Be Faithful (Strong & Courageous)

Sermon Brief

Date Written: May 14, 2014

Date Preached: May 18, 2014

Where Preached: OPBC (AM)

Sermon Details:

Series Title: Recognition of Graduates

Sermon Title: Be Faithful (Strong & Courageous)

Sermon Text: Joshua 1:1-9 [ESV]

TEXT:

Essence of the Text: Joshua is challenged to be faithful in his service and walk with God. . .

Essence of the Sermon: We too are challenged to be faithful in our service and walk with God. . .

Applicable Objective of the Sermon: The hearers will:

Know God is with them

Know they are called to be faithful in their Christian walk

Know God is with them in this walk, take courage and be bold no matter the opposition

Know that God’s word is the key element in having the bold spirit and courageous heart to serve God in this world

Introduction:

Courage and boldness are terms and characteristics we reserve for heroes. We think about the brave men and women of our Armed Forces and how they go out and lay their lives on the line every day...

We think about the men and women of the our police force who protect and serve and do their best to keep our city streets safe for all of us… they lay their lives on the line every day…

We think about the men and women of the Fire Dept, who brave dangerous situation to save the homes of total strangers, laying their lives on the line to help others!

We think about the missionary on the international mission field who is serving in a country where Christianity is illegal and if they are caught, their lives are in danger for serving God. They lay their lives on the line to bring the Gospel to the world…

But when you think about ‘bold & courageous’ do you ever think about YOURSELF? This monring I want us to take a look at a character in the Bible who WAS bold and who WAS courageous, but I believe he NEVER really thought those were his traits!

Turn with me to the book of Joshua 1:1-9 (ESV) READ ALL VERSES HERE – SHOW ON SCREEN NOW – FOLLOW ME AS I READ!

1After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, 2“Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you & all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4From the wilderness & this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6Be strong & courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7Only be strong & very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day & night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, & then you will have good success. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong & courageous. Do not be frightened, & do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Now Moses had died… Moses was an ENORMOUS figure in the Jewish nation. He was iconic in nature. He had been to the mountain and had fellowshipped with God…

Moses had been God’s instrument to challenge Pharoah and to lead the people out of slavery! Moses had stood bravely before the most powerful man in the world – Pharoah and courageously spoken the Word of the Lord!

Joshua had been his right hand man for a long time, but now Moses was gone and God was elevating Joshua to the leader of the nation. In this passage God comes to Joshua and gives him encouragement that HE is God’s chosen leader for the nation.

So often we discount our own roles in service to God. We think to ourselves, “what can I do?” “who am I in God’s plan” … we put ourselves down by thinking “I am a nobody” or “who is going to listen to me?”