Day 14- Forty Days of Fellowship- Better When We're Together

10/11- Saturday Ecclesiastes 4:8-12- 8There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless— a miserable business! 9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Bonhoeffer: [when we eat together]…We share our bread. Thus we are firmly bound to one another not only in the Spirit but also in our whole physical being.  The one bread that is given to our fellowship links us together in a firm covenant.  Now none dares go hungry as long as another has bread.”

Thoughts: Fellowship with others is important for it helps us to leave a legacy- giving meaning to work (4:8).  Fellowship allows the synchronicity and serendipity of labor.  Two can do more together than two separately.  Fellowship is lifting another up and allowing someone to lift us up.  Two can keep warm better, fend off attackers better, be intertwined and strengthened better.  In other words, life itself teaches us that fellowship is important- despite dangers or difficulties of being together.  Someone said that where two or three Presbyterians get together there is food.  Eating together is a visible way that we share and encourage.  The Lord knew this- so communion is an encouragement to us to sustain us on our journey. 

Prayer: Lord, help me to believe that fellowship is better than isolation.  Help me to want to work together with others fro your glory.  

There is an organization in our church, affiliated with the deacons called "Helping Hands."  It helps with a meal when someone is sick or grieving. 

6/29/13- Missional Communities

There was a man all alone;
    he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
    yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
    “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
    a miserable business!Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor: (Eccles 4)

14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.  (2 Corinthians 5:14)

Thoughts: Church is a team event.  It is fueled by the need for cooperation and love.  While many people want to be alone in their Christianity- love compels us.  Love compels us to be together.  Love compels us to reach beyond ourselves.
    But it is also true that we can do more together than we can by ourselves alone.  There is some synergy created when we help each other (two together get more done that two separately).  They have a good return for their work.  Churches are designed to get things done for our Lord.  To serve, to reach out, to encourage, and to comfort.  The ideal is not to be individually filled and satisfied as a Christian, but to glorify God together in missions.  We are not meant to be cyber-Christians, but communal believers, that fuel our missions from our community.  
We are called to be "Missional Communities."  

Prayer:  Lord, help me to be with others to do your work together. 

6/2/13 Better when We're Together

Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

Thoughts: The passage above is a good indicator for why going to church is important.
1) Missions- doing God's work- two can do more than two individuals alone.
It is often pride that makes us do things alone- where we are in control.
2) Encouragement- when one falls down, someone is there to help them up.
Everyone falls sometimes- into sorrow/grief, into sickness, into sin. 
3) Keeping the warmth going- The Church can keep the flame of God alive in our hearts. 
4) For protection-   (two can defend themselves) in countries where persecution is common, this is important.  Sometimes we are called to stand back to back.  Christians can also stand up for doing what is right better together than alone.  
5) To keep the faith- together we are not easily broken.  The faith is stronger when we are together.  Always we are tempted to fall away from our faith.  

Prayer: Lord, help me see that it is better when we are together- as a church.  

Jack Johnson's song (not necessarily Christian- but a great message of love- which is the message of the church)

4/22/13- Working Together

Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
¹⁰ If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
¹² Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

Thoughts: When people work together, they have a better return for their work than if they work apart.  It is the magic of synchronicity.  It is the way God has designed things- we are meant to cooperate to get more done.  So one person nailing a board up all by themselves might have to hold the board, hold the nail, and hold the hammer- and it can end up with a black thumb.  But when two work- one holding and the other nailing, it goes faster and more efficiently.
     It is that way with the Lord's work too.  It is hard for one person to do mission work by themselves.  A missionary needs support back home, and those who will send them supplies and pray for them.  A roofer would do better with someone to bring them shingles up while they stay up hammering.  Together we can accomplish great things that could not be done individually.  We encourage each other along the way- and that helps our work to go further. 

(Preparing Thanksgiving meals for the hungry: one group fixes the turkey; another the dressing; another the vegetables; another rice; another fruit and desert; hundreds go through an assembly line preparing several hundred meals in a hurry.  Working together helps get a lot done. )