Sermon Tone Analysis

How many of you have heard of Joshua in the Bible?

He fought the battle of Jericho

            The walls came tumbling down

 

Well, you may also recall that he was Moses’ assistant

And that he was one of the twelve spies that was sent into Canaan to spy out the land

The New Testament equivalent to his name is Jesus

            Joshua was a great warrior and a leader who prayed and trusted God.

Let’s read

 

(Josh 1:1 KJV)  Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,

 

(Josh 1:2 KJV)  Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.

It was commencement day for Joshua.

A commencement is not only a graduation ceremony where degrees or diplomas are conferred but it is also an act or process of beginning something.

You are finishing one phase in your life but you are starting a new phase.

You are commencing to do something new.

So, I want to talk about */your/* commencement in light of Joshua’s commencement.

Because you guys have some things in common with Joshua.

The first thing I want you to notice is that */God had a plan for Joshua’s life/*.

And God spoke to Joshua

Notice that Joshua was in *good* standing with GOD so that he heard when God spoke.

‘Joshua, get up!

Take these people, go over Jordan, and get that land!’

 

            */God has a plan for your life as well/*.

Now…

            It is not always easy to know what the plan is.

Joshua did not always know.

When Joshua was born into a slave family in Egypt

            His future seemed to lie in being a slave

He was born to a family who had been enslaved for over three hundred years.

His */circumstances/* made it seem as if Joshua would be a slave.

But, God had another plan for Joshua

I don’t know what all of your circumstances are but don’t think that they limit God – THEY DO NOT!

 

Because, one night, as we read in Exodus 12 Joshua was delivered from slavery and death.

He was delivered by the blood of a lamb.

Even though it may not seem clear to some of you, God has a plan for you.

You may not know if you are going to school

or if you are going to work

or if you are going to the moon.

But God knows and if you will stay close to Him as you plan your way, He will direct your steps.

Well, how do we stay close?

This is good for the whole church, not just the seniors

            #1 - Study the Bible

            #2 - Pray to The Lord

 

God has a plan for each of you, individually.

You will be stepping into roles that are now filled by leaders in God’s work.

God’s instruments change but His plan continues on.

The baton is being passed to Joshua

 

(Josh 1:3 KJV)  Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

(Josh 1:4 KJV)  From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.

(Josh 1:5 KJV)  There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Another way of expressing it is that God will not leave you in the lurch.

Listen, as you move forward, you can count on the promises of God, just like Joshua did.

What promise did Joshua have?

Joshua had the promise of God’s */presence/*.

So do we.

We talk about His omnipresence – and that is true

We also need to talk about His personal presence – With each of you individually.

In Hebrews 13:5 He said He would never leave you or forsake you.

That is the key -

Understanding God’s presence in your life can make all the difference in your perspective.

You will have some “down days.”

Joshua had some down days.

At a place called Ai, his leadership almost unraveled.

But God’s */promise/* is not changed, distorted, altered, tainted or done away with because of “down days.”

In the book that Darlene and I gave you, we have written these words:

*His love is constant and unconditional*

*His promises never fail*

*His presence is never removed*

 

Look at verse 6

Three times in the next four verses we will see God tell Joshua to be strong.

What a message we need today

            Be strong church

            Be strong Christians

            Be strong seniors

 

(Josh 1:6 KJV)  Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

Joshua, I have made some promises to your fathers.

Be of good cheer, I make good on my promises.

Seniors, God has made some promises to you as His children.

Know this - God makes good on His promises.

(Josh 1:7 KJV)  Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

Now…

Look at verse eight – Israel had a book

Only a fraction of what we have today but oh so important.

As Joshua stood on the threshold of a gigantic task, God warned him to keep close to the words of that book.

Joshua did and God honored him for it.

You are entering what I believe to be a high-failure time for Christians.

Many seniors will drift away from worshipping the God they claim to serve.

Some of you will be going to church less and less as your freedom and responsibilities become greater and greater.

Been there – Done that.

And the reason will be that you did not hold close the words of this book.

(Josh 1:8 KJV)  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Now this part is for the whole church.

Here is the secret to your success for the rest of your life.

(Bible)

            It was the secret to Joshua’s success.

It’s where you find salvation

                        It’s where you find God’s will

                        It’s where you find God’s guidance.

(Josh 1:9 KJV)  Have not I commanded thee?

Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.