Covenant Series

I’m My Brother’s Keeper (Looking Out For One Another)

Scripture:

Acts 2:42-47 “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

Introduction:

As covenant partners, nothing is to be allowed to come between us. Our love for one another exceeds any that can be found in any other society of friends. Jesus said the unbelievers would recognize who His followers were by the love they had for one another. This kind of love pushes us into a relationship where we can depend on one another in any situation and we see ourselves as our brother’s keeper.

I. Being my brother’s keeper enables me more completely fulfill God’s will for my life.

A. I become better acquainted with God and His word as I receive what my brothers and sisters have to impart into my life.

I Corinthians 14:26 “How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.”

B. As we join together, each joint supplies and miracles take place.

C. Jesus authorized us to take the gospel to the whole world, and working together, we do a better job of it.

Acts 5:12-14 “And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,”

II. Being my brother’s keeper guarantees that neither one of us will be alone.

A. God said in the beginning that it was not good for man to be alone.

1, However we prize independence.

2. Our heroes: John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Lone Ranger - ALL LONERS

3. A lot of it came from the early days: Frontier Homesteading

4. In the beginning, "independence" was the word

5. Stake claim, built houses in the middle of the claim

6. No neighbors for miles

7. Pictures of homesteaders look crazy and ghostly

8. Isolation definitely took its toll on people

B. Look at what happens when a person is alone, even though they are involved in a great work.

Numbers 11:11-17 “So Moses said to the LORD, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You swore to their fathers? Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and do not let me see my wretchedness! ”So the LORD said to Moses: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.”

A. Moses loses the sense of his favored status.

B. Too much stress in his life.

C. Unable to deal with all the pressures of the ministry.

III. Brother’s keepers find the strength they need for every circumstance in life.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 “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.”

A. There is a working together for the accomplishment of the common goal.

B. There is a mutual support so no one ever has to be defeated or at least be alone when they suffer a defeat.

1. Fellowship involves picking your brother up, not kicking him when he is down.

2. If no fellowship, it gets harder and harder to get back up on your own.

C. We are able to keep one another on fire for God (Keeping Each other Warm)

D. We help to keep one another strong. (the three fold cord

E. As my brother’s keeper, I want to stir up his/her ministry and ability to love.

Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 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.”

IV. Because I am my brother’s keeper, I am going to watch out for him and do all I can to see him become all God has called him to be.

I Peter 4:8-10 “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God”