Bella Vista Church of Christ

Randall Caselman

03/22/2020 A.M.

Comfort In Our Friendship With Jesus

Proverbs 18.24 & Ecclesiastes 4.9-12

Good Morning… And welcome!!...This is different… Preaching to empty pews… Thank you for joining us

Indeed...We are dealing with uncertain and uncharted times in our culture.

The whole world is focused on one thing... How to deal with the Covid-19 crisis.

Formost of us... It’s a time of... Concern…ANXIETY...Fear... Worry.

It’s become a time for uncompromising trust in God... And... A trust in one another.

Because we can’t gather in His presence...

• Genuine Christian Fellowship becomes a real issue...

• We need Him... We need one another...

• Our church family deeply depends upon authentic Christian fellowship...

• God created us with a need for one another...

• Isolation…Social Distancing… Are enemies to... One-anotherness... Togetherness Fellowship...

• Isolation is an antithesis to good Spiritual and Emotional health...

So... What we do is keep in touch with one another by whatever means possible...

• Phone...

• Texting...

• Email...

• Hold those in your own household especially close.

Church...When life tumbles in... When tough times come... We need a... Walking... Talking... Handholding... friendship with our father God and His Son.

We need to hold the hand of the One who can...

• Help us...

• Walk with us...

• Comfort... Encourage...

• And Support us.

In view of our current situation with this Virus... We need to be reminded every day of the friendship blessingS we have in Jesus.

With that in mind… Allow me to give you some Comforting Scriptures

That speak if His Presence… His Nearness… To each of us…

John 14.1-6... Here Jesus comforts His Friendship Circle… And those of us this morning.

Comforting thoughts.

Philippians 4.6-7... Tells us that our Peace comes from God.

1 Kings 8.35-40... Lets us know that our well-being is in God’s hands.

Psalm 23... Contains words of Comfort.

James 5.13-18… Tells us Prayer is our best, most effective tool.

Isaiah 26.3-4… Reminds us that our faith will see us through.

Please don’t just look at these Scriptures thinking... I know what they say... Go there!!

Go there asking God to bring both comfort & peace through His Word.

Don’t just look at them either... Read them... Carefully... Slowly... Meditate on each promise.

HisWord is to be internalized and applied to our current situation... JUST DO IT!... And God promises His Word will not return to Him void… It will have its intended effect... Amen?

Church... Our relationship with our Father God is much more intimate than… Our physical well-being... Our stock portfolio... This Virus… Etc.

However Scriptures do teach us to bring our… fears… Cares… worries… To our Father God... Jesus Did!!... And God worked all things for our Benefit...

• Our forgiveness...

• Our salvation...

• His personal indwelling within each of us.

And He will work in this Pandemic to our betterment... AMEN?

I mean… we are already learning some great lessons... Medically... Physically… Emotionally...Spiritually.

Let me rehearse what our Eldership has planned for the next few weeks...

• Live streaming a Sunday Devotional Service similar to this one...

• A Communion Service with appropriate Scripture and Thoughts... You can pick up communion supplies from the Church Office...

• A way to give has been posted on our website…

• Songs and prayers will be included as we decide how to best make this possible...

• We’ll be streaming encouraging devotional thoughts every couple of days through the week.

• Jeff has some discussion sheets that each family can use for family or small group Bible Studies... These must be emailed because they are copyright protected, thus can’t be placed on our website. Parents can adapt these to their child’s educational level. The Eldership has asked us to work on some children’s material... Jeff and Parker are working on this.

• Plans are being made for streaming a Wednesday Devotional along with a question and answer session.

• The Elders are asking Care Group Leaders to contact people in their group to see if they understand how to connect to these streaming opportunities… Or have other immediate needs.

Just remember church...

1) God is with us...

2) Check on others... Especially those who live in single households.

OK… Let’s get started…

Solomon says... There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

I wonder who this could be?

I think we know who it is... Don't we?

Consider some Scriptures that tell us Jesus is a very present Friend...

Matthew 28.19-20... Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit... Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you... Always... Always.... To the very end of the age.

John 14.23 has Jesus saying... If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him... And we will come to him and make our home with him.

Hebrews 13.5... Be content with what you have because God has said... Never will I leave you... Never will I forsake you.

1 John 3.24... Those who obey His commands live in Him... And He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us... We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

Psalms 118.6-8...The Lord is with me... I will not be afraid. The Lord is with me... He is my helper... It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.

No wonder David said with confidence... The Lord is my shepherd... I will fear no evil... Because He is always with me... and comforts me.

Read with me our text from Ecclesiastes chapter four...

Speaking of friendship... Solomon writes... Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend… HIS FRIEND… Can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also... If two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Let’s Spiritualize Solomon’s thoughts for our lesson…

Friendship with Jesus enables & empowers us

to comfort and encourage one another.

Solomon says... Two are better than one for they have a good return for their work.

Friendship with Jesus helps us with our everyday Christian walk with our Father God.

Hebrews 13 & Philippians 4 comfort with these words... May the God of peace... Equip you with everything good for doing His will... And may He work in us what is pleasing to Him... through Jesus. We can do all things through Jesus who gives us strength.

Listen... Especially during this time of Pandemic... If Jesus lays on your heart… A good deed... A kind word... A comforting note… To someone who is anxious and worried... Do it!... Don’t wait... do it Now... We must not quench what the Spirit places in our heart.

Friendship with Jesus guarantees us help when troubles come.

Verse 10... If one falls, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls with no one to help!

• When we have a fearful diagnosis... lose a loved one... Jesus walks with us.

• When we suffer a financial collapse... Jesus will help us work through it.

• Jesus is there for those who suffer ruptured relationships... He will heal the hurt.

• Jesus is there when we are lonely and depressed... He will lift us up… Comfort us… Give us a place to stand.

• Know this... Jesus walks among His people in this World-Wide Pandemic.

Listen to Paul from Romans chapter eight... Who...(WHAT)... What shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No... In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that... Neither death nor life... Neither angels nor demons... Neither the present nor the future...Nor any powers... Neither height nor depth... Nor anything else in all creation... Will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In Jesus... We find help in times of loneliness and discouragement.

Verse 11... If two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?

I don't know what it is like to be without a companion to help when I am discouraged.

• My Parents… Georgia… Family… Are my encouragement…

• You are my encouragement.

The IN CHRIST fellowship we have in this church family is special.

You see... When we rush to the side of a family member... We’re not alone!... We are not alone!... Each of us takeS Jesus with us.

Listen…

• When the hurt...

• The loss...

• Our disappointment...

• Fears and worries...

Are beyond our ability to fix... Jesus knows our heart... And He enables and empowers... us to supply just what is needed by those we’re trying to serve… Let Jesus… use you... USE Me!!

Friendship with Jesus will defend us

Solomon says... One may be overpowered... But two can DEFEND themselves... A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

When troubles come...

• I want Jesus with me...

• I want Jesus on my side...

• By my side.

For instance...

We need Jesus with us in times of temptation... Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted… He is able to help those who are being tempted. God is faithful... He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

We want Jesus with us in trials... In this you greatly rejoice... Though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith... Of greater worth than gold... May be proved genuine and may result in... Praise... Glory... and Honor when Jesus Christ is revealed... For you are receiving the goal of your faith...The salvation of your souls... For the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials.

We want Jesus with us in death... Then I heard a voice from heaven say... Write... Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on... They will rest from their labor... For their deeds will follow them.... Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin... And the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We want Jesus to stand beside us in judgment... My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate... One who speaks to the Father in our defense... Jesus Christ the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins... We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. In Him we have redemption through His blood... Even the forgiveness of sins... In accordance with the riches of God's grace, there is now... therefore... no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Three Strands Are Not Easily Broken… Three Strands…Whom might that be?...

• Me…

• You…

• God…

Can deal with this crisis… AMEN???

Remember Church...

Be Prayerful

Be Practical

Be Prepared

Be at Peace

For God is present and Walks with us.

Again I leave you with John 14.1 & Isaiah 26.4-5... Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me... For God will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in Him. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord… the Lord… Is our eternal rock... Amen and God Bless.