ARE YOU INVESTING IN SOMEONE?
Are you an investor?
We all invest in something: Stocks, Bonds, CD’s, and Real Estate
But, the only thing that you can invest in that will make it to heaven is people!
What America needs and what churches need is more people who are investors in people.
Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12 “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. . .”
People who invest in other people are the ones who truly make an impact in this world:
Bono of U2 Jerry Lewis (MDA) Princes Diana Mother Teresa
People that invest in people are the ones who really make a difference and we never forget them.
People who only invest in themselves live a very lonely life and never make a difference
1. PRAY FOR THEM (vs. 9):
Ecclesiastes 4:9 “Two are better than one…”
Two are better than one…
This verse is about 2 people
LIFE IS ABOUT OTHERS!
Jesus “I came not be served but to to serve others”
Jesus taught us to serve others
Life is far too brief to be simply spend it on just ourselves.
Naturally when we pray it is for ourselves:
Bless my life, protect my family, supply my needs
Q. When was the last time that you prayed for the success of someone else?
Evaluate your prayers…far too selfish…
“My Name is Jimmy & I’ll take all you gimmie!”
When do we pray for the success of someone else?
Godly success… “to be in the center of Gods will, blessing, joy, peace, influence.”
We need Gods success through our lives, church, work-place…
If you want a good return on your life spend it on others
No one is impressed with a selfish person – you will die a lonely death
Show yourself friendly…
Galatians 5:13 – Serve one another
Colossians 3:13 – Forgive one another
Romans 5:13 – Accept one another
Romans 16:16 – Greet one another
Galatians 6:2 – Carry one another
Romans 12:10 – Be devoted to one another
Romans 15:14 – Teach one another
Ephesians 5:21 – Submit to one another
Ephesians 5:20 – Encourage one another
Life is about others - God sent Jesus to die for others
Charles Plumb:
Was a US navy Pilot in Vietnam
After 75 combat missions his plane was destroyed by a surface to air missile
Plumb ejected and parachuted to enemy’s hands
He was captured and spent 6 years in a Communist, Vietnamese Prison
He survived the ordeal
and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience.
One day while sitting at a restaurant with his wife
a man came over from another table and said
“Your Plumb, you flew jet fighters in Vietnam
From the Air Craft Carrier Kitty Hawk, you where shot down
“How in the world did you know that” asked Charles Plum?
Well, I packed your parachute” the man replied
Plum gasped in surprised and in gratitude
The man high-fived Plum with enthusiasm and said,
“It guess it worked, I guess it worked”
“It sure did replied” Plum,
“If your chute hadn’t worked I wouldn’t be here today!
Charles couldn’t sleep that night from thinking about that man
I kept wondering what he might of looked like in a navy uniform
White hat, bib in the back and bell-bottom trousers
I wondered how many times I might of seen him and not even said
“Good Morning, How are you, How is your day going?” or anything at all
“You see I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor”
Plumb thought about many hours that sailor
had spent on a long wooden table
In the bowels of the ship carefully weaving the shrouds
and folding the silks of each chute
holding in his hands each time
the very life of someone he didn’t even know.
Here is the question: Are you busy packing someone else’s parachute?
Are you an investor…Do you invest in someone else?
Is your life about you and yours? Or about others!
How else to we invest in someone?
PRAY FOR THEM, AND
2. BELIEVE IN THEM (vs :10)
Ecclesiastes 4:10 “If one falls down, his friend can help him up…”
Not only do we invest by Praying, but by Believing in them.
All of us need someone who believes in us the way God believe in us!
NOTICE:
It’s after we have fallen that we need someone to believe in us!
The enemy comes along and whispers…
And you call yourself a Christian
God really doesn’t love you
Look at what’s happened
God is disappointed in you
Just look at how bad you blew it
It’s over…God can never use you again…
Don’t believe those lies!
A true friend comes along when we have blown it and:
Believes in you
Doesn’t step on you when you’ve fallen
Picks you up and reminds you that
God’s still loves you intensely
He’s not through with you
In fact he still has a great plan for your life
You’re not a looser
You’re a winner
You’re more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ!
CHURCH: Believe in people the way God believes in them!
A church that is going to make an impact is the one:
That comes along side of people that have been broken and beaten and bruised by the enemy and lifts them us and tells them that God loves them and he sent His son Jesus die for them and he loves them and has a great plan for their life!!!
We all need someone to pull for us!!!
Kids Playing Baseball - Looking into the stands for mom and dad, someone who believes!
Mom & Dad - Nobody does it like my son, my daughter
Everybody needs some one to believe in them
We need a cheerleader!
Where did we get the idea that we didn’t need a cheerleader?
Someone to pull for them,
Someone to encourage them
Someone to invest in them
Pray for them, Believe in them…and
PRAY FOR THEM, BELIEVE IN THEM, AND
3. STAY BY THEM (vs 11):
Ecclesiastes 4:11 “If two lie down together they will stay warm…”
All of us are going to face some cold times in our lives
Difficulties, embarrassments, let downs…cold time are lonely times
Psalm 142
Proverbs 17:17 “…a friend loves at ALL times, and a brother is born for adversity. . .”
We are surrounded by people all around us if the truth where known who feel like nobody cares
We need to be a people and a church that cares for people
Many churches are know more for their…
Fighting rather than their forgiving,
Criticizing/Care,
Tearing down/building up
Not his church…
We’re going to forgive
We’re going to care
We’re going to build
We’re not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sinners
We are all sinners saved by grace
PRAY FOR THEM, BELIEVE IN THEM, STAY WITH THEM AND
4. STAND WITH THEM (vs 12):
Ecclesiastes 4:12 “Two can defend themselves…”
We need each other!
We were not meant to be alone.
People need someone who will come along side and join them arm in arm in the fight.
Life is hard,
It is not easy,
bad things happen,
tough times come
but if we are standing shoulder to shoulder, locked arm in arm, we won’t fall
This is one reason why we need to come to church.
Paul/Timothy Mary/Martha David/Jonathan Ruth/Naomi
Moses/Aaron Elijah/Elisha Jesus/John
Lone Ranger/Tonto Batman/Robin Andy/Barney
Jackie Robinson – 1st African American in baseball -Brooklyn
Made a critical error
Humiliated -Booed Jeered spit at
Pee Wee Reese – Came over to second base put his arm around his shoulder
J.Robinson – “That saved my career.”
. . .TWO MEN SHOULDER TO SHOULDER BOTH LEGENDS!
PRAY FOR THEM!
BELIEVE IN THEM!
STAY WITH THEM!
STAND WITH THEM!
