Step Into the Water--Joshua 3- October 30, 2011

This morning’s passage of scripture continues the story of the Exodus from Egypt and the entry to the promised land. I have had the privilege of being a guest speaker on 6 different occasions over the last 8 weeks or so and because of that have actually gotten to follow a sermon series so to speak. The problem is, I have always had a different congregation so those listening haven’t had the benefit of hearing the proceeding sermons. Let me catch you up a bit. Thus far we have Moses being spoken to by God through a burning bush, calling him to go back to Egypt where he was raised and deliver the Children of Israel out of their bondage and lead them to Canaan, the land that God had promised to Abraham and his descendants. For 40 years we have this pattern of the Children of Israel wandering through the wilderness. There are many moments of them not trusting God. There are even more moments of God providing for them and showing that he is there with them in this dark time of their life. He provides Manna for food, he provides water from a rock, he provides the provides a cloud for them to follow, He gives them the 10 commandments so they have guardrails for life to keep them from falling. Over and over again the children of Israel languish in their faith, revert to idol worship, do things that are outside of the walk of a God follower and Over and Over again God forgives them, provides for them and loves them. Moses is faithful in his task. Moses is constantly in touch with God and following God’s commands but Moses dies prior to entering the land. The book of Deuteronomy ends with Moses laying hands on Joshua and commissioning him to be the next leader. Joshua was a main character in the Exodus story. He emerged as a leader when spies were sent into Cannan to check out the competition so to speak. Most of the spies were overwhelmed by what they saw but Joshua and Caleb, they saw the potential. While the other 10 spies brought back an exaggerated report of doom and impossibilities, Joshua and Caleb said the land is flowing with milk and honey. Everything is big. But they trusted God. God is bigger than the biggest of things. Sure there are obstacles but God can overcome them. While the others were calling to go back to slavery in Egypt Joshua and Caleb say God says we can do it. Let’s do it. They trusted In God to bring them to the promised land. They are described as wholeheartedly following God. Another time we see Joshua emerging as a leader is when the Israelites go into battle with the Amalekites. The story tells us that as long as Moses was holding up his arms that the Israelites were winning the battle. However if his arms dropped they stopped winning. Moses grew weary. Holding your hands above your head for a long period of time is a very difficult task. And after a period of time it biomes very painful. Joshua was the one who had the military strength and mind who led the Israelites into battle, Moses held up his staff which represented God’s power and Aaron and a man named Hur came to Moses aid when he became weary by holding his hands up for him. They all needed each other. So, Joshua had proven himself in the wilderness to be a strong leader and a follower of God. He is commissioned to lead the Israelite into the promised land. The Israelites are given some final directions by Moses and then Moses dies. The Israelites spend 30 days In mourning over their leader and then they turn to Joshua who will lead them the rest of the way into the promised land. The first two chapters of Joshua are about Joshua preparing himself and the nation for the day of invading the land of Cannan. He sends two spies into the land who come back and report that the people of Cannan are melting in fear of them. Joshua tells the nation to get ready and sends the high priests with the ark of the covenant ahead of them. The first obstacle to their possession is the River of Jordon. It is harvest time and at harvest time the Jordon river flows out of it’s banks. They must cross the Jordon and this is where today’s story picks up.

God tells Joshua it’s time. That today the Nation will see that God’s power is with Joshua in the same way that it was with Moses. God gives the instructions to Joshua and Joshua gives the Instructions to the people of Israel. The instructions were this. The priests were to step into the Jordon with the Ark of the Covenant and stand still while the nation crosses the Jordon. When the sole of the priests shoes touched the water the water stopped. Again waters were parted and dry ground was there for the nation of Israel to cross over into the promised land. This is a great story. What does it have for us today though. First we must determine what is our promised land. One of my guilty pleasures each week is Thursday night TV. I watch Greys Anatomy and Private Practice faithfully. This week on Greys Anatomy there was a scene in the OR between Dr. Calliope Torres and Dr. April Kepner. They are in the OR repairing a mans hand. Torres is the head surgeon and Kepner is assisting. Kepner is doing her usual whining about people not understanding the importance of the paperwork and scheduling she is doing. Torres stops and asks her “Do you want to be an administrative assistant? Is that what makes you heart sing.” Confused April looks at her and says no, of course not. To which Torres replies “then stop hiding behind paperwork and get in the OR and just do it, don’t eat, don’t sleep, just do this and she hands her the surgical tool needed to do the next portion of the surgery.” April, shocked takes the tool and says what you want me to place the K string. Torres says “Is it what makes your heart sing.” April says yes and Torres says then “do it.” For April Kepner and Calliope Torres healing people through surgery is what makes their heart sing, it is their promised land. See, I think as individuals our promised land is that for which God has gifted us with a passion that makes our hearts sing, that energizes us, that puts a smile on our face. For me, this right here is my promised land. Studying God’s word and taking it the step to apply it to our lives today and sharing it with people. I get energized by that and it makes my heart sing for days just to have the opportunity to do it. It makes my heart sing to talk about the passivity of Kingdom come right here on earth as it is in heaven. It makes my heart sing to share with someone that God’s love does not discriminate and everyone is a candidate for God’s grace. What makes your heart sing, what do you dream of doing, what is your passion. What is that thing that you are thinking about right this minute, I wish I would have……..That my friend Is your promised land. Some of you may already be in your promised land but for those of you who are not. Why are you not there. What keeps you from moving forward to realizing the dream. What are the obstacles before you. What is your Jordon River. I was called into ministry 30 years ago and I am here to tell you that I have had a Red Sea, a Wilderness and a Jordon River all to go through. There have been periods of time that I, Like the children of Israel have just wanted to go back to Egypt. There have been times that I have turned around and started back toward Egypt. The latest Obstacle for me was figuring out how in the world I could go back to school, take care of my special needs son, and pay my mortgage. At this stage stepping into the promised land means stepping out of a job I have been doing for 17 years. It means giving up a salary that comfortably paid my mortgage and my bills. That was a very hard thing to give up. Sometimes God forces us to give it up. That is what it finally took for me. I lost my job 6 weeks ago and immediately God began showing me the path to the promised land Before I could see that path though I had to step out of the comfort of my present job and display faith that God would provide. The Priests carrying the ark had to display faith by taking that step into the water. It was only then that the river parted and there was dry land to cross through.

There is another story in the new testament that demonstrates this as well. Look with Me at Matthew 14:17-22:

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

There the disciples are, in the comfort of the boat and Jesus comes walking up to them on the water. Peter says Lord, if it’s you tell me to come to you on the water and Jesus said come. Peter did as Jesus said and started walking toward Jesus on the water, but then he became afraid and took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink. He hollered out Lord save me! Jesus reached down his hand and pulled him up and the two got into the boat.

This is yet another illustration that we have to take steps of faith away from what is comfortable in order to reach the promised land. John Ortberg writes a book solely focused on this passage of scripture. It is titled If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat. There is a study guide that goes along with it and it’s a small group study I would encourage you to do one day. In the preface of the study guide he says “Peter’s walk stands as an invitation to everyone who, like him, wants to step out in faith and experience more of the power and presence of God. Water-walking is a picture of doing with God’s help what we could never do on our own”

This story of Joshua today is full of lessons for us. We could spend a few weeks bringing out each one but for Today this is the lesson I want to leave with you. Name your promised Land, then step into the water, get out of the boat, fix your eyes on Jesus and let God do the impossible in your life, let God bring you to the place that makes your heart sing!