Text:
Joshua 1:1-11
January 6, 2012.
INTRODUCTION:
1) New Year is not new: Most people in this world,
including many Christians, don¡¯t feel anything new on New Year. These people
see the New Year just as another day in the calendar. Many facing New Year with
pessimistic attitude because there are many ¡°unknown¡± factor in the New Year.
Some of these people even hold negative feelings at New Year time because they are
fearful of the new challenges they may face. They don¡¯t feel the excitement of
a near year, new possibility, new victory, new hope for new life and new things
in the year to come.
2) New Year is all new: Being children of God,
Christians should not be pessimistic in facing the New Year. We know life is
created by God and time is also created by God. God has good purpose to set
seasons and we are to celebrate the New Year as a gift of God. When God allows
us to live in the New Year, we believe He will lead us through the year to
fulfill his purpose for his glory. To achieve what we want to see in the year
to come, we have to be ready for the job.
PERSPECTIVES ON THE FUTURE: (Joshua 1:1-4)
1) Change is part of life: ¡°After the death of Moses
the servant of the Lord.¡± (1:1) For over 40 years since he went back to Egypt
and talked to the Pharaoh to let the Israelis go, Moses led these people in the
desert through many challenges. He was the only name and man the Israelis had
learned to know, to listen and to trust. But now he was dead, suddenly the
Israelis had lost their only leader. If you were there at that moment, what
would you do in that situation? Well, the Bible continues to tell us what God
had done in that situation. Just as the Israelis had faced the change of
leadership change, we as people of God need to expect changes in our life in
the year to come.
2) But God continued to lead: ¡°The Lord said the Joshua
son of Nun, Moses¡¯ aide: Moses, my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these
people, get ready to cross this Jordan River into the land I am about to give
to them, the Israelis.¡± (1:2)This is very important we all need to remember:
life and everything else do change, but our God will continue to lead. God
never depends on any human being, no matter how great he may be. God is the
ultimate leader and he will always lead regardless of all changes in our world.
Yes, we know, love and respect our leaders, but we never forget it is God we
ultimately trust and follow.
3) God has a plan for your
life: ¡°I
will give you every place 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.¡± (1:3-4) This
is the first time God measured where and what the boundaries for the people of
Israelis. Most of the times, we enter a New Year without any idea what may
happen, but God has all mapped out for our life. In fact, he has in mind for us
lot more than we can understand just as more land than the Israelis had ever
occupied. It is sad that we are less courageous to expend our potential to a
fuller extend as God intended for us to have.
DIVINE SUPPORT FOR THE
FUTURE:
(1:5-9)
1) God promised his protection: ¡°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 your or forsake you.¡± (1:5) Reading the rest of
the Book of Joshua, we know that he had encountered many challenges, but God¡¯s
presence had always been there to protect him, support him to victory after
victory. No one may sail through life without any storm but God promises to be
with us to protect us from all harm, human or otherwise.
2) God provided his a guidance: ¡°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.¡± (1:8) The Book of the Law, the Bible, was the guidebook for Joshua
in his time and our guidebook in our time today. We are to read the Bible, to
meditate the words God has spoken in it and follow everything the Book says, so
we will be prosperous and successful. It is never our own wisdom or the tricks
of the world that may make us prosperous or successful. We need to adhere to
the teaching and principles from the Bible. Join Bible class and worship on
Sunday morning, come to class of discipleship on Friday night, do your personal
study each day, and you will not stray away from God¡¯s leadership.
3) God granted his courage: ¡°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.¡± (1:9) Fear is the number one
enemy in our life particularly when facing enemies. But God promised to be with
Joshua and he promises to be with us wherever we may go, whatever we may face.
With God on our side, there is no room to be afraid. Focus on God and His
presence, his power and protection, and be strong and courageous to face the
New Year ahead of us.
GETTING READY FOR THE FUTURE: (1:10-11)
1) Work closely with helpers: ¡°So Joshua ordered the
officers of the people.¡± (1:10) By Joshua alone, he couldn¡¯t do all things to
move the millions of Israelis to cross the River Jordan. He needed to work with
the leaders of the people. Joshua took leadership role by giving orders to the
officers to get ready to cross the river. It is very important that we work
closely with helpers God has placed around us, not to use them, but to work
with them, to accomplish God¡¯s command.
2) Get all people participate: ¡°Go through the camp and
tell the people: Get your supplies ready.¡± (1:11a) We are not talking about
people¡¯s power, we are talking about rallying the people to follow God¡¯s lead.
God had a plan. He had chosen leaders, He intended to give the people the
Promised Land. The people needed to get ready their needs to receive God¡¯s
blessing. God didn¡¯t promise to give the Land to Joshua or the officers, but
the people. So, not just Joshua and the officers needed to get ready, the
people also need to get ready as well. Without the full support of the people,
they won¡¯t get into the Promised Land.
3) Get what God had promised: ¡°Three days from now, you
will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your
God is giving you for your own.¡± (1:11b) This is a very clear goal anyone could
have set to rally the people to follow. God had promised the gift of this land
to his children way back hundreds of years ago. Now is the time to receive that
gift if the people will believe, get ready and embark to follow. Blessing of
the Lord had been given in the Bible, what we need to do is get ready to
receive them by following God¡¯s command through leaders He has chosen.
APPLICATION OF BIBLOCAL
TRUTH:
1) Ready or not: Time is one of the things
that pay no attention or respect to anyone because of social or economic
status. Time always moves on regardless if you are ready or not. So, New Year
is coming or is already here. It never waits nor ever delays. So, we have no choice
but to be ready to welcome its coming and make best use of it for a brighter
future. Those who are slow or don¡¯t care to prepare may suffer setbacks of
missed opportunities. The choice is yours.
2) Need some help? God made plans for the
Israelis as they faced new days and challenges in their early history. God was
there ready to work with them for the best possible future. God didn¡¯t leave
them alone to struggle by themselves without leadership, no supplies nor no
plans. God is here ready to help you face the New Year. He has a plan, all the
supplies to support you to face the unknown of the future. All you need to do
is ask Him into your heart to be your Lord and Savior. Don¡¯t wait another day.