Embracing Transition 2

Amen---

Grab your bible and turn to the old testament book of Joshua starting in chapter 1.

Once a year we set aside a Sunday to celebrate our seniors. Give them a gift pray over them and then have them sit down in the front.

If you are with me in Joshua chapter 1 :1-9 please stand as is our custom in-order to honor Gods word.

If you don’t have a bible the verse are on the screen in front of you.

Let’s read it together:

Joshua 1:1-9

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. 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. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 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. 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. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 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. 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. 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.”

When we were at youth camp a couple of years back we had the great opportunity to participate in the ropes course at Circle Six. One of the big challenges was to complete the faith pole where you would climb up a power line pole. Once you got to the top you would stand on a small platform. After standing up the idea was to jump out and grab the swing in front of you. Which was at a pretty good distance.

One of our youth, got to the top of the pole with no problem. In fact it was a pretty easy climb for her. Her problem came as she got to the top. As she looked around, she became terrified. 30 or so feet in the air. A stiff breeze pushing on her. Nothing to hold to. In reality she was perfectly safe because there was a trained guy holding her climbing rope that she had a harness strapped to, he was fully trained, and had done this countless times before. Yet as she looked around, all she could do was hold tightly to the pole at the top and cry out in fear. I called up to her, logically explaining there was nothing to fear. But the imagined terror was more than logic would handle. She would try to reach out for the swing in front of her, which was a number of feet away, but would not let go of the pole she had climbed. To reach it she would have to let go of the pole and jump. I talked to her and encouraged her. Yet she would not release the pole. She would not embrace the change of moving forward.

No one could do it for her. If she was going to move forward, she would have to let go of the pole. If she was going to enjoy this new journey, she would have to let go of the pole. If she was going to be successful, she would have to leave the security of the pole and let go of the pole, trusting in the safety of the rope, knowing the faithfulness and skill of the one on the other side of the rope. Ultimately, she finally let go and jumped down after more than an hour. And found joy and excitement, embracing the change, letting go and moving forward, embracing the change, trusting in the ones who were faithfully keeping her safe. Today you stand at a transition point as you start on a new Journey, in fact most of us in the room face change in our life at some point. What will these transitions bring? One thing is for certain – they will usher in change. At these times, the question is, what will our reaction be. Will we let go of the past and move forward? Will we embrace change and trust the One who has us safely in His hands?

That was the case for Israel as well. Things had changed, Moses had died. The wilderness was behind them, and they stood on threshold of receiving the promises of God. It was time to let go of the past and move forward. They stand on the threshold. Would they let go? Would they embrace the change? Would they display faith in their Lord?

This morning I want to address the graduates: however, this teaching can be for all of us especially if you’re going through any type of transition.

Transition-

The word TRANSITION by definition means the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.

We will all experience transition, and if you are not going through some sort of transition right now get ready, because it could be right around the corner.

Life is full of transition!!! Stepping into a new path can be hard and to be honest it can be very frightful; however, in those times of transition is where our greatest grow comes from.

As believers we should always be progressing on the spiritual journey; however, many times we stop short in receiving what God wants us to have.

Israel stopped short when they failed to enter the promise land the first time. In their disobedience, they wandered in the wilderness instead of receiving what God had promised.

Our stopping short may be the result of holding onto some sin or refusing to follow God’s direction in certain matters, but the end result is this: because we wander, we fail to enjoy the journey that Christ has set before us.

So how do we move from where we are today into the were God wants us to be?

That’s a great question, I am glad you asked!!

Before we dive in we must unpack the life of Joshua before us, Background on Joshua

Joshua began life in Egypt as a slave, under cruel Egyptian taskmasters, but he rose to be the leader of Israel through faithful obedience to God.

Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun his new name: Joshua (Yesua in Hebrew), which means "the Lord is Salvation.

When Moses sent 12 spies to scout the land of Canaan, only Joshua and Caleb believed the Israelites could conquer the land with God's help. Because the unbelief of the people of Israel, God sent the Jews to wander in the wilderness for 40 years until that unfaithful generation died. Of those spies, only Joshua and Caleb survived.

Before the Jews entered Canaan, Moses died and Joshua became his successor. Spies were sent into Jericho. Rahab, a prostitute, sheltered them and then helped them escape. They swore to protect Rahab and her family when their army invaded. To enter the land, the Jews had to cross the flooded Jordan River. When the priests and Levites carried the Ark of the Covenant into the river, the water stopped flowing. This miracle mirrored the one God had performed at the Red Sea.

Joshua followed God's strange instructions for the battle of Jericho. For six days the army marched around the city. On the seventh day, they marched seven times, shouted, and the walls fell down flat. The Israelites swarmed in, killing every living thing except Rahab and her family.

Because Joshua was obedient, God performed another miracle at the battle of Gibeon. He made the sun stand still in the sky for an entire day so the Israelites could wipe out their enemies completely.

Under Joshua's godly leadership, the Israelites conquered the land of Canaan. Joshua assigned a portion to each of the 12 tribes. Joshua died at the age of 110 and was buried in the hill country of Ephraim.

Accomplishments of Joshua in the Bible

During the 40 years the Jewish people wandered in the wilderness, Joshua served as a faithful aide to Moses. Of 12 spies sent to scout out Canaan, only Joshua and Caleb had confidence in God, and only those two survived the desert ordeal to enter the Promised Land. Against overwhelming odds, Joshua led the Israelite army in its conquest of the Promised Land. He apportioned the land to the tribes and governed them for a time. Without a doubt, Joshua's greatest accomplishment in life was his unwavering loyalty and faith in God.

Life Lessons

Obedience, faith, and dependence on God made Joshua one of Israel's strongest leaders. He provided a bold example for us to follow. Like us, Joshua was often besieged by other voices, but he chose to follow God, and he did it faithfully. Joshua took seriously the Ten Commandments and ordered the people of Israel to live by them as well.

Even though Joshua was not perfect, he proved that a life of obedience to God bears great rewards. Sin always has consequences. If we live according to God's Word, like Joshua, we will receive God's blessings.

I. Receive the challenge (v. 2)

"Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them - to the Israelites."

After Moses died, God challenged Joshua to possess the land. This was not a decision to accept lightly. Since Joshua had been with the Israelite people, he knew of their weaknesses and problems. And though he was well past middle age, Joshua accepted God's challenges.

A. Challenge to the untamed (3:15)

The Jordan River was at flood stage during this time of year. How much better it would have been to cross when the weather was dry and the river was low! However, we honor God in our willingness to trust Him during hard times. Everyone faces untamed situations in life. God wants us to walk across the river and face the challenges. God often reveals His power best in times of seemingly great challenge.

B. Challenge to the unknown

The Israelites were preparing to walk where they had never walked before, into a land unknown to them. They were a brand-new generation of people. Not one of us knows what the future holds. Each day we face the new and unknown. Most of us fear the unknown, so often we settle for problems instead of facing our challenges. Following God into an unknown territory, creates in us a dependency on Him which can lead to victory.

II. Recognize God's commitment (v. 5)

"No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Joshua could accept the challenge because he recognized God's promise to him. In essence, God said to Joshua, "If you accept the challenge, I'll commit myself to you."

A. Powerful presence

In verse 5, God reminded Joshua that no one would be able to stand against Israel. not because of their power, but because of His power. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, He, too, promises us His power and presence for our lives.

B. Personal presence

This power is not of angels or principalities but of the Lord Himself. God initially showed His presence as the house of Jacob left Egypt by an accompanying cloud or pillar of fire - but no more. Even when you don't see God, He is there. The people of Israel were to be willing to face the challenges ahead because God was with them.

C. Permanent presence

Verse 5 also carries the assurance that Joshua would never be left or forsaken. Christ has made us the same commitment to us. He has given us His Spirit to live in us so we won't be alone. God's presence becomes personal when we respect God's commands.

III. Respect God's commands (v. 7)

"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."

God told Joshua that he was to obey the law of God. Though Moses was gone, the law remained. To move into the land and claim victory, the people of God had to be obedient. Today God calls us to be obedient to His Word in our lives. This respect for God's Word is to be

A. Complete

Just as Israel was to obey the law, we are to implement all of God's Word into our lives. We cannot treat Scripture as a buffet line in which we pick and choose what we will obey.

B. Consistent

God told Joshua not to vary from the law. He was to obey the entire law and to do so every day! This was not to be a weekend religion that made no difference in daily living.

For the Israelites, getting to where God wanted them meant facing their challenges with the promised presence of God and doing as God directed. Nothing has changed today. Those are still the requirements for Christians who want to move to where God wants them.

Receive the Challenge, Challenge to the untamed, Challenge to the unknown

Recognize God’s Commitment, Powerful presence, personal presence, permanent presence

Respect God’s commands, complete, consistent