Taking the First Step
Joshua 1-4
Rev. Brian Bill
1/7/07
A husband and wife were having problems remembering things, so they decided to go to the doctor. The doctor encouraged them to begin writing things down to see if that would help their memory. Later that night while watching TV, the husband got up from his chair and started toward the kitchen. His wife asked, “Where are you going?” “I’m going to the kitchen to get some ice cream,” he answered. She asked, “Will you get me a bowl while you’re there?” The husband replied, “Sure.” The wife, remembering what the doctor had said, asked, “Don’t you think you should write it down so you can remember it?” The husband rolled his eyes and said, “No, I can remember that.” “Well, I would also like some strawberries on top. You had better write that down because I know you’ll forget.” “No, I won’t forget,” he assured her. “OK, I also want some whipped cream on top. I know you’ll forget so you better write it down.” The husband was obviously irritated, but he managed to say rather nicely, “I don’t need to write that down. I can remember it.” About 20 minutes later, he returned and handed her a plate of bacon and eggs. She stared at it for a moment and then said, “I knew you couldn’t remember…You forgot my toast!” (Source: Paul Decker, www.sermoncentral.com).
The older I get the harder it is to remember things and that’s why I have to write almost everything down. God knew that we’d all have trouble remembering and so He made sure to record His revelation in a book we call the Bible. On this first Sunday in 2007 we’re beginning a twelve-part series called “Old Testament Journey II.” If you were here a year ago, you’ll recall that we spent nine weeks studying the first five books of the Bible (www.pontiacbible.org). We received a lot of positive feedback from this series but almost everyone mentioned that they wished we would have taken more time. While we won’t be going verse-by-verse we are going to go a bit slower this time. In order to get the most out of this study, I encourage you to plug into a small group. Each group will be studying material written by Pastor Dick that is designed to help us apply during the week what we learn together on Sundays. A new group is starting tomorrow morning for those who work nights or who can’t attend an evening study.
Deuteronomy ends with the nation of Israel still wandering in the wilderness, with the word “journeyed” used almost 90 times in the Book of Numbers. The Book of Joshua begins a new section in the Old Testament called the 12 historical books. This period covers approximately 1,000 years. As we come to the Book of Joshua, a new generation stands on the banks of the Jordan wondering if they have the faith to do what their parents did not. We begin to see a new word used meaning “crossover,” which refers to a decisive moment in the history of Israel. This group of some two million people is poised to claim the promises of God but probably also frightened that they will commit the same sin as their parents, who died because of their disobedience. They are in a tough spot because their leader Moses is now dead. But they’re on the verge of victory with only the Jordan River standing between them and the land “flowing with milk and honey.”
They’re not proud of their past but they’re also frightened about the future. Can you relate? Maybe you’re afraid of turning out like your ancestors did or as you review the past year, you know you didn’t make the progress you wanted to. Maybe you’ve just been wandering in the wilderness, experiencing more failure than faithfulness. Loved ones; it’s time to move forward! The early chapters of Joshua are packed with practical life lessons that can literally revolutionize your relationship with God because it’s a book of new beginnings. You and I are going to face new situations and fresh problems this year but I’m confident that if we lock into these lessons, 2007 can be markedly different. As many of you know, I normally try to focus on just three or four key points in a sermon but I wasn’t able to do that this week. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get this down to three points and a poem (don’t tell my preaching professor at Moody). This section of Scripture is so rich and so practical that I came up with twelve, one for every month of the year. I recognize that you won’t be able to remember them all, but I trust that several principles will resonate with you and that you’ll be motivated to take some significant steps forward this year.
Before we jump in, it’s important to understand some things about the Jordan River. This river starts on Mount Hermon at an elevation of 7,000 feet and ends at the Dead Sea, which is about 1,200 feet below sea level. The distance between the beginning and the end is 70 miles, but if you count all the twists and turns it actually travels about 200 miles. When the snow melts in the springtime, the water in the Jordan River flows very rapidly, cascading over 25 known rapids. Some have pointed out that the name “Jordan” in Hebrew means “river that descends rapidly.” Normally it was pretty easy to cross but during flood season it was treacherous, and would fill a second and larger area called the Zor gorge. In some sections the distance across would swell to over two miles. On top of that, the banks of the gorge are essentially perpendicular. It’s important to note that God calls his people to cross the Jordan when it is precisely at its most dangerous and when it seems the most impossible (see Joshua 3:15). The Jordan also served as a boundary between what the Israelites presently had and what God had promised them on the other side.
What’s your Jordan River today? What barriers are you facing? Where is God asking you to take a step of faith? If you’re not sure what it is, ask yourself this question: “What am I afraid of?” Your fear will tell you. Symbolically in Scripture, the Jordan represents decision. Remember that your greatest extremity is God’s grand opportunity. Are we ready to dig into God’s Word so that we can make some decisions that will radically redirect our lives?
1. Cultivate courage. Joshua is now about 80-years-old and is called to lead the people across the Jordan and he is no doubt scared, insecure and uncertain how to do it. Moses has always been “the man” and now he is dead. He’s a pretty big act to follow but God wants Joshua to know that Moses wasn’t the act, God was. Two different times God speaks these same words to Joshua: “Be strong and courageous” (1:6, 9). In Joshua 1:7 God tells him to be “very courageous.” The root for courage is the word encouragement, which literally means “to put heart into.” When God sees our fears, He wants to fill us with courage. This is similar to the words spoken to young Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power…” Isaiah 43:1-2 seems to reflect this historical situation: “…Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you…”
God commands Joshua to be courageous because those he is leading need him to have courage. Notice the last phrase in Joshua 1:18 where the people say: “…Only be strong and courageous.” They promise to follow his leadership and then they tell him to not be afraid. This is really cool. God is urging him to be strong and courageous and the people around him are cheering him on as well. Friend, whatever you are worried about right now, God wants you to have courage to confront the issue and we want to rally around you too. May I challenge you to stay plugged into church this year so that you can receive encouragement and exhortation at least weekly? Knowing that there are some here right now who need to hear these words, let’s say this phrase together: “Be strong and courageous.” One other thought. Pastors sometimes get petrified as well. God speaks into us words of encouragement and on behalf of Pastor Dick and Pastor Jeff we want to say thanks for following our leadership and for encouraging us to be strong and courageous as we grasp the dream that God has for PBC.
We’re really excited about our new mission statement that was approved by the Elders and Deacons this past week. You’ll be hearing more about this as we strive to make sure all of our ministries flow out of our mission. This was no easy task as we worked to capture in one sentence the essence of both the Great Commandment to love God and others and the Great Commission which calls us to make disciples. Here it is: “The mission of Pontiac Bible Church is to connect people to Jesus and equip them to be growing and faithful followers.”
2. Don’t make obedience optional. Disobedience in a small thing is never a small matter. Do you remember why Moses was not allowed to cross the Jordan and enter the land of promise? As a result of his angry outburst when he smacked the rock twice instead of speaking to it, he was barred from the land of bounty. That doesn’t seem fair in one sense but it is because God is just and He wants hearts of obedience from His holy people. Look at Joshua 1:7: “…Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left…” And verse 8: “…be careful to do everything written in it.” Assent is not sufficient; God is looking for consent.
Do you find yourself making excuses for your sins? Determine in this New Year to say something like this: “God, since you’ve said it, I’ll do it. Since you’ve said don’t do it, I won’t.” Psalm 119:60: “I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.” Is there anything you’ve been putting off that you know God is telling you to do right now? If you’re disobeying, stop right now and confess it.
3. Soak up Scripture. Up until this point God spoke directly to His servants but now that things have been written down, we are called to read and heed His book. Joshua is told in verse 8: “Do 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.” The key to success is to digest Scripture. It must be in our minds, in our hearts and in our mouths. The way God’s Word gets inside us is through meditation, which literally means “to mutter” or dialog with the Word. Let me demonstrate a dialog I had this week with this verse. “God, I don’t want to let the Bible depart or leave my lips. May it be in my mouth. How do I get it in my mouth? Day and night. Day and night. When it’s light and when it’s dark. So that. So that. When I do this I will be more open to obey. I can be careful to obey. Everything. Not just what I want. Prosperous. This is different than what the world says. Successful. I want to be successful. Successful in your sight.”
I’ve found that the best way to meditate is to first memorize and the best way to memorize is to first meditate. They go hand-in-hand. Listen to these words found in Psalm 119:97: “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.” The man who meditates is called “blessed” in Psalm 1:1-2. I wasn’t able to watch President Ford’s funeral but I understand that Scripture was very prominent in the service. His son Jack read from Isaiah 40, his daughter Susan read from the Book of James and a pastor read from John 14:1-6. It’s baffling to me why he left out one of the clearest statements made by Jesus in the entire Bible when he stopped before the final phrase in verse 6: “No one comes to the Father except through me.” I’m hoping he just forgot but I think there was more going on than that.
I talked to a couple people this week who told me that they’ve drifted away from Bible reading. I think most people who stop reading Scripture don’t do so intentionally, they just lack a plan. May I encourage you to read the Book of Joshua this month? When you’re finished then read the Book of Judges and continue on through Esther. Let me give you a goal that may stick with you: “Take 11 in ‘07.” If you aim to read eleven minutes a day in ’07, God’s Word will become dearer and clearer to you. We also have a one-year Bible Reading Plan available at the Welcome Center. This would be a good time to make a commitment to attend an adult IMPACT class on Sunday mornings, to join the monthly men’s breakfasts for a study in Galatians, or one of the Women’s Bible Studies. When the new Dive Deep schedule comes out, pick a class or two and commit to attend.
4. Practice the presence of God. Don’t you love the fact that God is always with us? Joshua needed the assurance that God was now going to be with him, just like He was with Moses. Look at Joshua 1:5: “…As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” The Hebrew reads like this: “I will never make you sink; I will never drop you.” In Exodus 33:14, God says: “My Presence will go with you…” Friends, this same promise is given to believers today in Hebrews 13:5: “…Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
This reminds me of the 4-year-old who was trying to recite the Lord’s Prayer. One Sunday he prayed in a loud voice during Sunday School: “Our Father, who art in Heaven, I know you know my name.” Brothers and sisters in Christ, do you have the confidence that God knows your name and is with you right now? Some of us struggle when we can’t feel Him nearby but it is at those times that we must claim this truth.
5. Worship while waiting. In Joshua 1:11, we read: “…Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land…” In 3:5 they are told to worship and “consecrate” themselves. This word suggests separation but interestingly, it also means “shining.” When we give ourselves fully to the Lord we’re separated from selfish desires and we end up shining to those around us. Sanctification must come before service because being right with God is our ultimate priority. While they are worshipping, they must wait for the third day. It’s common for God to ask His people to wait patiently and some of you have been waiting for a long time. As they waited, they had a growing awareness of the human impossibility of what God was calling them to do. The river wasn’t getting any lower or slower. They knew there were “giants” on the other side and they probably started feeling like grasshoppers again.
A three-day waiting period is common in Scripture.
Joshua 3:2 “After three days the officers went through the camp…”
Exodus 19:11 “Be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down.”
Esther 4:16 “When this is done [three days] I will go into the king.”
Hosea 6:2 “…on the third day He will restore us.”
Jonah 1:17 “…and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.” One pastor wondered if Jonah’s prayer was, “God, just let me go out the same way I came in.” Think about that…but not for too long!
John Ortberg points out that these Old Testament occurrences laid the groundwork for the ultimate third day, when Jesus was raised from the dead. This is the greatest day in the history of the world! From that day to this, Christ-followers have observed resurrection day on Sunday, not on Saturday. The apostle John refers to this in Revelation 1:10 as “the Lord’s Day.” Friends, we are third-day people now. Worship and wait for God to display His resurrection power in your life.
6. Move when God moves. The key word in Joshua 3 and 4 is the word “ark,” appearing 16 times. Joshua 3:3-4: “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. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it.” As we learned in the Old Testament Journey last year, the Ark of the Covenant was a sacred gold-covered chest that represented the very presence and power of God. Remembering that God is holy, they were to keep their distance as well. We must cultivate a healthy fear of God and guard against becoming too familiar with Him.
Here’s the principle. We should only move when God moves. The priests went where they were sent. As Henry Blackaby has stated in his book, “Experiencing God,” too many times we ask God to bless what we’re doing when instead we should join God in what He is doing. Let’s resolve to only go where God goes; to only do what God is doing and to maintain reverence in the process.
7. Wade into the water. It’s very striking to me that God does not stop the rushing water until the priests’ feet hit the river. Joshua 3:15-16: “…Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing…”And because it’s at flood stage and the gorge has filled with water, the perpendicular cliffs made stepping into the water very precarious. I wonder if the guy in the front turned to his buddies and said, “Hey I went first last time. One of you can take your turn now.” They all knew that gold does not float. Here’s the deal. If you focus on the flood, you’ll fail to step foot into the fray.
As they were ten feet away, the river raged. One foot away and the water sprayed into their faces. One inch away and the mighty current showed no signs of letting up. But as soon as their feet touched the first wave the water receded.
On Christmas Eve afternoon I put our car topper on the van so I wouldn’t have to do it on Christmas morning for our trip to the other Promised Land. We went to the Candlelight service and when we came home I forgot all about the car topper and pulled into the garage. The sound was terrible. I thought I had run over the dog. Because I was moving so fast the van made it half-way into the garage before we got stuck. I calmly got out of the van, looked at what had happened, and then went into the house, hoping Beth and the girls would figure out what to do. Actually I changed my clothes and when I came back a plan was in place. Just then Pat and Denice McGee stopped by and helped us out. It became obvious that the only way out was to pull forward, even though that didn’t make much sense. I went forward several feet and then we were able to unhook the garage door, take the car topper off and get the problem solved.
Are you stuck right now? The best way out is to take a step forward. Some of us may be too lazy or too comfortable to step into the water. This past week in the Pantagraph I came across an article with this headline: “Man repeats as couch potato king.” Unbelievably, Jason Pisarik watched TV for almost 40 hours straight. He received a leather recliner and a 42-inch high-definition TV because he outsat and outwatched all competitors. He defended his title from last year when he watched for 32 hours (“The Pantagraph,” 1/4/07). This goes along with the recent study which found that the average American consumes 9 hours of media each day!
Are you a couch potato or a media magnet? We can’t be passive about experiencing God’s promises. He parts the waters when we walk in, not before. We must believe then we’ll see. When we tell God that we’ll follow, then He’ll lead us. Are you waiting for the waves of life to calm down before you trust Him? God wants you to take the first step. It’s only then that you’ll see His power displayed in amazing ways.
8. God provides through our planning. In Joshua 1:11, Joshua says: “Get your supplies ready.” It’s interesting, isn’t it, that the people have to get organized even though God is the ultimate provider. They have to get over the “manna mindset” that God’s provision will keep falling from the sky and now they must start planning. Some people prefer to say that we just need to trust God to do everything while others trust only in themselves. It’s really not an either/or deal but a both/and equation. God will ultimately provide but we’re called to plan as well.
9. Personalize God’s promises. The word “inheritance” is used 49 times in Joshua, while the word “possession” is used 9 times. God had already committed to give them the land but they had to conquer it first. Unfortunately, according to Joshua 13:1, Israel never quite took all that was theirs: “…there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.” Even after entering Canaan, Joshua 18:3 asks the question: “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?”
Someone has said that we can have all that we will take. Related to this, while we have an amazing inheritance, we must claim it. God gives but we must take what He offers. There is a fight to be fought and a race to run. Unfortunately, too many Christians live and die never realizing all that God had for them.
Friend, according to 2 Peter 1:3, we have been given “everything we need for life and godliness…” Ephesians 1:3 says that God has already “blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Romans 8:37 declares that “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” How long will you wait to take possession of what the Lord has already given to you?
10. Toil as a team. We don’t have the time to fully develop this point but Moses allowed two and a half tribes to stay on the east side of the Jordan River (Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh). While a case could be made that this was not God’s original design, Joshua wants to remind these tribes that they must work as a team in 1:14: “You are to help your brothers.” This is the principle of partnership.
Let me make a couple points. First, these two-and-a-half tribes settled for something good at the expense of what was best. Because they had a lot of sheep, they were attracted to the good grazing in the land of Moab and shunned the land of promise. As a result, they became soft spiritually and complacent in their commitment. Sadly, too many Christians today are like this. They’ve experienced new life in Christ but are not living the abundant life promised by Jesus. Psalm 106:15: “So He gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them.”
Second, these tribes did toil as a team. Most of them jumped in and helped, showing the importance of teamwork. They did bear their share. Some commentators point out however, that they weren’t whole-hearted in their participation, only sending about a third of their fighting men to help. The others stayed home. Friend, you are needed at PBC. Don’t sit on the sidelines and don’t be half-hearted in your efforts. This is where you need to be on Sunday mornings; it’s important to make a small group your support system; and then to make sure you’re serving according to your spiritual gifts. Don’t be a borderline believer. One other point to make is that when trouble came, these tribes were the first ones swept away by the Assyrians. Could it be because they were disconnected from God’s community and out on their own? Don’t make the same mistake in ‘07. We need you…and you need us.
11. God uses the unworthy. In Joshua 2, we see that God protected a pagan prostitute named Rahab, not because of her lies but because of her faith. Rahab is remembered in the New Testament as a woman of faith, even appearing in the family tree of Jesus. Friend, don’t believe the lie that God could never use you because of what you’ve done or how you’ve been living. The last time I checked, God only uses unworthy people. Just as Rahab was saved through a scarlet thread, we are saved through the scarlet blood of Jesus.
12. Make a memorial so you don’t forget. In chapter 4, God tells Joshua to choose twelve men, one from each tribe, and to go back out into the middle of the Jordan and pick up twelve stones. Carrying them on their shoulders, they are to set them up as a memorial for the people of Israel. God knows that we forget things quickly so He wants us to make memorials to jog our memories. These “speaking stones” were especially important for children, for when they ask, “What do these stones mean?” they will be able to recount what God did in bringing Israel across the Jordan River. It’s not by accident that Joshua 4:19 tells us that the people crossed the Jordan “on the tenth day of the first month,” which is the exact time that Israel celebrated the first Passover before leaving Egypt 40 years earlier. This would have jogged their memories.
Shortly after we moved here, one of our daughters asked Beth and me a question that went something like this: “How can we be sure that we will always love the Lord?” In an attempt to mark this moment, we looked around for a rock and had a little ceremony as a family where we determined by God’s grace to love and serve Him for the rest of our lives. Beth then wrote Joshua 24:15 on the rock: “But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” This rock [hold up] sits on our fireplace ledge in our living room as a reminder of this commitment.
We still have memory markers today. We have an opportunity to participate in an ordination celebration that will be a landmark moment for Pastor Jeff next Sunday night. I encourage you to come at 6:00 p.m. and show your support for him. Baptism is also a memory marker and a time in which we profess publicly that we belong to Christ. If you’ve never been baptized as a believer, we’ll be scheduling a service this spring. Simply contact the church office to get on the list. Communion is also a memory marker. It’s a time for us to remember what Jesus did for us, in providing a bridge as John 5:24 states: “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” We too can “crossover” the border between sin and sweetness into a full experience of God’s promises through faith in Jesus.
God doesn’t want us to forget so He’s written it all down for us. One night Jesus had a meal with 12 of his friends – it wasn’t bacon and eggs but it did involve elements that would bring the Passover and the Crossover back to life. We’re called to remember this and reenact the basics so we don’t forget.
