1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,920 Would you please turn in your Bibles to Joshua chapter 1? 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,040 And as you're turning, I'd like to pray for us. 3 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:11,680 Father. God, what a gift you have given 4 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:17,520 your people that we can take the the living and active Word of 5 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:21,560 God and a translation that we can read and understand that's 6 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:25,680 reliable and we can study it and know the types of things that 7 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,120 you have said, The types of things that you have done. 8 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:33,560 So that we can be more effective, more faithful in our 9 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,960 lives as men and women and children who have been baptized 10 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:41,920 into the triune name and called into the Commission that Christ 11 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:47,080 left his apostles and therefore left to us to make disciples of 12 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:50,600 all nations. And so, Lord, we asked after 13 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:54,200 that end, that you. Would take up your word that you 14 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:56,600 would. Teach us by your Spirit, give us 15 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:59,440 humble ears and humble hearts to sit. 16 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:03,160 Under your word. Give me a faithful tongue to 17 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:08,520 teach it well, all so that we can put it into practice and by 18 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:11,240 our lives. Make much of your Son Jesus 19 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:15,640 Christ, our Savior, who was crucified for our sin, and who 20 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,120 rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, and sat down at 21 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:22,600 your right hand and poured out from there your Holy Spirit upon 22 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:26,000 your people, in order that we. Could have power to do the 23 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:29,560 things that he has. Commanded us to do and so would 24 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:32,920 you take up your word and would you teach us in these next few 25 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:36,480 moments Lord we ask in Christ's name, Amen. 26 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:41,320 So you're in Joshua chapter 1 and before we dig into the book 27 00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:44,920 of Joshua, I want to read 2 texts from the New Testament to 28 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:48,920 sort of set the context of how we're going to approach the book 29 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:51,840 of Joshua. I'll give you these. 30 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:53,680 You don't have to turn there, but if you want to write them 31 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:55,920 down, I would suggest you do that because they're. 32 00:01:55,920 --> 00:02:01,760 Great verses Romans 15 for Paul says whatever was written in the 33 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:04,600 former days was written for our instruction. 34 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:07,400 Talking about the Old Testament, whatever was written in for in 35 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:10,000 in former days was written for our. 36 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:12,600 Instruction. Which is a far cry from a lot of 37 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:13,840 what? You hear in the church today of 38 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,360 like, oh, that's Old Testament. Like we don't do that here. 39 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,160 That's Old Testament, Paul says. That's our stuff. 40 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:22,640 It was written for our instruction, so. 41 00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:27,080 That through endurance and through the encouragement of the 42 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:30,560 Scriptures, that those Old Testament scriptures are meant 43 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:33,120 to encourage us, that we might have hope. 44 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:37,080 OK, does anyone need instruction? 45 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:40,720 Endurance, encouragement. Does anyone need hope? 46 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:43,240 Of course you do, and of course I do. 47 00:02:43,640 --> 00:02:45,960 Therefore, we have to have the Old Testament. 48 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:49,200 We have to have the entirety of God's Word. 49 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,720 And then this is First Corinthians 10 verse 11. 50 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:57,120 It says Paul says now these things happen and he's in the 51 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:01,680 context he's quoting, he, he's retelling the, the redemptive 52 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:05,360 arc of Israel's history from, from the Exodus wilderness 53 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:08,200 wanderings up into the, the conquest, which we're going to 54 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:12,880 look at in in the book of Joshua, he says these things 55 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:14,240 happened to. Them. 56 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,720 As an example, but they were written down for our 57 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:19,520 instruction. Now this is interesting. 58 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:21,960 In what way are they an example? In what way is Israel an 59 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:25,680 example? Are we supposed to go imitate is 60 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:27,360 is this is the way we're supposed to live? 61 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:29,760 Is we're supposed to go over there to this literal ground 62 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,520 that Joshua goes to take and we're supposed to eradicate it? 63 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:38,280 No, The the word that he uses is it happened to them as a tipas A 64 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:40,960 tupas a. Type in the same way that 65 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:43,480 Melchizedek. Is called a type of Christ. 66 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:45,640 He's a picture. Of the one who would, who would 67 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,560 come? The same way that Abraham taking 68 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:50,840 Isaac laying the wood. Of the sacrifice on his 69 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,760 shoulders, and traveling for three days to sacrifice him on 70 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:58,280 the mountain that Jesus would be crucified for us bore his. 71 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:00,720 Cross of sacrifice up on your behalf. 72 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:05,240 And on ours, and on that mountain Isaac was substituted. 73 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:09,080 Some something was substituted for Isaac, a ram caught in the 74 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:13,400 thicket by his kingly horns. And that becomes a type for us, 75 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:15,560 so that we will. Recognize Christ when He comes. 76 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:18,480 Paul says the same. Thing about these things the Old 77 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,800 Testament story is written as a type for us so that we will know 78 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:26,160 what part of the story we are in they were written down for our 79 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:29,840 instructions and then he says they were written down for our 80 00:04:29,840 --> 00:04:32,440 instructions on whom the end of the. 81 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:36,400 Ages has come talking to the 1st century Christians and he really 82 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:38,200 meant that that the. End of the. 83 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:42,080 Jewish aeon had come upon them and they're living in the last 84 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:44,320 days and we're going to see some of that in Joshua. 85 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:48,760 And so I just want to start. Off by saying that's the lens. 86 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:51,320 Through which we're going to interpret the book of Joshua. 87 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,600 Is that these things are our things, these things instruct 88 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:56,800 us. These things are types of 89 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,280 Christ. They're types of Christ's church 90 00:05:00,280 --> 00:05:02,360 and the type of work that Christ. 91 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:06,120 Wants to do through us. They're not same, same. 92 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:07,720 So we'll look at the end of this sermon. 93 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:09,560 We'll look at things that are similar and things that are 94 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:13,640 dissimilar, but they are our things. 95 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:16,320 And So what we're going to see today that the book of. 96 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:20,880 Joshua begins with what we might call a Great Commission. 97 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:24,520 It begins with a great. Commission I just want to show 98 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:29,320 you some of these sections here and some of the some of the 99 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:32,080 information from these things so that we can wrap our mind around 100 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:34,920 what God is doing here. So the first thing and, and 101 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:38,000 verses 1 and 2, if you write in your Bibles, write the word 102 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:42,200 Commission. And in verses 1 and 2, so the 103 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:47,080 Bible says after the death of Moses, the servant of God, the 104 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:51,760 servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, 105 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:55,600 Moses his assistant Moses, my servant is dead. 106 00:05:56,280 --> 00:06:01,600 Now therefore arise go over this Jordan, you and all this people 107 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:06,360 into the land that I am giving to them to the people of Israel. 108 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:12,480 OK, so we have a a Commission. The Commission starts with a 109 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:14,840 timestamp of after the death of Moses. 110 00:06:14,840 --> 00:06:17,440 Now if you think about this, Moses is the hero. 111 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:20,560 Of God's people all throughout the the Exodus, he's the he's 112 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:23,840 the greatest hero that's ever risen in Israel at this point. 113 00:06:23,840 --> 00:06:27,960 And so if ever there was a time where we lost the guy in charge 114 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:30,680 and we said there's no hope for us now, we should throw in the 115 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,640 towel, There's nothing for us. Moses is dead. 116 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,280 The guy who? Has LED us all of this time is 117 00:06:37,280 --> 00:06:40,280 is gone if ever there was a time for the people of God to despair 118 00:06:40,280 --> 00:06:41,200 and. To want to quit. 119 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:45,720 It's right now Moses, in case you didn't know this Moses. 120 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:51,480 Had become for the people of God in a sense, a greater proof of 121 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,400 the presence of God with them, greater proof than manna, 122 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:58,120 greater proof than the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night, 123 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:01,520 greater proof than water from the rock. 124 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:03,600 Moses is the one who walks with them. 125 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:06,560 Who? Continually intercedes on their 126 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:08,920 behalf when they screw up the covenant, when they rebel 127 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:10,800 against God and wrath is moving their way. 128 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,560 Moses is with them and. He saves them again and again 129 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:18,200 and again, and He leads them, He judges them, He declares to them 130 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:22,960 the will and the word of God. And it was Israel's ever present 131 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:26,240 manifestation of the nearness of God was the presence of Moses. 132 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,160 And when he died, their hopes naturally died with them. 133 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:32,840 And so I just would exhort you to see. 134 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:38,840 Joshua's Commission has a very clear theme of death and 135 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:42,560 resurrection of hope. Does that sound familiar, that 136 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:45,720 like that Moses? Dies and then and then God just 137 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:49,480 says to Joshua, hey, you're up next man up like we're we're 138 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:52,680 still going forward. My purposes are going forward. 139 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:56,320 And so just when. Israel should have been expected 140 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:59,200 to lose her hope. God raises up a new leader and a 141 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:02,000 new hero. There's a saying that that goes 142 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:05,720 that the graveyard is filled with irreplaceable men. 143 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:09,440 You ever heard that the graveyard is filled with people 144 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,560 we cannot afford? To lose and some of them in your 145 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:15,400 life are there, Some of them in my life are there? 146 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:18,720 People, we cannot. Replace, if you look at 147 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:23,240 culturally, some of the men that God has raised up in our culture 148 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:25,840 to really count and bear fruit for the Kingdom of God, we've 149 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:31,200 lost some heroes, literal heroes over the last few years. 150 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:34,960 So you think of RC Sprole, you think of John MacArthur, just 151 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:36,480 these. Two guys 2. 152 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:40,200 Buddies in the Lord. 1A Presbyterian. 1A Dispensational 153 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:45,040 Baptist Reformed Baptist guy. Great friends disagreed over 154 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:47,800 some really important things, those guys. 155 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:53,120 By their pen and the grace of God created libraries for the 156 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:56,680 people of God to just that we could dwell richly upon the 157 00:08:56,680 --> 00:09:01,000 grace of God, understand the word of God, enjoy the presence 158 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:03,800 of God. These men were magnificently 159 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:07,920 fruitful men and they died. We said, well, what are we going 160 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:11,920 to do now? Who's going to teach us now you 161 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:14,280 think of You think of Charlie Kirk, a martyrdom. 162 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:17,560 Of Charlie Kirk and we think who's going to go and, and, and 163 00:09:17,560 --> 00:09:20,480 engage in that way now where's the next Charlie Kirk? 164 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:24,520 You think of Vodi Bachkam A A. Dear brother in the Lord, a 165 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:28,080 staunch teacher. Of God's word and he just died. 166 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:31,480 You think of Phil Robertson, right? 167 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:33,680 Duck commander, guy. He's with the Lord. 168 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:36,920 Hulk Hogan is gone. What are we going to do? 169 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:45,080 Who's the who's the, the karate guy that all the jokes are made 170 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:48,240 that I can't bring him to mind? Chuck Norris. 171 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:50,560 Yeah, yeah, Chuck Norris. Who? 172 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:54,320 Yeah. Is is now shadowboxing the 173 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:58,160 angels I'm sure. All of these men are men that 174 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:00,800 got raised. Up and is used mightily in many 175 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:03,880 of your lives tended to raise to to show of hands how many of 176 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:07,600 these guys that I've just named scroll MacArthur Kirk Bochum 177 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:12,240 counted in your soul and the likelihood is high whether you 178 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:14,800 know their names or not they have counted for you because 179 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:18,400 they train the men who matter to you and they are gone. 180 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:23,880 Well if ever there was a time where we lost a leader and and 181 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:25,560 should have been expected to quit. 182 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:29,760 It would have been right here. But God says to Joshua Moses my 183 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:31,680 servant is dead. It's your turn. 184 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:34,080 OK? There is only one man. 185 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:35,760 This is just important for us moving. 186 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:37,880 Forward. There is only one man whose 187 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:41,040 death would forever end the hopes of God's people. 188 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:45,920 Only one guy that when he died, it's all over and I've got 189 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:50,160 really great news for you. His name was Joshua and he has 190 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:51,960 died already and he's been risen. 191 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:53,480 From the dead, never to die again. 192 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:57,120 He'll never die again. Jesus lives forever to make 193 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:01,520 intercession for us. And so the people of God, no 194 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:05,200 matter who, no matter what leaders lead, no matter what 195 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:09,520 leaders die, no matter what leaders fail, Christ is still 196 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:12,400 Lord. He is the living Lord and leader 197 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,920 of his people, just as close to us today as he has ever been. 198 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:20,520 And he still raises up men to lead his people to victory. 199 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:24,440 And therefore, brothers and sisters, we fear the death of no 200 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:27,960 Christian men. There's no irreplaceable person, 201 00:11:28,560 --> 00:11:31,280 by God's grace, the death of great men. 202 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:34,280 Just means room for the rest of us to rise. 203 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:36,280 Up and bear the banner. That's it. 204 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:42,080 That's it OK this is the another part of the Commission is he 205 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,960 says rise and crossover this Jordan into the land that I'm 206 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,680 giving them to the people of Israel. 207 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:51,200 So this is wild if you think about the the the story. 208 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:54,080 Arc of God's people being in the land God calls. 209 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:58,400 An idolater named Abram from. ER. 210 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:02,000 And he sends him into a land that he promises to give him. 211 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:06,040 And so Abraham comes into the land of promise and he wanders 212 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:08,320 there. He sojourns is the is the 213 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:10,800 biblical word. He sojourns there for. 214 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:13,600 Most of his life he goes down for a spell into Egypt and then 215 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:17,840 comes back, but the only land he gets of the Land of promise is 216 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:19,960 land he has to buy. It's wild. 217 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:22,880 It's the. Only land he gets is is a burial 218 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:29,080 plot to plant his wife and so Abraham is there, Isaac remains 219 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:31,760 there, and then Jacob. Running from Esau has to go 220 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:34,320 back. To the land of his forebears. 221 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:37,160 But he ends up coming back to the to the promised land. 222 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:40,040 And then you have Joseph and the 12 tribes. 223 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:41,600 And Joseph, you know the story well. 224 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:47,040 He gets slandered, he gets sold, and then he becomes the Lord of 225 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:49,200 the Lord of the Egyptians. And so. 226 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:52,920 From that point forward. God's people had been, had been 227 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:55,920 living in Egypt and they there's only one time when they go down 228 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:58,960 into Egypt, there's only one time that they ever go back to 229 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:00,600 the land of promise. Do you know the time? 230 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,640 It's when they go. Back to bury Jacob, they take 231 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:06,680 him back to bury him. So they just go and visit. 232 00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:09,840 They bury their, their forefather who said, do not bury 233 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:13,520 me in the, in the land of Egypt, go back to the land and plant me 234 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:15,440 where God is going to give us the ground. 235 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:18,480 And so they do, they go and plant him and then they, they 236 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:21,400 spend the rest of their lives back in Egypt. 237 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:24,880 And so it's really important for nearly 500 years before this 238 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:28,840 Commission, Yahweh had sworn to Abraham to give this land to 239 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:31,680 Abraham's offspring. Think about that for 500. 240 00:13:31,680 --> 00:13:35,440 Years, The people of God have been waiting for the promise 241 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:37,720 that God said. I'm going to give you this place 242 00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:39,960 for 500 years. They're waiting. 243 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:44,320 He had sworn this Commission comes to Joshua as the 244 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:47,520 realization of an eschatological hope. 245 00:13:49,560 --> 00:13:54,080 The long-awaited time is at hand and it is time to rise up and to 246 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:57,640 take possession of what God has given His people. 247 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:01,560 Now, I would not be helpful to you at all if I didn't tell you 248 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:06,200 the New Testament counterpart that John the Baptist comes to 249 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:08,680 this very same water that's mentioned here to the Jordan 250 00:14:08,680 --> 00:14:13,840 River, and he comes saying the time is at hand. 251 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:16,520 The Kingdom of God is at hand. It's upon you. 252 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:18,400 The axe is laid. At the root of the. 253 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:22,680 Tree and whoever does not repent and trust in Christ is going to 254 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:26,360 be thrown into the fire. Whoever does repent and trust in 255 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:29,560 Christ is going to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. 256 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:33,400 And so John comes saying the time is at hand. 257 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:35,800 Jesus. Think about this, the new and 258 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:37,960 better Joshua. It's literally his name. 259 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:42,120 Jesus is baptized in the same river that that Joshua is about 260 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:44,320 to lead the people through into the promised land. 261 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:49,080 He's baptized into Jordan. Jesus comes into the promised 262 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:52,680 land, the same land that Joshua's was commanded to take. 263 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:56,600 And you know what the very first title of the very first sermon 264 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:59,080 he ever preached after his baptism was? 265 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:04,800 The very first title is Repent. For the Kingdom of heaven is at 266 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:06,320 hand. It's here. 267 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:09,080 I am the king. I bring the Kingdom. 268 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:11,920 Repent the end. Is upon you. 269 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:15,120 And so there's this Commission that God puts upon Joshua. 270 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:18,240 Moses is dead now. You. 271 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:23,720 Get up and go and go into the land that I am giving. 272 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:30,720 Now you get a promise. OK, so so Joshua Joshua's told. 273 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:32,120 You're going to leave the people in. 274 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:35,200 To the land that God says I am giving them. 275 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:38,080 And Joshua might have a problem with that because there are 276 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:40,960 giants still in the land. Now we know Joshua and Caleb 277 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:43,080 were not. They were not afraid of giants. 278 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:46,120 They were advocating for going up and obeying the Lord, 279 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:49,280 trusting the Lord. But those giants are still 280 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:51,720 there. And so with such a Commission to 281 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:55,160 get up and go and cause the people to inherit, Joshua might 282 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:57,480 balk. God, I don't think I can do 283 00:15:57,480 --> 00:15:59,040 that. I don't think I've got the 284 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:00,520 chops. I'm no Moses. 285 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:02,840 I'm not a leader. They don't trust me. 286 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:06,640 I've never done this. Before, well, the Commission is 287 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:10,520 immediately followed, as God always does, by the promise. 288 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:14,960 That yields confident assertion of effort on Joshua's part. 289 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:17,320 So just look at this promise with me in verse 3. 290 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:21,240 So Commission in one and two, promise in verse 3, three and 291 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:24,440 following. He says, every place that the 292 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:28,600 sole of your foot will tread upon, I have given to you, just 293 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:31,600 as I promised to Moses. Think. 294 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,880 Think about that. Every single step you take, the 295 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:38,560 sole of your foot will. Tread upon dust that I've given 296 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:42,600 to you and please like round out what we know about these things 297 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:44,800 from all of scripture. That from from the very 298 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:48,080 beginning man was created into the image of in the image of God 299 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:51,800 from the dust. And when they rebelled, a number 300 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:54,200 of things happened. God told Satan, on your belly 301 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:55,840 you will go, and what are you going to eat? 302 00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:58,920 What was Satan going to eat? The dust? 303 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:01,920 And then he tells. Adam from dust you were taken 304 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:04,520 and what's going to happen to you to dust, you're going to 305 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:06,440 return. So God tells Satan you're going 306 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,599 to be a Death Eater. You're going to be a liquor of 307 00:17:09,599 --> 00:17:13,839 death because my image. Comes from dust, and it's going 308 00:17:13,839 --> 00:17:19,240 to return to dust. Jesus indicates this when he 309 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:22,040 sends his apostles into the land to preach the. 310 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:24,520 Kingdom of God and. He says when you come into a 311 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:27,920 city, if they receive you, stay there and teach, but if they 312 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:29,840 don't, if they reject you, what are you supposed to? 313 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:33,280 Do you remember knock something off of your feet? 314 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:34,800 What are you supposed? To knock off of your feet. 315 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:37,920 Dust, because that's a place of death. 316 00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:41,440 They have rejected Christ, they have rejected the Kingdom and 317 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:44,880 therefore they are marked earmarked for judgment. 318 00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:50,760 So every God, God tells Joshua, every place you walk is yours. 319 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:53,120 I've given it to you. It's wild. 320 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:57,040 I have given to you, which is a very interesting thing every 321 00:17:57,120 --> 00:17:59,280 every place to the sole of your foot will tread upon. 322 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:05,120 I look at the tents there originally a couple verses, a 323 00:18:05,120 --> 00:18:08,720 verse or two before he says. To the land that I am giving so 324 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:12,120 a present. Constant thing I am giving to 325 00:18:12,120 --> 00:18:14,720 them. And then he says, every place of 326 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:16,280 the sole of your foot will tread upon. 327 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:21,280 I have given past tense. I've given it to you just as I 328 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:26,360 promised to Moses. OK, so listen to this definition 329 00:18:26,360 --> 00:18:29,920 of this Hebrew verb tense. I'm not trying to wow you with 330 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:31,880 grammar. This is super important 331 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:33,840 practically for your walk with Christ. 332 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:38,600 This is in this verb I have given is in the Hebrew perfect 333 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:41,920 tense, and it's a grammatical form that indicates a it. 334 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:47,080 Indicates completed actions, but it can also express actions that 335 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:51,520 are viewed as completed from the speaker's perspective, including 336 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:54,360 future events that are certain. To happen. 337 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:56,960 I know that's a word dump on you, so I'm going to give it to 338 00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:58,280 you again because it's important. 339 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:02,360 This verb tense indicates 2. Things either actions that are 340 00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:05,280 totally completed there in the past, right? 341 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:09,760 Or actions that from the speaker's perspective are still 342 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:14,160 future, but they are so certain. That you can speak of them. 343 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:16,200 In the past tense, as though it's already. 344 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:19,480 Done. God says to Joshua, I've already 345 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:23,560 given I promised this land 500 years ago, and I'm going to keep 346 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:25,960 my word to you. If you think about what what 347 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:28,800 Paul does in the book of Romans, he does the very same thing. 348 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:33,560 He says for those whom God foreknew, he predestined to be 349 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:35,560 conformed into the image of his Son. 350 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:38,320 In order that Christ would be the first born of a many 351 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:43,040 brethren, he predestined us to exalt his Son. 352 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:48,040 And those whom he foreknew, the Bible says he predestined. 353 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:51,400 And those whom he predestined, he called, and those whom he 354 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:54,240 called he justified. And that's our right. 355 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:58,000 Now we've been foreknown, predestined, called and 356 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:02,120 justified, but he doesn't stop. There, can anybody give me the 357 00:20:02,120 --> 00:20:05,120 fifth thing that Paul speaks of in the past tense? 358 00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:07,440 Reality as though it's already ours in Christ. 359 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:10,560 Those of me for knew he. Predestined those of me. 360 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:13,600 Predestined He called, those of me called, He justified, and 361 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:15,400 those of me justified He glorified. 362 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:19,560 Past tense. It's a future action, but it's 363 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:22,800 so secure. We can bank on it and speak of 364 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,000 it as though it has happened in the past tense. 365 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:29,880 This matters because from this moment on, Joshua is looking at 366 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:35,440 a rebel country that God has already given to him, and this 367 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:38,840 is going to bring about the confidence that's necessary to 368 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:41,720 take it. Listen to me, if the outcome is 369 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:45,360 in question, then they will be fighting for proof of God's 370 00:20:45,360 --> 00:20:46,800 promise. Think about that. 371 00:20:47,360 --> 00:20:49,000 If God says, look, I want you to do your. 372 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,560 Best, and we'll see what happens then. 373 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:56,600 Then all of their action is to test whether or not God is with 374 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:59,800 them. But instead of fighting for 375 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:04,200 proof of God's promises, Joshua. Is instructed to fight from 376 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:07,920 faith in them and the difference between these two things cannot 377 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:10,360 be overstated. God has given. 378 00:21:10,360 --> 00:21:13,920 Joshua. A real thing that will not fail. 379 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:17,160 And so Joshua can take that by faith, not by sight, because 380 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:18,320 they're still giants in the land. 381 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:20,800 Still much work to be done, but that. 382 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:23,440 Hope. That confidence can drive him 383 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:27,040 forward and spur him on to deeds of faith. 384 00:21:28,360 --> 00:21:31,280 And then he says this part of the promise as well, which is so 385 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:34,600 precious, brothers and sisters, he says he gives the. 386 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:38,240 He gives the the the the the. Parcel of land. 387 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:41,760 He says in verse 4, from the wilderness in this Lebanon, as 388 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:44,160 far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of 389 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:48,960 the Hittites, the great sea southward going down of the sun, 390 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:52,560 shall be your territory, and verse 5, no man shall. 391 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:55,440 Be able to stand before you all the days of your life. 392 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:59,080 Joshua, you. Cannot get into a losing fight 393 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:01,640 unless you disobey. If there's sin in the camp 394 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:03,440 you'll lose every time. But if you walk. 395 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:06,640 According to my word. No one will be able to stand 396 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:10,800 against you. And then he says this, just as I 397 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:14,200 was with Moses, so I will be with you. 398 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:17,000 I will not leave you or forsake you. 399 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:23,920 Just as I was, so I will be Christian. 400 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:30,440 Can you just marvel at that? Just as I was, so I will be. 401 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:33,640 It's the greatest news in the world that Jesus Christ is the 402 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:37,760 same yesterday, today, and forever. 403 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:41,400 One of my favorite professors at Dallas Seminary said that what 404 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:44,080 God has done in the past. Is a pattern and a promise. 405 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:46,800 For what God will do in the future, but he's too creative to 406 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:50,600 do the same thing the same way twice again. 407 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:52,840 We're dumb. But what that? 408 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:54,840 Means is we can look back and say he's. 409 00:22:55,120 --> 00:22:58,280 Always kept his word. He's never broken covenant. 410 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:01,280 Never broken covenant with anyone. 411 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:05,440 He's never done it. And so we can look in the future 412 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:08,000 on the timeline and say therefore he never will. 413 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:10,280 He's never going to break promise to you. 414 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:12,320 He's never going to fail in any of the. 415 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:15,720 Things he's promised you in Christ, He's never, he says, 416 00:23:16,360 --> 00:23:19,080 just as I was with Moses. So I will be with you. 417 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:23,240 I will not. Leave you or forsake you? 418 00:23:25,120 --> 00:23:28,880 Does that sound familiar? Do we have anything as 419 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:30,680 Christians? Where Jesus says, hey, I want 420 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:32,800 you to go do this impossible thing and I'm going to. 421 00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:35,080 Give you power and I'll never leave you. 422 00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:36,920 I'll be with you to the end of the age. 423 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:42,000 Jesus is is redoing the great Joshua's Commission when he 424 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:47,120 gives his followers the Great Commission, just as I was, so I 425 00:23:47,120 --> 00:23:53,120 will be. That's the promise that that God 426 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:56,200 promises Joshua, he commands. Him to go do a work. 427 00:23:56,480 --> 00:24:01,440 But he promises him victory. And just so, as you know, the 428 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:06,120 same Christ who said, all authority in heaven on earth has 429 00:24:06,120 --> 00:24:08,240 been given to me. Go therefore, and make disciples 430 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:11,000 of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, 431 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,600 and Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey. 432 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:16,960 All that I've commanded you and lo, I'm with you to the always, 433 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:20,400 even at the end of the age. That's the same Christ that said 434 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:22,680 I will build my church. And the gates of hell will not 435 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:26,800 prevail against it. That is a promise of victory. 436 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:32,480 To his people and that spurs us on to deeds of of faith and 437 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:37,120 courage and it's glorious OK now so you have a Commission you 438 00:24:37,120 --> 00:24:41,640 have a promise and now you have a list of commands and these are 439 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:46,480 fire. Verse 6 Joshua might say OK God, 440 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:47,520 how? Do I go? 441 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:51,680 About doing this, and the first command he's given, it's in the 442 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:57,640 imperative voice. Be strong and courageous, for 443 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:01,320 this is glorious. You shall 'cause this people to 444 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:05,320 inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 445 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:08,400 Joshua, I'm going to take you up as an axe to. 446 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:11,560 Fell a tree that I promised to fell or to give. 447 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:15,800 A gift that I promised to give you will cause them to. 448 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:18,880 Get what I give. Them, it's amazing to me. 449 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:20,720 I was. Thinking about this of just what 450 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:21,640 a. What a. 451 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:26,120 Privilege pastoral ministry is is to to be used by God to to 452 00:25:26,120 --> 00:25:30,960 help cause you to inherit all of the things that that well to. 453 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:34,120 Realize that you have inherited all of the things that you have 454 00:25:34,120 --> 00:25:38,160 inherited in Christ to be used by God to help you understand 455 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:40,840 what is yours by right as a child of God. 456 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:43,440 It's glorious. He says you will. 457 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:47,080 You will cause them to to inherit the land that I swore to 458 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:50,240 give their fathers. Be strong and courageous verse 459 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:51,440 7. That was verse 6. 460 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:53,480 Be strong and courageous. Verse 7. 461 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:56,200 He. Says something very familiar. 462 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:59,240 Only be strong and very courageous. 463 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:02,320 It's. Almost like God is repeating 464 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:04,040 himself. Because he really wants Joshua 465 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:09,120 to be strong and courageous. Now, the problem with the 466 00:26:09,120 --> 00:26:13,040 Christian Church in America is, and I chose this word carefully, 467 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:16,840 if it offends you, I do not apologize that our churches have 468 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:19,280 been castrated. We. 469 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:23,320 Have been as a church as churches, we have been utterly 470 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:26,120 emasculated. As CS Lewis calls it. 471 00:26:26,120 --> 00:26:31,080 We are men without chests. The word courage comes from 472 00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:35,080 core, which is heart. It's it's the the chest of a man 473 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:39,160 that says I'll be Dad gummed. If you're going to do that, and 474 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:42,000 I'm not going to say a word, I'm just going to tolerate this 475 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:46,080 nonsense. We are commanded to be strong 476 00:26:46,120 --> 00:26:50,320 and courageous, but we have been told again and again. 477 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:54,040 That it is the. Softer virtues that are more the 478 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:56,720 more. Godly virtues I'm not going to 479 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:58,680 try and bag on a. Buddy of mine who? 480 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:04,720 I really do love, but I when I was building content for my 481 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,560 Mother's Day sermon that which was an exhortation to our men, I 482 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:10,400 started asking some of the some of my brothers in town like hey. 483 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:15,680 What's the most? Helpful instruction on biblical 484 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:17,600 masculinity that you've ever received. 485 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:20,640 What's the most helpful word you've ever received on biblical 486 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:22,640 masculinity? And this one of the brothers 487 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:27,160 said, well, it's like, we need to make sure that, you know, all 488 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:29,720 we hear about biblical masculinity is it's machismo, 489 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:32,440 lift weights, strong, this and that. 490 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:34,160 And I'm like. First off, I don't even know 491 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:37,560 what world you're living in where I mean, yes, there are 492 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:39,160 secularists out there that are false. 493 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:42,560 Machismo, and maybe in pockets, some false machismo Christian 494 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:46,800 guys. But he went on to say what we 495 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:50,560 need to teach our men are the softer virtues. 496 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:55,120 My brother. The Christian Church, as the man 497 00:27:55,120 --> 00:27:57,720 said. Has all of the backbone of a 498 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:02,080 bowl of warm pudding. We will bend and accommodate 499 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:04,280 anything. Tolerance is our. 500 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:05,280 Chief. Virtue. 501 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:10,520 We are nice, nice, nice. People. 502 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:13,960 But niceness can be sinful. Kindness never is. 503 00:28:14,360 --> 00:28:17,800 Kindness is never sinful. Christ was all he was, the 504 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:20,960 perfection of kindness. It was a kindness for him to get 505 00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:25,240 a whip and beat evil men out of the temple and say you're not 506 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:27,960 going to do that. You're just not going to do that 507 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:30,720 in my Father's name. I will not allow it. 508 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:35,320 And so we've been told again and again that it's the softer 509 00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:38,240 virtues. This is a lie from the pit of 510 00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:40,480 hell. And yes, as the man said, it 511 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:42,920 smells like smoke. Listen to the Apostle Paul 512 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:45,440 talking to the Christian Church, he says. 513 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:50,600 Be watchful. At Eli's wedding, Roy had kind 514 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:52,560 of, I don't even know who all you told, but you said, hey, 515 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:54,800 there's a river there, there's water, there's kids everywhere. 516 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:58,520 Just just kind of slip out, watch on occasion, make sure 517 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:01,960 nobody falls in the river and turns glory into sadness, right? 518 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:08,040 And, and I watched, I'm not sure if Mr. Yonda ever came inside. 519 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:11,280 He just stood out there, Sentinel over the river so the 520 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:13,720 rest of us could. Party and yes, we all. 521 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:16,040 All sort of went out and looked and and. 522 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:20,320 But but it's just the idea of of a watchfulness, something bad 523 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:24,680 really might happen and we need to watch and we need to we need 524 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:28,280 to live like we are in a fight because we are in a fight. 525 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:33,040 So Paul says to the Christian Church, be watchful, stand firm 526 00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:40,280 in the faith, act like men, be strong, have strength to you. 527 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:46,480 That's a far cry from just tolerate, tolerate, tolerate. 528 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:50,800 Be nice, be nice, be nice. He tells another church. 529 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:53,800 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the. 530 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:56,960 Strength of his. Might put on the whole armor of 531 00:29:56,960 --> 00:29:59,360 God that you may. Be able to stand against the 532 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:00,200 schemes of the. Devil. 533 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:02,360 Why should we be watchable, Paul? 534 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:06,360 Well, because you have an enemy who wants to see your marriage 535 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:08,600 fail. He wants to see you fail and 536 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:10,520 your wife. Fail and your children fail. 537 00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:16,560 So watch and fight and stand. Don't just take whatever comes 538 00:30:16,560 --> 00:30:18,680 down the pipe. Towards you or to your towards 539 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:22,280 your family, you have to stand against the schemes of the 540 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:25,080 devil. Jesus. 541 00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:27,400 These are red letters from the Book of Revelation. 542 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:32,760 Here's what he says. And again, masculine virtues 543 00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:39,440 that that God tells tells Joshua be strong and be courageous. 544 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:43,520 Paul act like men. Our world, softer virtues, 545 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:46,640 softer virtues. These are red letters. 546 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:49,240 Forget what Paul says. No, you can't do that. 547 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:52,160 But certainly pay attention to the words of Christ. 548 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:55,800 The one who conquers will have this heritage. 549 00:30:56,000 --> 00:31:00,040 Not the one who tolerates, not the one who gets beaten down, 550 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:04,080 but the one who conquers will have this heritage. 551 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:06,720 I will be his God. And he will be my. 552 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:08,920 Son, by the way, that's kingly language. 553 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:11,800 That's Davidic kingship. I will be a father. 554 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:14,560 To him, he will be a son. To me, if he rebels, I'll 555 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:17,040 chastise him like a son. But I'm not going to forsake him 556 00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:21,040 because he's mine. He's my son, so Christ is Lord, 557 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:23,680 He is King, He is the son of David and all those. 558 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:26,280 Who are in covenant union with him are. 559 00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:28,760 Said to be in the New Testament, seated. 560 00:31:28,760 --> 00:31:32,880 With him on the throne, ruling and reigning together with 561 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:35,920 Christ, it's kingly language. The one who conquers. 562 00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:37,680 I will be will have his heritage. 563 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:39,760 I will be his God. He will be my son. 564 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:41,800 But As for the? Cowardly. 565 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:44,680 I want you to listen. To the litany of sins. 566 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:46,680 That are mentioned here and see what. 567 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:50,560 Comes first. As for the cowardly, the 568 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:57,320 faithless, the detestable, As for the murderers, the sexually 569 00:31:57,320 --> 00:31:59,480 immoral. And yes, brothers, pornography 570 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:01,680 is included in sexual immorality. 571 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:07,600 Sorcery, idolaters, all liars. Their portion will be in the 572 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:10,680 lake that burns. With fire and sulfur, which is 573 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:16,040 the second death now, obviously. I know because I've been a 574 00:32:16,040 --> 00:32:18,360 pastor for a long time. I just read a lot of your 575 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:21,920 biographies, and I know that because I just read my 576 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:25,400 biography. I'm here, I'm mentioned here. 577 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:29,400 And so there's repentance for sure, and there is pardon, 578 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:32,480 abundant pardon in Christ. But for those who. 579 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:35,800 Walk without repenting over these things. 580 00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:40,680 Their inheritance will be. The fire and the sulfur, which 581 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:43,080 is the second death. And I just want you to to 582 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:45,360 listen. Like murder, detestable 583 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:47,920 idolatry, sorcery. Liars. 584 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:49,680 Sexually immoral. Do you know the? 585 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:54,280 Very first sin that that Jesus says will not inherit is the 586 00:32:54,280 --> 00:33:00,080 cowardly is those that will not fight when the Kingdom of God is 587 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:03,240 threatened by the hands of evil men, when our people for whom we 588 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:05,240 must. Stand are threatened and we just 589 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:07,600 say. What are you going to do? 590 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:10,160 What can I do? What can I do? 591 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:15,880 Brothers, manly virtue is requisite of Christian men. 592 00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:22,920 It is required of Christian men. We need wisdom that comes from. 593 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:26,480 Faith, we need courage. That comes from hope and we need 594 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:28,560 temperance. That comes from love. 595 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:32,360 So you've got, again, these commands. 596 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:35,680 Be strong and courageous. Be strong and courageous. 597 00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:40,840 And then he says in verse 7, so you must be strong and 598 00:33:40,840 --> 00:33:44,280 courageous to pull this off. He says as well be careful to do 599 00:33:44,280 --> 00:33:47,600 according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. 600 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:50,760 Don't turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you 601 00:33:50,760 --> 00:33:52,800 may have good success wherever you go. 602 00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:56,320 The book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but it 603 00:33:56,320 --> 00:34:00,160 shall you shall. Meditate on it day and night, so 604 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:03,560 that you may be careful to do according to all that is written 605 00:34:03,560 --> 00:34:07,480 in it for them. When you meditate and you speak 606 00:34:07,480 --> 00:34:11,880 and you're careful to obey the word of God, then you will make 607 00:34:11,880 --> 00:34:15,239 your way prosperous and then you will have good. 608 00:34:15,239 --> 00:34:17,560 Success. So let me ask you something, 609 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:22,320 Christian does obedience matter? To the Christian, does it matter 610 00:34:22,320 --> 00:34:25,560 to us when all is of? Grace, does it matter? 611 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:27,440 Of course it does much in every way. 612 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:30,159 We are not justified. Hear me on this. 613 00:34:30,159 --> 00:34:32,080 You are not justified by obedience. 614 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:37,560 You're justified by faith alone. In the virtue and in the work, 615 00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:40,440 and in the person of Christ alone, we are justified by 616 00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:42,719 faith. But obedience matters in the way 617 00:34:42,719 --> 00:34:46,800 that crosshairs tend to put a man on target, right? 618 00:34:48,440 --> 00:34:50,840 Joshua is sent with a Commission, and he and and God. 619 00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:53,239 Says I want you to. I want you to meditate on My law 620 00:34:53,239 --> 00:34:56,880 because that's My revealed will to you so you will know the 621 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:58,040 types of things that you ought to. 622 00:34:58,040 --> 00:35:00,200 Do you know you would know the? Types of things you want to 623 00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:02,560 fight. And so if you don't do that, 624 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:03,760 you're going. To turn from the right. 625 00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:04,920 Hand or to the left and you're going. 626 00:35:04,920 --> 00:35:08,080 To be fine, you're going to find yourself as Satan loves, for the 627 00:35:08,080 --> 00:35:11,640 people of God to do, to be fighting eagerly and 628 00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:13,840 passionately about the wrong things. 629 00:35:14,240 --> 00:35:17,000 Because you haven't meditated upon the Word of God, you don't 630 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:20,400 know what God requires. If we would have good success, 631 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:22,800 then the Word of God needs to. Be on our minds. 632 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:26,440 It needs to be in our mouths and it needs to be faithfully 633 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:29,200 applied in our hands and in our feet. 634 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:34,920 And lastly, you have this confidence repeated to Joshua. 635 00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:37,520 So you have a Commission, you have the promise, you have 636 00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:41,360 commands, and then you have another promise for confidence 637 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:44,080 meant to to give Joshua confidence in verse 9. 638 00:35:45,040 --> 00:35:48,800 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. 639 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:51,000 I love that. I love that. 640 00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:56,920 Didn't I command you? Yes, I did this to me is when 641 00:35:56,920 --> 00:36:01,080 when, when they make it to Aslan's country and, and, and 642 00:36:01,080 --> 00:36:04,280 Aslan looks at his people that are in his country and he says 643 00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:06,840 you are not nearly as glad as I intend you to be. 644 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:10,240 Just precious, right? You're not happy enough. 645 00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:13,520 And I'm not disappointed in you, but I'm not done with you until 646 00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:15,120 you're as happy as I intend for you to be. 647 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:17,440 And here God says this to Joshua. 648 00:36:17,720 --> 00:36:20,200 You're not nearly as brave enough as I intend for you to 649 00:36:20,200 --> 00:36:22,400 be, so I'm going to say it to you again. 650 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:26,560 Be strong and courageous and do not tremble. 651 00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:29,480 The word is. Tremble, Do not tremble, do not 652 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:35,240 be frightened, do not be dismayed, because the Lord your 653 00:36:35,240 --> 00:36:39,480 God. Is with you wherever you go. 654 00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:44,520 Whom shall I fear? If God is with me to prosper my 655 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:51,760 way, the book of Joshua. Give me, give me 5 minutes and 656 00:36:51,760 --> 00:36:53,360 I'm done. The Book of Joshua. 657 00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:58,680 Is to the Great Commission what the sacrificial system is to the 658 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:01,800 atonement of Christ I'm. Just giving you word dump and. 659 00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:05,400 SAT you know, conundrums. Today I'm going to say this to 660 00:37:05,400 --> 00:37:09,320 you again, the book of Joshua, the Commission to Joshua is to 661 00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:13,280 the Great Commission what the sacrificial system is to the 662 00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:14,960 atonement. Of Christ meaning. 663 00:37:15,160 --> 00:37:19,480 These are shadows and these are substances. 664 00:37:20,160 --> 00:37:24,440 These are the types and these are the the substance that the 665 00:37:24,440 --> 00:37:28,320 type points us towards. And so just a few things, 666 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:32,520 similarities between Joshua's Commission and our Commission 667 00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:35,920 and then differences. OK, similarities. 668 00:37:36,680 --> 00:37:38,400 It's a death and resurrection context. 669 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:43,440 Jesus has died and he's risen, and with his resurrection he 670 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:47,640 revived and resurrected the hopes of his people that had 671 00:37:47,640 --> 00:37:50,200 been forever shattered because our leader, who he thought was 672 00:37:50,200 --> 00:37:54,280 the Christ, was crucified and now he is risen from the dead. 673 00:37:54,760 --> 00:37:56,560 So it's a death and resurrection context. 674 00:37:56,640 --> 00:38:00,600 It's very similar. Secondly, that there's this. 675 00:38:00,720 --> 00:38:04,120 I have given and I am giving nature. 676 00:38:04,120 --> 00:38:09,880 Of the work that that Christ doesn't say, you know, God tells 677 00:38:10,320 --> 00:38:14,040 Joshua go up to the land that I am giving and I have. 678 00:38:14,040 --> 00:38:17,600 Given it to you, Jesus in the same way does not say, hey, go 679 00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:20,880 make disciples of the nations so that all authority in heaven and 680 00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:22,680 on earth can be given to me one day. 681 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:26,000 It's not what he says. He starts with the the real. 682 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:27,560 I've it's already. Been mine. 683 00:38:27,560 --> 00:38:29,360 It's it's been given to me. It's mine. 684 00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:33,840 To which they would say, well, but nobody honors you. 685 00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:36,600 Well, it doesn't matter. It has been given to me. 686 00:38:37,080 --> 00:38:38,520 Go make disciples. So. 687 00:38:38,760 --> 00:38:41,480 There is a have. Given and currently giving 688 00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:46,760 nature of the promise, which by the way means that you could 689 00:38:46,760 --> 00:38:49,680 apply the words of. James here we have not because 690 00:38:49,680 --> 00:38:55,040 we ask not, and we ask not because we believe not and we 691 00:38:55,040 --> 00:38:59,640 believe not because we read not. We do not understand the things 692 00:38:59,640 --> 00:39:03,920 that God in Christ has given to us, that God in Christ has given 693 00:39:03,920 --> 00:39:07,680 us the world, that indeed God has made him both Lord and 694 00:39:07,680 --> 00:39:09,480 Christ as Jesus and they crucified. 695 00:39:09,760 --> 00:39:13,640 And Christ has asked of him, saying, give me the the nations. 696 00:39:13,800 --> 00:39:15,960 And the Father has said, I give you the nations as your 697 00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:19,160 inheritance, and by God you will rule them. 698 00:39:19,600 --> 00:39:21,520 They are yours. I go rule them. 699 00:39:21,520 --> 00:39:26,720 And so Jesus says, go announce and declare my lordship over 700 00:39:26,720 --> 00:39:29,000 all. Things and teach them to obey me 701 00:39:29,680 --> 00:39:31,720 and we just don't think that's real. 702 00:39:31,720 --> 00:39:34,120 We we somehow just undercut that. 703 00:39:34,160 --> 00:39:37,960 And so we don't pray like again, we have not because we ask not 704 00:39:37,960 --> 00:39:41,000 how often I grew up in the church, right. 705 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:44,000 And I'm not trying to criticize anybody or anything, but I could 706 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:48,320 just I'm trying to remember anytime growing up in the in the 707 00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:52,680 in the church where I heard a man say, father, in the name of 708 00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:56,920 your son, Jesus, give us Argyle. Give us Denton. 709 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:02,280 Right John Knox famous story the Scottish. 710 00:40:02,280 --> 00:40:05,920 Reformer would get up in the middle of the night and go pray 711 00:40:06,520 --> 00:40:07,960 like. All of us do. 712 00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:12,280 And and his wife would wake up and she would realize he's 713 00:40:12,280 --> 00:40:15,000 probably catching, you know, pneumonia. 714 00:40:15,120 --> 00:40:17,920 And so she she there was one night where she got up and she 715 00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:21,320 got a blanket and she went to find him at his prayer place and 716 00:40:21,320 --> 00:40:23,920 cover him with a blanket. And as she was creeping up 717 00:40:23,920 --> 00:40:26,440 behind him, she heard him say, Lord. 718 00:40:26,440 --> 00:40:32,400 Give me Scotland or I die. I want my nation to honor your 719 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:34,200 son. Give it to me. 720 00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:38,360 And you know what happened. He gave him Scotland. 721 00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:40,840 Now are we praying? This way. 722 00:40:40,840 --> 00:40:44,160 And if not, why not? It's because we we have not 723 00:40:44,160 --> 00:40:47,240 believed that God really has given the nations to Christ. 724 00:40:47,240 --> 00:40:51,440 And so let us read and therefore believe what we read and 725 00:40:51,440 --> 00:40:53,560 therefore pray according to what we believe. 726 00:40:54,040 --> 00:40:57,080 Thirdly, similarities is the promise of victory for us to 727 00:40:57,080 --> 00:40:59,240 look at the Great Commission of Christ and doubt it. 728 00:40:59,560 --> 00:41:03,040 Would be for Joshua to. Say I know that you said it's 729 00:41:03,040 --> 00:41:05,600 time, but I don't think you're going to do it. 730 00:41:06,160 --> 00:41:08,960 I don't think we can win down here, right? 731 00:41:09,120 --> 00:41:14,640 I don't think we can do this for us to. 732 00:41:15,080 --> 00:41:16,920 We have to believe in the promise of victory. 733 00:41:16,920 --> 00:41:20,440 That's the similarities now, 3 differences and I'm done. 734 00:41:21,320 --> 00:41:23,480 The differences between this Commission and ours. 735 00:41:23,680 --> 00:41:26,120 First is the expansion of the promise. 736 00:41:26,720 --> 00:41:31,320 It's no longer just to the Mediterranean, to the Euphrates, 737 00:41:31,640 --> 00:41:36,280 even though it still includes. That that's still ground, that 738 00:41:36,280 --> 00:41:39,280 ground. Literally belongs to Jesus 739 00:41:39,280 --> 00:41:41,920 Christ. Physically belongs to Jesus 740 00:41:41,920 --> 00:41:43,560 Christ. It does not belong to the nation 741 00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:45,320 of Israel. It does not belong to the 742 00:41:45,320 --> 00:41:47,720 Palestinians. It doesn't belong to anybody but 743 00:41:47,720 --> 00:41:49,920 the Lord. Jesus Christ, just like every 744 00:41:49,920 --> 00:41:53,240 square inch of the world, belongs to Him. 745 00:41:53,640 --> 00:41:57,840 And when a nation or people group anywhere say say Christ is 746 00:41:57,840 --> 00:42:00,840 Lord, they can expect his blessing and his presence. 747 00:42:00,840 --> 00:42:05,760 But when any nation, be they Israel or America or Great 748 00:42:05,760 --> 00:42:09,880 Britain, when we raised rebel fists to the Christ who rules 749 00:42:09,880 --> 00:42:15,000 and says you and say to him, you will have no dominion here, that 750 00:42:15,000 --> 00:42:19,360 nation can expect the wrath of King Jesus, period. 751 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:23,440 I don't care who you are, I don't care how historic you have 752 00:42:23,440 --> 00:42:26,040 been. Our nation included our one 753 00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:31,560 nation under God that continues to murder by the millions the 754 00:42:31,560 --> 00:42:35,040 image of God. That continues to defy the the 755 00:42:35,040 --> 00:42:39,360 lordship of Christ there there has been back to my point that 756 00:42:39,360 --> 00:42:42,000 was a side OK if there's an. Expansion of the promise. 757 00:42:42,000 --> 00:42:46,640 It includes the same place and also now all of the world, 758 00:42:47,240 --> 00:42:51,320 Christ said, not just Euphrates. To the Mediterranean, he says, 759 00:42:51,320 --> 00:42:55,360 all authority in heaven and watch this in heaven and on 760 00:42:55,360 --> 00:42:57,680 earth has been given to me. So it's not just earthly 761 00:42:57,680 --> 00:43:01,480 authority, it's also heavenly authority second there. 762 00:43:01,520 --> 00:43:04,640 So there's an expansion of the promise, there's an expansion of 763 00:43:04,640 --> 00:43:08,360 the power, God tells Joshua. Look, I'm going to be with you. 764 00:43:08,360 --> 00:43:12,800 Always and no one will be able to to stand against you. 765 00:43:12,800 --> 00:43:15,080 And we look at that and we say, man, how awesome would that be 766 00:43:15,200 --> 00:43:20,760 to be promised victory by God? Jesus told his followers at the 767 00:43:20,760 --> 00:43:22,720 end of Luke and at the beginning of the book of Acts. 768 00:43:23,040 --> 00:43:26,040 Stay in the city until you're clothed with power from on high. 769 00:43:26,560 --> 00:43:29,280 Because I'm going to, I'm going to ascend and sit at my Father's 770 00:43:29,280 --> 00:43:31,560 right hand, and I'm going to pour out the Holy Spirit upon 771 00:43:31,560 --> 00:43:33,960 you so that you can feel good in your defeat. 772 00:43:34,280 --> 00:43:38,000 You can feel comforted as you don't accomplish the things for 773 00:43:38,000 --> 00:43:40,400 which I've called you. Or does he say no? 774 00:43:40,400 --> 00:43:43,640 When the Spirit comes to you, you will receive power to be my 775 00:43:43,640 --> 00:43:47,360 witnesses to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the 776 00:43:47,360 --> 00:43:48,920 earth, the outermost reaches of the earth. 777 00:43:49,440 --> 00:43:52,840 The power has expanded. And lastly, there is an 778 00:43:52,840 --> 00:43:56,640 expansion of the practice. There's an expansion of the 779 00:43:56,640 --> 00:44:00,040 practice. Joshua was promised that no man 780 00:44:00,040 --> 00:44:03,160 would be able to stand before him in battle, and we have that 781 00:44:03,160 --> 00:44:06,160 same promise. But the weapons of Joshua's 782 00:44:06,160 --> 00:44:09,640 warfare were predominantly, though not exclusively, the 783 00:44:09,640 --> 00:44:13,520 sword and the spear. It's different for us, Paul 784 00:44:13,520 --> 00:44:14,600 says. Though we walk in the. 785 00:44:14,600 --> 00:44:16,760 Flesh. We are not waging war according 786 00:44:16,760 --> 00:44:20,200 to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh 787 00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:22,320 but have divine power. How do you like them apples? 788 00:44:23,280 --> 00:44:25,520 The weapons that we have are not fleshly weapons. 789 00:44:25,520 --> 00:44:28,720 They're actually powerful. They can actually do things. 790 00:44:30,280 --> 00:44:32,560 The weapons of our warfare have divine power. 791 00:44:32,600 --> 00:44:35,520 Flesh is weak. Ours are more powerful and and 792 00:44:35,520 --> 00:44:40,040 they have power. To destroy strongholds like the 793 00:44:40,040 --> 00:44:42,840 stronghold that the devil takes up in our in our own personal 794 00:44:42,840 --> 00:44:45,560 lives, in the lives of our families, in the lives of our 795 00:44:45,560 --> 00:44:47,400 churches, and in the lives of our country. 796 00:44:47,840 --> 00:44:51,920 We have weapons that can destroy those strongholds. 797 00:44:52,800 --> 00:44:55,560 And then he goes on to say we destroyed twice. 798 00:44:56,200 --> 00:44:59,600 We lay waste to these things. We destroy arguments and every 799 00:44:59,600 --> 00:45:01,240 lofty opinion raised. Wait, wait. 800 00:45:01,480 --> 00:45:04,320 I thought we were to tolerate. Every lofty opinion raised, No, 801 00:45:04,320 --> 00:45:05,560 Paul says. We begin. 802 00:45:05,680 --> 00:45:10,200 We've been given weapons in Christ to destroy these things, 803 00:45:11,000 --> 00:45:14,520 to destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the 804 00:45:14,520 --> 00:45:18,640 knowledge of God, and to take. Every thought captive to obey. 805 00:45:18,880 --> 00:45:22,080 Christ. Captivity we are at. 806 00:45:22,080 --> 00:45:25,160 War brothers and sisters, but our warfare is different than 807 00:45:25,160 --> 00:45:29,040 Joshua, so make no mistake, we are the church militant. 808 00:45:29,520 --> 00:45:31,800 We have a. Commission on us like Joshua had 809 00:45:31,800 --> 00:45:34,200 on him. But we don't predominantly fight 810 00:45:34,200 --> 00:45:36,440 with physical swords, although sometimes we must. 811 00:45:37,120 --> 00:45:40,080 We don't predominantly fight with physical swords, we 812 00:45:40,080 --> 00:45:44,080 primarily fight with a sword. That makes the wounded hole, to 813 00:45:44,080 --> 00:45:47,680 quote the hymn, The sword that isn't in the hand of our 814 00:45:47,680 --> 00:45:50,920 heavenly Joshua, but rather is in the the Sword of His mouth 815 00:45:51,280 --> 00:45:56,920 that will strike down nations by reconciling them to himself if 816 00:45:56,920 --> 00:45:59,240 while we. Were enemies. 817 00:45:59,560 --> 00:46:02,600 We were reconciled. To God by the death of his son 818 00:46:04,200 --> 00:46:06,040 like we we just saying this that. 819 00:46:06,040 --> 00:46:09,680 You were rebel, I was rebel enemies. 820 00:46:09,720 --> 00:46:12,720 And Christ brings the sword that comes from his mouth, and 821 00:46:13,080 --> 00:46:17,240 instead of striking us down, he reconciles us to himself. 822 00:46:17,440 --> 00:46:19,240 It's amazing. Amazing. 823 00:46:20,160 --> 00:46:22,560 And Speaking of reconciliation. The. 824 00:46:22,560 --> 00:46:26,640 Christ, who promised never to leave us or forsake us, has 825 00:46:26,640 --> 00:46:30,480 indeed kept His word. Here He is with us down to this 826 00:46:30,480 --> 00:46:32,080 very day. We know this in. 827 00:46:32,080 --> 00:46:34,600 Part. By our participation in the 828 00:46:34,600 --> 00:46:37,480 Lord's Table. Brothers and sisters, this bread 829 00:46:37,480 --> 00:46:39,640 is His body which is broken for you. 830 00:46:40,280 --> 00:46:42,920 This cup is His blood poured out for the forgiveness of your 831 00:46:42,920 --> 00:46:45,600 sins. If you have never owned him as 832 00:46:45,600 --> 00:46:48,440 your Lord and Savior, then repent of your sin and trust in 833 00:46:48,440 --> 00:46:52,800 his death for you, especially one of my favorite author 834 00:46:52,800 --> 00:46:55,440 setting. When you throw a rock at a pack 835 00:46:55,440 --> 00:46:58,040 of dogs, the one that yelps is the one that you hit. 836 00:46:59,000 --> 00:47:02,120 And sometimes when you when you preach and you read hard texts 837 00:47:02,120 --> 00:47:06,240 like Christ saying a litany of sins and, and, and all of us go, 838 00:47:06,280 --> 00:47:08,920 Oh my gosh, that's in my past. Oh my gosh, that's in my past. 839 00:47:08,920 --> 00:47:11,720 If you have never repented over those things, repent of them. 840 00:47:11,760 --> 00:47:14,760 Come to Christ and He will make it to where that's not part of 841 00:47:14,760 --> 00:47:17,680 your biography anymore. But only the righteousness of 842 00:47:17,680 --> 00:47:20,520 Christ will remain. So repent and trust in Him as 843 00:47:20,520 --> 00:47:24,320 your Lord and Savior. But brother, sister, if He is 844 00:47:24,320 --> 00:47:27,920 your Lord and you have been baptized into His name, this 845 00:47:27,920 --> 00:47:33,320 table is your table because it is His table and He has given 846 00:47:33,320 --> 00:47:36,200 everything he has to his church. Listen to Paul. 847 00:47:37,000 --> 00:47:41,880 All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollo's or. 848 00:47:41,880 --> 00:47:49,440 Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or the present or the 849 00:47:49,440 --> 00:47:52,040 future, all are. Yours. 850 00:47:52,120 --> 00:47:58,920 It belongs to you because you belong to Christ, and this table 851 00:47:59,920 --> 00:48:02,760 belongs to you too, and all of its fullness, and its fullness 852 00:48:02,760 --> 00:48:05,440 is Christ himself. And so you come to that which is 853 00:48:05,440 --> 00:48:08,120 greater than the sum total of the cosmos. 854 00:48:08,680 --> 00:48:12,200 You come, you are welcome to Jesus Christ. 855 00:48:12,640 --> 00:48:17,880 Let me pray for us. Oh Lord, we thank you. 856 00:48:18,760 --> 00:48:25,480 We thank you that all of us have known what it is to be rebels to 857 00:48:25,480 --> 00:48:28,360 your name and rebels to your cause and rebels to your 858 00:48:28,360 --> 00:48:33,320 commands, to stand with double fists of defiance. 859 00:48:35,520 --> 00:48:41,000 And all of us know what it is to hear the good news that in 860 00:48:41,000 --> 00:48:45,360 response to our defiance. You conquered by dying. 861 00:48:46,440 --> 00:48:49,080 You took our. Sin you took our shame, you took 862 00:48:49,080 --> 00:48:51,800 our punishment. You took our alienation upon 863 00:48:51,800 --> 00:48:56,440 yourself when you went to the cross, Lord Jesus, and cried out 864 00:48:56,440 --> 00:49:00,320 in dereliction. My God, my God, why have you 865 00:49:00,320 --> 00:49:02,560 forsaken me? And we know why. 866 00:49:03,080 --> 00:49:05,800 It's because you bore the sins of many. 867 00:49:08,080 --> 00:49:11,160 And now, having been risen from the dead, you have reconciled us 868 00:49:11,160 --> 00:49:17,080 to your Father, and you are able to present us holy and blameless 869 00:49:17,080 --> 00:49:20,000 before the presence of God, with great joy. 870 00:49:20,760 --> 00:49:25,280 And so to you belong to glory as we come to this sacrament, the 871 00:49:25,280 --> 00:49:30,760 very presence of our Christ at the table. 872 00:49:31,800 --> 00:49:35,640 Holy Spirit, we ask that you would take these elements up and 873 00:49:35,640 --> 00:49:39,280 that as we eat and as we drink in remembrance and in faith, 874 00:49:39,280 --> 00:49:42,840 that it would be a real participation in the body of 875 00:49:42,840 --> 00:49:44,720 Christ. Would you minister to us here? 876 00:49:44,760 --> 00:49:47,160 And I pray especially for the tender hearted. 877 00:49:47,840 --> 00:49:49,360 Who are? Convicted by sin, would you 878 00:49:49,360 --> 00:49:53,600 preach gospel to their soul, that they might know that you 879 00:49:53,600 --> 00:49:55,840 really have forgiven them and that they would come with 880 00:49:55,840 --> 00:49:59,040 gladness? We love you and we ask these 881 00:49:59,040 --> 00:50:00,960 things in Jesus name, Amen.