Sermon notes from Sunday 14 June 2020
Joshua 3 verses 6 - 17
We remind ourselves what a privileged people we are. Thinking about the children of Israel here, to have the God of Israel as their Saviour. Take a step back to Egypt when they were in bondage They were under Pharaoh who made their living harder every day. The taskmasters made their job harder. The children of Israel began to look to one person, God in heaven. We are a privileged people today. In Egypt the blood of the lamb painted on doorposts brought those people out of Egypt under the mighty hand of God. God took them out into the wilderness via the Red Sea which opened up before them. The children of Israel walked across on dry ground. Remember how God provided for them with manna. All they had to do was collect it. Their very clothes did not wax old and their shoes on their feet did not wax old (Deuteronomy 29 verse 5). God was looking after them. The disciples came to Jesus one day, they had left all to follow the master, they worried about what they would eat and wear. Jesus picked out the birds of the air and said to them "Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?" (Matthew 6 verse 26) Do you feel the privilege that God has given to you, that he has saved your precious soul? Do you know what it is to be saved from your sins, that you will not stand before God in judgment. The Lord died on Calvary to take away your sins. Verse 6 "And Joshua spake unto the priests saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people." The people of Israel gathered on the banks of the Jordan River when it was in full flow.
Joshua spoke of their responsibility - "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass over before the people." The priests were descendants of Aaron, it was their duty to minister in the things of God. The ark of the covenant was a wooden box, 2 cubits in length (4 foot), 1 1/2 cubit in width and depth (2 1/2 feet). It was overlaid with gold. On top of the box it was laid with solid gold. 2 angels sat up on the top. God gave the promise to the children of Israel that here was the place where he would meet and speak with them. This was the mercy seat, a prefigure of the Lord. That is the place where we come to today, to the living Lord. He is here in our midst. What a responsibility for these people - to lift the ark and bear it in front of every living person. What a responsiblilty for you and I today as we bear the testimony of the Lord. We must be careful and cautious - do we live up to the testimony we bear? We dare not take the things of God for granted today. In Leviticus Aaron and his priests were charged with going into the temple of God, making sure the sacrifices were presented correctly. On one occasion Aaron`s sons were so drunk that they didn`t care - "they offered strange fire before the Lord" (Leviticus 10 verse 1) They were cut down as a result. Remember king David, he wanted to bring the ark of the covenant home. He knew it had to be carried by the priests but David set it upon a new cart. His right hand man was cut down as a result. Think of the Lord who loved us and gave himself for us. When he died on Calvary he was dying for you and I. We have the responsibility to bear the testimony of saving grace, to honour him in all we say and do today.
The role that they had to play. These men picked up the ark and every eye was on them. The children of Israel were to walk 3/4 miles behind the ark but to keep their eyes on the ark. The priests were walking towards the river showing the people the way. If you are saved you cannot get away from that role - might never be able to teach Sunday School, preach or sing but there is a role for you to play. What role are you playing today? The testimony we bear is to show men and women the way to Christ. Does our life point men and women to Christ today? Paul spoke of Peter in Galatians. He had been a fisherman, saved by the grace of God, made an apostle in the early church. Paul had to face Peter one time because he was not living up to the claims of the gospel. So much was the turmoil, the problem that even Barnabas was being carried away. Others can be affected by your life, maybe in the home, in the workplace, in church. Elijah, the Old Testament prophet went in before Ahab, the most wickedest king that ever lived. He told Elijah "as the Lord God of Israel liveth before whom I stand." He was so aware of the role he was playing. Are you aware of those watching you? Elisha in 2 Kings 4 went past the Shunammite woman`s house time and again. She said to her husband "I perceive something about this man, that he is a holy man of God passing by continually." Paul writing to Timothy in chapter 4 verse 12 said "let no man despise thy youth." He was a young man preaching the word of God. Paul knew he would meet a lot of opposition but Paul told him "let no man look down on you because of your youth" but then he went on to say "but be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." Paul was telling Timotny to be an example in word and conversation. Watch your tongue when speaking! Don`t get into any form of ridicule or gossip. Every part of your life should be an example. Don`t do anything grudgingly. Let everyone see your faith and in so doing others will be encouraged to do the same. What role are we playing today? What responsiblity do you have today?
Their results. They stepped in. They had a respect for the word of God. It was God telling them to do this. Did not just go down to the bank of the River Jordan and look at it. When these people came down with the ark of covenant they had to follow the priests. The River Jordan was 1 mile in breadth but it was now flowing deeper. Can you imagine stepping into that river. It was going to be no use standing at the bank of the river. Maybe God is speaking to you, convicting you of your sin. Maybe God is speaking of your profession of faith, you have never had your sins taken away, never been made a new creature in Christ, never trusted Christ as Saviour. God is speaking directly to you today and he says how he has loved you, sent his son to die for you, loved you with an everlasting love. You have to reflect back when you made a profession and you haven`t gone on with the Lord. Now a daunting task is "I am going to have to step out. Everyone will see it, all will know I have been living a virtual lie all these years." There will be no blessing until you do that. Maybe God is speaking about a specific task you have to do. These people did not want to step into the water. When they stepped in a great miracle happened. The waters stood up and people walked on dry ground. That is the reward. Why not say to God today "I realise I am a sinner, I have come short of the glory of God, I never will be in heaven." Jesus said in Revelation 3 verse 20 "Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him and he with me." Can you be saved today - yes - right where you are. Acknowledge you have sinned and come short of God`s glory, acknowledge only way to heaven is through the death of Christ on Calvary. Believe it today. There was no blessing on the banks of the River Jordan "and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground" Only when the priests took that step and moved into the centre of the waters then stopped that the miracle took pace. The blessing of God was poured on the children of Israel.
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