Sermon Title: Pile of Water, Pile of Lessons

Sermon Series: Joshua: Finding Courage through the Challenges of Life

Sermon Text: Joshua 3-4

March 9, 2008

Introduction:

Week 1: As you face challenges/opportunities God calls you to be strong and courageous as you rely on Him because he will be with you wherever you go.

Last Week : The prostitute Rahab taught us that no matter how removed from God you are, you can be saved by believing that God is supreme and following the conditions of His protection which boil down to -- Believe and follow.

This week we have another grand story of God’s faithfulness and provision for Israel. I want you to think about this story as a story of piles:

A pile of people

A pile of promises

A pile of water

A pile of stones

A pile of lessons

As we pick up the story in chapter 3, remember the nation of Israel had been saved out of Egypt some 40 years prior to this. God had miraculously split the red sea and piled up the water on both sides to allow the Israelites to cross on dry ground. He was taking them to a land full of promise and peace for them. But, because of their rebellious hearts they spent 40 years wandering in the dessert until that stiff necked generation died out. As the book of Joshua begins, Moses, has died and God chooses Joshua to lead them into the promise land. At this point, they are camped on the east side of the Jordan River and there is a pile of people. By this time, the number of men, women and children is estimated to be about 2 million people. And God is marshaling them and organizing them to cross the Jordan River to stage their first battle in the conquest of the promise land; the battle of Jericho. Read 3:1-6

The people are instructed to keep an eye out for the Ark of the Covenant and when they see it move, they are to move and follow its lead. Now, the Ark of the Covenant was an ornate chest made of acacia wood, overlaid inside and out, with gold. Attached to each corner were gold rings where the gold staves would be inserted and kept to carry it. On top was positioned an atonement cover of gold with two winged cherubim of gold facing each other. (show picture of rendition of Ark) Inside the Ark, Moses placed the stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments which were the basic stipulations of the covenant that God had made with is people at Mt. Sinai. There was also a gold jar of manna and Aaron’s staff that had budded miraculously affirming Aaron’s priesthood in Numbers 17.

The Ark was, fundamentally, a physical reminder of God’s power and presence with his people. The Ark and its contents represented the will and teaching of God. And God instructs the people to pay attention to it and keep an eye out for its movement. And when God moved out they were to move out and follow. Why? Verse 4 tells us... “Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.”

In the face of unknowns...in the face of the unfamiliar...in the face of overwhelming challenges, God says to his people, listen to me...look for me...watch for me...and when I move, you move...when I move, you follow.

Henry Blackaby in his book, Experiencing God, speaks about this principle this...he said, “Find out what God is doing and cooperate with it...get on board with it. Granted, it’s not as easy as keeping an eye on something as distinct as the Ark, but the principle still applies. What would this look like for us? We are to keep an eye on the Bible, we are to listen to what it says. We are to listen to the Holy Spirit and cooperate with him. We are to interact with other believers and check our thinking and verify our understanding. And with a growing familiarity with the Bible, increasing sensitivity to the Holy Spirit coupled with counsel from other God followers, we can improve our spiritual eyesight, as it were...and when God moves we move...when God moves, we follow.

God says, “If you’ll listen to my word and watch for me to move and you move when I move, then I will show you a pile of my power. Look verses 7-13

God promises to display his power and presence when you watch for his movement and follow where he leads. (3:1-13)

For this pile of people God makes a pile of promises. As they watch for him and follow him, God promises to exalt his leader Joshua and demonstrate without a shadow of a doubt that he is WITH him in the same powerful capacity as he was WITH Moses. God promises to demonstrate that his mighty power is WITH the people as well. He promises to enable them to cross the Jordan AND to drive out all the inhabitants of the land before them. God says, “People...follow me and watch me flex my muscles in your midst.”

You see, one of the keys to finding courage through the challenges of life is to keep your eye on God and when he moves, you move...when he stops you stop. This is part of what it means to stay fully reliant on him as we learned a couple of weeks ago. We can be strong and courageous knowing that God says: Watch for me...when I move, follow me and I will demonstrate my power and presence in you and around you. Here’s a lesson God wants you to learn: As you step with him and follow his lead, the impossible becomes possible. Look at 3:14-17 and 4:10-18.

As you step with God, the impossible becomes possible (3:14-17; 4:10-18)

The Jordan River is about 100 feet wide and runs at a decent clip with a depth ranging from 3-10 feet. Normally, it is not impassible, but during flood stage it is a whole other story. And when you are talking about crossing nearly 2 million men, women and children, livestock and belongings it was quite an overwhelming obstacle.

But, as the people stepped out in faith, and followed God through the obstacle, what was impossible in their own ability was possible with God’s ability. Notice, the water does not start piling up until when? Verse 15...as soon as their feet touched the water’s edge. This was a huge test for these priest...would they hesitate in fear or advance in faith. They had to step out in faith before God showed up in power.

What do you suppose was going through the Priest’s minds as they were approaching the water raging by at flood stage carrying the Ark? I mean, they are spiritual men to be sure...but they are still “HU-MAN”, who are carrying an awkward, yet super valuable responsibility. I wonder if they were repeating the words, Be strong and courageous...be strong and courageous. Our God is with us...our God is with us. As long as we’re in step with this Ark...the power and presence of God...then this is going to be amazing.

Imagine the wonder and awe that rushed through them once their feet touched the water...to see that overwhelming, impassible obstacle of a flooded river completely displaced...and to realize that their footing was sure because the ground was totally dry. To then look way upstream to see the water piled up and way down stream to where it was cut off...and to recognize that what was unthinkable in their minds, God had done...now there was room for 2 million men, women and children to pass through safely. And what must it have been like once the whole nation passed by, for them to step back onto the bank and look over their shoulder to see the river immediately return to flood stage?

Life is flooded with impossible or impassable obstacles, isn’t it? As you follow God and stay in step with him, you will come face to face with all sorts of challenges and obstacles. And like the Jordan River at flood stage, they will be impassable for you, they will be impossible for you to navigate by yourself. But, God has given you a pile of promises to teach you and guide you and to let you know that he will be with you.

His Word promises us that he will be with us. His word assures us that he is eager to flex his muscles on our behalf. He has pledged to us that as we watch for him and follow him his power and presence will be displayed. As you step with God in faith, the impossible becomes possible. As you step with God into obstacles, before you know it, you’ll be looking back saying, “How did I get through that?” “It was a miracle.” “It was God.”

Some of you are facing flooded Jordan Rivers in your lives right now. It’s overwhelming. You rack your brain trying to figure out how you are going to make it through the obstacles before you. God’s inviting you today to trust him...God’s inviting you to listen to him and watch for him and follow him and he will get you through it. You have his Word on it.

Many of you know what I am talking about. You look back over your shoulder having made it through some challenges and obstacles in your life and you know that it was God who got you through. He made the impossible, possible...the impassable, passable...he did for you what you could not do in your own power. You are the people who say, “I don’t know how people who don’t follow God in their lives, make it through the stunning obstacles of life.” You are the ones who have seen God display his faithfulness over and over and over. And that’s why you love him...that’s why you serve him...that’s why you seek to know him better and better.

And now to you...God has something very important for you in this story. God wants you to do something very specific with the stories of his faithfulness that you have. God wants you to talk about them. God wants you to be a raving fan and talk about his faithfulness whenever you get the chance. Look at 4:1-9 and 4:19-5:1.

The miraculous stories of God’s power and presence are to be passed on so others are inspired to revere him (4:1-9; 4:19-5:1).

Twelve men, one from each of the twelve tribes were called out to shoulder a boulder from the river to serve as a memorial to the people of Israel and to all the peoples of the earth. The pile of rock was to incite questions that would prompt the story of God’s faithfulness to be told again and again.

When I was little, I was like most kids. My favorite question was “why?” I mean, throw the ‘why’ question out and you’ve got an instant conversation starter. When I became a parent and my kids would get into their “why” weeks of communication asking it non-stop it seemed, often I would just say, because I said so. But, but other times, when I felt unusually energized, I would try and follow out the progression of why questions. And what amazed me was that it usually led to an explanation of bigger or deeper subjects. And if my kid who asked it hadn’t fallen asleep in their car seat during my explanation then they usually learned a valuable lesson or heard a great story.

Sometimes when my Dad was tired and I’d ask “why is that there? Or, Why is that, that way?” He’d say, “To make little boys like you ask questions?” And that was exactly the point of the pile of rocks that Joshua set up for the people.

Like I said...this story is really a story of piles: A pile of people; a pile of promises; a pile of water; a pile of stones; all pointing to a pile of lessons.

The whole pile teaches and reinforces a pile of lessons for the Israelites and for us:

God’s presence and power is with God’s leader (3:7; 4:14).
God’s presence and power is with God’s people (3:10).
And God’s leaders and people are to tell a pile of stories about God so others will be inspired to revere God (4:24)

Are you passing on your piles of stories of God’s power and presence displayed in your life? Grandparents? Parents? Peers?

When Cindy and I were first married and we followed God’s lead to Denver Seminary in Denver Colorado. I mentioned a few weeks ago that it was an exciting opportunity but it was full of unknowns...and had plenty of obstacles. And as we stepped out with God to face the obstacles, we witnessed God blow through the obstacles one after another. About that time, someone challenged us to start writing down all the ways God had displayed his faithful power and presence. So, we began writing things down in a notebook and we called it our “Pile of Stones Notebook.” Whenever we would feel unsure or unrest about the future, we would look at the past and remember God’s faithfulness. A few times since our kids have been around, we have stumbled across this notebook and read over the memories of God’s faithfulness to us in the past. Every time we do, it inspires us for the future.

The miraculous stories of God’s power and presence are to be remembered and rehearsed to encourage and revive our confidence in God. But, they are not just for us. They are to be passed on so others who are disconnected with God are inspired to revere him. Remember, this is how Rahab came to recognize God’s power and plan. We’ve simply have to tell the stories over and over and over.

Grandparents, are you writing, recording and telling the stories of God’s faithfulness to you? I would encourage you to start your own pile of stones notebook. Parents are you rehearsing these with your kids? Use every occasion and take every opportunity to rehearse and celebrate the mighty displays of God’s power and presence.

As we do, they inspire others to revere the Lord, to watch for him, to follow him and see with their own eyes that he is the living God, faithful among his people and mighty to save in the face of the obstacles of life.