Stronger Together

Reading

Ecclesiastes 4:7–12 KJV 1900

7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. 8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail. 9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

I. God did not create us to do life alone.

A. Verse 8 talks about a person who does nothing but work all of the time and not make time for others.

1. They will never be satisfied…

2. Who will be their beneficiary?

Illustration

Ellen Goodman told the tragic story of a man who worked as hard as the man the Preacher has just described. When he died at the age of fifty-one, his obituary said that the cause of his death was a coronary thrombosis, but most people knew better. At the office six days a week, often until 8 or 9 at night, his friends and family said that he simply worked himself to death. Yet on the day of his funeral, when the company was already making inquiries about his replacement, the president looked around the office for candidates and said, “Well, who’s been working the hardest?” But the zinger line was delivered by the dead man’s wife. When a friend said, “I know how much you will miss him,” she said, “Oh, I already have.”

B. The most valuable thing that all of us have are the relationships around us.

1. Luke 12:13-21 (READ & Expound)

Luke 12:13–21 KJV 1900

13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

II. Two are better than one. - Ecclesiastes 4:9

Ecclesiastes 4:9 KJV 1900

9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

A. If God thought one was enough He would have stopped with Adam but thank God He didn’t!

1. God designed us for relationships.

2. Relationships are hard work… RELATIONSHIPS ARE GOD’S WORK!

B. Better Together, Stronger Together - Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

1. V.9) They have good reward for their labour…

2. V.10) If one falls down there is someone there to help them back up…

3. V.11) They keep each other warm…

4. V.12) They are stronger together against attacks…

III. God has a plan for His Church and it involves each of us.

A. Ephesians 4:1-16 speaks of the structure of the Body of Christ

Ephesians 4:11–13 KJV 1900

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

B. Ephesians 4:17-32 speaks of things that can destroy that Body and instructs us on what to do about them.

Ephesians 4:24 KJV 1900

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Ephesians 4:31–32 KJV 1900

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

IV. Bow’s, Arrows & Strings - 1 Corinthians 12 explains that we are one body with many members and we need each other.

1 Corinthians 12:4–6 KJV 1900

4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

A. God doesn’t have a person to waste.

1. The Bow’s are the older saints who carry Theology and Wisdom (60+)

2. The Arrows are the younger Christians who are proficient in technology and have strength to run (20-40)

3. The Strings are the bridge… The Christian generation in the middle that tie them both together. (40-60)

¥ Theology with Technology

¥ Wisdom with Strength

B. When we understand our place we can celebrate each other.

1. We ALL need each other…

Mark 16:15 KJV 1900

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Matthew 24:14 KJV 1900

14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

2. This takes togetherness

Closing:

Let’s recommit to work with one another

Let’s be open to what God is doing today

Let’s repent to one another and to God if we have allowed a division in this place.