Rev. David Holwick ZA Joshua 1:9 Series
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
July 31, 2016
Joshua 1:9
IF GOD IS WITH YOU
I. We all have issues with authority.
A. Nations are grappling with it.
1) In Turkey, a coup has led to a severe crackdown.
a) President Erdogan seems to be using the coup as an
excuse to lock up all his opponents.
b) Not just soldiers and generals, but thousands of
teachers and judges have been arrested or fired.
c) It is so repressive that some of his enemies wonder
if Erdogan orchestrated the coup himself.
2) In America, police are the target.
a) Several mass shootings of police have occurred.
b) Police have been openly insulted.
The cashier at a Taco Bell in Alabama told two cops at
the counter she would not serve them and they needed
to leave.
And it wasn't just the cashier that didn't want the
deputies around.
A customer in line said she would rather get a refund
than eat in the company of police. [1]
c) Some cops have gotten revenge.
In Homestead, Pennsylvania, some cops were eating dinner
at a restaurant.
The waitress led another couple to be seated at the
table next to them.
The man noticed the cops and said, "Nah, I don't want
to sit there."
She seated the couple on the other side of the
restaurant.
Then the officers, fully aware of the recent tensions
between police and the communities they serve,
had an idea.
The officers paid the couple's $28.50 bill, plus a tip,
and left this note on the receipt:
"Sir, your check was paid for by the police officers
you didn't want to sit next to.
Thank you for your support."
One officer later said the whole goal was to let them
know they weren't there to hurt them, but serve them.
"We work for the public."
As the officers left, one of the people who had rebuffed
them smiled and said a quick thank you.
[2]
B. Nobody likes having someone tell them what they have to do.
1) It is a human tendency to desire to be independent.
a) But we can never be truly independent.
b) We must bow to the one who created us.
2) What kind of authority figure is God to you?
a) How well are you obeying him?
II. He has commanded us. 1:9a
A. Joshua 1:9 begins with a reference to God's commands to Joshua.
1) The way it is worded, it looks back to a previous action.
2) In verses 7 and 8, God points Joshua to the Law of Moses.
a) He is told not to deviate from it.
b) He is told not to ignore it, but to cherish and obey it.
c) Obedience will bring the blessing of prosperity.
B. What exactly is the Law of Moses?
1) Even at this early stage, it was in written form.
2) It contained the Ten Commandments but much more.
a) Throughout the books of Exodus, Leviticus and
Deuteronomy, commands are given about moral,
social, political and religious issues.
b) The Law of Moses covers murder and adultery, the proper
way to do sacrifices, rules for warfare, how to help
the poor, and many other topics.
3) Jews, Muslims and Christians all believe that God has
revealed his will to us through written commands given
to a man named Moses.
a) What should be do with these commands?
III. Law is a dilemma for Christians.
A. Grace is supreme.
1) An emphasis on Law leads to legalism, where obedience to
rules trumps everything else.
a) North Korea is a land where legalism is exalted.
The nation has been traumatized by a bank robbery -
the first in their 70-year history.
They are used to high officials ripping them off,
but civilians??
Because of their draconian justice system, North Korea
has a very low crime rate.
But they also have prison camps holding a 120,000
and a deadness of spirit throughout the land. [3]
b) Christians can be like North Korea.
1> We all know Christians who don't break any obvious
rules, but their attitudes are mean and surly.
2> Legalism can produce that; it also produces a
judgmental attitude and pride.
2) The New Testament is clear that grace should be our focus.
a) We obey God to express our gratitude to him, not to
earn anything from him.
b) Paul especially shows how an emphasis on law leads
to a dead faith and a false salvation.
B. Grace doesn't mean there are no rules, however.
1) Even though our motivation is different from a legalist,
we still have to obey God.
2) Jesus himself said that a true disciple is someone who
hears the word of God, then DOES what it says.
3) God's grace is not an excuse to "let it all hang out."
a) Your moral choices still matter a great deal.
b) Should we see God as our general or our friend?
1> Both are necessary.
C. God's commands are not limited to morality.
1) Notice the themes of my recent sermons.
a) God commands Joshua (and us) to be strong, courageous,
unafraid and encouraged.
b) These go beyond morality to issues of our character.
2) God's commands ask us to put him first in every area of life.
a) Which areas are you strongest in?
b) Which areas do you struggle in?
IV. God's commands contain a promise.
A. If we obey, he will be with us.
1) Knowing a powerful being is on our side can be reassuring.
Rachel was a preschooler who had been awakening in the
middle of the night, afraid and crying.
Only crawling into bed with her mom and dad soothed her
fears.
Then, her mom announced to the family that she would be
out of town for a few days on a business trip.
Her dad could see he needed to take pre-emptive action.
"Rachel," he said, "I have an idea.
While Mom is away, suppose I sleep in your room on the
top bunkbed."
Rachel thought it was a great idea.
That night, Rachel went to sleep on time.
A couple of hours later, when her dad crawled into the
upper bunk, she was sleeping soundly, and she slept
like that all night.
The next morning, her dad congratulated her on a full
night's sleep.
"It's because you were in the room with me," she said.
"But how did you know I was there?" he asked.
"You were asleep when I came in and you never woke up the
whole night."
Rachel said, "Because you said you would be there."
Her father just happened to be a pastor, and he knew
exactly what to do with the story - share it, like I am
doing right now.
#22408
2) God's presence is the most significant thing we can have.
Steve Gaines asserts that the great need of the church
today is a renewed sense of God's presence.
He writes:
"For years now this has been my primary prayer for every
worship service in the churches I have served.
The longer I live, the less interested I am in how many
people we have in the sanctuary.
What is far more important to me is how much of God we
have in the place.
If He comes, we will have a wonderful service, no matter
if there's only a handful.
I know some preachers who think if 1,000 people come to
their morning services, or 1,500, or 2,000, they've
had a great Sunday.
Not necessarily.
I say to them, 'You haven't had a great Sunday unless
God shows up!'"
#34531
Is God's presence in our church?
Is it in your own life? If not, start seeking him now.
B. God's presence is not limited by our circumstances.
1) The promise is valid wherever we are.
a) Psalm 139 famously says:
"Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
"If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast."
Ps 139:7-10
b) You cannot run from God, or be snatched from him.
2) We sometimes wonder what happens to this promise.
a) Many don't feel God is very close to them.
1> (someone I visited this week expressed this)
2> Feeling distant from God can make us doubt our
salvation.
b) Some big names in the Bible felt this way at times.
1> David, in many psalms, says God seems far away.
2> Elijah felt God had abandoned him and he was all
on his own.
3> Jesus himself felt cut off from God at a critical
time.
A> On the cross he famously asked God why he had
forsaken him.
c) In each case, they continued to rely on God, and he
came through for them.
C. Why does God seem distant?
1) It may be that you are being disobedient.
2) It may be that God is testing you for something larger.
3) A feeling of distance should motivate you to seek him more.
V. Where do you stand with God right now?
A. Are you strong and courageous, or afraid and discouraged?
B. Go beyond your feelings to seek the presence of the Living God.
=========================================================================
SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
[1] “Taco Bell fires employee who refused to serve police,” by Doug Criss,
CNN, 18 July 2016; <link>.
[2] “Officers pick up bill for diners who didn't want to sit near them,”
by Doug Criss, CNN, 12 July 2016; <link>.
[3] Adapted from “The Rule of Love,” by staff writers of
IllustrationExchange.com; 29 July 2016; original article is
“North Korea stepping up security after 'first' bank robbery,” by
Elizabeth Shim, 29 April 2016; <link>.
#22408 “Fear: False Evidence Appearing Real,” by Rev. Joe McKeever of
First Baptist Church of Kenner, Louisiana; Baptist Press,
<link>, October 22, 2002.
#34531 “Is God Showing Up?” by Steve Gaines, Preaching Now,
<link>; April 24, 2007.
These and 35,000 others are part of the Kerux database that can be
downloaded, absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
=========================================================================
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
Created with the Freeware Edition of HelpNDoc: Easily create Web Help sites