Sticking Together

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.”

John 15:17–20

In 1754, Benjamin Franklin’s newspaper, the Philadelphia Gazette, published what is considered to be the first political cartoon in America. It was still more than twenty years before the American Revolution, but already divisions and disputes among the colonies were creating serious issues. The cartoon showed a snake cut into eight parts, each labeled for a colony or region of the country. Below the snake was this caption: “Join, or Die.” It graphically highlighted the importance of unity in the face of difficulty. Franklin expressed the same sentiment just before the Declaration of Independence was issued when he said, “We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

Christian love and unity are always important, but never more so than in times of opposition and persecution. It was in the context of the hatred they could expect to receive from the world that Jesus told the disciples to love each other. As we see persecution and animosity more and more directed against those who are remaining true to what the Bible teaches, we should do more than ever to build strong relationships within the body of Christ. The love that we share and express and demonstrate will be a vital resource when severe tests arise. By sticking together we encourage each other and maintain the strength to hold fast to the truth.

Today's Growth Principle
The struggles of life should drive God’s people closer together rather than driving them apart.

Old Testament Reading

Numbers 35-36

CHAPTER 35

¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, ² Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them. ³ And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts. ⁴ And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about. ⁵ And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities. ⁶ And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities. ⁷ So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs. ⁸ And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.

⁹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ¹⁰ Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan; ¹¹ Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares. ¹² And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment. ¹³ And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge. ¹⁴ Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge. ¹⁵ These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither. ¹⁶ And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁷ And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁸ Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁹ The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him. ²⁰ But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; ²¹ Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him. ²² But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait, ²³ Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm: ²⁴ Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: ²⁵ And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil. ²⁶ But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; ²⁷ And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood: ²⁸ Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession. ²⁹ So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. ³⁰ Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. ³¹ Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. ³² And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. ³³ So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. ³⁴ Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.

CHAPTER 36

¹ And the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spake before Moses, and before the princes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel: ² And they said, The LORD commanded my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters. ³ And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then shall their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and shall be put to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall it be taken from the lot of our inheritance. ⁴ And when the jubile of the children of Israel shall be, then shall their inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.

⁵ And Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the LORD, saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well. ⁶ This is the thing which the LORD doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to whom they think best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry. ⁷ So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. ⁸ And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers. ⁹ Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance. ¹⁰ Even as the LORD commanded Moses, so did the daughters of Zelophehad: ¹¹ For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married unto their father's brothers' sons: ¹² And they were married into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father. ¹³ These are the commandments and the judgments, which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

New Testament Reading

Mark 10:1-31

¹ And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again. ² And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. ³ And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? ⁴ And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. ⁵ And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. ⁶ But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. ⁷ For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; ⁸ And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. ⁹ What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. ¹⁰ And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter. ¹¹ And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. ¹² And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

¹³ And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. ¹⁵ Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. ¹⁶ And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

¹⁷ And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? ¹⁸ And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. ¹⁹ Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. ²⁰ And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. ²¹ Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. ²² And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. ²³ And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! ²⁴ And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. ²⁶ And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? ²⁷ And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. ²⁸ Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. ²⁹ And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, ³⁰ But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. ³¹ But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

Proverbs Reading

Proverbs 6

¹ My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, ² Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. ³ Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. ⁴ Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. ⁵ Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler. ⁶ Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: ⁷ Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, ⁸ Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. ⁹ How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? ¹⁰ Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: ¹¹ So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. ¹² A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. ¹³ He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers; ¹⁴ Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord. ¹⁵ Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy. ¹⁶ These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: ¹⁷ A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, ¹⁸ An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, ¹⁹ A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. ²⁰ My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: ²¹ Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. ²² When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. ²³ For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: ²⁴ To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. ²⁵ Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. ²⁶ For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. ²⁷ Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? ²⁸ Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? ²⁹ So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent. ³⁰ Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; ³¹ But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house. ³² But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. ³³ A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away. ³⁴ For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. ³⁵ He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.