Encouragement is a very Biblical idea.  In our thoughts about building our lives on a solid enduring foundation we must consider the sources from which we gain the strength and fortitude to press on as builders.  We need to be diligent in the process of solidifying our foundation and we need to give our foundation a chance to support us by not leaving it at the first sign of a flood.  We need to have the teachings of Christ flowing as the actual content of our mental processing.  We need to be working from a core of faith in God, trust in his teachings and love for God and others.  But to succeed in the engagement of life we need to have a consistent flow of encouragement.  The danger of giving up or giving in remains until we leave our earthly dwelling.  We need not only the right understandings but we need to draw upon the genuine sources of encouragement in those understandings.

Paul is trying to promote unity among the Christians in the second chapter of Philippians.  He challenges his readers by telling them to love each other if they have found any encouragement in Christ.  We need to examine the encouragement in Christ of which he is speaking.  Webster’s definition of encouragement is that which serves to incite, support, promote or advance, as favor, countenance, rewards, profit.  The things which advance or promote our capacity to stand on solid ground in this life should be our desire.  Encouragement is not the object of the courage but that which promotes the courage.  Whether you are throwing a baseball or repairing a marriage you need to find the things that promote or advance this effort.

Jesus Christ has not given a set of rules to be kept but He has given foundational truths upon which life can successfully be built and maintained.  He alone offers this place to stand and live.  We must acknowledge the great degree of opposition from within ourselves and externally which we must face.  We have decided to commit our very lives to the pursuit of the will of God for ourselves and for others.  We need to find the avenues through which we can be encouraged and strengthened in our worthy undertaking.

Paul says the vital components of this encouragement are found in Christ.  The foundational principles upon which any life can be solidly built are available to every one of us.  The teachings of Jesus reveal these principles.  But now we learn that the teachings of Christ are not just instructional but also for the purpose of encouragement.  This says that as we embrace the Christ life we will find that it builds upon itself.  We will find that it is Gods will that we be encouraged and strengthened on our journey.  God himself desires that we not simply begin the life he wants for us but that we continue until the end.  Christianity is an encouraging way of life.

Christ not only rebuked and corrected but He also encouraged.  To fully live with God we must see this thing through to the end.  Our very lives and souls depend upon it.  The acceptance of the teachings of Christ is the discerning factor in the entire world.  It will one day be shown to be the great differentiating truth among men.  God has said that He will judge the whole world by Jesus Christ.  Because of the seriousness and gravity of the message He was bringing He was not remiss in seeking to advance and promote and support His great call to service and submission.  Much of the New Testament is about encouragement and exhortation.  We need to embrace the ways that Jesus sought to encourage.  He never encouraged by altering the truth.  He never encouraged by avoiding reality.  He did not encourage by saying that everything would be just as we want.

Jesus encouraged his listeners by promising a certain kind of relationship.  He said come to me all of you who are burdened and I will give you rest.  Christ described Himself as gentle and lowly.  The way that God wants to relate to us is very gently and down on our level.  It is important that we don't turn Jesus into a teddy bear or some kind of warm and fuzzy stuffed animal.  But it is clear that God has determined to deal with us on our level.  Jesus said that if people would come to Him they would find him meek and lowly.  How strengthening to find our Savior not coming to us as the transcendent superior being that He is.  He wants us to find Him as meek and lowly.  People often try to turn religion into their personal vending machine.  This is sad and disrespectful but at the same time Jesus is ready to meet you where you are.  He comes as a loving teacher with no ulterior motives.  He does not wish to frighten or intimidate but to encourage.

Even though Jesus no longer lives in bodily form on the earth, He wants us to approach Him as if He did.  If He were standing before you right now.  You would see eyes of love and compassion.  You would see an expression of interest and attention.  He must be the leader and the teacher and the master but we are disciples and not objects, friends and not tokens, servants and not tools.  The issue before us is not how could God relate to us but how has He and how does He.  Jesus said that if we came to him from the right motives we would be pleasantly surprised at how we found Him.  When we accept His yoke, a willful yielding of ourselves to his framework of life, we find rest in our deepest places.

People who consider becoming a follower of Christ surely wonder what will be on the other side.  We as followers wonder what we would find if we truly committed ourselves to living for Him more fully.  Jesus said come and you will find me meek and lowly.  You don't have to pretend about what you find.  People whose lives are filled with sin and selfishness will find the same Christ if they will turn to him.  People who are breaking and stumbling under the weight of life on their own will not find a criticizer.  They will not find one who resents their sad and pitiful condition.  We will not find one waiting for us to fail or enjoying our pain and guilt.  We will find gentleness and grace and a lowness that comes to our level.  People who honestly begin the walk with Christ and don't get drawn back into sin and destruction find Christianity genuinely encouraging.

Php 2:(1)  So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, (2)  complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Mat 11:(28)  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29)  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (30)  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."