We Have Not Passed This Way Before
Joshua 3:1-5
We have just completed a month of celebration for our 175th year as a church. We heard some good preaching and singing from those with connections to this church. Jimmy Porter spoke about Elijah as he sat under a juniper tree. Instead of resigning he encouraged us to resign. David Blackwell talked about the cloud of witnesses that went before us and encouraged us to continue the race. Larry Hill taught us to run the race with patience. Jim Futral talked to us about J.B. Gambrell who was saved and called at Pleasant Ridge. We were his first pastorate.
As we begin our second 175 years I want us to consider this experience in the life of Israel. Israel's history represents a stage of our own spiritual experience.
-Israel was in Egypt as slaves. Egypt represented the world. God delivered Israel from bondage through his prophet Moses. We were in the bondage of sin before we met Jesus. Jesus delivered us from that bondage.
-Israel wandered in the wilderness.
Their experience in the wilderness should have taken a few months to two years. However, it ended up taking them 40 years because of their disobedience. A generation had to die before they could enter Canaan.
Many believers are living beneath their privilege because of unbelief and rebellion. They have no victory.
-Israel is in the Promised Land.
Canaan does not represent heaven. It represents the fullness of life that God wants us to have. Canaan was their inheritance. God wants us to enjoy our riches in Jesus. We can have victory over the world, the flesh and the devil.
Israel is now once again on the borders of the Promised Land. It has taken them forty years to get here. Moses is dead and Joshua is the new leader who will lead them over Jordan.
God said to Joshua and his people, ''You have not passed this way before...'' ''Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.''
They were set apart. They were to ...
Joshua 3:1-5
We have just completed a month of celebration for our 175th year as a church. We heard some good preaching and singing from those with connections to this church. Jimmy Porter spoke about Elijah as he sat under a juniper tree. Instead of resigning he encouraged us to resign. David Blackwell talked about the cloud of witnesses that went before us and encouraged us to continue the race. Larry Hill taught us to run the race with patience. Jim Futral talked to us about J.B. Gambrell who was saved and called at Pleasant Ridge. We were his first pastorate.
As we begin our second 175 years I want us to consider this experience in the life of Israel. Israel's history represents a stage of our own spiritual experience.
-Israel was in Egypt as slaves. Egypt represented the world. God delivered Israel from bondage through his prophet Moses. We were in the bondage of sin before we met Jesus. Jesus delivered us from that bondage.
-Israel wandered in the wilderness.
Their experience in the wilderness should have taken a few months to two years. However, it ended up taking them 40 years because of their disobedience. A generation had to die before they could enter Canaan.
Many believers are living beneath their privilege because of unbelief and rebellion. They have no victory.
-Israel is in the Promised Land.
Canaan does not represent heaven. It represents the fullness of life that God wants us to have. Canaan was their inheritance. God wants us to enjoy our riches in Jesus. We can have victory over the world, the flesh and the devil.
Israel is now once again on the borders of the Promised Land. It has taken them forty years to get here. Moses is dead and Joshua is the new leader who will lead them over Jordan.
God said to Joshua and his people, ''You have not passed this way before...'' ''Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.''
They were set apart. They were to ...
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