Encouraged

Acts 28:11-15 After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island. It was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. 12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. 13 From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. 14 There we found some brothers who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 15 The brothers there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged.
 
FINALLY! Favorable weather and a good ship take Paul and his friends to Italy. They arrive at Puteoli, on the most southern tip of Italy, about 150 miles (240 Kilometers) south of Rome. As their journey continued toward Rome, Paul, Luke and the others discovered the fruit of the gospel spreading through Italy. Those who had learned of Jesus and confessed their faith in Jesus in Jerusalem, Antioch, Philippi, Corinth or some other gospel ministry had returned home to tell the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ to their friends!
   Evangelism is everyone’s joyful work, isn’t it? In response to so many brothers and sisters in faith, Paul thanked God and was encouraged.  
   Encouragement is one very personal way the Lord cares for his own. For the Christian worker encouragement is the power of life. In contrast, discouragement can take the life from a ministry. It is one of Satan’s “quiet” weapons against Jesus’ workers. As we follow Jesus, we may wonder, “Am I doing the right thing?” Too often there seems to be no visible response to the gospel. Many missionaries can work for years without visible fruit of their work. Pastors continually labor against indifference and criticism, seldom hearing, “Thank you.”
     To encourage is to strengthen. That’s why Paul’s epistles have 11 specific instructions for the church members to encourage one another. Indeed, encouragement is so vital in the church, Paul included it in his list of essential work in 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction. We strengthen others when we tell them, “You are a child of the Living God. Thank you for your good work. Your life matters.” Thank God’s workers for their faithfulness and tell them you pray for them. Good words and helpful actions remind someone, “Jesus loves you.”