Opening Video: Courage
Start with a 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)
Opening 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 hear 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 and a obedient heart. You cannot partake of the Spirit of the Lord without a genuine connection to God and His will.
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.
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 (from http://www.whatsyourstoryonline.com/).
Sermon: Joshua’s Story
Joshua’s Story and life reminds us that success in this life depends on obedience to God’s Word and a desire in your heart to become a God Chaser.
Key Scriptures:
Joshua 1:6-9: The command from the Lord to Joshua on how to live his life and lead God’s people.
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: Joshua’s heart and leadership for God and His commands
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.”
Joshua 24:28-31:
28Then Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance.
29After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of a hundred and ten.
30And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
31Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the LORD had done for Israel.
The name “Joshua” means - The Lord saves or the Lord delivers. I always find it fascinating whenever God names a place or changes the name of someone – like he did Joshua – The Lord changes people’s names to make a point spiritually – Joshua’s name was changed from Hoshea to Joshua – Why? Hoshea means “salvation” to understand why his parents may have names him this is to think of the meaning behind his name – he would be people’s salvation - God knew and Joshua knew that he would never be people’s salvation only Jehovah can do that!
You may be thinking it’s only a name? Not really it’s a belief system – a faith system. The problem with thinking or even believing that other people can save you is – “Your object of faith --- your faith is in the wrong thing or the wrong person- this is a big problem! Only Jesus saves – Jehovah in the flesh – only he can deliver you – nothing else or anybody else. Jesus said follow me not others or even cause follow Him – because only in Him is found eternal life and peace.
Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life – He did not say I am one of the ways! (John 14:6) - he made an absolute statement here no one comes to God except through Him – no one!
That’s why the professor at Wheaton was let go – he faith was not in Jesus – in the God of the Bible – the I am – the author and giver of salvation!
When I became a Christian I soon discovered this misguided faith of others - They wanted me to pray to God for them to get to Heaven even though they did not want to repent – they thought being related to me – or me praying for them would save them – it does not faith is the key in this world to salvation and connection with God and it all starts with a repentant heart – a heart that says not my way God’s way!
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).
Joshua’s Story teaches us three things we need to know so we too can be strong in the Lord and courageous for His Kingdom:
Thesis: He was fearless in the face of opposition, he always pleased God, and He was 100% committed to loving God his whole life even when it was unpopular.
I. He was fearless
a. God told him not to fear but be courageous. Question how did he do it?
i. Easy answer – His strength did not come from his own abilities or physical abilities it came from His connection to God and the Lord.
ii. To be strong in the Lord means we have to confront our fears with faith!
1. Strength in the Lord is called faith!
a. 1 Timothy 6:12-13a:
i. 12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13In the sight of God, who gives life to everything…
b. 2 Corinthians 5:7:
i. 7We live by faith, not by sight.
1. Are you seeing how faith makes you strong or weak?
2. Beliefs and faith:
a. Theology of suffering
b. Faith stories in the Bible have a pattern to learn from them.
i. Faith is not expected from this person.
ii. An opposition to faith exists.
iii. The individual has a lot to lose by stepping out in faith.
iv. There is something unprecedented or unique about the act of faith.
c. Biblical examples of this:
i. Joshua and his 30 plus battles reveals his faith to do what God says to do in each battle so he can win the war.
ii. A centurion’s faith stuns Jesus (Mat 8:5-13).
iii. Jesus believes he can raise himself from the dead, and bets his life on it.
iv. Elijah does his Thor impersonation in 1 Kings 18.
v. Peter decides it is time to rock the boat and get out and walk on water.
vi. David verse Goliath
vii. Noah and the building of the Ark.
viii. The thief on the cross with Jesus who believes in Him.
ix. Gideon and the 300 defeat a mighty force with God’s help.
x. Abraham and his four know acts of faith in Hebrews 11
iii. Illustration: Most people are afraid of the unknown. Those things we have never seen or experienced can seem overwhelming. On the old maps, back before the world was understood in modern terms, cartographers, map makers, would put down what they knew, but at the edges of the map, beyond which they had no knowledge or understanding, they would often write, "Beyond here, there be dragons." Ed Rowell, in his sermon "Mary—A Song of Trust," PreachingToday.com
iv. Quotes on courage:
1. But Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened. —Billy Graham
2. "Courage is fear that has said its prayers."—General George Patton, as heard from Chaplain George Metcalf
3. "Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway." —Actor John Wayne (1907–1979)
b. Breaking Through Our Fears to Serve Christ
i. Gary Haugen, the founder of International Justice Mission, a Christian organization that frees people trapped in sex trafficking, describes God's calling to start IJM.
1. I vividly remember when I finally had to make a decision to abandon my career at the U.S. Department of Justice to become the first employee of a not-for-profit organization that didn't yet actually exist called International Justice Mission. I had worked for three years with friends on the idea of IJM and was very excited, in theory, about this dream of following Jesus in the work of justice in the world. But then I had to actually act. I had to walk into the Department of Justice and turn in my badge …. I tried to be very brave and very safe. That is to say, I walked in and asked my bosses for a yearlong leave of absence …. My bosses politely declined.I was suddenly feeling very nervous …. What was I really afraid of? As I thought about it, I feared humiliation. If my little justice ministry idea didn't work, no one was going to die. If IJM turned out to be a bad idea and collapsed, my kids weren't going to starve. We'd probably just have to live with my parents for a while until I could find another job, but with my education, odds are I would soon find a job. The fact is, I would be terribly embarrassed. Having told everybody about my great idea, they would know that it was a bad idea or that I was a bad leader. Either way, it would be humiliating. So there it was. My boundary of fear. I sensed God inviting me to an extraordinary adventure of service, but deep inside I was afraid of looking like a fool and a loser. This was actually very helpful to see, because it helped me get past it. When I am [older], do I really want to look back and say, Yeah, I sensed that God was calling me to lead a movement to bring rescue to people who desperately need an advocate in the world, but I was afraid of getting embarrassed and so I never even tried?…Fear is normal, even among the earnest and devout, and it can be overcome. But first we must see the opportunity it provides—a revelation that only comes as we step to the precipice of action. Gary Haugen, Just Courage (InterVarsity Press, 2008), pp. 129-130
c. As long as Joshua followed the teachings and the direction of the Lord he needed to not be in fear – God said so!
i. Lucado thoughts: Max Lucado says, "Fear is the perceived loss of control, I will try to control it, control others, control something, and that leads to nothing but anxiety." He adds, "Fear-filled people are not great witnesses and testimonies for Christ."
ii. On Being Reactors, Not Actors : In our lives in the world, the temptation is always to go where the world takes us, to drift with whatever current happens to be running strongest. When good things happen, we rise to heaven; when bad things happen, we descend to hell. … I know this to be true of no one as well as I know it to be true of myself. I know how just the weather can affect my whole state of mind for good or ill, how just getting stuck in a traffic jam can ruin an afternoon that in every other way is so beautiful that it dazzles the heart. We are in constant danger of being not actors in the drama of our own lives but reactors.—Frederick Buechner, U.S. writer and preacher (1926 —) Frederick Buechner, The Longing for Home: Recollections and Reflections, p. 109; submitted by David Schleusener, Cary, North Carolina
II. He pleased God - how do you get strong and have courage in this life – you please God not men.
a. He followed the Words of God and the Law given to Moses.
i. What does it mean to please God, how do you please God?
1. You do what He tells you to do!
2. Inspite of the opposition:
a. Acts 4: The Story of Peter and John
i. They are preaching publicly: vs 12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
ii. The Jewish leaders saw their courage.
iii. They arrested them out of fear of Rome.
iv. They told them not to speak or teach about Jesus.
v. Their response: Verse 19-20: “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
ii. Pleasing God is essential to be strong and to have courage!
1. The first step in pleasing God is you have to be intentional about it, you have to make the decision to do so. It does not just happen by random chance --- it's a choice.
a. Don’t you want to please God? Then be intentional about it.
i. Do you want to displease God?
1. Live in sin, live in denial, don’t do what He tells you to do.
a. If you do want to displease God then --- I need to pray for your sanity to return today!
b. Ask the Lord, “What does He wants you to do for Him?”
i. My prayer the one night by the bed.
ii. My decision to be a pastor.
iii. My decision to take my first church.
iv. My decision to leave here.
v. My decision to return here.
c. You can only please God if you have a personal relationship with Him. Which means you hear His voice and do what he says to do.
2. Joshua 5:13-6:27:
a. His encounter shows his courage with confronting the man on the road with the drawn sword.
i. He discovers he is the commander of the army of the Lord and he takes his shoes off – he is on holy ground – the commander here is said to be Jesus – the I AM!
1. See Joshua 5:13-15
a. Joshua took off his sandals in honor and respect to the Lord.
b. Joshua makes a connection to the Lord then seeks his counsel to win the battle against Jericho – it will be one and over a thirty battles he will be fighting to take the promised land.
i. See Joshua 6:2-21:
1. Instruction – March around the city six times and on the 7th day.
2. Take the Ark of Covenant let it lead the way by the priests but in front of them place trumpets made of Ram horns – then on 7th day sound the trumpets and everyone shout then you will get the victory.
3. If Joshua did not have faith – courage – or strength in the Lord he would have said – “Ya Right” – I am not doing that crazy thing.
4. But he did it and the walls came down and they defeated the city.
a. See Joshua 6:20-21
i. Question: Would you have done that?
ii. What is coming our way, tomorrow what will happen, tornado, earthquake, flood, hurricane, fire, financial collapse, war, terrorist attack, famine, drought? What will you do – run and hide – inquire of the Lord and fight?
1. There are questions we can ask ourselves.
a. Troubles and fear are on the increase all around us.
b. Terrorism on the rise people dying for the sake of Jesus.
c. Grief, loss and uncertainty.
d. Financial crisis.
i. There is only one way that we can gain strength – courage and the wisdom to know the answers to these situations.
ii. That way is by pressing into a personal relationship with God. To do that requires commitment, focus, determination, perseverance, and absolute obedience. As we grow in our relationship, we discover that many of our ideas and beliefs were wrong, and we have to let them go. We learn that believing God is very real; very now; very active. We do not believe in a book of (fake) stories, but in an active, living God. Much of what we have been taught is simply traditions and imaginings of men, and God is not in it (from http://lovestthoume.com/FeedMySheep/PleaseGod.html).
3. The second thought on - How do we please him?
a. The verse quoted above in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews states it as plainly and simply as it can be stated:
i. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
b. This chapter in Hebrews is full of examples of men and women who pleased God through their faith.
i. I have shared and referenced some of their stories with you today!
c. The Bible and Christian History is filled with risk takers, faith walkers of the past but life goes on but God is looking for men and women to add to this list – those- who pleased God!
i. Those who by faith conquered kingdoms
ii. Those who performed acts of righteousness
iii. Those who obtained His promises
iv. Those who shut the mouths of lions
v. Those who brought the the power of His fire to deceptions
vi. Those who escaped the edge of the sword by His mighty hand,
vii. Those who lead from weakness and were made strong by His presence and power
viii. Those who became mighty in war and put the evil armies to flight through His Spirit.
ix. Those women who believed received back their dead by His resurrection
x. Those others who will be tortured but will overcome with their testimony
xi. Those who will not deny Jesus or His message
xii. Those who will be strong and courageous so as to obtain the resurrection
xiii. Those who will experience mockings and scourgings, and imprisonment for the truth of Jesus.
d. Scripture reminds us: We are in a battle – but to win this war We must fight every battle His way and by His directives:
i. Yes, there will be casualties a price paid for faithfulness to Jesus. “They were stoned, they were sawn into, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword . . .” (v. 37).
ii. The writer of Hebrews tells us what was common, “All died in faith, without receiving the promises . . .” (v. 13). “And all these having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect” (vv. 39-40).
1. But in the end their faith was rewarded in heaven and for eternity!
e. Amazing this thing called faith and a willingness to push back the fear and be courageous for the Kingdom of God – it really pleases God!
4. Pleasing God is done by doing what the Bible says to do. Following the divine mandates of life as spelled out for us in the Bible – Joshua was warned over and over again to follow the teaching of the Word of God. We have to be….
a. Living Right - 1 Cor. 13:1-7:
i. 1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self–seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
b. Poor Garbage Man Sets an Example for a Rich Businessman : The city of Cairo has its own unique version of poverty called Garbage City …. Each morning at dawn some seven thousand garbage collectors on horse-carts leave for Cairo, where they collect the garbage left behind by the city's seven million citizens. After their day's work they return to Garbage City, bringing the trash back to their homes, sorting out what's useful …. In Muslim countries there are certain religious restrictions on sifting through refuse, so the inhabitants of Garbage City are either nonreligious or from some Christian heritage …. These are the poorest of the poor—outcasts among outcasts. In 1972, a young Egyptian businessman lost his wristwatch, valued at roughly $11,000. As you can imagine, it would have been unthinkable to have a valuable timepiece returned by a member of Garbage City. Yet an old garbage man dressed in rags, [found the man's name on the watch] and returned it, saying, "My Christ told me to be honest until death." Because of the garbage man's act of obedience, the Egyptian businessman later told a reporter, "I didn't know Christ at the time, but I told [the garbage man] that I saw Christ in him. I told [him], 'Because of what you have done and your great example, I will worship the Christ you are worshiping." The [businessman], true to his word, studied the Bible and grew in his faith. Soon he and his wife began ministering to Egypt's physically and spiritually poor. In 1978, he was ordained by the Coptic Orthodox Church and now leads [a church that meets] outside Garbage City. Rick James, A Million Ways to Die (David C. Cook,), pp. 14-15; Source: Men of Integrity, "Garbage City"ay/
c. Being right:
i. Matthew 22:37-40:
1. 37Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
ii. Man Ministers with No Arms or Legs: Thousands are coming to hear him preach. His ministry has gone global. He has a new book coming out. That's quite a résumé for a boy without any arms or legs! Nick Vujicic, a 25-year-old Australian, was born without limbs. Vujicic's parents, devout Christians who planted a church in Australia 11 months before Nick was born, found it hard to understand how God could use their son's loss for good. But he has. Reading in Sunday school about being made in the image of God seemed like a cruel joke to Nick. He seesawed between despair and begging God to grow arms and legs for him. He contemplated suicide the year he turned 8. When he was 15, though, one story in the Bible answered one of his toughest questions."When I read the story of the blind man … Jesus said he was born so that the work of God could be revealed through him," Vujicic said. "That gave me peace. I said, 'Lord, here I am. Use me. Mold me. Make me the man you want me to be.'" Vujicic learned to write using the two toes on a partial foot that protrudes from his body. He also learned how to throw tennis balls, answer the phone, walk, and swim. He invented new ways to shave and brush his own teeth. He even earned double degrees in accounting and financial planning by age 21. He has since become a motivational speaker to Christian congregations in over 12 countries, and he has ministered to over two million people face to face. He also oversees Life Without Limbs, an organization for the physically disabled. No Arms, No Legs, No Worries, his first book, is scheduled for release in 2009. Van Morris, Mount Washington, Kentucky; source: Ruth Schenk, "No Arms, No Legs, No Worries: Man Uses Disabilities to Reach the Masses," The Southeast Outlook (11-29-07)
d. Focusing right:
i. Psalm 141:8: 8But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign LORD; in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.
ii. 2 Corinthians 4:18: 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
iii. Hebrews 12:2: 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
e. Researchers Find that Multitaskers Perform Poorly: So you think you can multitask? Texting while driving? No problem. Watching television and reading the Bible? No problem. Checking your email while listening to a spouse, a child, or a friend? No problem. In reality, however, according to a team of researchers at Stanford University, multi-tasking causes big problems. A Stanford University news service article announced the study this way: "Attention, multitaskers (if you can pay attention, that is): Your brain may be in trouble." The researchers originally set out to discover what gave multitaskers their special focus; instead, they were surprised to discover that in many ways multitasking impairs performance. So while many people think they're effective at juggling multiple tasks, they're actually pretty lousy at it.For instance, heavy multitaskers are suckers for distraction and for irrelevancy. According to one of the researchers, "Everything distracts them." Multitaskers were also more unorganized in their ability to keep and retrieve information. They were even worse at the main thing that defines multitasking: switching from one task to the next. Heavy multitaskers underperformed in almost every area of the study. The article based on the study concluded with this advice: "By doing less, you might accomplish more. Stanford News Service, "Media multitaskers pay mental price, Stanford study shows," (8-24-09)
b. His goal was to be pleasing in his life for God.
i. He would stand strong even when others fell away, in fear, or sin, and he would fight the battles for God.
ii. Each one different.
c. He would do the hard things for God, he listened, he obeyed and God blessed Joshua.
III. He was absolutely committed to God no matter what!
a. He would never waver in the midst of the wilderness experience.
i. He had faith in God when others did not, he never became one of the complainers, or one who attacked Gods leadership.
ii. He never blamed God!
iii. He would not waver in battle as He led the people to take the Promised Land.
iv. He did things in battle that seemed a little crazy, like Jericho.
b. He followed Gods instructions and won the battles, he cried out to God when things went wrong, but he never abandoned God to do things his way.
i. He would not waver even when the rest of society would fall away from the Lord’s Word.
ii. His famous phrase:
1. Joshua 24:14-15: 14“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. . . 15But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
Conclusion:
Take responsibility for your life – Be strong (get faith-have faith) – be courageous and overcome the fear in a personal relationship with Jesus! Just do it – Bring it – did you hear me Bring it – Bring forth the faith in your life – choose faith over fear and meet the Lord in a new refreshing way!
God has given everyone unique responsibilities, and we will be most satisfied when we fulfill them. Andy Stanley
Joshua was a risk taker he left an impression on our minds and spirits! He is an inspiring example of fearlessness in the face of ridicule, harassment, war, and the battle to take the Promised Land.
This risk taker/faith walker/ God pleaser -- changed their future for Israel and the Promised Land and with God’s help made a life for the better. A better life for him and his family. A better life for his leadership teams and family. A better life for Israel.
How about you? Do you want to take a risk for Him? Be a faith walker? I dare you! Take a risk for Him this week --- step out in faith today and get your name written into the journals of Heaven!
Do you not like your name – want it changed?
Be strong in the Lord by faith!
Be courageous and do what God tells you to do?
Then receive your reward in Heaven – an oh by the way - you get a new name when you go there – DID you Know That?
Revelation 2:17: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.” Jesus
This name will be your epitaph in heaven for all Eternity! What do you want it to say? Do you want to hear and read what your new name is – Your life and legacy will determine that name in Heaven between you and Jesus!
