Crossing Your Jordan
Notes
Transcript
1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over. 2 So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp; 3 and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.
4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.” 5 And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” 6 Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.
Sermon Series: Crossing Over to Victory: Claiming Our Inheritance in Christ
Personal Testimony: My illness this week.
Background: Israel about to cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land.
Before getting into the land PROMISED or HAS ALREADY GIVEN, there is something for Israel to do.
Lessons for Today:
Where God Provides He will Guide!
God Works Through The Impossible!
The Journey to Victory starts with a Step of Faith.
Where God Provides He will Guide!
Sounds strange because what we hear is normally the reverse: “Where God guides, He will provide!”
In the Christian life, He has already provided. God’s provision is a given.
WE HAVE EVERYTHING BECAUSE WE HAVE CHRIST.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
In the case of the Israelites, God has already given them the promised land. They just needed God’s presence to guide them in the journey.
1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over. 2 So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp;
10 mile journey.
3 and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.
It used to be that it was a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night that guided the nation, now it is the ark of the covenant which is the representation of the presence of God.
4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”
Distance of 2000 cubits which is around 3000 feet - the Holiness of God, we keep that sense of reverence and holy fear in the presence of God.
Imminence and Immanence.
Closeness - He is with Us and yet He remains Transcendent, He is infinitely holy and we approach Him in awe in our worship. (Recap of thanksgiving, praise and worship)
Our Spirit - The Holy of Holies
The other possible reason, why the distance have to be kept is so that the they can all see the ark.. this is a downhill walk from Acacia Grove (1200 feet above sea level) to the Jordan (1300 feet below sea level).
imagine this,, these are around 2 million people who are traveling, God wants everyone to have a glimpse of the ark, not just those on the frontlines. NOT JUST THE LEADERS
KEEP OUR EYES ON JESUS
2. God Works Through The Impossible!
Who believes that all things are possible to God. Repeat: All things are possible to God, Nothing is impossible to God, Nothing is too difficult to MY God!
5 And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
6 Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.
God will do wonders among you. God is still a God of miracles.
Remember, to this new generation of the nation a majority had not witnessed the parting of the Red Sea. It is just a story told them. God wants to do a new spectacular thing for them!
We want first hand miracles and blessings from God. In the church, it is not just the pastor, or an exclusive group it is for every person called by the Lord. Peter said in one of his sermons “the promise of God is for you and for your children and for those who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.
Why do some Christians don’t experience first hand blessings, victory, they experience second hand blessings, through the testimony of others?
the key is this Joshua said to the people “Sanctify yourselves” - consecrate yourself.
Joshua is the type of the Lord Jesus: “Abide in Me and make My word abide in you”. We have to be set apart for Christ.
7 And the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
“As I was with Moses, so I will be with You” - Moses was a revered figure, the lawgiver and leader of Israel, but He is gone.. but not to worry, because it is the same God Who will work this new miracle through a new leader Joshua.
One important observation that we have to make, jumping to verse 15:
15 and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest),
God’s timing is perfect, right?
But in taking the people to cross the Jordan, He chose that time of the year which makes it most difficult to do so, when the time of harvest, March or April, when the waters of the Jordan overflow its banks.
Sometimes we ask God, why didn’t you just make it easy for me.. THE LORD TEACHES US A LESSON OF TRUSTING HIM
In challenges that seem insurmountable, in situations that are dire, when the outlook is hopeless, that is when God will shine, He will demonstrate His power and HE ALONE WILL BE GLORIFIED!
3. The Journey to Victory starts with a Step of Faith.
8 You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan.’ ”
They had to act in faith, the priests had to put their feet in the waters of the Jordan first. (describe) leaders or every believer.
9 And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
9 So Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the Lord your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites: 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan.
Key words: “Hear the Words of the Lord Your God” - calls for obedience
“the living God is among you..” - God’s presence is with you
“He will… without fail” - He will never fail
All the “ites”, they don’t necessarily represent your human enemies (don’t start calling someone a Perrizite or a Parasite), they represent all the obstacles that stand in the way of you living the victorious Christian life.
What are the obstacles in your life today? (small and big examples)
Hallelujah, before God even faced them against these enemies, He showed them a bigger obstacle that He is about to overcome for them - The raging currents of the Jordan River.
There is a bigger obstacle that the Lord Jesus has already overcome for us. The dominion of sin and the power of death - through His finished work on the cross.
12 Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man.
13 And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.”
We have to work out our faith.. what is that decision that you know God wants you to make, but you have to make a bold step of faith first? (examples)
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
Work out your salvation — put your feet in the Jordan — with fear and trembling (humbly before God)
It is God Who will do the rest, Hallelujah!
13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Hallelujah! Now let me read the rest of the story!
14 So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), 16 that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho.
Describe the wide pathway for a million people, most estimate suggests 2 - 3 miles wide of a path for them to cross.. I believe that God also took care of the muddy riverbed so they can easily cross with their small children and cattle —- GOD TAKES CARE OF THE REST!
You may think this is a message about overcoming new challenges, defeating giants ahead of you (and God will do it)… I believe it is a reminder of what God has already done for you through Jesus Christ. God stopped the river of the sin nature, when you were about to be swept by Satan downstream to hell, “Satan failed and was cut off”, and Jesus opened the way for you to cross over into a new life..
Now His presence is with you and goes before you.
He will work through the most impossible situations in your life.
You will have to take a step of faith to overcome the next new challenge.
