Great. Okay. Um,<\/p>\n
hey everybody. It's it's good to see all<\/p>\n
of you again. It's it re truly uh warms<\/p>\n
my heart to to see all the brothers and<\/p>\n
sisters here. Uh, yeah. We we miss you<\/p>\n
guys. Um, okay.<\/p>\n
Today we're going to be looking at<\/p>\n
Joshua chapter 24. It's there on the<\/p>\n
screen. So, if you have a Bible or a<\/p>\n
phone, I would invite you to turn there<\/p>\n
um at uh so we're for this for this ser<\/p>\n
we're going to be looking at the<\/p>\n
promised land that God gave the people<\/p>\n
of Israel. All right. um at our church<\/p>\n
in grace fellowship by way we we've been<\/p>\n
going through a series called the big<\/p>\n
picture of the Bible where we chose<\/p>\n
eight stories from scripture to kind of<\/p>\n
help us see what what because we believe<\/p>\n
that that from Genesis to Revelation<\/p>\n
this is one story about God redeeming<\/p>\n
his people right so you know choosing<\/p>\n
stories like the cre creation um Adam<\/p>\n
and Eve falling into sin and and God's<\/p>\n
covenant with Abraham and so this sermon<\/p>\n
is from that series. Okay. Uh<\/p>\n
it may be a long time ago. You guys went<\/p>\n
through Genesis right at the beginning<\/p>\n
of this year. I know it was a long time<\/p>\n
ago, but but some of the things that<\/p>\n
you'll hear today will you will have<\/p>\n
heard from from earlier this year in<\/p>\n
Genesis. If you don't remember, it's<\/p>\n
fine. We'll get a little bit of review.<\/p>\n
But I just want to say that first<\/p>\n
because we cannot understand the<\/p>\n
promised land unless we first understand<\/p>\n
the promise to Abraham. Right? You<\/p>\n
cannot understand the promised land in<\/p>\n
Joshua unless you first understand the<\/p>\n
promise that was made to Abraham in<\/p>\n
Genesis. Okay, great. So, if you're<\/p>\n
wondering why is he jumping around it<\/p>\n
hopefully it'll all make sense. Um,<\/p>\n
okay. So, I I have a friend uh he he<\/p>\n
used to work on Wall Street in New York<\/p>\n
City. He was a very successful<\/p>\n
businessman, investment banker. He made<\/p>\n
a lot of money. uh he he and his<\/p>\n
co-workers, they decided to start a<\/p>\n
foundation. It's like a nonprofit<\/p>\n
foundation. Um and what and they wanted<\/p>\n
to help prisoners. They wanted to help<\/p>\n
convicts in prison.<\/p>\n
So what they would do is they would they<\/p>\n
would go into the prisons and and find<\/p>\n
convicts who were interested in<\/p>\n
business, were interested in starting<\/p>\n
companies, like had had some skills, and<\/p>\n
they would go in and teach these<\/p>\n
prisoners how to do business the the<\/p>\n
right way. Um they would go in, they<\/p>\n
would say, \"Hey, uh we see that you need<\/p>\n
help. You're you're in prison. Um we<\/p>\n
have resources. We can help you. we can<\/p>\n
protect you. We can provide for you. Uh<\/p>\n
and in response, we will you when you<\/p>\n
get out, you will sign a contract and<\/p>\n
you'll work with us. You you'll be with<\/p>\n
us. We'll protect you. We'll give you<\/p>\n
what you need and and you have to be<\/p>\n
loyal to us and no one else. And it's a<\/p>\n
really been an amazing setup for for all<\/p>\n
involved. Okay?<\/p>\n
In you know 3 4 thousand years ago in<\/p>\n
the ancient near east they would do<\/p>\n
something similar to this. So you'd have<\/p>\n
like a big kingdom, a powerful kingdom,<\/p>\n
um, and they would come to a small<\/p>\n
kingdom and say, \"Hey, we need you need<\/p>\n
our help. We see that that you're<\/p>\n
vulnerable. You you you don't have very<\/p>\n
much. We have resources. We can protect<\/p>\n
you. We can help you. Uh, and here's<\/p>\n
what we will do to provide for you.\" And<\/p>\n
in response, you need to stay loyal to<\/p>\n
us. All right? Uh, and serve us. Okay?<\/p>\n
This is what God has done with Israel.<\/p>\n
If you remember back in Genesis,<\/p>\n
this this is how God relates to us as<\/p>\n
his people.<\/p>\n
Uh he m he makes a promise. He makes a<\/p>\n
covenant. Do do we remember the promise<\/p>\n
that he made to Abraham in Genesis 12?<\/p>\n
Again, that was a long time ago that you<\/p>\n
looked at it, but God promised three<\/p>\n
things to Abraham. Okay, you ready? He<\/p>\n
promised to bless Abraham.<\/p>\n
Secondly, he promised um to give him<\/p>\n
offspring to give him children to make<\/p>\n
to make yeah his offspring spread far.<\/p>\n
Uh and he also promised him a home. He<\/p>\n
promised him a land descendants blessing<\/p>\n
and land. And it's amaz the the story of<\/p>\n
scripture is amazing. If you look<\/p>\n
through Genesis, Exodus, we see how God<\/p>\n
fulfills his promise to his people. Like<\/p>\n
if you look at all those lists that you<\/p>\n
that you fly through in the Old<\/p>\n
Testament, the list of names, that's<\/p>\n
showing that God has fulfilled his<\/p>\n
promise to his people. Those aren't<\/p>\n
those aren't meaningless. That's like<\/p>\n
God promised that he would he would<\/p>\n
bless his people with children and<\/p>\n
that's him doing it. Uh we we see a<\/p>\n
multitude coming out of Egypt. So we see<\/p>\n
descendants uh he blesses them. He he<\/p>\n
saved them from Egypt. He brought them<\/p>\n
out on wings like eagles. We see this<\/p>\n
blessing. But but as the Israelites come<\/p>\n
out of Egypt,<\/p>\n
they lack a home. They don't they don't<\/p>\n
have a land that's their own. So that's<\/p>\n
what we're going to look at today. We're<\/p>\n
going to look at we call it the home<\/p>\n
that God has prepared for his people. Um<\/p>\n
again, we're going to be looking at<\/p>\n
Joshua 24.<\/p>\n
This is in your Bibles, you may see it's<\/p>\n
called a covenant renewal. That may<\/p>\n
sound like a big word, but what what<\/p>\n
this is is the covenant that we were<\/p>\n
just talking about where a bigger<\/p>\n
kingdom comes to a smaller kingdom. A<\/p>\n
after some time had passed, after they<\/p>\n
made that deal, the older party or the<\/p>\n
the the bigger stronger party, God would<\/p>\n
come back and renew the covenant. And in<\/p>\n
in this renewal, they would do two<\/p>\n
things. First, they would remind the<\/p>\n
people, hey, we have we have stayed true<\/p>\n
to our word 100%. We have done<\/p>\n
everything that we said we would do.<\/p>\n
That's the first thing they do. And the<\/p>\n
second thing is they would then call on<\/p>\n
on on the lesser party say, \"We've we've<\/p>\n
we've done everything for you. Now now<\/p>\n
respond to us by serving us and being<\/p>\n
loyal to us.\" This is what Joshua does<\/p>\n
in in in chapter 24. And so these are<\/p>\n
going to be our two points for today.<\/p>\n
Hopefully easy. One, what God has done<\/p>\n
for the people of Israel. And then two,<\/p>\n
what does Joshua call? How does he call<\/p>\n
the Israelites to respond? So, what God<\/p>\n
has done and their response. Um,<\/p>\n
again, please open uh your phone. I<\/p>\n
think most people here just have have it<\/p>\n
on your phone. That's great. To Joshua<\/p>\n
24. We're going to be looking all over,<\/p>\n
but for now, um, we're just going to<\/p>\n
read verses 11-14, which talks<\/p>\n
specifically about the land. So, um, and<\/p>\n
I'm going to invite Rachel, thank you,<\/p>\n
Rachel, to read, um, Joshua 24 11-14.<\/p>\n
And you went over the Jordan and came to<\/p>\n
Jericho. And the leaders of Jericho<\/p>\n
fought against you. And also the<\/p>\n
Amorites, the peasant Perizzites, the<\/p>\n
Canaanites, the Hittites, the Gegosites,<\/p>\n
the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I<\/p>\n
gave them into your hand. And I sent the<\/p>\n
hornet before you, which drove them out<\/p>\n
before you, the two kings of the<\/p>\n
Amorites. It was not by your sword or by<\/p>\n
your bow. I gave you the land on which<\/p>\n
you had not labored and cities that you<\/p>\n
had not built and you dwell in them. You<\/p>\n
eat the fruit of vineyards and olive<\/p>\n
orchards and you did not that you did<\/p>\n
not plant.<\/p>\n
Great. Thank you, Rachel. Um let's pray<\/p>\n
together one more time.<\/p>\n
our our father in heaven. Uh we we thank<\/p>\n
you Lord for this time right now, this<\/p>\n
time that you've appointed for your<\/p>\n
people to come together before you to<\/p>\n
hear you speak to us through your living<\/p>\n
and active word.<\/p>\n
Lord, um please do your work right now<\/p>\n
through the power of your Holy Spirit<\/p>\n
that comes in and miraculously changes<\/p>\n
our hearts to see you more clearly and<\/p>\n
who you are and what you've done for us.<\/p>\n
And Lord, help us to respond by the<\/p>\n
power of your spirit, by your grace, um<\/p>\n
in a manner that that is that is um<\/p>\n
yeah, in line with all you have done for<\/p>\n
us, Lord. Thank you for your grace.<\/p>\n
Please meet us in this time as you<\/p>\n
promised to do in Jesus name. Amen.<\/p>\n
Okay. Uh Joshua here. He's about to die.<\/p>\n
All right. Um in Joshua 24, he and all<\/p>\n
the Israelites, they've seen how God<\/p>\n
brought them into the promised land that<\/p>\n
he the land he had promised.<\/p>\n
He wants to call everybody together<\/p>\n
right before he dies. Verse one in<\/p>\n
chapter 24, Joshua gathers all the<\/p>\n
tribes of Israel to Sheckchham and<\/p>\n
summon the elders, the heads, the<\/p>\n
judges, and the officers of Israel, and<\/p>\n
they presented themselves before God.<\/p>\n
So, like we said, in this covenant<\/p>\n
renewal ceremony, I know it's a big<\/p>\n
word. It just means they're going to<\/p>\n
bring them together and show everything<\/p>\n
that God's done and call them to obey.<\/p>\n
Um, he's going to look back at Israel's<\/p>\n
history. It's it's amazing. I know a lot<\/p>\n
of you all have heard the history of<\/p>\n
Israel, but like, let's hear it fresh<\/p>\n
again. It's it's amazing. Um, and then<\/p>\n
he's going to call the Israelites to<\/p>\n
respond. Um, have you ever been on in a<\/p>\n
in a class? I know everybody's been in a<\/p>\n
class before, but maybe on a sports team<\/p>\n
or class when oftentimes when when the<\/p>\n
team or the class is is struggling, the<\/p>\n
teacher or the coach will gather the<\/p>\n
team together and and what they'll do is<\/p>\n
they'll look back on on all they've been<\/p>\n
through, how how the teacher or the<\/p>\n
coach, whatever, the parent sometimes,<\/p>\n
all that they've done to to help the<\/p>\n
team or the class get through. and it<\/p>\n
will it will lift really lift their<\/p>\n
spirits. I my the best teacher I've had<\/p>\n
was Miss Mston Ball High in in fifth<\/p>\n
grade. Um I that school year was hard<\/p>\n
for me. History and math were difficult<\/p>\n
and I and I would get nervous before<\/p>\n
tests. I sat near Miss Moms's desk and I<\/p>\n
remember she would come to me sometimes<\/p>\n
when I when she knew I was nervous and<\/p>\n
she would she would she would do<\/p>\n
something like this. She'd say, \"Hey<\/p>\n
babe, like you remember all like all<\/p>\n
we've been through? remember how I've<\/p>\n
I've sacrificed to teach you. Remember<\/p>\n
how like we're going to get through<\/p>\n
this. Like you got it. It's good. Uh I<\/p>\n
think Thai people understand this well<\/p>\n
with with teachers, elders,<\/p>\n
and like you look at what people have<\/p>\n
done for you in it in a very healthy<\/p>\n
way. It makes you want to respond and it<\/p>\n
li lifts your spirits. Um this is what<\/p>\n
Joshua is doing in in chapter 24 here.<\/p>\n
He's showing the Israelites that God has<\/p>\n
taken care of them. That God has<\/p>\n
graciously taken care of them. So what<\/p>\n
what's God done? Verse 2 and three, it<\/p>\n
says, \"Long ago your fathers lived<\/p>\n
beyond the Euphrates, Terara, the father<\/p>\n
of Abraham and Nahor, and they serve<\/p>\n
other gods. Then I took your father<\/p>\n
Abraham from beyond the river and led<\/p>\n
them through led them through all the<\/p>\n
land of Canaan and made his offspring<\/p>\n
many.\" Brothers and sisters, th this<\/p>\n
this is grace. Abraham was hopeless. In<\/p>\n
fact, the whole world was hopeless. All<\/p>\n
right? In where Abraham was, they they<\/p>\n
they<\/p>\n
offered sacrifices and and worshiped a<\/p>\n
lot of gods. One of those gods was the<\/p>\n
the they worshiped the moon. So, they'd<\/p>\n
build they'd build altars to the moon.<\/p>\n
And the moon was supposed to to make it<\/p>\n
rain or or give them children. Abraham<\/p>\n
and Sarah, they're old. They're<\/p>\n
childless. The moon hasn't been working<\/p>\n
for them. They were hopeless.<\/p>\n
And this is the couple that God chooses.<\/p>\n
This elderly, childless couple through<\/p>\n
which to bless the world.<\/p>\n
They were hopeless. It it's like my<\/p>\n
friend's foundation that goes into<\/p>\n
prisons, he said when the first time<\/p>\n
when they meet these guys, they they're<\/p>\n
they have Yeah. There there's not a hope<\/p>\n
of left not a bit of hope left in them.<\/p>\n
They're just they're just in prison like<\/p>\n
I I don't know what I'm going to do the<\/p>\n
rest of my life. This is this is when<\/p>\n
God comes in when we're hopeless. He<\/p>\n
comes in with a promise w with with with<\/p>\n
with with a promise he's going to take<\/p>\n
care of us. Again, Genesis 12, God<\/p>\n
promises land, people, and blessing to<\/p>\n
Abraham. He promised to make his<\/p>\n
descendants many, to give them a land uh<\/p>\n
and to bless them. Okay, look further.<\/p>\n
What happens next? Look at verses three<\/p>\n
and four with me. He starts to list off<\/p>\n
Abraham's descendants. Isaac, Jacob,<\/p>\n
Esau. He says, \"I made your offspring<\/p>\n
many.\" Again, like I said before, when<\/p>\n
you read these lists of names, realize<\/p>\n
it's not just a list of names. This is<\/p>\n
this is God saying, \"I have been<\/p>\n
faithful. I've been faithful to what I<\/p>\n
promise to you.\" Um,<\/p>\n
yeah, I've been faithful to this<\/p>\n
elderly, childless couple. And here they<\/p>\n
are. God has been fulfilling his<\/p>\n
promise.<\/p>\n
Keep going. Verse four. Jacob and his<\/p>\n
children went down to Egypt. Okay. All<\/p>\n
right. I I know that you've you probably<\/p>\n
heard the story of Israel before,<\/p>\n
but I if you can just act like you're<\/p>\n
hearing it for the first time. If you're<\/p>\n
hearing this story for the first time,<\/p>\n
you're thinking, \"Why are we going to<\/p>\n
Egypt, guys? God said he was going to<\/p>\n
give us children, bless us, and and take<\/p>\n
us to the promised land. Why are we<\/p>\n
going to Egypt?\" Um I thought we were<\/p>\n
going to the promised land. Okay, in<\/p>\n
just a minute we're going to see what<\/p>\n
happens. But for now, I want to point<\/p>\n
out that the story of Israel, the story<\/p>\n
of God's people, it's not this I'm gonna<\/p>\n
draw it in y'all's direction. It's not<\/p>\n
this graph that just like goes straight<\/p>\n
up. That the story of Israel is not like<\/p>\n
that. It's a graph that like they start<\/p>\n
to go up and then they go down and then<\/p>\n
there's probably some sideways. It's<\/p>\n
it's the graph of the of the of the<\/p>\n
history of the people of Israel is<\/p>\n
crazy. And for your life and for my<\/p>\n
life, is it not the same? Your life and<\/p>\n
my life, our life is not this just this<\/p>\n
graph that just continues like we just<\/p>\n
keep going up. That's not true. That's<\/p>\n
not real life. And so, yeah, some days<\/p>\n
we see a lot of progress and then the<\/p>\n
next day like, am I even a Christian<\/p>\n
anymore? I I can't believe I sinned<\/p>\n
again. Um, the story of the people of<\/p>\n
God, it's this exciting. It's a<\/p>\n
suspenseful<\/p>\n
um drama just like your life. It's it's<\/p>\n
you think about your life. Your life<\/p>\n
story is beautiful. At times it's<\/p>\n
heartbreaking. It's this redemptive<\/p>\n
story that God has written for you. So<\/p>\n
as you look at the history of Israel,<\/p>\n
see yourself in this. All right? That's<\/p>\n
why it's here for us. It's it's it's<\/p>\n
here for us to to be an encouragement to<\/p>\n
us. Um even when the graph doesn't go<\/p>\n
like you think it's going to go. Okay.<\/p>\n
verses 4-7. J Joshua 24. Come back to<\/p>\n
scripture. The Israelites, they go down<\/p>\n
to Egypt. I sent Moses and Aaron. I<\/p>\n
plagued Egypt with what I did in the<\/p>\n
midst of it. And afterward, I brought<\/p>\n
you out. Do you see the trend here? The<\/p>\n
trend is the people of God find<\/p>\n
themselves in hopeless situations like<\/p>\n
an elderly childless couple in or in<\/p>\n
slavery in Egypt. And once again, God is<\/p>\n
true to his promise. They're help<\/p>\n
hopeless. They cry out to God and God<\/p>\n
saves them. God brings this intense<\/p>\n
display of plagues on Egypt in order to<\/p>\n
show Israel that I'm going to bless you<\/p>\n
just like I promised. It's like I know<\/p>\n
there are some parents in here. It's<\/p>\n
like if someone's bullying your son or<\/p>\n
your daughter, what are you going to do?<\/p>\n
You're going to come in and you're going<\/p>\n
to save them. That it's that heart that<\/p>\n
God has for his people. God comes in and<\/p>\n
he said that's why that's the whole<\/p>\n
point of the plagues is to say this this<\/p>\n
is my people and you will let them go so<\/p>\n
that may God they may come and be with<\/p>\n
me that God the the dad will take care<\/p>\n
of his child. So, at this point in the<\/p>\n
story, we've seen God fulfilling his<\/p>\n
promise to Abraham. We've seen<\/p>\n
descendants again, Pharaoh's like the<\/p>\n
the Israelite women, they they have so<\/p>\n
many babies. We can't stop them. Again,<\/p>\n
when you see that, you have to think God<\/p>\n
is fulfilling his promise. The the<\/p>\n
Israelite women, they have a lot of<\/p>\n
babies. Uh blessing. We see the Lord<\/p>\n
bringing bringing is Israel out of Egypt<\/p>\n
a wings like eagles. But what's the<\/p>\n
third part of the promise? the land. The<\/p>\n
Israelites kept come out of Egypt, but<\/p>\n
they don't have a home.<\/p>\n
So, moving down, we're gonna skip skip a<\/p>\n
little bit of the the the middle of uh<\/p>\n
Joshua 24. In verses 11 through13, he<\/p>\n
recounts to them how the Lord has<\/p>\n
fulfilled his promise to give them a<\/p>\n
home, a place. I'll I'll read this<\/p>\n
again. And you went over the Jordan and<\/p>\n
came to Jericho. And the leaders of<\/p>\n
Jericho fought against you. and also the<\/p>\n
Amorites, the Perizzites, the<\/p>\n
gave them into your hand, and I sent the<\/p>\n
your bow. I gave you a land on which you<\/p>\n
had not labored, in cities that you had<\/p>\n
not built, and you dwell on them. You<\/p>\n
orchards that you did not plant.<\/p>\n
Brothers and sisters, again, God is true<\/p>\n
to his word. Your God, my God, will do<\/p>\n
exactly exactly as he has promised. Um<\/p>\n
Joshua 23:14, I love this verse. Not one<\/p>\n
word has failed. Of all the good things<\/p>\n
that the Lord your God promised<\/p>\n
concerning you, all of them have come to<\/p>\n
pass for you. Not one of them has<\/p>\n
failed.<\/p>\n
A as we come to this point in the land.<\/p>\n
All right. Um you probably asked this<\/p>\n
question or maybe you've thought about<\/p>\n
it in your head thinking, okay, who are<\/p>\n
the Canaanites? Who are the Hivites? Who<\/p>\n
are the Jebisites? Who who are these<\/p>\n
people that Israel fought to get in the<\/p>\n
land? Why did so many people have to<\/p>\n
die? Um that doesn't seem very fair. Why<\/p>\n
would God do that? Uh this is a big<\/p>\n
question that we don't I don't we don't<\/p>\n
have time to get into all of it today.<\/p>\n
Um put simply, these people were enemies<\/p>\n
of God. They they didn't acknowledge God<\/p>\n
as the creator and owner of everything.<\/p>\n
And then they refused to worship the God<\/p>\n
of this universe. And even when they<\/p>\n
were given the chance to surrender, do<\/p>\n
you remember Rahab? Ra Rahab was in the<\/p>\n
land. But what but she she she<\/p>\n
surrendered to them and she didn't die.<\/p>\n
that the the um the Gideonites in<\/p>\n
chapter nine, same thing. But but these<\/p>\n
people that the other folks, they did<\/p>\n
not surrender. And so the Lord had to<\/p>\n
bring judgment on them. I I realize this<\/p>\n
is not an easy topic. There's been a lot<\/p>\n
of books written about it. If you would<\/p>\n
like to discuss this further, um I'm<\/p>\n
happy to talk with you after the sermon.<\/p>\n
Um or maybe I'll just send you to a<\/p>\n
natan chan. No. Okay. Uh great. Okay. So<\/p>\n
there there's a lot of things that we<\/p>\n
could say about the promised land. All<\/p>\n
right, I'm going to say two things or<\/p>\n
answer two questions. One, how did the<\/p>\n
people of Israel get the promised land?<\/p>\n
Uh how did they get the land is the<\/p>\n
first thing? And the second thing, what<\/p>\n
was the land for? What was the purpose<\/p>\n
of the land? How'd they get the land?<\/p>\n
Look at verse 12 um in your Bibles. It<\/p>\n
was not by your sword or by your bow. I<\/p>\n
gave you a land on which you had not<\/p>\n
labored.<\/p>\n
Um, God works in ways<\/p>\n
where his people are saved and he alone<\/p>\n
gets the glory.<\/p>\n
God works in ways where his people are<\/p>\n
saved and he alone gets the glory. You,<\/p>\n
you and I, we're not saved because<\/p>\n
you're strong or smart or capable.<\/p>\n
You're saved because God looks down and<\/p>\n
has mercy on you and fights for you.<\/p>\n
This is what he did with the people of<\/p>\n
Israel.<\/p>\n
One example, there's there's if you want<\/p>\n
to read all about it, it's in it's all<\/p>\n
in Joshua. One example is Jericho. Okay,<\/p>\n
again, you're like, I've heard this<\/p>\n
story, but but let's think about it<\/p>\n
again. Jericho,<\/p>\n
uh it's a really crazy story. So<\/p>\n
Joshua's like got pumped up from from<\/p>\n
from the beginning of Joshua, like be<\/p>\n
strong and courageous going and get the<\/p>\n
land. He's like, \"All right, what are we<\/p>\n
doing with Jericho, God? Like what's<\/p>\n
what's the what's the game plan?\" And<\/p>\n
Joshua is probably like, we're going to<\/p>\n
do like, you know, we're going to sneak<\/p>\n
attack at night maybe or what about we<\/p>\n
we get bows and arrows and kind of shoot<\/p>\n
them from from a long way away. Um, but<\/p>\n
what what God says it's it's it's crazy.<\/p>\n
It is crazy what God says that they're<\/p>\n
going to march around the city in broad<\/p>\n
daylight for seven days and then no no<\/p>\n
no swords, no bows and arrows. They're<\/p>\n
just going to blow the trumpet and the<\/p>\n
walls are going to fall down. Again, if<\/p>\n
if you're Joshua, you're like, that's a<\/p>\n
terrible plan. That's awful. Um, but<\/p>\n
again, this was God's way of defeating<\/p>\n
Israel's enemies.<\/p>\n
And he did it he did it. It It's<\/p>\n
amazing. He does it in a way that<\/p>\n
everyone in Israel and the people around<\/p>\n
are like, \"Israel didn't save<\/p>\n
themselves.\" Like, \"That was God.\" Like,<\/p>\n
do you remember what what what Rahab<\/p>\n
says? Uh he said, she's like, \"We're<\/p>\n
we're terrified. Not because of you, but<\/p>\n
because we saw what your God did to the<\/p>\n
Egyptians. God works in ways where we're<\/p>\n
saved and he alone gets the glory.\"<\/p>\n
Okay?<\/p>\n
Think about your own life. All right?<\/p>\n
Um, not not all the time, but many many<\/p>\n
times<\/p>\n
there,<\/p>\n
we see this happen with with a<\/p>\n
relationship that gets healed by God's<\/p>\n
grace. You see it happen at work when<\/p>\n
you're struggling with something. You<\/p>\n
see it I we see it with sin in our own<\/p>\n
lives with with lust or pride or or<\/p>\n
gossiping.<\/p>\n
Sometimes we look back and we say when<\/p>\n
when a relationship is healed when when<\/p>\n
when we're able to overcome a sin and we<\/p>\n
say like I don't know how that happened.<\/p>\n
Like God God just did that. Like I I<\/p>\n
feel like I had to work for that. And<\/p>\n
and believe me, we need to fight. We're<\/p>\n
called to fight against sin. But there's<\/p>\n
so so many times we're like God is just<\/p>\n
he's just gracious, isn't he? He is so<\/p>\n
gracious to us. Um<\/p>\n
man, so how did the Israelites get the<\/p>\n
land? It was all of grace. the Lord<\/p>\n
fought for them. Secondly, what was the<\/p>\n
purpose? The purpose of the land of<\/p>\n
Israel. Um, that's easy. It was a home<\/p>\n
for them. The Israelites needed a home.<\/p>\n
Okay, home is a big thing. You you all<\/p>\n
of you know in a city like Bangkok, not<\/p>\n
not many of us are from Bangkok. We're<\/p>\n
all longing for home.<\/p>\n
I like talking with people at the market<\/p>\n
with pock like people that are selling<\/p>\n
stuff at the market or taxi drivers just<\/p>\n
to hear about their story. And I mean<\/p>\n
the conversation is so similar with all<\/p>\n
the with with most people. It goes like<\/p>\n
this. I'll say, \"Hey P, are you are you<\/p>\n
from Bangkok? Are you from another<\/p>\n
province?\" Most of them are from other<\/p>\n
provinces just like I'm not from here.<\/p>\n
Um and and they're like, \"No, I I'm not<\/p>\n
from Bangkok. I'm from Isan.\" A lot of<\/p>\n
Kissan. Um, I'm just I'm just came here<\/p>\n
to Tamahakin. I came here to to make a<\/p>\n
living. And I and I love I love I didn't<\/p>\n
know this at first, but I love asking<\/p>\n
them, \"Do you like Bangkok?\" And I don't<\/p>\n
think I've ever had someone tell me they<\/p>\n
like Bangkok. Just like my job, my my<\/p>\n
highlight like, \"No, I don't like<\/p>\n
Bangkok.\" Everyone responds. It's kind<\/p>\n
of funny at first like, \"Yeah, no one<\/p>\n
likes.\" But then they'll say like, \"I'm<\/p>\n
just I'm just here. My daughter, she's<\/p>\n
she's a freshman in college and then<\/p>\n
when she when she finishes, I'm going<\/p>\n
back to Mahas Salakam to to to farm.<\/p>\n
That's what I'm gonna do. I'm going<\/p>\n
home. That's what I'm gonna what's what<\/p>\n
I'm going to go do. We all want to go<\/p>\n
home.<\/p>\n
But then the question is, where is home?<\/p>\n
Is is home a plot of land or a house,<\/p>\n
your condo? Um, okay. the Isan farmers<\/p>\n
rye of land in Mahas Salakam that's very<\/p>\n
important very important and and the the<\/p>\n
the land of Canaan Israel that that's<\/p>\n
that was very important that was a place<\/p>\n
that God allotted for them where they<\/p>\n
could be stable and worship Yahweh as<\/p>\n
the one true God and be in relationship<\/p>\n
with him but then the question is well<\/p>\n
is the land of Israel a perfect place<\/p>\n
again that question hits really hard<\/p>\n
right now no it's Not it's not a perfect<\/p>\n
place. We all know it's not there. There<\/p>\n
has to be something more than physical<\/p>\n
land. I'm not saying it wasn't<\/p>\n
important. It was. But there has to be<\/p>\n
something more. God, he brought the<\/p>\n
people of Israel into the promised land.<\/p>\n
Why? So they could be with him.<\/p>\n
That was the reason. So that that the<\/p>\n
people of Israel could be with God.<\/p>\n
That's the point of land. And actually,<\/p>\n
this is one of the main points of the<\/p>\n
whole Bible. All right? It's God with<\/p>\n
his children. God with his people. Do Do<\/p>\n
you see this? What was Eden for? The<\/p>\n
Garden of Eden. God with his people.<\/p>\n
What was what was the land the promised<\/p>\n
land? Why did he rescue them from Egypt?<\/p>\n
So, so they could go out and be with<\/p>\n
their God, the promised land. What about<\/p>\n
the temp? Do you remember after Solomon<\/p>\n
finishes the temple, that prayer he<\/p>\n
prayed? God, come and dwell here. It's<\/p>\n
God was. And then we get to Jesus and we<\/p>\n
see Jesus. He comes to be with us. And<\/p>\n
think all the way to Revelation. Th this<\/p>\n
is the storyline of all of scripture<\/p>\n
that God comes to be with his people.<\/p>\n
Um we're going to look at at this more<\/p>\n
in a minute. Uh but for now, we need to<\/p>\n
move to the final section. Um the second<\/p>\n
section. And so after after Joshua's<\/p>\n
just done this grand display of what God<\/p>\n
has done for his people, he then calls<\/p>\n
on them to respond. Okay. Um look at<\/p>\n
verse 14.<\/p>\n
In verse 14, uh Joshua says, \"Now<\/p>\n
therefore, fear the Lord and serve him<\/p>\n
in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put<\/p>\n
away the gods that your fathers serve<\/p>\n
beyond the river and in Egypt and serve<\/p>\n
the Lord.\" In this, we're not going to<\/p>\n
read all of it, but in this bottom<\/p>\n
section of Joshua 24, actually five<\/p>\n
times,<\/p>\n
he talks about he's telling Israel,<\/p>\n
\"Turn away from other gods and serve the<\/p>\n
Lord your God.\" Turn away from the gods<\/p>\n
of your fathers and serve the Lord. And<\/p>\n
if the Israelites didn't do this, what<\/p>\n
would happen? They'd be kicked out of<\/p>\n
the land, similar to how Adam and Eve<\/p>\n
were kicked out of the garden. the it's<\/p>\n
so important for us to see these<\/p>\n
connections in scripture with the people<\/p>\n
of God. Um,<\/p>\n
one thing I want us to see here is that<\/p>\n
God is not just concerned with Israel's<\/p>\n
outward obedience, their actions. All<\/p>\n
right? Um, God's concerned first with<\/p>\n
their hearts. You see this over and over<\/p>\n
again that that he's pointing to our<\/p>\n
hearts. God knows God's heart creator.<\/p>\n
He knows that our hearts are prone to<\/p>\n
love and worship other gods. Um, and<\/p>\n
this will lead them to turn away from<\/p>\n
the Lord. Do you see it's it's the thing<\/p>\n
that your heart loves that will drive<\/p>\n
your actions. Whatever your heart loves,<\/p>\n
that that's what will that's what will<\/p>\n
drive you. And this is why in verse 23,<\/p>\n
I'm sorry, I don't we don't have it up<\/p>\n
here, but in chapter 24 23, Joshua says,<\/p>\n
\"Incline your heart to the Lord.\"<\/p>\n
Incline your heart to the Lord, the God<\/p>\n
of Israel.<\/p>\n
Um, brothers and sisters, the the people<\/p>\n
of Israel's hearts, they were drawn to<\/p>\n
other gods over and over and over again.<\/p>\n
Again,<\/p>\n
Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings. Do you<\/p>\n
remember the history? It's this this<\/p>\n
like you hear you see this cycle until<\/p>\n
you're just sick of it of of God saves<\/p>\n
them and then and then they go and serve<\/p>\n
other gods and then they get in trouble<\/p>\n
and then they call out and then God<\/p>\n
saves them and then they go to and serve<\/p>\n
other gods and it's this cycle all<\/p>\n
throughout the Old Testament.<\/p>\n
Um and in the end that Israel was kicked<\/p>\n
out of the land because they had<\/p>\n
forsaken the one true God. I I want to<\/p>\n
note here God's patience. Do do you know<\/p>\n
how much time passed in between<\/p>\n
Joshua when they got the land and and<\/p>\n
you know Israel went first and then<\/p>\n
Judah time of exile. It's about a<\/p>\n
thousand years.<\/p>\n
See a thousand years that God's like<\/p>\n
guys I'm going to say you know it it<\/p>\n
God's patience is re really should be<\/p>\n
noted here. Um,<\/p>\n
it's even though it's been 3,000 years<\/p>\n
from that time until now, the human<\/p>\n
heart sadly has not changed.<\/p>\n
You and I know that we're supposed to<\/p>\n
love the Lord our God with all of our<\/p>\n
heart, soul, mind, and strength. We know<\/p>\n
that we're supposed to love our<\/p>\n
neighbors as ourselves. Um, and you know<\/p>\n
that we don't do that every day. I I<\/p>\n
often I look at my decisions and<\/p>\n
oftentimes my decisions reflect that I<\/p>\n
love myself more than I do God. And my<\/p>\n
decisions reflect that I love myself<\/p>\n
more than my kids. I Oh man, I see that<\/p>\n
every day. Um that my heart is not how<\/p>\n
it should be. We love the praise of<\/p>\n
others. God like you. You I mean we love<\/p>\n
when people Yeah. praise us more than<\/p>\n
God. We love our comfort more than God.<\/p>\n
So,<\/p>\n
we're really coming to a twofold<\/p>\n
question here. The question is one, what<\/p>\n
what to do about our hearts? But then<\/p>\n
here with this context, the land, what<\/p>\n
are we going to do about the land? We're<\/p>\n
coming to a crux here. How are we going<\/p>\n
to get better hearts? And how are we<\/p>\n
going to have a better land? Um,<\/p>\n
this<\/p>\n
this is where Jesus comes. I'm gonna I'm<\/p>\n
I'm I'm going to read the scripture<\/p>\n
before I explain this. This is a really,<\/p>\n
really amazing passage in Hebrews<\/p>\n
chapter 9:15.<\/p>\n
I'll read it for us. Therefore, he Jesus<\/p>\n
is the mediator of a new covenant so<\/p>\n
that those who are called may receive<\/p>\n
the promised eternal inheritance since a<\/p>\n
death has occurred that redeems them<\/p>\n
from the transgressions committed under<\/p>\n
the first covenant.<\/p>\n
Israel broke the covenant over and again<\/p>\n
that thousand I mean over and over<\/p>\n
again. We we break God's covenant, his<\/p>\n
promise with us every day. But Jesus<\/p>\n
comes and he's called the mediator. The<\/p>\n
one who stands who stands and takes our<\/p>\n
place. The mediator, the one who takes<\/p>\n
who upholds the covenant for us. And<\/p>\n
only that, but takes the punishment for<\/p>\n
our breaking the covenant when we were<\/p>\n
hopeless just like the people of Israel.<\/p>\n
Um this section is called how do we<\/p>\n
respond? All right. How were the<\/p>\n
Israelites supposed to respond to all<\/p>\n
that God had done for them through<\/p>\n
blessing them, through giving them<\/p>\n
descendants, through giving them the<\/p>\n
land? They were supposed to to respond<\/p>\n
by believing and trusting in God and<\/p>\n
obeying him out of a heart of gratitude.<\/p>\n
The question, the the response for you<\/p>\n
and for me today, how are we supposed to<\/p>\n
respond to Jesus's death on the cross<\/p>\n
and our place being the mediator of a<\/p>\n
new covenant? It's it's the same. We're<\/p>\n
supposed to believe and trust and then<\/p>\n
have obedience come out of a heart of<\/p>\n
gratitude. And what what I want us to<\/p>\n
see here that that Joshua was called to<\/p>\n
Israel in this covenant renewal. It's<\/p>\n
it's not that different for us today.<\/p>\n
We're on this side of Jesus and we see<\/p>\n
that Jesus is the mediator of the new<\/p>\n
covenant that we stand under. But we're<\/p>\n
called to trust and to cling to him a a<\/p>\n
as as as the one that brings us to God<\/p>\n
and then obey out of obedience. I think<\/p>\n
many times we as Christians sometimes we<\/p>\n
can end sermons with just like okay you<\/p>\n
can't uphold God's law that's right no<\/p>\n
one can uh Jesus came and he died for<\/p>\n
you absolutely so believe in him<\/p>\n
absolutely we full stop we are justified<\/p>\n
by faith alone and then we stop we'll<\/p>\n
stop I know I can stop the sermon there<\/p>\n
but here Joshua is calling them to to to<\/p>\n
respond not in order to merit God's love<\/p>\n
for them but as a as a response<\/p>\n
response. It's this it's this gracious<\/p>\n
response that he's calling us to. Um so<\/p>\n
we've seen that through Jesus' death<\/p>\n
that we're redeemed and given new<\/p>\n
hearts. Okay. So the second thing we<\/p>\n
talked about the land. What's going on<\/p>\n
with the land?<\/p>\n
Does this mean that we're all going to<\/p>\n
go back to to Israel? Are we all going<\/p>\n
to go back to the promised land in<\/p>\n
Israel?<\/p>\n
No, we're not going to do that. Um<\/p>\n
let go back to that question. What's the<\/p>\n
purpose of the land? What what what do<\/p>\n
we say is the purpose of the land? It's<\/p>\n
so that we can be with our father. That<\/p>\n
that is the cry of that's the deepest<\/p>\n
cry of your heart. I don't care what<\/p>\n
what you're doing, where you are. The<\/p>\n
deepest cry, the deepest pratana, the<\/p>\n
deepest desire of your heart is to be<\/p>\n
with your father. So we can be together<\/p>\n
as a family. Those are the most warmest<\/p>\n
moments in life.<\/p>\n
um God with us.<\/p>\n
What did what was one of the names that<\/p>\n
Isaiah<\/p>\n
uh called Jesus in his prophecies? Do<\/p>\n
you remember in Isaiah he calls Jesus<\/p>\n
Emmanuel?<\/p>\n
Do we remember what Emanuel means?<\/p>\n
Emanuel means God with us. God with us.<\/p>\n
Okay. So this is a very important<\/p>\n
connection I believe between the Old<\/p>\n
Testament and the New Testament.<\/p>\n
Being in Jesus is better than being in<\/p>\n
the land.<\/p>\n
Being in Jesus by faith with the Holy<\/p>\n
Spirit that we're sealed with for us is<\/p>\n
better than being in the land. I'm not<\/p>\n
saying the land was bad. No. But but<\/p>\n
that Jesus is better. What we have in<\/p>\n
the new covenant in Jesus is better.<\/p>\n
um Abraham, Moses, Joshua, all of us who<\/p>\n
are God's people, we long for we crave<\/p>\n
to go to a home that is better than the<\/p>\n
promised land in Israel.<\/p>\n
Again, a lot of you away from home right<\/p>\n
now, we you crave that that that feeling<\/p>\n
that we just get like bits and pieces.<\/p>\n
We see we see in a in a in a in a we see<\/p>\n
dimly. We don't see it fully, but we're<\/p>\n
craving. We we we we we long to go<\/p>\n
somewhere that it's better with than<\/p>\n
anywhere you can imagine on this earth.<\/p>\n
And I want I want to close by reading<\/p>\n
from Hebrews 11:es<\/p>\n
13- 16. And this talks about how as<\/p>\n
children of God, we're all longing for<\/p>\n
waiting to go to the heavenly city, the<\/p>\n
home that God has prepared for us.<\/p>\n
Hebrews 11:13-16<\/p>\n
says, \"These all these talking about<\/p>\n
Abraham, Isaac, these all died in faith,<\/p>\n
not having received the things promised,<\/p>\n
but having seen them and greeted them<\/p>\n
from afar, and having acknowledged that<\/p>\n
they were strangers and exiles on the<\/p>\n
earth. For people who speak thus make it<\/p>\n
clear that they are seeking a homeland.\"<\/p>\n
If they had been thinking of that land<\/p>\n
from which they had gone out, they would<\/p>\n
have had opportunities to go back, to<\/p>\n
return. But as it is, they desire a<\/p>\n
better country, that is, a heavenly one.<\/p>\n
Therefore, God is not ashamed to be<\/p>\n
called their God, for he has prepared<\/p>\n
for them a city. Brothers and sisters,<\/p>\n
we we are not home yet. We want to go.<\/p>\n
We're We're not home yet, though. We're<\/p>\n
like Abraham, living by faith. We're<\/p>\n
You're a stranger, and you're an exile<\/p>\n
on this earth.<\/p>\n
Um,<\/p>\n
we're seeking a homeland to call our<\/p>\n
own.<\/p>\n
Um, God, our God, Emmanuel, the one who<\/p>\n
came down to be with us. He has prepared<\/p>\n
for us a city. So, let's cling to him.<\/p>\n
Okay, let's pray.<\/p>\n
Heavenly Father, Lord, we are so<\/p>\n
grateful that you you give us your word.<\/p>\n
You give us hope. You give us faith. You<\/p>\n
give us love. You give us everything we<\/p>\n
need. particularly here. Lord, give us<\/p>\n
hope right now. Um, as we all feel the<\/p>\n
effects of being strangers and exiles on<\/p>\n
this earth, Lord. Um,<\/p>\n
but help us to look to the the to the<\/p>\n
home that you prepared for us in heaven,<\/p>\n
Lord. The and the one that you've been<\/p>\n
working towards this this whole time<\/p>\n
throughout the people of Israel,<\/p>\n
throughout us today, Father. Um, we<\/p>\n
thank you for your grace and for your<\/p>\n
promises. help us to cling to you and<\/p>\n
not other things in Jesus name. Amen.<\/p>","english_search_text":"","":"","original_publish_date":"20250702","video_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tXLkqj9kGMU","video_id":"tXLkqj9kGMU","video_duration":"37:20","channel_name":"Grace City Bangkok"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=169"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":170,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169\/revisions\/170"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/168"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}