Joshua’s Story Series

Communion Challenge:

I have this quote/question to stir us from, “God Chasers” today:

“We think we know where God lives. We think we know what He likes, and are sure we know what He dislikes. We have studied God’s Word and His old love letters to the churches so much that some of us claim to know all about God. But now people like you and me around the world are beginning to hear a voice to them with persistent but piercing repetition in the stillness of the night:

“I’m not asking you how much you know about me. I want to ask you, ‘Do you really know me? Do you really want Me?”

…Listen, my friend, God doesn’t care about your music, your midget steeples, and your flesh-impressive buildings. Your church carpet doesn’t impress Him-He carpets the fields. God doesn’t really care about anything you can do for Him; He only cares about your answer to one question: “Do you want Me?”

(Tenney, God Chasers - chapter 1)

Communion Scriptures:

Isa. 40:31: “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…”

2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Truth: You cannot live in the presence of God without a heart of repentance. You cannot experience the Holy Spirit and His presence without a repentant heart. You cannot partake of the Spirit of the Lord without a genuine repentant heart to God.

1 Corinthians 11:27, 28: 27Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.

Reflection/repentance time: We are going to take time this morning to wait on God and to get our hearts right with Him before we take communion.

Series: BC Justice League

Opening thoughts to the series - “BC justice league” – God’s biblical super heroes before Christ.

Over the last few weeks we have been sharing the power of the story! We have been looking at how a person’s life can make a difference in the eternal realm of God.

http://www.whatsyourstoryonline.com/: Quote: Stories are powerful. Stories give meaning to who we are and how we became who we are. Stories help us understand how life happens, and they give value to our experiences. Some of the most powerful testimonies to Christian faith come not from lists of accepted doctrinal beliefs (though they’re important) nor from recitations of biblical principles (also important), but from the enlivened re-telling of how God has acted, overtly or covertly, in each of our lives.

Sermon: Joshua’s Story

Thesis: Joshua’s life reminds us that success in life depends on obedience to God’s Word and a desire in your life to become a God Chaser.

Key Scriptures:

Joshua 1:6-9:

6“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.

7Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.

8Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 24:14-15:

14“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

15But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

The book of Joshua means - The Lord saves or the Lord delivers.

Huffman states, “Joshua, is one of the most fascinating books of the Bible because…at one level, it relates the story of an ancient Hebrew leader and the people whom God called to lead into the Promised Land. At another level, it’s a personal story. It’s the story of promise and the great expectations that God has for us. It’s as if God takes on the qualities of the perceptive coach, teacher, or pastor who becomes excited about what we can become if we use the gifts He’s given to us. The study of this book helps us see ourselves in this light. It makes us question whether or not we are living up to our potential and God’s promise” (page 23, 24).