Church Without Walls

Sermon

“Church Without Walls”

Brian Mann

I want to talk with you tonight about what it means to be a church without walls. And how we become a church without walls. And what is the reality of being a church with walls. The bulk of our text tonight is from Joshua chapter 6. So if everyone could turn there Joshua chapter 6. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua. Here we have the amazing story of Joshua and the city of Jericho, and its enormous walls. To set the scene Joshua the Son of Nun had just led the 3million Jews into the Promised Land where Joshua proceeded to circumcise all the men of Israel at Gilgal. Once that had taken place they sat and tasted of the fruits of the land flowing with milk and honey for the first time. The manna has ceased and the journey into the Promised Land was almost complete. So they celebrated and worshiped God with a Passover celebration. Right after the Passover celebration the Commander of the Army of The Lord appeared to Joshua And we all understand that this is Jesus Correct” just for a little bit of knowledge any physical appearance by Christ in the old Testament is called a Theophony, and we will pick up the scripture again, the Commander of the Army of The Lord appeared to Joshua and said to him Joshua son of nun take off you sandals for where you are standing is Holy Ground, so Joshua took off his sandals and fell to the ground on His face and began to worship the Lord. And this leads us to chapter 6 and I will pick up reading from the Text.

Joshua 6

1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. {was...: Heb. did shut up, and was shut up}

2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.

3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.

4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. {flat: Heb. under it}

6 And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.

7 And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.

8 And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.

9 And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. {rereward: Heb. gathering host}

10 And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout. {any noise...: Heb. your voice to be heard}

11 So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.

12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.

13 And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.

15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.