How Will We Cross Over To The Promised Lands?

Joshua 3:7-17 How will we cross over to the Promised Lands?

1. Questions Israel will ask, How are we going to get across to the Promised Lands? This is what the Israelites are wondering. : "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4Then you will know which way to go, . Moses is dead now who will part the sea? Joshua is the son of Nun but he is not Moses Why are we crossing? Consider what is there “For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass” (Deuteronomy 8 v 6-14).

2. Israel will be lead across to the promised lands by new leadership because God is always calling. . -- Moses is dead but there is always God, who calls. In this case it was Joshua

-- When God calls God also promises consider the promise to their new leader Joshua. "This day I will . begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel," God said, "so that they may know that I will be with you as I was with . . . Moses" -- The old generation was ending but a Joshua generation was beginning The Joshua generation

3. How will Israel cross? Israel will cross into the Promised Lands by listening to God Joshua says, "Draw near and hear the words of the LORD your God" (v. 9).Begin by listening, says Joshua. Stand still and hear the words of our lord

God speaks to a person’s heart. To their mind. To their sense of moral righteousness and fairness. To their sense of what is right and Godly.

4. They will cross into Promised Lands by being followers. Follow the ark or follow the Word. 11See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Joshua informs them to stay behind God, not to march ahead of God. This is demonstrated when the people set out from their tents and "the priests bearing the ark of the covenant [are] in front of the people" (v. 14). ----The ark represents the presence and the power of "the living God," moving ahead of the people (10).

---We are challenged to do the same today, that is, to listen to the word of God and follow where the living. . God leads us. ---If we listen we hear the cries of the needy and we care for vulnerable people around us are at the heart of . . our faith. Isaiah reminds us rescue those oppressed among us.

5. WE cross into the Promised Lands by keeping eyes on our future not the past. Finally, keep your eyes on the future, not the past. 17The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

• Joshua tells us that after the people had crossed the Jordan, "the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet touched dry ground, [then] the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before" (4:18).

6. In conclusion we will cross into Promised Lands by acknowledging God is always Calling, we will cross by Listening to God, we will cross over by following the Word of God, and we will cross over by keeping our eyes on the future and leaving the past behind.