Two Are Better Than One Series

“TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” Ecc. 4:9-12

FBCF – 10/11/20

Jon Daniels

INTRO – I want to jump right into this sermon today & get to the text as quickly as we can. Today: INTENTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS. All of us need some intentional relationships that will keep us moving forward in our walk w/ Christ. This the next tool we are taking out of our “Spiritual Growth Toolbox.”

Works in conjunction w/ tool of corporate worship from last week. One reason we need to be careful not to neglect/abandon meeting together as the Church is b/c of the extreme isolation that COVID has brought into so many people’s lives. With that isolation comes deepening depression as we become more & more disconnected from others.

- One study – depression rates have tripled in all demographic groups during pandemic (https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/09/depression-triples-us-adults-amid-covid-19-stressors)

- Along w/ that depression comes increased substance abuse, spousal/child abuse, & suicidal thoughts.

- All the more reason to get connected or reconnected to your church FAMILY, & STAY connected through the community of intentional relationships.

- Side note: Church must be on front lines of helping those struggling w/ hopelessness & depression.

o ASK FOR HELP! WE WILL HELP!

EXPLANATION – Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Ecc: Raw & real! Author - King Solomon. He had it all.

- One of the wisest men in the Bible.

o Wrote most of Proverbs

- One of the richest men in the Bible.

- One of the most powerful men in the Bible.

Wisdom, wealth, power, influence, fame – Had it all & said it is all vanity! None of those things gave him meaning & purpose in life. All proved to be empty & meaningless.

- Ecclesiastes 1:1-2 – “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, the King in Jerusalem. ‘Vanity of vanities,’ says the Preacher, ‘vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”

- Emptiness, nothingness, meaninglessness

- H.B. Charles – “Ecc is the sad sequel to Proverbs.”

Ecc is a book of warning – that pursuing all the things of the world devoid of a passionate, intentional relationship w/ God will lead to a vast empty void in our lives. And a large part of our passionate, intentional relationship w/ God is having meaningful relationships w/ others. Our text for today lets us know that, in order for us to have a growing relationship w/ God, we must value people over possessions – relationships over riches – a interaction w/ others over interest in the things of the world. Must delight in fellowship over pleasure. It’s a very unwise & ungodly thing to isolate yourself from other people.

APPLICATION – Every Christ-follower needs the community of intentional relationships in the Church FAMILY.

Two are better than one b/c of:

THE WORK YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH – v. 9 – Hard work is a good thing. The Bible speaks to the value of working hard:

- Proverbs 14:23 – “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”

- Proverbs 12:24 – “Work hard, & you will be a leader; be lazy, & you will end up a slave” (CEV).

- 2 Thessalonians 3:10 – “…If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat” (CSB).

Verse 9 tells that our hard work is even better & more desirable when we are working together w/ someone.

- One of 1st things I learned as a firefighter: always go into a house fire w/ a partner.

o For safety

o For effectiveness & efficiency

o Different tasks but working together

CHURCH: It’s a beautiful, encouraging thing when believers are working together in the church.

- BBQ supper this past Wed – Those men have been working together for 56 years.

- Mission trips

- FAITH Evangelism teams

- Choirs

- Staff

- Deacons

o ALL TEAMS THAT WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GLORY OF GOD!

When we stop worrying about who gets the credit, recognition, or applause, & start working together for the advancement of the Gospel, amazing things will happen for the glory of God!

- People will be saved!

- Lives will be forever changed!

- Our community will be strongly impacted!

- Families will be strengthened!

- Barriers will come down!

- Jesus will be exalted!

THE HELP YOU CAN GIVE & RECEIVE – v. 10 – “Help! I’ve fallen & I can’t get up!” – We’ve all heard that line in the ads for the Life Alert system. It’s actually a registered trademark for that company.

The reason that statement resonates w/ so many people is b/c, if you are going to walk, at some point, you are going to fall.

- Doesn’t matter how experienced you are w/ walking

- Doesn’t matter how skillful you are

- Doesn’t matter how careful you are

- Falling is going to happen – “…woe to him who is alone WHEN he falls…”