GOD’S NEW DAY!

Joshua 3:1-17

INTRODUCTION: This morning we talked about our Lord’s help. Tonight we will learn how to enter into our Lord’s provision of opportunity. Because of a lack of faith in God’s promises, the children of Israel wandered in the desert of Sinai for forty years. Now their children are about to get a second chance but they also have hit a problem. Between the children of Israel and the Promised Land is the Jordan river and it is at flood stage! Why does our God seem so often to ask us to move forward with our natural power at the worst times? It is because our God does not want us doing anything with our natural power! 2 Corinthians 5:7. We are to live by faith not by sight. What we learn from the children of Israel were examples for us: 1 Corinthians 10:11. What God has been saying, He is still saying! What God has been doing He is still doing! This is not ancient history, this is the way our Lord works with and for His children who will trust Him. When reading the Scriptures we need to ask: 1. What did this portion of Scripture mean then? 2. What does this portion of Scripture mean now? 3. What does this portion of Scripture mean to me personally? The key to having God bless your life and take you through your adversity into your provision. The key is found nine times in this third chapter of Joshua. Joshua 3:3. The word “ark” is used nine times in these seventeen verses and is the key to understanding everything that is happening. The ark was God’s treasure chest of blessing because the ark represented the presence of God. The ark represents our Lord Jesus Christ who is Emanuel, God with us. John 1:1-3, 14.

I. MOVE OUT AND FOLLOW CHRIST!

Joshua 3:3 for us this means that we must follow our Lord Jesus Christ. We love to sing “Wherever He Leads I’ll Go” but sadly often when Jesus asks us to follow Him we hesitate. When our Lord tells us it is time to move that is where the blessings are: Isaiah 43:18-19; John 10:27.

II. JESUS MUST BE SEEN BY YOU!

Joshua 3:3-4: a thousand yards is about 3/5ths of a mile between themselves and the Ark! Why must we follow our Lord from a distance? It is because often when we follow too closely we think we know where He is going and what He is doing and we want to run ahead of Him. We are sheep, sheep do not know where the green pasture is or the still waters. Only God can direct His people. We are told to fix our eyes on Jesus: Hebrews 12:1-2. Who will Jesus show Himself to? John 4:21. Our Lord wants us to watch Him and stop looking to ourselves or others for our guidance. Our own understanding gets us into all kinds of problems: Proverbs 3:5-6. We keep our eyes on Jesus because He is still doing amazing things among us: Joshua 3:5; Matthew 14:25-31. When Peter looked to Jesus he walked on the water. When Peter looked at the storm he went under the waters. Psalm 118:8; John 5:39. You can know the Scriptures and not know Jesus. You can know the Scriptures and go to hell.

III. SANCTIFY OURSELVES UNTO JESUS!

Each of God’s children are called to sanctify themselves unto the LORD: Joshua 3:5. The word “sanctify” means to “separate yourself, set yourself apart for a person or activity. The children of Israel were called to separate themselves to following the ark wherever it went. The Bible is the very best commentary of itself: Joshua 24:14-15; Luke 6:46-49. Sin in our lives cuts us off from the blessings of our Lord: Jonah 2:8. We are called to serve the Lord we are sanctified unto: Joshua 24:14-15; 1 Corinthians 4:7; Proverbs 31:25.