Receiving the Promise

Introduction - Whose team are you on?

Growing up, I wasn’t very athletic at all. I wasn’t in that great of shape, I was slow and clumsy, and my hand-eye coordination left much to be desired. Because of this, I was never good at sports. I also grew up in a place (Texas) where sports were a big deal, especially football. What this meant was, as an elementary school age kid, pretty well every day at recess involved a game of football. And when you’re playing a sport like that, what is the very first step? Choosing teams…

Now, I’m sure most of us have been in that sort of situation at some point or another. Two team captains are chosen (usually the most athletic, to ensure they don’t end up on the same team). Then, everyone else lines up and the team captains take turns choosing who’s going to be on their team. And the greatest fear in these moments…is to be the last one chosen. Because, you’re not really chosen. And you know this…I knew this.

We would like to think that this sort of things is relegated to the playground with children, but in reality this is life. Our society is built upon this entire premise: the strongest and most capable, those who possess qualities deemed valuable by society and the siutation at hand, are those who are chosen first. And what takes this to the next level is the reality that we then place value on a person dependent upon these qualities. We are given a value based upon these qualities (or lack there of).

This is how we choose our leaders. The leaders of our companies, the leaders of our Boards, Council members, MLAs and MPs. Leaders of countries and organizations. This is how we are so often forced to posture ourselves: self-promotion, putting our best foot forward, covering up our weaknesses, while exagerating our strengths.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t merely remain in our society, but can also creep into the Church. As leaders are chosen not based upon character, but perceived competency or personality (not that those things are bad in and of themselves…it is certainly beneficial when our leaders show some level of competency, and have a personality that we can relate to or enjoy being around).

Over the last few weeks, we have been on this journey with the nation of Israel as God is leading them out of slavery in Egypt and to the land Promsed to them. There have been some hiccups along the way (to put it lightly). The largest one being a 40 year track around the wilderness due to their rebellion and unbelief. But we are now coming to the moment when they are going to finally come to possess the land that has been promised to them for generations, starting hundreds of years prior with their forefather Abraham. There is a new leader, a man by the name of Joshua. You might remember his name. He was one of the two spies out of ten who returned from scouting out the land 40 years prior and actually encouraged the people to trust God and go into the land. And he, along with the other spy, Caleb, are the only two from that generation who live to receive the promise.

We’re going to join them in this moment in the first 6 chapters of the book of Joshua (we won’t be reading this whole section, but I encourage you this week to go back and read it for yourselves!). As you’re turning to Joshua, you will probably notice, we’re skipping over Deuteronomy. The word Deuteronomy literally means “second law”. It’s basicall a retelling of the law, a re-establshing of the Mosiac covenant as first told in the second half of the book of Exodus, through Leviticus. It is a reminder to the people of Israel (1) who God is, (2) who they are, and (3) the basis of the relationship between the two.

They must be reminded of these things as they come again to the edge of the Promises Land. As they, again, face a land promsied to them, yet inhabited by a host of other nations. And as they wonder…will the Lord remain faithful? Will the Lord be on their side as they enter this land.

Before we pick it up in Joshua 1, though, let’s pray.

PRAY

ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND

READ Joshua 1:1-3

The time has come. A new leader to lead the nation of Israel into the Promised Land. And I’m sure Joshua is ready. He was ready 40 years prior.

God comes to Him, establishing His promise, again, promsing to be with Joshua as he leads the nation. And this promise comes with a charge, a little ways down in verse 9 of chatper 1:

Joshua 1:9 ESV

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.”

An amazing promise. An amazing charge, in light of this promise. Be strong and courageous. Becuase there is going to be ample opportunity to shrink back in weakness and fear. But, Joshua nad the people are ready.

A little further on, the people of Israel tell Joshua:

Joshua 1:16–18 ESV

And they answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 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! Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”

They’re ready. Finally!

So, the first step: spies are sent. Joshua only sends 2…perhaps he learned from having too many voices in the room the first time spies were sent out. But we read:

Joshua 2:1 ESV

And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there.

They make it to Jericho, and end up lodging in the house of a woman named Rahab. She is a prostitute, and we’re told later that she lives in the wall of the city (so imagine how big these walls are, that they contain houses built into them). People try to twist this into something innapropriate as to why these spies stayed there. It’s nonsense. What makes sense is, they’re trying to stay incognito. To stay in a place where no one will see them, a place where discretion is the norm.

So they go, they lodge there, but the King of Jericho finds out, and sends soldiers to find them. Rahab, though, instead of giving these spies over to the soldiers, hides them. And this is why: look with me starting in vs. 8 of chapter 2.

READ Joshua 2:8-15

The people of Jericho know what’s going to happen. They’ve heard about this people come out of Egypt, who crossed the Red Sea on dry ground. They have heard of their God and are terrified. Rahab understands. She has come to see and understand who their God is…and we see here, I believe, a conversion that takes place: Rahab renounces her people, her gods, and chooses to be counted among the people of Yahweh. A beautiful, amazing moment.

So the spies are able to escape, they return to Joshua, and here’s their account of events:

Joshua 2:24 ESV

And they said to Joshua, “Truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands. And also, all the inhabitants of the land melt away because of us.”

A very different account than that of the 10 spies 40 years prior.

So the people set out. In chapter 3, we read of another miraculous event, as the Lord, through Joshua, parts the Jordan River for the people of Israel to pass through on dry ground—an act that reiterates and cofirms God’s choice of Joshua as the leader of this people. In chapter 4, the people erect a memorial , taking 12 stones from the Jordan River as a memorial to what God has done, and then in chapter 5, the new generation recieves the sign of the covenant first given to Abraham (to put it as least graphic as I can), and then they celebrate Passover…in the Promised Land, for the first time.

They celebrate their moment of rescue from bondage and slavery, finally within the borders of the land the Lord had promised to take them. Reinvigerated by the testimony of the spies, and the miraculous passage through the Jordan River. They’re ready to take hold of the land. They’re ready to fight the nations, trusting that the Lord is on their side.

Or is He?

The Commander of the LORD’s Army

Look with me, as we read Joshua 5:13-15

They’ve come to the first city they are to take possession of, but before they do, Joshua is met by this figure, this man, standing before him with a drawn sword. And He must have looked powerful, because the first words off of Joshua’s mouth are “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?”

Now, let’s understand here…Joshua knows this isn’t just some man. He understands as this man appears to him that this isn’t simply some soldier. And Joshua needs to know, because his life and the lives of every man, woman and child following him deepends on it: Whose side is this man on? The Israelites, or their adversaries.

And we would assume immediately that the response would be, after all that the LORD has done in leading this people, that this man was on the side of Israel.

No.

I think in that moment, the breath would be knocked out of me. What? How are you not on our side? How are you not on the side of the people to whom you promised this land? Who you brought out of Egypt? Who you have lead through the wilderness for 40 years and now brought to this place?

Joshua 5:14–15 ESV

And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

In this moment, when Joshua is preparing to lead the nation of Israel to take hold of the Promised Land…finally. When they are right on the verge of engaging in battle against their enemy…

Where is the Messiah?

The Commander of the LORD’s army. Jesus, the Messiah.

This is a theophany, as we’ve already seen before. When God shows up in the appearance of a man. He did this with Abraham in Genesis 18, with Jacob in Genesis 32.

How do we know this:

Joshua falls down and worships Him. And He accepts that worship. No angel of God would ever accept worship. We see this in Revelation 19, when the Apostle John falls down to worship an angel, but that angel says:

Revelation 19:10 ESV

Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

2. The words of the commander: Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And immediately we should think back to the Burning Bush encounter of Moses. When God first meets and calls Moses. This is Joseph’s “Burning Bush” moment.

This is a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus. So the incarnation was when God became man. When Jesus took on flesh, becoming fully God and fully man. Theophanies were these moments when He took on the appearance of man. As one commentary put the difference:

“The coming of Christ to this world was not technically a theophany but an incarnation, not just a temporary form but God becoming man; God not just appearing to man but identifying himself with us by adding human nature to his divine nature; God not coming to us with a temporary encouragement but with an eternal salvation.’” (Roger Ellsworth, Opening up Joshua, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2008), 63.)

Jesus, God Himself, in the appearance of man, comes to Joshua and teaches, not only Joshua, but the entire nation of Israel, a lesson:

The question is never, “Is God on my side”, but always: Am I on His?

The quesiton is never: How do I get Jesus on my team? But always, whose team am I really on?

The Walls Came Tumbling Down

Immediately, the nation of Israel is forced to make a decision:

Are they going to learn this lesson, are they going to join God on His team, on His side, trusting in Him as the true Commander, their true leader. Or, are they going to try do things in their own understanding, simply hoping and praying that God will be with them. Because these are two very different things: Praying and asking God to bless their means, their plans, their ways of doing things, versus surrendering over to the plans and ways of God.

And it comes as they approach Jericho and their massive walls.

Look with me, and let’s read Joshua 6:1-7

I’m sure not the plan the Israelites were expecting. Not the way in which any soldier with any experience would plan on overtaking a city. But this people were not called to live and operate and overcome according to their plans or their ways. God was going to overtake this city. God was at work. Would the people join Him?

Joshua 6:8 ESV

And just as Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Lord went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the Lord following them.

And on the 7th day…the walls came tumbling down.

They overtook the city, committing it to destruction. But Rahab was not forgotten.

Let’s pick it up: READ Joshua 6:22-25

We may think this extreme, the total destruction of this city. But let’s not forget Rahab. She was saved. She repented, in a very real way, no longer identifying with her old life, and instead choosing Yahweh. She became a part of the people of God.

And here’s a really, really cool way that we know this, and see this, not only in the history of Isreal, but even as we walk through this series, “Finding the Messiah”, we come to see Rahab’s role:

In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 1, we read the geneology of Jesus (the geneology leading all the way from Abraham, through Joseph). It’s this geneology showing that Jesus was the fuflillment of the Promises and Prophesies made throughout the history of the people of God. And listen to this:

Matthew 1:5 ESV

and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse,

This prostitute from Jericho, now in the lineage of the Messiah. This story isn’t merely about the destruction of Jericho, or the just wrath of God poured out on those in rebellion…it’s a story of His amazing grace and forgiveness towards ANYONE who would turn to Him…even a prostitute.

Whose side are you on?

As we see the Messiah show up in a visible and tangible way in this account (we didn’t even have to turn to the New Testament to have it spelled out for us!)…

We are challenged in the same way the Israelites were.

Too often, we ask and wonder…whose side is Jesus on? Is He on my side?

We pray and ask God to bless our plans and ideas…we even take verses out of context to validate those requests…

I mentioned I grew up in a culture where sports were huge. And so often, on the black marks under athletes eyes, or on jerseys or elsewhere, you see “Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength”, taken as a supposed promise that if they just trust Jesus, then He will make them successful, cause them to win, to get 1st place.

And how often do we treat Him this way? We go through life forming our own plans, where we’re going to live, what career we’re going to pursue, and we come up with a grand narrative of what we want our lives to look like…and then we pray…Lord, please be with me…Lord please bless my plans…

We bring Him into picture after the fact. After the decision has been made. After we’ve made up our mind. After we’ve looked over the situation, ran the numbers, sought man’s advice…

But the question should never be, “Is God on my side” but always and only: Am I on His?

So here’s the first challenge for us this morning, as we see the Commander of the Lord’s Amy show up:

Are we willing to trust His leading?

Really, truly. Because often, it’s not going to make sense.

I remember once, hearing a lady share about how she felt the Lord leading her to leave her career that she had spent years building, pouring into. The success of it deepended on these long-term relationships she had formed with her clients. And she was very successful. It made absolutley no sense to her. But she had total and complete peace. And so she did. She submitted her letter of resignation, and waited. Months later, it was amazing to watch and hear how that moment of trust, letting go when it made no sense to, prepared her for the next seasion she was entering.

I’m not telling you to go quit your job. I’m not telling you to go find a new career. What I am saying is that each and every one of us, as we make any decision in our life, as we set the trajectory of our lives…we should never begin with ourselves or our own understanding. But always and forever the Commander of the Lord’s Amy.

Where is He moving? Where is He working?

I tend to use the language a lot, “Where is God at work, and how is He inviting us to join Him?” I took this from a study I did quite a few years ago, “Experiencing God” by Henry Blackaby. It’s this reality that God is at work in the world around us. He is accomplishing His purposes. And He is inviting us to be a part of it. But we don’t get to define the terms or the methods. It comes through surrender. Laying our lives down at His feet. Trusting in the unconventional methods He calls us to embrace.

When your enemy slaps you on the cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5:39)

Do not repay evil for evil (1 Peter 3:9)

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. (Luke 9:23-24)

Are we ready to march around walls and blow trumpets when it doesn’t make sense?

The second challenge: When our understanding would lead us to fight, will we instead worship?

Do we start and end with worship?

When Joshua came face to face with the Commander of the Lord’s amy, when he saw the Messiah, he fell down and worshiped. That is the only response that makes sense when we come into the presence of God.

Then on that last day marching around the walls of Jericho 7 times, the Priests blew the trumpets.

Now catch this: Not the soldiers, the priest. This was worship.

We just sang this moring: “My praise is the shout that brings Jericho down!”

Do we believe that? Do we trust that? As we face Jericho, whatever that is for us, do we start and end with praise? Start and finish with Worshiping the One who leads us?

In the end, once the Israelites take Jericho, they devote everything to the LORD. Let’s not forget this. Because how often do we pray, then the Lord shows up…and we move on…Maybe we shoot up a “thank you”…but do we devote everything, every blessing, every provision, every step forward, every lesson learned, back to Him in worship?

James 1:17 ESV

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

EVERY good gift. Do we live our lives in Worship of the One who has given us these things?

And the Third challenge we can take from this account:

Don’t forget who’s actually leading us.

We have earthly leaders. I’m talking specifically, now, within the community of faith. We have Pastors and Elders. Here at Maple Park, I’m the Lead Pastor, and we have a Board of 5 Elders. To use the terminology of Joshua, we have been commissioned by God to lead this community of faith.

But let’s not forget who the true Commander is. Joshua fell down and worshiped at the feet of the Commander of the Lord’s Army. Every leader in this body, every leader in any church, any community of faith, is to fall down in worship at the feet of the Commander of the Lord’s Army.

It is Jesus Christ who is the Head of the Church, and no one else. We do not lead, I do not lead, the Board of Elders does not lead, from our own understanding or opinion, but only as we are led by Jesus. As soon as my voice takes over, as soon as my opinions begin moving the pieces…I’ve gotten off track. It is my job to listen to Jesus and lead how and when and where He is calling. And I do this in community, and accountability, and partnership with the other Elders of this church.

So watch us. That goes for any church leader you follow or are under. (Whether you attend a different church, or are watching a preacher on youtube!) They are not the commander. Jesus is. Yes, honour the position the Lord has placed them in. Yes, as they follow Christ, follow their leadership. But only so far as they are following Christ.

There are too many stories…far too many stories…of Pastors and church leaders abusing their positions of authority. It is heartbreaking hearing the stories of the fallout from this. Lives that have been destroyed, people who have walked away from the faith…abuse, manipulation, all under the guise of being “an annointed leader from God” or some “prophet” or “apostle”.

That’s why leaders are placed within the community of faith…to be held accountable. If you don’t see evidence of us, evidence of any leader, falling down in worship at the feet of Jesus, if our character doesn’t line up with what Scripture says it should be, if the words of our mouths, our attitudes, aren’t reflective of the character of Christ, there’s a problem. Yes, have grace. Yes, understand that people make mistakes, that we stumble. I’m not perfect, and no leader ever has or will be. But when we sign up for leadership, listen to what it is we are signing up for:

James 3:1 ESV

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

Hebrews 13:17 ESV

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

This is, honestly, one of, if not the, most terrifying aspects of being a Pastor. I will one day stand before God and have to give an account for how I cared for and led each one of you. And the only way I can do that well, is if I am daily falling down in worship at feet of Jesus. And that’s true for every leader.

Conclusion

Are we willing to trust His leading?

Do we start and end with worship?

Don’t forget who’s actually leading us.