Follow this link, (Route 66 Sermons) and check out the sermons.  We have made it through the history books and will be tackling Job on May 18th.

We have made quite a journey so far in our Route 66 series.  We began in the beginning and have made it to the pinnacle of Old Testament in 2 Samuel.  In 1 Kings, we will see Israel reach its heighth of power and wealth in the reign of Solomon, ony to come crashing hard to the ground.  It has been so encouraging to see how God’s faithfullness in not thwarted by human rebellion.  Have you been surprised by this?  In reading through the OT, have you been amazed by the intimate connection to Christ and the New Testament?  Let’s talk about any “lightbulb” moments you have had.

II Samuel:  Kingdom Shadows

I.                     Introduction

a.       Theme:  The Kingdom of God – God’s People, in God’s Place, Under God’s Rule

                                                               i.      The Kingdom Pattern Established in Eden (Genesis)

1.       The Fall

                                                             ii.      The Kingdom Promised

1.       The Covenant with Abraham (Genesis)

2.       The Mosaic Covenant (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)

a.       God redeems his people from Egypt

b.      God reasserts his covenant faithfulness by giving the people the law, promising blessings for those who worship him and him only, trusting in His Word.

c.       God promises the possession of the Promised Land

d.      Joshua leads the nation of Israel into the Promised Land and the people vow their allegiance to God. (Joshua)

e.      The people fail to live up to the covenant stipulations, but God remains faithful by giving the people judges to rule and deliver them from their enemies. (Judges)

f.        In the midst of chaos, God continues to establish his royal line through the marriage of Ruth and Boaz (Ruth)

g.       The people continue their unfaithfulness by asking for a King to rule them, “as the other nations.”  God gives them Saul, who fails miserably.  Samuel is sent to the house of Jesse (tribe of Judah) to find God’s anointed, David. (I Samuel)

II.                  David’s Rule:  The Shadow of a Future Kingdom

a.       Davidic Covenant – II Samuel 7:1-16 (Notice the Three Kingdom Shadows)

                                                               i.      I will Make for you a great name – Philippians 2:9-11

                                                             ii.      I will appoint a place for my people – John 14:1-3

                                                            iii.      Your throne shall be established forever – Revelation 22:1-5,16

b.      David:  A King after God’s Own Heart (1-10)

                                                               i.      David demonstrates a high view of the sovereignty of God

1.       When he has the man who killed Saul executed. (Chapter 1)

2.       When he inquires of the Lord (Chapter 2)

3.       When he waits for seven years and 6 months to unite the entire kingdom. (He first ruled Judah)

                                                             ii.      David demonstrates a passion for the worship of the Lord

1.       When he is afraid to touch the ark (Chapter 6:1-9)

2.       When he is undignified before the Lord (6:16)

3.       If you don’t have a passion for worship, you really are not going to enjoy heaven all that much.  The point is not what David is doing, it is for whom he is doing it.  When is the last time you were excited about the Lord and what he is doing in your life?  When is the last time you were flat on your face before the Lord, or gave a shout to the Lord, or sang a song of praise to the Lord, or wept before the Lord, or even gave a manly grunt to the Lord?

4.       He desires to build the Lord a house. (Chapter 7:1-7)

                                                            iii.      David demonstrates the power and justice of the Lord. (Chapter 8:15)

1.       David ruled in the “Fear of the Lord” – he understood that he would give an accounting.

                                                           iv.      David demonstrates the compassionate faithfulness of the Lord. (Read Chpt 9 )

                                                             v.      We see in chapters 1-10 the rise of David as a King after God’s own heart.  A king chosen by God and who God made a covenant with that would one day be fully revealed in God’s Son, Jesus Christ.  David’s Kingdom reached its pinnacle at Chapter 10.  Starting in Chapter 11 we will see why David’s reign is only a shadow of God’s perfect Kingdom.

III.                David’s Ruin:  A Shadow of a Faultless King

a.       David’s Sin (Chapter 11) –

                                                               i.       tell the story including the family details

1.       Bathsheba’s Grandfather, Ahithophel was David’s prime minister

2.       Eliam, one of David’s mighty men, was Bathsheba’s father.

3.       Uriah the Hittite, Bathsheba’s Husband, was one of David’s Mighty Men

                                                             ii.      11:27 – “But the thing that David had done, displeased the Lord”

b.      The Consequences (Chapters 12 -20)

                                                               i.      (Chapter 12) Child dies

                                                             ii.      (Chapter 13) David’s Son Amnon Rapes his half sister Tamar (13)

1.       David does nothing about the rape, while Absalom watches and waits two years to murder Amnon, avenging the rape of his sister.  Absalom flees Jerusalem while David does nothing.

a.       Do you see what sin does to us? It immobilizes us!

                                                            iii.      (Chapter 14) Joab convinces David to let Absalom back into Jerusalem, but Absalom already has a deep seeded hatred towards his father.

                                                           iv.      (Chapter 15) Absalom rebels, claims the throne, and David flees, still acting passively.

                                                             v.      (Chapter 16) David travels east with his followers while Absalom consolidates power.

                                                           vi.      (Chapter 17) Absalom makes the mistake of pursuing  his father, who was a master warrior.

                                                          vii.      (Chapter 1 Absalom is killed by Joab and his armor bearer, even though David said “be gentle” with Absalom (18:5) David responds with sheer grief…(18:33)

                                                        viii.      (Chapter 19) David returns to Jerusalem, but there is strife between the men of Israel(northern tribes) and Judah.

                                                           ix.      (Chapter 20) The sage ends when Sheba leads a rebellion to overthrow David, but ends up with his head cut-off and thrown over a city wall.

c.       The Consideration:  What does this tell us?  Why is the Bible so honest about its so-called heroes?

                                                               i.      God’s People Failed in the Garden of Eden

                                                             ii.      God’s People Failed in the Wilderness

                                                            iii.      God’s People Failed after they entered the Promised Land

                                                           iv.      God’s Anointed, the King after God’s own heart failed miserably!

1.       He committed dark sins of omission

2.       He committed great sins of commission – Pride, adultery, murder!

                                                             v.      Read these passages: Psalm 143:1;Romans 3:10,231.       What are you going to do about your sin?                                                           vi.      There is only one faultless, sinless, perfect king, one Son of God who has not and will not fail – HIS NAME IS JESUS!1.       2 Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:21-25IV.                David’s Repentance: A Shadow of Future Gracea.       Rebuke                                                              i.      Nathan’s Rebuke – (12:1-10)                                                            ii.      Joab’s Rebuke – (19:1-7)                                                          iii.      Are you open to rebuke?b.      Confession                                                               i.      David responds humbly to Nathan’s rebuke (12:13)                                                            ii.      Confession is humbly describing your sin in the same terms that God does.                                                            iii.      Do you call your sin what it is, or are you making exuses, minimizing your sin.c.       Repentance                                                              i.      Repentance is a change of mind, of direction.  It is not mere sorrow, for Godly sorrow leads to repentance.  Repentance means taking action.                                                            ii.      David repents when Joab rebukes him concerning his need to restore Absalom in 14:21, “very well, I will do it.”                                                          iii.      David repents when Absalom confronts him about his improper mourning of Absalom in 19:8, “so the King got up.”1.       If you are living in sin, you need a change of mind.  Turn to Christ, trust his word and walk in obedience.2.       Acts 3:19, “Repent, therefore, and turn again, that all your sins may be blotted out!”d.      Taking Responsibility                                                               i.      David takes responsibility for numbering the troops out of pride (24:17)                                                            ii.      Have you taken responsibility for the consequences of your sin?  Have you asked forgiveness of those who have been impacted by your sin?e.      Forgiveness                                                              i.      In the same case of numbering the troops David asks for forgiveness. (24:10-14)                                                            ii.      David knows the forgiveness of the Lord – (12:13 – Nathan speaks, “the Lord has taken away your sin.”                                                          iii.      Psalm 51 f.        Finally, forgiveness is not based upon any work or activity that we can do.  Forgiveness is only found in the grace of God.                                                              i.      Revelation 22:12-13                                                            ii.      Have you found forgiveness in Jesus Christ?  1.       I John 1:92.       Psalm 111:7

I Samuel:  Leadership Traits and Leadership Mistakes

Introduction:

·         I have been watching the upcoming primaries very closely, I am a political junky and a news addict, so I am in cable news heaven right now with all the coverage, debates, and analysis.

·         One thing is for certain as we watch this historical election unfold: Leadership Matters.

·         The question for us today is, What makes a good leader?  Is it the person who is the best motivational speaker?  Is it the individual who has the right look to fit the part?  Is it a person who is the best motivator, the hardest worker?  What makes a great leader?

·         As we look at I Samuel, we are going to look at the Leadership Traits and Leadership Mistakes of four men – Samuel, Saul, David, and Jonathan.  When we are finished, we will see the most important Characteristics of Godly Leadership emerge.

·         Samuel contains 31 chapters, 10 verses, and will take you about 2-2.5 hours to read in one sitting.  This book contains some of the most well known stories in all the Old Testament.

·         I Samuel picks up where the book of Judges end and It begins with the story of Hannah, a woman who desperately wants a child, who vows to give her son to the service of the Lord.  Samuel is born and serves with Eli the priest.  We see God remove his hand from Eli and place it upon Samuel, the final judge of Israel.  Samuel judges the people, who eventually ask for a king, and God gives them their wish and chooses Saul.  Saul, an impressive man, has brief moments of successful leadership that are overshadowed by carelessness, disobedience, and disregard for God.  The kingly line is given to David, who eventually serves in Saul’s court, slays goliath, befriends Jonathan, and is eventually forced to run for his life, until the death of Saul.  This book is filled with great material for Hollywood…but it is not fiction. 

I.                     Samuel:  A Man of God’s Word

a.       Samuel listens to God’s Word (3:1-14)

b.      Samuel is faithful to proclaim the whole counsel of God in the midst of dark times.

                                                               i.      He proclaims the truth to Eli (3:15-21)

                                                             ii.      He preaches repentance to Israel (7:2-4)

                                                            iii.      He seeks the Lord when the people ask for a King (8:4-22)

1.       Was it wrong for the people to want a leader?  No, remember in Deuteronomy, God made a provision for a King.  The problem is that their motive was to be like the other nations. 

2.       What does this tell us about the importance of how we govern ourselves in the local church?  We must be careful to distinguish between leadership as defined by the world vs. leadership as defined by God’s word. 

3.       Spiritual leadership in the home and the church must be marked by hearing, speaking and obeying  the Word of God.

a.       Did you know that Mormons are more likely to read the Bible daily than protestants.

b.      Did you realize that young men raised up in Islam typically memorize that entire Koran.

c.       True worship is marked by us being moved by the Word of God to live our lives in such a way that will bring the Lord Praise.

II.                  Saul:  An Impressive Man, A Horrible Leader

a.       Saul Was Impressive: He looked Presidential (9:2)

b.      Saul Was Impulsive:  He was destroyed by self-reliance (13:5-14;15)

c.       Saul Was Irate:  He devoted most of his kingship to murder of God’s anointed.

III.                Jonathan:  A Man of Faith

a.       Jonathan Leads By Taking a Risk Rooted in Faith (14)

b.      Jonathan Leads By Showing Loyalty to David (20:30-42)

IV.                David: A Leader After God’s Own Heart

a.       David is Impressed with God, not himself. (17:45-57)

b.      David demonstrates Integrity, not pragmatism. (24:8-12)

c.       David is patient, seeing everything from God’s Perspective

                                                               i.      David lives among the Philistines for the last 5 chapters of the book.  He was safer among his enemies, then the nation of Israel

                                                             ii.      True leaders are led by God, trying to see every event from His point of view.

                                                            iii.      David’s life points us to a perfect king, Jesus. 

1.       Jesus came from David’s direct line and did for us something we can never do for ourselves.

2.       I Samuel 16:6-7:  What is the condition of your heart?

a.       “When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within, upward I look, and see him there who made an end of all my sin.  Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul in counted free; for God the Just, is satisfied to look on him and pardon me.”

b.      In Romans Paul quotes David from Psalm 32:1-2

c.       Revelation 5:1-14 – Chris is our Redeemer King

V.                  Conclusion:  God alone is Lord, he is our Necessary Leader

a.       At the very beginning of this book, Hannah prays and amazing prayer.  God uses her prayer to preach the truth that no king, not even David, is the special blessing God has promised to His people.  Only Jesus would be exalted and anointed by God to judge the ends of the earth.

b.      Do you worship the King of the Universe, Jesus?

Ruth:  The Kindness of God

I.                     Introduction to Ruth: A snapshot of the power of God working in the time of the judges.

II.                  Sometimes Life is Extremely Difficult…How are we to respond? (Ruth 1)

a.       Naomi – the transition from sweetness to bitterness

                                                               i.      Our tendency to blame God for our circumstances rather than seeking Him in our circumstances.

1.       James 1:2-4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”2.       Matt. 6:33-34 “ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

                                                             ii.      Our tendency to glorify the past, instead of dealing with the present

1.       “I went away full….” – didn’t they leave because of a famine?

2.       “The Lord has brought this calamity upon me…” – the issue of personal responsibility.

b.      The Power of Kindness in the Midst of Trials

                                                               i.      Orpah’s Kindness

                                                             ii.      Naomi’s Kindness

                                                            iii.      Ruth’s Kindness and Conversion

                                                           iv.      The importance of kindness in the local church

1.       Bearing one another’s burdens (Including our struggles with sin):  Romans 12: 15-16 “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited.”

2.       Kindness to those with special circumstances:  The orphan, the widow, etc.

3.       Kindness to strangers and those without Christ.

c.       How do you respond to life’s devastating circumstances in your life and in the lives of others?

                                                               i.      People almost always respond to difficulty by asking the question…why?

                                                             ii.      We are hardwired to seek for an ultimate purpose or meaning because we are created in the image of God.

                                                            iii.      If you are not a Christian you need to consider this reality.  If life is just a series of random events and evolutionary processes, then tragedy, hardship, and pain should be met with a casual expectancy.

                                                           iv.      But this is not how we are designed…we are designed to make sense of our trials because life has an ultimate purpose and meaning:  Ecclesiastes 3:11-15                                                             v.      Notice Ruth 1:22 – God is already at work to turn this trial into triumph.  He has kept Ruth with Naomi and has brought them to Bethlehem at the time of the barley harvest…this will prove to be providential timing.                                                           vi.      Read the hymn – God works in mysterious ways by William CowperIII.                God is Providentially Working for Our Good and for His Glory in the Midst of our Circumstances. (Ruth 2-4)a.       Ruth 2:  God Provides  Food for Ruth and Naomi                                                              i.      God works through the kindness of Boaz  to provide a couple of months worth of food – 2:23                                                            ii.      God works through the hard work of Ruth – “she gleans until evening.”                                                          iii.      God reveals to Naomi that He is working for her good – 2:20]1.       His law is at work – some of the harvest is to be left for the poor.  They were not to reap all the way to the edges of the field so that the widow, orphan and foreigner would have something to eat.2.       God is at work in the weather and the harvest.3.       God is at work in his timing of Naomi’s return – 1:6 “Their very return was because God was demonstrating his kindness to Israel.b.      Ruth 3:1-4:13:  God provides Ruth a Husband                                                              i.      Naomi Understands Her Responsibility and the Provisions of the Law1.       She has a responsibility to perpetuate her husbands name and to provide for her daughter-in-law.2.       She advises Ruth in accordance to the law of the land – this meant going straight to a person that could help – 2:20b – Naomi recognizes Boaz as a redeemer or one who could help them.                                                            ii.      Ruth quietly appeals to Boaz to be her husband and protector 1.       As a childless widow, Ruth has the right to seek the protection of Boaz.2.       Ruth does take some bold initiative, but she does it by the book.                                                          iii.      Boaz does not disappointed, he responds to her request.1.       He Fulfills his role as redeemera.       Garment can be translated wings and is symbolic of divine protection.b.      Boaz is the answer to his prayer in 2:12c.        Ezekiel 16:18, “When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord GOD, and you became mine.”d.      Ruth is pointing towards the Levirate marriage where God tells the Israelites that if a married man dies and his widow is left without children, the brother of the man is responsible for marrying the widow and producing offspring in order to preserve the family line.                                                                                                                                      i.      Notice that Boaz is not Ruth’s husbands brother.  But Boaz is fulfilling this role as a family relative.                                                                                                                                    ii.      He acts as a kinsman-redeemer – a family member who redeems what his family must sell in order to survive.2.       He wards off a potential competitor (4:1-7)3.       He marries Ruth – 4:13c.       Ruth 4:13-17:  God provides a child and future for the family name.                                                              i.      The book of Ruth reveals that in the midst of our actions, God is at work.  In verse 13, “the Lord enabled her to conceive.”                                                              ii.      The lord provided food, a husband for Ruth, and a baby boy for Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz.  He has answered every one of Naomi’s concerns.                                                          iii.      Does this story have any relationship to the rest of the Bible and to our trials that we face today?d.      Ruth 4:17:21:  God provides the people of King – David!                                                              i.      Ruth is the great-grandmother of King David1.       Notice that God has worked through  a Canaanite prostitute, Rahab, Boaz’s mother and a Moabite girl to provide Israel with a King and eventually a Messiah.2.       The Old Testament centers on the story of the Israelites, but it is plain that God is working on behalf of all the nations as He brings all of history to its most pivotal moment when Jesus Christ, the descendant of Rahab and Ruth, lays down his life as the ultimate redeemer for the world.3.       David, certainly knew the story of his Grandfather Obed.  Maybe this was in his mind as he wrote Psalm 36, “How priceless is your unfailing love!  Both high and low men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.”IV.                Conclusion:  God has richly provided for us!a.      The book of Ruth starts very down and ends very up.  b.      Isn’t it interesting that this story takes place in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)                                                               i.      “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.”                                                            ii.      God uses the power of the Roman Empire to bring Joseph and Mary back to Bethlehem to fulfill this prophecy and Jesus is born.                                                          iii.      Ruth’s name is only mentioned in the NT once, in the book of Matt.1.       God would work through Boaz to redeem us from our greatest problem, not poverty, not loneliness, not the lack of an heir, but from our sin.2.       Matt. Begins with Jesus born as the Son of David, and ends with his commission to take the gospel to the nations.c.       Never underestimate what God is doing in the midst of your trials. 

Judges: How History Repeats ItselfI.                     Introduction:
History has a way of repeating itself.  That statement is the reality of the book of Judges.  The last verse (21:25) is truly haunting in light Israel’s story and when evaluating the present state of our own culture, “In those days there was no king in Israel.  Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”  This is a statement of anarchy.  All that was present at the end of this 200-300 year era of the judges was pure chaos.  The people had thrown off all restraint.  What had happened in Israel is eerily similar to our condition today in America.  II.                  Introduction to Judgesa.      Judges is really a book about leadership or the lack of leadership and the devastating results of disobedience.b.      Judges can be divided into three sections:                                                              i.      1-2 are introductory and tell the important story of how Israel failed to obey God completely while taking possession of the land he had given them.                                                            ii.      3-16 tell the story of the 12 judges and reveal the cycle of disobedience, judgment, repentance, and deliverance.                                                          iii.      17-21 show us the results of a nation who has cast off moral restraint and has chosen a path of disobedience.  The outcome is moral chaos as God removes his gracious restraint from the people.c.       How did the nation of Israel move so quickly from triumph of entering the Promised Land to complete corruption just 200-300 years later? III.                The People of Israel Inserted Question Marks Where God Had Placed Periods?a.      God Gives The People Clear Instructions                                                              i.      Deuteronomy 7;1-6                                                            ii.      Deuteronomy 20:16-18                                                          iii.       Joshua 23:6-13b.      God Blesses the People                                                              i.      He delivers them from Egypt, keeps them in the wilderness, brings them into the Promised Land, and gives them victory over all of Canaan.  Judges 2:1, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers.  I said, “I will never break my covenant with you…”c.       God’s People Fail to Follow His Clear Instruction                                                              i.      Joshua 1:19a vs. 1:19b                                                            ii.      1:21,1:27,1:29,1:30,1:31,1:33                                                          iii.      Instead of following God’s instructions completely, they only obey partially.  Their sin has devastating consequences. (2:2-3,6-13)                                                           iv.      Notice the irony between Deuteronomy 7 and Judges 3:5-6d.      The Scripture Paints a Very Clear Picture of Humanity:                                                                i.      Every Human Being is extremely special because we are created in God’s Image.                                                            ii.      Every Human Being is Plain and Simply Enslaved to Sin, It Is Our Very Nature.                                                          iii.      What are you going to do about your sin?  (Colossians 3:5-6)IV.               The People of Israel Repent When Punished by God.a.      Israel is punished for their sinfulness as God uses the very nations they were to have destroyed to test them.  (Judges 2:11-23)b.      God uses the Arameans, the Moabites, the Cannanites, Midianites, the Ammonites and the Philistines to punish Israel for their sin. (10:6-9, 13;1)                                                              i.      God puts the enemies of Israel to work against the people of Israel to accomplish his purposes.  Just as he used Pharaoh in Egypt, the Lord uses these nations to test His people.                                                            ii.      No that for every set of human actions, at least two sets of motives are involved – a human set of motives and a divine set.  These nations acted out of their sinfulness and hate – the Lord was acting for the good of his people, drawing them to repentance.                                                          iii.      The people, when faced with their enemies, cried out to God for repentance. (3:9, 3:15, 4:3, 6:6, 10:10-16)1.      God uses trying circumstances in our lives to help us examine ourselves and to teach us where we need to change. (Hebrews 12:5-13)2.      Many times the consequences of our sin create enough trouble of their own to force us to a point of examination.3.      Remember the question? What are you going to do about your sin?  The only real solution is to repent? a.      Acts 3:19 says, “Repent therefore, and turn gain, that your sins may be blotted out.”b.      I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”V.                  The People are Delivered Temporarily by Imperfect Judges.a.      In chapters 3-16 we see God raise up judges to rescue the people from their enemies when they repent.b.      Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah, Samson and eight other judges are used of God, blemishes and all.                                                              i.      We need to notice three important truths about these judges:1.      Not one of the judges was a perfect savior.2.      Not one of the judges was a universal savior…they delivered people in different regions of the nation.3.      Each of the judges acted in Faith and serve as mini-parables of what Jesus Christ accomplished perfectly in his life, death, and resurrection.VI.                Conclusion:  The People Need a Perfect Saviora.      I started this message with the statement that history repeats itself.  Chapters 17-21 of the book of Judges reveal what happens when God decides to no longer restrain their sinfulness:                                                              i.      Religious Syncretism                                                            ii.      Materialism                                                          iii.      Self-Styled Religion/Consumerism                                                           iv.      Sexual Perversion and Violence                                                             v.      Relativism Leaves No Way to Exercise Justiceb.      Sin has the exact same result today as it did centuries ago.  WE BECOME WHAT WE WORSHIP!c.       Jesus is the Perfect and Eternal Savior Judge (Acts 17:30-34)    

Joshua: Seize the Future

(Key NT Passage Hebrews 11:30-12:2)

I.                    Introduction:  Seize the Future

a.       Table of Contents – notice the first five books we have completed.  The next twelve books cover about 1000 years of Israel’s history from the 14^th century bc to the 5^th century bc.

b.      I hope that you have noticed something very important in our first five studies that will continue to be revealed as we study the book of Joshua, History is more than a collection of stories about random people and events.  God is moving history to a final moment of victory, triumph, judgment, and jubilee.c.       Our lives have meaning because and our actions have an impact because of what God is doing in the world.  We are on a collision course to stand before God, the King of the Universe to give an accounting for our lives.  This is the reality for the entire world.                                                              i.      Those who, by faith, confess that Jesus is Lord, and believe that his perfect life, death, and resurrection paid the penalty for their sin and defeated sin and death once and for all, will be granted the ultimate future.  The Ultimate Promised Land.                                                              ii.      Those who reject Jesus as the one who pays for their sin and bow to other gods they will remain subject to the terrible wrath of God, the same fate foreshadowed in the book of Joshua as we witness God ordering the total destruction of the Canaanitesd.      I pray that as we look at this book today, we will discover the impact of history on the future.  When we think about today, we must always keep in mind today’s impact on the future.  e.      The church is never called to have its focus on the past –we anchor to the past, but  our focus is to Seize the Future.  What do I mean?  I mean that we do something about what we believe.  This is the kind of book we are going to study today….the people finally decide to do something that demonstrated belief in the promises of God.  God wants us to do something about his future promises for us!f.        Joshua is easy to breakdown.  It has 24 chapters.  The first 12 chapters cover the conquest of Canaan.  The rest of the book is the account of the division of the land among the tribes.  The last couple of chapters are Joshua’s final words to the nation.II.                  The Formula for Success (Joshua 1:1-11)a.       Courageous Leadership                                                              i.      The Magnitude of the Task1.       Crossing over 40 years later in the shadow of Jericho                                                            ii.      The Mastery of the Land1.       Destroying  the Canaanites (Joshua 11:16-19,23)                                                          iii.      The Meaning for us Today1.       God’s People Conquered Canaan.a.       They finally acted on the promises of God as the followed Joshua into battle.b.      Joshua is a type of Christ.  Christ is our great captain who has not conquered an earthly kingdom but sin and sin’s horrible offspring death.2.       The Church is to be Engaged in a Spiritual Battlea.       We need courageous leaders to rise up within the church to go into battle, not armed with a literal sword, but armed with the sword of the word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ! (Joshua 1:7- b.      Growth Team Strategy Introduction                                                                                                                                      i.      We are preparing the launch a new strategy called growth teams.  The purpose of this is not a new program, a gimmick, or passing fad.  The purpose is to mobilize our church into the community to accomplish our Great Commission and to live out the Great Commandment.                                                                                                                                    ii.      I will be discussing this strategy in detail on Sunday nights in the month of Jan. and we have training session today at 3:30 in the chapel for our CLG teachers and anyone interested in leading out in this new effort.b.      Corporate Organization                                                              i.      They had to prepare to possess the Land and divide amongst themselves once the land was conquered.  Chapters 13-22 focus on this entire process.                                                            ii.      Have you noticed that God is an orderly God?  He organizes his people to effectively and efficiently accomplish what he has called them to do.                                                          iii.      I Cor. 14:40 “But all things should be done decently and in order.”1.       We are to be organized and mobilized as an entire body to accomplish the mission God has given us as a church!2.       Growth Teams is a way to bring a common effort and organization to our body with the purpose of accomplishing our corporate mission at the forefront.c.       Corporate Obedience (Joshua 24:14-24)                                                              i.      Corporate Obedience1.       They promise to follow Joshua (1:16-1 2.       The Circumcision of a new generation (5:2-9)a.       Think about the commitment of these men to identify themselves with God in this way before going into battle!b.      Many people today are not willing to identify with Christ in Baptism – how can we go into battle without the willingness to identify with our savior.3.       The fist Passover meal beyond the Jordan (5:10-12)

4.       Each of these events demonstrates a critical level of corporate obedience that had been absent in the wilderness!

a.       There is life beyond the wilderness!

                                                                                                                                       i.      This church can experience growth again.  We can see people give their lives to Christ.  We can see families saved, marriages healed, the broken restored.

                                                                                                                                     ii.      There is life beyond your personal struggles with sin and your dry relationship with Christ.

b.      I am convinced the God works powerfully through corporate obedience.  Remember that Joshua and Caleb(14:6-15) were a part of the original group of spies who disobeyed…the fruits of their personal obedience was not realized until the entire nation vowed obedience to the Lord.

                                                             ii.      Corporate Disobedience

1.       Only one recorded sin of commission – Achan hides the loot from Jericho.

2.       There are many sins of omission

a.       They fail to pray when making a treaty with the Gibeonites  (9:14-15)

b.      The people fail to take parts of the land they are supposed to take. (13:1 and 18:3)

c.       To understand life and death, in order to Seize the Future we must understand sin.

d.      Are their sins of commission and omission in our lives that hinder the corporate effectiveness of our body?  YES 

e.      We must confess those things individually and we must carve out the time corporately to do some of those things we have omitted from our lives.  In a sense we are refusing to take the land God has given us.  To saturate Siloam Springs with the message of the Gospel and the love of Christ. Growth teams are intended as a way for us to walk in corporate obedience together through prayer and outreach.

                                                                                                                                       i.      Three core values of Growth Teams:  Fellowship/Prayer/Outreach

III.                The Joshua Principle

a.       God does not call us to accomplish what we can do on our own.  He calls us to accomplish what only he can do by His Sovereign power in our lives.

b.      What is the basis of the formula of success in Joshua chapter 1?

                                                               i.      Joshua 1:9

c.       God is faithful to fulfill his promises

                                                               i.      God brought them out of Egypt and now He is bringing them in to take possession of the Land.

                                                             ii.      24:2-13

d.      God is faithful to fight for his people (23:3)

                                                               i.      Who made the flow of the Jordan stop?

                                                             ii.      Who makes the walls of Jericho fall to the ground

                                                            iii.      Who defeats the Israelites at AI when they sin?

                                                           iv.      Who restores Israels fortunes when he rains down hailstones on their enemies and causes the sun to stand still so that the armies of Israel can complete their victory?

                                                             v.      Did Joshua do any of this?  (21:43)

                                                           vi.      To understand the Bible we have to understand that we have a sovereign God, who can act without negating our own actions and responsibility.

1.       I can’t explain to you everything about how that works, but I know the Bible teaches that both his sovereignty and our responsibility are true!

2.       If you try to hold on to one truth and not the other you get yourself in serious trouble.