A successful journey is not measured by the number of milestones along the trail, but the loving relationships.
How pleasant when brethren dwell together in unity.
Don't abandon friends on the path to success.
By this shall all men know you are my disciples, because you love one another.
Do not sound the death knell to friendship.
Love one another.
Dwell together in unity until the final dinner bell.
Do Not Sound The Death Knell To Friendship.
Love One Another.
Dwell Together In Unity Until The Final Dinner Bell
BELLS ARE USED TO DRAW PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR VARIOUS EVENTS.
Boxing Events (where one man gets beat up).
BELLS ARE USED TO DRAW PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR VARIOUS EVENTS.
Boxing Events (where one man gets beat up).
Stock Exchange (where lots of men get beat up).
Fire Alarms.
Dinner Time.
Weddings, Births, Deaths.
Weddings, Births, Deaths.
School Time, Church Time,
New Years (ring out the old and ring in the new),
Funerals.
Years ago bells announced to the community the deaths of citizens, this was call the Death Knell. During epidemics the city or church bell would ring for each person who had died that day.
GOULD BELLS ARE RINGING
This weekend the Goulds are celebrating major events and changes in their lives. A graduation from high school, a birthday, a college degree and a marriage anniversary. All very significant.
Most Bells are rung to celebrate joyful things, but there is also the ringing of the Death Knell.
DONNE
The preacher, John Donne, almost 400 years ago, used the imagery of the Death Knell to address the interconnectedness of man:
"All mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated...As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come: so this bell calls us all: but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness....No man is an island, entire of itself...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
Sometimes man's interconnectedness is broken, either by death, distance or decision.
THE BIBLE
God addressed the interconnectedness of man, both in the negative and positive relationships.
1 Corinthians 15:33-34
33 Be not deceived: BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD MORALS.
Proverbs 13:20
20 He that walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Proverbs 9:6
6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
Proverbs 18:24
24 A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.
EVENTS ARE NOT AS IMPORTANT AS PEOPLE
Bells are rung at the places where life changes take place. We think of MILESTONES as the EVENTS that measure our ADVANCING and CHANGING LIVES. But we need to make sure that the changing events in our lives are not accompanied by the sounding of the Death Knell to old and valued relationships. New Milestones should not become Headstones for Friends and Family. Success is not measured in money or degrees, but in relationships.
MILESTONES... LIFE MARKERS
COMMON MILESTONES...
Events such as:
First word, first tooth, first step, first day at school, first date.
Winning a ball game, winning a recital, winning an award.
Getting a job, graduating from high school, going to college. Getting engaged, getting a degree, getting married, having a child.
Sometimes these are defining moments in our lives, defining our history and our approach to the future.
These milestones do not just record our transition from one event or level to another.
They record the relationships that brought us to where we are and will take us to where we are going.
Some milestones start new relationships (friends, foes, family).
Some milestones end old relationships (destructive, distance, death, direction).
Do not let the Bell Toll for those who have brought you good things or have brought you to good things.
People have sacrificed for you, they have poured themselves into you, they have helped form you.
No Man Is An Island. No man is totally separate from everyone else.
Years ago bells announced to the community the deaths of citizens, this was call the Death Knell. During epidemics the city or church bell would ring for each person who had died that day.
GOULD BELLS ARE RINGING
This weekend the Goulds are celebrating major events and changes in their lives. A graduation from high school, a birthday, a college degree and a marriage anniversary. All very significant.
Most Bells are rung to celebrate joyful things, but there is also the ringing of the Death Knell.
DONNE
The preacher, John Donne, almost 400 years ago, used the imagery of the Death Knell to address the interconnectedness of man:
"All mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated...As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come: so this bell calls us all: but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness....No man is an island, entire of itself...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
Sometimes man's interconnectedness is broken, either by death, distance or decision.
THE BIBLE
God addressed the interconnectedness of man, both in the negative and positive relationships.
1 Corinthians 15:33-34
33 Be not deceived: BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD MORALS.
Proverbs 13:20
20 He that walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Proverbs 9:6
6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
Proverbs 18:24
24 A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.
EVENTS ARE NOT AS IMPORTANT AS PEOPLE
Bells are rung at the places where life changes take place. We think of MILESTONES as the EVENTS that measure our ADVANCING and CHANGING LIVES. But we need to make sure that the changing events in our lives are not accompanied by the sounding of the Death Knell to old and valued relationships. New Milestones should not become Headstones for Friends and Family. Success is not measured in money or degrees, but in relationships.
MILESTONES... LIFE MARKERS
COMMON MILESTONES...
Events such as:
First word, first tooth, first step, first day at school, first date.
Winning a ball game, winning a recital, winning an award.
Getting a job, graduating from high school, going to college. Getting engaged, getting a degree, getting married, having a child.
Sometimes these are defining moments in our lives, defining our history and our approach to the future.
These milestones do not just record our transition from one event or level to another.
They record the relationships that brought us to where we are and will take us to where we are going.
Some milestones start new relationships (friends, foes, family).
Some milestones end old relationships (destructive, distance, death, direction).
Do not let the Bell Toll for those who have brought you good things or have brought you to good things.
People have sacrificed for you, they have poured themselves into you, they have helped form you.
No Man Is An Island. No man is totally separate from everyone else.
God planned it this way.
God planned for our lives to be intertwined, interactive with each other.
He intended for each one to help others reach their full potential.
God gave us Family and He gave us Church to meet certain needs in our lives. It is through the Family and Church that we contribute to the development of other people's lives.
WE WILL EITHER BE...
We will either be a Stepping Stone or Stumbling Block;
We will either be a Help or a Hindrance;
We will either be a Blessings or a Burden.
THE DEATH KNELL OF FAILED RELATIONSHIPS
Failed relationship are often due to neglect, such as, failed academics or failed endeavors. Usually these failures are accompanied with excuses and blame shifting.
FAILED RELATIONSHIPS are often due to neglect and left on the trash heap of life. It is one thing to have a failed relationship because someone else has failed or left us on the trash heap, but it is another thing to dump someone else for our own selfish purposes. To do that is FAILURE.
B.J. Thomas had a song that pointed out we should Use Things and Love People rather than Love Things and Use People.
Success comes to those who pursue it and make the necessary sacrifices. Relationships succeed because we make the necessary choices.
Don't ring out your friends as you go from one life event to another.
Don't ring the death knell on your God given relationships as you pursue your dreams.
People are the treasures, not the passing events and accomplishments.
The Psalmist said,
Psalm 133:1
How beautiful and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.
Jesus said,
John 13:35
By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, because you love one another.
Love one another.
Love one another.
Dwell together in Christian unity.
Guard your treasures until the final Dinner Bell is sounded for the whole family to come together in heaven.
