HOW TO GET PAST YOUR JORDAN
JOSHUA 3:1-6 & 14-17
Because of their unbelief, Israel was sentenced to wander in the wilderness for 40 years
-----However, before they can enter Canaan, they must first get past one final, major obstacle----the Jordan River
Now normally, this would not have presented much of a problem, since Jordan was only 100 feet wide at Gilgal where they crossed
-----However, it seems that God always does things in such a way that no man can boast of having done them on their own
Notice 3:15
Those who have been there during the harvest time tell us that the Jordan swells to an impassable width of over 1 mile-------over 50 times wider than it normally would have been when Israel arrived
--------there was no way they could cross this river on their own
-------------they needed supernatural help
We each have Jordans that we face from time to time----and when we cross we are able to enter our spiritual Canaan and enjoy the abundant life that Jesus promised His followers
Praise God that we serve a God who specializes in overcoming the overwhelming and in leading His children to victory
Allow me to show you from chapters 3 & 4 of Joshua how to get pass your Jordan
-----there are 3 steps that we must take to guarantee that we will be able to get past that obstacle that blocks our way and enter our Canaan
I)—We need to examine a Message—3:1-13
A)—It involved a Challenge—v. 3-4
In the words they heard, they were challenged to do three very important things
-----these are the same things that we need to hear this morning that will help us to follow the Lord better as well
1)—Watch God
Notice that the Ark of the covenant is mentioned some 7 times in Chapter 3-----The Ark, you may remember was that special piece of Tabernacle furniture that symbolized the presence and power of God
When God moved, they were to move-----When God stopped they were to do the same
When we face times of crisis, or when we need direction in life----we need to learn to be sensitive to the movement of the Lord in and around us
2)—Follow God
When they saw the Ark of the Covenant move, they were to “set out from their place, and go after it”
------Not only were they to watch God, they were to move when He did
-----------“Experiencing God”----by Henry Blackaby -----states—“we need to see what God is up to around us and then get involved”
This may require us to leave our comfort zone-----Israel was about to follow the Ark through a river that was over 1 mile wide
If you ever expect to get past your obstacles and enter your Canaan, you must learn to follow God
3)—Honor God
Notice that the Israelites are told to stay at least 3000 feet behind the Ark
----This was so that they could easily see the Ark
B)—It involved a Command—v. 5
The people were told to “consecrate yourselves”-----this referred to being sure they were clean and holy as possible --------they were to put away anything that was displeasing to the Lord—and get ready for the Lord to do something great for them
We must be clean if we are expecting God to do great things in and through and around us
If you and I ever expect to get past the Jordan’s that arise in our lives, we are going to have to learn that one of the first things we must do is examine our lives to make sure they are as clean as possible
I John 1:9
B)—It involved a Commitment—v. 9-13
This message to the Israelites reminded them that getting across the Jordan did not rest on their shoulders, but on the Lord’s
It was His plan to get them over and it was His problem
------He makes them a promise and tells them that He will bring them through in a powerful fashion-----------God commits Himself
------all that was required of Israel was that they trust God and be obedient to Hiim
Worry and doubt marks the lives of the people of God to often
1)—We worry over tomorrow, yet the Lord has said in Matthew 6:34—“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
2)—We worry over material things, yet the Lord has promised in Philippians 4:19—“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in Glory in Christ Jesus”
3)—We worry about facing various things in life, yet the Lord has promised in Hebrew 13:5—“I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you”
4)—We worry over so many things, yet the Lord tells us that all of our worry is sin and that our duty is to trust Him
Philippians 4:6-7
The bottom line is this----Jesus is all powerful, He is all knowing and He is all present-------He knows what you are going through -----He knows everything there is to know about it-----He even knows more about it than you do
Matthew 8:26—“Why are you afraid, yo men of little faith?
He is the Lord and He is greater than any problem we have ever or will ever face in life---------His desire is that we simply learn to take Him at His word and trust Him
Romans 4:21----“And being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform”
That is the message-----let us take it to heart
II)—We need to expect a Miracle—3:14-17
A)—There was a Problem—v. 15B
The river was over 1 mile wide and there were 2 million people who had to cross------------the could not build a bridge, there wasn’t enough time or materials
-----they could not transport everyone over in boats,—there were no boats
------there was only one way around their problem and that was through it
that same thing is true in our lives so often-----praise God we have a God that goes before us and makes a way
I suppose we have all been like the 10 spies that returned from spying out the land of Canaan with Caleb and Joshua
We so often forget about God------where we see only the problem—God sees the solutions-------where we look at things and say—“There is no way”------God looks at the problem and says—“follow me, I have a plan”
You need to understand that the Ark of the Covenant is a picture of Christ as our leader
----I Corinthians 10 states that the whole journey of Israel from Egypt to the promised land is a picture of our Christian life
You remember the High priest would go into the Holy of Holies once a year and offer sacrifices for the sins of the people
------As the ark of the covenant went before them----it symbolized Jesus paying for our sins--------notice v. 3
-------Notice v. 4------the Ark stayed some 30 football fields ahead of them------why?-----so the whole congregation could see the Ark
—Notice v. 11
The Ark of the covenant also was a picture of Christ as our Savior
----Notice v. 15-17
Notice v. 16----ADAM------He conquered death and sin all the way back to Adam---------------you see all who would follow the Ark would be saved and receive what God had promised them
B)—There was a Plan—v. 15
The plan is found in v. 15
but there was a catch in this plan-----the water would not part until the priests who were carrying the Ark stepped into the water
-----In other words–it took a step of faith, whereby the people obediently followed the Lord for them to see the miracle come to pass
What a lesson for you and me-----too often we want the Lord just to fix everything in our lives for us----we don’t want to have to make any decisions nor do we want to have to exercise our faith in Him
But folks----most of the time God will require us to take steps of faith in order that we might see our Jordan parted
It never is about what we can do----but is always about what the Lord is able to do----Ephesians 3:20—“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all at that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us”
C)—There was a Performance—v. 16-17
When the priests stepped into that raging river, it parted and God opened a path of dry ground through the waters for His people
Verse 16 says that the waters backed up to the City of Adam—this is some 15 to 20 miles north of where the children of Israel were crossing
God made them a path through the water that was more than adequate for His people to get through-------a couple of million had to cross
III)—We need to erect a Memorial—4:1-24
When all the people had passed over Jordan, Joshua commanded one man from each of the 12 tribes to get a rock from the midst of the Jordan and build a memorial on the Canaan side
A)—The purpose of the Memorial—v. 6 & 7—21-24
These verses tell us that the purpose of the memorial was to remind successive generations of the power and faithfulness of God on behalf of His people
we need some memorials in our lives as well
-----but we do not need to embalm the past and by doing so cripple the future---------many Churches have done that and are suffering as a result------they are living in the past
B)—The Picture in the Memorial—v. 9 & 20
It is interesting to notice that Joshua constructed two memorials
-----one on the West Bank of the river and one in the river
------these two memorial served two different purposes----notice what they were
1)—A picture of the faith of the people and the faithful God who made the way----v. 9
This also represent a picture of Believers are united with Christ in His death
-----the water is a picture of death-----the Ark went in first to make the way----------------v. 5----each tribe represented----to show that this was for all people
2)—A Picture of the Faithfulness of God–v. 20
This also represents a picture of Believers are united with Christ in His resurrection
Romans 6:5----“For fie we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection”
Notice v. 18------we get to the place where there is no turning back
-------they were committed------what about you
Sing song----I have decide to follow Jesus----no turning back
V. 21-23—expound
