Getting Connected: Building Relationships & Getting Involved

This weekend, we began our month-long ministry involvement emphasis at MSMBC. As we celebrate our 64th church anniversary this month, we will challenge every member to join a Bible study fellowship group and getting involved in a place of service. Biblical community is one of the clearest evidences of authentic Christianity (John 13:34-35). So throughout this month, we will use various means to encourage the membership of Mt. Sinai to get connected to one another and the body-life of the church. I began this emphasis month today with a sermon on Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. Here is the sermon skeleton:

Title: "Two are Better than One"

Text: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Theme: The importance of fellowship and the benefits of partnership

Point: Two are better than one.

Outline:

I. Two are better than one when you go to work (v. 9).

II. Two are better than one when you fall down (v. 10).

III. Two are better than one when you are left in the cold (v. 11).

IV. Two are better than one when you are being attacked (v. 12)

In the 11 AM message, there was an important idea from verse 11 that I forgot to make. When Solomon says that two lie together in order to keep warm, this refutes the common idea that says, "I need my space." There are some things you cannot survive if you insist on having your "space." You need others who will get close to you and provide the warmth of encouragement. And you cannot wait until life leaves you in the cold to find people who will lie with you. Intimate friendships require time, truth, and trust that must be nurtured before life leaves you in the cold. And when you get connected to others, you can walk this journey of faith with confidence that there will be those who will lie with you when life leaves you in the cold.