Better Together

TURN — ECC. CH. 4— VS. 7-16

!! OPEN in PRAYER !!

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Introduction: Human Independence

· One of the things that I have FOUND in LIFE is that you really DON’T HAVE to TEACH PEOPLE to BE INDEPENDENT and to DO WHAT THEY WANT...

BABIES — WHOLLY DEPENDENT

TODDLERS— DEPENDENT WHEN THEY WANT to BE

KIDS— DEPENDENT “I WANT to DO IT!”

TEENS/COLLEGE AGE— PERSONAL AUTONOMY—CAR,, COLLEGE, WORK,, ETC.

CONTINUES—BY ADULTHOOD—PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY WANT,, RARELY ASK for HELP...

WANT FREEDOM— INDEPENDENCE— HAVE it YOUR WAY (B.K.)

PEOPLE RARELY ACCEPT HELP UNTIL THEY HAVE TO…HOSPITAL BED.

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WE LIVE in HYPER-INDIVIDUALISTIC CULTURE:

CELEBRATES/GLORIFIES SELF

PUTS SELF ABOVE OTHERS

CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE/AUTONOMY

UNHOLY TRINITY— “ME, MYSELF, I”

END RESULT/CULMINATES:

OWN TRUTH

NOTHING ABSOLUTE— ALL INDIVIDUAL

(T) So, what’s GOD’S WORD SAY about this, PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE?

INDIVIDUALISTIC CULTURE:

DOES THEIR OWN THINGS

DOESN’T WANT to BE TOLD...

WE’LL SEE WHAT the TEACHER SAYS...

BEGIN: READING SCRIPTURE...

ECC. CH. 4... VS 7-16:

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Passage Reading

7 Again, I saw vanity under the sun: 8 one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13 Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice. 14 For he went from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. 15 I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that youth who was to stand in the king’s place. 16 There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

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Recap:

Last Wk:

NEED for FAITHFUL, QUIET WORK--- WORLD FILLED W/ EVILS...

WORLD WILL BE FILLED W/ EVIL—FILLED W/ PEOPLE

WE WON’T HAVE UTOPIA DOWN HERE...

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CONTROL WHAT WE CAN CONTROL...

REJOICING in TOIL/FINDING ENJOYMENT in WORK

LIVE QUIETLY— LOVING NEIGHBOR

TRUST JUDGMENT of GOD

ENJOY in MODERATION: DON’T LET WORK BECOME YOUR GOD.

FOOL FOLDS HIS HANDS

BETTER 1 HANDFUL—THAN 2 W/ LOTS of TOIL

(T) NOW: the TEACHER…

GOING to CONTINUE SOME FINAL THOUGHTS on WORK...

THEN,, TRANSITION INTO NEW SUBJECT.

VS 7-8:

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Passage Preaching

Thought 1 (v7-8)

7 Again, I saw vanity under the sun: 8 one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.

ANOTHER VANITY— EMPTINESS—POINTLESS THING...

LAST WK: VANITY—WORK MOTIVATED BY ENVY

THIS WK: VANITY — WORK WITHOUT ANOTHER

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NO ONE to CARE FOR— YET WORKS HIMSELF to DEATH....

NO WIFE

NO KIDS

NO BROTHER

NO RELATIVE

JUST SELF.

(REF. V6)— 2 HANDFULS— FOR WHAT??

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(V8) HIS EYES NEVER SATISFIED W/ RICHES

NEVER BE ENOUGH STUFF/ENOUGH MONEY if THAT’S YOUR GOAL...

(Q) YOU EVER NOTICE,,

HOW YOU ALWAYS FIND SOMETHING NEW to WANT

WHEN YOU GET WHAT YOU WANTED?

EYES DON’T GET SATISFIED LIKE YOUR STOMACH DOES

COMING HOME W/ BLACKSTONE—STILL WANT a JEEP,,

THOUGH I COULDN’T TRANSPORT a BLACKSTONE W/ JEEP

PERFECT WORLD: TRUCK & JEEP

STUFF is OKAY… BUT IF SATISFACTION in LIFE COMES THROUGH MATERIAL THINGS— YOU’LL NEVER BE SATISFIED...

THIS GUY = WORKING HIS FINGERS to BONE—FOR HIMSELF—FOR NOTHING…AND HE JUST DOESN’T GET IT.

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HOW ABOUT for THOSE NOT ALONE?

WORKING to PROVIDE for OTHERS— GREAT HONOR & PRIVILEGE.

CARE for a HOME—WHERE OTHERS LIVE— GREAT HONOR

GIFT from GOD— TO CONTRIBUTE

BUT WORKING for SELF—JUST to ACCUMULATE UNSATISFYING RICHES?? SAD THING...

(T) For ultimately, the teacher will CONCLUDE in V9:

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Thought 2 (v9-12)

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.

CRUX of TEACHER’S MESSAGE

BETTER to HAVE ANOTHER YOU’RE TOILING FOR—

BETTER YET, to TOIL TOGETHER!

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(Q) HOW MANY NOTICED— YOU DO 3X,, NOT 2X,, the WORK— WORKING TOGETHER??

DRAFT HORSES PULL 3-4X INDIVIDUAL WEIGHT WHEN PULLING in TANDEM

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WORK = MORE ENJOYABLE/PRODUCTIVE TOGETHER

GET MORE DONE—TOGETHER

IT’S BETTER…TOGETHER.

(T) Teacher continues to lay out a FEW REASONS to back up his claim.

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10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

SCHOLAR, SIDNEY GREIDANUS: TRAVELING in MIDDLE-EAST = HELPFUL BACKGROUND...

I. FALLING:

PITS/CISTERNS/ETC.

JOSEPH —THROWN INTO PIT

FALLING? ANOTHER WILL HELP.

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II. KEEPING WARM—LYING TOGETHER

NOT SEX—BUT SHARING BODY-HEAT—PROBABLY BACK to BACK

TRAVELING in DESERT OVERNIGHT—FREEZING TEMPS,, NO HOTEL.

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III. TWO WITHSTAND ATTACK

FAMOUS STORY—GOOD SAMARITAN

GOOD SAMARITAN MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN NECESSARY IF GUY #1 HAD FOLLOWED the BUDDY SYSTEM... TRAVELING COMPANION or TWO!

MORNING RUN W/ COMPANY = SAFER THAN RUNNING SOLO

CONCLUSION: 3-FOLD CORD—NOT QUICKLY BROKEN.

2 = GOOD

THEN 3 = GREAT!

STRONGER TOGETHER,, BETTER TOGETHER...

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HUMAN BEINGS WEREN’T MADE to BE ALONE!

LOOK @ ADAM in GARDEN

EVERYTHING in CREATION— VERY GOOD

ADAM LIVING in PERFECT PLACE— NO SIN— PURPOSE— COMMUNION W/ GOD

Genesis 2:18 (ESV)

18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

EVERYTHING GOD MADE— GOOD, VERY GOOD.

SOMETHING NOT GOOD—SOMETHING LACKING ....MAN HAD NO HUMAN COMPANY

PEOPLE NEED HUMAN COMPANIONSHIP— SPOUSE, FRIEND,, RELATIVE,, SOMEONE!

WE NEED GOD, BUT WE ALSO NEED OTHER PEOPLE.

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CONSIDER the BLESSING of the CHURCH!

MIGHT NOT HAVE FAMILY

OR FAMILY OSTRACIZED YOU?

YOU CAN HAVE FAMILY/COMMUNITY HERE...

GIFT from GOD.

FOR SOME REASON— SOME CHRISTIANS LIKE to GO AT LIFE ALONE...

—CAMPFIRE ILLUSTRATION— REMOVING LOG,, IT’LL SLOWLY FIZZLE OUT.

CHRISTIANS AREN’T EVER CALLED to BE “LONE WOLF”

BUT ONE SHEEP AMONGST FLOCK,, FOLLOWING “GOOD SHEPHERD”

GATHERING W/ SAINTS = PRIORITY

WE NEED OTHER PEOPLE

WE WERE MADE for OTHER PEOPLE

SPOUSE, FRIENDS, FAMILY, CHURCH...

2 = BETTER THAN 1

3 = EVEN BETTER

(T) And the teacher is now going to CONCLUDE with a FINAL EXAMPLE

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Thought 3 (v13-16)

13 Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice.

14 For he went from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. 15 I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that youth who was to stand in the king’s place.

16 There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

POOR = BETTER THAN KING

YOUNG (WISE) = BETTER THAN OLD (FOOL)

WHY??

FOOLISH KING—DOESN’T KNOW HOW to TAKE ADVICE

**ANOTHER REASON WE NEED OTHERS— GOOD ADVICE**

KING MIGHT’VE GONE FROM POOR to KING

HAD LOTS of PEOPLE UNDER HIS RULE

BUT WITHOUT TAKING ADVICE/WITHOUT OTHERS— HE’LL BE FORGOTTEN,, NO ONE REJOICE OVER HIM...

WE NEED OTHERS—THEIR ADVICE—THEIR PERSPECTIVE

** HOLDING ABIGAIL—DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE**

I’M SURE THERE’S a TIME FOR ALL of US—

WE WEREN’T the SHARPEST CRAYON in the BOX...

SCAR TESTIMONY— REMINDER to LISTEN to my WIFE

Philip Ryken, concludes, “Whether they are young or old,

the wisest Christians are the ones who listen to counsel

and, if necessary, accept correction.”[1]

(T) And so, what is the teacher saying to us this morning?

I believe he’s teaching us in simple terms, that,

Preaching Idea:

· God has made human beings to need one another.

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Gospel: The Necessary Humility of Needing Help

HUMBLING THING

WE WANT to DO LIFE ALONE—BUT WE’RE NOT MADE TO.

GOD HAS MADE US—TO NEED PEOPLE...

(T) ONE WE NEED MOST is JESUS CHRIST.

NO GREATER NEED— THAN NEED for SALVATION from SIN...

JESUS == FRIEND of SINNER

YOU MIGHT THINK YOU CAN DO LIFE ALONE— AND MAYBE YOU’LL EEK BY

BUT YOU WON’T INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE ALONE— YOU NEED JESUS CHRIST.

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CAN’T MAKE IT TO HEAVEN— GOOD WORKS

CAN’T MAKE IT TO HEAVEN—RIGHTEOUS/GOOD PERSON

CHASM BETWEEN SINFUL HUMANS & HOLY GOD = TOO GREAT…ONLY BRIDGED BY the CROSS...

Romans 3:23 (ESV)

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

BAD NEWS...

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GOOD NEWS: JESUS CHRIST—CAME to BRIDGE THAT GAP...

OFFERS SALVATION BY FREE GIFT of GRACE THROUGH FAITH...

HUMBLY FALLING @ HIS FEET...

CONFESSING SIN

TRUSTING in CHRIST

AN AREA WE HAVE to FIND HELP— OR WE’RE WITHOUT HOPE

JESUS CHRIST = ONE WE NEED MOST...

WE CAN’T DO IT ALONE.

WILL YOU CONTINUE GOING @ LIFE ALONE?

OR WILL YOU FIND in HIM— SALVATION,, FRIEND—CLOSER THAN a BROTHER??

HE’S the ONE WE NEED MOST

CALL:

WITHOUT ASSURANCE/HOPE

HAVEN’T PUT TRUST in CHRIST

SPEAK to ME AFTER SERVICE

(T) And for all those who believe:

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App: Who’s Your 2?

IF YOU’RE a BELIEVER—WHO’S BEEN FORGIVEN—

YOU’VE ACKNOWLEDGED AT LEAST ONCE— YOU NEEDED HELP.

RECOGNIZED YOUR NEED for DIVINE HELP— STATE of YOUR SOUL...

MIGHT BE COMFORTABLE: DIVINE HELP

STILL AVOID: HUMAN HELP.

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GO AT LIFE ALONE

TAKING BULL BY HORNS

PERHAPS PRIORITIZE SELF OVER OTHERS...

LIVING INDEPENDENTLY....

MANY LIVE LIKE THIS UNTIL HOSPITAL BED FORCES THEM to DEPEND on OTHERS...

DON’T BE THAT WAY....

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AGAIN,, CHRISTIAN ISN’T to be LONE WOLF—BUT ONE SHEEP AMONGST MANY—COMMUNITY

WE NEED OTHERS:

THEIR HELP

THEIR PERSPECTIVE

THEIR COMPANY/FRIENDSHIP

Last Wk:

WARNED ABOUT ENVY of NEIGHBOR

This Wk:

CONSIDER GIFT of NEIGHBOR

GIFTS in ECCLESIASTES:

FOOD

DRINK

TOIL/CONTRIBUTION

CONSIDER: PEOPLE = OTHER PEOPLE = GOD’S GIFTS to US.

THANK GOD for the GOOD PEOPLE HE’S PUT into YOUR LIFE.

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IT’S NOT GOOD for MAN to BE ALONE

EVERYTHING in CREATION WAS GOOD—BUT IT WAS INCOMPLETE....

WE NEED OTHER PEOPLE...

SPOUSE

FRIEND

FAMILY

CHURCH-FAMILY

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THIS MIGHT BOTHER YOU.. BUT IT’S GOD’S DESIGN!

HE’S MADE HUMANS W/ LIMITATIONS

WE NEED SLEEP

WE NEED FOOD

WE NEED PEOPLE.

IT’S in OUR D.N.A.

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TEACHER: SHARES— BENEFITS of “2”— THE SECOND.

(Q) WHO’S YOUR 2?

IF YOU FELL,, WHO WILL HELP YOU UP??

SOMEONE WE CAN CALL in EMERGENCY—HELP US.

SOMEONE WHO WILL ENCOURAGE US…

SOMEONE WE CAN ASK for HELP...

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CHALLENGE: THIS WEEK… “LEAN” ON SOMEONE THIS WEEK… ASK for HELP

ASKING ADVICE

HELPING W/ PROJECT/MOVING SOMETHING

MOST of US = OKAY HELPING OTHERS…

OKAY BEING GENEROUS to OTHERS…

BUT STRUGGLE to RECEIVE IT OURSELVES...

GARY & GUNSAFE—

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ASKING for HELP = HUMBLING,, BUT GOOD FOR US.

Conclusion:

GOD DIDN’T MAKE US to GO AT LIFE ALONE

TRULY… 2 ARE BETTER THAN ONE…AMEN?

Close in Prayer

Notes:

[1]Philip Graham Ryken, Ecclesiastes: Why Everything Matters, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2010), 113.