WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.000 They will be preached in English before but we can do it in the grace of the world. 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:14.000 In the year 1895 the war's independence began in the country where I was born. 00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:27.000 The Cuban people led by very brave men decided to fight and be free from the oppression of Spain. 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:39.000 One of the great problems that the Cuban faced in that war and delayed the victory was the lack of unity. 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:45.000 Each region of the country was represented by a male leader. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:58.000 They all wanted the same thing, freedom, but they always ended fighting among themselves. 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:17.000 They pride, they selfishness, and their desire for primacy did not allow them to be united and fight together. 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:30.000 Other regions started to fight among themselves. They fought more among them than against the real enemy that was Spain. 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:35.000 Something similar happens sometimes in the lives of the church. 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:50.000 We have so many things in common but very often our pride, our desire for attention does not allow us to come together. 00:01:51.000 --> 00:02:06.000 And we ended working in isolation and sometimes fighting. Then we failed in our mission as a church. 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:20.000 Unity, communion, and fellowship are battle in the crucial life and the body of Christ. 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:34.000 Tonight I would like to speak about some benefits of communion, fellowship, and unity, hoping that we desire and seek them. 00:02:35.000 --> 00:02:43.000 In the Holy Spirit Bible in Ecclesiastes chapter 4 verse 4, 9 to 12. 00:02:44.000 --> 00:03:11.000 Says the Bible in that chapter. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:20.000 Okay, if two lie down together they will keep one. But how can one be one alone? 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:31.000 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him and a threefold core is no quickly broken. 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:42.000 In this text we see some reasons for deciding and look for the Christian unity and fellowship. 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:50.000 First night, two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor. 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:55.000 The context of this passage has to do with work. 00:03:56.000 --> 00:04:08.000 When two people work together, advise and encourage each other at work, the result is greater. 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:17.000 The fruit of work will be greater when the effort is greater. 00:04:18.000 --> 00:05:01.000 In Matthew chapter 9 verse 37 to 38, the Lord was applying this principle when he said,"The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest, send out laborers into his harvest." God's plan for the Church and the Christian life is that we join forces and together advance the Kingdom, growing in the grace day by day. 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:15.000 The Christian life is not designed for isolation but for fellowship. There is no place for long-rangers in the Christian life. 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:29.000 Together we can do more. Together in companionship we can advance more and God gets all the glory, not all. 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:59.000 Verse 10, "For if they fall, one will lift up his companion, but who to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up." In Mark 6 verse 7 we see that the Lord called the Twelve and sent them out two by two. 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:11.000 In Luke chapter 10 verse 70, he sent out the seventy-two by two. Why did he do it that way? 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:22.000 If they had gone in the people, they would have reached more places, but that was not the plan of the Lord. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:34.000 Going two together, they could give each other encouragement and support, especially when facing rejection. 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:49.000 Our strength comes from God. He meets, but he meets many of our needs through collective work, through the Body of Christ. 00:06:50.000 --> 00:07:04.000 Caring the burdens of the alive marriage, children, work, church alone is not easy, it is exhausting. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:28.000 For that reason we see in Galatians chapter 6 verse 2, "Be on one another burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ." We must put our children under the burdens of the brothers. It's impossible, it's difficult to live the Christian life alone. 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:34.000 We need to take our burdens and share with our brothers in Christ. 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:48.000 In Exodus chapter 17, Israel was fighting against Amalek. When Moses lifted his rope, the people won. 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:57.000 But when he put them down because he was tired, Israel lost the bottle. 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:04.000 The Bible said that Aaron and Hur held Moses' hands. 00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:14.000 Let us always be ready to support the fallen arms of our family in Christ. 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:22.000 That's something that we need to do very often. Sometimes in the life we get tired. 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:35.000 But our children, our life, need someone that help us to continue in the Christian life because it's difficult to do it alone. 00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:44.000 Walking alone on our own is not only exhausting, but it's also dangerous. 00:08:45.000 --> 00:09:00.000 Some people think that because they are walking alone everything will be okay, but that's too dangerous because in the fellowship of the believers I can find help when I am going out of the way. 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:27.000 "S Let the right to strike me and let him rebuke me. It shall be as excellent oil." What a blessing when we are doing something wrong and we have a brother in Christ that calls us and tries to rebuke us and help us to go out of our sin. 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:32.000 If you're going by your way, who's going to help you? 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:44.000 We need the fellowship. We need the communion because we still struggle with sin and we need people ready to rebuke us. 00:09:44.000 --> 00:10:06.000 People ready to say to us, "Hey, you are wrong. Repent and come to the Lord." Having brothers and sisters to encourage me in my difficult times is a blessing, but it's also a blessing they can rebuke me in my sin. 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:15.000 Sometimes we love that people encourage us and give us some beautiful words. But what about when they rebuke you? 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:38.000 We need to have a humble heart, an open heart ready to accept my brother in Christ when he's trying to help me, not only show me love, encouraging me, but also when he's ready to rebuke us because of our sin. 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:43.000 We need that. That's something you can't have out of the fellowship. 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:54.000 Many good brothers have suffered the consequences of sin because they forgot this principle. 00:10:54.000 --> 00:11:06.000 One of the steps in the ladder of failing down is isolation. It is a go out from the fellowship. 00:11:07.000 --> 00:11:18.000 We need people around us ready to rebuke us. We need it every day because of our sin. 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:30.000 Verse 11, "If two light dial together, they will keep warm. But how can one be warm alone? 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:56.000 It's common at this time for travelers to sleep together when it was very cold. So being alone would not give the possibility of mutual warm." We need a lot of encouragement and exhortation in the face of the cold nights of the soul and of the darkness of life. 00:11:57.000 --> 00:12:42.000 Said the Bible, "Therefore comfort each other and edify one another just as you are also doing." Hebrews chapter 4, chapter 13, said, "Beware brethren, lest there be in any of you an able heart of unbelief in departing from the living God." And said the Bible 13, "But exhort one another when daily, every day." What a blessing when we are having a difficult time and a brother remembers us the word of Christ. 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:57.000 How sweet is Christ in the mouth of my brother! We need that brother. We need that people that remember us the Lord because our heart is so weak. 00:12:57.000 --> 00:13:07.000 This is a great benefit of Christian fellowship. It's something that we need very often. 00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:13.000 But it would not be possible if we want to go on our own. 00:13:15.000 --> 00:13:26.000 In our own way. So let's be more intentional and encouraging others every week. 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:33.000 Let's think of someone who needs our exhortation and let's do it. 00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:58.000 Think for a moment about the influence of Barnabas on Paul. When everyone was afraid of Saul, the persecutor, Barnabas, took him under his care, introduced him to the church leaders and helped him begin the work of the ministry. 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:04.000 This was something that Paul never forgot. 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:20.000 The persecutor, all the people were trying to escape and Barnabas took this bad man and invested time with him. 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:30.000 We need many Barnabas among us. We need believers willing to invest their time in others. 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:38.000 Believers willing to take their brothers by their hands and work with them during their affliction. 00:14:41.000 --> 00:15:18.000 Let us not be like the priest or the l Nowadays it's very easy to get involved with many things. There is movement everywhere. 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:27.000 But never forget that after your family, your brother in Christ needs you. 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:31.000 Here's your first ministry. 00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:42.000 Sir James chapter 1 verse 27. 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:53.000 To visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. 00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:59.000 Sometimes we are focused on the second part, but we forget the first one. 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:07.000 How important is being in attention of my brother, my people around me. 00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:15.000 It's a pure and undefiled religion before God says James. 00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:18.000 Verse 12. 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:26.000 One may be overpowered by another, 2k withstand him and a threefold core is not quickly broken. 00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:35.000 If an attacker was too strong for one, the two of them together could resist him. 00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:46.000 Although our greatest defense is in God, we can enjoy greater security when we are more than one. 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:56.000 The Roman army is very well known for the ability to organize and their formations. 00:16:56.000 --> 00:17:12.000 They were almost invincible in the Christian life, fighting against, seeing the flesh and the world alone, our own is planned suicide. 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:21.000 We must remain in formation. We must stay in the group if we want to resist the enemy. 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:27.000 Because the devil likes to put you in isolation to destroy you. 00:17:27.000 --> 00:17:31.000 He knows how strong you are when you are in the group. 00:17:31.000 --> 00:17:41.000 Let us remain united as family, as church. Let us move forward together. 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:54.000 In 2 Timothy 4, verse 10, the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, "For them as has forsaken me, having loved this present world. 00:17:54.000 --> 00:18:18.000 Only Luke is with me. Get back and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry." Luke was with Paul, but Paul wanted Mark to come as soon as possible for ministry. 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:31.000 Many good leaders burn out because they don't want to delegate. They want their name on everything. 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:40.000 They forget that two are better than one. That was not the case of Paul. 00:18:41.000 --> 00:19:02.000 Even when in the past he had problems with Mark, he bring him back to the ministry because he was useful. 00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:17.000 Are you ready for delegating work? Or just you want to do everything? Sometimes we get burned because we just want to have the primacy. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:34.000 Moses have the same problem. But remember, two are better than one. We don't need the glory to us. We don't want to be the main glorified man. 00:19:35.000 --> 00:19:56.000 The glory is to God alone. Many people ask me why has it been so difficult for the Cuban people in the present to defeat the dictatorship that has oppressed them for the past 60 years? 00:19:57.000 --> 00:20:22.000 The answer is simple. The communist government has been able to play with our pride, our selfishness, and has kept everyone apart, distressing each other so that the people do not be together as one and rise against them. 00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:28.000 They're very intelligent in this. 00:20:29.000 --> 00:20:45.000 Unity, fellowship. Communion in the body of Christ is so important. If there is a time where we are weak, it's when we are part in isolation. 00:20:46.000 --> 00:21:09.000 Church, we need each other. We need each other much more than we imagine. It is true that communion between sinners is difficult at times. It's true. But the blessings we receive from it are greater. 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:31.000 One of the most beautiful illustrations that Paul uses to refer to the Church is the illustration of the human body. Many members, all different, with different functions but united, dependent on each other. 00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:48.000 Church, we are the body of Christ. Remember that together we can achieve more. Together we can support and encourage each other. Together we are stronger. 00:21:48.000 --> 00:22:00.000 Let us continually seek the unity of the body of fellowship and the communion. Let us forget the little thing that weakened us and let us work together. 00:22:01.000 --> 00:22:12.000 The spiritual well-being of every family depends on how united we are. The mission field depends on our unity. 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:23.000 Sometimes it's sad to know that people are in the field sometimes working in a country so far from us. We're just fighting. 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:34.000 Knowing that people need encouragement, support, but just fight for just a little things. 00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:50.000 The harvest is ready. We have to remain united and forget the little thing that weakened us in the essential union. 00:22:51.000 --> 00:23:04.000 In preference, in secondary issues, we have freedom. But we focus on the unity we can have in the essential. 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:16.000 Let us throw off everything that hindered us, the sin that entangled us and let Rome united as a Church of Christ. 00:23:17.000 --> 00:23:24.000 Be united is so important. The communion, the fellowship is a blessing from the Lord. 00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:37.000 Together we are stronger. Together we can encourage each other. Together we can be ready to defy the enemy. 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:48.000 Together the fruit of the world will be more fruitful. So let's stay together united. 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:59.000 Pray one another and try to be checking every day of the people around me. How can we help them? How can we encourage them? 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:10.000 And let's continue advancing the kingdom as a body that we are. We are different, but we are the body of Christ. 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:19.000 And He's so beautiful when you see the body, how many different members we have, but when they work together, how beautiful. 00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:24.000 Let's pray. 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:33.000 Thank you for this night. And I pray, Lord, that we can be a Church united, Lord. 00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:38.000 That we can have enjoyed the blessing of the communion of the fellowship. 00:24:39.000 --> 00:24:56.000 Lord, forgive us the many ways we are so pride, we are so selfishness. Help us to encourage one another and be ready to heal our brothers in Christ. 00:24:56.000 --> 00:25:07.000 How important is the unity of the Church, Lord? So thank you for this Church and please Lord, help us to continue being one in Christ. 00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:11.000 Help us to deal with the little things that can divide us. 00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:22.000 There is a lot of we have in common that we can enjoy and we can advise the kingdom as a body united, nor divide the Lord. 00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:25.000 We pray the name of Jesus. Amen. 00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:25.839 Amen. 00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:35.839 [BLANK_AUDIO]