Dave Barnes
November 13, 2024
In Joshua 3, we’ll see Israel finally cross the Jordan river. In our story, we study how and why entering “God’s rest” required strong faith.
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Joshua 3:1-3 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.
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Main Point # 1 “Team Jesus” is a
partnership. God will do His part (the big stuff) but He wants us to join Him
and get involved
Joshua 3:4 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 (3,000 feet) between
you and the ark; do not go near it.”
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Main Point # 2 God is always with us
everywhere we go! But make sure to invite Him to go with
you and before you.
Joshua 3:5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD
will do amazing things among you.”
Exodus 19:10-11 The LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and
tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day,
because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all
the people.
Joshua 3:6 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.
Joshua 1:8 (NLT) Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night
so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you
prosper and succeed in all you do.
Joshua 3:7-8 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.’”
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Main Point # 3 Don’t get ahead of God.
Following Jesus means He’s in charge of EVERYTHING, including when to
proceed.
Joshua 3:9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the
LORD your God.
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Main Point # 4 Study God’s Word! The BEST
way to learn about God is studying what He says, not what man says about
Him.
Joshua 3:10-13 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.”
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Ways Jesus Healed:
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By His words (Matthew 9:6-7)
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By His touch (Matthew 20:34
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By His garment (Matthew 9:20-22)
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By His Spit (Mark 8:22-25)
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By mixing His spit with mud (John 9:6)
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From a great distance (Matthew 8:13)
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Main Point # 5 Trust the irregular Regularness
of God. He slightly varies His ways so we’ll “fix our gaze” on Him
Joshua 3:14-16a 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, 16a the water from upstream stopped flowing.
Psalm 69:15 Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the
pit close its mouth over me.
Joshua 3:16b-17 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.
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