Mighty God: Commander of Lord's Army
Notes
Transcript
Handout
You have enlisted in the army!
You have enlisted in the army!
As a retired Marine I wish it was a marine, but the Lord’s army is better. This morning we are looking at the Lord’s army, but more specifically the Commander of the Lord, the commands and the results.
Question/Contemplate: Why is an army needed, what is the purpose of an army?
In the USA it is to protect and defend the constitution against all enemies both foreign and domestic.
In the church we are enlisted in the Lord’s army for an army is needed.
Reason Lord’s army is needed (2Tim4:1-5)
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
and then to keep in context; with the command given.
1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
And then there is more that can be found.
Charge to the Lord’s army (2Tim2:1-4)
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.
Learn to know your leadership and trust the leadership.
Our leader, our cornerstone, our commander is Jesus Christ, the Commander of the Lord’s army which you are enlisted in.
“We need to know our commander so we can trust our commander”
So this morning we will look at Commander of the Lord’s army with some scriptures and overview from Joshua. And a little more, but here are the points for today.
The commander of Lord’s Army (Jos5:13-15)
The Lord’s victory (Jos6:1-6)
The Lord gathers His army (Isa13:1-4)
Command of Lord’s Army
Command of Lord’s Army
Times were changing and new leadership (earthly) was coming into place but the Commander of the Lord’s army was making Himself known.
Setting the stage, a little history
Moses has died, new instructions to new leadership given, a new charge (Jos1:1-3)
1 Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying, 2 “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.
3 “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.
God had made a promise to Moses and God is a promise keeper and Joshua is going to carry on the Lord’s work to fulfill the promise to Moses (Actually promised regarding the Land to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob before Moses.
Joshua prepares the people (Jos1:10-18)
Some of the scriptures today i will give you the entire passages, others I will highlight and bring out a key point, but they are listed in context on your outline.
Joshua accepts the charge, now assumes his role. He now gives commands to the people, including reminding them of the promise that was made to Moses.
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you are to cross this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you, to possess it.’ ”
Joshua sends out his scouts - aka spies (Jos2:1-14)
1 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there.
From going into the land, into the house of the prostitute Rahab the spies check things out, are pursued, are hidden and then given way of escape.
Joshua’s men made a promise (Jos2:15-24)
The promise is really found back in (v.14)
14 So the men said to her, “Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the Lord gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.” 15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall.
Then the men go back to report to Joshua what all transpired.
Joshua charges (Jos3:1-13)
So Joshua tells his commanders, his leaders to prepare the people for they are about to enter into the land, when they see the Ark being moved by the priests then set out after it. (vv.1-4)
5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” 6 And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.
Now it is not Moses staff that will part the waters, it will be the feet of the priests carrying the ark (v.8). Joshua gives full instructions and details to the men. (v.9-13)
Joshua watches (Jos3:14-17)
The ark, the priests set out and exactly what Joshua told them would happen, well, it happened. God made a way.
17 And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.
Joshua Memorializes (Jos4:1-24)
Joshua gives orders to set memorial stones that will be a sign to the next generations of how God delivered them, just like with Moses and the Red Sea.
24 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”
(Transition) I know what a survey of Joshua1-4, but then there is more to come
Joshua commands circumcision (Jos5:1-12)
They healed and the celebrated the Passover together and the Lords’ provision “manna” stopped for the land was plentiful and fruitful.
(Transition) so the journey into the promised land leads the people to trust and obey the leadership of Joshua, but now it is time to meet the Commander of the Lord’s army.
Joshua and the Commander of the Lord’s army (Jos5:13-15)
13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”
Joshua meets a man (v.13); and he confronts the man, are you friend or foe?
14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”
The man is the Commander of the army of the Lord. Here is what is known as a Christophany, Jesus Christ prior to his earthly ministry. Other ways you may see a Christophany is when you see in the O.T. the phrase “angel of the Lord.”
Joshua hits his face and asks the question, what do you have to say?
15 Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.
Like with Moses standing before the burning bush, Joshua is standing on holy ground.
(Transition) so we have the journey, the appearance, now we get to the instructions and the victory.
Commanders instructions and victory!
Commanders instructions and victory!
In a story that is so much more than a kids bible story, it is a demonstration of the power of our mighty God: the Commander of the Lord’s army, victory given ever before the first step was taken.
I want us to survey Joshua chapter 6.
Joshua given instructions (Jos6:1-5)
1 Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. 2 And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.
The city has already been given to them before doing anything. God provides a way, the people needed to hear God’s way obey God’s way.
3 You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. 4 And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
5 It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”
(March around Jericho picture inserted here)
Joshua instructs (Jos6:6-7)
Joshua has the instructions for the peopled (the army) and gives the them the instructions given to him by the Commander of the Lord’s army.
The army obeys (Jos6:15-16)
15 But it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early, about the dawning of the day, and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. On that day only they marched around the city seven times.
16 And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city!
Protection provided to fulfill promise (Jos6:17)
the city was doomed, but not Rahab who protected the spies
17 Now the city shall be doomed by the Lord to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
The Lord’s victory realized (Jos6:20-21)
20 So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. 21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.
Joshua’s promise fulfilled (Jos6:25)
25 And Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father’s household, and all that she had. So she dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
Rahab who would be the great grandmother of King David was part of God’s plan to bring salvation to us that we have today.
Point to ponder, consider, apply:
God provides a way even when it does not seem logical. Victory comes when we surrender to the Lord’s plan. Victory comes when we come to the Lord’s side not trying to get the Lord to come to ours.
Its by faith, surrendering faith to God’s plan there is victory
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.
(insert: surrender invitation; reminder here; but do not do the call yet)
Do you have walls that need to come down, or maybe just bricks that need to be taken out of the way? Faith is the way that God provides to take those walls down and bricks out of the say so you do not stumble.
(Transition) so if you are not in the Lord’s army yet there will be opportunity at the end of the message, if you are in the army the Lord gathers His army
The Lord gathers His army
The Lord gathers His army
An army of believers gathers at the calling of the Lord.
I think you can get the point from looking at our Commander of the Lord’s army from the O.T. example offered, but what about today, how does the Lord gather His army today?
He uttered voice then (Joe2:11)
11 The Lord utters His voice before His army; Surely His camp is very great, For strong is he who carries out His word. The day of the Lord is indeed great and very awesome, And who can endure it?
He utters his voice so that it can be heard and carried out! He utters His voice through His word today. That is confirmed by:
He uttered his voice in last days (Heb1:1-3)
1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.
3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
He spoke previously through the prophets then through the Son
He upholds all things by His word which we have, which we hold in or hands, which brings faith, which brings salvation (enlistment into the Lord’s army)
What did the Lord utter (Mt28:18-20)
18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
He equips us for battles (Eph6:12; Isa43:1-2)
For some of our battles are spiritual
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Some may have a physical element to them, but know He is with you.
1 But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! 2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.
The battle may be fierce, and we need endurance and this should come with humility too.
He calls for us to endure and be humble (1Pt5:10; Jm4:10)
10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
and add the humility factor in
10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
So, God will perfect, confirm, strengthen, establish and exalt you!
(Insert encouragement picture - I am a soldier in the Lord’s army) - expand
(invitation slide - enlist in the Lord’s army) - expand
(Song) (Prayer) (exit)