Like the Israelites have experienced, crossing over the Jordan River had its challenges.
Edwin preached the above sermon on the first Sunday of 2011 and I am determined to live this year with that three points focus. Trusting the Lord with all my heart, not leaning on my own understanding.
#1 - Fixed your eyes on GOD!
Joshua 3:3-4 (NIV) “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.
start moving, follow it… and you’ll see clearly the route to take. You’ve never been on this road before. (Msg)
There is No mention of method – How to cross?
There is No negotiation of the moment – When to cross?
Only one command - START MOVING, FOLLOW (GOD), WE WILL SEE CLEARLY THE ROUTE...
Leave Behind Worldly Wisdom, LISTEN TO GOD'S INSTRUCTION, EVEN IT DOES NOT SOUND LOGICAL...
Joshua 5:1-3 (NIV) 1 Now when all the Amorite kings… heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites…, their hearts melted and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites. 2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.”
3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites…
#2 - Expect a New Thing
Joshua 3:9-16 (NIV) Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God….13 set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”
15 as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan…
God is teaching the Israelites
- Cast away the old paradigm - God don't have to part the sea or river the same way we may have imagined
- Learn to walk by faith
#3 - God is with US! Leading, Accompanying, Protecting US
God is always Before Us – Leading Us
Joshua 3:6 (NIV) Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and
pass on ahead of the people.”
GOD Being With Us – Accompanying Us
Joshua 3:17 (NIV) The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.
God Behind Us – Protecting Us
Joshua 4:10-11 (NIV) 10 Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan…The people hurried over, 11 and as soon as all of them had
crossed, the ark of the Lord and the priests came to the other side while the people watched.
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