The Glue That Binds Us Together

The Glue That Binds Us Together

Joshua 22:1-6

1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, 

2 and said to them: “You have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you. 

3 You have not left your brethren these many days, up to this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God. 

4 And now the LORD your God has given rest to your brethren, as He promised them; now therefore, return and go to your tents and to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan. 

5 But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” 

6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.

   The tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh had asked Moses for permission to settle the fertile lands on the east side of the Jordan River, lands that had plenty of grassy areas to graze their cattle on.  Moses’ one stipulation was that they had to send their armed men to help the rest of Israel fight the inhabitants of the Promised Land.  They were faithful to help in the battles and now, finally, the power of the Canaanites was broken and, although there were still Canaanites living in the land, the Israelites could live in relative peace.  Joshua released the fighting men of the two and a half tribes and told them they could go home. 

   Joshua spoke to them and gave them a pep talk before they left the camp and asked them to remember two things when they returned home.  He reminded them to obey God and His laws as recorded by Moses, and he also told them to share their spoils with the people who stayed behind.  These two reminders of Joshua are two important glues that hold our churches together.  All members must obey God and his commandments.  Loving God and being faithful to His Word are what makes us the church we are.  Loving God is the highest calling in our lives and has to be more than just talking or feeling.  Jesus explained that loving God requires that we obey Him and His commandments (John 14:15).  When the church is united in service to God we will be bound to each other by the same love.

   The other glue in the church is fellowship.  Fellowship is not just shaking hands and trying to remember each other’s names.  Sharing is supporting each other in all circumstances.  A meal or a card or a visit to someone hurting is worth a lot in that person’s life.  Developing a relationship with someone is not just sitting in the row behind them but actually getting to know them and spending time with them.  Sharing also extends to emotional level.  We need to cry together and to rejoice together.  Sharing covers the intellectual level also.  We need to study together and to learn together and to help edify the lives of others in our church. 

   Being a Christian is not a spectator activity.  It requires work and we need to apply ourselves to the task.  A person trying to quit a bad habit hears a lot about “lifestyle changes.”  What lifestyle changes do you need to make?  With the evil in the world today, it’s a dangerous place.  We, the church, need to stick together and work together and support each other so we can succeed in these trying times.

Stephen Cram                     June 5, 2011                      Colossians 2:8

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  Colossians 2:8 

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