YOU’RE NEXT
Joshua 1:1-9
S: Courage
Th: Profiles in Courage
Pr: WE MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO MOVE FORWARD.
?: What? What keeps us from doing so?
KW: Obstacles
TS: We will find in our study of Joshua 1:1-19 six obstacles that may keep us from moving forward.
The _____ obstacle that may keep us from moving forward is the…
I. DAYS GONE BY (1)
II. DIMENSIONS (2-5)
III. DEFICIENCIES (6)
IV. DISTRESSES (6)
V. DISTRACTIONS (7)
VI. DELINQUINCIES (8-9)
Version: ESV
RMBC 20 July 03 AM
INTRODUCTION:
So…you think you have problems?!
ILL Notebook: Problem (CPR)
Toward the end of Scott’s senior year in high school, they were required to take a CPR course. The classes used the well-known mannequin victim, Rescue Anne, to practice.
Scott’s group’s model was legless to allow for storage in a carrying case.
The class went off in groups to practice. As instructed, one of Scott’s classmates gently shook the doll and asked "Are you all right?" He then put his ear over the mannequin’s mouth to listen for breathing.
Suddenly he turned to the instructor and exclaimed, "She said she can’t feel her legs!"
TRANSITION:
Well, today we continue our series of “Profiles in Courage.”
The person we are studying could have easily posed that earlier question.
He could easily say, “So, you think you have problems?”
The man is Joshua.
To fully understand Joshua’s situation, we need to go back in time to the book of Numbers (which was our Scripture reading this morning).
1. Joshua and Caleb had been minority voices when it had come time to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 13-14).
Let me do one more quick review.
As Israel came to the end of their travels on the Sinai Peninsula, they came to a place called Kadesh-Barnea.
It is at this place that Moses appointed twelve men to spy out the Promised Land.
Joshua was one of these men.
For forty days they traveled and investigated the length and breadth of the land.
When they returned, they all agreed that the land was truly wonderful.
It was a land of milk and honey.
But, ten of the spies gave a discouraging report.
They said that the enemy cities with their armies were too great.
They would be like grasshoppers to these people.
There was no way that the people of Israel would be strong enough to defeat them.
Joshua and Caleb, though, said such a report was a bunch of nonsense.
If they trusted God, moved forward, and took the land as they were instructed, they would be victorious.
Guess whom the people listened to?
Right…the majority view.
So…
2. For their lack of faith and courage, the people of Israel were left to wander in the wilderness for 40 years.
This decision on the part of the people was an act of rebellion in God’s judgment.
God would not have a people that refused to trust Him enter into the Promised Land.
It is still an important lesson for us today.
For…
3. WE MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO MOVE FORWARD.
But what is it that holds us up?
What keeps us from doing so?
Well…
4. We will find in our study of Joshua 1:1-9 six obstacles that may keep us from moving forward.
OUR STUDY:
I. The first obstacle that may keep us from moving forward is the DAYS GONE BY (1-2a).
[1] After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, [2] "Moses my servant is dead.
Immediately, at the beginning of this historical account, Joshua is faced with this alarming reality.
It is hard to live up to the past.
It was now time to take the role of leadership that once belonged to Moses.
It was now his job.
This was no easy task, for Moses had certainly been larger than life.
Joshua was now going to replace this beloved and inspired leader.
How could he possibly fill those shoes (sandals actually)?
But even more, would the people follow him?
Would they be able to forget the past and actually move forward?
ILL Notebook: Past (The Past)
Years ago a thunderstorm swept through southern Kentucky at the farm where the Claypool forebears had lived for six generations. In the orchard, the wind blew over an old pear tree that had been there as long as anybody could remember. John Claypool’s grandfather was grieved to lose the tree on which he had climbed as a boy and whose fruit he had eaten all his life.
A neighbor came by and said, “Doc, I’m really sorry to see your pear tree blown down.”
“I’m sorry too,” said my grandfather. “It was a real part of my past.”
“What are you going to do?” the neighbor asked.
The grandfather paused for a moment and then said, “I’m going to pick the fruit and burn what’s left.”
The grandfather teaches us well here.
We remember the past.
We rejoice in the past.
But we do not long for the past.
Instead, we do the work of the present and move forward.
For Joshua, Moses was dead, but God’s purpose was very much alive.
God did not want him standing around.
It wasn’t a time to be thinking, “We’ll never have another man like Moses.”
It was time to keep building.
It was time to move forward.
The saying on John Wesley’s grave helps us here:
“God buries His workmen, but His work goes on.”
II. The second obstacle that may keep us from moving forward is the DIMENSIONS (2b-5).
Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. [3] Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. [4] From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. [5] No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.
God gives to Joshua the same view that He had given Moses.
He gazes beyond what is now Jordan.
He gazes beyond what is now Lebanon.
And God says it is yours for the taking.
It had to be quite the scene.
It was huge!
Nevertheless…
Sometimes, the tasks seem too big.
We don’t know if Joshua hesitated at this point, but we would not blame him if he did.
It easily could have seemed like it was too much.
Yet, Joshua must have remembered what it had been like forty years earlier when the people hesitated.
They grew fearful.
They saw the size of their enemy and they panicked.
That had been a disaster.
They were going to be able to do this.
Why?
Because God was with them.
You see…knowing God is with you helps cut those immense obstacles down to size.
When God is with you, it is enough!
III. The third obstacle that may keep us from moving forward is the DEFICIENCIES (6a).
Next I want to concentrate on the first two words of verse 6…
[6] Be strong…
Why is it that the Lord tells us to be strong?
I think that it is simply this…
We can too easily lose our resolve in the face of the enemy.
It has been said…
When in charge, ponder.
When in trouble, delegate.
When in doubt, mumble.
I don’t think the last statement is what the Lord had in mind for Joshua.
He was to be strong and firm, not weak, bumbling and mumbling.
Taking on this enormous task was going to take perseverance.
This was not going to happen overnight.
Becoming possessors of the Promised Land was going to take a long time.
If he was to be a successful leader, Joshua needed to possess an absolute resolve.
Now, even though God tells Joshua to be strong, it was not going to be because of his own power.
The secret of his success was not his strength, but in the fact that he would be dependent on the Lord’s strength.
Success would come because the Lord was with him.
Joshua could be strong.
He should be strong because the battle was the Lord’s.
He could count on the Lord’s strength and His assistance.
After all, this was the Lord’s work, not his.
IV. The fourth obstacle that may keep us from moving forward is the DISTRESSES (6).
[6] Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.
Now I ask a similar question…
Why does God tell us to be courageous?
Frankly, it is because we get scared a lot.
We fear the process and the consequences.
And as a result…
Fear can paralyze us.
ILL Notebook: Fear (Apprehensive)
As a sergeant in a parachute regiment, Doug took part in several nighttime exercises. Once, he was seated next to a Lieutenant fresh from Jump School. He was quite sad and looked a bit pale so Doug struck up a conversation.
"Scared, Lieutenant?", he asked.
The Lieutenant replied, "No, just a bit apprehensive."
Doug asked, "What’s the difference?"
He replied, "That means I’m scared with a university education."
Whether we feel apprehensive, anxious, scared or petrified, God calls on us to have courage.
The Lord repeats this command over and over because we are so easily frozen by fear.
The task God has given can seem so massive, there is a definite temptation to run the other way.
Perhaps we are afraid of the embarrassment of failure…
Perhaps we don’t like being labeled…
Perhaps we don’t like being in the minority…
Perhaps we don’t like rejection and hostility…
Whatever fills us with fear, we are to stop ourselves and find new courage.
It is available.
It is available because God provides it.
God is with us.
Therefore, we will not be found drifting aimlessly along with the crowd.
We will move forward, no matter what distresses us.
We will move forward because God has promised to be with us.
V. The fifth obstacle that may keep us from moving forward is the DISTRACTIONS (7).
[7] Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
ILL Notebook: Listen (Gavin)
General John Gavin who was the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe and the Commander-in-Chief of US European Command was asked what was it like to be in charge of so many and various forces. His response went like this…
“I often feel like the director of a cemetery. I have a lot of people under me, but nobody listens.”
Joshua had to be concerned about the same thing.
Would people listen?
Would they listen to him?
Would they listen or be distracted in the midst of the conflict?
It was a legitimate concern.
For…
It is easy to wander from the main thing.
The description that is given here to Joshua is really a moral one.
He was not to get off track.
He was to observe God’s commandments faithfully, for this required greater moral strength and courage than proving one’s self on the battlefield.
Joshua had to keep his focus.
We must remember this if we are to move forward as God calls.
The world offers plenty of distractions in terms of our possessions and our desires.
Nevertheless, our pleasures must take a lesser place if we are to have true success.
VI. The sixth obstacle that may keep us from moving forward is the DELINQUINCIES (8-9).
[8] This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. [9] Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
Have you ever noticed that…
We can be afraid to ask for directions.
Simply, Joshua was not to be caught being stupid.
This meant that his mind was to be exercised by God’s Word.
Through continual meditation, Joshua was to delve deeper into the meaning of God’s Word.
Then he would understand its spiritual depth and be able to follow it meticulously without neglecting the smallest part.
As a result, he would know God better.
He would know what God desires and have a clearer understanding of His call on his own life.
This is so important to us as well.
If we are to possess the courage to move forward, we must not rely on our own wisdom.
We cannot rely on our own strength and assets.
Instead, we must study the Word in the realization that if we do not study God’s Word, every challenge that comes our way will seem impossible.
APPLICATION:
C. S. Lewis’ mentor, George MacDonald once wrote…
“I find the doing of the will of God leaves me no time for disputing about His plan!”
You know…
1. There should never be discussion about whether to follow God’s will or not.
The people of Israel were going to find out that God does not walk out on His promises.
The same is so true for us as well.
And if God doesn’t walk out on His promises to us, we shouldn’t walk out on them either.
We should be faithful in moving forward, because God will be faithful.
It is interesting to note that the succeeding generations would not be faithful.
They would not follow God’s will.
They would not move forward and complete God’s will for them.
The book of Judges characterizes it like this…
“Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.”
They rejected the objective standard of righteousness given by God and instead chose to follow a moral and spiritual relativism.
Sound familiar to today?
As believers in the Lord, we must not allow that to happen.
Instead, we must remember and apply the following…
2. When God promises His Presence, it is always enough.
The sole source of our strength and our courage is the Lord’s Presence.
Our trust in Him is to be unshakeable, no matter how great the tasks may seem.
So dear people, do not pray for easy lives.
Rather, pray to be stronger for the Lord’s sake.
Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers.
Instead, pray for power equal to your tasks!
BENEDICTION: [Counselors are ]
Be strong and courageous and move forward…do not let the past get in the way, but rather let it be a foundation for more growth in the kingdom of God.
Be strong and courageous and move forward…do not let the size of the task get in your way; instead be excited that God has so much for you to accomplish.
Be strong and courageous and move forward…do not be distracted; keep your focus; and realize that God because God is the With-Us God, there is no challenge that cannot be accepted and accomplished.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
