Sermon Notes

The Battle Begins:  Joshua 1:1-9
Reflections by Megan Adams

Wow! We’ve covered a lot of territory in the last seven weeks! And now, after 40 years with Moses leading the (grumbling) people through the wilderness, his time has grown short. We see him pick the man he thinks can lead his people. He picks the man with great faith and trust in the Lord. He picks the man that knows God will be with them when they need to overcome the cities that are in their way. He picks the man that has shown strength and courage in the past – and is still standing with him.

He picks Joshua. Moses introduces Joshua as the new leader and says to Joshua, in front of all the people of Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” And then, Moses finally climbs the mountain to get a glimpse of the promise land… Only to find out, that because of the few times he lost trust in God – he will not get to actually enter the promise land. And here, he dies.

Now Joshua is left alone to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. He’s to take Moses’ place. Can you imagine?! The last paragraph of last week’s chapter said, “Since then, no prophet in Israel has risen like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt – to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.”

Those are some big shoes to fill! Can you imagine being Joshua? I don’t know about you, but I would be trembling in my boots! (But remember the words of Moses… Be strong and be courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not despair… We’ll hear those again somewhere…)

Have you ever faced straight on an overwhelming challenge that just about scared you to death? If so, did you confront or retreat? This week, in “The Story” we find Israel facing an overwhelming challenge… After 600 years of waiting for God’s promise to Abraham to make him a great nation – it’s finally happened! And the people of Israel are ready to advance into the Promised Land. But there is one problem. And it’s a BIG problem. Literally! There are wicked people already living in the land and among those people are some literal giants.

The children of Israel are under a new leader, Joshua, and are back to the spot they camped 40 years earlier – before they made a colossal wrong turn. Do you remember? 40 years earlier, they had been at this same spot – able to see the Promised Land, Canaan. A group of spies had been sent to check things out – and while the land was flowing with milk and honey, as promised… There were giants in the land. The other spies said, “I don’t think so!” While Joshua and Caleb tried to convince the Israelites that with God on their side, they would have no problem up against the giants! But alas… The Israelites couldn’t be convinced. And God, dismayed at their lack of trust AGAIN, let them wander another 40 years in the desert – until all of the untrusting, grumbling generation died off.

And now? God tells Joshua and the people of Israel that it’s finally time for this generation to take the land. Take Canaan. And in this speech, Joshua is told 3 times to “be strong and courageous.” Because now is the time for courage!

Here’s where we start today: Joshua 1:1-9
“After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aid, ‘Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give them – to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates – all the Hittite country – to the Great Sea on the west. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and be very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’”

So now Joshua is getting his marching orders directly from God. God gives Joshua a ludicrous plan – by our standards. After 40 years of wandering, God tells Joshua to: Cross the raging Jordan River with a million people. Once that’s done, set up camp and circumsize all the adult men. Once they’re feeling a little better, have them take the city of Jericho. But don’t do it with violence – just walk around the outside walls for several days, until you’re given the signal. Then? Make as much noise as you can! The city will be yours.

Joshua has to sell this plan to the people. Be strong and be courageous.

None of this makes sense if we look at it through the lens of the “lower story.” Remember – the lower story is the actual events that are taking place… Joshua’s life is part of the lower story. Taking an entire city by whooping and hollering is part of the lower story…

But what about the “Upper Story”? That part that is “God’s Story”? What is this teaching us about God’s nature? One of my favorite quotes in studying this chapter this week, was “In the lower story, the giants are bigger than the Israelites. In the upper story? God is bigger than the giants!”

We are learning, through the story of Joshua, that God is with us when we trust, believe, have faith – when we listen for God. Following God is full of ongoing battles – everyday. And unfortunately, this will always be part of our story… Our culture is one that is constantly pushing back against the values that God tells us to hold dear.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and soul – not easy in a world that emphasizes so many other things that control our destinies… Money. Success. Power.  Love your neighbor as yourself. Really? In a world where I come first? My needs, wants, desires, comfort? My neighbor can take care of themselves – right? I don’t have time for that…

The thing is, in our culture, following God first can be like a salmon swimming upstream – we can fight to survive and keep going, or we can give up and go with the flow… and eventually die. When we lose trust in God, when we lose faith , when we allow fear to control our choices… We don’t live in the light of God’s love. We forget what it is to shine and reflect God’s glory. We drown in grief and uncertainty. Life becomes something we wander through (much like the Israelites in the desert), without hope.

But this is not what God created us for! God is with us – in the darkest moments. The moments when we are most fearful and unsure of the future. God is there to guide us – we just need to do our part to be ready.  We need to be strong and courageous in our lower story lives! We need to know that God gives us the ability to be strong – when we lean on God.

The book of Joshua goes on to tell us how Joshua lived in obedience to God – how he was able to lead his people through battle after battle, winning city after city, by listening to God’s guidance and following God’s plan… The book gives us three ways to follow more closely in our lives, too. 1) Be people of the Book. 2) Pray. 3) Reflect God’s glory.

First: We need to be people of the Book! The Book, meaning The Bible. We’re coming together, reading The Story together to remember what it means to be people of the Book. We’re learning, talking, discussing, asking questions, sharing thoughts and ideas around these stories together – continuing to learn about God and God’s relationship to us.

A couple of weeks ago, we were reminded that the Book includes the Ten Commandments. We were reminded that these aren’t there to punish us or to take the fun out of life – but to be guidelines for a full and wondrous life with God and our neighbors. The Bible is there for us always – to read and memorize, to grow familiar with God’s relationship with us – so that, in times of fear and challenge, we are ready to continue to follow God’s guidelines for community. We are reminded, through scripture, how to live with grace and dignity – with one another and with God.

It’s easy when times get tough, when life is uncomfortable, when we don’t know where to turn next – to forget what it is that gives us life. But when we can remember how God came searching for Adam and Eve in the Garden – even after they messed up… how God gave Abraham and Sarah a baby even after they had given up… how Isaac was rescued from death when God provided another sacrifice… how Joseph’s life of grief and pain kept being redeemed again and again, and things that were intended for evil were always turned into good… how Moses became God’s most trusted man to lead God’s people out of harm, despite his insecurities… When we can remember and point to the stories where people (people like you and me) were hurting, scared, unsure, we can be assured that God was with them in those moments – and God is with me in my dark moments, too.

God told Joshua to “be strong and be courageous” 3 times. Oh, and by the way, “Do not be afraid!” We’ve heard that before, right? The phrase “do not be afraid” appears in the Bible more than 100 times! (You could say that’s a major Upper Story theme!) The thing is: God will not have his community characterized by fear – despite the fact that we will face many fearsome moments in our lives.

How do these fears affect the way we lead our lives? Are we afraid to try new things? Meet new people? Trust others? Are we scared to share our thoughts and feelings? Do we keep our money and time to ourselves – for fear there’s not enough to go around?

God promises us, “I will be with you.” And in these moments of fear, we are called to live distinct, wholesome lives that stand out from the norms of our culture. We are called to face the giants in our lives and reflect our trust in God. We are called to choose life over fear. To choose people over fear. To choose love over fear.

What overwhelming obstacles are present in your life today? What fears are holding you back? Where is it that things seem hopeless? What giants are presenting challenges? What would it take for you to be strong and be courageous in these places? How could God’s words “Do not be afraid” be allowed to sink in?

Be strong and be courageous. Be people of the Word. Pray. Reflect God’s glory through the life you lead. Do not let God’s community be characterized by fear – but stand together. Trust God. Trust each other. Lean on one another. Be a community that can tear down walls – by standing together with voices that spread hope.

Jericho was only one of many battles for Joshua. And in the end, he won them all – and Israelites were finally home. His trust in God, obedience to all God called him to do, his strength and courage in following through – against all kinds of obstacles – made Joshua the hero he’s still known as today.

For Joshua, living out his trust in God was what “stuck” for him. He knew the Book, he spoke to God, and he let his life reflect the glory of God. What is it about your faith that “sticks” with you? What is it about your relationship with God that you could not live without?

Before Moses died, he stood in front of the people – men, women, and children, and read the Book of the Law so all could hear it and know it – so they would have it written on their hearts again. Before Joshua died, he did the same.

On one hand, they were reminding the people of something they already knew. On the other, they were challenging the people to take their knowledge out of their heads and instill it in their hearts, their souls, wherever it would land… Let the words of faith take on a life of their own.

Reminders of how to love God and love neighbor are a daily part of our faith journey – and by living by these words, we find the ability to journey through life with strength and courage.

Today, as you ponder the life of Joshua… May you discover what it is about your own relationship with God that you cannot live without… And then, may you find the strength and courage to be that in this life.  Amen.

Thinking About Chapter 7

Personal devotion questions to connect chapter 7 to your own faith journey...

1.  What can we learn about godly leadership and succession planning as we watch the batonn passed from Moses to Joshua?

2.  We often draw black and white lines when we disagree with others.  Read Joshua 5:13-14.  How do people today co-opt Jesus to ensure He's on "their side"?

3.  God gave Joshua assurances to face the coming battles, but Joshua still had to act in faith.  What battles are you currently facing?  How can God's presence and promises change the way you cope with them?

4.  Do you suppose God viewed Rahab as a woman of sin or a woman of faith?  Who in your life needs to be viewed through "grace-colored" glasses?

5.  How does the destruction of peoples and cities in the Promised Land square with God's Upper Story of redemption?

6.  Observe the battle between Israel-Gibeon and the five kings of the Amorites (p 78-80).  What human factors and what divine factors led to victory?  What parallels can be drawn between this battle and your own spiritual battles today?

7.  Joshua is known for the statement, "As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."  What habits and attitudes have you seen in other families that are good examples of leading a household in serving the Lord?  How can you emulate them?

Face Your Battle With Strength and Courage

When someone keeps telling you to “be strong and courageous,” you might suspect you are up against
something big. And the Israelites were.

About to enter the land that had been promised them 600 years before, they had a giant-sized task awaiting
them. Literally. Forty years earlier ten spies had come back and told the Israelites that the inhabitants
of the land were so big they felt like they were the size of a grasshopper in comparison. Fear took them
captive without a battle and sent them off as a group to wander around in a wilderness where they took
their chances against wild animals rather than face their giants.

They wandered so long that those who had grasshopper-sized faith died out. Forty years later their
children were ready to take the land. They were physically no taller than their parents had been. The
enemies in the land were no smaller than before. But the Israelites’ faith muscles had grown.

There were two spies who had reported the land was theirs for the taking. One of them, Joshua, is now
the Israelites’ leader. He was courageous. And God wanted to keep him that way. So God tells him three
times in the first nine verses of the first chapter of Joshua: “Be strong and courageous.” He also reminds
him “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

My guess is you have a few giants in your life too. Some uphill battles that appear insurmountable. A task
demanding more than you think you have to give. One too many things on your “to do” list than you
have the time or energy to do. Unemployment is staring you down. Depression has a grip on you. Bills
have raided your bank account and left it empty. An illness hovers in your life like a threatening storm.

You’d rather just run and wander.

Instead, be strong and courageous. You have a Joshua that will lead the way. The New Testament equivalent
of the name “Joshua” is “Jesus.” And he has promised to be with you always (Matthew 28:20).
Jesus knows how to lead you through battles. He had a few of his own while he was on this earth. Enemies
attacking him with accusations (Mark 3:22). No home and no bed (Luke 9:58). Crowds and expectations
pressing in on him (Luke 8:45). The religious establishment eventually insuring he was sentenced
to a brutal death. (Mark 15:14).

Yet he took on the most barbaric giant there is, death, and lived to tell about it. He can help you do the
same. You need only be strong and courageous in your faith.

Actions in Wisdom

One of the best things we can do is listen to people of wisdom and faith.  In chapter 6 of The Story, Joshua and Caleb came back from their exploration of the land and gave wise counsel.  Unfortunately, the people did not listen to them.  Find one or two wise men or women of faith that know you well and ask for their insight and perspective on your life.  Share how you are seeking to follow God and where you feel you are wandering off course.  Invite their wisdom and prayerfully listen to them.  Consider asking if they will meet with you on a regular basis to be a sounding board as you seek to walk with Jesus.

Wandering - Chapter 6 Recap

God's GPS is instructing us on how to live life in the upper story where we find blessing and purpose.  God has the whole journey mapped out, from beginning to end, and God knows the best way to get us to our destination.  God is with us every step of the way, whether we're aware of it or not.  When food and water were withheld from the Israelites, it was because God was testing them to see if they would trust God.  If they trusted God in the wilderness, they would trust God in the final destination.  Their wilderness experience was to be an indicator, a sign to the watching nations about how life works when you put trust in God, who desires to be in relationship with us.  In order for God's grand scheme to work out, God's plan to get all the nations back, the children of Israel were going to have to trust God.

Application for this week:

The Christian life is like a road trip.  God wants to lead us every step of the way from God's GPS.  God sees the whole picture from beginning to end and God wants us to make it to the final destination and enjoy the journey, but we must trust God.  When God says go left, we should go...  Left!  When God says go right, we should go...  Right!  When God calls for us to stop, we should...  Stop! (Dead in our tracks.)  When God tells us to go faster we should put the pedal to the metal.  When God tells us to break down the barrier in front of us, no matter how big and bad it looks, we need to charge ahead in faith.

There are others in the car with us, who are affected by our decisions.  They will experience the blessings of our good decisions and the pain of our destructive decisions.  What choices are you making today?

Wandering Reflections

Reflect on any way your life has gotten off course.  Ask God to help you recalculate and get back on the right path.  Confess where you have been stubborn and rebellious, and think deeply of the grace you have received in Jesus.  Then, identify the ways you need to change your actions, attitudes, and motives to bring them in line with God's will for you.

Thinking About Chapter 6

Some personal devotion questions to further your journey...

1.  Israel's complaining is a reminder of how easy it is to become ungrateful.  List five things you are grateful for.  How does gratitude change your perspective?

2.  God punishes Miriam and Aaron for slandering Moses.  Have you ever had to deal with lies spoken against you?  How did you handle it?

3.  If you had been the 12 spies, how would you have described the Promised Land?

4.  How many examples of answered prayer can you find in this chapter?  Which most encourages you and why?

5.  Moses charged Israel to keep God's commandments and diligently teach them to their children.  How can you, whether as a parent, or a member of your church community, pass on god's commandments to the next generation?

6.  When he passed on the mantle of leadership, Moses told Joshua to be strong and courageous.  Is a lack of courage keeping you from becoming a leader?