Possessing the Promise of a New Year
Holiday Sermon Outlines • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 119 viewsGod commissions Joshua to lead the Children of Israel into the promised land.
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Possessing the Promise of a New Year
Joshua 1:1-18
1 After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said,
2 “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them.
3 I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you—
4 from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’
5 No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.
6 “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them.
7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.
8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
10 Joshua then commanded the officers of Israel,
11 “Go through the camp and tell the people to get their provisions ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
12 Then Joshua called together the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. He told them,
13 “Remember what Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded you: ‘The Lord your God is giving you a place of rest. He has given you this land.’
14 Your wives, children, and livestock may remain here in the land Moses assigned to you on the east side of the Jordan River. But your strong warriors, fully armed, must lead the other tribes across the Jordan to help them conquer their territory. Stay with them
15 until the Lord gives them rest, as he has given you rest, and until they, too, possess the land the Lord your God is giving them. Only then may you return and settle here on the east side of the Jordan River in the land that Moses, the servant of the Lord, assigned to you.”
16 They answered Joshua, “We will do whatever you command us, and we will go wherever you send us.
17 We will obey you just as we obeyed Moses. And may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses.
18 Anyone who rebels against your orders and does not obey your words and everything you command will be put to death. So be strong and courageous!”
INTRODUCTION:
I- POSSESSING THE NEW YEAR REQUIRES PREPARATION. (Joshua 1:1-9)
I- POSSESSING THE NEW YEAR REQUIRES PREPARATION. (Joshua 1:1-9)
A- Recognize that a new opportunity is approaching. (Joshua 1:1-2)
A- Recognize that a new opportunity is approaching. (Joshua 1:1-2)
1 After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said,
2 “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them.
1- Notice the straightforward admonition to avoid fixating on the past.
a. The Israelites can’t turn back the clock, nor can they keep operating the way they had for over 40 years. “Moses my servant is dead...” (vs. 1a)
2- Notice that the focus is on moving forward into the unknown future.
a. God tells Joshua that the time has come to seize new opportunities and move ahead. “Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River ...” (Vs. 1b)
3- Notice that the opportunity is God’s gift. “into the land I am giving them.” (vs. 1c)
a. God is the source of every good and perfect gift.
(James 1:17)
17 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
b. God gives us good gifts that are meant to be used with purpose:
The gift of the promised land was meant to be used by the Israelites in following God.
The gift of time (as well as other gifts) are given to us to use in following Christ (developing our relationship with Him, seeking to lead others to Him, etc.)
4- As followers of Christ, the Lord gives us opportunities to move forward with Him.
a. We must resist the temptation to hold-on-to the past.
(Philippians 3:13)
13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,
b. We must choose to move forward into the opportunities that God provides.
B- Reflect on the promises of God. (Joshua 1:3-5)
B- Reflect on the promises of God. (Joshua 1:3-5)
3 I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you—
4 from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’
5 No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.
1- God affirmed His promises to Joshua.
a. His promises were the same as those given to Moses.
The promise of a homeland.
The size had not deminished.
2- God’s promises have not changed.
a. His complete salvation by grace through faith.
(Ephesians 2:8-10)
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
b. His continual presence and power as we follow Him.
(Hebrews 13:5)
5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
c. His coronation as the victorious Lord and King of all creation.
(Revelation 19:11-16)
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war.
12 His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself.
13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God.
14 The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses.
15 From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress.
16 On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.
C- Remember the source of your confidence for the future. (Joshua 1:6-9)
C- Remember the source of your confidence for the future. (Joshua 1:6-9)
6 “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them.
7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.
8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
1- The source of the promise is God.
(Hebrews 10:23)
23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.
2- The security found in knowing you are obeying God.
a. Jesus said if we would go, He would go with us. (Matthew 28:18-20)
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
*Like the Apostles in Acts 4:20.
20 We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”
3- The peace of divine presence.
II- POSSESSING THE NEW YEAR REQUIRES ACTION. (Joshua 1:10-18)
II- POSSESSING THE NEW YEAR REQUIRES ACTION. (Joshua 1:10-18)
A- Make the decision to step into the God-provided opportunity. (Joshua 1:10-11)
A- Make the decision to step into the God-provided opportunity. (Joshua 1:10-11)
10 Joshua then commanded the officers of Israel,
11 “Go through the camp and tell the people to get their provisions ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
1- God wanted the people to understand that the possession of the promised land was not going to be the result of self-effort, but that God was giving it to them as a gift. (Deuteronomy 8:17)
17 He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’
2- It is God who opens the doors of opportunity for us.
(Revelation 3:7)
7 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open:
B- Move with others to accomplish God’s purpose for the future. (Joshua 1:12-15)
B- Move with others to accomplish God’s purpose for the future. (Joshua 1:12-15)
12 Then Joshua called together the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. He told them,
13 “Remember what Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded you: ‘The Lord your God is giving you a place of rest. He has given you this land.’
14 Your wives, children, and livestock may remain here in the land Moses assigned to you on the east side of the Jordan River. But your strong warriors, fully armed, must lead the other tribes across the Jordan to help them conquer their territory. Stay with them
15 until the Lord gives them rest, as he has given you rest, and until they, too, possess the land the Lord your God is giving them. Only then may you return and settle here on the east side of the Jordan River in the land that Moses, the servant of the Lord, assigned to you.”
1- God instructed all of the Israelites to enter the promised land together.
a. Even the trans-Jordan tribes were to be represented among the warriors who entered Canaan to possess the land.
2- God’s design for you and I is to live life in connection with other Christ-followers in a local church relationship.
a. The Lord established the church (universal) to be manifested in local bodies, so that we could strengthen each other and encourage one another.
b. He gave the command for believers to follow this pattern. (Hebrews 10:25)
25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
C- Meekly receive the leadership God provides for your journey. (Joshua 1:16-18)
C- Meekly receive the leadership God provides for your journey. (Joshua 1:16-18)
16 They answered Joshua, “We will do whatever you command us, and we will go wherever you send us.
17 We will obey you just as we obeyed Moses. And may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses.
18 Anyone who rebels against your orders and does not obey your words and everything you command will be put to death. So be strong and courageous!”
1- God does not leave us in disarray, floundering and ready for defeat.
a. The key is being willing to commit to God’s will and way.
b. Meekness is not weakness. It is being teachable and moldable.
2- Instead, He provides leadership, organization, and instructions in order to assure progress and success.
a. With Israel, God appointed Joshua and the tribal leaders to lead and plan.
b. God provides leaders to help in our journey.
(Ephesians 4:11-16)
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.
12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.
13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.
15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
3- He also provides His power to enable the work to be carried out.
a. God promised His power and direction to Joshua.
b. God has promised and given the presence and power of His Holy Spirit.
(Acts 1:8)
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
CONCLUSION:
What are we to do?
Prepare to move into the future, ready to possess it for the Lord.
Recognize that a new opportunity is approaching.
Reflect on the promises of God.
Remember the source of your confidence for the future and its opportunities.
Participate in actions that will enable you to possess the opportunities God is sending.
Make the decision to step into the God-provided opportunities.
Move with others to accomplish God’s purposes in the future.
Meekly receive the leadership God provides for your journey.