When we communicate a compelling vision for our church and community, we will start seeing people join our fellowship. They will hear of the blessings of the Promised Land and want to become a part of it; however, not everyone will partake of the rewards. It won’t just happen automatically because they believed in the vision and are excited about what God is doing. More is needed than just joining the mission in heart and mind. A person must become an active participant.
There will be those who will hear of the great harvest taking place, but when they see the work that it entails, they will wait for someone else to do the job, hoping to glean from the sheaves that others have gathered (cf. Ruth 2:15-16). Jesus declared, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Matthew 9:37), expressing how some people are standing around like wallflowers, casually watching the lost go to hell, and forfeiting the reward of the harvest.
Listen, as I share a quote by the Christian author William Rollings. He says, “God wants us to be more than just a member of the team. He wants everyone to be a starter and regularly participate . . . So many church members are sitting on the sidelines watching others do all of the work . . . [But] God didn’t create us to become biblical benchwarmers.”(1) We need to understand that if too many church members sit around hoping that someone else will do the work – which includes the task of evangelism – then no work will ever get done.
After Jesus said that the harvest is great, but the laborers are few, He continued to admonish, “Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:38), expressing a deep sense of urgency in how people need to get busy bringing in the sheaves and claiming new territory for the kingdom. Besides praying for laborers, we must also direct those whom we lead to become laborers; and we too must become a worker!
Joshua expected the tribes of Israel to begin taking possession of the land once Canaan had been conquered; however, he began noticing that some were reluctant to receive their inheritance. Back in chapter 17, for example, the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh had complained of the difficulty, feeling entitled to something easier because of their elite bloodline from Joseph (cf. Joshua 17:14-18). These two tribes were, therefore, hesitant in claiming the land.
And in our passage today, we will see how Joshua encountered seven more tribes, in addition to Ephraim and Manasseh, who lacked the motivation for taking possession of the land, as they had lost sight of the bigger picture. We will also see how he was eventually able to inspire the people to get busy fulfilling their destiny and reaping the rewards of their labor.
Some People Just Sit Around (vv. 1-3)
1 Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued before them. 2 But there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance. 3 Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers has given you?”
Canaan had been conquered (v. 1). The land rested from war, and Joshua was in the process of allotting the people’s inheritance (Joshua 11:23). While others had already claimed their portion, there were seven tribes who just stood around watching the action. In verse 3, Joshua stated that they had “neglected” to go and possess the land (v. 3). According to Dictionary.com, the definition of “negligence” is “discharging one’s responsibilities.”(2)
Joshua was the leader – or the pastor, so to speak – but it was not his job to acquire the land for the people. If they were sitting around not receiving their allotted territory, it was not his fault. These seven tribes needed to get up and get moving if they were ever going to claim their inheritance; however, it seems they had become complacent and were content to just sit by and watch the show.
Ken McFarland elaborates on how complacency leads to negligence; and thus, forfeiting our calling and mission. He tells us that “complacency [is] the great enemy of success. It’s deadly to . . . churches and individual Christians. Both churches and individual members lose the vision and passion and motivation that drove them to do ‘whatever it takes’ to achieve their goals of mission. They begin to get lazy, to coast, to take for granted, to rest on their laurels, to refuse to change, to feel they can do no wrong, [and] to quit caring.”(3)
McFarland stated how both a group of people and individuals alike can lose their vision. Somehow the seven tribes had become complacent about receiving the blessings of the Promised Land. They had lost their focus on the prize; perhaps, because they were content in watching other people do all the work; or maybe, the task appeared too difficult and they only saw the challenges instead of the rewards.
These seven tribes had become what we call “pew warmers,” which are those in a church who sit around watching everyone else do all the work. They watch others give of their time and resources, while they complain that their own needs are not being met – and that they are not getting their share of the blessing. Rick Warren tells us that “each Sunday, church pews are filled with members who are doing nothing with their faith except “keeping” it . . . If we can ever awaken and unleash the massive talent, resources, creativity, and energy lying dormant in the typical local church, Christianity will explode with growth at an unprecedented rate.”(4)
Warren is telling us that church is not a spectator sport. If everyone is going to receive the fullness of God’s blessings, then everyone has to get off the bench and work together in claiming the Promised Land! Joshua asked, “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers has given you?” (v. 3); and I believe the Lord is asking the local church this same question today: “How long will you sit around not receiving the blessings that God has in store for this church and community?”
Give Them Some Instruction (vv. 4-6)
4 “Pick out from among you three men for each tribe, and I will send them; they shall rise and go through the land, survey it according to their inheritance, and come back to me. 5 And they shall divide it into seven parts. Judah shall remain in their territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory on the north. 6 You shall therefore survey the land in seven parts and bring the survey here to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.”
When people sit around doing nothing, leaders must not give up on them. I believe leaders are sometimes tempted to think, “If they don’t want to join the mission, and they miss a great blessing, then it’s their own fault!” But have we ever stopped to consider that perhaps the reason why people sometimes sit around watching all the action is because they honestly don’t know what to do? C. Gordon Olson says, “Confusion produces complacency. The church has the responsibility to dispel the confusion and see that workers are sent out.”(5)
We must not give up on people. We instead need to provide them with hands-on, detailed instruction. Look at how Joshua responded to the seven complacent tribes. He told them exactly what needed to be done in order to receive their inheritance. He informed the people that the land had to be surveyed before it could ever be divided up and allotted. Joshua then instructed them on how many men they should take along, where to go, and how to perform the survey. He gave them all the necessary details; however, he stepped back and let them go to work.
In a church, people sometimes become complacent when they lose sight of the mission; so, they need to be taught again the original vision in order to remain motivated to continue laboring. Rick Warren says to “restate your purposes on a regular basis. Teach them over and over . . . By continually fanning the fire of your purposes you can overcome the tendency of your church to become complacent or discouraged.”(6)
Joshua stepped back and gave the seven tribes ownership of the project; however, he did not leave them hanging. He also instructed them to report back to him. Joshua wanted them to file a report, so he could see their current progress, and then provide further assistance and guidance. He assisted them by taking the collected information, casting lots before the Lord, seeking God’s guidance and direction on how the land should be divided. Let’s now skip down and look at verses 8-10.
Move Them from Vision to Plan (vv. 8-10)
8 Then the men arose to go away; and Joshua charged those who went to survey the land, saying, “Go, walk through the land, survey it, and come back to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh.” 9 So the men went, passed through the land, and wrote the survey in a book in seven parts by cities; and they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh. 10 Then Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD, and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
There are two necessary steps that must be enacted if we wish to move people from complacency to conquest. 1.) We must help them reacquire the vision, and 2.) we must assist them in formulating a plan of action.
Regaining the Vision – Let’s first look at helping people reacquire the vision. The seven tribes had lost sight of the vision and had forgotten the blessings waiting for them once they took possession of the land; so, they had simply given up. Author Max Lucado says, “Take away our vision, block our view of the trail’s end, and the result is as discouraging as the journey . . . Pilgrims with no vision of the Promised Land become proprietors of their own land. They set up camp. They exchange hiking boots for loafers and trade in their staff for a new recliner.”(7)
Joshua helped the seven tribes get back on track by first instructing them to survey the land (v. 8). In having them move throughout the territory, he was allowing them to once again envision the abundance that awaited them, similar to when the twelve spies were sent to check out the land back in Numbers chapter 13. By surveying the land they would be able to behold its bounty, and thereby become inspired to attain it. Joshua was helping them regain their purpose
Formulating a Plan – Let’s now look at assisting people in formulating a plan of action. Vision is a great thing for inspiration, but vision is not what gets the job done. If people are to accomplish the job, they need a plan. Pastor Bill Hybels says, “At a certain point people need more than a vision. They need a plan, a step-by-step explanation of how to move from vision to reality.”(8)
Bob LaMonte, American sports agent with the NFL, shares how a vision and a plan are actually two separate things. He says, “Certainly vision provides direction. The vision by itself, however, must be followed up with a game plan. And it is the game plan that provides a road map for how to move forward to one’s destination. Bear in mind that there is an important difference between a vision and a game plan. Your game plan pertains to the specifics of how to achieve your vision. Hence it is about implementation.”(9)
Joshua had helped the people reacquire their vision by telling them to “walk through the land” (v. 8). He then assisted them in implementing a plan by telling them to take survey notes and report back to him so he could cast lots (vv. 8-9); and the plan produced results that enabled the inheritance to finally be divided, allowing them to take their possession (v. 10).
Time of Reflection
When we begin claiming new territory for the Lord, and people start attending our church, or joining our ministry team, we must refrain from allowing them to just sit around using up spiritual resources. There will be some who, instead of doing ministry, will expect ministry done unto them. Because they lack purpose and direction, they will become complacent and begin complaining, dragging others down with them, and possibly destroying the entire fellowship.
When we see people doing nothing, we must do our best to encourage them to become actively involved in working to claim their inheritance. They too can share in the blessing of seeing the lost come to Christ; but in order to get them to that place, we will have to provide them with instruction, help them reacquire the vision, and assist them in formulating a plan. Hopefully, they will receive our instruction, but there is always the chance they won’t. If they do, however, they can begin claiming the blessings of the Promised Land.
The true Promised Land is our home in heaven, which we receive by faith in Jesus Christ. Some of us have laid hold of our possession by confessing Jesus as Savior and Lord. Others, however, are standing around forfeiting their inheritance. Why? Because they feel they have to earn God’s favor through works of righteousness and by trying to be perfect. But in the end, they find it takes too much effort in trying to work for the Lord’s favor, and so they quit trying and go back to their life of complacency and sin. But that’s because they got it all wrong.
You see, our Promised Land in heaven is not the same as some earthly inheritance. It’s not obtained through hard work; but rather, through faith. We read in Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Works are indeed a part of the Christian life, but they are not what save us. Works are an overflow from a grateful heart full of love. What saves us is Christ alone. Jesus bestows is grace and mercy in response to our confession of faith that Jesus is Lord.
Perhaps you are someone who’s given up on trying to earn God’s favor, and you find yourself just standing around, refusing to come to Christ when the altar call is given. But I want you to know that you’re closer to your inheritance than you possibly realize. You see, before a person can receive God’s grace, he or she must first reach the point of refusing to try anymore. God doesn’t want us to try (and He doesn’t want us to work) to earn the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life, because it’s simply not possible. Only when we reach the point of refusing to work for God’s favor, can we do what is required, which is to simply receive the gift of God’s grace. If the Holy Spirit is telling you that you need to confess Jesus as Savior and Lord this morning, then I invite you to come, as we have a time of invitation.
NOTES
(1) William Rollings, Jump Start Your Day (Lincoln, NE: iUniverse, 2006), p. 92.
(2) “Negligence,” Dictionary.com Unabridged, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/negligence.
(3) Ken McFarland, I Don’t See It That Way (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2009), p. 92.
(4) Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Church (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995), p. 365.
(5) C. Gordon Olson, What in the World Is God Doing? (Cedar Knolls, NJ: Global Gospel Publishers, 2003), p. 84.
(6) Warren, p. 118.
(7) Max Lucado, God Came Near (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2004), p. 118.
(8) Bill Hybels, Courageous Leadership (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000), p. 55).
(9) Bob LaMonte, Winning the NFL Way (New York, NY: Harper Collins, 2004), p. 13.
