Joshua 1 for Youth

Joshua 1:3-18 (Youth Group)

Quickly review Joshua 1:1-2

Question: Why do you think Joshua needs encouragement?

Thesis: God encourages Joshua to enter the Promised Land by promising to be with him, giving him his written Word, and having the people encourage him.

V. 3-5 FIRST ENCOURAGEMENT: God encourages Joshua by his Presence

Explain verse 3-5

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.

Key Verse (5)

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 is promising to be with Joshua as he goes into and lives in the Promised Land. Same presence Moses had in Egypt during the 10 plagues, in the Exodus, on Mt. Sinai.

Application: Reflect on God promises to be with his people, the church, which includes YOU! Jesus has promised to be with His church

So when God tells us to do

Hebrews 13:5 the same promise is repeated “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Hebrews is quoting from Joshua!

Transition: Not only does Joshua have God’s presence, he also has God’s written Word.

V. 6-9 SECOND ENCOURAGEMENT: God encourages Joshua by Giving Him His Word

Read verses 6-9

6 “Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 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. 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.

Being strong and courageous is more than just fighting battles. It’s about living a godly life.

How will Joshua be strong and courageous? By obeying all of God’s Word spoken through Moses.

The Law of Moses includes all of one’s life.

God’s command to keep his word is also given to us.

Joshua wasn’t able to keep all of God’s Law, and neither can we.

God’s Word tells us that Jesus kept God’s Law for us.

As believers, we are given the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to obey God’s Word.

Application: Immerse yourself in God’s Word so that you can be strengthened and encouraged to live godly lives.

This is why we go to church, this why he gives us pastors, sunday school, catechism classes, and Wednesday night

Being in God’s Word can be hard to do, but he has given us the Holy Spirit to help us grow in our desire to be in God’s Word.

Transition: So now that Joshua has God’s Word and is encouraged, he turns to Israel and starts leading. And notice how Israel encourages Joshua.

V. 10-18 THIRD ENCOURAGEMENT: God Joshua through His people

Read v. 10-11

10 And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, 11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’ ”

Joshua relays God’s Word to Israel (He is believing God’s Word and acting upon it)

Read v. 12-15

12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, 13 “Remember the word that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brothers and shall help them, 15 until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and shall possess it, the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

What’s going on here?

These 2.5 tribes did not want to enter the Promised Land. They liked the land east of the Jordan. Moses did not like that.

Joshua knows that God’s people, Israel, can be difficult to lead, so by relying on God’s Word, Joshua is strong and courageous in reminding God’s people to keep their word.

Read v. 16-18

16 And they answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses! 18 Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”

The 2.5 Tribes will obey Joshua as they did Moses.

The 2.5 Tribes also encourage Joshua to lead them

Application: We should encourage one another as we live the Christian life together because we cannot live our life on our own. That’s why Jesus gave us his church. That’s why it’s important to meet together as believers.

Summary: As we look back at Joshua 1, we see that God encourages Joshua by promising to be with him, giving him his word, and having the people encourage him.