Comeback Season #3

Intro

Welcome to Living Hope Students

My name is Cody Clark

If you are new, please fill a welcome card out or text “New” to 931-358-9870

If you would like to serve, text “SERVE” 931-358-9870 or fill out a card.

Overview

We are in week 3 of our series “Comeback Season” where so far, we have followed the Israelites from the wilderness with Moses, to the transfer of power to Joshua, through the Jordan river at flood stage, and now we will be in Joshua 6 as they take down the walls of Jericho.

Read

Joshua 6:1–5 HCSB

1 Now Jericho was strongly fortified because of the Israelites—no one leaving or entering. 2 The Lord said to Joshua, “Look, I have handed Jericho, its king, and its fighting men over to you. 3 March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry seven ram’s-horn trumpets in front of the ark. But on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the trumpets. 5 When there is a prolonged blast of the horn and you hear its sound, have all the people give a mighty shout. Then the city wall will collapse, and the people will advance, each man straight ahead.”

Joshua 6:15–21 HCSB

15 Early on the seventh day, they started at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same way. That was the only day they marched around the city seven times. 16 After the seventh time, the priests blew the trumpets, and Joshua said to the people, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city. 17 But the city and everything in it are set apart to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone with her in the house will live, because she hid the men we sent. 18 But keep yourselves from the things set apart, or you will be set apart for destruction. If you take any of those things, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and bring disaster on it. 19 For all the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, are dedicated to the Lord and must go into the Lord’s treasury.” 20 So the people shouted, and the trumpets sounded. When they heard the blast of the trumpet, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. The people advanced into the city, each man straight ahead, and they captured the city. 21 They completely destroyed everything in the city with the sword—every man and woman, both young and old, and every ox, sheep, and donkey.

Teach

1. What’s the Word? (vv. 1-5)

Just like last week, we first see a calling/word form God. This is how every story in the bible starts God speaks, His people obey, and a miracle happens.

This is the formula that you can count on every single time. But, if you get one of these out of order or out of the picture, it messes up the whole equation.

Formula: God’s calling + our obedience = God’s miracles

Joshua had recieved yet another word form God and it wasn’t going to be as easy as the first one to cross the river Jordan.

Luke 16:10 HCSB

10 Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.

Power Moves

Jericho was the most fortified city in all of the land, so how were Joshua going to knock down these walls? Easy, worship.

They carried around the Ark of the Covenant which was the literal presence of God, so with worship and God at their side, they set out to attack Jericho with one of the most powerful weapons known to man

2 Chronicles 20:22 HCSB

22 The moment they began their shouts and praises, the Lord set an ambush against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir who came to fight against Judah, and they were defeated.

God simply said, worship me and walls will fall

What’s the Action? (vv. 15-21)

Worship in the midst of war. God is calling us in to victory, but he requires something of us first.

Hebrews 13:15 HCSB

15 Therefore, through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess His name.

Let’s face it, it isn’t always easy to worship:

You may of had a rough day

You parent’s may be going through a divorce

You may be walking through depression

Addiction

Sexual immorality

These all may see like impenetrable walls, but I know a God who isn’t scared of big things and who is in the business of knocking walls down and defeating giants.

Response

James 1:22 HCSB

22 But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Galatians 2:20 HCSB

20 and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Matthew 11:28 HCSB

28 “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Z