Christ-Centered, Unified Mission

Introduction:

Illustration:

There is a higher mission for which we are here in America at this time as Christians. What is your mission? Children, Teens, Singles, Married, Young Parents, Empty Nesters, Retirees --- what is your mission and how is it to be accomplished?

The mission of Jesus Christ does not require the unity of our nation, but the mission of Jesus Christ does require an intentional unity for warfare among God’s people.

Even the world knows this. One of the engaging plots of the Avenger’s series shows how the world knows this. In Avenger’s Civil War, the team of Avenger’s are turned against each other while a devious plot is taking place. As a person who is watching the film, you recognize this because you see the real enemy and then you realize what he’s doing to break up the unity of the team. He plants a bomb which kills a world leader and frames one of the avengers, he brainwashes another avenger…etc

Today, it seems like this happens amongst God’s people all too often. While we are focused on politics, economy, healthcare, retirement, COVID…etc disunity festers and the real mission is lost in the confusion.

This illustrates why we need an emphasis on unity and what unifies. Some people seek unity by cutting off all of those who do not agree with you. In this case, they create a bit of an echo chamber. Others just merely overlook issues that divide so that there can be peace. These are NOT the kind of responses of which I am speaking. The kind of unity of which I am speaking is an intentional unity for the purpose of accomplishing our mission.

As a church, our mission is to glorify the Lord through unified obedience to the Great Commission. So, I am not asking that you sit and listen and then leave without creating problems. I am not asking that you only work with those who are the same as you in every way. I am saying that we should be unified around Jesus Christ for this missional warfare.

Similar to this emphasis is what we find in our passage this morning.

Briefly tell the story, reading Joshua 10:40-43.

This passage will serve to remind us how the Lord works through his unified people.

Theme: The Lord through a unified Joshua & Israel decisively take the kings and their southern lands.

Kid’s Pause

Statement: The LORD wants his leader and his people to work together as one.

Body:

(1) Remember that all the enemies have the same fate (Joshua 10:29-33)

"utterly destroyed" - The fate is a cursed one (v. 28)

The phrase that is used here as well as in other parts of the book of Joshua reminds us that there is a complete accursed condition of those who are the enemies of God.

"king of Jericho" - The fate follows the original king's fate. (v. 28, 30) (application: which king are you following?)

The Lord is not in this for questionable outcomes. As the outcome of Satan was prophesied in the Garden of Eden, so it is with all other gods, kingdoms, and enemies of God. We know and are sure that this is the case as the scripture confirms for us that Jesus Christ dealt a definitive blow to all powers against him.

See Colossians 2:13-15.

Colossians 2:13–15 KJV 1900

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

There should be unity in remembering who the real enemy is and the fate of the real enemy.

Illustration:

Schizophrenia a long-term mental disorder of a type involving a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion, and behavior, leading to faulty perception, inappropriate actions and feelings, withdrawal from reality and personal relationships into fantasy and delusion, and a sense of mental fragmentation.

I believe that sometimes we suffer from a bit of spiritual schizophrenia, and we need scriptures like this remind us who the real enemy is.

(App:) Remembering the real enemy will help us to be less critical of one another.

When the person from the other church calls you and all they want to do is gossip or find out what is going on here, let them know that you love them but that we cannot engage in talk that destroys other brothers/sisters in Christ.

(App:) Remembering the fate of the real enemy will also unify us to keep things in perspective.

If eternal separation from God is the fate of all enemies, then let’s NOT fight over matters of paint and aesthetics. Let’s not fight over politics. Rather, let’s unify around the mission that our Lord has given us - to glorify the Lord by unified obedience to the Great Commission meaning - teaching, baptizing, and teaching to teach!

Kid’s Pause

Statement: The Lord wants us to remember who the real enemy is. (parents are usually not them)

(2) Regulate through recurring rhythms of the “who” and “what” (Joshua 10:34-40)

Illustration:

Regular recurring rhythmic patterns require discipline initially, but they do serve to help us remember things. This is primarily seen in music. If I sing, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the _________ tells me so...” or if I sing, “The best part of waking up is....”.

Some of you live by a rhythm of routine that you do every day.

In this passage, we observe a recurring rhythm that reminds the readers of some important truths.

v. 31-32 Lachish Falls

v. 33 Anomaly - Gezer

The reason this anomaly stands out is because all of the other kingdoms were in the southern country, but Gezer comes from the North to fight. Secondly, it is an anomaly because it seems to break the cycle of the writer; but the fact that Gezer is defeated confirms that God's plan cannot be thwarted.

v. 34-35 Eglon Falls

v. 36-37 Hebron Falls

v. 38-39 Debir Falls

Even the anomaly of Gezer helps us to see the recurring rhythm of this text. Notice:

"Joshua...all Israel with him..." - The fate is at the hands of a unified leader/people (v. 31, 34, 36, 38)

This phrase is significant in that it is used each time and this helps us to understand the theme of this section of scripture. Joshua, as the Captain, is unified with his forward-marching army.

There is a unified, co-battling advancement that cannot be stopped. Note Joshua 10:30 that the Lord delivered. How did the Lord deliver these nations to his people? The Lord accomplished all of this through a unified Joshua & Israel.

(a) It was a recurring rhythm. They experienced this victory over and over again.

(b) It was a recurring rhythm of “who” - Joshua (their captain) and Israel (God’s redeemed, covenant people)

(c) It was a recurring rhythm of “what” - warfare mission

Rhythms like this in our lives are helpful. Rhythms that help us to remember that we are in warfare, rhythms that helps us to look unto Jesus our Captain, rhythms that help us to remain focused on unified mission.

There are rhythmic patterns in the word of God.

There are rhythmic patters among the people of God - we are to gather the first day of the week.

But these are not patterns you observe on your own. These are patterns we are to be together in...

In this case, the opposite may be helpful in understanding this truth. A Christian who is not yoked together with other Christians in the fight of faith is out of this kind of rhythm. We are not talking about fighting sin on your own. This kind of rhythm is one where you are praying with one another, you are transparent about sin and battle and this is not a once and done matter; but you are regularly, daily, jointly battling sin.

Probably, one of the best things you could do as a teenager is not go to another teenager for this battle, but go to a Christian within the body and make yourself accountable to them in the battle. This is not a solo battle.

We have quite a few new couples in our congregation and new parents or parents of young children. One danger that you have as you get married or as you have young children is that you isolate yourself from the body of Christians. This only shows that you have lost sight of the “who” and the “what”.

One of the joys over the last few weeks together is to observe the church family lingering together and hosting one another after the morning service. This is a way in which we can have recurring rhythms that help us in warfare.

Kid’s Pause

Statement: Children, do not get angry if you hear the same thing at church. You need to hear it over and over again. This is good.

(3) Render to the Lord all of the credit (Joshua 10:40-43)

Theme: The Lord through a unified Joshua & Israel decisively take the kings and their southern lands.

The narrator really wants to make sure that this is an ongoing emphasis - see Joshua 10:14. Another important feature to remember is what part of the land was being taken here.

Illustration:

MAPS 2

The southern lands were conquered (v. 40) Covenant implications become more specific since it is "Judah" land. Genesis 49:10

Genesis 49:10 KJV 1900

The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh come; And unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

As I mentioned earlier, these were the southern lands. Each of these kingdoms were ultimately incorporated into the southern tribe of Judah.

Israel did not remain unified

As the story of the Old Testament progresses, we learn that God’s people do NOT remain unified. The kingdom of Israel splits into a Northern/Southern tribe. Interestingly enough, this southern lands that we have hear conquered remain the Southern Kingdom of Judah. There certainly was a bleak outlook that is until a prophet, about 700 years later, by the name of Micah preached an interesting message. He said in Micah 5:1-2

Micah 5:1–2 KJV 1900

Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: He hath laid siege against us: They shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Jesus was born into a world of disunity

It was this verse that the wise men were quoting in Matthew 2:1-5. The time into which Jesus was born was one in which there was rampant disunity. There was Jew and Gentile division. There was Jew and Samaritan division. There was ethnic division. there was socio-economic division. There was gender division. There were the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Herodians. There were publicans, harlots, sinners. There were poor. There were the rich.

Jesus came manifesting a supreme unity

Into this this divided world and among a divided Jewish people a greater Captain Joshua had entered. This Jesus came representing a greater unity which ultimately cost him his life. Jesus said in John 10:30

John 10:30 KJV 1900

I and my Father are one.

This was a declaration of deity. This was a declaration that the great Shepherd of Israel was now on earth, but Jesus did not stop there.

This also serves to clarify the kind of unity that the LORD expects. Why? Because even though Jesus and God are One, there are also distinct Persons. They are unified though they have different functions. This Jesus came into a fractured world, but...

Jesus made a greater TRUE unity possible

Notice carefully his prayer in John 17:20-23.

John 17:20–23 KJV 1900

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

As He and his Father are one, Jesus desires this kind of unity for his followers. How did Jesus make this unity a reality? He did so through a greater warfare. Ephesians 1:10-14. Ephesians 2:13-16.

Jesus led a greater Exodus. He brought us out of the dominion of sin/death, and gave to us the same Holy Spirit. This is how has made this unity possible — through blood Redemption where we have forgiveness of sins and through Holy Spirit possession whereby we are sealed and consistently being sanctified. Ephesians 4:3-6

Thus...

Goal:

I urge you Christians into Christ-centered, unified mission.

Conclusion:

Thus, what we see in Joshua 10 is that the Lord conquered those lands through his Captain who was in union with the redeemed people of God. Unity cannot be overstated, or the need for it. In a greater way, we now see how Jesus Christ has made this unity real and possible. It is a unity that is for warfare.

Jesus has made Christ-centered, unified warfare possible...

(1) Christ-centered, unified warfare means we remember who is the real enemy and their fate.

Christ-centered means that we battle for greater unity in our marriages.

Christ-centered means that our children are NOT the center.

Christ-centered means that we are waging war against sin in our own hearts — tendencies towards idolatry of good gifts.

(2) Christ-centered, unified warfare means we need the regular rhythm of remembering “who” and “what”

A regular rhythm in reading the scriptures to see how God is restoring an identity.

A regular rhythm in being a part of the teaching/preaching gathering so I remember the “what”

A regular rhythm of intentional gospel proclamation through gospel living: hospitality.

(3) Christ-centered, unified warfare means we give the Lord all of the credit by utilizing his grace in warfare - not by merely saying “praise God”.

Unified warfare where we are looking for ways to utilize the LORD’S gifting for kingdom purposes.

Kid’s Pause

Statement: The Lord saves people and then gives them His Spirit so that they can live life on mission together.

Illustration: Some of the most precious commercials are the Johnson & Johnson commercials. They typically have a little baby in a diaper, and they show the tenderness of a father/mother caring and using the Johnson and Johnson products.

Now, Johnson & Johnson has a mission. They want you to get their product. The company on paper does not have feelings for you and your child.

Imagine though, if you had to make a commercial of your life. You might do all of the same things, but why would you be doing it? What would you be trying to promote? What is your mission?

Christian Parents your mission is to have children who are worshippers, who are unified with other worshippers, and they are following Jesus together.

Christian Retirees, your mission is to join with other God-fearing worshippers in prayer and to take the opportunities with your non-worshipping friends — Jesus.

Christian Singles, what is your mission? Think carefully. Your response should involve Christ at the center and other church family on your team.

Empty Nesters, what is your mission?

Our mission as a church is to see God glorified, by loving, unified obedience to our Lord’s commission.