Introduction
1. Open your bibles please to 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. Hold this reference.
2. There are many passages that teach the importance of having friends. They teach that two are better than one in most all situations.
3. We will discuss some of the passages from the bible that will help us to strive to develop better friendships with those that can help us to grow closer to God and Christ.
DISCUSSION
I. FIRST, LET’S LOOK AT SOMETHING THAT TEACHES THAT ILLUSTRATES THAT TWO ARE NOT ALWAYS BETTER THAN ONE!
1. Recently I read about a little snail, that lives in the ocean, that illustrates that two are not always better than one.
(1) If you think that you have problems and think that you need a friend, be sure to listen closely to what I am going to tell you about this little snail.
(2) God created this snail blind. This little snail is called a Pinna snail. This little snail has a large number of enemies.
(3) Even though the Pinna is called a snail, he is shaped more like a clam. He has a top shell and a bottom shell and hinges on the back edge.
1) Watch my hand and I will illustrate how he might look, except he would be much smaller than my hand.
2) The palm of my hand can illustrate the bottom shell and my fingers can illustrate the top shell. My knuckles can illustrate the hinge part of the two shells.
4) Notice as I open and shut my fingers against my palm. The hollow area is where the meaty part of the snail is attached and exist.
2. All kinds of creatures, in the ocean, are swimming around who would just love to eat the little snail or steal his shell and make it their home - and he can't even see them coming!
1) One of the worst enemies of the Pinna is a critter called the Cuttle Fish.
2) Often times, no sooner does the Pinna open his bi-valve [two halfed] shell than the Cuttle Fish rushes in and sets up housekeeping. This makes it extremely difficult for the Pinna to get along.
3) Since the Pinna’s shell is basically only large enough for him, with the Cuttle Fish crammed in, there is nothing the Pinna can do but partly hang out the front part of the shell.
4) The trouble with that is that some of the enemies are always swimming by and some of them eat the little blind snail and destroy him.
5) The major reason that the Pinna snail loses his life is because of the Cuttle Fish darting in and making his home with the Pinna snail.
6) Well, that illustrates when two are not better one! Sounds kind of miserable, doesn't it?
3. Let’s read 2 Cor. 6:14-18 and make a few applications, “14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. [Here, God gives Christians warning to not make relationships with others that are not good for soul. Keep in mind that we are not blind and we can refuse and say “no” to those that we don’t need to make as our close friends.]
(1) Let’s continue to read the warnings, starting in the middle of verse 14, “For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? [“Light” symbolizes truth and the living of a pure and holy life. “Darkness” symbolizes falsehood and living a sinful and ungodly life. Christians are to understand that those kind of people would be like the “Cuttle Fish” is to the Pinna snail. They will soon bring spiritual death to the Christian.]
(2) In 2 Cor. 6:15-18, God’s word challenges Christians to break all ties and associations with those who are not good for our soul and cling to God. Don’t let the bad influences bring spiritual death to us, like the Cuttle fish brings death to the Pinna snail.
(3) Let’s read 2 Cor. 6:15-18, “15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” 17 Therefore“ Come out from among themAnd be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” 18 “ I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.”
II. SECOND, TURN TO ECCLESTIAES 4:9-12. FROM ECCLESTIAES 4:9-12, WE WILL LOOK AT HOW THAT, ON MOST OCCASIONS, TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE.
1. We’ll use this same little blind Pinna Snail to illustrate how that two are better than one.
(1) Fortunately, for the little blind snail, he has a friend. A tiny crab-like animal that has very keen eyesight most often will make his home with the Pinna Snail before the Cuttle fish has the opportunity to make his home with the Pinna.
(2) The tiny crab-like animal lives in the shell, with the Pinna, but his small size doesn't crowd things too much. With the crab inside, the Pinna can close the two halves of his shell together.
(3) Whenever the Pinna is hungry, he opens his shell and sends his little friend scurrying out to find food. Someway, through God’s wisdom, they have ways to communicate.
(4) If the crab is returning to the shell and an enemy approaches, the watchful crab hesitates going straight back to his blind friend, the Pinna.
(5) On the other hand, when the crab has returned with food, and no enemy is nearby, he squeaks gently and the Pinna Snail knows to open the shell.
(6) The snail responds by opening the "shell halves" and the two dine together on the results of the crab's food gathering expedition.
2. In human circles we call that kind of mutual assistance "friendship."
(1) In many ways, just like the little snail and his crabby friend, we depend upon those who are our friends - sometimes for our very lives.
(2) Let’s read Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, “ 9 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
3. Listen to a few statements that people, across the years, have written down.
(1) "No man is an island all by them self." Meaning that all of us, on occasions need others.
(2) "Two heads are better than one."
(3) Among the old Jewish Rabbis, it was put this way:
(4) "Hand cleanses hand, finger cleanses finger." In other words the palm of our hands work toward cleanses one another and the fingers cleanse one another .
(5) Some have even went so far as to say, "Either friendship or death." This is a statement that might be made the terrorists, which is sad!
III. THIRD, ECCLESTIASTES 4:9 TEACHES THAT THAT MORE CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WHEN TWO WORK TOGETHER.
1. Let’s read Ecclesiastes 4:9 say, “Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.”
(1) The “reward for their labor” or quantity of work accomplished by two can often be more than double when two work together.
(2) Try to hang wallpaper by yourself! Try to move a heavy, metal desk without someone to help you. Try to build fence by yourself and you will walk yourself to death.
(3) “Trying to go it alone” on just about everything doesn't work very well.
(4)Yes, you may get it done, but not without a greatly increased amount of effort, and that wall paper will probably never hang as straight.
2. Turn to 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. This passage teaches that God wants Christians to realize how that each member of the church is extremely important toward the overall work of the church that God wants accomplished.
(1) Let’s read 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, “12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.”
(2) There are many different statements from this reading that emphasize that “two and more are better than one”.
(3) Warning is given for no one to underestimate their importance to the overall work of the church.
(4) Warning is given for no one to think that they are more important to the overall work of the church, than some other members of the church.
(5) Each member of the church is to do what they can do and keep in mind that God expects us to never feel like that what we contribute is not important.
IV. FOURTH, ECCLESIASTES 4:19 TEACHES THAT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE FIND OUR SELF IN SITUATIONS WHERE WE CAN’T HANDLE LIFE AND WHAT IT THROWS AT US, IF WE TRY TO HANDLE ALL ALONE!
1. Let’s read Ecclesiastes 4:10, “For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.”
2. I think of Brother and Sister Talley and how that there is no way that they could have made it during the times that they have fallen if it were not for one or the other of them to find out and then call for even additional help.
(1) Once sister Talley fell out in the flower garden and it was about two hours before brother Talley knew and then he had to call for others to do the actual lifting and help sister Talley get us.
(2) But think of what would have happened to sister Talley if brother Talley had not been there at all.
(3) Actually, there have been similar occasions where sister Talley found brother Talley after he had fallen. She would call and get others to help him get up.
3. We know that two are needed in Ken and Cathy Love’s house. Ken falls occasionally. They also keep a nurse hired to be with them and help.
4. Bill Hampton has fallen quite a few times and one of those times was right back here in this building in the hall way.
5. Betty Williams keeps a close watch on Bobby, due to weakness, and inability to get about by himself. Bobby has to have someone with him all the time, in case he were to fall.
6. The list doesn’t stop! There are many examples: Christelle and Margrette and Kay all have those hired to help them on a regular basis.
7. Turn to Galatians 6:1&2. The falling that we been observing from these examples is falling down physically. That is bad and it is easy to see that, in such a situation, one definitely can’t make it alone.
(1) However, the same principle is true when it comes to falling morally of spiritually. This is another important reason for friendships being developed and strengthened.
(2) We’re talking about spiritual reasons being an important reason for developing strong friendships.
(2) If one falls into a life of cursing or gossip or some other bad use of the tongue. If one falls into a life of using alcohol or drugs. If one begins to smoke. If one is guilty of sex out of marriage.
(3) Whatever the reason behind the spiritual falling, there is the need for having good strong spiritual friendships.
(3) Let’s read Galatians 6:1,2, “1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
1) Yes, a person can "go it alone" for awhile - all the while thinking things are going along very well. But what happens when he falls? Who is going to lift him up? What if you can’t get out of your sinful circumstances all alone?
2) Well God in Galatians 6:1&2 teaches those who strong and faithful to always be on the watch to reach a hand out and help those who have fallen, to repent and come back spiritually.
8. Turn to Hebrews 3:12-14. This passage teaches that spiritual friends, just like family, must be checking on one another daily.
(1) If one or the other were to fall spiritually we need to be there to help get the other out of the grasp of Satan.
(2) Let’s read Hebrews 3:12-14, “12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end”.
(3) We need to develop strong and lasting spiritual friendships with others so that they will be there to pick us up when we fall and so that we can be there when they fall.
CONCLUSION
1. Turn to 1 Peter 5:8. Please hold your place.
2. I heard of a man that has made two wilderness trips up into Canada all alone. The only thing that he takes with him is what can fit in his canoe.
(1) Such a trip, all alone, is extremely dangerous!
(2) If he were hurt, no one might find out for weeks or maybe months and then it would probably be way too late to help him.
3. What is more serious than a canoe trip by yourself is for a Christian to try and live the Christian life all to themselves.
(1) If one acts like the spiritual Lone Range, the hermit and staying away from others, they are falling right into the mouth of ole Satan. Satan loves Christians who do that. He can pick them off and devour them like a big cat will gulp up a mouse.
(2) 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
3. Also, 1Peter 3:20&21 says, “20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ”.
4. If you need to respond in obedience to the gospel, please come as we stand and sing.
Acknowledgments go to: JeffStrite@sermoncentral.com
