Crossing Jordan 4
Crossing Jordan 4 – A Promise land of Freedom & Blessing (nv 7/3/05 a.m.)
AR: Open Ministry Day – next Sunday July 10th 3-5 / Carolina Work Camp July 17th / 5:00 Singing
OS: "Freedom is only part of the story and half the truth.…That is why I recommend that the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast be supplemented by a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast." Citation: Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning (Touchstone Books, 1984);
I. From Bondage to Freedom is a popular idea throughout history.
A. Tomorrow, July 4th, is a day of celebration concerning our day of independence.
1. 1 Timothy 2 Pray, be thankful, and work toward God’s purpose of all men being saved and coming to a knowledge of the truth.
B. Crossing Jordan is also a message of a Nation going from bondage to freedom.
1. But notice – Un-chosen bondage to Egypt replaced with chosen bondage to God and His laws.
2. There is no such thing as absolute freedom – there is always responsibility.
C. Crossing Jordan for Northview is also an opportunity for going from bondage to the old toward freedom of the new.
1. Move provides an opportunity to make a new commitment to a new life for this congregation.
2. God’s Word, God’s purpose never changes, but the way we go about fulfilling His purpose can always be improved and formed all over again.
II. In his book Teaching the Elephant to Dance, James Belasco describes how trainers shackle young elephants with heavy chains to deeply embedded stakes. In that way the elephant learns to stay in its place. Older, powerful elephants never try to leave—even though they have the strength to pull the stake and walk away. Their conditioning has limited their movements. With only a small metal bracelet around their foot attached to nothing, they stand in place. The stakes are actually gone!
A. Like powerful elephants, many companies and people are bound by earlier conditioned restraints. The statement "We have always done it this way" is as limiting to an organization's progress as the unattached chain around an elephant's foot.
B. Yet when the circus tent catches on fire and the elephant sees the flames and smells the smoke, it forgets its old conditioning and runs for its life.
III. When we look at the nation of Israel crossing over we glean some things that will help us stay on track during our own crossing over.
A. Are you prepared to cross over the Jordan you are now facing? How can you "cross over" with confidence into the future God has planned for you?
B. How can we as a church face the unknown of tomorrow?
Text: Joshua 1:6-9 & 3:1-8
UI: Driving a Car Realizing that he was on the wrong road, a traveler in West Virginia stopped in a village and said to a passerby,
"Can you help me? I'm lost."
The West Virginian replied, "Do you know where you are?"
"Yes," said the traveler. "I saw the name of your village when I drove into town."
"Do you know where you want to go?" queried the West Virginian.
"Yes," the traveler replied, naming his destination.
"Then you aren't lost," the West Virginian responded philosophically. "You just need directions."
I. You can’t steer a Parked Car (if don’t go anywhere you certainly won’t wreck)
A. Israel would have been destroyed if they had just camped by the river and never actually crossed over.
1. success comes in cans – Failure comes in can’ts.
B. If you only think of the possible disasters you become afraid and stagnant.
C. In a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon, Calvin says, "You could step in the road tomorrow and -- wham!-- you get hit by a cement truck. That's why my motto is, 'Live for the moment!' What's your motto?"
Hobbes answers: "Look down the road."
II. You can’t Drive forward without a rearview mirror.
A. We must have our past in sight, not to gloat over, but as something to show us where we’ve been.
B. Notice the reminders of the past ways that God had provided.
III. You can’t run on empty.
A. Notice the emphasis on walking with God.