Give Me This Mountain

GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN

Josh. 14:6-15

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: SPEAK SLOWLY

1. A honeymooning couple was passing through Louisiana.

2. As they approached Lafayette, they started arguing about the pronunciation of the town’s name. They argued back and forth until they reached town, where they decided to stop for lunch.

3. As they stood at the counter, the man said, “Before we order, could you please settle and argument for us? Would you very slowly pronounce where we are?”

4. The guy behind the counter leaned over and said, “Burrrrrrr gerrrrrr Kiiiing!”

B. DO YOU HAVE SPIRITUAL GOALS?

1. We frequently have physical goals:

a. Make it through college

b. Get a job... get married

c. Get a car... A house

d. Attain financial security

e. Be productive, etc.

2. But God's goals are different than the goals we have:

a. He wants us to "grow up" in Christ

b. He's concerned about our character formation.

c. Romans 8:29, "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed into the image of His Son..."

3. May God help us to want to be like Christ Jesus! Discipleship is the process of becoming like your Master. Are you becoming like Jesus?

C. TEXT

27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.” 30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” Num. 13:27-31. “1 All the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 6 Joshua…and Caleb…tore their clothes 7 and said…9Do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us.” 10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Num. 14:1, 6-10a.

6 [45 years later] Caleb…said to him[Joshua], “You know what the LORD said …when…I brought him back a report according to my convictions, 8 but my brothers…made the hearts of the people melt with fear. I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly. 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever.’ 10 “Now then, just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years…while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” 13 Then Joshua…gave him Hebron as his inheritance.” Josh. 14:6-13.

D. THESIS

1. We have the contrast here of Caleb and Joshua, who believed that God could use them to change the world, versus the other 10 spies who were intimidated by the appearance of the world’s dominance.

2. Caleb and Joshua knew the God that overthrew Egypt and that opened the Red Sea. It wouldn’t matter if there’d been a million giants and only one Jewish boy to fight them; God could beat them all with one hand tied behind His back!

3. There the People of God stood at the entrance to the Promised Land. It was all that they could’ve ever wanted. They’d come from slavery in Egypt and wandering in a barren wilderness.

4. Imagine them looking over the Jordan River and seeing that new land; it was a beautiful dark-green; hilly, and filled with wonderful, abundant fruit. And God said their names were on the deed. All they had to do was go in and possess it.

5. This morning we're looking at what characteristics made Caleb achieve God's greatest goals for his life? He became one of only two men in his generation to enter the Promised Land. How did he do it?

6. Title of this message, “Give Me This Mountain!”

I. CALEB HAD MORAL COURAGE

A. DIDN’T FLOAT WITH THE CURRENT