New Route Never Traveled Before

NEW ROUTE NEVER TRAVELED BEFORE…..

Joshua 3:1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and he and all the sons of Israel set out from Shittim and came to the Jordan, and they lodged there before they crossed.

2 At the end of three days the officers went through the midst of the camp;

3 and they commanded the people, saying, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.

4 "However, there shall be between you and it a distance of about 2,000 cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before."

I have written this sermon under the following 5 headings, so that you understand it properly:

NEW DANGEROUS ROUTE

JOSHUA THE LEADER WHO STOOD TALL AND BRAVE

NEW ROUTE REQUIRES YOU TO BE ALERT AND CAUTIOUS

CONSECRATE YOURSELF

SET YOUR EYES ON THE ARK

NEW DANGEROUS ROUTE: While looking for an address, ‘Send me the location’ is the cool language we hear today about finding a route on Google maps; however, even Google maps can fail you and not help you sometimes. Today we are going to read about Joshua who had to take the Israelites through a ‘NEW DANGEROUS ROUTE’ that they had not crossed before…new route takes new courage, new commitment, new determination and new leap of faith…

I write this article on April 24, 2021, when India is facing the treacherous second wave of Corona virus when the country is filled with stench of dead bodies, ambulances and dire need for oxygen. Tears, fear, anxiety, pain, agony are written all over the faces of our people, in certain cities ‘curfew’ has been ordered. During this time of CRISIS, I write this sermon, a new dangerous route that we had never ever crossed before……

The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020, and a pandemic on 11 March 2020. While an epidemic remains limited to one city, region, or country, a pandemic spreads beyond national borders and worldwide.

How do we cross this dangerous path with the atmosphere thick with the invisible virus……? Read on…….Don’t you ever exclude God from this, He is omnipresent at this time of crisis that has enveloped the whole world. I heard one particular church pray like this on an online morning service today: “Lord, let your wrath be removed from our country, forgive our sins, Lord forgive the people who burnt and destroyed churches in India, who mocked and killed the pastors, have mercy on them Lord.” This is the right kind of prayer at a time we are crossing a new dangerous route; however, there are others rebuking corona…….without any particular knowledge as to how to deal with a current situation.

JOSHUA THE LEADER WHO STOOD TALL AND BRAVE: I am just overwhelmed as I begin to type this sermon on my laptop on a day of fasting and prayer, I’ve been in prayer from early morning 4 and still stuck in His presence. Now let us delve deep into the above subject.

“You have not passed this way before” said Joshua, the great warrior and leader who bravely stepped into the shoes of Moses. Even Moses tried to duck his calling by saying, “ I stutter Lord”, but Joshua obeyed God, brushed aside his fears and listened to the voice of God encouraging him: Joshua 3: 9"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." 10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people…Wow, this is powerful, Joshua starts his job with command! Phew! That’s the spirit of a true leader! Submitting and accepting God’s call with courage without wondering ‘what if I goof up’ attitude. Hey friend, when you have your name endorsed on your article, statement or work it’s not about lifting your shirt color and owning the product but it also calls for onus and responsibility. Something goes wrong, you will be pulled up for it, anybody listening?

Not many would come forward to take up leadership at a time when the team of Israelites had already wandered the wilderness for 40 years, exhausted, depleted, added to this was the pain of having lost Moses, their other elders and fathers who disobeyed God and besides this, they did not have a road map to reach the promised land, all they had to do was trust God and their leader Joshua.

Few days back, while I was cooking for our outreach ministry to feed the students on an occasion, I asked one of my helpers to taste the food, she bluntly refused to do so with a sheepish smile. She feared, ‘what if something went wrong then they would blame me for tasting and endorsing the food,’ However, I have another Math teacher working for us, she is an ‘all-rounder’, without me asking her, she would run and come to me, ‘taste and also give me bold suggestions for improvising whatever I might be doing.’ That is leadership! If only churches have such leaders then we would not be stagnant, there is severe dearth for such volunteers and leaders today! Arise Young people, come and serve God with boldness!