Inspecting Our Church Field-2(2012)

INSPECTING Our CHURCH FIELD-II—Joshua 2:1-24

Attention:

Jim walking downtown/Man approaches him wearing dirty clothes & hobbling on crutches/Asks Jim for money/Jim complies giving $5 & says, ‘Cheer up it would be much worse if you were blind’/Man says, ‘Oh, believe me, I know, Last week when I was blind, all I kept getting was phony money!’

We may be surprised at what we find.

We may be surprised at what we find on the church field.

Need:

Joshua sent spies to determine what they would encounter in the promised land.

We can & should determine/examine what we will encounter on our church field.

What will we discover about those on our church field?

7 Discoveries in our own church field.

Last time we found that...

Examining our church field, we discover People given to...

1. SIN(:1)

2. FEAR(:2)

3. DESPERATION(:3, 7)

4. SIGHT(:8-11)

5—Examining our church field we discover...

People given to CONVICTION(:4-16)

Explanation:(:4-16) Surrender

:4—“Then the woman took the two men & hid them. So she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.”

:9—“& said to the men: “I know that the LORD has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, & that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you.”

:11—““And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above & on earth beneath.”

:15—“Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall.”

—Witness(es) of God worth protecting(:4-7)

—Salvation of God worth protecting(:12-16)

Rahab’s hope of salvation rested upon the justice of the Lord God of Israel

Argumentation:

2Sam. 22:26-34— “With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. You will save the humble people; But Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down.”

Ps. 51:17—“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken & a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.”

Js. 4:6-7—“..."God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil & he will flee from you.”

Job 42:5-6—“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust & ashes."

1Pet. 1:3-9—“Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible & undefiled & that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, & glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible & full of glory, receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls.”

Jn. 20:24-29—“Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, & put my finger into the print of the nails, & put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” And after eight days His disciples were again inside, & Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, & stood in the midst, & said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, & look at My hands; & reach your hand here, & put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered & said to Him, “My Lord & my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen & yet have believed.””

Jn. 10:19-27—“Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings[I am the Door & the Good Shepherd & has power to lay down His own life & take it up again]. And many of them said, “He has a demon & is mad. Why do you listen to Him?” Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, & it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him & said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, & you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. “But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. “My sheep hear My voice, & I know them, & they follow Me.”