Crossing Jordan | Sunday, March 12, 2023

Welcome to Cross Connection Church online. I'm Pastor Garrett, and we at Cross Connection Church are so grateful that you are joining us for our service today. If you'd like to know more about Cross Connection Church, please check us out on our website at lifeinconnection.com, where you'll find more about us, upcoming events, and ways to get plugged in.

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Thank you. How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure, that He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure

My sin upon His shoulder. Ashamed, I hear my kingdom call out among the scar. It was my sin that held Him until He accomplished a time that has brought me alive.

I know that there is a good chance you have, at one point or another, had this thought cross your mind or maybe you said it to someone else. You are looking at what is ahead of you and you think to yourself or say to another, "The obstacles before me are just too great. There is no way that we can get through this situation."

That was absolutely the thought when Israel was under the thumb, if you will, of Pharaoh in Egypt. They were in bondage as slaves for 400 years, being commanded to commit infanticide upon their newborn sons. In the midst of that, God delivered them by His power and by His great strength.

Immediately, as you follow the story in the book of Exodus, after Israel goes through the Passover experience and observes the very first Passover meal, they are released from Egypt. They gather all the people and all the goods and start going toward the wilderness. However, immediately after their Exodus from Egypt, they find themselves again in what seems to be an impassable situation.

To their left and to their right, they have two mountains. The names of the mountains are even given in the text of the book of Exodus: the names are Arith and Migdal. In front of them is the Red Sea, and behind them is the pursuing Egyptian army. In the midst of this, God speaks to the people, and He says to them, as recorded in Exodus chapter 14, "Do not be afraid. Stand still."

See the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see no more again forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you will hold your peace.

Then Moses receives a word from the Lord. God speaks directly to Moses after he has spoken the word of God to the people. God says to Moses, "Why do you cry out to me? Tell the children of Israel to move out, go forward." He tells him to lift up the rod that he had in his hand and stretch it out over the Red Sea to divide it, so that the children of Israel would go over on dry ground through the midst of the sea. This is perhaps one of the most awe-inspiring and amazing miracles ever mentioned in the Scriptures, one that causes skeptics to just explode.

But this is what the text of Scripture reveals over and over again: Israel is faced with insurmountable obstacles and barriers, especially during their wilderness wandering experience. Whether it was a lack of water, a want for food, or encounters with enemies and foes that were stronger than them, they faced challenges at every point. When the fiery serpents, the venomous snakes, came into the camp, they were completely without hope. There was nothing they could do in their own strength; the obstacles before them were far too great. There was no way for them to cross those things apart from God.

Now, the question does arise: Did God orchestrate the circumstances to bring them to that point, the point where they were out of options beyond turning to the Lord? Maybe that's possible. You could make the case that it is possible, or perhaps it was just the reality of life in a broken world. Maybe it was simply the fact that the enemy exists and comes against us. Whatever the case, time and time again, Israel found themselves in what you would probably consider to be hopeless circumstances.

Those kinds of hopeless circumstances remind me of the passage of Scripture from the Psalms, specifically Psalm 107. It is a great passage of Scripture. We read in verse 23, "Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters, they see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises the stormy wind." In this instance, God is the one who is...

Bringing the storm, He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the heavens; they go down again to the depths. Their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro and stagger like drunken men, and are at their wit's end.

Maybe some of you have been in a situation like that, where you're actually on a boat in the sea, and the waves are just rolling. You find yourself tempest-tossed, as we would say. Here, these guys are trying to find a way to get out of that storm and out of that troubling situation, and they are at their wit's end.

Then it says in verse 28, "Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distress. He calms the storm so that its waves are still, and then they are glad because they are quiet. So He guides them to their desired haven." Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men!

This is a great passage of Scripture. They are at their wit's end, and when they finally come to that place where they are completely out of options, there is nothing they can do to get out of this storm or circumstance or situation. There is nothing they can do in their own strength or by their own strategies to get out of it. It is at that point that they cry out to the Lord.

I have discovered, and maybe you have discovered as well, that this is a difficult lesson to learn, but it is one that I have observed frequently. The greatness of God's power and glory is seen most clearly when we are at our weakest. It is when we are weak that His strength is made perfect.

The Apostle Paul learned this and he writes about it in Second Corinthians, chapter 12. Paul had some sort of infirmity, some sort of problem. There is all kinds of speculation about exactly what that is; he calls it a thorn in the flesh. But it was in the midst of that thorn in the flesh, after he had prayed three times to God to take it away and God did not take it away, that he learned this valuable lesson: when I am weak, then I am strong.

Weakness in ourselves oftentimes promotes reliance upon God. Three times in Joshua, chapter 1, which is what we looked at a few weeks ago here at Cross-Connection Church, God says to Joshua, "Be strong and courageous." Now, who do you speak words of encouraging strength to? But to the one who is lacking courage and strength. And where was it that strength and courage were going to come from?

Joshua's strategy for bringing the children of Israel into the Promised Land was not based on a battle-hardened and well-trained military or army. It was not reliant on the abundance of swords, shields, bows, and chariots that Joshua and Israel possessed. It was not derived from the vastness of his horses, foot soldiers, or archers. If this were a multiple-choice question, the answer would be none of the above. There is no way that those were the things he was trusting in.

God tells Joshua to be strong and of good courage, but where is this courage going to come from? The answer is found in Joshua chapter 1. We read from verse 2: "Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan," God says to Joshua, "you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon, I have given to you, as I said to Moses."

In verse 5, God reassures Joshua: "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give to them."

God continues in verse 9: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Clearly, from this text, as God says to Joshua to be strong and very courageous, it is evident that the source of Joshua's and Israel's strength was the greatness of God and His promise. God assures them, "I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. I am the one who is giving you this land."

Thus, the source of Joshua's strength was the greatness of God and His promise. This is key: Joshua and Israel's trust and faith in God, along with their faithfulness to His word, were the very things that would sustain them and lead them to victory as they entered the land. God asks, "Do you trust me?" He says this to Joshua, to the children of Israel, and to you right now, wherever you are at this moment.

God's command was to arise and go over the Jordan with all the people. What was Joshua's response? In verse 10, we read: "Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 'Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, "Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you...'"

They will cross over this Jordan to go in to possess the land which the Lord God is giving you to possess. After that point, after He tells them to get ready, we're going into the land, He sends two spies into Jericho. We considered that in our study last time. Those two spies returned from Jericho with the report from Rahab the harlot there in that city, saying, "Truly, the Lord God has delivered this land into our hand. Indeed, everybody that lives in the land of Canaan is dreadfully afraid and faint-hearted because of us."

This brings us to the passage that we are in today, Joshua chapter 3, verse 1. It says, "Then Joshua arose early in the morning, and they, the people of Israel with Joshua, set out from Acacia Grove or Shittim. They came to the Jordan River, he and all the children of Israel, and they lodged there before they crossed over."

So it was after three days that the officers went through the camp and commanded the people, saying, "When you see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it."

Note what happens here in the pace of this story. After receiving the encouragement of God in chapter one, Joshua says to the people, "Prepare provisions, because in three days we're going into the promised land." He sends in some spies who come back and give him the report: "Hey, everybody in the land is scared to death of us. It's time for us to go."

Immediately, Joshua rose early in the morning the next day. He and all of the people broke camp and moved right up to the edge of the Jordan River. If ever they were close, now they are closer than ever. They are at the border of blessing. The leaders of Israel go and tell the people, "Be ready to move."

What was going to be the indication that it was time to move? They were to be looking for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God. The leaders tell the people, "When you see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God and the priests, the Levites, carrying it, then you shall go out from your place and go after it. Follow the Ark."

Now, this brings up the question: What is this Ark of the Covenant? If you go through the Scriptures, especially the book of Exodus, after chapter 20 until the end of the book of Exodus, you have God instructing Moses and the children of Israel, 40 years prior to these events, to construct the Tabernacle where they would meet with God, offer worship and offerings to God, and receive God's word to them.

The Tabernacle was a holy place, and within it was the Most Holy Place. Inside the Most Holy Place was a two-foot by three-foot wooden box that was overlaid with gold. This box was covered with a lid, over which stood two angelic figures with their wings outstretched. Inside the box were the tablets of stone upon which were the Ten Commandments that Moses had received from the Lord. That was the first item in the box.

The second item was a clay container or jar with manna inside it. This was the food that the children of Israel ate for the forty years they were in the wilderness. Although the manna was about to stop, there was still manna inside the Ark of the Covenant. The third item in the box was the wooden staff of Aaron, which, in one of the stories in the Book of Numbers, miraculously budded. You can read about that passage later.

However, it wasn't what was inside the box, nor the box itself, that was important; it was what the box represented for the children of Israel. On top of this golden box, the area was called the Mercy Seat, where the outstretched wings of the angels rested. It was there, upon the Mercy Seat, that God's presence was manifested to the children of Israel. Thus, the Ark represented the manifest presence of God.

In this story, as the children of Israel were leaving Chateaim and preparing to cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land, the picture was clear: God was going before His people. They were to follow Him and be ready to go wherever He would guide and lead them. God's victorious strength is witnessed by those who are ready to follow Him. This is such an important truth. If you want to see God's victorious strength in your life, then you need to be ready to follow Him wherever He leads you.

Looking at this whole situation, it was truly a step of faith. When you see the Ark of the Covenant and the priests carrying it, you are to set out from your place and go after it. Throughout all of their wanderings in the wilderness, especially during the last thirty-eight years, this was the call to action for the children of Israel.

Israel did not move until God moved. Thirty-eight years prior, almost to the day, the children of Israel left the Acacia Grove and went to the Jordan. We find this in the Book of Numbers, chapter nine. We read that the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. This was when the children of Israel were still at Mount Sinai, after they had received the law, entered into the Covenant, and built the Tabernacle. God's presence was seen by the cloud that covered it.

The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, "Let the children of Israel keep the Passover." They kept the Passover right before they came out of Egypt, and now they keep the Passover again at Sinai just before they are about to set out for the Promised Land, thirty-eight years before what we have here in Joshua, chapter three.

The children of Israel were instructed to keep the Passover at its appointed time, which was on the 14th day of the month of Nissan. It says that on the 14th day of this month at twilight, they were to keep it at its appointed time according to all its rights and ceremonies. Moses told the children of Israel that they should keep the Passover, and they did so on the 14th day of the first month at twilight in the wilderness of Sinai, according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses.

This event took place roughly at the end of March and the beginning of April, around the time of Nissan and Passover. Passover was about to come very soon, right around our Easter, when we celebrate the resurrection. This was the second time that they celebrated the Passover after coming out of Egypt and their bondage. They were at Mount Sinai, the Covenant of the people of God, and God instructed them to celebrate the Passover.

Immediately after they partook of the Passover, exactly two years after leaving Egypt, Numbers chapter 9 continues. This is so important. On the day that the Tabernacle was raised up, which is when they first constructed and built the Tabernacle, you can read about it in the last couple of chapters of the Book of Exodus. The cloud covered the Tabernacle, so God's manifest presence came and covered the Tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, from evening until morning. It was above the Tabernacle like the...

The appearance of fire was represented by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. The cloud covered the Tabernacle by day, and at night, it appeared as fire. Whenever the cloud was taken up from the Tabernacle, the children of Israel would journey. In the place where the cloud settled, the children of Israel would pitch their tents.

Moses tells us in Numbers that when they built the Tabernacle at Sinai, God's presence showed up in the pillar of cloud that covered the Tabernacle. By night, it would look like a pillar of fire. Whenever the cloud would leave the Tabernacle and move, the children of Israel would break camp and follow after the cloud. Wherever the cloud would settle, they would set up camp and stay there.

At the command of the Lord, the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the Lord, they would camp. The command of the Lord was the movement of the cloud. As long as the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle, they remained and camped. Even when the cloud continued for many days above the Tabernacle, the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not journey.

When the cloud was above the Tabernacle for a few days, according to the command of the Lord, they would remain encamped. When the cloud remained only from evening until morning, they would journey when the cloud was taken up in the morning. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they would journey. If the cloud remained above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey. But when it was taken up, they would journey.

At the command of the Lord, they remained encamped, and at the command of the Lord, they journeyed. They kept the charge of the Lord at the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses. This passage in Numbers chapter nine emphasizes that the children of Israel were guided and led through their journeys in the wilderness by God, who commanded them where to go through the appearance of the cloud.

They would put the Tabernacle in the place where the cloud settled and build camp. When the cloud would move, they would move. Sometimes it would stay in one place for a day, sometimes a week, and sometimes a year. Throughout all of their journeys for 38 years, God was the one guiding and directing the children of Israel. They did not move until God moved. All of this was completely by faith; they had to faithfully follow the pillar of cloud and fire, the manifest presence of Almighty God.

I want to suggest to you that the call to follow by faith has not changed. You may not have a tabernacle, a cloud, or a pillar of fire that guides and directs you, but just as the children of Israel had to follow God by faith, trusting that it was Him who was leading and directing them, you and I have to follow God by faith as well. In fact, the New Testament author of the book of Hebrews tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God. For the one who comes to God must believe and trust that God is, and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

God's victorious strength is witnessed by those who are ready to follow Him by faith. The children of Israel were ready to follow God by faith, but note this next verse in Joshua very well. What we find here are two extremely important truths for us to hold centrally in our minds and hearts from this text about following God by faith. You and I have been called to a walk and life of faith if we are followers of Christ, if we are Christians.

We have some important truths here in this passage. The first one we've kind of already seen: we don't want to go anywhere unless it is the Lord who is directing us to go wherever He is directing us to go. But we have a couple more important truths in this passage.

Look at verse 4 of Joshua chapter 3. They are getting ready to follow, and the people are told by their leaders that they are going to follow the ark wherever it goes. When they see the priests bearing the ark, they are to follow it and go after it. Yet we see in verse 4 that there shall be a space between them and the ark of about 2,000 cubits by measure, which is about a half mile. They are instructed not to come near to it or get too close. Why? So that they may know the way by which they must go, for they have not passed this way before.

The New Testament says we walk by faith and not by sight, as stated in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, and that is the only way to be pleasing to God, as mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11, verse 6. We are called to walk, following Him by faith faithfully. Yet here in this passage, we are given another important thing that we need to hold on to: we need to make sure that as we are following God by faith, we remain aware of His guidance.

Wherever He will guide and direct, we need to make sure that we are following Him and not getting out in front of Him. God wants to lead you into new paths. I believe that He has new things for you and for me, but we are certainly going to be going into unmapped territory, into ways that we have not passed through before. Therefore, because that is true, it is essential that we follow God and do not get out in front of Him.

For Israel, there was to be a space of about a half mile between them and the Ark. This was both so that they could see where to go and witness what God was doing. They needed to be able to see where to follow, but they also needed to observe God's acts and ways. God's acts and His ways are only observed by those who follow and gaze upon Him. So, you have to be at a distance, following and focused, fixed upon Him, watching to see what He will do.

Now, I'm sure there are more than a few of you listening to this who have, at one time or another, gotten out ahead of God. Maybe it was out of zeal, perhaps out of ignorance, or just not paying attention. We all have, at some point, outpaced God a time or two. When we do get out ahead of God, we often find ourselves in a place where we are very easily going to lose our way, get discouraged, become an open target for the enemy, or just make some foolish mistakes. When we get out ahead of God, we are exposed, and we often end up unable to find our way.

So, we need to make sure that we, like the children of Israel, are following at a distance. We have God in front of us, and we are paying attention to where He is going and watching what He is doing. We see this idea of seeing God work come up a number of times in the Old Testament. In fact, we just looked at one a few minutes ago; you may have missed it in Exodus chapter 14. I'll mention it again in just a second.

In 1 Samuel chapter 12, Samuel, who was a judge of Israel at that time, says to the children of Israel, "Stand and see the great thing which the Lord God is going to do before your eyes." Then, in another place in 2 Chronicles, a priest, Jehoiada, I believe it is, he said...

To Israel, their King Jehoshaphat said to them, as they were facing an imminent invasion from multiple enemies, "You will not need to fight this battle. Instead, position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord who is with you." This is very similar to the words we saw in Exodus chapter 14, when the children of Israel were stuck between Pi-hahiroth and Migdol, with the Red Sea in front of them and the advancing Egyptian army behind them. Moses said in Exodus chapter 14, "Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which He has accomplished for you today."

I think that’s an important word for us as well. There are times when we need to just plant ourselves, stop, and watch, waiting upon the Lord. I mentioned that there are two important truths we find in this passage that we need to keep in our minds as we seek to walk by faith and not by sight while following God.

The first truth is that we need to follow God faithfully, but we should not get out ahead of Him. We should wait upon the Lord. A beautiful passage of Scripture in Isaiah chapter 40 drives this home clearly. Isaiah 40:31 says, "But those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall rise up on wings of eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

So, that’s the first thing to keep in mind as you seek to follow God faithfully: follow at a distance. Make sure He is out in front of you and that you are not getting ahead of Him. Waiting upon the Lord is the proper place to be.

The second important truth we find as we come to verse 5 of Joshua chapter 3 is when Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you." Very clearly, in that single verse, God's wonders are seen by those who are set apart unto the Lord. The word "sanctify" means to be set apart.

So, here’s a simple question: Do you want to see God's greatness, power, and glory? Do you desire His victory in your life? Are you wanting to see God's acts?

Know His ways are the wonders of God. If you've said yes to any of those questions or all of those questions, then recognize your need for His great power and glory. Acknowledge your own weakness and your desperate need for His strength. We need to come to that humble place, like Paul saying, "I am weak." I don't have the strength or the strategy to address all the things that are coming at me in my life. I need God's wisdom. I need God's grace.

I've been reading this last week in Proverbs chapter 8 and Proverbs chapter 9, and it's all about seeking wisdom. In seeking wisdom, there is the acknowledgment that I don't have the resources of strength or a plan to address the various challenges I face as a father, as a husband, as a pastor, as a leader of an organization, or as an individual involved in other organizations. Whatever it may be, wherever you are at, you must come to the place of humble acknowledgment that you do not have within yourself the source of strength or strategy that is needed. You must acknowledge your weakness and your desperate need for God's strength because that promotes reliance upon the Lord.

If you want to see Him work wonderfully in and through your life and bring victory, strength, peace, and rest, ready yourself to follow Him by faith. Position yourself, stand, and see the salvation of the Lord. Set yourself apart; sanctify and consecrate yourself unto Him alone. In another place in the Psalms, it says, "Commit your way to Him." We will be looking at a passage related to Gilgal in just a couple of weeks in the Book of Joshua, and there is an interesting situation that occurs in Gilgal.

The word Gilgal, or the name Gilgal, is connected to the Hebrew word for "commit." It means to commit; it's a place of commitment. Commit your way to Him, and the Lord will direct your paths. So, consecrate and sanctify yourself. That is the word that Moses gives to the children of Israel: "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."

Now, that begs the question: How do we sanctify ourselves? Well, I think first and foremost, we need to recognize that sanctification is a work of God's Spirit. Sanctification is by the Spirit, as we see in Second Thessalonians.

Chapter two discusses how God is the one who ultimately has the ability and power to bring about sanctifying work in our lives. This cleansing, sanctifying, and consecrating work is essential. We should also recognize that Christ prayed in that great High Priestly prayer, which is referred to in John chapter 17. In John 17:17, He prayed, "Sanctify them by Your truth; Your word is truth." The Word of God, the Scriptures, has a sanctifying power.

Ephesians chapter 5 emphasizes this as well. Paul states in Ephesians 5:25 that just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it, He did so "that He might sanctify and cleanse her, the church, by the washing of water by the word." Thus, the Word of God sanctifies us. In Romans chapter 12, it says, "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may display or show in your life that good and perfect will of God." We renew our minds through the Word of God, which sanctifies and cleanses us as it settles into our hearts and minds.

The question arises: How shall a young man cleanse his ways? The answer is by taking heed to the Word of God. Therefore, scripture reading, study, memorization, and meditation are all important spiritual disciplines for growing in your sanctification. If you want to follow what the Scriptures say, you must sanctify yourselves and consecrate yourselves to the Lord. Commit yourself to Him. If you desire to see His wonders and His work in your life, you need to establish the spiritual discipline of reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating upon the Scriptures. This is a major spiritual discipline that you need to develop in your life if you want to witness God bringing about His victory, power, and wonders.

In addition to the Word of God, there are other spiritual disciplines that can be very helpful and practically important. The first one, aside from the Word of God, is prayer. Prayer is an essential spiritual practice that we must develop in our lives. It involves praying to God, worshiping Him through prayer, asking for our petitions, confessing our sins, and praying intercessory prayers for others. Prayer is a spiritual discipline that helps us become more committed to God and sanctified unto Him.

Another often overlooked spiritual practice in our culture is...

Fasting can take many forms, such as fasting from food, social media, the news, or whatever it may be. Fasting from food is the one that people typically think about, but it serves to break the attachment and the strength of our flesh. Perhaps you've experienced, as I certainly have in my life, that there are times when our appetites dominate us. For example, around the holidays, the abundance of food can cause our appetites to overwhelm us. It feels as if our appetite begins to direct us, overcoming our will. We may find it difficult to say no to that second helping of cheesecake or whatever it may be. Why does this happen? Because our appetite is directing us, and we are not walking by faith or by the Spirit.

So, how do you sanctify yourself to walk by faith and by the Spirit, gaining self-control over those appetites? Fasting is one way to achieve this. It breaks the attachment and the strength of our flesh, quieting and stilling it so that we can be more receptive to the prompting of the Spirit of God and respond to His guidance.

In addition to fasting, other spiritual disciplines such as scripture study, reading, memorization, meditation, and prayer help to develop a more sanctified life. Another discipline that is not commonly practiced in our culture is silence and solitude. This involves waiting upon the Lord and spending time in quiet solitude, perhaps by going on a hike or a walk in the wilderness for an afternoon. It is important to disconnect from our devices, putting them on do not disturb or even turning them off.

Silence and solitude are increasingly difficult to achieve in the Western world, where we are constantly bombarded by notifications and information. It is challenging to simply be in silence and solitude. However, these practices, along with prayer, fasting, and developing a habit of engaging with the Word of God, all contribute to our sanctification.

Sanctification is a work of the Spirit; He is working in us to will and to do His good pleasure. Yet, He also calls us to work out our salvation and our sanctification.

Requires effort on our part. My favorite passage in all of the Bible is Philippians chapter 2, verses 12 and 13: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to do His good pleasure."

What is the result when we entrust ourselves to God and follow Him by faith in sanctified obedience? What happens when we begin to do that? Like the children of Israel in this passage, they are going to follow God faithfully at a distance. Wherever the Ark goes, they will follow and watch where God is going, seeing what He does. They will sanctify themselves and commit their way over to the Lord.

What is the outcome? In Joshua chapter 3, verse 6, it says, "Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, 'Take up the Ark of the Covenant and cross over before the people.'" So they took up the Ark of the Covenant and went before the people. The Lord said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all of Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. You shall command the priests who bear the Ark of the Covenant, saying, 'When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan.'"

So Joshua said to the children of Israel, "Come here and hear the words of the Lord your God." Joshua said, "By this you shall know that the Living God is among you and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Gergashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Behold, the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of all the Earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan."

Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe, not to spy out the land, but to do something even better. It shall come to pass that as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the Ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the Earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, and the waters that come down from upstream shall stand as a heap; they will be dammed up.

So it was when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan with the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant before the people, with a half-mile gap between them and it. As those who bore the Ark came to the Jordan, the feet of the priests who bore the Ark dipped in the edge of the water, for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of the harvest. This is at the end of the barley harvest and in the early spring. The waters which came down from upstream stood still and rose up in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan.

Went down into the Sea of Arba, or the Salt Sea, failed and were cut off, and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. Then the priests who bore the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel crossed over on dry ground until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.

What was it that happened after Israel spent a few days preparing to go to the Jordan to cross over? What was it that happened as they left the Acacia Grove and came to the edge of the Jordan River? They sanctified themselves and prepared themselves to see God move and act as they followed God faithfully, following the Ark towards the Jordan River. As soon as the priests who were carrying it touched the water with their feet, the waters divided.

What is that obstacle that is before you that seems like it is impassable? Just like the Red Sea before, or when the children of Israel in the wilderness didn't have food or water, or they faced venomous snakes—whatever it is, that obstacle seems impassable. As they followed God by faith, they followed Him at a distance, waiting to see where He would go. They consecrated themselves and committed themselves to the Lord. They saw God move mightily, and He opened up that obstacle, making a way for them to walk through it.

Now, that does not mean that they will not have difficulties and more obstacles and battles that are going to come in the future. We will see all of that as we continue in the Book of Joshua. But God opened a way, and they crossed over on dry ground.

What is the point of this for you and for me? I am thoroughly convinced that God wants to take you and me into a greater experience of His promised blessing of victory and rest. God wants us to enter into the fullness of His abundant life. Jesus said, "The thief has come to steal, to kill, and to destroy, but I have come that you may have life and that you may have it more abundantly."

So, God wants you and me to move into the fullness of His abundant life. He wants us to enjoy the greatness of His blessing and His goodness. All of His promise and blessing are ours by inheritance in Christ, in the same way that God's promised blessing was Israel's by inheritance in the land. The blessings were in the land; the blessings for you are in Christ. The abundant life is in Him, but they could not take possession of all that was theirs by inheritance.

The land until they crossed the Jordan and stepped into the land. Now, for you and me, all the promises of God in Him are yes and amen to the glory of God through us. All of God's promises await you in Christ, but you have to step into those things and take possession of them. God wants to bring glory to Himself through you and through me. One of the ways He brings glory to Himself through us is as He fulfills all of His promises and blessings in our lives, bringing the fullness of His greatness into our lives.

When I think about that, my prayer is, "Oh Lord, do it! Do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think through us, Your people, in this place, wherever God has you, to His glory."

Now, one final note: I can't finish this chapter without pointing this out and addressing it. In Joshua chapter 3, eight times God refers to Israel, or Joshua refers to Israel, as "the people." Eight times: the people, the people, the people, the people. This is a very obscure thing, but I think it's worth highlighting and pointing out. Seven of the eight times, the word that is translated "people" is the Hebrew word "am." However, the final time, the eighth time, in the very last verse, the priests who bore the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel crossed over on dry ground until all the people. The very last time "people" is used, it is the eighth time, but the word "people" shows up differently.

This is significant. The previous seven times, it is the Hebrew word "am," but this very last time is the Hebrew word "goy." Why the change? What is happening? If you have a New American Standard Bible, then the word there for "people" in verse 17 is not translated "people"; it is translated "nation." So, eight times we see "people, people, people, people," until the very last time, it is "people," but it is actually "nation." Why the change? Why is this going on? They move from being just the people, if you will, to being a nation only when they entered into the fullness.

Of possessing the land, note that they become a nation and not just a people when they came into the land. How is that, and what is this all about? I believe it is a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham that was given some four centuries before this. God called Abraham the father of the Jewish people and called a person to a place. He called Abraham and his descendants to the promised land. He says to Abraham when he calls him, "Get out of your country and from your family, from your father's house to a land that I will show you, the land of Canaan. I will make you a great nation."

What word is that? The word "nation." It's the same word that we find here in this passage. The people of Israel were a people; it says "people" seven times in this passage in Joshua chapter 3. Then, the very last time, after we go through this passage, it says now that they are a nation. This is a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham. He said, "I will make you a great nation if you come and follow me. I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless him who blesses you and curse him who curses you, and in you all the families, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed."

So why is this important? The final point, and I will end here, is that we only fully become what God intends us to be when we step into the fullness of His blessing. If you're a Christian, you're not fulfilling the fullness of your purpose until you step into the fullness of His blessing. Every person is incomplete until they are in Christ. The children of Israel stepped into the promised land, and immediately they became the nation that God had promised they would be.

Why is He calling them this people to be in the land? Ultimately, it is to bring about the blessing for all peoples. But you only fully realize the fullness of God's blessing when you step into Christ. So, God, would you fulfill that in us? Draw us into the place where we step in by faith, following You.

Don't get out ahead of us, so we know where to go and can see You work and understand Your ways. God, do that great work. Father God, I pray that You would work in us, Your church. Continue directing us, leading us, and empowering us to step into the fullness of all that You have for us.

Lord, that You would do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think, as You have great things for us, Your people, to do. God, do a greater work, we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.

I will not boast in anything—no gifts, no power, no wisdom—but I will boast in Jesus Christ. I know with all my heart why I should serve. His wounds have paid my ransom.

Thanks for joining us for our broadcast today. I pray that you were greatly encouraged by it. We here at Cross Connection Church would love to invite you to join us in person next week on Sunday at 8:30 and 10:30 for our services. If you can make it, again, 8:30 and 10:30 services here at Cross Connection Church in Escondido, California. We'd love to see you there. Of course, if you want any more information about Cross Connection Church, check us out on our website, lifeinconnection.com. God bless you guys and have a wonderful week.

Good morning, Cross Connection! It's Pastor Garrett here, and I've got a couple of announcements for you this morning. First, for a church-wide announcement, Easter Sunday is four weeks away. That's right, four weeks away! We are inviting you to go out into the community to invite your circle of influence. That means your friends, acquaintances, neighbors, family members, and co-workers—all those that are around you that God has placed in your life to invite to church. You might be the one person that invites them to an Easter service, so we want to give you the opportunity to do that.

We have some resources for you. We have two different flyers: one of them is a gospel tract flyer, just ready for some good news that you can hand to them. The other is a simple wallet card with the service times to invite them to our Easter service in four weeks. Again, four weeks! So, of course, be praying for those people that you're going to be inviting. As you're leaving the sanctuary at the connection point, where our pastors are usually hanging out, grab a couple of these flyers on your way out.

If you're looking for a good opportunity to serve here at Cross Connection Church, on March 25th, which is a Saturday, we are having a church workday. When you have people over at your house, you like to keep your house clean; you like to mow the lawns and pull the weeds. That's exactly what we're going to be doing on March 25th here at Cross Connection Church. Join us for that! To sign up, go to lifeinconnection.com/events. You'll see it on our church events page. Just get your name in there so we can know how many people to expect and send you what to bring for that. We want to keep our house clean and looking good when new people are showing up.

I hope to see you there! If you are a parent of a junior high or high school student and would like to learn a little bit about depression and anxiety, which are at the highest rates ever for this generation, Generation Z, we are having a special guest speaker this coming Wednesday night, the 15th, at seven o'clock here in the youth room. I'm inviting parents to join our kids for this important discussion.

I would really like you all to be there for the youth service on Wednesday, March 15th, in our youth room at seven o'clock. Please show up with your kids; we would love to see you there. It’s going to be a great presentation from a special guest about depression and anxiety among our youth, and how we, as Christians, can actively help our youth in those areas. I hope to see you there!

Additionally, this coming Sunday, March 19th, we will be holding our first youth barbecue fundraiser. This event will support our camp fundraiser. After the second service, if you are hanging out around the church or want to come back after the first service, please check it out. We will be doing our barbecue out in the parking lot, and you are invited to help support our kids in getting to camp.

This is probably one of the most important events we do with our youth all year long. We are expecting more people at camp this year, and we will be going to Catalina Island. So again, please hang out after church and plan to have lunch with us here at Cross Connection Church to support our youth going to camp.