People are not in their normal seats. If you'll turn to Joshua chapter three. And I'm just going to read the first six verses of this chapter, Joshua chapter three, verses one through six. Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. At the end of three days, the officers went through the camp and commanded the people, as soon as you see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priest, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before. Then Joshua said to the people, consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. And Joshua said to the priests, take up the Ark of the Covenant and pass on before the people. So they took up the Ark of the Covenant and went before the people. Let's pray. Father, again, we do thank you that we can return to your house and we can open our Bibles and we can read and think about your word. We thank you for this evening and being able to work through this psalm and to, in some sense, see our own experience and you coming down from heaven to rescue us in our trouble. And as we have even heard tonight to see that son of David, the Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnation, your delight and your love for your people and that you came down and you stepped down into the stream of humanity and the person of Jesus Christ and you have brought about our redemption, and we thank you for that and we thank you for our time today in your house to celebrate that great fact of redemption. Father, help us now as we think about this portion of your word in the book of Joshua and the history of Israel, and again, give us a vision, give us faith, that we may truly see you as the God that you are, the God who cares for his people and provides complete redemption. And we pray this in Christ's name, amen. How can we break through those impossible situations that we encounter in life? God calls us to do something in life, to live the Christian life. to be a Christian husband, to be a Christian wife, a mother, a father, to be a light shining in a dark world when we go to work, to realize that we are there representing the kingdom of Christ and we are to let our light shine among those that we work with. Or if we are called to work in some respect in the kingdom of Christ, perhaps it's as an elder or a deacon, or to be involved in Christian education, in some sense being called to do something for the kingdom of Christ, or a young person, a teenager, just living a faithful Christian life in the midst of their peers. How can we do any of this when there is so much that is against us? In our last study, it was two weeks ago, we saw from this chapter that as Christians, we often encounter obstacles to doing God's will. We all have our Jordan rivers. We all have our cities of Jericho that stand in our way, keeping us from experiencing the promised land, the good that God has for us. What we've learned so far is that we need to always remember who God is and what God has already done. The great theological theme of the book is the faithfulness of God. But two weeks ago, we thought about certain other attributes of God. But we have seen that it is God who stands behind the obstacles. The River Jordan doesn't just appear there by itself, or the city of Jericho. behind these obstacles and he's doing something that we might realize the greatness of God. Deep in unfathomable minds of never failing skill, he treasures up his bright designs and works his sovereign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take. The clouds ye so much dread are big with mercy and shall break in blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust him for his grace. Behind a frowning providence, he hides a smiling face." What we see is often the frowning providence. It's the dark cloud that looks threatening. And yet we are assured by scripture that behind that frowning providence, that cloud, there is a God of mercy. It was no accident that the Jordan River stood between Israel and the promised land. It's no accident that when they came to the Jordan River, it was that season of the year when the river was flooded and it became even more difficult to encounter. It was no accident that the mighty fortified city of Jericho lay right there at the entrance as they sought to come into the promised land. And so Joshua 3 and 4 are designed to teach us these great truths about God. We talked about this two weeks ago, that God is a living God. Chapter 3, verse 10. Joshua said, here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will, without fail, drive out from before you all of these people that are inhabiting the land. He's a living God. He's not just a dead idol that does nothing and cares nothing for his people. He is the living God. He's the Lord of all the earth. Chapter three, verse 11, behold the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan." Again in verse 13, when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing. As Lord of all the earth, he's the Lord of the Jordan River. He created. the river. He created the rocks that make up the city, the walls of Jericho. These are all aspects of his creation and they all have to do what God says that they are to do. And then the third thing that we saw is that he's a mighty God. Toward the end of the account, chapters three and four somewhat go together in recounting the crossing of the Jordan But chapter 4, verses 23 and 24, the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty. That's the theology that we're supposed to know. That's the theological lesson that we're to have in our minds as we approach whatever obstacle it is that we find in our circumstances and in our life. Now tonight, I want to look more at the practical side. In addition to this theology, whereby we remind ourselves of who God is and what he has done, now what? Two more principles. Remember who God is for you, and then be strong and courageous. You've heard that before. When you come to Joshua 3 and 4, you should not forget Joshua 1 and 2. It's building upon those lessons that are articulated there in Joshua 1 and 2. Be strong and courageous. What did God tell us back there in Joshua 1 and 2 that we can now make use of as we come up against Jordan rivers and walls of Jericho? Just to review briefly, pay attention to the word of God. Chapter 1, David Walters read these at the installation of Michael last Sunday. Joshua 1, 7, only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all that the law that Moses, my servant, commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. We now want good success as we come up against the Jordan River. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." Get into the Word. Read the Bible. Meditate on God's Word. Be careful to do what you learn, what you find in God's word. Obey the commands and believe the promises. Pay attention to the commands that you come across in God's word. God commands that we go in and we take the land. With that command comes God's grace that's going to enable us to do that. We come up against the Jordan and we think, I can't do this. And yet God commands me to do it. Yet contained, embedded in that command, that word that comes from God is a word of grace that enables us to do what God calls us to do. We should be encouraged whenever God's word tells us to do something. Love your husband, love your wife, children obey your parents, whatever it is, say no to sin. whatever it is that God will give you the grace enabling you to do that. This is Ezekiel 36. Pastor Donovan is impressed upon us. I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a and will give you a heart of flesh, and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules." He doesn't remove the statutes or the rules. What he does is something better. He gives you his spirit that enables you and causes you to do this. Augustine said, give what you command and command what you will. As long as you give what you are commanding me to do, then go ahead and command whatever you want, because I'll be able to do it. So pay attention to the commands and then pay attention to the promises that you find in God's word. He who promised is faithful. He will do what he promises. The key word of Joshua chapter one is what? Give. I will give you the land, the land that I am giving you. I am faithful. I will do this. I am giving the land. It's all of grace. And so pay attention to the promises of God. The Puritan Robert Trail said, God can just as soon cease to exist as to let one of his good promises fall to the ground. And so when faced with challenges, obstacles in your Christian life, make sure that you're paying close attention to God's word. Pay attention to the people of God. Again, Joshua chapter 1, at the end of that chapter, verses 16 through 18, Joshua has just given these instructions to the people. And they answered Joshua, all that you have commanded us, we will do, and wherever you send us, we will go. Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous. You understand that the people are now repeating to Joshua what Joshua had just told them. Joshua had said, be strong and courageous. And now the people are saying to Joshua, you be strong and courageous. They're encouraging Joshua. They're taking the words that they heard him preach, and they're turning it around, and they're preaching it to him. Be an encouragement to those around you. The people encourage Joshua as he faces a difficult And this is what Christian friends are for, to encourage one another. We've recently looked at Hebrews, Hebrews 3, verse 12. These are familiar verses. Take care, brothers, lest there be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another or encourage one another every day, as long as it is called today, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. In Hebrews 10, verse 24, let us consider how to stir up or provoke one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another. And all the more as you see the day drawing near. Proverbs 12, 25. Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. Do you know anybody that needs to be glad? Somebody who's anxious, somebody that's worried, somebody that's discouraged with life. Is there something that you can say to somebody in order to encourage them? A good word makes him glad. Proverbs 16, verse 24, gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. Are there gracious words that you can speak to someone to help them in their Christian life? Proverbs 18, verse 21, death and life are in the power of the tongue. The things that you say to somebody might mean death. It will discourage them. But the things that you say to someone might mean life. It's all the difference. It'll give them that encouragement and energy and strength that they need to keep moving forward. And so pay attention to the people of God. Encourage them and let them encourage you. Cooperate. The simple fact that these people agree to do what Joshua has told them is an encouragement. What would it have been like if Joshua said, you know, get up, we've got to go across this river, and they all, oh, we want to go back to Egypt. You know, we had these big steaks and, you know, great meals. It was just a wonderful life being slaves in Egypt. You know, we don't want to be out here. They cooperate with Joshua. A willing, positive, cheerful attitude that you are going to obey the Lord will encourage others to do the same. When you see somebody obeying God's will, it encourages you as they are cooperating with the word and with God's people. Pay attention to the providence of God. I think this is the lesson of Joshua 2. You know, God's hand was obviously already on this situation as the spies come in and they find, here's a woman that already believes in our God. God has already done something amazing because none of us have visited this city and yet she's been converted and she's willing to help us. She's willing to join with us and to help us. And certainly that providence was an encouragement to them because they went back and said, the city is certainly ours. We can go in and do this. God's already been there, he's converted this woman. There's no reason for us not to move forward. As we read God's word, as we listen to the counsel and the encouragement of God's people, we need to watch for those doors that God will open and close. It's not that you walk through any open door. It's not that you walk away from every closed door, but with God's word and the encouragement of God's people, you go up and you shake every doorknob. Is this one open? Is it closed? You pay attention to God's providence in your life. And then the last principle that we see here. not only be strong and courageous, but when faced with obstacles and challenges in life, continue to trust and obey. Chapter 3, verses 3 and 4. Command the people, as soon as you see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before." See the Ark and follow it. Trust and obey. The Ark of the Covenant. It's a wooden box. It's covered with gold. On top is the mercy seat. Inside are a number of things but the tablets of God's law, the Ten Commandments. Two poles are used to carry it. It's a visible reminder of God's presence among his people. It is a portable Mount Sinai. Everything that God said and did on Mount Sinai is now in a box with poles, and wherever God wants his people to go, that ark moves, and the people follow that ark. And seeing the ark, they know that God is with them. As God had appeared to them on Mount Sinai, giving the law and expressing his grace, now God was with them wherever they went. It's the ark. God had made an agreement with Abraham to give the land to his descendants. And now God is leading his people into the fulfillment of that covenant promise. The ark is the first to go, verse 6. Joshua said, take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people. He gives this instruction to the priests. They took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people. God is leading them into the land. Their responsibility is to follow the Ark. There's to be a distance of about half a mile between them and the Ark. Now we know from later history that bad things can happen if you just run up there and touch the Ark. But this text doesn't say that. It just gives the one reason that they want people to stand back far enough, half a mile, so that you can see where the Ark is going. That's the whole point, is you need to be able to see it. so that you can follow it because you've not gone this way before and you have no idea where the ark is going to go or how it's going to cross this water or how it's going to take you, but you need to be able to have your eyes fixed upon it and then to follow it. The lessons here for God's covenant people. For Israel, God is saying trust and obey. Look at the ark. Think about my presence with you, leading you, guiding you. I will go first. You follow me. Believe that I'm with you. Obey everything that I tell you. No obstacle will be able to stand in your way. As soon as the priest with the ark step into the water, the water stops. So God is giving his presence, telling us to fix our eyes upon him as he leads us. The message for us today is the same, trust and obey. Put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. The wooden ark covered with gold is a picture of Christ, God and man, the wood, his humanity, the gold, his divinity. As the ark leads God's people through the wilderness, so Jesus Christ leads us as our shepherd. As the ark is God's presence among his people, so Jesus Christ is Emmanuel, God with us. As the ark is covered on top with this mercy seat, so the Lord Jesus Christ is the one that takes the punishment for our sin and for all of our failures in terms of believing and trusting and following him. All of that is taken care of and is carried by him on this mercy seat. And so you and I can break through any obstacle, impossible situation by fixing our eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ. But I think it's also telling us to obey God's law. Fix your eyes on the ark as it leads you, but at the same time, You've got to follow it. It's not going to do any good for the Israelites to sit here and watch the ark go through the Jordan and go on into the promised land if they just stand there. They've got to follow. They've got to follow the instructions. What's inside of the ark? Ten commandments, God's law, God's instruction. Here's how I'm going to show you what your sin is. Here's how I am going to lead you into a right relationship with me. Here's how you are going to be able to see your need and the way in which you should call upon me for grace. Here, I'm going to give you guidance for life in this new land. And so the Ark is not just a picture of Christ, but it is a picture of God's revealed will for our lives. In one sense, Christ carries the law. He's the ark. He's the one carrying the law. He's the one fulfilling the law for us, the embodiment of the law. But at the same time, we see that that law is being given to us to guide us in our daily behavior. And so let Christ lead you. Daily put your faith in him. When you think about this morning's sermon, You know, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Yeah, I know all of that stuff about Jesus Christ. You know, just another gospel message. Well, that's what the Christian life is, is believing another gospel message. Every week you come and are reminded of what Jesus Christ has done for you. And you put your faith in him. And you persevere in that faith. And so daily put your faith in Christ. Fix your eyes upon that mercy seat. Remember that there's forgiveness for all of your failures. Remember that he, Jesus Christ, is the embodiment of God's law, the fulfillment of that law. Know that you're going to fail. You're going to wander, prone to wander. And there is a mercy seat on this ark that you have fixed your eyes upon. And so there is forgiveness for sins. And then at the same time, let God's law guide you. Step out. Follow. Do what God calls us to do. Certainly not to save ourselves. There's no way, following God's law, that we can make it across the Jordan. The priest, with the ark, have to step in the water first. And then you follow. But let God's law guide you. Trust and obey. So what do I do when things look impossible, when I'm faced with a challenge? Keep in mind who God is and what he's able to do, the living God, the Lord of all the earth, the mighty God who can do all things. And then take full advantage of the various ways that this God has ordained for your encouragement, the word of God, the people of God, observing the providence of God, and then continue, no matter what, to trust and to obey. Let's pray. Father, we come to the end of this day, and we have thought about your word. We have heard your word read and sung and preached. We have heard hymns. We have sung hymns. We have offered up prayers. We have had a rich fellowship with your people where we have conversed and encouraged one another. And all through the day, there have been those thoughts that have tried to crowd into our minds that have caused us to worry and to be anxious. As we think about the week ahead of us or family situations, difficult relationships, things are not the way that we would like them to be. Father, help us to take the good that we have heard and we have participated in today. Help us to take that and for you to use it in our lives, in our minds, in our hearts, in our lives as a powerful means of grace, guiding us. showing us the way to go, revealing Christ to us, strengthening our faith in Him, that as we go through this new week, we would firmly believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is with us and is for us, and that we will have success as we follow Him. Father, be with us this evening as we return to our homes. Grant journey mercies to us and to others who are traveling. Grant us safe and restful sleep that we might be prepared for tomorrow in serving you and your son, the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.