Empowered Words: Building Up Through Encouragement

Words are powerful tools, capable of building up or tearing down those around us. Just as a carpenter selects the right tool for each job, we are called to choose our words with intention and care, especially within our families and communities. The right words, spoken at the right time, can bring life, encouragement, and healing, while careless or harsh words can cause deep harm. Our daily interactions offer countless opportunities to use our words to strengthen, support, and uplift others.

Drawing from 1 Thessalonians 5, we are reminded to honor and respect those who lead, to encourage the timid, care for the weak, and be patient with everyone. This is not a call to blind positivity or empty flattery, but to honest, loving engagement that seeks the good of others. Sometimes, encouragement means speaking truth that is hard to hear, but always with the aim of building up rather than tearing down. We are also warned against repaying evil for evil, and instead urged to do good to all people, maintaining a spirit of joy, prayer, and gratitude.

The analogy of coaching young football teams illustrates how easy it is to focus on mistakes and shortcomings, but how much more powerful it is to call out potential and celebrate growth. Just as Jesus renamed Simon to Peter, speaking destiny and strength into his life, we too are invited to speak words that call forth the best in others, even when they have not yet lived up to it. Encouragement is not just a nice gesture; it is the fuel that helps us and those around us persevere through challenges and become who God intends us to be.

In a world filled with negativity and division, especially visible in online spaces, our calling is to be people who build up, who see the good, and who point others to Christ. Our words can be sweet like honey, bringing health and hope. Even when life is hard and circumstances are painful, we can choose to be encouragers, united in Christ, shining His light in the darkness.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Words are tools with the power to build or demolish. Just as a carpenter selects specific tools for construction or demolition, we must be intentional with our words, choosing to build up rather than tear down. The right word at the right time can change the course of someone’s life, while careless words can cause lasting damage. [04:12]
• 2. Encouragement is not about empty praise, but about seeing and calling out the potential in others. Jesus modeled this by renaming Simon as Peter, speaking destiny into his life before he had become “the rock.” We are called to speak words that inspire growth and faith, even when the evidence is not yet visible. [24:16]
• 3. Honest words are sometimes uncomfortable, but necessary for true growth. Paul’s instruction to “warn those who are lazy” reminds us that love sometimes requires difficult conversations. True encouragement does not ignore problems, but addresses them with patience and hope for transformation. [08:22]
• 4. Our identity in Christ calls us to be people who build up, not just in easy moments but especially in times of pain and division. In a world quick to criticize and repay evil for evil, we are to be known for our patience, kindness, and refusal to participate in cycles of negativity. This is how we reflect Christ’s character to the world. [10:40]
• 5. Life-giving words are essential fuel for the journey of faith. Just as a mower cannot run without gas, we cannot thrive without encouragement from others. When we choose to speak life, we help others—and ourselves—persevere through hardship and become the people God created us to be. [20:46]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:46] - The Power of Words in Daily Life
• [01:35] - Words as Tools: Building or Demolishing
• [03:43] - Choosing Tools for Building Up
• [05:04] - Paul’s Final Advice in 1 Thessalonians 5
• [06:42] - Living Out Christ’s Character
• [08:22] - Honest Encouragement and Accountability
• [09:43] - Patience and Growth in Others
• [10:40] - Navigating Negativity and Division
• [12:51] - The Sweetness of Kind Words
• [14:25] - Lessons from Coaching and Encouragement
• [17:03] - The True Purpose of Building Up
• [19:19] - The Need for Encouragement in Hard Times
• [20:46] - Life-Giving Words as Fuel
• [24:16] - Speaking Potential and Destiny
• [25:54] - United in Christ to Encourage
• [27:06] - Prayer for Strength and Unity

Bible Reading

1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 (ESV) — 12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,
13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.
14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.
15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
20 Do not despise prophecies,
21 but test everything; hold fast what is good.
22 Abstain from every form of evil.

Proverbs 16:23-24 (ESV) — 23 The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

Observation Questions

1. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:14, what are the different ways Paul instructs us to interact with people who are idle, timid, or weak?
2. In the sermon, what analogy does the pastor use to describe the power of words, and how does he connect it to our daily lives? [[01:35]]
3. What does Proverbs 16:24 say about the effect of kind words?
4. What specific behaviors does Paul warn against in 1 Thessalonians 5:15, and what does he urge believers to do instead?

Interpretation Questions

1. Why might Paul include both encouragement and warning in his instructions to the church? How do these two actions work together in building up the community? [[08:22]]
2. The pastor mentions that encouragement is not just empty praise but calling out potential in others, even when it’s not yet visible. Why is this kind of encouragement important for spiritual growth? [[24:16]]
3. In a world filled with negativity and division, what does it look like for Christians to “do good to all people” and “be patient with everyone”? [[10:40]]
4. How does the analogy of tools (for building up or tearing down) help us understand the impact of our words in relationships? [[04:12]]

Application Questions

1. Think about your words this past week. Was there a moment when you used your words like a “sledgehammer” or a “crowbar” to tear someone down? What could you have done differently to build them up instead? [[03:43]]
2. Is there someone in your family, workplace, or community who is timid or struggling? What is one specific way you can encourage them this week, not with empty praise, but by calling out their God-given potential? [[08:22]]
3. The pastor shared about coaching football and choosing to focus on growth rather than mistakes. In your own life, do you tend to focus on others’ shortcomings or their progress? How can you shift your perspective to celebrate growth? [[14:25]]
4. When was the last time you had to speak a hard truth to someone out of love? How did you approach it, and what was the result? What would it look like to “warn those who are lazy” with patience and hope for transformation? [[08:22]]
5. Online spaces can be full of negativity and criticism. How can you be intentional about using your words to bring encouragement and hope, both in person and online? [[10:40]]
6. The pastor compared life-giving words to fuel for a mower. Who in your life needs “fuel” right now? What is one thing you can say or do this week to help them keep going? [[20:46]]
7. Jesus renamed Simon to Peter, speaking destiny into his life before he had lived up to it. Is there someone you know who needs to hear words of hope about their future? How can you speak that into their life this week? [[24:16]]