Two Are Better Than One (6) Series

Series Title: What are Friends for?

Message Title: Two are better than one

(Ecclesiastes 4:9-10) 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.

No matter what you say, people just like to be around other people. I know, I’ve heard all those stories about people saying they would like to go and live by themselves somewhere in the mountains. However, the number of those kind of people per 100,000 in any population is pretty low. People just like to be around other people!

There are lot’s of reasons other than those that we’ve mentioned. One such reason is that it’s just easier to get certain jobs done with more people. Take evangelism for instance. It would always be better if two people go together instead of one.

When I was young boy, before those big hay-rolling machines took the place of the hay baler, we used to bale up our hay on the farm. Those bales of hay weighed from 40 to 80 pounds per bale depending on the kind of hay being baled. You had to have help in moving the bales of hay from the field into the barn. Well, yes, you could have done it all yourself, but some of those Texas fields had more than 5,000 bales in them and, well, it would just be better to have some help.

On the trucks that went back and forth from field to barn there were always two or more young men working on them. Maybe one driving the truck and two on the back loading and stacking. It was fun, but it was hard and hot work. I couldn’t imagine doing it all by myself.

And I couldn’t imagine myself going through life without a good friend by my side, or me by theirs. It’s just too tough to go it alone. Two are [definitely] better than one.

We have only a couple of things to look at in this message, Two are better than one, and they are:

A Good Reward for their labor

A Good Hand to lend in a fall

A Good Reward for their labor

Anything that we put our hand to, we undoubtedly want to have a return on it. Whatever the action is, we want to gain from the experience, and that of course is a Godly gain.

For this section, we’ve broken it down even further into different areas that can benefit by having a good friend with you in life. A friend, of course, that God has provided.

Ministry

It just stands to reason that people in ministry need all the help they can get. Why is that? Well, Jesus Himself told us in Matthew 9:37b:

The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

Ask any Pastor or seasoned church worker and they’ll tell you that 80 percent of the people do 20 percent of the work, while 20 percent of the people do 80 percent of the work! Now, of course, that will fluctuate from church to church, or ministry to ministry, but it comes pretty close across the average.

As God servants we do want a good reward for our labor. And, how better to approach a ministry, than to approach it with a friend? A good friend to help you during evangelism will certainly increase not only your ministries validity, but help boost your confidence as well.

True friends will be like-minded in ministry, and God has brought you together to go forward together in His ministries.

Planning

(Proverbs 20:18a) Every purpose is established by counsel…

Having to make up a schedule on your own is only inviting disaster to any project or any goal that you may have in mind. Having a true, Christian friend to bounce ideas off of and help you in planning can only lead to success. Read Proverbs 20:18a again, every purpose is established by counsel. You can’t fail when you and your good friend in Christ get together in the Spirit and start planning! Go for it!

Decision Making

(Proverbs 11:14) Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

Decision making, like planning can be easier when there are others to help you to reach a decision. Decisions about college, marriage, car loans or mortgage companies, can be a little easier when you have someone else to help you, especially a good Christian friend. Having someone on your side during these times ensures that they are looking out for your best interest and not the interest of the person or company you are doing business with.