2019-11-17 Joshua 3
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1 Joshua started early the next morning and left the Acacia Grove with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan and stayed there before crossing.
2 After three days the officers went through the camp
3 and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God carried by the Levitical priests, you are to break camp and follow it.
4 But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t traveled this way before.”
5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow.”
6 Then he said to the priests, “Carry the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.
7 The Lord spoke to Joshua: “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they will know that I will be with you just as I was with Moses.
jsh 3:1-
I. Who is directing your steps?
I. Who is directing your steps?
2 After three days the officers went through the camp
3 and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God carried by the Levitical priests, you are to break camp and follow it.
4 But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t traveled this way before.”
A. God’s presence should lead every step we take.
A. God’s presence should lead every step we take.
3 and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God carried by the Levitical priests, you are to break camp and follow it.
Jsh 3:
Illus: We live our lives backwards. This is what I mean, we live directing our own lives.
Our own wants and desires drive us. In large part, our lives are not lived for God’s mission, but our own desires.
Now when I say that our desires drive us, that is not necessarily these deep wicked desires, but instead I mean that our lives are largely directed by ourselves.
God is simply an add on to our life. We want to live our lives our way, for our selves, and then ask God to bless it.
Notice the specific order God builds in acomplishing His plan. The ark goes first, everyone follows the ark.
This is not that hard to understand, God goes first, we follow God.
What does that look like…
1. God’s mission of reaching the world and the Miss Lou should shape the way we live, the way we spend, the way we talk, the way we interact online. Every action of our lives should be gospel focused.
2. God’s Word should guide us. You need to be regularly feasting on the riches of God’s revelation. God has communicated in his Word who He is, what a God honoring life looks like, how he expects us to interact with the world, and so much more.
3. God’s people, the church, should be a priority. You should be in relationships with others who will call you out when you are walking away from God. Hear me, you can attend church, have church friends, and even be involved in a small group, and not have this. If you do not have people who will challenge you to live for Jesus around you, you need to find and friend those people.
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it.
mt 16
B. God’s presence should not be taken lightly.
B. God’s presence should not be taken lightly.
4 But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t traveled this way before.”
Illus: Do you genuinely fear God?
I think for many of you here today, God is simply a cultural reference you add on… like Bless it, or God bless them.
We mix in God references because God is apart of being southern. We love Jesus, Guns, and our politics.
If we are honest, we don’t really fear, revere, or live for God, or at least not in the completely sold out way scripture communicates.
There is little following the ark in our lives. There is little taking up our cross and following Jesus.
What we genuinely need in our lives is a re awaking to the presence and grandeur of God.
If our eyes were opened again to who God is, our lives would be completely changed.
Don’t think that God does not see the lackadaisical way we follow him today.
4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
5 Because of your hardened and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed.
II. Do you take time to consecrate?
II. Do you take time to consecrate?
5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow.”
6 Then he said to the priests, “Carry the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.
A. Holiness does not happen accidentally.
A. Holiness does not happen accidentally.
5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow.”
6 Then he said to the priests, “Carry the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.
Illus: If you live life lackadaisically, going to church, sprinkling Jesus occasionally into our daily lives, but never really intentionally digging into the word, praying, and living for Christ, then you should not be surprised when you don’t grow in your relationship with him.
Holiness is the purposeful discipline of choosing to get in God’s word, get with God’s people, yield to the Holy Spirit, and intentionally seek to be more like Christ.
When was the last time you stopped to dwell on the sin in your life so that you might repent, turning away from your sin, and turning to God.
When was the last time you read God’s word slowly, alowing him to probe into the selfishness and wickedness of your life, so that you might turn to him.
Even now as the word of God is preached, it may sting here in the moment, but if you do not intentionally apply it when you leave, what good does the conviction do.
Joshua told the people to stop and get themselves right before following God’s mission.
Our issue, we so fill our lives with distractions. Distractions that come from TV screens and smart phone screens. We don’t ever have time that we stop to listen to God.
13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance.
15 But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct;
16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.
B. God works mightily among His holy people.
B. God works mightily among His holy people.
5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow.”
6 Then he said to the priests, “Carry the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.
Illus: As we look to the condition and moral deterioration of our country, there is a temptation to think “how will God bless our country when sin runs so rampant”
I don’t think that the moral depravity of our country is what is keeping God from working in our country.
I believe that it is the moral depravity, lackadaisicalness, and general apathy of the church that is keeping God from working in our country.
If the church can’t live for God, why on earth should we expect the world to.
If you want to see our country live for God, if you want to see America blessed by God gain, it is time the church returned to God and stopped living for itself.
God does work among his holy people, but we must choose to consecrate ourselves, and follow God first.
6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
27 Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, in one accord, contending together for the faith of the gospel,
28 not being frightened in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of destruction for them, but of your salvation—and this is from God.
phil 1:
III. God still works miraculously today.
III. God still works miraculously today.
7 The Lord spoke to Joshua: “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they will know that I will be with you just as I was with Moses.
14 When the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of the people.
15 Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan, their feet touched the water at its edge
16 and the water flowing downstream stood still, rising up in a mass that extended as far as Adam, a city next to Zarethan. The water flowing downstream into the Sea of the Arabah—the Dead Sea—was completely cut off, and the people crossed opposite Jericho.
17 The priests carrying the ark of the Lord’s covenant stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan.
jsh 3:14-
A. Who are you actually following?
A. Who are you actually following?
Illus: as you leave today, who will you live for?
Will go continue the apathetic walk with God fitting him into your life where you have time,
OR will you allow God to direct you, making his things the most important and purposely pursuing a life on mission for Him and His holiness?
Living for God is not accidental. You must make a choice today.
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it.
mt 16
