SERIES: VBS 2007 #2/5

#1 · July 24, 2007, 11:27 am

Quote from Forum Archives on July 24, 2007, 11:27 am
Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>
SERIES: VBS 2007 #2/5

CROSSING THE JORDAN

July 22, 2007

Text: Joshua 3:9-17

I continue this sermon series based on the Vacation Bible School lessons this year from Avalanche Ranch. The second night of VBS continues with the Bible story found in Joshua chapters 3 and 4. The Bible Point for the lesson is God is with us, and the Treasure Verse is taken from Joshua 1:9, For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

This was certainly a reality that Joshua and the people of Israel had to keep before them. Gods people had faced this same situation before. Led by Moses, the nation of Israel stood on the verge of taking possession of the land God promised to them. Men from each of the tribes were sent to explore the land and bring their report back to Moses and the Israelites. This they did, which we find in Numbers 13:27-28: They gave Moses this account: We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. Unfortunately for the assembly, all but two of the explorers failed to consider that God was with them. They spread a bad report among the Israelites: We cant attack those people; they are stronger than we are. (Numbers 13:31) As a result of their incorrect assessment, the people rebelled against God. In turn, God refused to allow anyone in the assembly, except for Caleb and Joshua, to get to enter the Promised Land. Because of their sin, the nation of Israel was turned away to wander for forty years.

After those forty years elapsed, a new generation of Israelites once again stood on the brink of entering and taking possession of the land God had promised them. The two spies sent across the Jordan into Jericho were back. What would be the report this time? We read from Joshua 2:23-24, Then the two men started back. They went down out of the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that happened to them. They said to Joshua, The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.

This was quite a different report than that first one of forty years ago. This time, the explorers looked through eyes of faith. They had already experienced protection. Through Rahabs courageous act of faith, the two spies had eluded capture. They made it back across the Jordan to give their favorable report.

Even though this time no one was speaking out against taking possession of the Promised Land, there were still some preparations and actions that Gods people had to take. Their first instruction was to wait upon the Lord to see which way to go. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your possessions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. (Joshua 3:2-4) They had to consecrate themselves. Finally, they had to cross the Jordan.

Crossing the Jordan meant that the Israelites had to once again act on faith. Crossing the Red Sea seems to get all the press, but the Israelites once again faced the natural barrier of water to get where they needed to be. The Jordan River was not a river that the entire assembly could just ford across. Like the Red Sea, it was God who made the miracle available if His people responded with faith in His promise. So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the waters edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. (Joshua 3:14-16) The Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry land.

Within the context of His will and kingdom, God wants to do great things for us. He wants us to be successful. I emphasize again, the context is Gods will, Gods purpose, and Gods kingdom. I am not preaching a health and wealth Gospel this morning. God is not to be treated like a good luck charm. He is the creator and the sustainer of the universe who demands faithful obedience. He is the author of salvation, who deserves to be praised with devotion and love. The holy God is concerned enough about us to want to give us His good blessings.

God had a blessing for the people of Israel. He promised them redemption from slavery and a land of their own. He wanted them to take possession of the land He promised them. Those who traveled with Moses refused the offer. They did not act with faith. They accepted the fear expressed by most of the explorers, and they failed to enter the Promised Land. They failed to receive their blessing.

For the second time, God had a blessing for the people of Israel. Under Joshua, they were once again poised to enter and take possession of the land promised to them by God. This time, they began to act on their faith in the promise of God. This time, they did not shrink back from the belief that no matter what it looked like on the other side of the Jordan, God was giving to them His blessing. But they still had to act in faith. They still had to take a step of faith.

When God made it clear that He was leading them across the Jordan during the flood stage, Joshua and the Israelites could have hesitated and held back. They could have protested that if they just waited a few months, the water level would drop and there would not be as much danger of drowning during the crossing. Surely God would understand that.

The Israelites were told to cross the Jordan. The priests carrying the ark of the covenant were told to step into the water. The assembly was told to follow them. As a result of their faithful obedience, the rivers flow was interrupted and they crossed on dry ground. They entered their Promised Land. There were still challenges ahead to be met with faith. There were still many years ahead before they could dwell in relative peace. But by crossing the Jordan, they were in their Promised Land.

Believers today still face crossing the Jordan opportunities. We face them sometimes as individuals, sometimes as families, sometimes as small groups, sometimes even as entire congregations. God still wants to bless His followers His people. Its usually not a physical Promised Land in our day. We are not currently in the process of settling a new nation. But there are plentiful ministries and missions. There are plentiful opportunities in our walk with God to look across the Jordan and determine whether to decide that it looks good, but the enemies are too big, or to look across and decide that God says, Plant your feet in the Jordan, and Ill give you the blessing of victory on the other side.

The history of Christianity is filled with crossing the Jordan opportunities. Sometimes the blessing leads to influencing and impacting hundreds of thousands of people in a nation and around the world. Sometimes the blessing leads to caring for one person or family nearby. Sometimes the blessing leads to building a successful business; sometimes the blessing leads to leaving a successful business behind in order to pursue a new path. I know that this is all open-ended, but the point just like VBS is that God is with us. Within the context of His will and kingdom, God is for us. He doesnt want us wandering in a wilderness; He wants us to know the security of being in His will. That doesnt mean that we are always safe from worldly dangers. We can be subjected to physical, emotional, financial, and other struggles. Many of the Psalms were written by David. Some of them were composed in times when he did not know what lay ahead. The outcome, from a human perspective, still hung in a balance. But David endured and persevered and received the blessing God intended. David crossed his Jordans many times.

So must we. I know that many here today have had at least one crossing the Jordan encounter. Most have probably had more than one. We will probably have more. And we sometimes think that we do not want any more. The last time was enough. But when God has a blessing ready for us a Promised Land laid out before us were going to have to cross the Jordan to get there. Are we to look across and say, Well it sure looks nice, but those are some awfully big giants over there. Im going to get crushed.? Or do we say, My blessing from God lies across this river. Its time I take that step to cross the Jordan.? Scripture tells us that the latter response is the one that pleases God. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

Rev. Charles A. Layne

First Baptist Church

PO Box 515

170 W. Broadway

Bunker Hill, IN 46914

765-689-7987

bhfbc@bhfirstbaptist.com

www.bhfirstbaptist.com
-- To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: abesermons-unsubscribe@welovegod.org   

Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>

CROSSING THE JORDAN

July 22, 2007

Text: Joshua 3:9-17

I continue this sermon series based on the Vacation Bible School lessons this year from Avalanche Ranch. The second night of VBS continues with the Bible story found in Joshua chapters 3 and 4. The Bible Point for the lesson is God is with us, and the Treasure Verse is taken from Joshua 1:9, For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

This was certainly a reality that Joshua and the people of Israel had to keep before them. Gods people had faced this same situation before. Led by Moses, the nation of Israel stood on the verge of taking possession of the land God promised to them. Men from each of the tribes were sent to explore the land and bring their report back to Moses and the Israelites. This they did, which we find in Numbers 13:27-28: They gave Moses this account: We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. Unfortunately for the assembly, all but two of the explorers failed to consider that God was with them. They spread a bad report among the Israelites: We cant attack those people; they are stronger than we are. (Numbers 13:31) As a result of their incorrect assessment, the people rebelled against God. In turn, God refused to allow anyone in the assembly, except for Caleb and Joshua, to get to enter the Promised Land. Because of their sin, the nation of Israel was turned away to wander for forty years.

After those forty years elapsed, a new generation of Israelites once again stood on the brink of entering and taking possession of the land God had promised them. The two spies sent across the Jordan into Jericho were back. What would be the report this time? We read from Joshua 2:23-24, Then the two men started back. They went down out of the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that happened to them. They said to Joshua, The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.

This was quite a different report than that first one of forty years ago. This time, the explorers looked through eyes of faith. They had already experienced protection. Through Rahabs courageous act of faith, the two spies had eluded capture. They made it back across the Jordan to give their favorable report.

Even though this time no one was speaking out against taking possession of the Promised Land, there were still some preparations and actions that Gods people had to take. Their first instruction was to wait upon the Lord to see which way to go. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your possessions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. (Joshua 3:2-4) They had to consecrate themselves. Finally, they had to cross the Jordan.

Crossing the Jordan meant that the Israelites had to once again act on faith. Crossing the Red Sea seems to get all the press, but the Israelites once again faced the natural barrier of water to get where they needed to be. The Jordan River was not a river that the entire assembly could just ford across. Like the Red Sea, it was God who made the miracle available if His people responded with faith in His promise. So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the waters edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. (Joshua 3:14-16) The Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry land.

Within the context of His will and kingdom, God wants to do great things for us. He wants us to be successful. I emphasize again, the context is Gods will, Gods purpose, and Gods kingdom. I am not preaching a health and wealth Gospel this morning. God is not to be treated like a good luck charm. He is the creator and the sustainer of the universe who demands faithful obedience. He is the author of salvation, who deserves to be praised with devotion and love. The holy God is concerned enough about us to want to give us His good blessings.

God had a blessing for the people of Israel. He promised them redemption from slavery and a land of their own. He wanted them to take possession of the land He promised them. Those who traveled with Moses refused the offer. They did not act with faith. They accepted the fear expressed by most of the explorers, and they failed to enter the Promised Land. They failed to receive their blessing.

For the second time, God had a blessing for the people of Israel. Under Joshua, they were once again poised to enter and take possession of the land promised to them by God. This time, they began to act on their faith in the promise of God. This time, they did not shrink back from the belief that no matter what it looked like on the other side of the Jordan, God was giving to them His blessing. But they still had to act in faith. They still had to take a step of faith.

When God made it clear that He was leading them across the Jordan during the flood stage, Joshua and the Israelites could have hesitated and held back. They could have protested that if they just waited a few months, the water level would drop and there would not be as much danger of drowning during the crossing. Surely God would understand that.

The Israelites were told to cross the Jordan. The priests carrying the ark of the covenant were told to step into the water. The assembly was told to follow them. As a result of their faithful obedience, the rivers flow was interrupted and they crossed on dry ground. They entered their Promised Land. There were still challenges ahead to be met with faith. There were still many years ahead before they could dwell in relative peace. But by crossing the Jordan, they were in their Promised Land.

Believers today still face crossing the Jordan opportunities. We face them sometimes as individuals, sometimes as families, sometimes as small groups, sometimes even as entire congregations. God still wants to bless His followers His people. Its usually not a physical Promised Land in our day. We are not currently in the process of settling a new nation. But there are plentiful ministries and missions. There are plentiful opportunities in our walk with God to look across the Jordan and determine whether to decide that it looks good, but the enemies are too big, or to look across and decide that God says, Plant your feet in the Jordan, and Ill give you the blessing of victory on the other side.

The history of Christianity is filled with crossing the Jordan opportunities. Sometimes the blessing leads to influencing and impacting hundreds of thousands of people in a nation and around the world. Sometimes the blessing leads to caring for one person or family nearby. Sometimes the blessing leads to building a successful business; sometimes the blessing leads to leaving a successful business behind in order to pursue a new path. I know that this is all open-ended, but the point just like VBS is that God is with us. Within the context of His will and kingdom, God is for us. He doesnt want us wandering in a wilderness; He wants us to know the security of being in His will. That doesnt mean that we are always safe from worldly dangers. We can be subjected to physical, emotional, financial, and other struggles. Many of the Psalms were written by David. Some of them were composed in times when he did not know what lay ahead. The outcome, from a human perspective, still hung in a balance. But David endured and persevered and received the blessing God intended. David crossed his Jordans many times.

So must we. I know that many here today have had at least one crossing the Jordan encounter. Most have probably had more than one. We will probably have more. And we sometimes think that we do not want any more. The last time was enough. But when God has a blessing ready for us a Promised Land laid out before us were going to have to cross the Jordan to get there. Are we to look across and say, Well it sure looks nice, but those are some awfully big giants over there. Im going to get crushed.? Or do we say, My blessing from God lies across this river. Its time I take that step to cross the Jordan.? Scripture tells us that the latter response is the one that pleases God. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

Rev. Charles A. Layne

First Baptist Church

PO Box 515

170 W. Broadway

Bunker Hill, IN 46914

765-689-7987

bhfbc@bhfirstbaptist.com

http://www.bhfirstbaptist.com

-- To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: abesermons-unsubscribe@welovegod.org