Sermon Tone Analysis

SLOW (especially in light of Ukrainians)

Florence Chadwick.

In 1952, young Florence Chadwick stepped into the waters of the Pacific Ocean off Catalina Island, determined to swim to the shore of mainland California.

She’d already been the first woman to swim the English Channel both ways.

The weather was foggy and chilly; she could hardly see the boats accompanying her.

Still, she swam for fifteen hours.

When she begged to be taken out of the water along the way, her mother, in a boat alongside, told her she was close and that she could make it.

Finally, physically and emotionally exhausted, she stopped swimming and was pulled out.

What will keep us going through the Christian life?

Motivation?

Motivation to keep fighting sin rather than settling

Motivation to keep sacrificing comfort for the Kingdom

Motivation to give our money to gospel work?

Motivation to speak out for Jesus when it might bring mockery

Motivation to stand up for biblical values in world that might hate us?

Motivation when Country is at war and homes have been destroyed?

What will keep us going when the fog descends on our Christian lives?

Uncertainty or darkness, or feeling of being overwhelmed, or the offer of an easy way out.

SLOW

If we are to keep running the race that is the Christian life - one of things need to know that it will be worth it in the end.

Live as heirs of God’s promises

Reading Joshua 13:1-14:1

What word is Repeated?

(first mentioned v6)

Context: Series in Joshua - In promised land, and victory.

At rest on all sides.

List of Kings that have been defeated - there is no one like our God.

None can stand against him.

More this is about God’s promises.

Nothing can stop God keeping his promises.

Experienced as his people live in trust and obedience, led by their courageous leader Joshua who God appointed.

This is heart of next 6 chapters - division of the land, is historical record of huge significance - because it marks promises made to Abraham being temporarily fulfilled.

People had peace, and now they had land.

Lots of it.

Rich land.

Live in light of God’s faithfulness

Some bits of bible we find utterly gripping.

Joshua stories of war and marching and trumpets and walls tumbling, and victory and hailstones and sun standing still.

But other bits tempted to skip over.

13-19 records of places we can’t pronounce.

But writer is so keen that we don’t miss this section he makes it 6 times longer than all the other bits!

Not just so we know that what is happeneing here is real history, but also that we know the God who intersects history.

Old box - throw it out.

But to me it is precious for it is something that belonged to my grandad.

Inheritance, marker of my relationship to him.

And that is what land is to the Israelites.

This is the inheritance that was promised to them by Yahweh.

And it is glorious.

And there is not one bit of it that they did not recieve and there is not one bit of it that the writer misses recording.

Notice the extent of the land that God gives Israelites.

There is no part of Canaan that Israel do not conquer or occupy.

A land that was under the occupation of God’s enemies, and subject to them, has now been reclaimed by God according to promises he made to Moses and fulfilled through Joshua.

But something more significant in these verses.

Something profound.

Physical events are historial but also represent Spiritual reality to be fulfilled.

What was the land of Canaan before the Joshua arrived?

It was a Spiritually barren waste land occupied by a people living in rebellion against God who lives poured our wickeness.

But through Joshua God brought this land to a restored status.

No longer land of wickeness and judgement, but land of promise and life

SLOW

Is not the land of Canaan before Joshua came, in all it’s wickedness and rebellion, not exactly like the state of the our hearts before Jesus came?

We were a spirtually barren land, under occupation of Satan, and therefore a people of rebellion against our maker, full of wickeness, whose sin was overflowing.

But our mighty warrior Jesus came and conquered every enemy, Satan has been vanquished and Spiritual forces have been nailed to the cross, through faith every corner, every member of God’s church is occupied by Holy Spirit.

Land can now floursh, occupied by God’s people, living under God’s blessing, for God’s Glory.

So now the church, redeemed by Jesus blood, can now floruish and thrives as its members enjoy every Spiritual blessing in Christ.

Heard this week idea that God owns us twice over.

Creator and purchased us.

But glorious news of the gospel that even though he owns us twice over, in Christ he gives us all things.

We are heirs to Christ’s inheritance.

I wonder do we take the time to dwell in this reality.

That not only has God resced us from sin and death, but also given us all things through Christ Jesus.

Just imagine people taking in the scenery.

Now war is over.

Walking on plains of Jordan in the long reeds remembering sight of waters parting

Sitting by the stones at Gilgal and reflecting on God’s promises

Walking by the ruins of Jericho and rememebring glorious day of victory

Standing on hillside at Gibeon remembering when God stopped sun in the sky

Or taking a swim in the waters of merom, the place where Joshua defeated great Northern army aware of peace and rest.

Soaking in scenery reflecting on God’s goodness.

Poland this week.

Stood on balcony taking in the view.

Just stood there breathing clean air, enjoying quiet of mountains, away from smog of the city.

Enjoying the scenery of God’s goodness to us in the gospel.

Do we dwell in the vastness of his grace and mercy and character and promises, as we open His word, and we spend time in prayer in the Spirit, in such a way that we let it capture every corner of our lives, reclaiming it from Satan’s grip and renewing it for the Glory of God?

Do we relish the chance to be with God’s people on a Sunday recognise this is a picture of God keeping his promises, and picture of eternity.

Now and not yet of Christian life.

We rejoice in God’s grace and power and yet still experience the brokeness.

Not all smiles and sunshine.

True for Israel too.

You might have spotted slight discomfort in v13.

God’s people occupy the land, yet there are pockets of rebellion.

Some suggest this is indication of failure to obey completely by peopel of God.

Not given reason.

But identifies a potential danger.

Warning here for us.

We mighty have with great faith fought mighty battles, but are there small sins that we allow to lie dorment, or consider to be under control, but are reluctant to deal with.

Yet details give us a sobering reality - that while we experience the promises of God in part, we also experience the reality of living in sinful flesh and in sinful world.

War is won but battle still to be done.

What is our attitute to be?

How to we avoid becoming discouraged or distracted?