most powerful means,

well, both of cutting people down

as well as building people up.

And in this passage,

we see three forms

of encouragement through word.

First, we see preaching

or teaching,

public teaching.

Verse 7 says,

Paul prolonged his speech

until midnight.

He didn't,

it seemed like he didn't

do this routinely,

the all-night preaching marathon,

but he intended to depart

the next morning.

He had one night,

so he took advantage of it.

And he wanted the people

to get the most out of it.

In the second half of this chapter,

we have another example

of one of Paul's speeches,

which we'll look at

in a couple,

in two weeks,

where he's encouraging

and exhorting the elders

of the church in Ephesus.

Paul was committed

to faithfully preaching

and teaching the Word of God

because he believed

that God would change

people's lives through it.

Isaiah 55 says,

For as the rain and the snow

come down from heaven

and do not return there,

but water the earth,

making it bring forth

and sprout,

bringing seed to the sower

and bread to the eater,

so shall my word be

that goes out from my mouth.

It shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish

that which I purpose,

and it shall succeed

in the thing for which

I sent it.

And you know,

at Trinity,

we really believe this.

That's why the sermon

is a central part

of our worship service.

It's not the only important thing

that we do on Sunday,

but it's central

because we believe

that God works

through the preaching

of His Word.

So come

and prayerfully expect

God to be at work

when we hear from His Word.

Praise God

that He uses something

so ordinary

as spoken words

to enliven our faith

and strengthen our hope

and motivate our love.

You know,

if you're looking

for a new church,

let me urge you,

find a church

where the pastor

and the leaders

believe

that God changes

people's lives

through His Word

faithfully proclaimed

and applied

in the power

of the Holy Spirit.

But, you know,

it's not

only preaching

that God uses

to change people.

It's also conversation

and dialogue.

The words used

to describe Paul's teaching,

he talked with them,

verse 7,

he conversed with them,

verse 11,

they don't only refer

to sermons

or speeches.

In many contexts,

they can refer

to dialogue

and discussion.

And so,

Paul certainly

spent time

preaching

and proclaiming

the Word,

but he also spent

time interacting

with people

about it.

Deuteronomy 6,

Moses instructed

the people of Israel,

he said,

these words

that I command you today,

let them be

on your heart.

And he says,

you shall teach them

to your children

diligently,

and you shall

talk of them.

when you sit

in your house,

and when you walk

by the way,

and when you lie down,

and when you rise.

In other words,

what Moses was saying

was,

don't only,

don't limit

the truth about God

to formal gatherings

where the law

was read

in the Old Testament,

for example.

He was saying,

let the reality

of who God is,

God's character,

God's promises,

God's commands,

God's mighty acts,

let that shape

your informal,

ongoing conversation.

He applies it

particularly to parents.

I think for those

of us who are parents,

let us look

for opportunities

to communicate

and dialogue

with our children

about spiritual matters,

not just expect

the Sunday school teachers

to do that,

and not even just

limit that

to a formal time

for family devotions.

But look for opportunities

throughout the day

as questions come up,

as situations come up,

to share truths

about God

and to point

your children to God

and engage with them

throughout the day.

But it also applies

more broadly,

not just to parents.

So when you get together

with another believer,

or when you talk

with somebody

perhaps after church

this morning,

don't just immediately

go to,

how's the weather?

I mean,

that's,

come on,

it's sort of boring.

Right?

That's the conversation

you have when you can't

find anything better

to talk about.

I mean,

it's better than nothing

sometimes, right?

Sometimes it's a way

of loving people

by engaging with them

at whatever level

you can find.

But we're Christians,

and if we're Christians,

we can go further than that.

Ask questions like,

what did you take away

from the sermon today?

Or,

what has God been doing

in your life lately?

Or,

are there any ways

I can be praying for you?

Questions like that

can open the door

to encouraging one another

by sharing what God

is teaching you

and doing in your life,

and by,

and also how we can pray

and support each other.

And it's one way

that God encourages us,

not only through formal

preaching and teaching,

but also through

informal conversations.

The third form

of encouragement

through word

is that God encourages us

through writing,

through His word written.

It doesn't say,

it doesn't tell us this

in this passage,

but Paul wrote

some of his most

extensive letters

during this period of time.

He wrote 2 Corinthians

during the time of verse 2

when he was in Macedonia.

He wrote Romans

during the time

that he was in Greece

in Corinth, actually,

in verse,

well, it mentions that

in verse 3,

verse 2 and 3.

So some of Paul's

most lengthy letters,

written letters,

he wrote during this time.

And he took the time

to write these letters

to encourage Christians

that he couldn't be with

in person.

And so,

you know,

it's,

if there's,

if there is a Christian believer

that you can't be with

in person,

who needs encouragement,

take the time,

it's,

it can be worth it,

take the time to write to them

as Paul did.

And you know,

part of the,

one of the main purposes

of both Romans

and 2 Corinthians

and most of Paul's letters

was literally this,

to encourage the believers.

2 Corinthians begins

by talking about

the God and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ

who comforts us

in all our afflictions

so that we may be able

to comfort others

who are in any affliction

with the comfort

that we ourselves

have received from God.

and toward the end

of Romans.

He says,

whatever was written

in former days

was written

for our instruction

so that through endurance

and the encouragement

of the Scriptures

we might have hope.

And then he says,

may the God of endurance

and encouragement

grant you to live

in harmony with one another

in accord with Christ Jesus.

You know,

there's a lot of stuff

in 2 Corinthians

and Romans

and all of Paul's letters,

but one of the main purposes,

one of his overall purposes,

was to encourage

these believers

in Corinth

and in Rome

to warn them

against potential dangers,

to comfort them

and reassure them

of God's promises

and God's love for them,

and to motivate them

to persevere

in faith

and in hope

and in love.

So through his word,

preached,

discussed,

written,

that God gives us wisdom

to face life's many challenges,

understanding of his character

and his ways,

warning against spiritual dangers

and reassurance

of his promises.

God encourages us

through his word.

That's the second point.

So God encourages us

through community,

he encourages us

through his word,

and third,

he encourages us

through his mighty deeds.

This passage begins,

the central part

of this passage,

as I said earlier,

is the story

about Eutychus.

And so I want to

camp out there

for the rest of the time.

Right?

Eutychus falls

from a third-story window,

and he's apparently

raised from the dead.

Now you might wonder,

of all the stories

that Luke

could have chosen

to include

in the book of Acts,

why did he include

this one?

What's his point?

Besides the fact

that Luke was there,

and Luke seems

to enjoy

telling good stories.

But what are we

supposed to take away

from this story?

Well, let me start

with two,

what I think

are minor points

that are not

the central point

of the passage,

but I think are still

worth a brief mention,

and then I'll get

to the main point.

Number one,

if you've ever

fallen asleep in church,

you're not alone.

The way Luke

tells the story,

he actually seems

quite sympathetic

to Eutychus.

Verse 7,

he says,

Paul prolonged

his speech

until midnight.

Now that means

if they started

at 8,

Paul had been going

already for 4 hours.

Verse 8,

he explains,

there were many lamps

or torches

in the upper room,

which meant

it would have become

hot and stuffy

by that time.

Eutychus was sitting

at the window,

trying to get some air,

gradually dozing off,

and Paul goes on

and on.

Verse 9,

Paul talked

still longer,

and finally,

Eutychus was overcome

by sleep.

I mean,

you can't blame the kid,

right?

In this case,

if you have trouble

staying awake

in church

or paying attention

during the sermon,

let me say two things.

Number one,

do what you can

to stay awake.

This is God's Word

we're here to listen to

after all.

So, you know,

if you can,

get a good night's sleep

on Saturday night.

Don't stay up

until 4 a.m.

Wake up,

eat a little breakfast,

drink a little coffee

if that helps you,

stand at the back

if that helps you

not fall asleep

on these hot

summer Sundays.

But second,

don't stay away

out of the fear

of falling asleep.

Even if you're

coming off

an overnight shift

or you're taking meds

that make you drowsy,

know that there is

a place for you

in the church.

I'd rather you come

and hear half the sermon

than stay home

because you're afraid

to fall asleep.

You can also sit

next to someone

and say,

I need you to help me.

And God gave you

an elbow,

so just,

you know,

help me stay awake.

It's part of how

we can help each other.

I'm serious,

actually.

Sometimes that's

a way to love

your neighbor

is to gently

help them

to stay awake.

All right.

Second minor point.

God doesn't just

care about adults,

He cares about

young people.

Verse 12 says,

Eutychus was a youth.

That word was

commonly used

for a boy

between about

nine and 14 years old.

Now,

if you're a middle schooler,

maybe you can identify

with Eutychus.

Maybe you feel like

it's sometimes hard

to track

with a long sermon.

Maybe you feel like

the adults in the church

don't really notice you

or understand you.

Maybe you wonder

whether you really belong

here in the church,

but let me say to you,

God sees you

and God knows you

and He cares about you

right where you are.

And there is no

minimum age requirement

for the Holy Spirit

to be powerfully at work

in and through

your life.

Samuel the prophet

heard the voice

of God as a boy.

Josiah became king

of Israel when he was

eight.

And Eutychus,

the otherwise unknown

middle school age boy,

was rescued after

a terrible accident.

And in verse 10,

it says,

when Paul went down

to Eutychus,

it says he took him

in his arms.

Or literally,

he threw his arms

around him.

The same word is used

in the story

of the prodigal son.

when the father

ran to him

and threw his arms

around him

when he had come home.

And the father said

he was lost

and now he's found.

He was dead

and now he's alive.

Imagine if you were

Eutychus,

falling asleep

on the windowsill

and waking up

with the apostle Paul

throwing his arms

around you

and bringing you

to life.

I mean,

that'd be pretty amazing.

All right,

those are the side points.

The main point is this.

The raising of Eutychus

is meant

to greatly encourage us.

Verse 12,

Luke gives

an ironic understatement.

He says,

the people took

the youth away alive

and were not

a little comforted.

They were,

I think,

very greatly comforted.

And the raising

of Eutychus

was a physical reminder

that God brings

life out of death.

Every time

that those Christians

in Troas

gathered

and saw that boy Eutychus,

they'd be reminded,

our God brings

life out of death,

just like he did

for this boy.

Now, of course,

most of the time

we don't see miracles

like this.

In the Bible,

the only people

who saw dead people

restored to life

were Elijah and Elisha

in the Old Testament

and Jesus,

Paul,

and Peter

in the New Testament.

So, even in the Bible,

it's not a common occurrence.

It's not something

that we should expect.

And even in this very chapter,

the Apostle Paul

is on his way

to Jerusalem

and he's talking

about being persecuted

and being put in prison

and even being willing

to die.

Eutychus was raised

from the dead

and sometimes God does.

Sometimes God still does.

Powerful miracles.

Amazing,

divine intervention.

But we still live

in a world of persecution

and sickness

and war

and all kinds of losses

and crosses.

But every once in a while,

God breaks into our world.

He breaks into our world

that's under the power

of sin and death

and He gives us

a little picture

of what is to come

when one day

Jesus Christ

will come again

and make all things new.

And on that day,

there will be healing

and peace

and joy

and wholeness

and life

and Jesus will reign

forever and ever.

And every time,

they would look at Eutychus.

when they gathered

on a Sunday,

on that first day

of the week,

they remembered

not only did God

raise our Eutychus

and restore Him

to life

so that He could be

with us

for the rest

of His earthly life,

God raised

our Savior,

Jesus Christ,

from the dead.

Never to die again.

You see,

every miraculous

healing,

every providential

deliverance,

every answered prayer

is an extension

of the greatest

resurrection of all,

the resurrection

of Jesus Christ.

And it's a foretaste

of what God will do

one day

to take us up

in His arms

and give us life

forever in His kingdom.

Brothers and sisters,

the resurrection

of Jesus

is the most encouraging

reality of all.

If you're feeling alone,

remember Jesus'

final words

to His disciples.

Behold,

I am with you

always,

even to the very end

of this

present evil age.

If you feel surrounded

by the pressures

of the world,

remember that you serve

a risen Savior

who said,

in this world

you will have trouble,

but take heart,

for I have overcome

the world.

If you're weary

because of your labors

in the church,

listen to the words

of Paul.

Therefore,

he said,

my beloved brothers

and sisters,

and this was at the end

of his great chapter

on the bodily resurrection,

1 Corinthians 15,

he says,

in light of the resurrection

of Christ,

let nothing move you.

Always be abounding

in the work of the Lord

because you know

that your labor

in the Lord

is not in vain.

Brothers and sisters,

be encouraged.

Be encouraged

in community,

be encouraged

through God's Word,

be encouraged

as we see God's mighty deeds.

Let's pray.

Our Father,

we thank you

that you

care about us

all the way

from the beginning

of our lives

to the end.

And Lord,

from the first

moment

when you open

our eyes

to see you

and believe in you

and begin following you

all the way

to the end

of our lives

and to the day

when you will return

in glory.

We thank you

for how you have

given us

one another,

for how you've given us

your word,

and how you have acted

in history,

in this world,

to encourage us.

Lord,

we pray

that we would

be encouraged

today

and that

by your Spirit

that we would

encourage one another

so that we might

press on

toward the goal

that you have set

before us.

We pray this

in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

Please stand

and sing with us.

Thank you.