Scripture: Romans 12:7
Video Link: https://youtu.be/WFz64Wj_FKk
Audio Link: Stream Sermon – 7 Dec 2025 – Teaching & Encouraging by tawabaptist | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Structure:
- Introduction
- Teaching
- Encouraging
- Conclusion
Introduction:
Good morning everyone.
We have had no shortage of rain lately but (according to the Wellington City Council) we could be in for a dry summer. Careful watering will be needed.
They reckon the best time to water your plants is in the morning. The soil is coolest then and the water has the best chance of seeping down to the roots.
They also say it is best to water your plants at the level of the soil, rather than pouring water all over the leaves. It’s the roots that take the water in not the leaves. Baptising the tree tends to waste the water.
When watering your plants take it slow, be gentle. You don’t want to knock the plant around or blast the soil away and expose the roots.
Of course, you don’t just water once and walk away. Watering is something we do on repeat. New plants generally need more frequent watering early on.
Watering then needs to be timely, focused, gentle and repeated.
Today we continue our series on spiritual gifts, this week focusing on the gifts of teaching and encouraging, in Romans 12. If we think of our faith as a plant, then teaching and encouraging are like watering the tree of our faith.
As a general rule, teaching and encouraging need to be timely, focused, gentle and repeated. To remind you of the context, let me read a few verses from Romans 12, starting at verse 6…
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with yourfaith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.
Teaching:
I invite you to take a moment now to think back to when you were at school. Some of you may need more time than others. Who was your best teacher? Who was the teacher who really got you and helped you more than any other?
I was fortunate to have many good teachers when I was at school. One in particular was Mrs Smith. She was my teacher in standard 1, the equivalent of year 3. I could not read or write. Had no clue with words or with numbers either for that matter. But I enjoyed eating my lunch.
Mrs Smith could see that and knew what I needed. For a whole year she gave me individual coaching and special homework. The extra work required some effort from me and I probably complained to my parents quite a bit at the time, but Mrs Smith taught me how to read and write.
Her teaching was timely. Had Mrs Smith not intervened when she did, I would have fallen further and further behind and my life may have taken a very different path.
Mrs Smith’s teaching was focused on what I needed. She taught me basic sight words and this gave me confidence to learn more. There was a lot of repetition. Pretty much every morning before school, day in, day out Mrs Smith introduced new words and reinforced what we had learned. Mrs Smith was firm but gentle in her approach.
There was no stick but there was a carrot. At the end of year prizegiving I was awarded the most improved student. This was an acknowledgement of my work and a reflection of Mrs Smith’s skill as a teacher.
We are talking about the gift of teaching. What then does the apostle Paul mean by teaching? Is it the same as a modern schoolteacher or is it different?
Well, the Greek word used in the Bible for teaching covers a wide spectrum of roles and functions. It could mean someone who teaches children to read and write but, in the context of Romans 12, it probably refers more specifically to those who teach others about Jesus and the Bible.
At its heart, teaching in a church context, is about communicating truth, the truth of what we believe about God and Jesus. If prophecy is the revelation of new truth from God, then teaching is conveying old truth from God.
Teachers were vitally important in the early church. The Christians of the first century had the Hebrew Bible, what we know as the Old Testament, but they did not have the New Testament compiled in a book like we do.
People couldn’t just go to their bookshelf, pull out the gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke or John and read for themselves about Jesus. Early Christians were reliant on teachers to recount the historical events of Jesus’ death and resurrection and explain the meaning of this for them.
Teachers in the early church had a huge responsibility. Without people to accurately pass on Jesus’ teachings, the core message of God’s grace in Christ would be diluted or lost altogether.
These days we do have a New Testament and stacks of books we can pick up and read anytime. However, it has been 2000 years since the events described in the New Testament and, without good Bible teachers to explain the meaning, much of the Bible is lost in translation, misunderstood and misapplied.
Someone who is good at maths once calculated that for every one degree you are off course, you will end up being 1 mile off course after traveling 60 miles.
For example, if you are flying from Wellington to Auckland and the plane is 1 degree off course you might end up in Indonesia or run out of fuel and crash into the Pacific Ocean.
Teachers are like navigators. Just as a ship or a plane needs the navigator to keep the craft on course, so too the church needs teachers to keep it on course.
The church’s teachers these days are not limited to people who offer sound Biblical preaching but extend to anyone who faithfully passes on the truths of the Christian faith. This might include, for example, Sunday school teachers, Bible study leaders, youth group leaders and parents.
Parents play an important role in watering the faith of their children. Parents might do this by reading Bible stories to their kids and praying with them so their children can see and hear how prayer is done. Children probably learn most from the model their parents give them.
In some ways teaching is like an iceberg. The presentation people see or hear from the teacher is just the tip of the iceberg. The bigger part of the work of teaching is the preparation. The preparation lies beneath the surface and is not usually seen.
Preparation is one of the key differences between prophecy and teaching.
A prophet may stand up in church on a Sunday and spontaneously speak the words given them by the Spirit.
A teacher, on the other hand, does not normally give an extemporaneous talk. Rather, they do their homework ahead of time. They carefully prepare their sermon through prayer, reading, research, reflection, and writing. The teacher is aiming to water the roots gently.
If you have a formal teaching role, whether in the pulpit or Kids’ Church or as a Bible study leader or a parent, then you cannot expect to pass on the truth of the gospel unless you have done the hard yards in learning the truth yourself.
Studying the Scriptures is not merely an intellectual exercise. Yes, it does involve using your brain, but the Bible asks more of you than that. The Scriptures contain the word of God. The Scriptures interpret us. They make claims on us, test us, discipline us, and ultimately put us to work.
Every believer has a responsibility to learn what they can about the Christian faith. We need to love God with our mind as well as our heart and soul.
We never know when a teaching moment might present itself. Maybe when you are sitting beside someone on the train or tucking the kids in at night or lying in a hospital bed. If someone asked, why are you a Christian, what would you say?
Some people have a special gift in teaching others. They understand their subject matter, they can see things from the perspective of the learner, and they know how to bridge the gap in understanding.
More than this, a good teacher possesses the patience to gently water the roots in a timely way, over and over again until the truth is firmly established.
Jesus prioritised teaching in his ministry. After healing people, the Lord often instructed the person he had healed to tell no one. For Jesus, the miracles were not the main thing. In fact, the miracles risked becoming a side show which distracted people from the main thing. The main thing being Jesus’ teaching about the kingdom of God.
In Matthew 11 Jesus says: 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
A yoke is a piece of equipment worn over the shoulders to make it easier to carry a load. Yokes could be worn by animals for pulling a plough or they could be worn by people for carrying water say.
In this little parable the yoke represents teaching. The Jews of Jesus’ day were weary and burdened by the yoke of the Pharisees’ teaching. The Pharisees insisted upon a whole lot of extra rules.
By contrast, Jesus’ yoke is easy and his burden is light. The word translated as easy means fitting, as in not rubbing or chaffing. Part of Jesus’ work as a carpenter may have involved making and shaping wooden yokes so they fitted easily over the animal’s shoulders, without causing injury to the animal.
To take Jesus’ yoke upon ourselves is to listen and learn from his teaching. Jesus’ teaching shows us how to love God and our neighbour in a way that fits who God made us to be.
Encouragement:
Closely related to the gift of teaching is the gift of encouragement. Now, when we hear the word ‘encouragement’, we tend to think of someone who says kind and affirming words to make another person feel better about themselves or their situation. Things like…
“That was really good. You are doing so well. Keep it up. You will get there.”
And while this is partly what Paul means by encouragement, the Biblical understanding of encouragement is broader than that.
The Greek word translated in verse 8 as encouragement is ‘parakaleo’. Para means beside or near and kaleo means to call. So parakaleo is literally ‘to call beside’. To be an encourager in this Biblical sense then is to come alongside another person and speak good words to them, words that build up and strengthen them.
Parakaleo has a range of meanings and is variously translated into English with words like encourage, exhort, urge, comfort and entreat. No one word in English does parakaleo justice, but in the context of Romans 12, Paul probably means those with the gift of encouraging Christians to live out the truth of the gospel.
Those with the gift of teaching give people an understanding of the truth of the gospel and those with the gift of encouraging come alongside to give people the courage to obey Jesus’ teaching in the gospel.
For example, the teacher might explain the way of Christ is to love our enemies and bless those who curse us. That is wonderful teaching but very difficult to put into action, especially by yourself. The encourager is the one who comes alongside you and by their presence and gentle words actually helps you to love your enemies.
John Stott comments that encouragement can be exercised from the pulpit when the preacher gives an inspiring talk, but more often it is used behind the scenes as the gift of counselling or in offering friendship to the lonely or giving fresh courage to those who have lost heart. [1]
Jesus sent his disciples out two by two so they would not be alone, so they could encourage one another.
Part of the role of a spiritual director is to help people hear what God is saying and encourage them to do what God is asking. (Incidentally, Kim is embarking on spiritual director training. She is looking for someone to encourage. So, if you want some help in your spiritual journey, talk to Kim.)
Like watering, encouragement needs to be timely, focused, gentle and repeated. Those with the gift of encouragement don’t carelessly pour a deluge of words over you. No. They listen first. They don’t assume. They seek to understand and they show empathy. Then they focus the water of their words on the roots. They gently speak to your heart the refreshment you need to hear. They believe in you, giving you confidence and hope.
In Luke 5, we read how Jesus encouraged Peter. When Jesus was calling his first disciples, Peter fell at Jesus’ knees and said: “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” And Jesus replied, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Jesus gave Peter the courage and the comfort to become his disciple.
If teaching is about communicating truth, then encouraging is about giving hope. The teacher says, this is the way of God, and the encourager says but you don’t have walk it alone. I am here to walk it with you.
One of the most winsome souls we come across in the Bible is a man named Barnabas. Actually, his real name was Joseph, but he was given the nickname of Barnabas which means ‘son of encouragement’. In the book of Acts chapter 11 we learn how the church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to the believers in Antioch. From verse 23 we read…
23 When he [Barnabas] arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
Iron in your blood is essential for carrying oxygen and producing energy. Without sufficient iron your physical strength and immunity is weakened.
The right encouragement at the right time is like an iron infusion, it boosts your energy and strengthens your immunity. Barnabas’ encouragement was like an iron infusion for the church in Antioch.
Barnabas came alongside the believers and watered their roots by speaking good words to them, words that brought refreshment and strength. Barnabas’ presence reassured the believers in Antioch they were not alone and gave them courage to share their faith.
But wait, there’s more. From verse 25 of Acts 11 we continue…
25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people.
The apostle Paul was first known as Saul of Tarsus. Before his conversion, Saul persecuted Christians. After his conversion, Saul repented and changed his ways. He became one of the church’s greatest missionaries.
I imagine though it was not easy for Saul in those early days after his conversion. Many Christians had suffered because of Saul and people still viewed him with suspicion. I expect it was quite isolating for Saul at times.
Verse 25 tells us Barnabas went out of his way to look for Saul. Barnabas sensed somehow that Saul needed some comfort and companionship. Barnabas brought Saul to Antioch and encouraged him to teach.
One wonders what might have happened to Saul / Paul had Barnabas not found him and encouraged him in his calling for the Lord. Barnabas put Saul on a good path in God’s purpose.
Conclusion:
Teaching and encouraging (like watering plants) needs to be timely, focused, gentle and repeated.
Two questions to ponder…
How are you watering your faith? And..
What opportunities has God given you to water other people’s faith?
(Who can you be a Barnabas to?)
May the Spirit of Jesus continue to fill each one of us and all of us together. Amen.
Questions for discussion or reflection:
- What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
- Who was your best teacher and why?
- What does Paul mean by the gift of teaching? Why is good teaching important in the church? In what ways can someone be a teacher?
- If someone asked why you are a Christian, what would you say?
- How is the gift of encouragement different from the gift of teaching? How do these two gifts complement each other?
- Why do teaching and encouragement need to be timely, focused, gentle and repeated?
- How are you watering your faith? What opportunities has God given you to water other people’s faith? (Who can you be a Barnabas to?)
[1] Refer John Stott’s commentary on Romans, page 328.
Tawa Baptist 