"Joshua, Going All The Way...."
Real People - TRUE Stories Part 6
TEXT: JOSHUA 1-4
[1:1-9]
I am sure that most of us have heard the expression that Almost only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades. To almost hit your target with a grenade or to almost get a ringer, sometimes is good enough, sometimes it is all you need, to win.
But this "almost rule", is not universal and it does not apply in all areas. A lot of times almost is not good enough, frequently almost is not all we need -- many times almost means we lose.
What good is it, to almost hit a home run, to almost hit a 3 pointer at the buzzer; to almost win the lottery; to almost get off at the right exit? AND, what wife would accept her husbands explanation that he was almost faithful? Or what police officer would accept the excuse, "well, I was almost doing the speed limit.
How about last years Super Bowl - the final minutes of the game - the Titans trying desperately to come back against the Rams. Final play of the game...knees down, arms stretching, almost - just inches from the end zone.... And I can’t help mentioning one of the ultimate ‘almosts’ - The Mets - Red Sox World Series several years ago - what good would it have ben for Bill Buckner to say, "I almost fielded that ground ball."
Sometimes almost is not good enough, sometimes it means, you fail the class, miss the bus, get a ticket or have to go back to the bench.
Look how many stories in the Bible would have been different if the people only went half way, and thought that almost was good enough.
David would have almost fought Goliath;
Noah would have almost build the ark;
Abraham would have almost went to Mt. Moriah with Isaac;
Moses would have almost led the Israelites out of Egypt;
Ezra would have almost rebuild the temple;
John the Baptist would have almost prepared the way...
Listen; If these men only went part way, it would not have been enough, and more then likely their names would be as familiar to us as; (SHAMMUA, SHAPHAT, IGAL, PALTI, GADDIEL, GADDI, AMMIEL, SETHUR, NAHBI, GEUEL; 10 SPIES WHO ALMOST BROUGHT BACK A GOOD REPORT).
As the book of Joshua opens up God’s people the Israelites are almost to the promise land. They are at the very edge and the promise land lies west, just across the Jordan River.
The energy & excitement that was in the air had to be incredible - there Joshua and all of Israel were, camped on the east side of the Jordan, just waiting to enter the land that was promised to their fore-fathers, nearly 700 years ago. What a journey it was, that God’s people took over those years.
It all started somewhere around 2000 BC, when Abraham was called by God to father a nation of people who would worship the One True God. God promised Abraham that this nation would be a great nation and would possess a great land, "The Promise Land."
Their journeys would eventually take them to Egypt, where they would spend 430 years, nearly all of which was as slaves, building cities for the pharaohs. Their time in Egypt was not pleasant, Exodus 1:14 reads; "They were ruthless with the Israelites, forcing them to make bricks and mortar and to work long hours in the fields..."
But God did not forget them during their hardships, their cries were heard by the Mighty One, and He sent them a deliverer. AND Moses through he power of God performed great miracles and won the Israelites freedom, bringing the powerful Egyptian Empire to her knees.
But even though the Israelites saw God’s mighty hand, they rejected God shortly after their deliverance refusing to go into the promise land as God commanded - and as a result were forced to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. BUT now, the entire generation that had rejected God, except for Caleb and Joshua were now dead, and the new generation was only a river away from entering the promise land, they were almost there. But almost was not good enough, they needed to go all the way.
PRAYER......
QUESTION; HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY, Christianity has so little impact on the world. Have you ever wondered why the 50 or so percent of Americans who say they attend church weekly - don’t seem to be making that much of a difference in our culture?
Part of the answer to that question is found in the fact that many recent studies have shown that the values and ethics of Christians are not very different from those in the world.
Question; Is that good news? Does that mean that our world is rapidly becoming more moral? I think we all know the answer to that. What the closing of the gap simply means is this, far too many Christians can lie, abuse & neglect their families emotionally and physically, steal, drink, cheat, commit sexual immorality, watch pornography ..etc with the best of ‘heathen.’
Today, I’d like to suggest a reason for this decline within Christianity and I will also propose a solution. The reason, I believe is really very simple. FAR TOO MANY CHRISTIANS, have only gone, "almost" with God - they have not gone all the way.
They, like the Israelites, have been delivered from bondage, a much more deadly and more powerful bondage, then Egyptian slavery, the bondage of sin, whose wage is death, eternal death (eternal separation from God).
But though they have been delivered, many Christians like the Israelites have stopped far too short of true spiritual greatness for God. They are at the brink, they are at the cutting edge, they are "almost" there, but "almost" isn’t enough. It certainly isn’t enough to turn the world upside down. They need to go all the way.....
Listen; Jesus Christ said in John 10:10, "I HAVE COME THAT THEY (THAT’S US), MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL."
And in John chapter 4 Jesus said, "those who drink the water that I will give them will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give them will become in them a spring which will provide them with life-giving water and give them eternal life..." (4:14 GN)
CIRCLE; "Life" "To the full" "Never thirst again..."
Yet many Christians are running around with their cups empty and their mouths parched. Countless Christians trudge through this life, never feeling satisfied, never feeling joy, peace or contentment , yet Jesus said, "BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR THEY WILL BE SATISFIED
When we read the accounts of the early Christianias, about how they were joyful in spite of what to us seems like unbearable circumstances (death, torture, prison persecution).
How did they do it?
Were they better then us?
Did God care more about them?
Is God unable to do for us what he did for them?
Is Jesus not able to do for you & I, what he did for Paul, give us the strength to endure any and every circumstance?
Is our God running out of power, or is He just losing interest for His people?
The answer to all of those questions obviously is NO!!!!! The problem is not with God. He is still the same...."Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today & forever...." Heb 13:8
Listen; The reason many of the first century Christians had joy in spite of hardships and they reason they turned their world upside down, is because they did not stop at going "almost", Rather...... THEY WENT "ALL THE WAY" with God.
THEY CROSSED OVER WHAT CAN BE CALLED THEIR SPIRITUAL JORDAN AND they ENTERED THE CHRISTIAN PROMISED LAND.
A LAND:
Where they realized and enjoyed the forgiveness of sin and no longer let guilt stifle their walk.
Where they truly knew that Christ was with them, they felt His presence as their Lord, Savior and Friend.
Where they walked in the newness of life, leaving behind the old ways of living
Where they had true joy, a joy that was based on the unmovable rock of Jesus
Christ and their relationship to Him, a joy resulting in an unquenchable praise and adoration.
Where they no only praised God on Sunday but lived for Him on Monday.
Where they allowed the spirit and the Word to help them be more Christ-like.
Where they believed, used and saw in action the powerful privilege of prayer and had that peace that passes all understanding.
Where they gained victory over sin through the blood and power of the Lamb.
Where their cup was full, their hearts were satisfied and their lives rocked!!!
Where they could stare death in the face and see it as sweet victory. Because for them "TO LIVE WAS CHRIST AND TO DIE WAS GAIN".
SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE DOESN’T IT. ACROSS THE RIVER IS LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY. A LAND WHERE EVERY CHRISTIAN will EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF SALVATION AND RISE ABOVE MEDIOCRITY AND SERVE CHRIST WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
LIKE THE ISRAELITES GOD HAS ONLY ONE PLACE THAT HE INTENDS FOR CHRISTIANS TO LIVE AFTER HE DELIVERS THEM FROM BONDAGE.
As we study the early part of the book of Joshua today - I want us each to consider what it means for us to cross over ‘our’ spiritual Jordan. And dads - Today is father’s day - happy father’s day... And no I don’t have a gift for you - God already took care of that when he placed that child in your arms... BUT DADS and Husbands I want you to listen up today... For you see, JUST as Joshua was the leader of the Israelites - you are the leader of your families...
NOW, maybe you’ve been a pretty poor one , BUT today is your day to take your stand and tell your God, "God I’m going all the way!!!" And LISTEN, only THEN can you lead your family to their promise land (don’t you want them to live there?)
Who here is NOT satisfied with giving ‘their’ God ----- Almost?
Who wants to GO all the way?
Who wants to live in the Christian ‘promise’ land?
Well, IF you do you need to do 4 things......
WE NEED TO LEAVE SOME THINGS BEHIND
BOOT CAMP ILLUSTRATION; SWIMMING-SMILING-WEIGHTS-SINKING
Before God’s people could enter the promise land something had to be left behind. When the nation of Israel back in Numbers 14 sinned and rejected God and refused to go into the promised land God said,
"...as surely as I live, and as surely as the earth is filled with the Lord’s glory, not one of these people will ever enter that land. They have seen my glorious presence and the miraculous signs I performed both in Egypt and in the wilderness, BUT again & again they tested me by refusing to listen. They will never even see the land I swore to give their ancestors. None of those who have treated me with contempt will enter it." (21-23)
And we read in Deuteronomy 2:14, "THAT ENTIRE GENERATION OF FIGHTING MEN HAD PERISHED FROM THE CAMP AS THE LORD HAD SWORN TO THEM." These sinful men who had rejected God and who had prevented God’s people from entering into the promise land were now gone and could no longer prevent them from entering -- they were left behind... AND if you are ever going to enter the promise land you need to leave some things behind....
Listen; One of the main reasons that we never go all the way with God, one of the chief hindrances in you & I crossing of our Spiritual Jordan - the thing that keeps many from living in the Christian promise land is sin.
Just as my friend in boot camp couldn’t stop smiling and almost sunk, if we keeping on sinning we too may sink on the way as well.
Now this is does not mean, that we will never sin again, because as long as we live in the flesh we will battle with sin. But sin is not to the characteristic of our life. Listen to what Paul says about sin in Gal 5;
"So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. THEN you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just the opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict....When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results; sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure (pornography) idolatry, participation in demonitic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions...envy, drunkenness, wild parties and other kinds of sin. LET ME TELL YOU again, as I have said before, that anyone living that sort of life will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God..." Gal 5:16-22
Tragically a lot of Christians take a much too apathetic attitude towards there sin, they know they do certain things, have certain thoughts and attitudes, but they exert no significant effort to deal with and remove those sins from their life.
Listen; If we try to experience the abundant life that Jesus has promised us, if we try to cross Our Spiritual Jordan carrying along this heavy load of sin, we will not make it, we will sink on the way. Before we plant the garden we have to pull the weeds....(parable of sower - choked out the life)
Sin is serious, Paul also told the Christians in Corinth not to be deceived, that those who habitually practice these sins will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. NOW those are some serious in your face words...
Question; Is there sin in your life is keeping you from realizing your full Christian potential, deal with it now, leave it behind so that you can cross over into spiritual greatness for God. Confess it -- remove it -- move on
Hebrews 12:1, "LET US THROW OFF EVERYTHING THAT HINDERS AND THE SIN THAT SO EASILY ENTANGLES - AND LET US RUN WITH PERSEVERANCE THE RACE MARKED OUT FOR US."
WE MUST DEVELOP GENUINE FAITH
Joshua had a deep faith in God, if he didn’t have faith he never would have crossed the Jordan River to begin with. Crossing the Jordan took faith on Joshua’s part because there were many obstacles and plenty of reasons for him not to go, some of which were:
THE RIVER ITSELF; 90-100 feet wide 3- 12 feet deep
The time of the year that they were crossing would find the river at flood stage, ragging and swollen from the melting snow up in the mountains. (no bridge no boat and millions of people)
THE CITIES; OVER THERE WERE WELL FORTIFIED AND THEY HAD WEAPONS - AND TRAINED SOLDIERS; WHAT DID JOSHUA HAVE? NOT MUCH.
THE PEOPLE HE WAS LEADING; were an obstacle as well, they did not have a very good track record, when you study Exodus through Deuteronomy -- you see just how on and off these people were).
I’m sure in the back of Joshua’s mind was the question as to whether they would quit when the going got tough. (lead a charge on the city and be left standing alone).
HIMSELF; Am I really a strong enough leader, can I really fill the shoes of Moses.
Sounds like an awful lot of reasons not to go, the odds seem to be stacked against him.
What was he going to do? Did he have anything going for him? Joshua had an undying faith in God, and His faith was real and not ‘mere’ lip service.
what is real faith?
In Hebrews 11; "faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see...."
Real faith - is a young man armed with just 5 smooth stones fighting a 10 foot giant.
Real faith - is Noah building an ark for himself and his family in a land that had never seen rain.
Real faith - is Abraham leaving his homeland and his country to follow God..real faith - is Abraham walking to a mountain top to sacrifice Isaac
Real faith - is Moses choosing to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.
Real faith - is lived not just talked about... it’s what we do not just what we believe
And real faith as the Hebrew writer says as he closes out that awesome chapter on faith - ‘real faith,’ conquers kingdoms, shuts the mouths of lions, quenches the fury of the flames, escapes the edge of the sword, turns weakness into strength, becomes powerful in battle, routes foreign enemies, endures torture and persecution, withstands jeers and floggings - overcomes death.....
Now, I don’t know about you, BUT that ‘real faith’ stuff - really ignites my fire - it pumps me up... gets me excited. Makes me want to ask...’where can I get me some...’
where do we get real faith?
We live in a society that wants things fast, we want things now, and we want things easy. Christians even want their faith fast and easy. Many dream of the day when a former preacher turned chemist will invent a faith pill, just pop one of those babies each day and you’ll have all the faith you need.
But there is no quick & easy way to have faith; there are no short cuts; Faith must be developed, used and exercised for it to grow.
Understand; Joshua’s faith did not just drop into his lap - when he was about to cross the Jordan River.... No, Joshua’s faith was not born in Joshua chapter 1. BUT rather it began over 40 years earlier in Egypt. You see, Joshua had been hanging out with God for quite sometime... When facing an enemy on a short while out of Egypt - it was Joshua who led Israel in battle... When Moses went up to thundering Mt Sinai to get the law from God - who do you think was by his side? Joshua. When the spies were sent out - to check out the promise land it was Joshua who brought back a good report....
Listen; Real faith - the kind that does something - the kind that takes us across our spiritual Jordan - comes from hanging out with God - spending time with him, listening to him, doing the things that he says to do...trusting Him.... Stepping out even when things look tough - taking that jump - even when you are facing what seems to be an uncrossable river...
Here are 3 keys to real faith:
#1; Read God’s word (in Joshua 1 the verses we read at the beginning today - we see God giving His charge to Joshua and in verses 7 & 8 --- God underscores the importance of the word - as he tells Joshua to;
"Be strong & very courageous. Obey all the laws Moses gave you. Do not turn away from them, and you will be successful in everything you do. Study This Book of the law continually, Meditate on it day & night so you may be sure to Obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed."
#2; Pray....
#3; Live the life......do what he says... Just step out in faith and do it....
That’s what Joshua and the Israelites did when they crossed the Jordan river. They did what he said - and literally stepped out in faith....
So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. YET as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the waters edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away..."
Joshua 3:14-15
Listen; sometimes water never part until our feet get wet....
Joshua put his faith in God, if God said it, he believed it and he knew that God would deliver.
Joshua did not look to his own obstacles and calculate that the odds where not in his favor ("i’m staying home) but rather he looked to God and his strength and stepped out - that’s real in faith.
To go all the way..... we need to leave some things (or some people) behind; we need to develop some real faith....
WE MUST BE FULLY ARMED
"Your wives, children, and cattle may remain here on the east side of the Jordan River, BUT your warriors, FULLY armed, must lead the other tribes (dads men - we need to lead the way) across the Jordan to help them conquer their territory..." Joshua 1:14
Okay, circle, ‘fully armed.’ If a soldier reported to the front lines wearing just his underwear, he would look pretty silly wouldn’t he, and besides that, he would probably get himself killed. When a soldier goes to battle he reports fully armed.
If we want to go all the way with God, if we want to live up to our full Christian potential, if we want to cross Our Spiritual Jordan, then we need to be fully armed.
Question; Why do we need to be fully armed? Because our enemy is not playing games.... Understand this; satan is not out to simply give you a bad day - He wants to destroy your life... Remember watches your game films....looking for an opportunity to exploit a weakness then smash you - your marriage - your family...
Just as the mighty Pharaoh pursued the Israelites, satan pursues the Christian - the moment they are freed. You see, satan does not want you to go all the way with God. As a matter of fact, one of his best weapons is: half-hearted, non committed- lukewarm, casual, mediocre Christians (people who praise him with their lips on Sunday and deny him with their live son Monday).
And he wants all Christians to stay that way.
Listen; if we try to go over without being fully armed he’ll blow us right out of the water, one fiery dart and we’ve had it. For many Christians that is exactly what happens, they make an attempt to cross over to Spiritual greatness for God but because they show up for battle wearing only spiritual underwear and carrying along some unrepentant habitual sin --- they get sunk on the way across...
Question; What kind of armor is a Christian to wear? Where do we find out what it is? (if we don’t know what it is - how we can’t put it on). [Eph 6:10-18]
"Belt of truth," Is our personal integrity....
"breastplate of righteousness" our righteous life, like a Roman breast plate is a chief defensive weapon against Satan. When we are living right it is harder for satan to strike fatal blows...
"Shield of faith," Is what we believe, who we believe in and what this belief means about our identity... when the flaming arrows come we say with our faith; "I don’t have to listen to you, I won’t listen to you, I can’t listen to you, I belong to God..
(wwjd bracelets, t-shirts)
"Helmet of Salvation," - is our hope of victory and of salvation; knowing with God that we will win allows us to stand toe to toe with the enemy...
Footgear is important to a soldier. George Washington troops at Valley Forge had bleeding shoeless feet. Such soldiers are nearly helpless. Our footgear is the word - We need to firmly plant our in the Word. (know it - study it - live it!!)
Another vital part of our spiritual armor is Prayer; prayer is communication, and communication is vital to any battle. Prayer keeps open the lines of communication with our commander in chief, and provides a way for us to help our fellow soldiers.
WE MUST FOLLOW GOD’S LEAD
When the Israelites went into battle, and when they crossed the Jordan they new who they were following. The people were to follow the ark and then they would know which way to go. And the ark represented to them the very presence of God. (2 angels, presence of God in the middle).
You see, God did not leave them without direction, he did not leave them without a leader, He was their leader, and he showed them which way to go. And as the people began passing through the Jordan, the priests stood firm on dry ground holding up the ark, signifying to the people that God was with them.
God has not left us without a leader, He has not left us wondering which way to go.
2,000 years ago God put on human flesh, to lead the way. And for those 2000 years Jesus has been lifted up, so that as we pass through the waters of this life and walk through on dry ground, knowing that Jesus is there, leading the way.
Those who want to go all the way with God.
Those who want to cross their spiritual Jordan.
Must follow Jesus, they must be like Jesus,
They must be fully armed, they must develop a deep faith
and they must leave behind the sin that so easily entangles and hinders their walk.
ACROSS THE RIVER IS A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY. A LAND WHERE EACH CHRISTIAN CAN LIVE UP TO their FULL POTENTIAL and have joy regardless of circumstances. JESUS CAME THAT WE MIGHT HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL.
IF YOU EVER STUDIED JOSHUA BEFORE YOU know THAT THEY DID CROSS OVER AND THAT THEY DID TAKE POSSESSION OF THE PROMISE LAND. BUT THERE IS A SAD PART IN JOSHUA’S CONQUEST OF THE PROMISE LAND, AND THAT IS THAT NOT ALL OF ISRAEL SETTLED IN THE PROMISE LAND. THE TRIBES OF GAD, REUBEN AND HALF THE TRIBE OF MANASSEH WERE CONTENT TO LEAVE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE JORDAN. TO SPEND THEIR LIFE MERELY GAZING ACROSS THE RIVER AT THE PROMISE LAND BUT NEVER KNOWING WHAT IT WAS REALLY LIKE TO LIVE THERE.
MANY CHRISTIANS ARE CONTENT, TO GO ONLY ALMOST WITH GOD. THEY LIVE THEIR ENTIRE LIFE NEVER KNOWING WHAT IT’S LIKE TO REALLY LIVE A DYNAMIC/JOYFUL CHRISTIAN LIFE, THEY ONLY GAZE AT IT FROM A DISTANCE, BUT NEVER EXPERIENCE IT.
AND CHRISTIANS LIKE THAT HAVE A VERY LITTLE CHANCE OF IMPACTING THEIR WORLD.
ALMOST IS OKAY IN SOME THINGS, BUT IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD - WE NEED TO GO ALL THE WAY......
.
WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON TODAY? EAST LOOKING -- WEST LIVING
WHICH SIDE DOES JESUS WANT YOU ON?
THE CHOICE IS YOURS.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO I HEARD WORDS TO A SONG THAT HAVE REALLY STUCK WITH ME AND HAS CHALLENGED ME OVER THE YEARS, I’LL CLOSE WITH THEM TODAY.
"I DON’T WANT BE, I DON’T WANT TO BE A CASUAL CHRISTIAN.
I DON’T WANT LIVE, I DON’T WANT LIVE A LUKEWARM LIFE,
CAUSE I WANT TO LIGHT UP THE NIGHT WITH AN EVERLASTING LIGHT.
I DON’T WANT TO LIVE A CASUAL CHRISTIAN LIFE.
