Together
Junior Level

Introduction:
Today’s lesson focuses on believers being together and lifting one another up in the love of Christ Jesus our Savior and King.  Together we are much stronger against the temptations of the enemy.

Handout:  Together

Outline:

1. We hear the saying often that two heads are better than one.  However, also in these days we also hear a lot about independence.  Independence can be a good thing to a certain extent.  Sadly, some people take it to a point that they decide they do not need anyone and they include God in that.  This is wrong.  In the lesson today, God will show us that he created us as interdependent beings that that we need him as well as one another.  We as human beings were not created to be totally independent.  God created us in his longing for relationship.  He wanted family.  That meant a whole world that would depend upon him as the creator.  God longs for his children to depend upon him and trust him.  He also gave us our families and friends to depend on at times.  We are expected to be available for our loved ones as well, for them to depend upon us at the times when they need to.  We also know and understand that our Father is our main source of strength and we depend on him more than anyone or anything.  We need God and we need one another.  Depending on another does not make us weak, it is just a fact of life.  God meant it that way.   

Genesis 2:18 “And the LORD said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.”

God knew that he and Adam would be together in relationship, but he also knew that Adam needed another human being to be around and to have relationship with as well.  That is why God created Eve.  Adam and Eve would relate on a much different level than Adam and God would relate, and they would also be the beginning of many more sons and daughters that would create God’s family.   God also knew that together, humans would be a support and strength against evil.  Reading in Genesis about the Creation, we see later on that evil does show itself through temptation.  Satan uses the serpent to tempt Eve to disobey God.  The serpent tempts Eve and she takes of the forbidden fruit that God told them not to eat and then she goes and gives this fruit to Adam and he eats.  The serpent was very crafty.  Notice that he waited till he got Eve alone before he tried his tricks.  Had she and Adam been together, it would have been harder for the serpent to convince them to do wrong.  Together human beings are stronger than when we are alone.  When we have someone to help us fight or to help us carry our load or burdens, we are stronger and we last longer.  God even says this in his word. 

Back in the book of Genesis when the people band together to build the tower to reach heaven.  They were doing the wrong thing, but God saw their unity and determination and how together they would be able to accomplish anything.

Genesis 11:6 “And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and not anything will be restrained from then, which they have imagined to do.” 

2.   There is power in togetherness, in unity. 

Matthew 18:19  “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.  20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

It is so important for Christians to come together in love and to edify one another and life one another up in the love of Christ. 

Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

We understand that there are times that we need to be alone, with God that is.  We get alone with him to listen to his voice and meditate on His words.  However, we are commanded to be accessible to one another and to help one another with lives troubles and burdens.  Satan loves to wait till we are alone to enter our minds and whisper lies of evil to us.  He knows that if we will just listen and give him some time, we are more apt to fall.  However, if we stay with God’s people, focusing on the Lord, it is harder for him to get us to listen.  Also, if we are tired and need rest, he knows that he can get us while we are down, but if we have a brother or sister to help us carry the load, we are stronger and therefore can say no to the enemy.

Galatians 6:2 “ Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

We are put here to serve the LORD and that means to serve others too.  We band together against satan and work together for the LORD and we are made stronger in unity by the power of the Holy Spirit.   

God is always with us.  However, sometimes he wants us to depend on others as well as let others depend upon us.   Remember in the Bible, the book of Exodus, chapter 17, the children of Israel were in battle and as long as Moses held his hands up, Israel would prevail or win, but every time he let his hands down, Israel would begin to lose the battle.  After such a long time though, Moses, being only human, he got tired and his hands became heavy.  Let us go to the book of Exodus and find out what happens. 

Exodus 17:10 “So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.”  11.  And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.  12.  But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon: and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.  13.  and Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.”

God could have just killed the enemy and all would have been well.  However, that isn’t reality, and we are here on the earth living and breathing and growing.  Learning the things that God would have us learn.  Those things come by struggle a lot of times.  The warriors of Israel depended up on Joshua to lead them in battle and to victory.  Joshua depended upon Moses to keep his hands held high so that they would win the battle.  Moses then had to depend upon Aaron and Hur to keep his hands held up when he was tired.  Aaron and Hur was depending on God to help them win.  The were all depending on God…He is the ultimate strength, but God also wanted them to depend upon each other, working together as a team to conquer the enemy.  There is power in togetherness and unity. 

1. There may be times when God puts us in a place of being alone so that we will be alone with him.  Sometimes, he wants us to take time away to just be with him.  To cut out all other distractions and fellowship and just focus on Him and his word, to just spend time talking to him and listening for his voice in what he would have you do or say or what he wants to teach us.  Sometimes, there are battles or mountains in life that we must bear alone without the help of another brother or sister in Christ, but hallelujah we are never fully alone.  He is with us always.  We do not have to be afraid when the Father sends us to do a task.  He will never lead you to do anything unless he gives you the strength and means to get the task complete.  We depend upon him for that.  Joshua was to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land.  There would be hard times and battles; but God told him, Joshua, don’t be afraid.  I’m with you where you go.   Hallelujah if God be for us, who can be against us.

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded thee?  Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

The wonderful Holy Spirit that comes to dwell in us when we accept Christ as our personal Savior in faith will always be with us. 

John 14:17 “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.  18.  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

4.  Praise God we are never alone.  There is strength in being together with the Holy Spirit, be it only with him, or with other brothers and sisters in Christ.  Get together with your loved ones and people that love you and the LORD.  Worship the Father together and fight the good fight of faith, ever praying one for another and being kind to each other even as Christ loves and is kind to us.  Not only are we to love one another, but we are to love one another as Christ loves us, serving one another in the love of Christ.  That bond will keep us strong against the enemy and we can make the journey a little easier and more pleasant. 

Ephesians 4: 2 “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;”

There are so many scriptures that teach us to love one another and to be a support to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s look at some of them.                     

John 13: 34 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  35.  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Romans 12:10 “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.”

Romans 13:8  “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”

Galatians 5:13  “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”

1 Thessalonians 3:12 “ And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.”

1 Thessalonians 4:9 “But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write to you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.”

Hebrews 10:24 “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

1Peter 1:22 “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

1 John 4:12 “No man hath seen God at any time.  If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.”

5.    So we see there indeed is power in being together.  I’m so thankful that we as children of God will never know what it’s like to truly be alone because we have one another and we have God’s Holy Spirit dwelling in us.  PRAISE HIM!
 
6.    Take a moment to discuss the people in each student’s life that God put there for them to depend on and walk the journey to heaven together, and that they are thankful to God for.

7.    Remember to live to serve others in love and humility this week.

8.    Prayer

Activity:
Have each student to say a few words of edification in the love of Christ about another student and something good about them that is unique.  No one can pick the same person.  The person each student picks, is the person they will say special prayers for everyday during the week.  Let us practice loving one another with the love of Christ Jesus that is in us.

Discussion:    We are never alone!

      Matthew 28: 20 “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.  Amen.”

Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Prayer:
Dearest Father…
How worthy You are to be praised.  There is no other like You nor will there ever be.  We worship You Father.  We come to You today in the name of Jesus.  We thank You that You love us and that You made a way that we will never be alone.  Thank You Father for our families and our brothers and sisters in Christ and that we can help each other along the way according to Your will.  Help us to always fully depend upon You and know that You are the main source for our strength, comfort, joy, peace, and love.  We know that without You, we are nothing and that we need You so much.  Thank You for all the gifts of love You provide us with each day, even when we are unaware.  Help us to always be thankful and to go out and serve others in love and in the humility of Christ so that they may be lifted up to You in love.  Lead us and guide us in the ways that we should go.  We will forever love You, worship and praise You …In Jesus’ Sweet, Holy; Lovely name we  pray…AMEN.

~*Cindygirl*~
(July 5, 2008)