Sermon Central
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Monument Of Rejoicing Series
Contributed by Rodney Kelley on Mar 24, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: Sermon 3 of the series. I make no claim that illustrations are my own. All that are not mine will be told truthfully as I find them.
Monuments of Rejoicing - Joshua 4:1-24 (text - vs. 5-7)
Intro. The first two monuments had to do with Jacob, now the next two have to do with Joshua. We have seen the Monument of a Relationship - Remembering when we met the Lord. (Jacob at Bethel. Monument of Revival - Jacob returned to Bethel and remembered how good God had been to him, he set up his second monument.
Joshua chapter 4 is about the fledgling nation of Israel establishing the memorials of the promised land. A memorial to the power of God for His people. To cross the Jordan meant to go on into the Land of victory! The wilderness was left behind.
Today we come to the Jordan river. They were crossing the Jordan at Flood stage. We must remember that this land had been inhabited years before by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was supposed to be theirs. West Jacksonville Baptist church is standing at a Jordan of its own. Will we trust the Lord and seek His face, and go on in victory? Will we live in a way that we will build monuments in our lives to the Faithfulness of God? There are victories that are supposed to be ours.
God told Joshua to set up some stones to remind the world of the victories of God. We are not to rely on past victories, but remember them to encourage us to go on!
The Red Sea was gone, now they were at the Jordan. There was a new river to cross. No one remembered the Red Sea but Joshua and Caleb. It was time for a new victory! Monuments to declare, “Look what the Lord hath done!”
I. The Power to Move - vs. 1 (God’s wants us to be victorious)
A. God’s Promises - vs. 1 (3:11-13)
1. The promise was secured
2. The promise was seen - (3:15-16) WOW 2Co 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea (assurance), and in him Amen (truth), unto the glory of God by us. 21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
B. God’s Presence - Ark - 3:11
This is the very presence of the Holy one! It was not the hand of God that moved the waters - It was His face! Verse 11 - “before” is the same word as “face”
The Ark represented the FACE of God! We need God’s hand, but not as much as we need His face.
Ps 105:4 Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
We shall not move lest the face of God go before us!
II. The Path of Maturity - vs. 3-5 - The flooding Jordan dried up! It is time to get out of the circular journey of the wilderness and move forward. For 40 years they had been doing the same thing, the same way, in the same place with the same results - Circles.
A. It was time to Inhabit a New Place - vs. 3 - Where you shall lodge this night.
This new place was not a picture of Salvation, but Separation! Jesus declared two rests in Matthew 11:28-29 - One rest is given, one rest is found. The rest of salvation is FREE - not of works, lest we would boast. But the rest of Victory requires WORKS - Heb 4 speaks of this rest - the rest of a victorious Christian life
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, (can’t be salvation) lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief of those that wandered in the wilderness - (Moses did nto enter the promised land either, so it can not mean he was lost). 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. (Victory) 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. We are to inhabit a new place of Christian growth and victory. We are not to remain baby Christians.
