How To Get Past Your Jordan- Part 1
Joshua 3:1-6
And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and
came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they
passed over.
[2] And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the
host;
[3] And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the
covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye
shall remove from your place, and go after it.
Joshua 3:4
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by
measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must
go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.
Joshua 3:14-17
And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over
Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
[15] And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the
priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan
overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
WE HAVE NEVER BEEN THIS WAY BEFORE !
INTRO -- GOD SAID THE FUTURE BEGINS EARLY IN THE MORNING
Joshua 3:1 And Joshua rose early in the morning;
NOTE : Joshua 6:12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests
took up the ark of the Lord.
Joshua 7:16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by
their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
Joshua 8:10 And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the
people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
We’ve just examined the faith of an individual, Rahab; and now the focus in the
Book of Joshua moves to the faith of an entire nation. As you study, keep in
mind that this book deals with much more than ancient history—what God did
centuries ago for the Jews.
It’s about your life and the life of the church today—what God wants to do here
and now for those who trust Him.
The Book of Joshua is about the victory of faith and the glory that comes to
God when His people trust and obey. British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli
said, “The world was never conquered by intrigue; it was conquered by faith.”
Too many of God’s people have the mistaken idea that salvation—being
delivered from the bondage of Egypt—is all that’s involved in the Christian life;
but salvation is only the beginning. Both in our personal spiritual growth and in
our service for the Lord,
Joshua 13:1 Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord said
unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very
much land to be possessed.
The theme of the Book of Joshua is
The theme of the Book of Hebrews:
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us
go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead
works, and of faith toward God,
The only way to go on is by faith.
Unbelief says, “Let’s go back to where it’s safe”; but faith says, “Let’s go
forward to where God is working”
Numbers 14:1-4
And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept
that night.
[2] And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron:
and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the
land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
[3] And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword,
that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to
return into Egypt?
[4] And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into
Egypt.
Forty years before, Joshua and Caleb had assured the Jews, “Let us go up at
once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” That’s faith!
But the people said, “We are not able!” That’s unbelief, and it cost the nation
forty years of discipline in the wilderness
1 John 5:4
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory
that overcometh the world, even our faith.
The Christians I’ve read about were all different in their backgrounds,
their training, their personalities, and their ways of serving God; but they
had one thing in common:
They all believed God’s promises and did what He told them to do.
They were men and women of faith, and God honored them because they
believed His Word.
God hasn’t changed, and the principle of faith hasn’t changed.
What seems to have changed is the attitude of God’s people:
We no longer believe God and act by faith in His promises.
God has “brought us out that He might bring us in,” but too often we fail to
Hebrews 3:19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
GENUINE FAITH IS ALWAYS TESTED AND IT IS ABOUT TO BE
TESTED !
GENUINE MATURITY IS ALWAYS TESTED AND IT IS ABOUT TO BE
TESTED !
GENUINE OBEDIENCE IS ALWAYS TESTED AND IT IS ABOUT TO BE
TESTED !
I PRAY YOU ARE LISTENING -- FOR THIS IS NOT JUST FOR ISRAEL --
OUR CHURCH IS ABOUT TO BE TESTED IN ALL THESE AREAS !
FIRST TEST WAS THIS JORDAN -- THAT THEY HAD TO GET PAST
FIRST ! TO FAIL HERE MEANT STAYING AND LIVING IN THE
WILDERNESS !
GET PAST THE JORDAN OF !
1 - CIRCUMSTANCE
THE PASSAGE OF THE JORDAN WAS A TYPE OF
DYING OUT TO JESUS --
Joshua 3:15
And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the
priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan
overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
Normally, this would not have presented much of a problem, since the Jordan
was only 100 feet wide at Gilgal where they crossed.
However, it seems that God always does things in such a way that no man can
boast of having done them on their own.
This crossing would be no exception.
You see, God brought them to the Jordan River at the time of harvest, 3:15.
Those who have been there during the harvest time tell us that the Jordan
swells to an impassable width of over 1 mile!
It was over 50 times wider than it normally would have been when Israel arrived.
There was no way they could cross this river on their own!
When we look at the obstacles that stand between us and spiritual victory in
our own Canaan, we may feel that we will never be able to enter our Canaan of
victory and enjoy the abundant life that Jesus promised His followers.
THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES THAT KEPT THE FIRST GENERATION IN THE
WILDERNESS IS STILL HERE --
THE GIANTS STILL LIVE IN THE LAND THE CITIES ARE STILL WALLED CITIES
SOMEONE HAS SAID :
IT IS NOT WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING THAT COUNTS IT WHAT IT TAKES TO
MAKE YOU QUIT !
CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON'S WIFE WAS SICK MOST OF HER LIFE AND
YET RAN THE LARGEST BOOKSTORE IN ENGLAND FROM HER BED !
WHERE IS THIS KIND OF CHRISTIANITY ?
Daniel 3:17-18
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery
furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
[18] But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods,
nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
WE HAVE COME SO SELF CENTERED AND SELF ABSORBED -- THAT WE ARE
TOTALLY MISSING WHY GOD PUT US HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE !
Rev. 4:11
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast
created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Everything that God brings into our life is directed to one purpose: that we
might be conformed to the image of Christ.
ERWIN W. LUTZER (1941– )
Firmly entrenched within every human being lies a most deceptive
presupposition, namely, that circumstances and other people are responsible
for our responses in life.
ERWIN W. LUTZER (1941– )
It is misleading to imagine that we are developed in spite of our circumstances,
we are developed because of them. It is mastery in circumstances that is
needed, not mastery over them.
OSWALD CHAMBERS (1874–1917)
WHERE IS THIS KIND OF CHRISTIANITY ?
Esther 4:13-14 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not
with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the
Jews.
[14] For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there
enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but
thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth
whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
GET PAST THE JORDAN OF !
1 - CIRCUMSTANCE
2 - COMFORT
Joshua 3:1
And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and
came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they
passed over.
Joshua ordered the camp to move ten miles from The Acacia Grove (Shittim) to
the Jordan; and no doubt the people in Jericho watched this march with great
apprehension. It probably took Israel a day to make this journey; they rested
another day; and on the third day, the officers gave them their orders: The
people were to cross the river, following the ark of the covenant.
Joshua 3:4
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by
measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must
go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.
The ark is mentioned sixteen times in chapters 3 and 4. It’s called “the ark of
the covenant” ten times, “the ark of the Lord” three times, and simply “the
ark” three times. It was the “throne of God,” the place where His glory rested
in the tabernacle (Ex. 25:10-22) and “thou that dwellest between the cherubim”
(Ps. 80:1). The Law of God was kept in the ark, a reminder of God’s covenant
with Israel; and the blood of the sacrifices was sprinkled on the mercy seat on
the annual Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:14-15).
Each of the tribes had an assigned place in the camp and an assigned order in
the march when they broke up camp (Josh. 2). When the leaders of the tribes
saw the priests bearing the ark and moving toward the river, they were to
prepare their people to follow.
Since the people had not traveled this way before, they needed God to guide
them.
But they were not to get too close to the ark, for this was a holy piece of
furniture from the tabernacle; and it was not to be treated carelessly.
God is our companion as we go through life, but we dare not treat Him like a
“buddy.”
THIS IS OUR GREATEST DANGER HERE AT SOLID ROCK BAPTIST CHURCH !
GET PAST THE JORDAN OF !
1 - CIRCUMSTANCE
2 - COMFORT
3 - CONTROL
Joshua 3:3
And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of
the Lord your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from
your place, and go after it.
Joshua 3:7-8
And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all
Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.
[8] And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying,
When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.
THIS IS THE ONE ISSUE THAT DOOM MORE CHURCHES THAN ANYTHING
ELSE I KNOW !
GOD USES A MAN AS HE DOES HERE WITH JOSHUA -- BUT DON’T MISS THIS
THE LORD IS IN CONTROL !
3 John 1:9-10
I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence
among them, receiveth us not.
[10] Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating
against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he
himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them
out of the church.
GOD HAS SO GRACIOUSLY GROWN OUR CHURCH OVER THE YEARS
-- THERE WAS TIME WHEN WE HAD MORE PEOPLE THAN ROOM --
NOW WE HAVE MORE ROOM THAN PEOPLE . WHEN WE HAD MORE
PEOPLE
WE HADE GET PAST CIRCUMSTANCES AND IN SPITE OF MANY
MOVE AHEAD -- WE ARE HERE AGAIN --
WE HAD TO MOVE OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONE --
TRUTH WAS A LOVED THIS BUILDING AND WHITE CHURCH
THE MARKS OF GENUINE MATURITY IS DISPLAYED WITH GROWTH .
ILLUS. KIDS IN FELLOWSHIP HALL YESTERDAY ! ALL THREE
WANTED CONTROL -- ANSWER I TOOK THE BALL !
OUR CHURCH IN A FEW MONTHS WILL BE TESTED HERE -- I BELIEVE
WE ARE MATURE ENOUGH TO HANDLE !
REGARDLESS THE WORK HAS TO GO ON -- OR WE DIE AS MANY
HAVE -- TRUTH IS WE COULD LIVE FOR A GOOD WHILE BEFORE WE
DIE GOING THROUGH THE ROUTINE AND
DO NOTHING FOR GODS GLORY .
SOONER OR LATER THE WORK DIES !
GROWTH ALWAYS BRINGS CHANGE
CHANGE ALWAYS BRINGS FRICTION
ANSWER TO FRICTION IS OIL
I ASKED TWO QUESTIONS WEDNESDAY NIGHT
OTHER THAT GOING TO CHURCH HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT FROM
EVERYONE ELSE AROUND YOU ?
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH A CHRISTIANITY THAT SIMPLY COMES TO
CHURCH THREE TIMES A WEEK AND SUNDAY SCHOOL ?