Sermon Tone Analysis

*On a Mission From God*

*Joshua 1:6-9*

New Hope Baptist Church 26 Feb. 2006 PM service

 

*The Setting:*

 

Josh 1:1-5

1:1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2 "Moses my servant is dead.

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. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.

4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates - all the Hittite country - to the Great Sea on the west.

5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life.

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

NIV

 

Joshua has now been given the reins – from the legend in his own time, Moses.

The job was awesome and overwhelming.

*The Instructions*

 

Josh 1:6-9

6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.

7 Be strong and very courageous.

Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.

Then you will be prosperous and successful.

9 Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and courageous.

Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

NIV

 

\\ *God’s directives* (Joshua 1:6-8)

 

Joshua could not be stopped:

He was on a mission for God

 

Joshua:

 

•Receiving the mission

 

•Being Strong and Courageous

 

•Staying Focus

 

•Meditating on the Word

 

 

Let talk about each of these points

\\ *Receiving the mission*

A burning bush would be nice but…

 

For a good numbers of years I have been involved in number of ministries Sunday School, Cub Scouts, Gideons

As Sunday School Director and chairman of the nominating committee, I have seen many type of workers:

 

3 types of servants:  I have seen myself in all three at one time or another

 

*1.

Those who talk the talk but does not walk the walk.*

\\ \\ As Sunday School director~/Nominating committee Chairman often ask, “ can you serve as Sunday School Teacher, RA Leader, Youth Leader, etc.?” \\ \\ Typical Baptist Response: “ I’ll have to pray about it” \\ \\ God has not given me the gift of teaching;” \\ \\ “ I’m not sure God is leading me in this direction.”

*2.

Hard workers but accomplish nothing.*

\\ \\ Every mission is their mission \\ \\ They are there every time the door opens, on every committee, on the verge of burn out.

Often these folks do burn out, drop out, and disappear - become inactive.

What happened?

\\ \\ Nothing more pitiful than a burned out powerless Christian.

\\ *3.

You know of those in the church who it seems God blesses everything they do.*

They have boundless energy.

\\ \\ I asked one woman to teach an class of international Ladies – where English is a second language.

She immediately said “YES!”  I asked if she wanted to pray about it and her reply was “I have already prayed and have been praying and this was clearly the answer to her prayers!”

\\ \\ That class quickly grew to the largest of it’s kind in the whole city.

She was right were God wanted her an God blessed this class.

\\ \\ What is their secret?

Why does God bless them.

In my own life I have seen and experienced answers to parts of these questions:

 

1.

God calls us to Him.  Calls us to Himself.

He desires close fellowship with us.

2.  Calls us to be faithful were we are.

Don’t be looking for that call to the mission field when you’re not carrying out the Great commission at home.

3.  Call us to faithful to the opportunities He sets before us.

Whether its leading~/teaching the youth, or repairing roof~/cutting the grass; we need servants who first of all keep their eyes on Jesus.

That was Joshua – He kept God in the forefront – He believed God when He said He would give them the land.

\\ *Being Strong and Courageous*

 

3 time Joshua is told to be Strong and Courageous

 

6 "*Be strong and courageous*, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.

7 *Be strong and very courageous*.

Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.

Then you will be prosperous and successful.

9 Have I not commanded you? *Be strong and courageous*.

Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

NIV

 

Why?

Verse 6 – because of the mission

 

 

Who said the Christian life was easy!

Who ever said the things that you will be called to do will be simple!

When an opportunity arises to witness, is it an easy thing to speak up?

However, God does not give you a mission then say you are on your own!

 

*for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go*

 

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Matt 28:18-20 NIV

 19 Therefore go 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 I have commanded you.

*And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

*

Rom 8:31 NIV

What, then, shall we say in response to this?

If God is for us, who can be against us?

Rom 8:35 NIV

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

Ps 23:4 NIV

Even though I walk

through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

\\ *Staying Focus*

 

We’re easily side tracked \\ Good versus better \\ easy verses hard \\ fun versus work

 

The seed among the thorns Mark 4

 

Mark 4:13-20 NIV

13 Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable?

How then will you understand any parable?

14 The farmer sows the word.