We Need One Another

Introduction:

There have been many projects that I have undertaken that I quickly realized two were better than one! I have had sorrows that I was glad to be able to share with someone else. Just having someone to listen and a shoulder to cry on made a huge difference in helping me deal with whatever I was going through. There have been times where people have blessed me by giving a gift at just the right time. All of these are evidences to me that we need one another.

Today we have a lot of people who are trying to live the Christian life alone. They want a private faith and think they don’t need help to make it. This is one of the most unwise decisions a person can ever make. We need one another to live the life God has called us to live on this earth!

Read text. Pray.

1. We need to comfort one another (vv.1-3)

There are many evils in this life and one of them is injustice. While we often cannot do anything about corrupt governments or situations where life is not fair, we can comfort one another in these times. Notice that twice Solomon mentions that the oppressed had no one to comfort them.

There was power with the oppressors. There was authority. Sometimes this is because of their position. For example, when judges and law enforcement use their position of authority to pervert justice. There will always be times where people get away with things because of who they know or because of evils done under the sun. However, there are also times where power for the oppressors doesn’t come because they are given authority, but rather they force themselves on someone and bring sorrow.

When these injustices happen, we as Christians should certainly stand up for the oppressed. But we also need to lend a shoulder to cry on. We need to comfort one another. Solomon felt so sorry for these people that he even said that a stillborn child is better than the living who have to see the evil and suffering under the sun.

Now this may seem true, but remember that there is a future for the one in Christ. When we trust in Christ, there is no suffering that is not a light and momentary affliction. We also need to remember that Christ will one day come and judge the nations. The oppressor may get away now with injustice, but there is coming a day where payment will be rendered and justice served.

2. We need to stop competing with one another (vv.4-8)

Have you ever stopped and asked why you work so hard? We labor and toil for stuff. That stuff is going to break and wear out, but in the end it can’t bring satisfaction. We try to keep up with the Joneses and so we labor and work hard to buy stuff that we can’t really even enjoy. Solomon says that a man’s envy drives him to toil all of his life to try to acquire more stuff. On the other hand their is the lazy man that won’t do a thing. He folds his hands and devours himself. He also saw the man that labors all of his life and is never able to enjoy the things he works so hard for.

3. We need to help one another (vv.9-16)

George Whitfield points out that if man was designed to be alone, God would never have made a help meet for Adam in creating Eve.

Finally, Solomon shares several scenarios where having the support of one another makes a huge difference in our lives.

He points out that two can get more accomplished than one person (v.9)

We can help each other when we are down (v.10)

We can stand together

We can learn from one another (parable (vv. 13-16)

Conclusion:

This life is hard. It is full of trouble. It is full of heartache. Nevertheless, when we cast our eye toward heaven and live life with the help of one another, we can find encouragement