CHURCH COMMUNITY

A THREE STRAND ROPE Not Easly Broken Acts 2:42-47 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 A three-strand cord is a famous proverb from the Bible in Ecclesiastes 4:12 that means people are much stronger together than they are alone. Its interesting how the bible ties things together. It also says where two or three are gathered together in prayer, there I am with them. Speaking again of stregth in numbers.(Matthew 18:19-20) The bible speaks often of teamwork and the bond of friendship - if one person helping another one out, or who is down and finding a hard time getting back up. If someone is alone and is attacked by an evil person they can easily be overpowered. But if they have a friend walking with them the two of them can defend each other Then if you at a third person, another friend all of a sudden the dinamices have changed derastically. The bond of three friends standing together, becomes extremely tough to deal with. Faith and Marriage go hand in hand, if the couple does not have a strong faith in God and inly one of them is born again, this is not a good combination. God and the faith of both bride and groom must be present to make a good marriage. When doing weddings, I have used this phrase, "a cord of three strands" meaning God, Groom and the bride working together is a strong rope. With God as the head of the home, this type of team is unshakeable. Faith in God and Agape LOVE of God, and a true solid committment to one another, is three sticks of glue that will hold it all together. The enemy can shake the tree, but the fruit will not fall. The other elemnt of all of this three strans make a strong rope also relates to the church and community. The early church in Acts was a good example of this, they recognized the need for community (Acts 2:46). Just as Ecclesiastes also confirmed this truth: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 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” (4:9-10). The bible is very clear that there is strength in numbers that why a community that sticks together is so strong and stays strong through out the years. They do family "ies" together and they go to church together, or at least many of them do. These believers that are grounded in God's word bring and element to a community that makes it strong. Because God’s truth is believed and is supported through that belief a community and become strong and survive and thrive. Remembering what Jesus said is important that “where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20). I believe the weekly prayer meeting and bible study in the community was and is very important, it is to bad, we have gotten so busy, that a special element in the community has disappeared. When you find and see a community that is centred and built on the values Christ set forth, you will find a community that is able to “carry each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2), “pray for each other” (James 5:16), and “be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith” (Romans 1:12). So again we have a three strand rope or cord, Community, God and Faith, When I was young, my parents made me go to churchI can't say I always wanted to go, or was always ready to go. Sometimes on the way to church, somehow mom would find out that I hadn't washed my face or my ears. And being clean for church was imprtant, of there was water on the creek on the way to church, dad often had to stop, mom wwuld take out here hanky nad I would get my face washed or ears. I was always glad when there was water in the creek, because if there wasn't, I would get the dreaded, spit on moms hanky face wash and I hated that. Anyhow, I tell that story because my sunday school teachers and the pastors we had built the scriptures into my life and it gave me a love for the word of God, that I would nnot of had other wise. Also our church or community often had guest speakers, evenglists, singers and groups that came in to present the gospel to us, I always enjoyed those meetings. It always encourged me, in what God was able to do with a life when it was committed to Him. These special events alwayd stirred my heart and pointed me towards going and sharing the gospel as Jesus commanded in (Matthew 28:18-20). Some churches gain a title of being a warm hearted church, I can't say that is a title I would have given our church, but it fulfilled its mandate of giving the gospel to its people, althought it was flawed by human involvement, what I am saying it was not a perfect church, because there is not perfect church, because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But because of what I was taught in church and by my parents, I have continued attending church (even when it was hard to find the right one), and I’ve been encouraged and have grown in my faith as a result. And in my late 20's I answered the call to missions in Canada, and in my later years to Rwanda Africa. Just as we should today, the follower of Christ in His day also needed support and encouragement, we also need to be as they were and see the importance of meeting together on a regular bases with fellow believers (Acts 2:46). there is a reason they were called the Family Of God. were a Because together they built each other up as they done life together and served God together, being an encouragement to each other when the task became hard. When they met together for prsyer and to study the Scriptures,they praised God and glorified His name , I enjoy fellowship with other believers, and eating meals together on special Sundays, where whether you are able to bring something to share for food or not, you are awlays welcome to stay and add to the fellowship that happens around the food brought in. (v. 42). As a result, in the bible account, God caused their numbers to grow (v. 47). This type of living as a church, should also cause our numbers to grow. Today, it is hard to find a church that is teaching the word of God as the word of God. The bible says many will seek churches who wiill tickle their ears and they go on their matty way. But if you want a church that will tell you the truth as it is in the bible, they are few and far between in todays field of Chruches. But I want to tell you, it is vitally important to find a church family to help you stand during these last days. Friends, life is difficult to face on our own, and that’s why God gave us families, churches and communities. A church is a great place to build a family and a community. As the says goes, the family that does life together and prays together stays together. At times that does not seem to work because we mess up sonewhere along the line God is a forgiving God and continues to lead and to be in control, no matter if we mess up or not. I am very thankful for that. That why a church family and community are so important, is because there are so many out there who are alone, left to fight on thier own, with no one to pick them up when they fall. So find a chuch on who you can call and who can call you, and stand together, there are many out there who truly care about you and what s happening to you. Dear God, thank You for giving me a church family, that are seeking to follow you and your word on a daily bases. A place where I can learn more about You and be encouraged, to live according to your word. It is in your name I pray AMEN.