#22.

True Fellowship will be Characterized by Exhortation

Romans 12:68 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. We are returning to Paul's list of gifts that God gives to His children, this time to consider the gift of exhortation. The Greek word here is "parakaleo", or literally, calling to one's side. It speaks of beseeching and entreating, of comfort, encouragement, consolation. Much of the exercise of this gift lies with the pastor/teachers of the churches, in terms of their exhorting, encouraging, entreating and beseeching God's children to walk in His ways. However, God's children generally may also be gifted to encourage and to comfort (1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 3:13, 10:25). How precious this ministry is in the body of believers! How we value those who are "sons of encouragement", who are able to speak sincere words of comfort to those in sorrow, and to bind up the wounds of our hearts. How precious are the saints who come alongside us when we are cast down, and encourage us by calling on us to look up to the Lord! Interestingly, the Supreme Champion of this ministry is the Holy Spirit Himself, Who is often referred to as the Comforter, or the Helper, which comes from the same root as "parakaleo" ("parakletos") - One called alongside to help. So here is a gift, in the exercise of which we are resembling the Spirit of God! How sweet it is to be among a people who love each other deeply in Christ, and where this gift of exhortation, comfort, encouragement and consolation is being ministered! There is certainly comfort and encouragement in receiving a letter or an email from a concerned brother or sister at a distance, and we would not want to minimize such tokens of love and the grace they can bring to us. It must be clear, though, that the principal opportunities for this gift to be exercised will be when saints gather together in true fellowship. Paul talks elsewhere about being able to comfort others with the comfort we receive from God, the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-7). Do we know what he is talking about here? Have we experienced this ourselves? This is a very precious element of the true fellowship of God's children. So once again, dear believer, do not deprive yourself of this blessing, whether by absenting yourself from the true fellowship of the saints, or by settling for something far less than this and calling it "fellowship." And do not deprive others of the blessing you can be to them through this ministry of exhortation.

www.graceopcmodesto.org