If you want to last for God, you need more than a six-month burst of zeal. You need the Holy Spirit’s gift and practice of encouragement. In this message Pastor Adam unpacks why encouragement offers the highest return on the smallest investment, how Satan uses discouragement to stall momentum, and how to become a Barnabas in real life.Scriptures: 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11, Proverbs 15:23, 1 Samuel 25, Acts 9, 11, 15, 23; Psalm 27:14; Exodus 33:14; Romans 8:28Big ideas: • Cost vs return of encouragement • The Paraclete makes us encouragers • A 3-step playbook from Jesus to Paul: remember God’s past faithfulness, take courage now, look ahead to God’s purpose • Barnabas models generosity, inclusion, discipleship, and restorationChapters00:00 Cold open: Long-haul faith needs one skill01:00 Title and setup: Why encouragement never saturates02:04 Scripture reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 (NLT)03:15 Cost vs return of encouragement04:13 The risk of getting close to people06:38 Right word, right time — Proverbs 15:2309:00 Abigail stops David’s rage — model of wise encouragement12:54 The devil’s yard-sale story — discouragement as a tool15:20 Greek word study: parakaleo and the Paraclete17:03 Meet Barnabas, the “son of encouragement”19:18 Evangelist Richard Brooks — contagious courage21:35 Be a fountain, not a drain23:48 Jesus encourages Paul — three moves that work26:12 Take courage in the moment — Psalm 27:14, Exodus 33:1428:32 Look ahead — God still has Rome for you32:00 Barnabas profile: generosity and inclusion35:42 Barnabas vouches for Saul38:08 Barnabas disciples Saul at Antioch40:25 John Mark redeemed and restored42:16 Oxygen analogy — why encouragement must be continual51:09 Call to action: homework to encourage someone53:30 Live example of encouragement55:33 Personal story: phone call that reset perspective58:00 Final appeal and prayerShow Notes• Did you benefit from this message? Support our ministry with a generous donation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://give.vbph.church⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://give.vbph.church/) • Keep up with all the latest events happening at VBPH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://vbph.org/events⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• Subscribe to text updates by sending the keyword "ALERTS" to 757-785-9881• Follow our YouTube channel for all the latest video content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/PottersHouseVB⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• Subscribe to our VBPH Sermon Podcast to never miss a message: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podfollow.com/vbph-sermon-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• Want to read through the Bible with us this year? Join our YouVersion Bible Reading Plan here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/VBPH-BiblePlan-2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• Let us know if this message has influenced you by connecting with us using one of these options: • Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://vbph.church⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Let us know you're coming: https://form.church/vgSQszyXdkGlOgqDFnG6⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Looking for more fellowship sermons? Check out TAKING THE LAND - CFM Sermon Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://takingthelandpodcast.com

Jesus teaches that unforgiveness locks us in an inner prison. Pastor Dave Smale preaches from Matthew 18:21–35 on the high cost of holding a grudge and the freedom found in real forgiveness. You’ll hear a powerful modern example from the Athena Strand case and her grandfather’s public decision to forgive.ScripturesMatthew 18:21–35; Romans 5:12; Romans 6:23; Proverbs 14:30; Luke 23:34Key ideas • Trespass is certain. Your response is the variable. • Bitterness poisons body and soul. • God forgave a massive debt. We pass it on or we stay chained. • Forgiveness is not denial of justice. It is release from hate.[00:00] - Welcome[00:33] - The Tragedy of Athena Strand[02:30] - Peter’s Question: How Many Times Must I Forgive?[05:00] - The Root of Suffering and Sin[07:40] - Living in the World We Create[09:00] - The Certainty of Being Offended[10:18] - “Living Rent-Free” in Your Head[12:09] - The Futility of Revenge[13:33] - The High Price of Sin and Unforgiveness[14:14] - Spiritual Causes of Physical Disease[16:11] - The Story of Bitterness: A Personal Example[19:34] - The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant[20:49] - The Self-Inflicted Torture of Unforgiveness[22:05] - The Key to Freedom: Radical Forgiveness[23:27] - Athena’s Grandfather: A Testimony of Forgiveness[27:55] - Who Can You Forgive Today?[28:34] - Jesus: The Ultimate Example of Forgiveness[29:52] - Invitation to Receive Forgiveness and Extend ItShow Notes• Did you benefit from this message? Support our ministry with a generous donation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://give.vbph.church⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://give.vbph.church/) • Keep up with all the latest events happening at VBPH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://vbph.org/events⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• Subscribe to text updates by sending the keyword "ALERTS" to 757-785-9881• Follow our YouTube channel for all the latest video content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/PottersHouseVB⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• Subscribe to our VBPH Sermon Podcast to never miss a message: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podfollow.com/vbph-sermon-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• Want to read through the Bible with us this year? Join our YouVersion Bible Reading Plan here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/VBPH-BiblePlan-2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• Let us know if this message has influenced you by connecting with us using one of these options: • Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://vbph.church⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Let us know you're coming: https://form.church/vgSQszyXdkGlOgqDFnG6⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Looking for more fellowship sermons? Check out TAKING THE LAND - CFM Sermon Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://takingthelandpodcast.com

FULL SERMON BREAKDOWN: https://vbph.org/sermons/2025/9/28/the-urgent-search

A clear call to join Jesus in His urgent search for the lost. From Luke 15:1–7, Pastor Adam shows why Christ leaves the ninety-nine to find the one, why people drift, and how the church must stay focused on rescue, not distraction. The Lou Johnson story pictures redemption: what was lost can be recovered at a cost.

Scripture: Luke 15:1–7; Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 9:36; Luke 19:10.

Watch, share, and invite someone who needs hope.

Chapters

00:00 The Urgent Search for Redemption

06:47 Understanding the Parables of the Lost

15:05 The Heart of the Shepherd

22:04 The Call to Compassion

28:58 The Joy of Finding the Lost

35:59 The Great Commission and Our Role

Takeaways

- Redemption is the recovery of what was lost.

- The urgency of searching for lost souls is paramount.

- Jesus' parables illustrate the heart of God for the lost.

- Compassion for the broken is essential for believers.

- The church is a rescue mission, not just a meeting place.

- We must not become complacent in our faith.

- The joy of finding a lost soul is unparalleled.

- Every believer has a role in the great commission.

- The Holy Spirit empowers us to reach the lost.

- We must keep the main thing the main thing.

Show Notes

• Did you benefit from this message? Support our ministry with a generous donation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://give.vbph.church⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://give.vbph.church/)

• Keep up with all the latest events happening at VBPH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://vbph.org/events⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• Subscribe to our VBPH Sermon Podcast to never miss a message: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podfollow.com/vbph-sermon-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• Looking for more fellowship sermons? Check out TAKING THE LAND - CFM Sermon Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://takingthelandpodcast.com