Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
5 sermons cite this verse
… When you go out with somebody else, it provides encouragement. Solomon said in Ecclesiastes, two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor. If one falls down, the other can help up his companion. Woe to him who is alone when he falls. He has no one to help him up. So to provide mutual encouragement, first of all. But number two, according to the law of Moses, a testimony was only confirmed by two witnesses. So they would go out according to Deuteronomy 19 and to provide encouragement. So two by two. Before we move on to the next stage, I want you to notice the pattern in verse 7 because I think it's a pattern that we should follow. He called the twelve to himself and, second part, began to send them out two by two. That's the pattern that we should follow. We come to him, we learn from him, grow in him, discover gifts from him, and then at some point we're sent by him. …
… alone. Proverbs 27, 17 reminds us, as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Ecclesiastes 4.9 says, two are better than one. If either one of them falls down, one can help the other up. I read an article from the Harvard Women's Health Watch, and I always read the Harvard Women's Health Watch. No, I just came across it. And it said, quote, dozens of studies have shown that people who have satisfying relationships with family, friends, and their community are happier, they have fewer health problems, and they live longer, end quote. And that's so true. Because God has wired us that way. And this is where the church comes in, you see. Because the church is an oasis of hope and a desert of hopelessness. And that is why every one of us needs to be a part of the church. You'll be happier when you're a part of the church, and you'll even be healthier when you're part of the church. Physically, Time Magazine did a cover story with the headline, Benefits of Faith and the Church. And here are their observations. Heart surgery patients who draw comfort from their faith have a significantly higher survival rate than those who do not. …
… This was me. Two are better than one. This is Ecclesiastes 4. Because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But here's where I was. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Nobody could help me up because nobody knew how hard I had fallen. nobody could fight with me and fight for me because they didn't understand what kind of fight I was in and so fresh life here's what I'm gonna say to you let's be careful and I say us I'm one of you okay I'm one of us church people let's us church people not not get too good at church hugs you say what are you talking about I know it's a weird statement I know I meant it to be weird because I want you to remember it let's not get too good at church hugs because see if we're not careful, church will become a place where we come to pretend we're a little bit better than we actually are, right? And I got to remind you, Fresh Life, you know this, but I got to remind you, this is not a Christian country club. This is a hospital. We don't come here and pretend we don't have any issues or problems. This is where we come and go, this is how I'm hurting. This is how I'm broken. Can I lock arms with some believers until I can see the great physician? …
Somebody say, fit in protection. Two are better than one, because we have, watch this, 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. Again, two are better than one. They will keep you warm. But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. A threefold cord is hard to be broken. Here it is real quick. Solomon gives us four amazing things according to this scripture. Fitted in protection. He said when you're fitted in protection, there'll be reward for your labor. That's the first thing. Reward for your labor. You got somebody laboring with you. One writer put it like this. If you see a turtle on top of a pole, you know he didn't get there by himself. Can I tell you, you will never reach your fullest potential in God by yourself. …
… be brought together as husband and wife. For the Bible says in Ecclesiastes chapter 4 verse 9, two are better than one. And that is so true. So I want you to think about what I'm going to call the divine design. The divine design. Now God made by design the difference in the sexes. And He did this for purpose. And He tells us what the purpose is. Go on over to Genesis chapter 2 and look if you will at verse 18. Genesis chapter 2 and verse 18. And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone. Now He had created all of these things and He says, It's good, it's good, it's good, it's good. Everything God created He would say, That's good, that's good, that's good. And then God made man and He said, That's not good. He said, It is not good that man should be alone. I will make him and help meet for him. And right there my dear friend in that verse you have the divine design. You have why God created male and female. And let me give you the three reasons very quickly. First of all for companionship. It is not good that man should be alone. None of the animals could satisfy the hunger in Adam's heart. And not even God Himself. Adam, think about it, it's incredible. Adam had a face-to-face relationship with Almighty God in the Garden of Eden, and yet that could not satisfy the deepest need that Adam had. And so God created …