Sermon Tone Analysis

What about “Now”?

Why is there something versus nothing?

What’s gone wrong in the cosmos?

Is there any hope?

How will history end?

Today we will be discussing the passage in Joshua and how it relates to the 3rd question, “Is there any hope?”, which also leads to our understanding of the answer to the fourth question, “How will history end?”

What about “Now”?

The Israelites demonstrated several times throughout their time in wandering the wilderness, that they were asking God the question, “What about now?”

We live in a day and age, where instant gratification and immediate reward has become the norm.

When I was a youngster, they said the same thing.

Back then, adults would talk about how the microwave oven, cable TV and computers were changing the world and society’s willingness to wait for the things they needed for wanted.

Each year since then, it seems technology has only made the prevalence of “having it our way, right now” only increase exponentially.

Now we carry powerful computers in our pockets or on our wrists, with information only a click away.

Companies like Amazon & Wallmart are using internet technology to allow us to shop from anywhere and they frequently offer items, which can be delivered in 24-48 hours.

We can now do our grocery shopping using an app on our phones and either have our groceries delivered to our doorstep or pick them up in front of the store, without even needing to step foot in the store.

We can choose when and what we watch on TV from a list of millions of shows and films from media sources like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Youtube, Hulu, etc. . .

I believe this situation is a double edged sword.

In one respect it brings convenience and ease to our lives, but it also makes it particularly difficult for many to see any hope of a better life.

It makes it difficult for some to see beyond today, for hope, hope that history will end the way the Bible says it will end.

You may ask, “what does this have to do with the book of Joshua?” or “How does that relate to what we just read?”

Please let me explain.

First, I want to show you a few of the “now”s in the center portion of the book of Joshua.

First, I’d like to take you back to chapter 12 in , and and then we will look at ,, which we just read a few moments ago.

In chapter 12 we see that Israel, through God’s power and work, by way of Joshua and Moses as their leaders have conquered a significant portion of the Promised Land.

We spoke a couple of weeks ago about the fact that God was just in His wrath toward the inhabitants because of their sin and rebellion.

Joshua 12:1

Joshua 12:7

Here we see they have taken possession of the land which their forefathers had been promised generations earlier.

You can imagine the difficulty they would have had in trusting that their inheritance would be realized.

4 Framework Questions of any Worldview:

Why is there something versus nothing?

What’s gone wrong in the cosmos?

Is there any hope?

How will history end?

Today we will be discussing the 3rd question, “Is there any hope?”, which also leads to our understanding of the answer to the fourth question, “How will history end?”

What about “Then/ their Now”?

God’s Covenant Promise to Israel was being fulfilled as Joshua began dividing the land to the various tribes.

God’s promises will always be fulfilled, but they are done in His timing.

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man that he should change his mind!

This means that God is not fickle.

He is not undecided, or recalculating, the promises that He has made.

Listen to the promise made to Moses and the Israelites in Deut 6:10-11.

Did you hear that?

He promised to give them what?

Great and Good cities they did not build

Houses full of all good things that they did not fill

Cisterns that they did not dig

Vineyards and Olive trees that they did not plant

verse 12

What about Now?

What about Now?

That must have been something that ran through the minds of the Israelites over the centuries.

When or even will, God the Father make good on His promises?

What else will we need to go through before He makes things right and allows us to settle down in the land he swore to our forefathers?

This is a question we may ask ourselves from time to time.

Particularly, in this moment in history.

In a time when it seems as if an increasing number of people in our nation are vehemently opposed to God.

When people around the world are turning their backs on the Word of God and His principles of right & wrong, of justice and mercy, of love and grace.

In some instances people are denying basic simple principles of nature that God has clearly designed and ordained.

We live in a time, when people attempt to twist reality to be what they want it to be rather than what it truly is.

But we do not lose heart.

When

We should not become discouraged.

We should not become afraid, or anxious.

We have a hope, that lives within us.

So we can and should ask, “What about NOW?” but even as we are asking, we wait patiently for God to answer and to move.

God is at work!

He is alive and is at work preparing a place for us.

We may ask, “What about Now?” but we do it knowing that God the Father’s timing is always perfect.

His ways, are always BEST!

So we long to be with Him

TO be absent from the Body is to be present with the Lord, but there is still work to be done, to minister to the people around us.

Even as the Israelites were given the land, and portions of the land were designated to each tribe (the tribe of Levi was given something different), they had more ground to take, as God went before them, but not without them.

NOW Let us consider, the question “What about now?” from a slightly different perspective.

What have we been given as of this moment in time?

Where have the “boundaries” of our inheritance been set?

How are we utilizing our inheritance?

Are we giving up ground or are we taking more ground?

Are we using the gifts and resources God has given us, with the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish what He has commanded us to do?

What about “when”?

When we get to Heaven, that is.

Based upon the word of God, I have assurance that one day, I will be with Christ in the New Heaven and New earth, which is the ultimate fulfillment of my inheritance.

I look forward to the day I am glorified and able to stand in the presence of God I am excited to see the New Heaven and the New earth, when God finally establishes His Kingdom completely.

In fact, in Paul tells us,

Col 3:1-

What

CS Lewis Quote: “Women sometimes have the problem of trying to judge by artificial light how a dress will look by daylight.

That is very like the problem for all of us: to dress our souls not for the electric lights of the present world but for the daylight of the next.

The good dress is the one that will face that light.

For that light will last longer.

One day we will stand in the presence of God, and enjoy fellowship with Him in a new and perfect way.

Until then, we need to constantly be asking ourselves,

“What about Now, in light of eternity?”

Do not worry about tomorrow for it will worry about itself.

Set our hearts on things above, on our inheritance.

In a similar but even more exciting, permanent and complete way, God will one day bring us to abide with Him on the New Earth and New Heaven.

It is an amazing fact to ponder that Christ has gone before us, and is preparing a place for us.

Let us ask the Lord to give us eyes that see today in light of eternity.