Sunday Service – 10/20/2024

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Matthew 28:16-20 16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.  17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.  18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  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 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Joshua 1:1-9 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying,  2“My servant Moses is dead. Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites.  3Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses.  4From the wilderness and the Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea in the west shall be your territory.  5No one shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.  6Be strong and courageous; for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them.  7Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. 8This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. 9I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”  

Be Strong and Courageous

As the book of Joshua opens Moses has died and Joshua is now the leader of the Israelite people.  God has given him the mission of leading the Israelites across the Jordan into the land God has promised them since the time of Abraham.  The verses we read this morning are what God said to Joshua when God gave him this mission. 

 Now Joshua has already proven himself to be strong and courageous.  He led the Israelites in their first battle after they left Egypt.  When Moses sent the 40 spies into Canaan Joshua said they should enter the land when everyone except Caleb was afraid.  This is not a man who cowers in the corner, this is a man who is a strong leader of the people yet in our verses today God tells him not once, not twice but three times to be strong and courageous.  Why would God do that?

All his life Joshua has always had Moses to rely on.  Now he is on his own and that may have made him fearful.  The idea of conquering the land and people in Canaan was undoubtedly intimidating.  

John Ortberg in his book, “If You Want To Walk On Water You’ve Got To Get Out Of The Boat” says this about fear: The single command in Scripture that occurs more often than any other, God’s most frequently repeated instruction, is formulated in two words: Fear Not. Do not be afraid. Be strong and courageous. You can trust me. Fear not. Why does God command us not to fear? Fear does not seem like the most serious vice in the world. It never made the list of the Seven Deadly Sins. No one ever receives church discipline for being afraid. SO why does God tell human beings to stop being afraid more often than he tells them anything else? My hunch is that the reason God says “Fear Not” so much is not that he wants us to be spared emotional discomfort. In fact, usually he says it to people who are to do something that is going to lead them into greater fear anyway. I think God says, “fear not” so often because fear is the number one reason human beings are tempted to avoid doing what God asks them to do” I think John Ortberg has it right.

God is quite blunt when He talks with Joshua.  God says, “Moses is dead.  Now proceed across the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them.”   Joshua is given a huge mission.  Take over as leader following Moses.  Those are some mighty big boots Joshua is being asked to step into.  Go and conquer all of Canaan.  The Israelites were so afraid of the people there that they spent forty years wandering in the wilderness rather than go there.  Now Joshua is to lead the people across the Jordan and take the land.  When faced with such a mission it is easy to understand why God would say, “Be strong and courageous.”  The normal reaction would be fear, God is telling Joshua not to be afraid and instead to be strong and courageous.  To undertake such a mission would call for strength and courage.  

Of course, telling someone not to be afraid rarely works.  It fact, it can have the opposite effect and cause increased fear.  It is necessary to give the person a reason not to be afraid.  God does just this with Joshua.  He promises, “I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.”    That’s a pretty wonderful promise.  God is giving Joshua a hard mission but at the same time God is promising to be with Joshua.  Joshua saw how God was with Moses.  He witnessed the parting of the Red Sea, he ate the manna that God provided for forty years, Joshua knows God keeps His promises.  Joshua trusts God.  In the final verse today God promises to be with Joshua wherever he goes.

Another aspect of what God is asking Joshua to do is that God is asking for change. Change causes everyone a certain amount of anxiety. We become very comfortable with the way things are – new situations can be unsettling and stressful. Generations change, leaders change, governments change, circumstances change.

We are coming up on the election for president. This is a scary time for many of us. Whichever side you’re on there is a fear of change.

Perhaps you are facing a change in life circumstances. You need to move, you need to adjust to the loss of a loved one, or you need to deal with decreasing physical abilities. Whatever change may be coming it may be scary and it is a challenge.

The sermon today is specifically on the courage of faith – moving forward in times of change. The overall principle that we can learn today is that as we face changes in the future, we have nothing to fear and everything to look forward to when we exercise the courage of faith in the God who is faithful.

We all face change from time to time. That’s life; it doesn’t always stay the same. In Israel it was time for a new leader and a new home – that was a very significant change. For 40 years they had wandered in the wilderness – that had been their home. Now they face a complete relocation to a new land with a new leader, a land where they would face enemies, giants, and battles, where they would be living among pagans, where they would be tested in their faith, where they would have challenges that they had never faced before. And in every situation God proves himself faithful.

So, as we face change in the days ahead, we must exercise the courage of faith to follow God’s leading. We must prepare in faith, change in faith, and follow in faith.

God tells Joshua, “Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them–to the Israelites.” Can’t you just hear Joshua saying: “Really? I am now the leader? I am Moses’ replacement?” Joshua must have thought that he couldn’t possibly measure up to his predecessor.

Joshua must have remembered Moses’ courage dealing with Pharaoh, Moses’ determination as he led the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses’ unwavering faith at the Red Sea as he held out his rod and the waters parted. He remembered Moses’ meeting with God at the top of Sinai and the radiant glow of God’s glory on his face as he came down, Moses’ confidence as he brought water out of the rock, and as he promised them food from heaven. I can hear Joshua saying: “I can’t possibly do any of that. Surely someone else would be a better choice.”

Joshua must have remembered the criticism and rejection Moses’ suffered from the Israelites. How they accused Moses of bringing them out of Egypt to kill them in the wilderness. How they threatened to stone Moses to death. How they quickly replaced Moses with Aaron and worshipped the golden calf when Moses stayed on the mountain too long. Then there was the time when Joshua and Caleb spied out the land and how excited they were about the prospects, only to be stonewalled by the Israelites because of their lack of courage and faith. And now Moses, their intrepid leader, was dead!

The reality of what was happening must have been crushing. The prospect of leading such an unpredictable, rebellious group of people must have been utterly daunting. And God knew that. He knew that at such a time as this Joshua needed words of comfort, encouragement, and affirmation. So let’s examine what God did.

When God orders his people to exercise the courage of faith and move forward He provides us with reassurance. 

First, God reassures Joshua of his provision. “I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.” God renews his covenant, reaffirms his commitment, and restates his provision of the land for them to inhabit. What he had said to their previous leader is still true. And just to be sure that Joshua got it, God spells out exactly the boundaries of the land he had given them.

Second, God reassures Joshua of his promise. God reminds Joshua of the promise in the second half of His sentence,. “as I promised Moses.” God does not change; He is fully trustworthy. The very same possession promised to Moses he now gives to Joshua – “as I promised Moses” Those must have been sweet words to Joshua. He had no reason to fear. Yes, Moses was dead but Moses’ God was alive and all the promises and assurances and affirmations that God gave to Moses, he repeats now to Joshua. Joshua could count on God just as Moses had. Their possession of the land was as secure now as it ever was, whether under Moses leadership or Joshua’s, because it is God’s provision and He is fully trustworthy!

When God commands us to exercise the courage of faith and move forward, he reassures us with his provision, he reassures us with his promise. And third, He reassures us with his protection. God assures Joshua, “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life.” (1:5a). Any fears they might have are put to rest. They can go forward boldly. Any new situations they may face should cause them no alarm. They would be invincible and untouchable – no one could overpower them. And the promise was good for the rest of Joshua’s life! God gave him a lifetime guarantee: “All the days of your life.”

So, when God commands us to exercise the courage of faith and move forward, he reassures us with his provision, his promise, his protection. And fourth, He reassures us with his presence. “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (1:5b). Under Moses their shoes had not worn out, they had received food from heaven and water from a rock, the cloud shielded them by day and the pillar of fire gave them heat and light by night. God had been faithful despite their unfaithfulness. And God says: Just as I have been with you for the past 40 years, so I will be with you in the future. I will not leave you nor forsake you.”

The Israelites could go forward with the courage of faith in the God who never changes and who is always with them, the God who is always trustworthy and always keeps his word.

When God orders us to exercise the courage of faith and move forward, first he provides us with reassurance. And, second, when God orders us to exercise the courage of faith and move forward He provides us with encouragement. Three times God repeats the same words of encouragement. In verse 6, “Be strong and courageous”,iIn verse 7, “Above all, be strong and very courageous”, and in verse 9, “Be strong and courageous”.  Joshua is understandably fearful of all he was facing.

We all need encouragement, especially in times of change and uncertainty. There are enough things to discourage us and often not many to encourage us, so we all need encouragement. We need encouragement especially in those times when we are fearful of the future: “What’s going to happen now? How is it all going to work out? How long will it take?” We all need encouragement

It’s certainly understandable that Joshua would have needed encouragement at this time. After all, he’d never been in this leadership position before, even though he had been told it was coming, and even though he had had considerable leadership responsibilities such as spying out the land of Caanan. Now, reality was hitting home. The prospect was daunting to say the least, even to such a brave man as Joshua.

This was an intimidating task, leading this ragtag bunch of refugees from Egypt, leading this fickle group of rebels, who might oppose you at any moment. How would you feel if you were in Joshua’s position? “Perhaps he thought, “Are you crazy? If Moses the greatest prophet ever had a hard time, how do you think I can do it?”

It takes strength and courage to face such a task. Our strength and courage are rooted not in ourselves but in God – faith in the God who is all-powerful and fully trustworthy; faith in the God of Moses and Joshua. Remember: Their God is our God. God’s word is infallible and unfailing. That’s why we can be strong and very courageous.

Only through the courage of faith can we face the future confidently in times of testing and change. When it’s time to move forward, God says, Be strong and courageous. You’re going to start moving forward now, Joshua. The time for grieving for Moses is over. Things are changing so don’t be fearful or weak-kneed now. Don’t give up when the going gets tough. Don’t turn back or lose heart. Don’t turn away from Me. ‘Be strong and very courageous.’”

Why do we need special strength and courage when we move forward in faith? Here’s why. When we move forward, we need to be strong and courageous in order to accomplish God’s purposes. God’s purpose for Joshua was to distribute the land I swore to their ancestors to give them as an inheritance (1:6). For that, he would need supernatural strength and courage. The enemy was still there – those they had seen when they spied out the land; those giants in whose sight they were like grasshoppers! They were still there. “Remember, Joshua, what you said back then: ‘We can do it! We can overcome them and take this land.’ Well, now’s the time, Joshua.” That’s why we need supernatural strength and courage in order to accomplish God’s purposes.

In our verses from Matthew we heard much the same promise from Jesus.  First He told the disciples to spread the good news of the Gospel to the entire world.  Again a huge mission.  Then He told His disciples that He would be with them always.  In other words, Jesus said, Yes, it’s a huge mission but I will be with you.  It was a promise to them and to all Christians who have followed them.  Jesus is with us today, Jesus is with our church.  Just as God was with Moses and Joshua so is Jesus with us.  We have His promise to always be with us.

God told Joshua to be careful to follow the law.  We no longer follow the ancient laws; we follow Jesus Christ who gave us a mission even harder than Joshua’s.  We are to tell people all over the world the good news of Jesus Christ.  

Today’s verses may apply to any situation in our lives where we have a reason to fear and need to be courageous.  I can think of many situations where this could be.  Anyone facing a cancer diagnosis or a long illness.  Someone out of work or in financial difficulty, the challenge of raising children or grandchildren.  The list goes on.  Whatever your personal struggle may be, I urge you to listen to God’s voice calling you to be strong and courageous.

Today may we hear God’s call to us to be strong and courageous.  May we not be frightened or dismayed.  May we remember that God is with us always.  Let us pray.