Sermons

Craftiness and Covenants

The children of Israel allowed themselves to be duped out of part of their inheritance because they were taken in by some deceiving "ambassadors" who lied to them and tricked them into making a covenant with them – despite the Lord's command to destroy all the wicked Canaanites. It is strange to think that the Israelites got into this mess because they repeated a failure that they had just recently made in the matter of their attack upon Ai – they did not pray to the Lord and seek His guidance before making their plans and decisions. The Christian life must be a life of prayer. A prayerless Christian misses out on so much blessedness. Without prayer and the reading of the Word, true communication does not exist between the Lord and our souls. As a part of the Body of Christ, we ought to be lifting one another up in prayer – following the example of our Lord Jesus Himself, Who is repeatedly depicted in the Gospels as spending much time praying for His people!

Victory!

After Achan's sin had been dealt with, the Lord assured Joshua that the Israelites would be successful in a second attack upon the city of Ai. This time, a plan was employed whereby the city would be captured and conquered by an ambush strategy. When the Israelites pretended to retreat again, the men of Ai pursued them, giving the ambushers an opportunity to take the city and burn it. None of the inhabitants of Ai survived; even the king, who was brought to Joshua, was not spared. Like the victorious Israelites, we might be tempted to think that we obtain victory over our sins because we are "good people." But nothing could be farther from the truth. The only reason that God shows us any favor and grace is because Jesus, our Captain and our heavenly Joshua, has already fought and won the battle against the enemies of our souls!

Kill sin - NOW

After the victory at Jericho, we are expecting to hear of more great things happening. The Israelites are confident and fully expect to continue their successses; but instead, at Ai, they are confronted with a shocking defeat. Joshua is confused and is beginning to wonder whether God is going to follow through with His promises to His people. The Lord answers Joshua's prayers rather brusquely – "Get up!" He tells him that the problem is in Joshua's own camp, and must be rooted out. We can only imagine how uncomfortable Achan was when Joshua got nearer and nearer to discovering his crime. He had stolen gold, silver, and a garment from the spoils of Jericho that had been devoted to the Lord. But he couldn't even enjoy the things he had stolen. And he could have repented of his sin at any time before Joshua's piercing eye demanded him to explain to him what he had done. When we hide sin in our hearts, its consequences are far-reaching. We cannot conceal our transgressions and our guilt from the eye of God, Who sees everything. We would do well to examine our hearts, confess our sins to the Lord, and find forgiveness and blessedness in Him! (Psalm 32)

God Takes Jericho

As Joshua is surveying the city of Jericho, pondering on the best course of action, he is suddenly confronted by a Man with a drawn sword. Joshua instinctively recognizes that this is his Lord, and he bows and worships in His holy presence. This Man was the Commander of the army of the Lord, and He had now come to fulfill His promise from Exodus 23 and go before His people in the conquest of the land of Canaan. Without Him, all the brilliant military strategies that the Israelites may have devised would have been worthless! The battle plan that the Lord laid out before Joshua seemed ridiculous. But the people were going to be shown that their victory could only be obtained by trusting in the Lord. Every step they took as they silently marched around Jericho's walls was an act of obedient faith. And their confidence was placed in the Lord Himself, Whose presence (represented by the Ark of the Covenant) was in the very midst of the marching men. Only Rahab's family was spared when Jericho was destroyed. It may seem cruel that all the others in the city were put to death, but we must remember that the Lord had patiently waited for the these people to repent and find mercy in Him for hundreds of years. And they stubbornly refused to do so. Sinners must flee from the wrath to come and turn to Jesus for their only hope and answer, contrary to what many teach us today. Will we obediently follow the ways of the Lord, or will we turn aside to pursue the world's wisdom and pleasures? Jesus Christ, our Commander, has won the victory for us; and He still leads His people. Let's pray for grace to rejoice in His victory and follow Him faithfully!

The Covenant Renewed

Before the people of God could march in and conquer the land of Canaan, they had an issue that needed to be resolved. They had not observed the signs of the Lord's Covenant with them: circumcision and the Passover. In spite of all the wonders that God had already done for the Israelites, the warlords of Canaan resolved to fight to the last, instead of bowing the knee before the Lord. And yet now He tells His people to incapacitate their entire army by doing something they had neglected and ignored for the last 40 years – circumcising all the Israelite men, thereby giving them the sign and the seal that they belonged to God. People tend to not like a disciplining God, as He had showed Himself to be during the Israelites' wilderness wanderings. The good news of the Gospel is true, but we cannot live however we want and still be blessed by the Lord. But praise His name – there is hope for the next generation! The people of Israel also celebrated the Passover – the remembrance of the Lord's redemption of their nation from slavery in Egypt. And the very next day, they enjoyed the produce of the land of Canaan and the fruit of the Lord's fulfilled promises! Are we passing on our faith to the next generation of our children and grandchildren? They must be discipled and pointed to the Lord Jesus! When this is done, the Gospel will melt the hearts of whole families and begin to have an influence upon the culture in general.

Take Stock of Your Life

Ephesians

Remember the Lord's Work!

A wedding ring is a sign and symbol of a promise that was made on a very special day in the lives of a husband and wife. We want to remember things that are important to us. In fact, one of the key words that is repeated over and over again in the Bible is "remember." As God's people, that is what we are called to be – a remembering people. Joshua had detailed 12 men to pick up 12 stones out of the Jordan River, which were to be set up as a monument when the Israelites reached Gilgal on the other side of the Jordan River. But it was not to be a memorial of when the people crossed the River; it was to be a memorial of the amazing power of the all-powerful God, Who miraculously caused the waters to part for His people. The 12 stones were to be a memorial that would help God's people remember His mighty works on their behalf – just like the Lord's Supper is a memorial to us of the work of redemption that Jesus carried out for us! The Lord knew that when the children and the future generations would see the memorial at Gilgal, they would be curious and ask their parents what they meant. And the parents were to tell them that this was the place where God displayed His power and brought them into the land of Canaan. The good news of the Gospel is for us and our children. God wants us to remember and think of Him as strong and powerful and victorious over His enemies. Remembering is hard! Too often, we forget God's mercy and kindness to us. Pray for grace to make a practical memorial for yourself, and to have purposeful conversations with your children and grandchildren about our God – Who always keeps His promises and is worth remembering!

Don't be a baby

A Promise-Keeping God

Our God does not deal in empty promises. He means every Word that He says, and He will bring each one to a perfect fulfillment. Here in Joshua 3, He is beginning to fulfill the promise that He made to Abraham, hundreds of years earlier. The people of Israel are standing on the banks of the Jordan River. The Ark of the Covenant is far ahead of the rest of the people, making it clear to all that it was the Lord Himself Who was leading the way. Joshua reminds the people that they have a faithful God Who keeps His Word and fulfills His promises. How would they know this for sure? They would see the Jordan River open up before their own eyes when the priests who were carrying the Ark stepped into the water. The waters of Jordan would split, as the Red Sea did, in obedience to "the Lord of all the earth." Everything on earth is His; He is the Creator, Master, and Ruler of all! Every step that the Israelites took forward was an act of faith in the God Who keeps His promises. Do we believe His Word to us?

An Unlikely Convert

People often miss the point when they talk about the narrative of Rahab in Jericho. They get too caught up in talking about her lie concerning the Hebrew spies that she was hiding, but the theme we are to focus on here is Rahab's growing faith. When the spies were in her home, Rahab told them that she knew God had given the land of Canaan to the Israelites; and she confessed to them that all the people of the land were fearful of them, because they still remembered how the Lord had worked on their behalf at the Red Sea, forty years earlier. She acknowledged Jehovah to be the one true God, and she essentially denounced everything she had known as a Canaanite. Rahab knew her only hope was to turn to the God of Israel, and the spies responded to her with a promise of safety for her and her family. Rahab ought to be remembered most of all for her faith. That's what the New Testament writers focused on when they mentioned her. This Canaanite woman was at the very bottom of society, but she illustrates for us how the Lord raises up the lowest sinners and turns them into saints. Sinners are to be brought into the Church so that they may be healed there and enter into a relationship with the only One Who can save them from their sins!

God's Eternal Love

Do You Love God's Word?

How do you feel about God's Word? Can you echo what the Psalmist said about it – "O how I love Your law!" Loving God and loving His Word go hand in hand. The Bible is God's communication with us. Is it sweet to you? Do you cultivate a taste for it? How do you use God's Word? You must actually pick it up and read it, and discipline yourself to read and understand – even if that means giving up time from some other pastime that you enjoy. This does not come naturally for anyone! But as you cultivate a taste for God's Word, it will become sweet to you. What benefit does God's Word have for me? We have spiritual enemies that are always on the lookout to throw us down, and the Scriptures have the wisdom we need in order to combat them. Not only that, the Bible also outlines all the boundaries we need so that we can avoid falling into the pits of tempation. What will you do with this information? Will you keep a hardened heart, or will you devote yourself to loving God's Word – starting right now?

Our Humble King

Humility is something that is so foreign to the minds of most Americans. But God calls us to humility, and He gives us a supreme example of it in the Person of Jesus Christ. He was God Himself! He is and always has been King, yet He set aside His Kingship and took the form of human flesh. Unlike earthly rulers who seek to maintain their power at all costs, Jesus left His throne and became like a slave. He came to be obedient to the Law of God, because we are not. He did not sin, but He came to pay the price for our sins. We have fallen into a miry pit, but He came to rescue us and save us. We can't talk about Jesus coming in the flesh without talking about why He did so. Everyone on earth – either willingly or unwillingly – will confess that He is Lord and bow the knee to Him! Are you still trying to hold on to your own ways? Or do you confess Jesus Christ as your Lord? Do you do all to bring Him glory?

Promise Keeping

Joshua 1:10-18 calls God's people to keep their covenant promises, stand with one another, and fix their eyes on Jesus, the faithful King who keeps every promise.

Be Strong and Courageous!

At the commandment of the Lord, Moses had commissioned Joshua to be the next leader of His people. He would take Israel across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land. The Lord promised Joshua that He would never leave him nor forsake him. But how would Joshua find the courage he needed to carry out the tremendous responsibility that was laid upon him? Where would the nation that was under his command find their strength? Verses 8 and 9 of this chapter reveal the source of courage: the Word of God! Our courage and confidence does not come from the strength of our arms or the numbers of our armies. It is found in the pages of Scripture. Unfortunately, Israel did not fully obey the words of the Lord; but we are in the same position – not one of us can obey God perfectly. However, the Word of God points us the Lord Jesus, Who did keep the Law without any fault or flaw! And because of what He has done to redeem us and save us, we have true courage! We have no strength, courage, or confidence in ourselves; but the Lord's promises are for us today, too. He has assured us that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and His Divine presence is what strengthens us!

Do Not Covet - Contentment and Gratitude

By nature, we all possess a heart of ingratitude and covetousness for things we don't have. And it doesn't help that we are constantly bombarded by advertisements and other ungodly influences that try to promote the world's mindset of discontentment and "more is better." In the Tenth Commandment, the Lord forbids the sin of covetousness. This is a sin that makes us distrust God's goodness, become bitter against our neighbors, lose our own joy, and grow anxious and stressed. It may not seem like this sin is "really that bad." After all, it's not as bad as murder, stealing, or adultery, is it? The truth is, however, that all of these terrible crimes had their beginning in a covetous heart that was not satisfied with the blessings that the Lord had already provided. How can the sin of covetousness be conquered? It helps to cultivate a mindset of subtraction, instead of always yielding to the world's push for "more and bigger and better." Contentment is not found in the stuff that we own. It is also helpful to have our heart and mind focused on our eternal treasures in heaven. And a spirit of thankfulness and gratitude for the everyday things in life will go a long way in battling the sin of covetousness. Above all, though, we need to properly value the preciousness of our Lord Jesus! When we do this, everything else will fall into its proper perspective; and we will find ourselves not only growing in thanksgiving, but also in "thanks-living!"

Promote Truth

Even though people often have more respect for those who speak the truth, being consistently truthful can be a very difficult thing. But God is a God of truth, and He has made it clear to us in His Word that people who tell lies encounter serious consequences (e.g., Ananias and Sapphira). There are all kinds of ways in which we are often untruthful – whether it is exaggerating, leaving out details, believing untruths about other people without evidence, or telling outright falsehoods. One small lie starts great fires, and the Lord assures us that liers don't have a place in heaven. The Psalms describe those who dwell on God's holy hill as being those who tell the truth. As believers, we strive to be truthful because we have put on Christ. He is the only human being Who has never lied; and if we love Him, we will endeavor to imitate Him and keep His Commandments. Is His Spirit within us, helping us to tell the truth no matter what the cost?

Don't Steal - Promote Wealth

Ten Commandments

Promote Purity

Marriage is a beautiful picture, for it represents the relationship that will be enjoyed between the Lord Jesus and His Church when He returns to bring her to His heavenly home in glory! But in our culture, there is so much wordly influence upon the way we view the marriage relationship; and it is the complete opposite of the purity that the Seventh Commandment requires of us. Immorality in this sphere is not just a physical issue; it is a heart issue as well. Usually a person who involves themselves in these kinds of sins has already walked away from a relationship with Christ. Jesus is extremely zelaous for the preservation of the marriage-relationship, and He tells us that even looking at someone in a wrong way is adultery in the heart. He requires His followers to do anything and everything to avoid this sin, and even every situation that may lead to a temptation thereto -- as Joseph did in Potiphar's house (Genesis 39). We are not to merely strive or fight against this sin; we must flee from it! Why is this so serious? Because our bodies are for the Lord, not for immorality. God has made us for His own glory; our bodies are not our own. We have been redeemed and bought with a price; our bodies are now temples for the Lord, and ought not to be defiled with impurity and immorality!

Sola

The "Five Solas" outline the key points that Martin Luther and other Godly leaders took a stand on during the Reformation. 1. Sola Scriptura: The Scriptures alone are our only principle of authority. They are the inspired Words of God Himself; and they do not change, despite how much our post-modern world tries to misinterpret their meaning. If we reject the authority of God's Word, we reject God Himself. 2. Sola Gratia: By Grace alone, God repairs the broken relationship that exists between Himself and mankind. As sinners, we can do nothing that merits His favor and mercy. 3. Sola Fide: Salvation is received by Faith alone; we are not saved by a "faith + works" system. Jesus was perfect and paid the entire price of our salvation for us. 4. Sola Christus: Christ alone is our Savior, He alone is the only way for us to get to the Father, and He alone gives us peace. If He had not come to earth, died for us, and rose again, we would be in everlasting trouble. 5. Sola Deo Gloria: All the Glory goes to God alone! He saved us -- not because of any good works that we had done, but so that we may now do good works that bring glory to His name!

Our Hope

The 5th Commandment

Sadly, the philosophy of the modern age in which we live does not respect authority, especially within the family unit. In fact, our culture accepts rebellion against parental authority, and even promotes it. But God is very serious about this matter, as we can see in this Commandment. He intends for fathers and mothers to govern and disciple their families, and there is no other way around it. Children must obey and respect that authority. Jesus was a perfect Example in this matter. The Gospels present many instances of Him respecting His mother, Mary; and He also continually showed honor to His heavenly Father (John 5:30). He even called out the Pharisees for permitting and condoning dishonor to one's parents. Ephesians 6:1 and Colossians 3:20 remind us of the importance of this Commandment. Parents are to be respected and honored. And this Commandment comes with the promise that it will go well with us as we honor our father and mother.

The Fourth Commandment

Sadly, in today's culture, the observance of the Fourth Commandment has mostly gone by the wayside. But we really have to stop and think, "Is our society truly any better than back in the times when the Lord's Day was observed?" The Lord completed His work of Creation in six days and set an example for us of resting on the seventh day. Unfortunately, many come up with all kinds of objections as to why we cannot or do not need to keep the Lord's Day. It is hard to not fall into the temptation of trying to divide our time between God and the world. But the Lord assures us that if we call His Day a delight, we will be blessed! He will remind us of His promises and recenter our hearts upon Himself.

Honor God's Name

The Lord -- the great and self-existent "I AM" -- used His holy name over 6,000 times in the Old Testament, so it is clear that He does not want His name to be hidden from us. However, as this Commandment makes clear, He does not want us to use that holy name lightly or reverently. What does it mean to take God's name in vain? It certainly includes using that name as a curse word or a swear word; but it would also include the prophesying of falsehood in the Lord's name, as well as mocking His name. God tells us that He will not hold the person guiltless who uses His name in vain. But how do we use His name rightly? He wants us to praise and bless His name, and to use it to cry out to Him for help and mercy. We have salvation through Jesus' name; therefore, let us pray for grace to glorify and honor that holy name every single day, by our words and by our actions!