Joshua, Devoted Follower
Remembering Who They Were • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Later tradition describes Joshua as Moses’ successor “in the prophetic office” and Israel’s “great savior,” a “devoted follower” of God who is an example for all
Jewish tradition describes Joshua as, a prophet, Israel’s “great savior” and a devoted follower of God, who is an example for all.
The name that Moses gave him was Hoshea to Joshua ( Yahweh Saves)
Joshua made courageous choices
Joshua made courageous choices
And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel.
6-10
He was in the minority and along with Caleb, went against the grain of the majority.
He knew in whom he believed and counted Him able to accomplish what He had promised
He knew what he believed and when he saw the world moving in a different direction, he tried to influence it, instead of letting the world influence him.
Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.”
This is another incidence where Joshua made a critical and courageous choice to follow God’s direction, even when it didn’t make good sense in the eyes of the world.
Some of the choices Joshua had to make were difficult choices
So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword.
joshua 6 20-1
Why was everyone devoted to destruction?
Child sacrifice.
idolatry
sexual immorality
“general heathenism” we haven’t heard this since Aunt Esther on Sanford and Son.
The day of The Lord will come. And it’s a terrible thing.
“Do not say in your heart, after the Lord your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out before you.
It was because of the actions of these nations that judgment was coming. But God in His divine wisdom accomplished good with the bad.
What if you had to defend yourself or your loved one? What if you had to decide between your family or other people who were hungry? I read a book a couple of years ago entitled 3 seconds later. Setting was in the mountains of NC and the towns people had to decide between themselves and the people traveling down I40. They had to barricade the town and run people off, in order to feed their children.
What’s the big idea
What’s the big idea
We need to know what we believe, before we can stand firm it.
I believe the world sees Christians as hypocrites and cowards.
We need to be be able to make courageous choices when it comes to God
reasons we don’t
we aren’t sure of what we believe
we aren’t 100% committed
we’re more afraid of the world than of God
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
luke
Another reason is we haven’t had good examples to follow.
Joshua followed good examples
Joshua followed good examples
So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God.
joshua
Joshua was mentored by Moses. Joshua patterned himself after Moses.
Faith, courage, perservance, etc..
courage
Joshua was greatly influenced by Moses.
So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey.
And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the Lord had done for Israel.
numbers
What’s the big idea
The people around whom we surround ourselves will have a definite effect on us.
Dr. Jordon Peterson in his book 12 Rules for Life, has as one of his rules, “surround yourself with people that what the best for you and that challenge to be better.”
Find good models of Christians and follow their example.
Be a Timothy to them or a Joshua. Then be a Paul to them or a Moses.
*Leadership is often the product of good preparation and encouragement.
Christians are called to be leaders to the rest of the world.
we should prepare ourselves and others, in order to be that example
Joshua maintained strong faith
Joshua maintained strong faith
Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the Lord did for Israel.
There were many times when Joshua was called upon to step out on faith
He was able to because of the influence of Moses and the faith he saw in him.
The people saw the strong faith of Joshua, which made it possible for him to challenge the people at the end of his call and life
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
joshua 24
Joshua was asking
What have you heard? What have you seen?
Now what will you do?
What’s the big idea
We are asked those same questions many times during our lives.
How we answer them is determined by how we are prepared to answer them.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Faith grows by steps, steps forward
Steps that are powered by what we experience. What we hear and what we see
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
romans
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Are we ready to start that journey of faith?
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
ro