Joshua 3 (Bible Study) - Pastor Daniel Batarseh

if you have your Bibles tonight meet me in the book of Joshua as we continue in our series what we left off and that's in Chapter three Joshua chapter three in Chapter two we know that Joshua sent two spies into Jericho and by the assistance of a prostitute named Rahab the spies who were detected escaped and they made it back to their own camp and as they came back to the camp by the end of chapter two they didn't announce it to the whole congregation but they as Joshua plan came up to their leader and they told him this is over they are melting with fear they know who is for us they know who is behind us Joshua God's Word is true and as you and I come to chapter three Joshua with eagerness and excitement wakes up early the next day only to now charge the entire nation to do something that they have never done in the history of this people and that is make their very first steps towards the promised land and you can almost as you read this chapter feel the excitement in the air the anticipation the the expectation all these things now are about to boil over into reality but before the nation of Israel was able to receive their inheritance from the Lord God still even at this moment at this transitional moment still had instructions for the people they might have been bubbling over with joy they might have been eager but that excitement could not lead them into that place they needed to be framed rightly to know how they can experience and conquer what God said they would experience and conquer and we have to keep in mind even at this point of the Bible study that the promised land is a heavy picture of the spiritual blessings that Jesus Christ as for you and I and so when we hear these instructions we're hearing them in that kind of a context how these principles of obedience are the same for us in the New Covenant to know what Jesus wants us to have and so from the first few verses what you and I are gonna read are two main rules that Joshua is gonna give the nation of Israel that are very much adopted by our faith and the first rule here is in verse 1 2 and 3 let's read it then Joshua rose early in the morning and set out from shittim and they came to the Jordan and he and all the people of Israel and lodged there before they passed over at the end of three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people as soon as you see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests then you shall set out from your place and follow it there it is Joshua set this rule no person no family no individual could get up and head towards the river that is the border of Moab and Canaan no person had that right unless it was first triggered by the Ark of the Covenant that would be lifted up and would lead the people ahead now we know if you if you've been with us long enough and if you're a serious Bible student what that Ark represents it represents this treasure chest looking peace the presence of God God made that the very seat of his presence in the earthly form it was his throne on earth and so to say that the ark would be carried was to say in the most practical and most tangible way I'm getting up and moving and you can't move until I do and you can't advance until I do and you can't move forward until I do and so it was a call to his sensitivity to the people to rely and depend upon the Lord's leadership and not assume that for themselves and how true is it for you and I that we cannot enter into what God wants us to have for our respective lives until we know how to follow his lead it is not something that we can do we can't make this stuff up we can't maneuver our selves into his perfect plan for our lives and to extract as much of his blessings for us he must first take control if he doesn't have the driver's seat we are not gonna drive ourselves into it so they were they were called to be sensitive to the presence of God and this is echoing how Moses operated as a leader and how he led the people in his day so go to numbers chapter 10 and see this for yourselves this was modeled by Moses in chapter 10 of numbers and go to verse 33 and what you and I see in Joshua's ministry is a parallel to Moses ministry look at verse 33 this is Moses leadership before Joshua was ever a leader he was still an assistant at this point so they set out from the Mount of the Lord three days journey and the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord went before them three days journey now look what it says to seek out our resting place for them to seek out a resting place for them and then what and the cloud of the Lord was over them by day whenever they set out from the camp so this Ark played that very same role the ark would go before them because the ark knew were to take them the ark served as the very eyes of the people and here was God's purpose to find a place of rest that was his navigation system where can I lead you to know an inner peace an inner satisfaction and inner knowing that you are in the very center of my will for your life and that is God's plan for you and I that when he is ahead of us and when we continually rely on him we can trust that throughout our days we will know a peace a peace that surpasses understanding and a peace that you cannot conjure up if you had every resource from heaven and on earth to make up how your life wants to be made up see if you are doing what you want to do and no matter how that looks in the physical you could be in a mansion with all the cars you want all the money you want all the relationship with you if you're not in the will of God you will not know his peace but if you're in the will of God God can stick you in an igloo in northern Canada and you can know a piece more than the guy that's in the south and the mansion apart from the will of God and that's why people who live independently from God's leading are miserable and that those who know God and live for God and are in step with God no apiece and no one interests that it's incomparable to what this world offers so here's the question they had a physical arc that led them what's in it for us how does that work for you and I well the psalmist said it perfectly you know this and if you don't know this I encourage you not just to know abut memorize it Psalm 16:8 what does the psalmist say it's gonna be there in the screen and may be written on our hearts it says here I have set the Lord always before me I have set the Lord always before me not sometimes not when things get kind of scary not when I have to apply for a job not when I'm trying to find a wife I have set the Lord always before me because he's at my right hand you know what that means if somebody's on my right hand means they're very close and the hand says something of decision-making but he's at my right hand so he's gonna be doing the decisions for me because he is at my right hand I shall not be shaken did God set himself before him no he says I set the Lord always before me it's a conscious decision listen of inviting the Lord into every aspect of your life of consoling of seeking of leaning upon the Lord a life that is void from knowing the Word of God a life that is void from consistent prayer a life that is void from seeking wise counsel from spiritual people is a life that is not setting the Lord before him because they had the physical Ark we don't have a physical Ark we don't live by sight we live by faith but we have a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit see in the Old Covenant they had the ark to deal with and that Ark led them but when Jesus tore the veil it wasn't just so that we can go in is so that the presence that was in the veil can come into us and so we have as the Taverner of the Lord our very own in some sense Ark of the Covenant and our very bosom but we need to constantly say okay Lord I'm gonna set you before me you lead the way and you show me where to go and you close the doors I need to be close and you open the ones that need to be opened and you go well how do I live like that well you do it like Joshua you know his promises but you take his hand and you you live practically and you trust that he will sovereignly lead in your life but I can tell you not just non-believers nevermind non-believers believers don't know how to set the Lord before them at least always but the life that guarantees you of freedom from worry and anxiety is a life that knows how to continually say Lord go in fact look how Moses does it in numbers chapter 10 numbers chapter 10 you scroll down to verse 35 we read 33 and 34 look at verse 35 and Moses shows us how he did it practically and whenever the ark set out Moses says arise O Lord and let your enemies be scattered and let those who hate you flee before you so whenever he started his day he was I Lord come with me come with me and come with the people and Lord push over the enemy when he tries to come at a time so he says arise but he didn't just say arise verse 36 says and when it rested he said return O Lord to the ten thousand thousands of Israel what do you see there you see a man who was continually in communion with God that he knew how to start his day and he knew how to end his day and he knew how everything in between he was walking with the presence he was practicing the presence he was continually communicating with God and God what was the promise would find a resting place for them I can guarantee you as long as you make this a principle in your life you will know an inner rest that is unshakeable that is unshakable and so what was demonstrated through Moses was now modeled in Joshua because the danger here is in verse 4 of Joshua chapter 3 look what the warning was yeah there shall be a distance between you and it it's being the Ark of the Covenant there shall be a distance between you and at about two thousand cubits that can be that can be measured to three thousand feet two thousand cubits in length do not come near it in order that you may know the way that you shall go for you have not passed this way before what an interesting command the idea was that the Levitical priests would take up the ark they would move forward and the temptation of the people would be what to crowd around the Ark and the danger of getting too close to the ark was well what do you think the danger would be not that it was just because it was holy there's a very practical reason for this touch it yes because it was holy but think about if they're being led by it and you have a crowd of people around it what is it going to do to those hundreds of thousands behind them they can't see it it's it's out of their visibility now it's not in their perception it's not something that they can be led by now and so here's the warning that you and I have to face that we can get ahead of God now we lose visibility of him leading us the distance wasn't just a call necessarily for them to be far from something that was so holy and precious and sacred that is true listen the distance was what so that you shall know where you will go the idea was it would be visible to their sight and the temptation of the people would be to be so excited so eager so wanting to move that they would either come up to the ark or even move ahead of the ark and God says no put this line of measurement between the people and between my presence in other words it was a call for them to not get ahead but to continually be behind and for the Lord to always be before and so this is a very practical instruction for you and I is that God Almighty no matter what's going on in my life and no matter what's exciting in my life teach me to bring it before you before I do anything else I could tell you that you will prosper in every aspect of your existence if you know how to do that now you and I you're hearing this you go this is so simple why would you say because as simple as it is we don't get it and we don't believe it and we don't act by faith on it and so we meet somebody really amazing and we're so caught up in an emotion that we don't even console God if this is the person that he has in mind and we look at a job opportunity it just looks so amazing and all the benefits and we we get so amped up that we don't even ask God and we can do that for every aspect of life we don't invite him and set him before us and that can lead to dangerous things you're safe as long as you're on your knees you're safe as long as you commune with God and I love what it says here that this distance had to be set why not that you would just only know where that it would be and where you will go but look at the last part of verse 4 in order that you may know the way you shall go for you have not passed this way before ok this is something that you and I can relate to as well it wasn't just for a direction it was because there was an uncertainty there was a uncertainty about the steps ahead and so the people needed to rely on God's leadership lest they think they know what to do and where to go and find themselves in a place they never wanted to be or lest they prolong the process between their destination and the promised land God wants to spare you from detours God wants to spare you from wasted time God wants to spare you from emotional heartbreak God wants to spare you from even your financial dealings God wants to spare every aspect but it takes a conscious responsibility to say Lord you go ahead and you lead and he'll do that and here's a beautiful promise for you and I the fact that this was uncertain for them the steps ahead this is the same comfort that you and I have but we don't know what's ahead as long as we bring him before us he knows at all he's determined the steps he's determined the journey he's determined every aspect the moment they left Egypt to the wilderness journey to the very Promised Land itself and how they would conquer it has already been determined by God there's proof for that and it's in a portion of Scripture that you and I might not find that insight it's in the Book of Ezekiel chapter 20 verse 6 look what his zekiel 20 verse 6 says in light of what we're just talking about Ezekiel 20 verse 6 on that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that who searched out that the spies searched out no the Lord says that I searched out for them huh so before any spies were sent before any mission was dealt with either by Moses or by Joshua God had already seen it and determined all of it God spied it out God knew how it was going to be conquered he didn't need anybody's help it was a requirement of faith on their part and listen to this the same God who knew the directions and the timing of Israel coming to the promised land is he not the same God that governs your life you're wondering who's gonna who's that person gonna be and what what am I gonna do for a living it am I gonna live that long and God says I already I already know I searched it all out for your life it's already written in books it's already determined now if you want to experience it ask me ask me for my will trust in my timing leaning on me and not your own understanding and just wait and just wait that is a comforting truth for you and I it was true for Israel it's true for you and me but I want to see another lens of this another perspective on this short little story the call for Israel was one simple task at this moment keep your eyes on the Arctic don't place your eyes anybody else don't trust some other guy in there in the Israelite camp you know I think there's a detour my cousin Joe told me there's something else let's go over here no keep your eyes on the Ark and as long as you do so you will know success to your soul and in every aspect of your existence now here's a beautiful thing we're not called to keep our eyes on a physical piece of furniture that represents the presence of God we're called to do what Hebrews 12 verse 2 says you know Hebrews 12:2 right look what the scripture says that the Christians are to look unto who Jesus looking to Jesus now other translations say fix your eyes on Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God do you understand what he's saying here the author of Hebrews is wanting the people to know a stamina in their faith the author of Hebrews is wanting them to know an endurance and a fruitful pilgrimage for their Christian faith and here's the secret just keep your eyes on Christ that's all you need to do and as long as you keep your eyes on Christ you will know how to respond and things in life you will know how to act in things in life you will know when to speak when not to speak you will know a wisdom and you will know an inspiration for the rest of your days can I tell you one reason why so many start out so good and buy a year two years 10 years sometimes even 15-20 years you don't even know where they're at with their faith you won't know one reason they looked at something else other than Jesus they took their eyes off of Jesus and they place it on themselves they place it on their circumstance they place it on their needs they place it on a failure of a spiritual leader and the reason why they are not knowing how to suffer well how to endure how to remain above temptation is because they fail to look to Jesus to keep their eyes on Jesus you will stumble you will trip you will backslide if you do not know how to keep Christ before you every day as your standard for righteousness as your example of suffering as your source of wisdom you know it's amazing how many Christians are failing in their spiritual victory because they compared theirs their holiness to somebody else's they're not your example especially if their example is not Christ no matter what they call themselves Jesus is your example and so keep Christ before you as you walk through this life let your eyes lock with his and stay there and you will know something of endurance because we have this word that we glean from we have this word stare at it's not some mystical thing we have the written word of God to say Lord let me see you and let me keep my eyes on you and when you face your own cross you'll see how he handled his I mean you don't know what to do at certain points you will see Jesus and you say Lord help me imitate you and when you do that not only do you have inspiration you have his power that helps you live the way he lived the Israelites were called to keep their eyes on the ark and as long as they did that they would be led into the Promised Land you and I had to just keep our eyes on the greater Joshua and we will know spiritual victory and blessings like you wouldn't imagine now that was the first rule to be led by the ark but look at verse 5 to see the second rule says here in Joshua 3:5 then Joshua said to the people consecrate yourselves consecrate yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you a lot of people want God to lead in their lives especially if it includes blessings if I were to say do you want God's perfect will for your life it would be very strange for you to be like I don't know I think I like my idea better and some people do but we can confidently say that a majority of us in here would be like I want God's perfect will for my life and you go I'll do my part in setting him before us but there's a second rule it's not just being dependent upon him Joshua says you got to consecrate yourself so let me put it this way this completely destroys the concept that Jesus is our genie in a bottle and we rub when we say Lord tell me how to live and where to go no there's a there's a thing that we need to do to position ourselves there and Joshua says so you you're gonna trust in the ark leading you yes okay but remember this Ark is holy this isn't some imaginary thing this isn't some again Genie or Santa Claus no he's God do you want his leadership yes then consecrate yourselves you want to go to the promised land yes you want to know how we're gonna crosses join river absolutely than consecrate yourselves now again did we see this before and Moses his leadership yes we did where did we see this specifically a call to consecration think now think of the Exodus journey when was there a strong emphasis to consecration you're right it was on Mount Sinai God was gonna come on the mountain and visit his people and give the law but Moses said this listen to this in Exodus 19 verse 10 and 11 it's gonna show up and again we're seeing a parallel between Joshua and Moses the Lord said to Moses go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow and let them wash their garments verse eleven why and be ready for the third day for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people so we have an understanding here that the first generation of Israelites were called to consecration because God was going to visit them the second generation of Israelites were called to be consecrated because God was going to do amazing things before them and if you and I can draw any principle from this it's not that if we live holy that God's gonna do miracles necessarily they split water and we can test God and say Lord I'm gonna do this because I've live this sacred life no but there is an element there's a principle here that if we choose to live consecrated we can expect something of a nearness of God and something of his work in and through us as his people that's what consecration does now what is consecration Can Can anybody simplify what consecration means in like less than a sentence even to be set apart from sin and to be set apart for the things that God loves and for his glory beautiful description if you want to know what consecrated means that's all it means is separated separated from what everything God says for you to separate from everything that would displease him and and robbing of his glory in your life he would say consecrate cut that out and move it aside so that you can be singled out for my purpose and that consecration is necessary for what well I see from Moses case for God to reveal himself in a specific way and I see in Joshua's scenario for God to do something in my life and through my life and let me be a witness of his glory and the thing that enters us into that place in that lifestyle is a thing called consecration it's really not a price to pray pay it's really nice something that we have to give up it's a privilege and an opportunity why well because God is holy and so if you want God's nearness just like the people wanted to know God's nearness and Exodus and to see God's power and Joshua he's holy so if we're gonna know him in close proximity it only means one thing we have to be holy we have to be holy and I can show you new testament verse after new Testament verse that proves that that Timothy needed to be a vessel set apart from things that are dishonorable to be a vessel for honorable use and that if the Corinthians were to know something of God walking in their midst they needed to what in the fear of God perfect themselves in holiness and perfect means simply to be mature consecration is the payment really a privilege and I wonder if the reason why so many people can get rid of worldliness and can't get rid of sin in their lives is because they either fail to see the gifts that come with that or they've esteemed that the world has something better to offer every person has to make a conscious decision not just to set the Lord always before them listen every person he said make a conscious decision to say am I going to live my short little life for my pleasure and my desires and sin and waste my life or am I going to position myself to whatever God cause me too so that I can know something of his nearness and something of his power you and I have to make that choice and the decision that they had to make is a decision you and I have to make it requires consecration it's a very unpopular subject especially when as evangelicals we emphasize something called grace and we should justification by faith salvation by faith so then when you introduce something that requires you to do something attendez go up and they go what's your deal well my deal is this that salvation is a guarantee but not the call of God for your life and that's the Bible you and I don't just get faith and then automatically receive everything God wants us to have on this side of heaven you might have heaven and I would question if you even get that if you think you can live however you want if you have faith but you and I must enter into that stream in order to know something of God's wonderful blessings in life two rules set God always before you and consecrate yourself and you realize that it wasn't a price after all it was something that was worth it let's see verse 14 and 15 excuse me verse 7 alright here's what happened God spoke to the people God spoke to the priests now God wants to speak to the leader individually God wants to look at Joshua as an individual person and give him something now Joshua has been showered with encouragement concerning his call but now God wants to assure the man and make sure that everybody knows that he is really called look at verse 7 the Lord said to Joshua today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel that they may know that as I was with Moses so I will be with you not an amazing encouragement because I've been encouraging you and I've called you by name I've called you by my own voice but it's one thing for you to know that you are called I'm gonna make sure everybody else knows that you're called how was Moses assured of his leadership before the eyes of God's people does anybody know the moment where people were like oh this is the leader oh this is the leader because it tells us the moment had happened think out of all the events what was the one thing that set Moses on a pillar of confidence before Israel think no face was shining that's one opinion maybe there was a specific moment the Red Sea that's the exact moment it happened in fact look at Exodus 14 right after they crossed the Red Sea look at verse 31 this tremendous miracle took place and look at this little commentary Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians so the people fear the Lord and they believed in the Lord and who in his servant Moses the water split into two walls they cross through and the result of that was God is God and that's the leader he called to take charge of this mission to bring this into the promised land now that happened for Moses how is it going to happen for Joshua in the very same way he's gonna lead them through the Jordan River on dry ground mimicking and modeling the very same thing that impressed in the hearts of people through Moses miracle rather God through Moses for the Red Sea do you see the parallel in the window do you see how it's a mirror rather now how do we apply this to our lives here's how you apply it especially if you're a leader or aspiring to be in ministry if you feel a call to serve God in a particular way be encouraged by this truth Joshua did not need to exalt himself Joshua didn't need to promote himself Joshua didn't need to convince everybody how he was called by God Joshua didn't need to knock on doors Joshua didn't need to assume leadership or push his way into a place joshua was exalted by god and listen to this very carefully if you're called by God God will make sure that people know you're called by him that's a little controversial especially when people treat ministry like a job ministry is not a job it's a calling from God and if it is a job I wouldn't get into it because would you why would you position yourself there's so many other careers pick something that doesn't involve spiritual warfare and the forces of Satan coming against you a good deal right but if you're called God will in some way somehow impress it upon certain people's hearts that this person is truly set apart for a purpose in God's kingdom are you gonna have people that are gonna opposed sure you're gonna have people that are gonna criticize sure but there will be a knowing there will be hearts that are touched especially the hearts in which people the people God wants you to serve well no this is something that is sent from God and so you know what I read that I you know whatever you don't have to bear the burden of exalting yourself and of convincing people live out in obedience to the degree that God has given you in that season that you're in right now and if God truly calls you sport-specific ministry he will know how to promote you effortlessly on your part take that burden bring it to the feet of Jesus and say Lord if you've really called me like I feel that you've called me I'll know that you'll bring me in where you need to bring me in it's as simple as that he didn't say Joshua I know I've called you but I don't know if the people are gonna be convinced so do this in this and this to show them necessarily that you're a call no he says I will do it I'll do it through you yes but it'll be effortless on your part what a wonderful comfort it's all on the Lord if it's on the Lord you can trust them now we scroll down to verse 14 and 15 all of this has a specific timing which is absolutely important to understand the people are at the bank of the Jordan now if you see the Jordan River it's not very comparable to the Red Sea but what we see in verse 14 and 15 is that the people are faced at a body of water with something that is interesting note here in verse 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of water now look at this in parentheses look at the insight now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of the Marvis do you see that so this specific season and this specific moment this body of water is not normally what it should be it is swollen it is coming off of the banks it is extra dangerous it is extra active is making the task even more difficult than it needed to be for them to be able to cross through especially as a large group of people so now God and his sovereignty does what don't get distracted what does God do in his sovereignty he chooses a specific timing in the year where the water is gonna be that much more difficult to cross in order for them to face something and pull out more faith from their hearts more than if it was another time of the year so the author wants to say realize that it's not any ordinary time this is a specific time where it's flood season and God and his sovereignty goes now is the time to go and they go up to the bank and they're probably looking each other like really is this really the time can we just camp out until the season passes by and we can just move on through easily God's us know this is the time I want it to happen and now you can imagine as that water was rushing through we don't know what was going on in that moment all we know is that the Holy Spirit says this is gonna be a little bit more of a challenge than it could have been that's how God likes to work by the way just to give you an insight he could have done it an easier way and he could have gotten glory for it but God saw an opportunity to get more glory from it and it would be a little bit more difficult on their part to grasp but if they just had enough faith they would see God's greater glory in it so it was in just the directions that God was sovereignly over it was the timing and please know this if you're gonna ask God for his will for your life it's not just gonna include where where and how it's gonna include when and that's the part that is the most that we want God's calling we just don't want the challenges that come with it we don't want the testings that come with it we don't want to be faced with anything that would cause us to be fearful or anxious but God often times in your life in mind we'll do such a thing can he do things easily sure can he prevent certain things absolutely but in this moment for Israel and often times in your life he wants to maximize his glory and so what are they gonna do well it's gonna require faith on their part and there's something about Jesus and his timing that often times does it make sense to us and it's not an absence of his love if he makes you wait on something or if he presents a circumstance that doesn't allow you to smoothly move forward it's not an absence of his love better believe it's a result of his love so you have a man who was a friend to Jesus his name was Lazarus and not only was Lazarus a friend to Jesus Lazarus had two sisters that loved Jesus and Jesus loved them and one day Jesus gets news that Lazarus is desperately sick and his sisters sent forth a word to say go grab Jesus because if he gets back here on time maybe Lazarus can be healed and we can keep our brother so news comes to Jesus people were sent Express Mail to meet the Savior and when they come to Jesus he gets the news and John chapter 11 we see his response in verse 5 look at this this is astounding to me it says now Jesus loved and now the Holy Spirit wants to emphasize the fact that he loved them Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus like he loved them personally he loved them individually not as a family not as a group he loved them each with an intense love with a pure love with a holy love with a sacrificial love and so we're going okay he loved them he got news that he's sick now pause before we got to the next verse imagine you had a cure for some kind of a sickness and your family friends at a distance knew that you had this cure and somebody that you knew your entire life or somebody at least that you loved so deeply is sick and so news is sent to saying so-and-so is sick but we know that you're able to provide somebody that you possess and we need it desperately and you and your love having that ability and having the even the ability to make it there would you not drop everything to make sure that they do not pass on from life to death knowing that everything is is lying in your hands and you have that responsibility in that opportunity would you not do whatever you needed to do to make sure that your friend your family member that you loved with no healing you wonder how Jesus responded because you love them look at verse six so so what because he loved them when you heard that Lazarus was ill he stayed two days longer but you love them I love them he's ill he's ill so Jesus let's go actually I'm gonna stay two days longer Jesus loves with an intensity and with a measure and in a way that some of us cannot comprehend see Christ can show his love by immediately intervening in a situated situation in your life in mine but you know how else he can manifest his love by not meeting that need right away so what's gonna happen Jesus if you love them will you not prevent your friend Lazarus from tasting death sure you could have but he didn't and some might argue well jesus knew that he had the power to raise him from the dead yeah but he added two days of grief and pain to his sisters and all other loved ones he could have prevented them from experiencing two days of more grief but no he loved them so he allowed them to experience more pain for two days and so we think what love is this how does this love make sense and to be honest we don't know the ins and outs of how Jesus shows his love in this particular way but there is an umbrella of truth over every circumstance in this one and you're in mind that can testify something of God's love how is God's love manifested and prolong suffering look at this verse in Romans five verse three and five and here's the umbrella of truth more than that we being Christians rejoice in our sufferings do you know anybody else that can rejoice in their sufferings I can't other than a Christian we rejoice in our sufferings was Lazarus suffering where his sister's suffering emotionally they weren't having a grand day in that moment let's be real they're human they were suffering why could people Christians particularly rejoice knowing something there's a truth that surpasses the pain in the moment that anchors us there's a knowledge of something that keeps us grounded in suffering listen ready for this not just grounded it's one thing to be grounded it's another thing to rejoice to be grounded is one thing to be kept together to be one thing to come into church without falling apart is one thing but to come into church and to sing on top of it that's something else there's a knowledge of something unknowing that suffering there's a production in suffering there's a producing in the womb of suffering and what is it endurance but that endurance produces something else and it tells us at verse 4 and endurance produces character and character produces hope sold on Jesus loved Martha Lazarus Mary so he prolongs their suffering and in prolonging their suffering he knew that something in purifies something in pain produces and cleans chisels and moulds a character that cannot be known unless through the tools and the instruments of grief I love you enough to answer your heart cry to be like Jesus so here's some suffering so in that place of any category of pain we can know that we are deeply loved and that God and His sovereignty allows it because he knows that through it there will be something that will come out of you there will be something that will shine from you that will come through the polishing of pain and so we don't just look at suffering and go and cling hoping that God is in control we look at it in the face and know that we can experience something wonderful through it in the moment that doesn't feel like it often times in retrospect we see it you can be amazed to know how suffering creates more compassion in people how tender they become after they experience trials in their own life and they're faced with others and they know how to speak to them and they know how to allow them to lean on their shoulder it'd be amazed to know what shattering events in life can build so much in you and me and so Jesus loved them and so he prolongs the suffering and we think Jesus is only way of showing his love is removing suffering his love is much deeper than that well you go back to John 11 and you realize that there's another motivation for this it is for his love for us but look at verse 4 before what he says in verse 6 and verse 5 and 6 but when Jesus heard it he said this illness does not lead to death it is for the glory of God so that the Son of God may be glorified through it so there there's another ambition God in our suffering yes because he loves us and he wants to show his love but he wants to get glory he wants to get glory he could have gotten glory by healing Lazarus earlier but he's going to get more glory from raising him from the dead and the price was a little bit more tears the price was a little bit more agony the price was waiting but the outcome the production in the persons and the glorification of the Son of God this is what Christ is after if you want to know two pillars as you and I face any type of pain it is God loves me to allow me to go through this and God's gonna get glory out of this one way or another so the people facing the Jordan as they see the water maybe having water splash on them wondering how they're gonna get across they realized that God allowed this timing so that he can get glory out of it and he loved them enough that through this there would be a producing the faith a producing of character producing of trust so that when they face other things they have a memorial in fact chapter four we're gonna get to it next week if we have next week is gonna tell us that they're gonna have a memorial to look back on so that when they face future trials they have something to stare at long enough to realize that he's the same God so if there is even a moment in your life where it is so turbulent that it's almost causing you to question life itself do you realize that God is instituting and establishing a memorial so that for the rest of your days you can say he took me out of that so he's gonna take me out of this that's how God works experientially yes we know things theologically but when that theology becomes real and tangible and touchable and it leaves some scars that's something that creates a faith that is unbelievably comforting so let's summarize in this I want to know God's will for your life in mind this is not I see Jesus where we are putting our interpretation to the tax it's a universal principle from I will covered a Bible cover and it is this set the Lord always before you it's as simple as that consecrate yourselves in that same process because I say God I want this and I want that and to live in a way that hurts his heart they're incompatible God knows how to exalt you and I if he has a calling for you and I God knows the borders of your influence and he knows how to expand them if he chooses and as you seek him for it in God's timing in transition God's timing in your life and mind does not line up with our calendar or our watch but God knows how to manifest his love in timing and prolonging things and making things quicker than they need to be God's timing is amazing but it is always motivated by a throbbing love and by a way of extracting every ounce of glory that he can get and the more we comply and wait and trust the more we can know something of that deep affection he has for us and through us become a trophy where people praise him as they see his glory through your life and mine here's how we're gonna close sign this Bible study all we're gonna do as a response to this Bible study I want you to think of every area of your life now and set it before God and let the Lord be before you say Lord I'm putting this before you and I'm letting you lead me help me to walk in a conscious awareness of leaning upon you and trusting in you that could be for your ministry that could be for your spouse or your spouse to be that could be for anything in your life take your hand off of it and say God take it take charge it doesn't mean you don't make decisions it just means that you're keeping him in mind as you're doing it and whatever timing God brings you into may these truths be anchored in your soul so that you remember okay I'm facing this and I don't understand why but I know that it's gonna be for God's love in my life to be known and for God's glory for other people to know that's your inheritance in mine let's pray tonight what is it that you need to set before the Lord tonight set it before him now total confidence your future the decisions that you feel like you need to make the opportunities that seem to be lacking whatever it is God said to them through this instruction make my presence visible keep your eyes on me don't crowd or get ahead so that you miss where I'm leading you because I know the terrain of your future God I bring it before you and if you brought every aspect of your life before him bring it before him afresh say Lord it's yours I bring it before you God we do spy or Hudson let's pray for this nation for the world really for own lives Father in Jesus name we look to you as the only hope for a chaotic situation as this God it's so easy to be shaken but we set you before us at our right hand and we know that we will not be shaken lor this is not a call to fear but it's a call to be wise a call to be prayerful and Lord if anything as a church tonight we see this as a tremendous opportunity to see the Prince of Peace manifest in such panic around us show us slow with their own lives with the people that we know to demonstrate that peace and that serenity show us got as a church how to operate and how to even move forward from this moment on and somehow Lord as so many distractions are put away sporting events entertainment traveling and the whole world now is at a halt father we pray by the power of your Holy Spirit that you would manifest your glory to an undistracted generation we see this as a window of time for people to behold Christ may we not waste it and while we pray for your power to come in a way like we can't even comprehend use this Lord for your glory do not be silent Lord do not withdraw yourself but in the opposite penetrate the hearts of a depraved generation of a darkened people of a corrupted society and culture sweep through with your conviction sweep through with the news of Jesus Christ me every person believer and non-believer feel how frail they are and how even a virus can put a whole world into such confusion and chaos Lord may that fear be given to you instead of these things and may you manifest your glory Lord and your judgments and your love and your gospel we pray God that you protect every person from head to toe from any sickness any disease Lord you promised that you were sovereign over our health and that nothing will touch us unless you permit it to but we asked for health we out ask for perfect energy and strength we ask that you would prolong our days for your glory God and while we give you our hearts tonight as a corporate body we set you before us and we consecrate ourselves and we say O Lord manifest yourself and do wondrous things through our lives we give you all the glory all the praise we gave you our complete trust for our lives and for this period of time that we are experiencing in Jesus name we pray amen you

Channel: UE Church - Chicago

Views: 1,865

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: daniel batarseh, uec, ue church, united evangelical church, chicago, des plaines, illinois, bible study, sermon, Joshua 3

Id: 2thl2BOj-iE

Length: 52min 47sec (3167 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 15 2020