Untitled Sermon (9)

Intro

I want to let you know I am preaching this message to me as much as I am to you. God grabbed me and rescued be from a sure path of destruction and I have to believe He did that for a reason.

Its been almost 30 years since that day and it has been exciting. But I want to say I am not here for no reason.

God set me on a path that led me to this place. It is impossible to think that He did that for no good reason.

You all have been on your own journeys, as a church and as individuals

Exp

Every single one of us has a plan and a purpose that was giving to them by God and until you are standing with Him in Heaven you haven’t fulfilled it yet

Joshua was such a man. In the Bible he led an exemplary life followed Moses right up to the brink of the promise and then had a tremendous promise laid on Him

PS

If we are going to fulfill the destiny that God laid our for us as individuals and for us as a church we need to follow the same basic principals laid our in God’s word for His people to find their destiny.

Joshua 1:1–18 NIV

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’ ” But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, “Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’ Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle, must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites. You are to help them until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.” Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!”

The Giving of the Promise

Joshua 1:1-4

Joshua 1:1–4 NIV

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.

Joshua on the shirt tails of Moses

describe moses journey

Describe the 40 years.

describe why moses loses temper

These are the people Joshua gets to lead

Some comfort

Joshua 1:5

Joshua 1:5 NIV

No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

There is no promise that God will not see through to completion

The Person of the Promise

Be strong and courageous - v. 5, 7, 9 commanded by God

Be strong and courageous - v. 18 confirmation from the people

The Reason of the Promise

You are leading people - The Church is leading people

The people God chose us to lead cannot be lead if we don’t do the things He is leading us to do —

The Way of the Promise

His word provides a solid foundation.

It trains us

IF we stay in the word, we will stay strong and courageous

The Strength of the Promise

The one who give the command gives us the ability to fulfill the command

Conclusion

What this community needs for ACBC

What ACBC needs from us.

Acts 4:13 NIV

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Every once in a while I ask the question if the people around us know we are Christian. Sometimes for whatever reason we come up with this idea that we should blend in. In some cases we might even think the we will be sooooo nice and smiley that people will come to us and ask us how we became so perfect. — nope

Not only should those around us know we are Christians, but we should have a faith that astonishes people. Its our boldness that demonstrates that we are with Jesus.