Their Stories - Joshua

Big Idea

God equips His people to accomplish the missions he has for them

Joshua's journey

Jesus giving us our mission

How to equip yourselves for the mission

Intro

Have you ever had to train for a big task? (big test, sports playoffs, leading a group)

Has there ever been a time where you failed to train for a big event?

Story about soccer preseason training

Similarly to the time I had to train Joshua had to be trained so that he could lead Isreal after Moses died

Background of Isreal and the Exodus

Joshua's Life

Joshua commissioned (Joshua 1:1-9)

Joshua had been equipped by Moses

Taking him up the mountain with him

Leading the army into battle

Exodus 17:8–15 ESV

Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner,

Moses Dies

Joshua 1:1–2 “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.”

Joshua was equipped so that he could carry on the mission of God by leading Isreal

Joshua is reassured that God is in control and goes before them

Jericho

Show map and explain that God has commanded Isreal to conquer

Ai

Isreal sins and Joshua has to put them back on track

God give instructions that cant be broken or Isreal will lose

Joshua deceived by the Gibeonites

Joshua doesn't follow Gods plan

English Standard Version Chapter 10

8 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you.”

Jesus Gives Us a Mission

Matthew 28:16–20 “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

Believers are given a mission to bring people to Christ NOT to kill and destroy like Isreal was commanded to do

Talk about the similar “mission” that God has for all of us!

How Can We Be Equipped

We need to seek Gods will

Reading the word and prayer as well as allowing yourself to be uncomfortable

Read the word

Seek help from leaders in the church

Ephesians 4:11–14 ESV

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

God wants us to grow into warriors for the gospel

Not killing and destroying like Joshua but rather bring people to Christ

Being a warrior requires training

English Standard Version Chapter 13

21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen