I hope you all had a good and worshipful Christmas. One of the most profound truths of the Bible, revealed in the Bible, is that man has been made in the image of God. And one of the most profound aspects of being made in God's image is that man, like God, is an intensely relational being. Man, like God, is an intensely relational being. Actually, relationships are almost quite literally at the core of God's character. And why is this? It is because God is Trinity. God is triune. Though there is only one God, he exists in three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each of these persons is God, yet they relate to one another in a real, satisfying, yet mysterious way. It is true that there is and there always has been full and loving fellowship of God with God in himself. Now that's a truth that we can't fully comprehend, yet it is revealed to us from the scriptures. God is relational even within himself. But God also relates to his creation. It's who he is. It can't help but relate to his creation, especially mankind. Mankind, in turn, was designed to relate to God, even to revere God and to love God. God created mankind to know God. This was a fundamental design of God, and thereby find joy, behold God's glory, and really have life. It comes from knowing God. But God did not just design man to relate to God. Man, as a relational being, was also designed to relate to his fellow man. and we see this quite clearly, presented to us in the record of creation itself. If you may remember in Genesis 2, after God created the earth and the animals and the vegetation, we hear God say this, this startling statement in Genesis 2.18. It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper suitable for him. I don't know if you've ever thought much about that statement, but at first glance, it doesn't actually seem accurate. God, what do you mean that Adam is alone? Doesn't he have you? Doesn't he have all the animals around him? How can you say that the man is alone? It is because God saw that Adam could not relate to someone who was the same as Adam, yet distinct. After all, the Trinity finds joy in a relationship of oneness and distinction, and God apparently wanted man to have that same kind of relationship. Thus God created another human, even a woman, and the first marriage. And Adam, when God brought the woman to the man, he testified, this is now, or this is at last, bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. Here's finally someone who's like me, yet different from me. Here's a true companion. Now, though Adam's first human relationship was also a marriage relationship, there is a sense in which his words, his testimony upon seeing his wife, are actually true of all of us. Because, let's face it, according to the scriptures, we are all from the same ancient parents. We are all family, distantly related, if we're human. We are then even the same bones in the same flesh. We are one. We're all the same, even though there's also an aspect of distinction. It is this commonality of humanity that allows us to have a kind of companionship with one another unlike with any other creature. This is God's design. We're designed for relationships with one another. But then what happened? What happened at the fall? Man sinned, rebelled against God, and brought a curse on himself and even his relationships. Man's relationship with God was broken. He no longer could be friendly with God or have the full fellowship with God. There was a separation there. But also, man's relationships were corrupted and broken. We see this in the first couple. Instead of helping and defending one another, the first couple drew one another into sin and then shifted blame. Fear, shame, and suspicion entered into their relationship so that the first couple, it felt like they needed to cover up themselves, even from each other, with fig leaf clothing. And God even foretold a curse on marriage such that instead of working together, husband and wife, starting with Adam and Eve, would be caught in conflict for control and for getting one's own way. Therefore, because of creation and the fall, humanity is caught in this sad, contradictory state when it comes to relationships. And we can see this in the world, and we can even see it in ourselves. We desire relationships, harmonious, fulfilling relationships with other people, at the same time as we actually, by sin and by selfishness, neglect damage, and even destroy those very relationships. We want the relationships, and yet we act in a way that destroys them. How about you this morning? Do you desire a better marriage? You want a more satisfying marriage, yet you find yourself frequently acting selfishly to the hurt of your marriage. And you even find yourself consistently blaming your spouse. You know why we have bad marriage. It's her fault. Or it's his fault. Has shame over current or past sins caused you to avoid meaningful relationships with others, even those who could help you and encourage you? Oh, I don't want them to know. I'll just stay by myself. Or have you started to believe today's common lie that asserts that real human relationships are not actually necessary? It can be replaced by social media, video games, movies, other entertainments, even work and wealth. Yeah, just pour yourself into your work. That'll be fine. You'll find satisfaction. I mean, who really needs other people, right? People are just trouble. Who needs them? Actually, you know what God says? You do. You need other people, and so do I. Yes, whether you consider yourself shy or not, whether you think other people really get you or not, you need meaningful relationships with other people in your life. Not only is this what God designed you for, designed all of us for from the beginning, not only is this actually commanded of us in Old and New Testaments, we just heard it in Romans, but also as we've been learning from King Solomon in his book of Ecclesiastes, life is just better if you do. If you want to be wise, if you want to be holy, if you want to be happy, then you must embrace the truth that life is better together. Better together with other people. Let's hear more about this teaching from King Solomon. If you haven't yet, please open your Bibles to Ecclesiastes chapter 4. Ecclesiastes 4 is where we will be continuing the topic that we began last time we were together in this book. The sermon today is Better Together Part Two. If you've been with us before in Ecclesiastes, you know that our author, King Solomon, is teaching us from this book how to live life best in a fallen world. This world is often frustrating, it is fundamentally vapor, but there is a good way to approach how to live it. In Ecclesiastes chapter 4, Solomon is taking up the topic of companionship, and he considers what life is like when you are alone and what life is like when you are together with other people. To refresh ourselves in this teaching, let's reread the whole chapter. Ecclesiastes 4, verses 1 to 16. This is the Word of God, Solomon speaking by the Spirit of God. Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold, I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them. On the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them. So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun. I've seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind. The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. One handful of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind. Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. There's a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches, and he never asked, and for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure? This too is vanity, and it is a grievous task. Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together, they keep warm. But how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction. For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. I've seen all the living under the sun thronged to the side of the second lad who replaces him. There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind. To remind you, in this chapter, King Solomon presents for us five crucial lessons on companionship so that you and I will realize that this difficult and vaporous life is lived better together. We looked at the first three more negative lessons last time together. What life is like without companionship. We saw in verses one to three that number one, the comfortless life is miserable. As Solomon explained, there is terrible oppression and suffering in the world, but though one often cannot escape these hard circumstances in life, one can bear them better if you have comforters around one. We saw also in verses four to six, number two, that the jealous life is miserable. Solomon observed that so much striving in the world is merely people endlessly trying to outdo one another or to obtain for themselves objects that their neighbors currently enjoy. A wise person exits this vain rat race, not through indulgent laziness, but in contented work that also takes time for rest and for people, for relationships. We finally saw in verses seven to eight, number three, that the miserly life is miserable. It's very easy in life to sacrifice relationships for the sake of work or wealth. Supposing that there will be some lasting gain from these things, Solomon shows us that there is no lasting gain in work or even in wealth. The truly wise person will enjoy his work and wealth in a better way, and that is by sharing them with others. We'll make sure to take time for others, even in those pursuits. But there's more. Two final lessons from Solomon on companionship so that we will realize this difficult and vaporous life is best lived, is better lived together. These last two lessons are framed in a more positive way. They detail what life is like when you do have companions, and we'll see what each of those are as we move through the text. The fourth lesson, it appears in verses nine to 12, and it's our first new lesson for today. Number four, a cooperative life is better. A cooperative life is better. Let's start again just with verse nine. Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. Here really is the center of the whole teaching on companionship in this passage. Solomon has been hinting at this truth before, but now he comes right out and says it. It's better not to go through life alone. Two are better than one. I should note that verses 9 to 12, maybe you've heard of this passage before, they're often considered in a marital context. Because two are better than one, you should get married. What are you waiting for? Well, marriage is one application of this passage. Solomon is not strictly speaking about marriage here. He's just talking about companionship in general, which can be marriage, or it can be family relationships, or even simple friendship. Actually, verses 9 to 12, they lay out a series of advantage illustrations all within the context of one large metaphor. And that metaphor is life is a journey. Life is a journey. We all have to journey through this hard and uncertain life to whatever comes next, to what is coming next. And since we're all taking the same journey, why not travel together? There are many advantages to doing this. And the first advantage illustration that Solomon brings up for us has to do with productivity, which is what we see in verse 9. Notice the phrase, The two are better because they have a good return for their labor, Solomon says. They have a good return for their labor, or that word can also be translated toil. We've seen that in Ecclesiastes many times already. Solomon says, if you work together as you journey through life, as you travel, even in your painful and difficult tasks, you get more out of your toil than if you worked alone. And this is something that I think we readily acknowledge as true, right? It's something we can verify, even by our own experience. Many hands make light work, the saying goes. And not just because everybody's contributing their energy to the same project, but when you have more than one person, you can actually do the work more efficiently. Consider bucket brigades. Don't see these too often anymore. But a bucket brigade is a kind of human chain where a bucket of water or many buckets of water or some other liquid, they're passed from hand to hand of a whole bunch of people who are just standing. You just pass the bucket from one person to the next. And this is a way of transporting water from one location to another. Maybe you need to put out a fire or something. Now, an alternate mode of transporting water would be to have each person run to the source of water, fill the bucket, and then run back to wherever the water needs to go. That is a way of cooperative work, but it's less efficient. You have people taking needless steps, expending needless energy. To truly take advantage of cooperative work, you can just create a human chain and move the water more efficiently. This is part of the benefit. This is part of the good return of the cooperative life, greater productivity. But that's not the only benefit. That's not the only part of the good return. There's also a great benefit in morale. Because sometimes when you do a task with others, or actually, characteristically when you do a task with others, you can encourage each other, you can congratulate each other, you can commiserate with each other, or you can simply just talk to each other to pass the time and to build your relationship. This is something you can't do alone. This gives you a better return for your labor. The task becomes more enjoyable, you're more motivated to complete it, even if the work itself is boring or painful. One illustration of this, my wife Emma and I, she was in the earlier service so she's not here now, but we often do our Costco shopping together. Technically we don't both have to be there, I mean one of us could go and the other person could stay at home and you might argue that's more efficient, you know you can get some things done at home, yeah Emma why don't you just go take care of things at Costco. We found that, I don't know, Costco shopping isn't the most enjoyable. It can get kind of stressful at times, especially if there are a lot of people there. We find it's more enjoyable when we do it together. So we often do. This is true about work, right? Solomon is directing us to consider, you're all on a journey through life, metaphorically speaking. You all have to walk, find water, gather wood, make food, pitch your tent. A lot of this work is hard or even monotonous. There is a good return for cooperative labor. Why not go through life together, travel together? Solomon gives another advantage illustration in verse 10. Look at that again. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Solomon gives a further explanation of the good return that the cooperative life brings. This time, that benefit is increased resilience, ability to get back up after a fall or a setback. Thinking again of the traveling metaphor, you can imagine the different kinds of dangerous terrain a traveler might encounter. When traveling by foot, one could easily slip on ice or gravel. You could trip over unseen rocks or roots, or can even fall into a pit. How valuable a companion would be in any of those situations. Companion can prevent you from falling as you begin to lose balance. You reach out your hand, your companion can steady you. Or if you do fall, your companion can raise you back up from the ground and brush you off and treat your injuries. Companion can even rescue you if you fall someplace where there's no way to get yourself back up. He can get you back up or he can go get help and rescue you. And as Solomon lays it out here, there's a reciprocal nature to this relationship. He's not only willing to do this for you, but he knows that you're also willing to do this for him. That's what companionship truly is like. It is a commitment to one another, not just one all giving, but a commitment both to each other to help. But how pitiful is the one who has no companions. Notice Solomon says here, woe. Woe to the one who has no one to lift him up. Woe is a statement of great lament or even curse. Alas for the one who falls and has no companion to raise him. And why is this? Well, again, picture the journey metaphor. Traveler slips on gravel, and because there's no pair of hands to stabilize him, he falls and cuts himself on the ground. Or because there's no extra pair of eyes to spot the jutting roots or the low-hanging branches, this lonely traveler's collection of bruises just keeps on increasing, as does his pain. And should the traveler fall into a pit, well, he's probably done for. He's not able to get out himself, and there's no one to pull him out. Woe indeed for the one who travels without a companion. Now is Solomon talking about literal falls and rising up in life? Well, that is one application. But this is just an illustration of what companionship does in general. When you have a setback or you experience discouragement or you fall into sin, a true companion can help raise you back up. For example, you experience a great reversal in life, a tragedy, and it seems like hope has just disappeared for you. A companion can walk with you through the tragedy, mourn with you, but also show you the gentle love of God and direct you back towards that love. or you blow up in frustration at your kids, a companion can help recenter you and even guide you in the right way to confess and repent before your children. You fall into the pit of sexual immorality. Mature brother or sister can lift you back out and direct you and instruct you in the forgiving and transforming grace of Christ so that you can be free. But woe to the one who has no one to lift him up. You don't want that to be you. And you don't want that to be any of your brethren. Life is better together, because companions can lift each other up after a fall. Next advantage of illustration appears in verse 11. It's somewhat similar. It focuses on comfort, the comfort that comes in companionship. Verse 11 says, furthermore, if two lie down together, they keep warm. But how can one be warm alone? Hearing this verse about lying down together may make you think of the marriage relationship or sexual union, but that's not the main picture here. Actually, traveling in ancient times, and even today, it often required that one make certain practical arrangements to stay warm. Often in arid parts of Israel, it would get pretty cold at night. So travelers would lie down next to each other, even close to each other, to help stay warm with their mutual body heat. And if a traveler had no companion, but at least had an animal, he would lay close to the animal. Because again, staying warm is essential. Same is still true in some situations today. I remember one of my brothers telling me about his training experience in the US Army. Part of the training required that the team of soldiers demonstrate that they know how to survive in the wilderness, even in the cold. And so his group was left out a few days in the wilderness by themselves. And they did various things to survive, but one of them was that at night, the soldiers slept very closely with each other. These are grown men. I think they were all men. And it may have been a little bit awkward, but they knew we need to stay warm. So we're going to sleep next to each other, even very close. This is what Solomon is talking about. Having at least one travel companion means that on cold nights, you can keep each other warm so that you can survive and be less miserable. Notice again that Solomon contrasts this with the lonesome traveler. He asks, but how can one be warm alone? That's a rhetorical question. The expected answer is, can't, really. The lonely traveler will suffer on cold nights. And if the situation is serious enough, he will freeze to death. You will die for lack of warmth. Now again, is Solomon only speaking practically about foot travel here? No, this is again a description of what companionship does in general. Life will have its cold fronts. It's times where you could really use comfort and warmth. You're gonna face difficulties, tragedies, temptations, A wise one will face these times with companions and not alone. Only a sad fool would face the cold by himself, needlessly suffering and even risking his spiritual health and life just to stay isolated. A final set of advantage illustrations appears in verse 12. Look at verse 12. And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. These final illustrations demonstrate the increased strength and protection that comes via companionship. Because traveling alone in the ancient world was dangerous. not just because of environmental hazards, but because of wicked humans. Bandits and raiders, they preyed on those who traveled alone, as Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan illustrates. Thus, caravans were common in the ancient world. People who didn't even know each other at first, they would choose to travel together just for safety. Strength in numbers. Marauders are much less likely to attack a large group than a solitary person. And even if they do attack, a group has a much greater chance of being able to fend them off than a man or a woman alone. Now, friends, we will face many threats and attacks in life. Sometimes physical, but often not. More often verbal, social, and spiritual. Sometimes we will have to stand alone, as Christ did, as Paul did, and God will give us the grace to stand in such a situation like that. But if we can help it, if we are able at all, we are not to stand alone, but stand with companions, stand with brothers and sisters in Christ. We'll be stronger that way. We'll be able to encourage one another to stand firm. You know, I often think about the Armor of God spiritual warfare passage in Ephesians 6, verses 10 to 20. You know, it's famous. The metaphors of the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit. Pastor Bob even mentioned it in his prayer. These metaphors are very picturesque and memorable. But all too often, I think we imagine that the battle is completely individual. It's just me against Satan and all the demons. I've got the armor, I should be good. Well, the truth is that in the ancient world, and again, even today, a soldier fighting by himself against the enemy would almost always be overcome. Even the Roman legions, with their amazing discipline and advanced equipment, they only functioned well when they fought together as a unit. If a soldier strayed from the main battle line and became isolated, he would be easily picked off by archers or by javelins or even by a spear thrust from the direction that the soldier wasn't looking. You can't defend on all sides when you're by yourself. But when a whole line of shields and swords are presented together against an enemy, The enemy often is not able to find a weak point and is beaten and has to retreat. All this to say, brothers and sisters, that if we want strength and protection for life, and in particular spiritual strength and protection, then we need companions. We need each other. We therefore need to stop living as lone rangers and stop pushing away by sin and selfishness the people who are really supposed to be our friends and allies. I don't need those other people in the church. I was hurt by that one guy, and I don't even need him anymore. No, he's supposed to be your ally, and you're supposed to be his ally, and you're supposed to stand together against sin and the evil one. We need each other. You need me. I need you. We all need one another. This actually is part of the body metaphor that is frequently used in the New Testament. You are one body in Christ if you know Him. You are members of one another. You're not going to function well alone. It goes against the creation design. It goes against the redemption design. Notice the last phrase in verse 12. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. I'm grateful for this phrase because otherwise we might think that Solomon is teaching that two is the magic number. Hey, two's good, three's a crowd, you need to go away. We're already a pair here. Actually, Solomon uses the fabric illustration to demonstrate that the more reinforcing threads you have, the better. The point is not that you just need one companion, you need companions, plural. A New Testament would say you need the church. You need every other member of your local church, and they need you. So don't be that Christian couple that scoots in and out of church and doesn't really cultivate relationships with anyone. If two is good, more than two is better. There is strength in numbers, not just in your own marriage or family, but also in your church. This is our calling as Christians, brethren. This is what we're commanded to do in the Old Testament and the New Testament. But as we're seeing here, it is also the good and happy wisdom of God. That's what's so amazing about this book of Ecclesiastes. He's telling us to do the same things he commands us to do in other places, but the way he's looking to speak to us here is by persuasion. This is for your good. Don't you want this? It's wise. Life is better together. Don't you see the benefit and wisdom of it? If you do, the question is, will you yield to it? Will you actually live in such a way that reflects that truth? Will you take time to cultivate relationships? Will you open up to people? Will you allow people to open up to you? Will you lay aside your self-centered desires? Lower your own commitment to your own interests so that you can take interest in others? Again, that's what Philippians commands us to do, but he's telling us here, it's wise if you do. If you will live life together with others, you will bless them, you will honor Christ, and you will be blessed too. Solomon plainly is showing us the cooperative life is better. But is the cooperative life ultimate? Popular culture would have us believe that companionship, especially romantic companionship, is the greatest good in life and even what life is all about. Yeah, if you can just find that one, that special one, your soulmate, find and have a relationship, even get married, well then you will be complete. You'll be able to handle anything in life. You'll live happily ever after. Solomon, with his next lesson, he preempts this kind of thinking with some kind of sobering words about companionship. This is in verses 13 to 16, our final lesson, number five, the cooperative life is still vapor. The cooperative life is still vapor. That is to say, while a good gift Companionship is not ultimate. It cannot be all that you hope it otherwise might be. As good as any relationship is, it won't last forever because of death. You won't find a perfect relationship, and even if you could, it wouldn't last. Before we look at verses 13 to 16, notice again that last phrase in verse 12. It says, Notice that Solomon does not say that this cord is invincible. Actually, he admits with the way he phrases that, that this cord can still be torn. It can still be ripped apart if put under sufficient strain. It is stronger than a single cord. It's still better, but it's not invincible. This accords with what Solomon's about to say in these last verses. Let's read them all together, actually. Verse 13. A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction. For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him. There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind. This last section is a little bit difficult because of some ambiguity in the pronouns. I don't know if you noticed in just my reading of the New American Standard there, but for instance, It's not super clear who the he is in verse 14. Is it talking about the king or the lad? Or even the phrase, the second lad who replaces him, there's a little bit of ambiguity there. Some interpreters believe that this last section actually involves three characters rather than two. You have an old king, you have a lad who replaces the old king, and you have a second lad who replaces the first lad. That's possible. There is some ambiguity even in the Hebrew. I do think, though, that the best interpretation is that there are only two characters here, an old foolish king and a young wise lad. Now the other question that might be in your mind is, what does this have to do with companionship? And the connection is a little subtle. I believe it all has to do with the great contrast between those two characters. The lad is wise because he does what the king is not willing to do. And what is that? He will not receive instruction. Literally, he does not know how to take a warning. Where does that come from? Other people. The king is refusing to gain any help from his companions, but the lad, he takes the help from the companions around him and is therefore wise. This is one of the great benefits of companionship, good counsel, and it's talked about in the book of Proverbs extensively. A wise person will gain the benefit of counsel via companions, wise companions, And notice that in this story, taking counsel has an amazing benefit for the lad. Just because he has companions, just because he has good counsel, what happens to him? He goes from being a poor person to being king of the land. And by contrast, the king who refused the help of companions, he went from the throne to being dethroned. He was foolish. Now is Solomon talking about historical persons here in these verses? Does he have someone in mind from the Bible? Some people suggest that he's talking about David and Saul, or maybe Joseph and Pharaoh, or even young Solomon versus old Solomon. But none of those interpretations entirely fits with the details of this story. It's possible that Solomon is talking about some historical persons that we don't know of, or maybe he's just telling a parable. It is certainly true the principles that are being demonstrated in this story. Consider the great benefit that this lad has via companions, via counsel. He gains an entire kingdom. He also gains the support of the whole people. I mean, notice how emphatic the description is. Verse 15, I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him. I mean, that's pretty comprehensive support. Wow, companionship is really great. But now notice verse 16. There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him. What's Solomon saying here? Again, the Hebrew term's a little difficult, but I think the idea is, hey, people come and go. There's no way that you can know them all or please them all. It may be that as soon as you get to know them and please them, they're gone and replaced by somebody else. Consider, what will happen to this young king in the future after rising to the throne on this tidal wave of support? Well, Solomon tells us in verse 16, eventually people are going to get tired of him. They'll start placing their hope in the next king. Even if this young king does a good job as ruler, some people still won't like him. They won't care. And when this king dies and is replaced, people generally are not going to remember him or remember him fondly. He'll become old news and the people will move on. This is why Solomon concludes this story and even this whole section with, for this too is vanity and striving after wind. That's a pair of phrases we keep on seeing throughout Ecclesiastes. You remember that the word for vanity, as it is here, is the Hebrew havel, meaning literally vapor or breath. Striving after wind, that's the epitome of vain and unprofitable activity. He says, this too, everything that happened for this king, even the great benefits of his companionship, it's still vapor. It's still vapor. Do you understand what Solomon is saying? Companionship does make life better. It is a gift from God. It's helpful, it's enjoyable, it can even turn a poor lad into king of the land. But companionship doesn't last forever. And neither do you. And neither do the benefits that you obtain via companionship. Whatever gain companionship might bring you, it's not ultimate. You will not find ultimate joy or deliverance from death or an immortal legacy via companionship. So don't look for too much out of your companions. I sometimes hear this. People complain, oh, he's not everything I wanted him to be, or she's not everything I wanted her to be. I wish she would just be like this. Because then, this is not usually stated, but then it'll be perfect. I'll be fulfilled. We'll have that ultimate relationship. No, you won't. You'll never find that perfect person, that perfect relationship. And even if you did, it wouldn't last. And whatever benefits the companions might bring you, whether it's one companion or it's multiple, it can't overcome death. It can't give you ultimate gain. Be wise. Seek out companions. Listen to your companions. Be a good companion, first of all. Enjoy and give thanks to God for the companions that you have for as long as you have them, but don't look to them for ultimate gain. Remember that you're not home yet. You're still traveling. You're on a journey through this passing and vaporous world to what comes next. You have companions for a time, but then we all have to move on. Now what comes next for you when you finish this journey of life? The answer to that question depends on whether God has become your companion again. As I said at the beginning, the fall not only broke relationships between humans, but it also broke humanity's relationship with God, even for each one of us. We became rebels against God, committed to our own way rather than His way. And if we don't turn from that, if our relationship with God does not become friendly and peaceful again, then He will destroy us as enemies. His just judgment will come down on us because He is a holy God. He's patient with us often during our lives, during this journey, but it will come. It will come at the end of our lives. But God did something amazing. It's even what we've celebrated most recently, in that God sent his son into the world to become one of us, to become human even while remaining fully God. The Son of God, Jesus of Nazareth, through his life, death, and resurrection, he became a perfect friend, even a savior for those who believe in him. He was able, because he was God, he is able, to stand before God on our behalf. But he's also able, because he is man, to actually represent us and say, these are with me. These men, women, and children, they're my family. Accept me on their behalf. That's what Jesus did. By his death on the cross, Jesus suffered the wrath that our self-centered lives and sin deserve from a holy God. He paid it all himself for those who believe in him. And he then gave those persons his righteous life, his record. so that when God looks at us, those who belong to Christ, he sees the righteousness of his son. And he says, well, of course, they are justified. They are acceptable in my sight. Their sin is paid, and they have the righteousness of Christ on them. Jesus proclaims that if you repent of your sinful and self-seeking way and believe in Christ as Lord and Savior, that you will be rescued from the wrath of God once and for all. You will gain eternal life, and you will gain God as your God, as your friend, as your treasure. This is the most important thing that all of us need to do. We need to be restored in relationship with God. We need to have God be our soul's companion and savior. But having done this, if this is what you have truly done, you say, yes, I have repented and believe and I belong to Jesus now. Well then, make sure you follow through. You must then return to God's original design for you and the rest of mankind, which is what? Loving relationships with one another. It is inconsistent for someone to say, yes, I am at peace with God. I love God. But I am not at peace with my fellow men. No, I don't really care about them. I don't really need them. I'll just live alone. 1 John 4 verses 7 to 8 says, 1 John 4, 7 to 8, Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God. And everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. This is what we were designed for from the beginning. We were created for relationships. This is what is good for us. This is what makes life better. But you know what? This is what we cannot do until we have been made right with God. You're not going to be able to have peace, to have harmonious relationships, ultimately, until you are harmonious again with God, because you still love yourself. You're still Lord of your own life. Therefore, you will always find yourself in conflict with others, because they get in the way of you and your rule as king. You must repent and be restored to God, and then follow through by repenting and being reconciled in your human relationships. This is your calling. This is what you must do. But also, it's how you will find blessing. That's the teaching of the Lord's Word in this passage. So do you believe it? Do you believe it to the point where it can actually be visible in your life? To the point that when people look at you, they say, yes, I can tell that that person cares about others. He makes people a priority. Can people say that about you? A changing of the year is a great time to think about how we're going to regard others in our lives. Proverbs 18.1 says, he who separates himself seeks his own desire. He quarrels against all sound wisdom. Do you hear that very poignant statement? Do you separate yourself in such a way that you quarrel with your own salvation profession? And do you also quarrel with the wisdom of this passage? Yeah, yeah, life is better together. But yeah, I don't have time for people. Don't you see the contradiction in that? Are people truly your priority? You say, no, no, don't have any time. I gotta work so much, and oh, I'm so tired from working, I just gotta, I gotta veg for a little bit, and then, well, no time for people, no time for my family, no time for my church, no time for unbelievers who are perishing without the salvation of God. We need to make people a priority. Life is better together. Now, maybe someone will say, but Dave, COVID. COVID prevents me from living life together with others. You know I can't apply this passage right now. Friend, that's not true. You may have to apply this passage in a different way with more concerted effort. But you can and if you want to be wise you must heed the call of this passage even in the midst of COVID-19. This may mean accepting some reasonable level of risk even in meeting together with others in person. Now here at Calvary, we've tried to make reasonable steps to make the fellowship of the church safer. And we want to continue to improve in that as we can. Yet we know that we're not omnipotent, we're not omniscient, we're not God. We cannot fully guarantee physical safety. But consider the needs of your own soul. And consider the needs of the souls of your brethren and those without Christ. How can you obey the calling from your Lord in the scripture to practice the commands of love and of serving one another when you never talk to them, when you never see them, when you never spend time with them? Didn't Jesus say, if you love me, you will keep my commandments, and in this way they will know that you are my disciples if you love one another? How is that being manifested when you just isolate yourself? Even secular scientists and statisticians are noting the toll that isolation amid COVID-19 is making on the inner man of people around the world. There's great suffering in being alone. We weren't meant for that. That goes against our creation design. That goes against the church's design. It goes against wisdom. We need each other if we're going to run this race, if we're going to fight this battle, if we're going to complete this journey well. We need each other. So however you need to do so, whatever adjustments you need to make, whatever extra work you have to do, make spending time with people, developing relationships, serving others, priority. Let me also give you this charge, this specific charge. For some in the Calvary family, it's very hard for them to spend time with people or to cultivate relationships. I think about our sister Carol, who's in a kind of forced isolation, or others who maybe have serious underlying health conditions. Proper application of this passage is for isolated persons to reach out. to seek out fellowship. But another proper application is for those who are not isolated to go seek out those who are alone. You say, ah, but you know, it's their responsibility. If they want to come, then they'll come. Remember what our Lord did, the good shepherd. He lays down his life for the sheep, even the ones who are lost and straying by themselves. They should have stayed with the group. They shouldn't have strayed, but you know what? He goes after them, and he's glad to do so, and he calls us to do the same. That's what the end of James says, right? Let anyone know that if he goes after a brother who is straying and brings him back, let him know that he has saved his soul from death and has covered a multitude of sins. We've got to go after those who are alone, even who are alone because of their own sin. Our Lord is pleased to go after us. Let's go after our brethren who are alone and encourage them and help them and develop relationships with them. Remember also this promise from Christ, that whatever one does for the least of his brethren, you do for him. And whatever one does not do for the least of his brethren, you have not done for him. Jesus says, you won't lose your reward if you serve your brethren because you're serving me. Let's take hold of that. may better together be like a New Year's resolution for us here at Calvary, like a motto, even a battle cry. We don't know what the Lord has for us next in 2021. Will it be better? Will it be worse? Who knows? God knows what the sojourn is going to look like, but we do know this from his scripture, that it will be better if we do it together. So let's do that. And the Spirit will help us to do that. Let's pray. Lord, thank you for this word. Thank you that you've given us the companionship in the body of Christ. Thank you, Lord, for becoming one of us to be, even though you are God, accessible and sympathetic to a level we could have never imagined that God would also take on humanity. Jesus Christ, this is amazing. This means that we really can be close with you, even as you are so different from us. Thank you for your companionship, but Lord, help us to embrace your design for companionship together. Lord, help us to excel still more in this. Thank you for how we are reaching out to one another, but help us to do this more and to show your love, which you have shown to us. Lord, we thank you also. Even as this life is short and our companionship is limited, we look forward to the day when Companionship will be restored in your kingdom when you raise up all those who perished in Christ so that they can be with you and be together again. Wow, what a reality to look forward to. But Lord, during this journey, help us, help us to love one another as you've called us to and as simple wisdom dictates. In Jesus' name, amen.