Looking Forward

Good morning Church.

Isn’t God good? I mean here we are its 2022 and we are still breathing, God is on the throne and we are entering an exciting new season together.

Entering a new season also means transitioning out of another season.

Throughout the bible there are many different great examples of transitions where one king moves out and another moves in, or one prophet moves out and another come into his place.

One of my favorites is the transition found when Moses passes the torch to Joshua in Joshua 1.

Joshua is one of my favorite books in the bible because we see the awesome power of God displayed as Isreal constantly overcomes the odds and is delivered over and over again as long as they are faithful.

But turn with me to Joshua 1 this morning and while you turn there I am going to pray.

Joshua 1:1–17 CSB

1 After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’s assistant: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now you and all the people prepare to cross over the Jordan to the land I am giving the Israelites. 3 I have given you every place where the sole of your foot treads, just as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will be from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great river, the Euphrates River—all the land of the Hittites—and west to the Mediterranean Sea. 5 No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or abandon you. 6 “Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their ancestors to give them as an inheritance. 7 Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. 8 This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do. 9 Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” 10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, 11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get provisions ready for yourselves, for within three days you will be crossing the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you to inherit.’ ” 12 Joshua said to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, 13 “Remember what Moses the Lord’s servant commanded you when he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest, and he will give you this land.’ 14 Your wives, dependents, and livestock may remain in the land Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But your best soldiers must cross over in battle formation ahead of your brothers and help them 15 until the Lord gives your brothers rest, as he has given you, and they too possess the land the Lord your God is giving them. You may then return to the land of your inheritance and take possession of what Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on the east side of the Jordan.” 16 They answered Joshua, “Everything you have commanded us we will do, and everywhere you send us we will go. 17 We will obey you, just as we obeyed Moses in everything. Certainly the Lord your God will be with you, as he was with Moses.

This year, we have a new Executive Director of the SBTC, Dr. Nathan Lorick.

As I listened to him preach his message at the SBTC convention this year, God had me take VERY DETAILED NOTES.

As I listened to his main points I the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said this will be completely applicable in your new role as lead pastor of trinity.

So with that said I want to give credit where Credit is due and say that the points and some of the thoughts of this sermon are from Dr. Lorick, simply adjusted to fit our context.

So what is going on in Joshua 1?

Joshua recounts part 2 of God’s grandest work of redemption in the OT period. In part what (the Pentateuch) under the leadership of Moses, the Lord redeemed his people out of bondage in Egypt and formalized his covenantal love for them at Sinai. Now in part two, under the leadership of Joshua, the Lord as divine Warrior brings his people into the Land of Promise and gives the “rest.”

What we see in Joshua 1 is a Leadership transition going on and not just that but also a Generational Transition.

We see a new generation taking up the mantle and continuing the journey!

Guess what church, we are entering a new season, and you could even say it is somewhat of a generational transition as well.

As I understand there is a growing number of younger families starting to join the church and get active in serving the Lord.

I also believe that I am quite a bit younger than you last pastor was.

Maybe you have been tired or worn out.

Maybe you are just excited about the idea of transitioning into a new season.

God transitioned Israel from the wilderness to the promise land and there are 3 observations that we must make and understand as we go through our own time of transition.

I. God’s Faithfulness in the Past, gives us the anchor of hope for the Future. v. 1-3

Isreal was grieving the loss of their Leader Moses and was probably a little nervous about what their future held.

So God begins Joshua’s ministry by reminding Joshua of his past faithfulness.

Joshua inherited these people.

God has a pattern of faithfulness that we must constantly keep our eyes on.

Think back to the patriarchal promise, first given to Abraham.

It entailed three key elements: Progeny (Abraham’s descendants would become a great nation), blessing (Abraham’s descendants would enjoy the blessings of living in covenant relationship with Yahweh) and land.

The dominant theme o the book of Joshua is the Lord’s faithfulness in fulfilling all of His good promises.

over and over again God has been faithful and Israel could look to that faithfulness as an anchor of hope for their future.

* Cloud by day, fire by night

* Parted the waters for them

* Provided water when they were thirsty

* Manna when they were hungry!

What about you Church! How good has God been to you in the past?

The fact that you are still here after being without a Lead pastor during a pandemic and you actually grew!

You have seen salvation's and baptisms

You have seen God be faithful in your life and he will continue to be.

He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

God’s faithfulness has brought us to the place where we are today.

Remember, His faithfulness in the past is an anchor of Hope for the future.

II. God’s vision for the Past is transferable to the future. (4-6)

Key in on vs. 5

A new generation is ready to take up the mission.

SAME VISION!!!

The vision has not changed!

Disciple-Making!

The Great Commision (Matthew 28:19-20)

Matthew 28:19–20 CSB

19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The vision is constant!

The game plan is changing and adapting.

Think Football

The vision is “this is who we are”

Advance the vision

A. Through conviction (v. 6)

B. Through Courage (v. 9)

C. Through Confidence (v. 9b)

III. God’s manifested Presence throughout the Past, will be our passion and pursuit in the Future (v. 10-16)

Joshua is not challenging the people to pick up the mantle and carry on the vision.

He said we have work to do!

You have been tired, you have worked hard but now friends we must continue.

Look at the response of the people in vs. 17 - they understood that God have placed a new man in the place of authority over the and they were ready to follow their new leader and they mentioned only one desire!

“Only may the LORD your God be with you as He was with Moses.

What we need more than anything else is the Presence of God.

Anytime in my ministry that something good has taken place it was because God showed up.

Every time someone trusted Christ…It was because God showed up.

When someone received victory over addiction or restoration in the home it was because God showed up.

We must be constantly pursuing the Presence of God if we are going to do anything that matters.

Moses understood this.

Exodus 33:15 CSB

15 “If your presence does not go,” Moses responded to him, “don’t make us go up from here.

God was telling Moses that it was time for him and the children of Israel to go and take the land that He had promise Abraham.

Moses desire was simple…God if you are not going to go, please don’t make me go.

I don’t want to be anywhere that God is not.

Closing

Paul often referred to His Christian walk in sports terms, including a race.

I would like to think of what we are doing is a form of relay race.

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