7-3-21. Joshua 3. GO AND STAND IN THE RIVER

Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Joshua 3:1-17
Key Verse: 3:8

“Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’”
Dear Lord heavenly Father, thank you for blessing the Bible school. Thank you for helping all the attendants to be newly found in Jesus. I pray that you may help us to be witnesses of Jesus through our life, our love and our preaching. Help us to preach the Gospel to DeKalb area people and NIU students and reveal Jesus to them. Please grant me one word of God through this passage. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Part 1: Follow The Ark of The Covenant (1-8).

Verses 1-8 read, “Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.” 5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.” 6 Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them. 7 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. 8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’”

Joshua and the people went to the Jordan. Before them was a raging river. Joshua prayed and God gave him wisdom. The officers commanded the people to follow the ark of the covenant, which was God’s presence and contained the Ten Commandments. They needed to fix their eyes on the ark and follow God’s leading. Then God would lead them safely through the Jordan and onto victory. Today we must focus our eyes on Jesus and the word of God. The psalmist says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Following Jesus and the word of God is the way to victory. It is the way to overcome hardship after hardship. It is the way to fruitfulness and eternal life. You can not go wrong if your follow Jesus and the word of God. Some people are afraid to follow Jesus and the word of God. They think that bad things will happen to them. But what bad things? Millions and millions of people have followed the tried and tested and true way and have discovered that all of God’s promises are true. Jesus, the Way, is the way to fruitfulness and love and grace and eternal life. If only our young people knew the goodness of following Jesus and the word of God they will no be so fearful and apprehensive of the future. They will not despair of their future. They will not have to live for expensive pleasures that they can not afford. They will have a true and real hope. Lord, inspire our youth to follow Jesus and your word in the Bible.

Following Jesus and the word of God has done only a world of good in my life. I could never be the man I am today if it were not for the Gospel.

Part 2: Go Stand In The River (9-17).

Verses 9-17 read, “Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth —set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap. ” 14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea ) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.”

The river was surging. Joshua told the priests to do something that sounded ridiculous and dangerous, but it was a challenge that required faith, humility, and self-denial. They could obey when they had absolute faith in God and in his word. When the priests had the right attitude, it influenced the whole community to have faith in God. Those who serve a priestly duty must set the example of faith and obedience.

Spiritual leaders have a great responsibility. They must lead and inspire the people and show the way. They must stand by faith so that others may continue on in their spiritual journey. The question is, “how can I stand in the river Jordan” to allow the people of NIU and DeKalb continue on their spiritual journey? I can do this by keeping my identity as a shepherd of God’s flock and a 1:1 Bible teacher. I could do so by standing as a servant of the word of God. I can do something that requires great faith, like beginning to go fishing again. I could seek our new Bible students whom I could mentor. Going to Uganda for the Bible conference is something that I can do by faith and it would inspire others. I need to be an encouragement for my kids and my Bible students and for my fellow employees and brothers and sisters in Christ. Lord, help me to see ways that I could apply what these Levites were doing and help me to stand in the river here in DeKalb.

Prayer: Lord, Please reveal to me ways that I could be an encouraging spiritual leader. Help me to fix my eyes on Jesus and obey your word.

One Word: Stand in the river, by faith