Crossover People
Notes
Transcript
Today was the day. This was the day that the great promise that God had made with their ancestors; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was the day that they stories that they had heard about from their childhood would finally be fulfilled. It was no longer a dream, it was no longer some future event, it was today. Today they were going to cross over into the land promised them hundreds of years before.
Do you like to wait for something? I don’t know about you but I don’t and it is hard to wait. Darlene and I stopped at McDonald’s one day recently. We ordered for all of the kids, paid for the meals and pulled up to the pickup window where they gave us our drinks. The person then told us we had to pull forward to one of the parking spots to wait for them to bring out the food. It seemed like it took forever. Waiting is no fun.
For this group of travelers it had been a long time coming. Their group had left Egypt over 40 years ago. It was only to be a short trip from their to the promised land.
The problem was they weren’t ready. When hardships arose some started to complain, wishing they could go back to Egypt.
They had actually made it to the border of the promised land. They had sent spies in to scope out the land and see how fierce the enemy might be.
The spies came back and reported that the land indeed did flow with milk and honey. However all but two of them said that their people would look like insects to the people that were currently in the promised land.
Their words scared the people so much that refused to enter the land that God had promised them.
Remember that this promise was first given to Abraham centuries before them. It was a promise handed down to Isaac and his son Jacob and to the twelve tribes. It was a promise that was handed down to that new born baby that was present when the spies returned.
This was God’s promise. God was handing that promise to them and they rejected it.
What happened? They spent the next 40 years wandering in the desert. It wasn’t like they travelled every day, but they spent the next 40 years living in a land that was not their own. It was a land that did not have all the resources that were theirs ready for the taking.
I don’t know about you, but I would rather live in the land of God’s promise rather than the dessert apart from him.
But, they spent 40 years living in a place they weren’t supposed to be living. Here the new generation was growing up and learning what it means to follow God. It was in those 40 years they learned God’s law. Their religious rituals were perfected. The adult generation that rebelled against God all died.
And finally the day arrived, they were going to crossover into the promised land.
In this passage of scripture we learn about what it means to be crossover people. I find hope in this passage.
There is hope in this story of the Israelites for the church today.
The hope is that:
Even though the people screwed up and disobeyed God that God was faithful
Even though we may rebel against God, God is faithful
Even though we keep making the same mistake over and over again, God is Faithful.
God is Faithful. There is a new song that I heard the other day that captures this very well. It is by I am They, entitled Faithful God and it has these words in it:
I am surrounded
On every side
Can't see the light of day
But I am persuaded
Beyond all hope, You won't let go of me
I stake my claim on every word You say
You will not be late
I am convinced that Your promises will hold together
And I will dwell in the hope of Your love forever
I am convinced that Your promises will hold together
And I will dwell in Your love
The song ends with You’re Faithful God.
Isn’t that an awesome word of encouragement. God is a faithful God. He is a promise keeper.
The people are on the edge of the Jordan river. It is time to collect on that promise. It is time to move into their land, the land that was promised to them. The great promise keeper was ready to deliver that promise.
As we read this text there are three very specific instructions given to the Israelites. These instructions that were given to the Israelites were a pattern for how they were to live their lives. This pattern would mark their lives as crossover people.
The first instruction for their life as crossover people is to follow the Lord.
The first instruction for their life as crossover people is to follow the Lord.
This first instruction is really odd way to begin their new life as a crossover people. God had been leading the people up until now with a cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.
In Exodus we read
21 The Lord went in front of them during the day in a column of cloud to guide them and at night in a column of lightning to give them light. This way they could travel during the day and at night. 22 The column of cloud during the day and the column of lightning at night never left its place in front of the people.
That had to have been an awesome sight to behold. Can you just imagine that. During the day looking up at the sky seeing that column of cloud and knowing that it was God who was there leading them. Then at night looking out through the flaps of your tent and seeing the column of lighting that lite the way for them if they travelled at night. In that climate, it would make sense to travel at night because it would be cooler.
It seems that those two symbols for God's leading now have been removed. We see here in this passage that the Ark of the covenant takes their place.
3 They commanded the people, “As soon as you see the Lord your God’s chest containing the covenant and the levitical priests carrying it, you are to march out from your places and follow it. 4 But let there be some distance between you and it, about three thousand feet. Don’t come near it! You will know the way you should go, even though you’ve never traveled this way before.”
The first instruction is:
Follow the Lord
3 They commanded the people, “As soon as you see the Lord your God’s chest containing the covenant and the levitical priests carrying it, you are to march out from your places and follow it. 4 But let there be some distance between you and it, about three thousand feet. Don’t come near it! You will know the way you should go, even though you’ve never traveled this way before.”
The Lord your God’s chest, the Ark of the Covenant, this item has been a source of fascination. It is mentioned 15 times in chapters 3 and 4 of Joshua. There was a movie made about years ago titled the Raiders of the Lost Ark.
This ark symbolized the presence of God with them. It was the sign that God was leading them. The contents symbolized the covenant relationship that God had established with these people.
The Ark was the earthly throne of God. Inside it were the Ten Commandments, the rod of Moses, some of the Manna that the people ate in their travels.
Notice at the end of verse 4 that the people were told that “You will know the way you should go, even though you’ve never traveled this way before.”
This reminded me of a conversation that Jesus had with his disciples that the Apostle John recorded:
1 “Don’t be troubled. Trust in God. Trust also in me. 2 My Father’s house has room to spare. If that weren’t the case, would I have told you that I’m going to prepare a place for you? 3 When I go to prepare a place for you, I will return and take you to be with me so that where I am you will be too. 4 You know the way to the place I’m going.”
What great words of comfort. The disciples were confused and scared because Jesus was talking about going away to prepare a place for them.
Thomas, the one who needed more answers asked:
5 Thomas asked, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
I think that is a little bit how the Israelites must have felt when they were told that they will know the way even though they haven’t been that way before.
Jesus responds with these words:
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Follow the Lord. God promised to lead them. Jesus tells us to take up our cross and follow him. We, like the Israelites are to be crossover people.
Did you notice in the scripture that they were to keep about 1,000 yards from the Ark? Maybe it was that way so that it could be seen by everyone rather than people piled up close to it.
God’s chest, the Ark of the Covenant was to lead the way in the journey they had never been on before. They would pass beside the Ark on the way into the promised land. They could look up stream and see the water blocked up by God and know that it was the power of God that was enabling them to crossover into the Promised Land.
If we are truly going to be crossover people then we have to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. The author of the Hebrews wrote:
2 and fix our eyes on Jesus, faith’s pioneer and perfecter. He endured the cross, ignoring the shame, for the sake of the joy that was laid out in front of him, and sat down at the right side of God’s throne.
Fix our eyes on Jesus, follow him because he has laid the path out for us.
The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 6: Joshua An Action Pattern for a Crossover People
Only Christ is capable of leading us across the difficult waters, providing the ultimate direction. This is why we need to know His Word and why obedience is so critical. We are claiming the Promised Land. We are following the Leader. We are obedient to His Word. We live in relationship with Him, but we must not let the distinction blur between the creature and the Creator.
The second instruction for them to be crossover people is to:
Sanctify yourselves
Sanctify yourselves
Joshua gave them very specific instructions.
5 Joshua said to the people, “Make yourselves holy! Tomorrow the Lord will do wonderful things among you.”
This is the call of God for all of us. God told Moses:
5 So now, if you faithfully obey me and stay true to my covenant, you will be my most precious possession out of all the peoples, since the whole earth belongs to me. 6 You will be a kingdom of priests for me and a holy nation. These are the words you should say to the Israelites.”
Peter captured this when he wrote:
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are God’s chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation.”
14 Pursue the goal of peace along with everyone—and holiness as well, because no one will see the Lord without it.
One author put it this way:
The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 6: Joshua An Action Pattern for a Crossover People
For the Israelites on the edge of the Jordan, I imagine this meant that they would wash themselves with water and practice the ceremonial rites that would make them clean. For us today, this means that we should come afresh to claim the cleansing of the precious blood of Jesus Christ which washes away all sin, all uncleanness. It also means opening ourselves increasingly as the Holy Spirit enables us to be used by God.
God’s call on the Israelites was for them to be a holy people. They were to be a people of priests. Even though they had priests who led them and worship and their sacrifices All the people of Israel were to be part of this kingdom of priests. It wasn't that God wanted to just have the Israelites they were to be active and involved in the world, pointing people to God.
As Christians, as Holy Spirit filled believers of Christ we are to be a kingdom of priests. Our job is not to just follow Jesus, but our job is to point people to Christ. Remember how many times I've said that you might be the only Jesus that someone might see. In order for them to see Jesus in us, we truly must have Jesus in us. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit.
We are to be sanctified holy. That means completely. As the writer to the Hebrews said that were to "pursue the goal of peace along with everyone in holiness as well because no one will see the Lord without it." So this living a holy life. This being sanctified. This being filled with the Holy Spirit is not some option that we select, but it's to be the way we live our lives every day.
Every day I hear people talking about how bad the world is, how much crime there is, how much hate there is, how much division there is. Some believe that old be made better by this political party or that political party, by this policy or that policy, by this change, or that change.
But I'm here to say that the only way were going to see a radical transformation in our society is by a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the church so that the church will truly be the church. When that revival begins in the church. It's gonna pour out into our world. Remember, on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit first came on the church and people stood around and scratch their heads wondering how they were hearing in their own language about God. That became a great movement of transformation in people's lives in the gospel was literally spread around the world by people who were following the Lord, who were sanctified in living holy lives.
If we are to be crossover people, then we must be people that are filled with the Holy Spirit. There is no place for people that are not willing to be sanctified and filled with the Holy Spirit. That is what a Christian is. A Christian is not just someone who says hey I'm a Christian. But a Christian is someone who lives that out every day to the life of holiness and service to God.
The third instruction for being crossover people is to:
Follow courageous leadership
Follow courageous leadership
What happens next is another example of how God calls us to live differently than the world. Look at these two verses
12 Now pick twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one per tribe. 13 The soles of the priests’ feet, who are carrying the chest of the Lord, ruler of the whole earth, will come to rest in the water of the Jordan. At that moment, the water of the Jordan will be cut off. The water flowing downstream will stand still in a single heap.”
This is how it's supposed to work. The Army is supposed to be out in front of the people leading and protecting the people. Priests and clergy are not meant to be out front in a hazardous situation. But God has turned the world upside down and he setting the priest out in front and God is going to work through their obedience.
This is always been a challenge for me, it's easier to just live with the status quo. But that's not the way God operates, that's not the way God wants us to be. The thing that makes it a challenge for me is to know that someday I'm going to be judged on how faithful I've been as a leader.
I am here to hold the banner high, to keep the ark before you, to keep God's word and show the power of it. I'm not here to be served. I'm here to serve you. I'm here to serve God Almighty. One author said "we are to symbolize the bringing together of the divergent component parts of the community, as did the 12 priests who held up the ark symbolic of the 12 tribes who would become fused together as one nation."
If you hear nothing else that I've have said this morning, here this. It's time that we live like crossover people. We can't stay on the east side of the Jordan River. That's not where God is at work. We are called to follow him where he leads. We are called to be crossover people who are urging other people to become crossover people.
There's a couple of things that I see about this and following courageous leadership. In verse 14 it says that the people marched out from their tents to cross over the Jordan. The reason that stands out to me is that they left everything to follow God. They marched through the Jordan River into the promised land.
I really like the closing words in our text this morning in verse 17:
17 So the priests carrying the Lord’s covenant chest stood firmly on dry land in the middle of the Jordan. Meanwhile, all Israel crossed over on dry land, until the entire nation finished crossing over the Jordan.
God's promises are now being fulfilled. The people have finally entered into the land of promise. There is so much ahead for them, but they witnessed once again the power of God and that God keeps his promises. God's promises are now being fleshed out not only in the life of Israel but also in the life of each one of us who's willing to follow him to be sanctified holy to live a holy life and to follow courageous leadership.
One of the grand hymns of the church has these words
When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside.
Death of death, and hell's Destruction,
land me safe on Canaan's side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever sing to you,
I will ever sing to you.
So the question I ask of you this morning, is this. Are you living as crossover people? Are you following the Lord? Are you sanctified holy? Are you willing to be a courageous leader to others?