The Me, Myself, And I Syndrome

Genesis 4:9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?" NKJV

This question that Cain asked God has echoed throughout the church since her existence.

Am I supposed to keep watch over my brother?

The answer is an undeniable YES.

From the beginning we have taken a ‘Me, Myself and I’ attitude. US FOUR and NO MORE

But the Lord has set us up as one body, and not individuals.

Why are should we be our brother’s keeper?

1. Because It’s Biblical

- ROMANS 15:1 “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.2 Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.3 For even Christ did not please himself but”

- Paul tells the church in Rome that the strong ought to help out the weak

IT IS THE BODY MENTALITY

- 1 Corinthians 12:12,14,20-26

IT IS OUR DUTY ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE

- Galatians 6:1-2 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.

2. Because It’s Practical

- When I say that it is practical, I mean it is workable or simply – IT WORKS

- God is a practical God. Men are the ones that make God complicated

- He gives us simple to understand instructions on how to live: Do not lie, Do not cheat, Do not kill, Do not love another God, Do not Lust, Do not make idols, Honor your mom and dad, Do not commit adultery, Do not misuse the name of the Lord, and remember the Sabbath

- Man is the one who complicates the simpleness of God by adding his own opinions – usually we do this to make our lifestyles acceptable. Instead of complying to the rules, we complicate the rules and twist the rules to fit our lifestyles

- Becoming a keeper of your brother is a very practical way for us to become accountable to someone here on earth in spiritual matters.

- Accountability to each other is the way to preserve and protect the flock from the wolf’s accessibility.

- Asking simple questions like: How are you doing spiritually? Where have you been, I missed you at church? How is your relationship with God?

- People usually have the misinterpretation that this is only for the pastor to do

- But if you read in ACTS inside of the EARLY church, there was a lot of togetherness, infact, the church was literally like a community

- Why should we be our brother’s keeper? Because it is Biblical, and it is Practical

Another reason is:

3. Because It’s Vital

- The church is lacking in strong accountability

ACCOUNTABILITY MEANS THAT I AM ANSWERABLE TO AND RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT PERSON OR PERSONS

- It is said that there are more divorces today inside of the church than in the world. Why is that?

- I believe if we had been our brother’s keeper, we could have preserved some of these marriages.

- We would have seen perhaps the couple coming to church alone or sitting apart, or not coming at all and been curious as to why.

- IN THE CHURCH: Adultery and Addictions are PREVELANT. People are leaving the church as fast as they have come in to the church, Theft and Lies, and confrontations are on the rise.

- If we were our brother’s keepers we could curb some of the problems

- NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THE WORLD WOULD FLOCK TO US

- Jesus says, “This is how men will know that you are min, that you have love for one another.”

- IF WE HAD ACCOUNTABILITY PEOPLE WOULD SEE OUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER

** When I was in the army occasionally we’d have to run 6 miles. I had a hard time doing that run by myself, but when we ran in formation (together as a group), I could always finish

It is time to stop running alone, and start running together as a team.