Faith in Action (Joshua 1:1-9)
Billy Milton - April 28, 2007
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We finished our study of James last week and, rather than start a brand new series on the last Sunday of a month, the Service Planning Group agreed that I could preach on whatever I wanted. It’s a rare treat to be given a completely free choice of subject but it comes with an added pressure. I expect most of you are thinking, “Well if he can pick anything then the subject he chooses to speak on must be really close to his heart!” And you’d be right. It is close to my heart and I hope by the end of this service, close to yours as well. In a bit of a nod to James I want to speak from the early verses of Joshua about faith in action.
Last week I received in the post this magazine from the Wycliffe Bible Translators SHOW IT with the heading on the front reading, “My Favourite Verse”. Inside a number of famous Christians tell us what their favourite Bible verse is and why. READ OUT THE TOP 5. Was your favourite verse there? I was chuffed to see that I share my favourite verse with Baroness Cox – Joshua 1:9 Let me tell you why its become my favourite verse. TELL STORY OF YOUNG ADAM GIVING IT TO MAY AND I AS WE LEFT DUMFRIES TO HEAD TO LONDON TO RETRAIN FOR THE MINISTRY.
Joshua 1:9 has become my companion in all of my activities for God from that time until now, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged; God is with you – what a comfort! And so I thought that I’d make this passage the focus of my sermon this morning because I know that some of you are discouraged right now. And I know that some of you are, if not terrified, certainly frightened about your life and situation. And some of you, whisper it, might not even believe that God is with you right now.
Right from the opening verses we are introduced to a high drama. God speaks! I don’t have time to go into that right now but let that sink in - God spoke to Joshua! And what he said was kind of scary. “Moses my servant is dead.” You know, even today Moses is recognised as one of the greatest leaders of all time. He led his people, hundreds of thousands of them, out of Egypt and after 40 years wandering in the desert he led them to the threshold of the Promised Land, where he died. He had shown tremendous leadership in the desert… but, as God rather scarily reminds Joshua, he was now dead and the mantle of leadership was passing to Joshua. You can almost see a wide-eyed Joshua replying to God, “Don’t I know that? How am I expected to fill his sandals?” The timing of Moses’ death could hardly have been worse!
But God says, almost matter-of-factedly, ‘Moses is dead’. What God might have meant by these words was, “Dry your eyes Joshua, its time to move on,” or He may have been saying, “I need someone to follow my instructions, like Moses did, and you’re the man. I’ve got work for you.” Or He may have been saying, “Mighty man as he was, Moses is dead. Don’t look back. Don’t dwell in the past. Don’t long for the good old days. They’re gone and we move on.” Don’t look back because…
I. The Test of Faith Lies Ahead.
Just as the generation before had to decide whether or not to be obedient to God and cross the Jordan River, this younger generation had to make the same choice about conquering the land. They could not rest on their history. They had to be the creators of history. It was a test of faith. What would they do? Yes it was daunting to move on with Moses no longer there but God was telling them… move on, cross the river, take the land. Test your faith.
How about us? Our ‘land’ lies just outside this school building. Are you going to hanker after the ‘good old days’ when we had our own building in the middle of town? Where we experienced God’s blessing over many years? Where some great men and women of God have come and gone? Are we going to look back wistfully to the past and keep on saying, “When can we go back?” or are we going to accept God’s new commission for us to reach out to the community that surrounds us now and reach them for Christ? Will you be creators of a new chapter in the history of this church? Do you care about our neighbours in Chiltern Park or is your comfort and your preferences all that really matters. We need to stop looking back and lamenting the passing of whatever and whoever and accept that our faith is being tested and will continue to be tested.
II. The Work of Faith Lies Ahead.
Even after the decision to cross into the Promised Land was made, the actual move had to be completed. This wasn’t some grand theory that God was fond of talking about. It wasn’t just a vision that the leaders had. This was actual bricks and mortar. Fields and vineyards. (vv3-4) The people had to uproot their tents and their belongings and set one foot in front of the other and cross that river into the land God had promised them. It had to become more than just a dream they talked about. It had to become a land that they walked about!
After months of looking at the Epistle from James surely, if we’ve learned anything, it’s this. Faith isn’t just talk, it is action too. James said that faith without works is dead. The people, all of them, moved over the river and began to take possession of the land that God had promised them. Their faith was put to action. Can you imagine a church operating like that? A church full of people with an active faith? Can you imagine what God could do with people like that? On Thursday night a small group of us walked the land. We put invitations through people’s letterboxes inviting them to join us. We re-enforced our presence to our neighbours and we will continue to do so. Will you join us? It will mean stepping outside of your comfort zone but the work of faith lies ahead and we can’t afford the luxury of looking back with regret or nostalgia to how it used to be.
III. The Battle of Faith Always Lies Ahead.
The Battle of Jericho in chapter 5 shows us that the battle is the Lord’s. The tactics were stupid. The enemy was scary. The resources were scarce. The city fell!! We must be ready to obey Him, and even look foolish before the world, if necessary.
I want to encourage you in your witness. This town of Berkhamsted is a tough town to be a Christian in. It is very resistant to the gospel. Very self-sufficient. But God knows that and he would say to us this morning, “Do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land.” But it won’t be easy – it’ll take courage; it’ll take strength; it will take obedience; it’ll take commitment. It’ll take a recognition that we are at war and not at a Butlins holiday camp.
IV. The Victory of Faith Lies Ahead.
As Joshua stood before the mighty city of Jericho he could have been forgiven for thinking that it was unconquerable. But he had the courage to trust God for the victory and not to rely on his own strength. I was talking to my sister last week and she asked me if I’d read the ‘Heavenly Man’ – SHOW IT – which I had. We spoke about that amazing section in the book where Brother Yun walked out of Zhengzhou prison in 1997 after the Communists had broken his legs –
God instantly healed Brother Yun’s broken and gangrenous legs that day and led him out through prison doors that mysteriously opened as he approached them, right under the very noses of the guards who were meant to keep him in. Finally, as he left the main prison gate, which amazingly had also been left open, there was a car just waiting to take him to safety. It is an amazing story of God’s deliverance and also of Brother Yun’s courage. In the book we are told that when he was told by his fellow prisoner, Brother Xu, that God was telling him to escape that day Yun wrote this:
“Lord, you have shown me that I must try to leave this prison. I will obey you now and will try to escape. But when the guards shoot me, please receive my soul into your heavenly dwelling”
(p.255 the Heavenly Man).
Brother Yun was not unrealistic about the challenge that lay ahead, he expected to die, but he took his fears to Jesus. And Jesus fulfilled his word to him.
How many times have you lost out on God’s blessings for you through fear of stepping out?
For example, how many of you would like to ask a friend to do an Alpha course but are afraid of their reaction; afraid to look stupid; afraid they’ll say no and mock you? “Be strong and very courageous. The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
V. The Promise of Faith
Jesus gives us faith to withstand the test, strength to complete the work, courage to stand in the battle, and ultimate victory in His Name if we place our trust in Him! At the last time of prayer and fasting God re-assured us over and over that He will build this church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it! Do you want to join him? As Paul said, “Forsaking that which is past, I press on..” Only be strong and courageous!