(SING)
I may never march in the infantry,
Ride in the cavalry, Shoot the artillery.
I may never fly o’er the enemy, But I’m in the Lord’s army. Yes, sir!
I’m in the Lord’s army, yes, sir! I’m in the Lord’s army, yes, sir!
I may never march in the infantry,
Ride in the cavalry, Shoot the artillery.
I may never fly o’er the enemy, But I’m in the Lord’s army. Yes, sir!
ILLUS: Several years back, a major denomination decided there were hymns which were too militaristic for their taste - and they set about removing them from their hymnals.
They deleted songs like “Onward Christian Soldiers” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic” - and I’m pretty sure “I’m in the Lord’s Army” wouldn’t have made the cut either.
Their decision created such an uproar that the denominational leaders later relented and put the songs back in their hymnals.
But, in researching this sermon, I encountered several websites where priests and preachers still reject those hymns.
Despite the hostility that some have toward military terminology in a church setting, the New Testament is loaded with such language.
Paul declared: “I have fought the good fight...” 2 Timothy 4:7
He said that he had stood up for Christ “in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left” 2 Corinthians 6:7
He advised Timothy to “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs— he wants to please his commanding officer. 2 Timothy 2:3-4
And we’re told to “… put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13
And then there’s the passage out of Revelation where we have a powerful picture of Jesus. Turn with me to Revelation 19:11-16 as we read about what John describes:
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
The Bible unapologetically uses militaristic words to describe God and His people. And - as Christians - we are literally “in the Lord’s Army”
In today’s text we read a story that practically every child in Sunday School and church camp has heard. In fact there’s an old Spiritual that declares “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho”. Many of us grew up singing it as children
(SING IT) “Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho.
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho and the walls came a tumbling down.”
What many may not realize is that this same story (about the fall of Jericho) probably served as inspiration for the song we started out this sermon with: “I’m in the Lord’s Army”.
Here’s the setting:
Israel has been out in the desert for 40 years, and has finally come to the Promised Land. God instructs Joshua to have the ark go before the people as they prepare to cross the Jordan river. As the feet of the priests, who were carrying the ark, touch the waters of the Jordan, the water simply ceases to flow and the people cross the river on dry ground – much as their ancestors had crossed the Red Sea 40 years before.
They are now camped in the shadow of the walls of Jericho and Joshua is facing the task of leading God’s people in taking the Promised Land.
But there’s a problem:
Israel has come to take the land of Canaan… and the people of who live there have no intention of just handing it over. The Canaanites are going to fight to keep what they have.
There are giants in the land, and the cities are strong and fortified. And perhaps the most fortified of all the cities of Canaan is Jericho.
Joshua has gone off by himself – probably to pray and seek God’s guidance – and in chapter 5:13 we’re told “he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand.”
Now, this stranger identifies himself as the “Commander of the Lord’s Army”. He’s standing there with a drawn sword. And he commands Joshua to take his sandals off because he’s standing on holy ground.
There is something so unsettling about this encounter that Joshua falls on his face in reverence and he says “"What message does my Lord have for his servant?" Joshua 5:14
What was the message?
What did God want Joshua to know?
Why would this heavenly being approach Joshua this way?
Well the message was this:
The time of waiting is over… we’re going to war.
God’s army is prepared, and we’re armed and ready for battle. You’re not going to go into this conflict alone.
One of the most encouraging passages in the New Testament says this: “…If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all— how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:31-32
That’s the message God is giving to Joshua… I’m going into battle with you. You don’t have to take this land all by yourselves. My army will carry the day.
And, as if to drive that fact (that the Lord’s Army would fight for Israel) God gives Joshua a battle plan that could only be accomplished with God’s power.
God tells Joshua to have the his armed forced march around the city - once each day for 6 days. On the 7th day, 7 priests were to carry ram’s horns and lead the ark of God around the city 7 times. And when the ark had completed it’s 7th trip around the city the priests were to blow their horns, the people were to give a mighty shout and the wall would collapse leaving the city open to attack.
After Israel took Jericho, the city was to be burned to the ground. No spoils were to be taken from the city. The city and all that lay within it belonged solely to the Lord.
ILLUS: Over the past several decades, archeologists investigated the ruins of Jericho… and they found some astounding things.
1st – they discovered that the walls of the city were not “caved in” or “torn down” like you’d expect if an army assaulted its walls. Instead, the city walls literally collapsed - almost as if by natural causes. Maybe an earthquake, they’ve speculated.
2ndly - There was a thick layer of soot found at the site – that indicated the city had been burned. Of course, that was precisely what God commanded the army of Israel to do to the city.
3rdly - the city had NOT been starved into submission (the way most cites were taken by enemies) because Archeologists found bushels of grain buried beneath the ruins indicating there was still food within the city when it fell. (Time March 5, 1990)
By God’s command – Jericho was NEVER to be rebuilt. A new Jericho was built nearby, but the old Jericho has lain in ruins ever since the days of Joshua.
Can you guess why?
The reason is obvious to me.
God wanted the city of old Jericho to be a lasting witness of His power and faithfulness to Israel.
And not just a witness to the nation of Israel, but also to us!
Romans 15:4 declares “…everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
God made the story of Jericho famous because He wanted it to be an encouragement to us. At the ruins of Jericho, God’s telling us – if He’d be there for Joshua - He’ll be there for us too.
If God be for us… who can be against us!
That’s a really comforting thought – God is FOR us.
And that’s what Joshua was hoping this heavenly stranger would tell him.
If you remember - Josh asks this man: are you for us or against us? Whose side are you on? (pause…)
ILLUS: A man told of being in the Washington, D. C., area on business at the Pentagon.
He had gotten caught in an endless traffic loop that kept taking him over the Potomac River. Spotting a jogger along the road, he called out, "Which side is the Pentagon on?"
Keeping his pace, the jogger answered, "I think they’re on our side."
(pause…) Joshua asks this stranger - whose side are you on?
Was this heavenly being on the side of Israel or of it’s enemies
And the stranger replies:
"Neither, but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." Joshua 5:14
Neither?
That can’t be right.
I mean - I thought God was supposed to be on our side!
God had commanded Joshua and the people of Israel to go in and take the land of Canaan. They were doing this by His express command. But here is the “commander of the army of the LORD” saying he isn’t on Israel’s side?
What’s going on here?
ILLUS: Back during the Civil War, President Lincoln spoke with a man who expressed the hope that God was on the side of the north in the war.
Lincoln replied: “…we know that the Lord is always on the side of right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and the nation should choose to be on the Lord’s side.”
Here’s the lesson: we are the army of the Lord. And as the Army of the Lord we must never presume that God is on OUR side. It doesn’t work that way.
ILLUS: In the military, do the privates get to tell the Generals how to run things??
Of course not!!
In the military the generals aren’t on our side. We’re on theirs.
They set the agendas, they determine the course of the battle, they decide the very existence of every man and woman under their command.
In the same way - in God’s army we don’t get to determine what God should do, or how He should conduct His affairs. We don’t get to tell Him how the church should be run… or even how our lives should be run.
We are in God’s army.
It’s God’s army… not ours.
It’s God’s church… not ours.
He is in charge, we aren’t.
He gets to set the agenda – we don’t.
Essentially, God doesn’t have to be on OUR side… we have to be on HIS.
ILLUS: Years ago I knew an Elder who told of nearly died in a terrible accident. He was in such bad shape that the doctors and nurses all but gave up on him. But because of the prayers and the faithful assistance of his family and his church he literally came back from the dead.
Because of the miraculous nature of his recovery, he became convinced that God had saved him from death… so that he could run the church. Some times he was very wise about how he did so, but at other times, he could be pretty heavy handed about it.
Now, he a fairly decent man, but there were times that he forgot that God wasn’t always going to be on HIS side all the time and he sometimes forgot that God’s agenda might not always be his. And he ended up doing damage to the church because he forgot those things.
As Christians we must always remember:
God doesn’t have to be on OUR side… But we had better be on HIS.
So I want to be on God’s side.
How do I make sure that that’s where I end up?
Let’s revue:
1st –I need to put my full trust in God’s power.
If God was there for Joshua, He’ll be there for you.
One of the major reasons armies fail in battle is because the soldiers panic. They lose their trust in their leaders in the face of conflict.
As Christians we need to realize that there will be times when life will not go according to plan. We will encounter tragedies, losses and heartaches. As Jesus: “In this world you will have trouble…” (John 16:33). It’s in those times that we need to look to Commander of our army and trust Him to guide us where we don’t know the way.
If I’m going to be a good soldier for Christ… I’ve got to trust Him
2nd – I have to remember who is in charge
God gets to call the shots – not me, not you… not any group of men or women on earth.
God must lead us if we’re going to have victory Jesus.
3rd – we need to realize the importance of standing on Holy Ground.
God tells Joshua – “"Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy."
Joshua 5:15
Now, I want you to do something for me.
I want you take off your shoes just now (give them time to do this).
It wasn’t enough for God to tell Joshua he was on holy ground.
God wanted to give him an object lesson.
The ground he was standing on was too holy - too important to be soiled - by the dirt of life.
Joshua was not going to be allowed to view his relationship with God as a casual thing.
When he was in the Lord’s Army now, and the commander of that army was calling for total commitment.
You are on holy ground here.
Not because your in a church building, but because you are the church
And Jesus promised wherever two or more of us are gathered in His name He is there with us.
Every time we gather as a body of believers… we’re on holy ground.
Our commander – Jesus Christ - is calling us to total commitment
As Paul wrote to Timothy “No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs— he wants to please his commanding officer.” 2 Timothy 2:3-4
Why the need for such commitment?
Because an army is only as strong as its weakest link.
You are the army of God.
If the whole army was as involved as you are, could we win the battle?
If the everybody in church gave as much time for God as you do, could we overcome this world?
If the rest of the church gave financially to God as you do, could we afford to keep the church going?
If the rest of the church witnessed to others as often as you do… could the church even survive?
This is holy Ground.
This is serious business.
Teddy Roosevelt once said “No man is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his body... to risk his well being... to risk his life... in a great cause.”
Joshua once said “...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15
Jesus said: “"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
The mark of a good soldier is the willingness to give their all for their cause.
CLOSE: One Chicago youth minister was concerned that his youth might become distracted on their upcoming mission trip to Florida’s balmy beaches. So, he fashioned a cross from 2 pieces of lumber. Just before they climbed on the bus, he showed it to the group.
"I want all of you to remember the whole purpose of our going is to glorify the name of Christ, to lift up the Cross - the message of the cross, the emphasis of the Cross, the Christ of the Cross," he announced. "So, we’re going to take this cross wherever we go."
The teenagers looked at one another, a little unsure of his plan. But they agreed to do it and dragged the cross on the bus. It banged back and forth in the aisle all the way to Florida. It went with them into restaurants. It stayed overnight where they stayed overnight. It stood in the sand while the ministered on the beach.
At first, lugging the cross around embarrassed the kids. But later, it became a point of identification. That cross was a constant, silent reminder of who they were and why they had come. They eventually regarded carrying it as an honor and privilege.
The night before they went home, the youth leader handed out two nails to each of the kids. He told them that if they wanted to commit themselves to what the cross stood for they could hammer one nail into it, and keep the other with them.
One by one, the teens drove their nail into the cross.
About 15 years later, one fellow - now a stockbroker - called the youth leader. He told him that he still keeps the nail with him in his desk drawer. Whenever he loses his sense of focus, he looks at the nail and remembers the cross on the that beach in Florida. It reminds him of what is at the core of his life - his commitment to Jesus Christ.
ADDENDUM:
I believe others on Sermoncentral have admirably proven that the “Commander of the LORD’S army was undoubtedly Jesus. You might note that I referred to this individual as either “the stranger” or “the heavenly being”… not because I doubted this being Christ, but because I felt explaining that aspect of the story would have distracted from the other truths I found here.
One of the best explanations of this commander being Christ was this (and I regret that I wasn’t diligent enough to note the preacher’s name from Sermoncentral):
There are four reasons this had to be Christ:
·Because this Captain spoke the exact same words God spoke to Moses in Exodus 3:5 - "Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy."
·Because He allowed Himself to be worshiped. Angels will not allow themselves to be worshiped (see Revelation 22:8-9).
·Because He is identified as the Lord (6:2).
·Because we can only see God in the Person of Jesus Christ. - “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:18)
