Mountain Shopping Series

Mountain Shopping

Joshua 14

http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/MountainShopping.html

Ironic it is to talk on this subject from central Illinois. I was raised where you could spot a mountain in nothing flat. Here, ‘flat’ is the key word. But God made the mountains, God moves mountains, and so does faith. One day the mountains will flee away from the Judge of the earth. Life is all about climbing mountains. And why do you climb a mountain? [Because it’s there!] Our text points out that God wants to give us mountains...of our choosing!

A study of Joshua the man is not complete without looking at his friend Caleb. 40 years earlier they were young men, and 2 of the 12 spies sent to check out the land of Canaan by Moses. They were the minority report who believed they could conquer and claim their Canaan.

They had been on a desert diet of manna, and now they are looking at things like figs and pomegranates, corn, milk, and honey. The grapes were the size of softballs. They took a cluster of grapes from Eschol and it took 2 men to carry it. The other spies saw only the giants of the land, very mean and wicked.

This map [slide] gives us an overview of the different people groups who were in possession of the land. They were formidable foes, seasoned warriors, pagans, idol worshipers, and they didn’t believe in the one and only true and living God, Jehovah. They were called Anakim. What’s an ‘Anakim?’ [Not ‘Skywalker’ / Not for a headache {That’s Anacin} ] They were like an entire race of ‘Andre the Giant’s.

Numbers 13:33

And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

But Joshua and Caleb didn’t see giants or grasshoppers, they saw God! But the congregation of Israel didn’t listen to them, they followed the naysayers who said to go into the land would be suicide. Because of their sin, rebellion, and lack of faith, God gave them a 40 year sentence to wander in the wilderness. A whole generation of adults died off, and only their children would enter the land, led by Joshua and Caleb.

Caleb was 40 years old when he spied the land. Now it’s 45 years later, and they are in the Promised Land, having already experienced many great victories. Notice what happens...

v. 6-12a Caleb had done his mountain shopping long before this day, and now he’s about to take possession of it.

Ill.—how many of you do your Christmas shopping early? My mom is one who is already getting things for next year. We’re having Christmas with my folks over Thanksgiving and it’s a good thing, because whatever clothes she has got for me are just about out of style already! And she has found ‘great deals’ on some kids clothes that we have put aside for them, and some day they’ll actually be big enough to wear them. I know my daughter will have a nice jumper to wear someday in college!

Caleb had picked out this mountain 45 years ago, and he hasn’t forgotten about it. He claimed it by faith even tho’ he wouldn’t take possession of it for some time.

Canaan=the victorious Christian life.

Joshua=Jesus, our leader.

Caleb=you and me!

1. Caleb’s Surrender.

v. 8b Caleb said this about himself.

v. 9b Moses said this about him.

v. 14b God said this about him.

Caleb held back nothing. He gave all that he was to all that God is.

“I Surrender Some?” Is that how the song goes? “Some to Jesus, I surrender?”

Some think that complete surrender is just for preachers and missionaries. That is 100% wrong. Surrender is the calling for all Christians, and by the way, God deserves it! Jesus was a dying sacrifice and He calls us to be a living sacrifice!

Ill.—D. L. Moody started out as a shoe salesman. He was saved and became a Sunday School teacher, preacher, and evangelist. Did you know that he preached for years with very little power on his life? What was the turning point? One day he heard an evangelist named Henry Barley preach. “The world has yet to see what God can do in and thru and with a man wholly and completely committed to him.” Moody heard those words and said, “By the grace of God I’ll be that man.” And that unlearned shoe salesman became one of the greatest evangelists of all time, winning hundreds of thousands to Christ. He held back nothing, giving everything to Christ. And at his core he was just a businessman.

Not everyone can be a Joshua, but we can all be Calebs. Faithful supporters...right hand men and women.