Working Together For The Kingdom

Good Morning!

I can’t tell you how good it is to be with you today.

It is such a relief to get to speak to you today and not a camera!

This morning our text is going to talk about the benefit of living in community with one another.

How relevant and applicable it is for us right now.

As we are beginning to re-gather, we are painfully aware of how much we have missed and need one another.

It’s not just about being in the same place, but being able to be present and completely focused on one another.

I do want to say that even though we want to get back together in our small groups, it is not yet time.

Remember that the Lord has spoken that one of the best ways we can love one another right now is to protect each other.

While we are are still under phase one, we will not be meeting in homes.

The virus is still here and we are going to lovingly protect each other by following the guidance of the CDC and the state.

As we talk about living in community today, I want you to understand that I am not giving the green light to start meeting again.

God is using this time and the desire to meet to work in our hearts.

He is preparing us for when we can meet again.

It is my hope for those of us that are gathered here today and those that are joining us from home is that we can feel and understand with freshness how much it matters that we live in community and look forward to that with anticipation.

As all of the COVID stuff was beginning, I attended many webcast about how we keep things going during a stay at home order.

Many for business, and quite a few for the church.

The church focused ones were interesting because those leading were trying to help other churches realize that they needed to invest in small groups.

It was obvious that the idea of living in this kind of community was new for them.

I didn’t say anything in those meetings, but it was such a blessing to know that we have a well-established foundation in living in community.

My concern though, and we see this happen in many areas of life, is that we might take for granted what we have.

We see this happen when people discover grace for the first time.

Once someone really understands that because of Christ's work on the cross, they don’t have to earn their salvation, they go crazy with the new freedom that they have found.

Rather than pursuing God in response to freedom, they choose to squander that freedom by chasing after the things of the world.

The same thing happens with some college freshmen who have had helicopter parents their whole life and now have a taste of freedom.

They go nuts doing whatever they want simply because they can.

My question for myself and for each of us this week is, have we taken for granted the incredible gift that God has given us of living in community?

Even though we can’t meet in homes, are you still making your life group time a priority each week or is it a secondary option?

In our passage today, the preacher expounds on the blessing that having companions brings us and how important those people are in our lives.

Let’s read together Ecclesiastes 4:7-12

Ecclesiastes 4:7–12 ESV

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.

This section begins with the preacher qualifying some of the things he previously said in this chapter.

I want to make a sidebar this morning and remind you of what we learned in the first part of this chapter.

I, like you, have a very heavy heart because of what is going on in Minneapolis and what happened in Georgia.

Looking back at the beginning of this chapter is going to inform how we understand verses 7-12 today.

It will also help us to understand how we, as the body of Christ, should respond.

The first point I made was that living in community allows us to see and respond to suffering and oppression in meaningful ways.

We are going to talk about living in community today and we can all agree that there is much suffering and oppression happening in our world.

To live in community does not mean that we only think about the people we are currently connected with.

Your community can shift and change as the Lord leads.

We need to expand our idea of who is in our community and ask God who we overlooking.

In light of what is happening around the country, we need to take a serious look inward and then outward.

If you haven’t already, you need to ask God what your role is in breaking down the systematic racism that we all live in.

Whether you are able to admit it or not, every one of us has racist tendencies that are ingrained into us.

I have thought about this a lot over the past five years and God has reignited a passion in me to continue to grow personally in this realm of who I am.

If you haven’t seen it, I would encourage you to go to Michelle’s Facebook or Twitter and read the blog she published on Friday.

https://tuesdayjustice.org/2020/05/29/where-we-start/

It gives you a jumping-off point for self-realization and allowing God to use that reflection to call you to action.

It is God’s desire that we invest in and learn to live in community with the men, women, and children in this neighborhood.

There is a tremendous amount of work to be done in this country, but we need to start where God has put us.

None of us in this church have earned the right to be heard on a national or regional level.

Just posting quotes or re-tweeting good articles isn’t enough.

We have the position and responsibility to usher in a change in our circles.

God has given us the right to be heard with the people in our lives, but until we are actually engaging the lives of POC, we will have nothing of value to add to the conversation.

The second point that I made was that we, as the church, have the opportunity and the responsibility to make this world better.

I saw a quote this week that was attributed to Will Smith.

He said, “Racism isn’t getting worse, it’s getting filmed.” -Will Smith

This isn’t a new problem or one that is getting worse.

Because of technology, we are seeing what we were able to turn a blind eye to in the past.

Church, we can’t change what is happening in Minneapolis, Georgia, or anywhere outside of our sphere of influence, but we can make a difference in this neighborhood.

We start here, by allowing God to purge racism from our hearts and engaging in meaningful relationships with the people God has placed us around.

Read with me again verses one through three and think about what is happening all over this country.

I want you to feel this with me this morning.

Ask God to engage your heart and to feel what He feels.

Ecclesiastes 4:1–3 ESV

1 Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3 But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

If what is happening, doesn’t break your heart, something is wrong.

We live in a broken world that is desperately in need of God’s love.

Listen to this post from a mother right here in our neighborhood.

“Raising three young black men is the hardest thing to do. You want to do everything within your power to assure they don’t become a statistic or a victim of circumstance. As they are the most hated thing in this world, the black man. Today I am so proud that 2 of my 3 have received their diplomas this week. Two down one more to go. My boys are on the right path and will continue to thrive in this world. Congratulations!!!!!”

Last week Glen preached the next three verses and talked about the motivation behind why we work.

The “why” is incredibly important.

As we talk through our passage today, I want you to understand that if you hear me talk about taking action it is not my intent to try and motivate you in any way.

Any motivation needs to be initiated and sustained by the Holy Spirit.

There is much work to be done and we cannot ignore what is happening around us and call ourselves men and women that love God.

I shared this passage on Facebook along with Michelle’s blog because it was on my mind this week.

It was on my mind because Glen used it last week in his sermon.

1 John 4:7–12 NLT

7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

We begin to make ripples in the ocean of racism by choosing to abide and obey.

It is not optional that we love all people.

Verse 8 is clear that we cannot turn our backs on the image-bearers of God and know God.

We cannot be God’s love in a broken world if we are not loving ALL people.

Look at what John says in verse 20!

1 John 4:20–21 NLT

20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.

We are called to love.

This brings to mind the good Samaritan.

Are we going to be the religious that crosses the road to move ourselves away from the oppressed, or will be like the good Samaritan and stop?

This may feel scary, but it is who we are called to be.

1 John 4:17–19 ESV

17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.

So how do we practically move forward in loving one another?

Ecclesiastes 4 tells us that we stand up for those that are oppressed and suffering.

It tells us that our motivation matters.

Verse 8 tells us that we are to live and work, not for ourselves, but in order that we can share with others.

Working with others in mind gives all of us joy.

For you and me, life is pretty easy.

When we make it our goal to live for others and share life with them it makes life worth living.

It is having others to share life with that gives it greater worth than if we did it all alone.

There is a YouTube series that I love watching.

It is produced by BuzzFeedVideos and it’s called “Worth It”.

The host go to different restaurants and try similar items at three drastically different price points and decide which item is the most worth it for the price.

The worth of each item though isn’t just based on the taste.

It includes the dining experience, the way it was presented, obviously the taste, but also it is stacked against the other two items to determine which, in their opinion, was the most worth the price paid.

Isn’t it interesting that the worth or value of an item isn’t derived simply by the thing itself?

The experience around the thing enhances the overall value.

I want you to think about some things this week.

I want you to thing about an experience or thing you have had, that wouldn’t have been the same without the people that were with you.

I’ll give you an example: Working with Bethany this week to complete many projects that have been on the books for years.

Those things have been on hold because of all the things that life has thrown at us.

We are finally in a place where we can begin to chip away at that list.

Being able to work with her, together, made the work and the enjoyment after the fact way better.

There was a sense of satisfaction that wouldn’t have been there if either of us would have done those things on our own.

Our lives will be better if we will focus not on what we want, but on the needs of others.

We will find joy in working together for the benefit of others.

Last week Glen talked about how important the motivation for our work is.

The reality is that we are hard-wired to work.

We all strive and toil towards something.

All of us are drawn to the things around us and like Adam and Eve, we let the Lie steal the joy of the truth.

Instead of focusing on experiencing life together we chase after desires of our selfish hearts.

We trade what God has given us for what leaves us empty and longing for more.

1 John 2:15–16 NLT

15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

This is the same sentiment that we see the preacher communicating in verse eight

Ecclesiastes 4:8 ESV

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.

We are so easily seduced by the world and what it has to offer.

We work and strive to gain things that in the end, we will leave here on this earth.

We can spend our lives building up our own Kingdoms, but if we have no one to share it with, the preacher says that it is hevel.

We are seeing, in real-time, just how upside-down this world is.

As we read this fourth chapter in Ecclesiastes, it is like the preacher is writing about what is going on in our time.

The preacher is trying to warn us and help us to understand that if we focus our energy on gaining things for ourselves, we will never be satisfied.

The preacher recommends instead that we live for and serve one another.

You want to know how to change a culture consumed with racism and simultaneously experience joy and satisfaction with your life?

You love people like Christ loves them, you live in community with them, and you share your life with them.

Jesus taught the same thing that the preacher is teaching.

Matthew 16:24–26 ESV

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

One of Glen’s points last week from this chapter was that the American Dream is vanity.

Jesus is telling us that if we chase the world, it will be for nothing because we are forfeiting our souls.

We know this.

It is not new information.

The problem is that we listen to the same lie that Adam and Eve did.

We allow ourselves to be convinced that the things this world has to offer will make us happy.

We know, from experience, that it is a lie.

Our world chases with great passion what it wants and it is broken and filled with suffering.

I want you to think about though, how good it feels to serve one another.

Remember the joy that comes from knowing that you were able to do for someone, what they couldn’t do.

Think about how good it feels to serve someone, not because you have too, but because you love them!

This is the gift that we have been given!

When we focus on and live in community, we are showing one another and the world the love of Jesus.

As followers of Jesus, we are supposed to love just like He loves.

We cannot do this alone.

Christ has called His entire church to love.

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 ESV

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.

As I said earlier, we have been given the opportunity to earn the right to be heard in this neighborhood.

This is a God-sized task and cannot be accomplished by a few.

It requires the body of Christ, every man, woman, and child abiding and obeying the specific things that God has called them to do.

Just for the sake of clarity, I’m not talking about being white saviors here.

I don’t think that any of you would think that, but it still needs to be said.

I have been incredibly encouraged by the things that you guys are posting on social media.

I believe that you feel the same way I do that we need to respond by following God in standing with the oppressed and suffering.

I’m talking about us doing life with people.

We all know that this isn’t an overnight thing.

I’ve said this in a very particular way today.

We have the opportunity to earn the right to be heard.

When I talk about being heard, I’m not talking about “fixing” people.

I’m talking about sharing life, meals, laughter, tears...

I’m talking about loving the people of this neighborhood like we love the people in our life groups.

I’m talking about establishing and building relationships that foster life-changing discussions.

I’ve said this before, but I feel the need to say it again today.

God didn’t call us to start a church on McKeithen drive because there was a vacant building here.

God called us to start a church in a neighborhood that needs the gospel and Jesus centered community.

Every neighborhood needs that, but God sent us to this one.

This is not a task that Bethany, Brittany, and the Wednesday night volunteers can or should do on their own.

Also, this is not a request for more people on Wednesday nights.

Our church, as a whole, is called to this neighborhood.

The specific role that each of us has will be different, but we were all sent here.

In life group I want you to talk about and pray how God would use you and your group to love this neighborhood.

How can we do life with them?

How do we stand up for the oppressed?

As I have read and studied this book for the last few months, God has been clear.

He has placed us among OUR people, but unlike us, they are oppressed and suffering simply because of the color of their skin.

Scripture is clear that we cannot simply look the other way.

People's lives and souls are at stake here.

If we will abide and obey, the fruit of that will be a change in culture in Alexandria, LA.

We are going to begin to know people and we are going to be the ones growing and changing.

God is going to move, mold, and change all of us.

It will be the best thing that has ever happened to us.

One of the best parts is that we will be doing it together.

Not only that, but our church will begin to be a true representation of what the church as it is meant to be.

You know this about me.

Whatever God tells me to do, I’m going to do it.

I believe the same is true for you.

I believe that you have the same desire to abide and obey all that God speaks.

Let’s do this together.

Let’s uphold one another.

Let’s suffer, laugh, cry, find joy, and walk through life with the people that God has placed in our lives.