The Power of Relationships

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>The Power of Relationships</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id227.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Perspective That Makes the Differenc"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id229.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Being Slow to Vow and Quick to Keep It"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Berean Bible Church, “The Power of Relationships” Ecclesiastes 4:1-16, September 30, 2001am</B></div> <bR> <div> <I>     </I>A "Ziggy" cartoon pictured the small, pudgy character, sitting alone in a boat, drifting toward a tunnel with the sign above, "Tunnel of Meaningful Relationships." Loneliness is a growing problem in our society. There was an ad in a Kansas newspaper. It read, "I will listen to you talk for 30 minutes without comment for $5.00." The person was serious. Did anybody call?  It wasn't long before this individual was receiving 10 to 20 calls a day. The pain of loneliness was so sharp that some were willing to try anything for a half hour of companionship.</div> <div>      We think we don’t need others – we can make it OK on our own, spiritually. Fear of opening up to problems with other people. We say, “If people knew the real me . . .” So we settle for surface relationships.</div> <bR> <div> <B>I. God places a high priority on good human relationships (vss. 7-12).</B></div> <div> Gen 2:18, “Not good for man to be alone.”</div> <div> A. Vss. 7-8 – The meaninglessness of life apart from relationships (Think Ebenezer Scrooge).</div> <div> B. Vss. 9-12 – Principle: More are better than one. Illustrations are given in the context of taking a journey (falling into a pit, being exposed to the elements alone on a cold night, facing bandits on the way) – you are better off not to travel all by yourself. This is true in life in general.</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. The main obstacle to good relationships is selfishness.</B></div> <div> A. Oppression (vss. 1-3).</div> <div> B. Lack of Caring (vss. 1-3).</div> <div> C. Envy (vss. 4-6).</div> <div> D. Laziness (vss. 4-6).</div> <div> E. Desire for Control – It is not about power and control, but relationships (vss. 13-16).</div> <bR> <div> <B>III. Get connected with others with a determination to benefit them.</B></div> <div> A. With believers: Encouragement. Accountability. Caring (e.g., elderly people who are alone). It goes both ways – we help meet other people’s needs, other people help meet our needs.</div> <div> (Small group, accountability partner, prayer partner). Matthew 18:20 says, “For where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” There is something powerful going on when we gather together in the name of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds,  not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”</div> <div> B. With unbelievers: Connect with people and share the love of Christ with them.</div> <bR> <div>      God places a high priority on good human relationships. Rather than selfishness, we should get connected to others with a willingness to benefit them. God has created us for meaningful relationships with others. Recognize the need. Take the risk.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2001, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>