Remembering and Proclaiming God's Deliverance

November 11, 2018 Speaker: Matt Maka Series: Joshua: The God Who Promises Rest

Topic: The Gospel Scripture: Joshua 3:1– 4:24

Summary

God calls his people to remember and proclaim how he manifests his presence with his people in order to deliver them into his promised rest. 

Application

I believe all of us in Christ Church need to consider if we really desire and are seeking God’s nearness and active presence. I think we all need to learn how to find rest in God’s presence. I think ALL OF US are TOO BUSY! As a church we need to learn how to seek God’s active presence and find soul refreshing rest. And lastly, I think we all need to be completely convinced from God’s mouth that the Lord’s Supper is NOT a time to search our souls to see if we are worthy. Rather it is a time to “remember” and “proclaim” that Jesus is worthy! All of these lessons can be seen in Joshua 3 & 4.

Review Chapter 3

  • What is chapter 3 about?
  • Why is “passing over” such a big deal that it is used 17 times in chapters 3 & 4? (Gen 12:7)
  • What object is at the center of chapter 3? (it is mentioned 19 times)
  • Why are we given the date all this happened in 4:19? What is significant about this date? (Answer: Exodus 12)
  • What is so important about the Ark?
    • You cannot enter God’s rest without God's presence.
    • You cannot find rest without God’s active presence.
    • The emphasis on the Ark is so we will see that God Himself is manifesting His presence among His people so they can inherit rest in Him.

This story is a foreshadowing of when God would send His presence not in a box covered in gold but in a man covered in flesh. And that man would not hold back water so we could enter God’s rest but He would hold back God’s wrath and our sin so we could find ultimate eternal rest.

Apply Chapter 3

  • Have you ever experienced God’s active presence? A time when you knew God was there? Do you want His presence? Do you want more of His presence?
  • Do you know rest? Are you restless?
  • What are you restless over? What can you do so as to seek God’s presence and find rest? Do you know how to sit, walk, lay down, dance, sing in His presence so that you experience His presence/rest? What do you need to stop wasting time doing to find rest in His presence?

Review Chapter 4

  • What objects take center stage in chapter 4?
  • Why are there 12 of them?
  • Why not just one big stone representing all of them?
  • What is the purpose of the 12 stones? (See 4:6-7 & 20-23)
  • What “memorial” do the stones foreshadow? (1 Corinthians 11)
  • Read 1 Corinthians 11:17-34. What is the purpose of the Lord’s Supper? (two words can sum up its purpose)
  • Has it ever been your experience to be told to examine yourself so as to see if you are worthy to eat the Lord’s Supper?
  • In context what does it mean to “examine" yourself and “discern the body” so as to eat in a worthy manner?
    • Sadly instead of the Lord’s Supper being about remembering what Jesus did we end up remembering what we have done as we examine ourselves.
    • If you examined yourself to see if were worthy to take the Lord’s Supper by looking back at your behavior over the past week, would you ever take the Lord’s Supper?
  • Verse 24 sums up the ultimate purpose of why God had them cross the Jordan river and why the 12 stones.
    • Everything God does is for His fame and glory.
    • God wants His fame and glory spread to all nations. Does this sound familiar?

Apply Chapter 4

  • What is God doing in your life right now that is not as efficient as you wish? How is God setting up this situation to maximize you seeking His active presence and Him getting all the attention so you will find rest?

More in Joshua: The God Who Promises Rest

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June 9, 2019

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June 2, 2019

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