In Return of the Jedi, the strike team that Han is leading on Endor separates. One group heads to the shield generator and the other goes looking for Princess Leia.
After arriving at the tree village and being untied, C3PO tells an abbreviated summary of the events of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. The Chief stands and makes a pronouncement.
C3P0 joyfully tells Luke, Leia, and Han, “Wonderful! We are now a part of the tribe.”
When we become believers, we become part of a tribe, the church. The church is the ekklesia, or “called out ones,” and the bride of Christ.
Jesus sums up the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15:7, saying, “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who need no repentance.”
We should be joyful to welcome a new believer into the family. There should be some celebration on earth since there is a massive amount of joy in heaven.
What did it take for them to become part of the Ewok tribe? They listened to C3PO’s story, and based on what they heard, they accepted them.
How does one become a part of God’s tribe? Part of the church?
It is through hearing the Word (Romans 10:14) and taking action on hearing the Gospel.
Romans 10:9-10 tells us that, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
There was nothing Luke, Leia, or Han could do to become part of the tribe.
The same holds true today, as Ephesians 2:8 tells us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”
