4. THE ABUNDANT LIFE
A.CLEAR CONSCIENCE,
B.COMMITMENT,
C.CONFIDENCE
D.CHEERFULNESS
E. COMPANIONSHIP
F. YOU CANNOT HAVE THE ABUNDANT LIFE
ALONE!
G.Gen 2:18 "And the LORD God said, "It is
not good that man should be alone; I will
make him a helper comparable to him.""
5. I. THE VALUE OF COMPANIONSHIP
A. Ecclesiastes 4:8-12 There is one alone, without
companion: He has neither son nor brother. Yet
there is no end to all his labors, Nor is his eye
satisfied with riches. But he never asks, "For
whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?" This
also is vanity and a grave misfortune. 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.
6. I. THE VALUE OF COMPANIONSHIP
B. Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, So a
man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
C. “To get the full value of joy you must have
someone to divide it with.” Mark Twain
D. “As ridiculous as it may sound, sometimes all
any of us needs in life is for someone to hold
our hand and walk next to us.” James Frey
E. When people are lonely they stoop to any
companionship. Lew Wallace
F. 1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: Evil
companionships corrupt good morals.
7. II. COMPANIONSHIP IN THE CHURCH
A.1 Corinthians 12:12-27 For as the body is one and
has many members, but all the members of that
one body, being many, are one body, so also is
Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into
one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves
or free--and have all been made to drink into one
Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but
many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a
hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the
body? 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am
not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not
of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye,
where would be the hearing? If the whole were
hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now
God has set the members, each one of them, in the
body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one
member, where would the body be? >>>
8. II. COMPANIONSHIP IN THE CHURCH
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one
body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have
no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I
have no need of you." 22 No, much rather, those
members of the body which seem to be weaker are
necessary. 23 And those members of the body which
we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow
greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have
greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have
no need. But God composed the body, having given
greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there
should be no schism in the body, but that the
members should have the same care for one
another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the
members suffer with it; or if one member is
honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you
are the body of Christ, and members individually.
9. II. COMPANIONSHIP IN THE CHURCH
B.1 John 1:1-7 "That which was from the beginning,
which we have heard, which we have seen with our
eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have
handled, concerning the Word of life; the life was
manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and
declare to you that eternal life which was with the
Father and was manifested to us; that which we have
seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may
have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with
the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these
things we write to you that your joy may be full. This is
the message which we have heard from Him and
declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no
darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with
Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice
the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of
Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."
10. II. COMPANIONSHIP IN THE CHURCH
C. John 17:20-21 ""I do not pray for these
alone, but also for those who will believe in
Me through their word; "that they all may be
one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You;
that they also may be one in Us, that the
world may believe that You sent Me."
D. 1 Cor 1:9 "God is faithful, by whom you were
called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus
Christ our Lord."
E. Heb 13:5 "Let your conduct be without
covetousness: be content with such things
as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will
never leave you nor forsake you.""
11. III. HOW TO HAVE COMPANIONSHIP
A. BE FRIENDLY - Prov 18:24 "A man who has
friends must himself be friendly, But there is
a friend who sticks closer than a brother."
B. PLEASE OTHERS NOT SELF - John 8:29
""And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father
has not left Me alone, for I always do those
things that please Him.""
C. ASSOCIATE WITH OTHERS - Heb 10:25 "not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as is the manner of some, but
exhorting one another, and so much the more
as you see the Day approaching."
D. LOVE OTHERS - 1 John 4:19 "we love Him
because He first loved us."
12. COMPANIONSHIP
A. WE NEED THE UNION OF COMPANIONSHIP -
Matthew 12:25 But Jesus knew their
thoughts, and said to them: "Every kingdom
divided against itself is brought to desolation,
and every city or house divided against itself
will not stand.
B. WE WILL BE KNOWN AS CHRISTIANS BY
THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMPANIONSHIP -
John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to
you, that you love one another; as I have
loved you, that you also love one another. 35
By this all will know that you are My
disciples, if you have love for one another."
13. DO YOU HAVE THE ABUNDANT LIFE?
A. CLEAR CONSCIENCE
B. COMMITMENT
C. CONFIDENCE
D. CHEERFULNESS
E. COMPANIONSHIP
F. NEXT WEEK - CHALLENGE