い
00:00:02.16\00:00:08.04
>> Good morning, church
family. >> Good morning!
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>> Thank you so much. I'm
so glad that we could all be
00:00:15.58\00:00:18.65
here together, so please stand
with us while we sing and praise
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God. [ "Days of Elijah" begins ]
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い
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[ "What a
Beautiful Name" begins ]
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い
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[ "Amazing Grace" begins ] い
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>> Our scripture reading
for today is Joshua 1:8-9.
00:09:52.75\00:09:57.13
"Keep this Book of the Law
always on your lips; meditate on
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it day and night, so that you
may be careful to do everything
00:10:00.46\00:10:03.90
written in it. And
then you will be prosperous
00:10:03.90\00:10:06.60
and successful.
Have I not commanded you?
00:10:06.60\00:10:09.07
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid; do not be
00:10:09.07\00:10:12.11
discouraged, for the Lord your
God will be with you everywhere
00:10:12.11\00:10:15.61
you go." [ "Way Maker" begins ]
00:10:15.61\00:10:21.58
い
00:10:21.58\00:10:30.49
>> Hello! I almost said
good morning, but you know what?
00:14:15.18\00:14:19.32
It's good afternoon. Happy
Sabbath. It is so good to see
00:14:19.32\00:14:24.63
all of you this morning.
00:14:24.63\00:14:26.03
I have a question for you today.
00:14:26.06\00:14:29.13
How many of you
like to ride bicycles?
00:14:29.13\00:14:35.80
Let me see your hands. Oh,
yes! Maybe it is a tricycle with
00:14:35.84\00:14:40.44
three wheels, or maybe if you're
a little older, you are riding a
bicycle with two wheels.
00:14:40.44\00:14:46.58
So let me ask you a question. Do
we have any kids here who are
riding bicycles without any
00:14:46.58\00:14:54.66
training wheels at all? Do I
have any hands here? Wow, look
00:14:54.66\00:14:59.59
at that. We have a whole lot of
veterans here, and we have some
future veterans, too.
00:14:59.59\00:15:04.20
So, let me ask you a question,
you veterans of bicycle riding?
Do you remember what it was like
00:15:04.20\00:15:12.37
when your training wheels were
taken off your bike and you were
riding without them?
00:15:12.37\00:15:21.72
You no longer had those guards
to protect you when you were
leaning left or right.
00:15:21.72\00:15:28.02
Was that a little bit scary?
Was that a little scary? No, it
00:15:28.02\00:15:32.79
wasn't scary. You were totally
brave. Well, for me, when I
started learning how to ride
00:15:32.79\00:15:39.17
without training wheels, it was
a little scary. It was a little
00:15:39.17\00:15:43.91
scary because I was always
worried that I was gonna fall
over. And, so, I had someone who
00:15:43.91\00:15:49.48
helped me. It was my dad.
And I'm gonna put a picture on
00:15:49.48\00:15:53.68
the screen for you here. He did
just what this father is doing.
00:15:53.68\00:16:00.06
He came next to me and he said,
"Don't worry, Jonathan, I'm
right here," and he ran with me
00:16:00.06\00:16:07.13
while I was peddling. But I
had a problem. I was still very
00:16:07.13\00:16:12.03
wobbly. But after he had been
running with me for a while, he
put his hand on the back of the
00:16:12.03\00:16:17.47
seat and said, "I'm still right
here. You just look at the road
and keep peddling."
00:16:17.47\00:16:21.91
And after we had done that for
an hour or two, you know what
00:16:21.91\00:16:27.78
happened? I was doing it on my
own. And that was so incredible.
I had no idea that it could
00:16:27.78\00:16:36.79
happen that quickly. But
you know what? Sometimes when we
00:16:36.79\00:16:41.03
face things in life that are
really good and really
important, they can sometimes be
00:16:41.03\00:16:45.57
a little scary, can't they?
Maybe it's learning to ride a
bicycle or maybe it's the first
00:16:45.57\00:16:50.91
day of school or maybe, like
some of the preachers at the
youth tent, it might be getting
00:16:50.91\00:16:56.78
up in front of people and
actually sharing the message of
00:16:56.78\00:17:01.42
Jesus. But you know what? All of
us, no matter what age we are,
we have a special person
00:17:01.42\00:17:08.06
who is always there to hear
us and help us through those
00:17:08.06\00:17:14.00
difficult times. And that person
is Jesus. Whenever we're afraid,
we can pray and ask Him to be
00:17:14.00\00:17:21.80
right there with us. In fact,
our university is named after
someone who learned
00:17:21.80\00:17:27.01
how to do that. Let me put
a picture here on the screen.
00:17:27.01\00:17:30.58
This picture is right in front
of the church here. Does anyone
00:17:30.58\00:17:37.12
know who is on those statues?
I see a hand here, yes. J.N.
00:17:37.12\00:17:41.12
Andrews. John Andrews. Yes,
that's right. And also his kids.
00:17:41.12\00:17:45.79
Mary and Charles. They are being
pictured here as they are about
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to be missionaries to Europe.
They were our first official
missionaries overseas.
00:17:51.40\00:17:58.57
And do you think it might be a
little scary to go overseas? >>
00:17:58.57\00:18:04.71
Yeah. >> Yeah, I think it might
be a little scary to go
overseas, especially because
00:18:04.71\00:18:10.49
this was the days when there was
no FaceTime. You couldn't just
go over the ocean and then call
00:18:10.49\00:18:15.89
up and say, "Hey, mom and dad."
Nope, that wasn't possible. You
would go for weeks in a ship
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and then you might not see
anyone that you knew back in the
United States for years.
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Could that be scary? While they
were getting ready to go, J.N.
00:18:26.10\00:18:34.28
Andrews asked for prayer, and he
wrote this down. I'm going to
read it to you. And this is an
00:18:34.28\00:18:40.85
important principle for each of
us as we are going through our
lives. "And now, as we set
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forth, we commit ourselves to
the merciful protection of God.
And we especially ask the
00:18:46.99\00:18:52.96
prayers of the people of God,
that His blessing may attend us
in this sacred work."
00:18:52.96\00:19:00.67
So, when we are facing things
that are scary, we commit
ourselves to God, and then, we
00:19:00.67\00:19:05.74
ask Jesus to be with us. Do we
have someone here who would like
00:19:05.74\00:19:11.55
to pray for us this morning?
All right, I saw this hand right
00:19:11.55\00:19:18.95
over here first. And what
is your name? >> Hadassa. >>
00:19:18.95\00:19:22.59
Hadassa. That is a wonderful
name. So can you pray and ask
Jesus to give us the strength
00:19:22.59\00:19:28.36
and the bravery to do the things
that He wants us to do? >> Dear
Jesus, thank you for
00:19:28.36\00:19:34.57
this day. Help us to be
brave when we're scared.
00:19:34.57\00:19:38.84
Thank you that --
to the Sabbath. Amen.
00:19:38.84\00:19:42.84
>> Amen. All right, boys and
girls, you can go back to your
00:19:42.84\00:19:47.88
seats. >> I want to pray with
you. I'm excited about a
brand-new series that begins
00:19:50.99\00:19:56.09
right now. Title of the series,
"Joshua Fit the Battle of
Jericho." It's a great song.
00:19:56.09\00:20:01.10
Sometime go on YouTube and make
sure you see the one sung by
00:20:01.10\00:20:05.27
Mahalia Jackson. It's a powerful
rendition from years ago.
Father, You are the waymaker,
00:20:05.27\00:20:10.87
the promise keeper, light in the
darkness, that is who You are.
So we come to this moment when
00:20:10.87\00:20:18.48
you're going to speak through
Holy Scripture, we're going to
hear you, I know we will,
00:20:18.48\00:20:22.95
Father, so hush every other
sound and noise inside of us so
that the Holy Spirit may have
00:20:22.95\00:20:27.56
His way. We humbly
pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:20:27.56\00:20:31.49
>> Amen. >> I was 13 years old
when I left home for the first
00:20:31.49\00:20:38.27
time. Turns out, it was the last
time. Except for a few summers
00:20:38.27\00:20:42.50
along the way. I'm a
missionary's kid in Tokyo,
00:20:42.50\00:20:46.31
Japan. The closest academy is
5,317 kilometers to the south in
00:20:46.34\00:20:50.18
the island nation of
Singapore. Far Eastern Academy.
00:20:50.18\00:20:54.52
And I'm gonna get on a
big plane and fly out today.
00:20:54.52\00:20:58.69
I'll never forget that moment
when my dad assembled the family
00:20:58.69\00:21:02.12
together, we're
going to have worship.
00:21:02.12\00:21:04.79
We're going to
have worship together.
00:21:04.79\00:21:08.40
Small, little Japanese
house. Smaller living room.
00:21:08.40\00:21:13.17
I remember seeing my mother's
eyes. They were red, and I knew
00:21:13.20\00:21:16.27
she had been crying. And I'm
really not sure how to interpret
the big smiles on my
00:21:16.27\00:21:22.94
younger brother and my little
sister. Big bro is leaving.
00:21:22.94\00:21:28.08
Peace at last. My dad took
his old Bible. And he said, "I'm
00:21:28.08\00:21:35.86
gonna read," Dwight, for you, a
passage my father read to me
when I left home for the first
00:21:35.86\00:21:42.00
time." Turns out, it's a passage
I read to my kids when they left
home, one by one, the last time.
00:21:42.00\00:21:48.87
It's Joshua chapter 1, and I'd
like to have family worship
right now if you're okay with
00:21:48.87\00:21:52.91
that and if you'd open your
Bible to Joshua chapter 1. Come
on, you got a Bible.
00:21:52.91\00:21:56.61
You're not totally reliant
on technology. You have a Bible.
00:21:56.61\00:22:01.02
Open it up to
Joshua 1. Joshua 1. Wow.
00:22:01.02\00:22:07.82
"After the death of Moses the
servant of the Lord, the Lord
said to Joshua son of Nun,
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Moses' aide." All right, he's
kind of like the prime minister.
00:22:15.40\00:22:22.97
And God speaks to Joshua now.
00:22:22.97\00:22:25.87
And I am trying to imagine how
Joshua must have felt as he
hears the capital V Voice
00:23:31.04\00:23:36.31
speaking somewhere, speaking
to him. "The God of Moses is
00:23:36.31\00:23:40.78
speaking to me. Little old me."
And what's amazing to me is I
00:23:40.78\00:23:44.55
read these words and I suddenly
realize the God of Moses is
speaking to little old you and
00:23:44.55\00:23:50.53
little old me. "As I was
with Moses, I will be with you.
00:23:50.53\00:23:57.73
Have I not commanded you? Be
strong and of a good courage. Be
00:23:57.73\00:24:04.71
not afraid. Be not discouraged.
For the Lord your God is with
you wherever you go."
00:24:04.71\00:24:09.88
Some of you are poised today
on the brink of an uncertain
00:24:09.88\00:24:14.35
future. You have no idea what's
going to happen tomorrow. You're
changing careers in
00:24:14.35\00:24:19.99
midstream. The doctor's walked
into the room and has given you
00:24:19.99\00:24:24.26
a diagnosis that is without
hope. You're standing on the
edge today, your education
00:24:24.26\00:24:32.40
somewhere between now and then.
You're still stuck in it and
you're not sure what's coming
00:24:32.40\00:24:38.67
next. For all of us who stand
at these moments, when we are
00:24:38.67\00:24:48.75
absolutely unsure of what comes
next, God speaks these words.
You're a volunteer leader, are
00:24:48.75\00:24:55.16
you? You're brand-new leader.
Whoa, are you filling some big
00:24:55.16\00:24:59.23
shoes. They're not going to fit
you. Yeah, that leader that went
00:24:59.23\00:25:03.53
before you is larger than life.
And look at you. You're gonna
00:25:03.53\00:25:08.44
take her place? You're gonna
take his place? Good luck. You
00:25:08.44\00:25:14.31
know what? If you are a leader,
volunteer, paid, got a big
constituency meeting going on
00:25:14.31\00:25:19.98
tomorrow, leaders will be voted
and voted in. If you're a leader
00:25:19.98\00:25:25.42
standing on the edge and
uncertain of what's ahead, you
need to hear what God said to
00:25:25.42\00:25:31.69
Joshua just now. It isn't
greater leadership skills that
00:25:31.69\00:25:35.90
you need. Mnh-mnh. It's deeper
spiritual depth that you need.
And that's why God will say --
00:25:35.90\00:25:40.34
that's why God will say to
Joshua, "Yo, Joshua keep this
Book of the Law always on your
00:25:40.34\00:25:44.77
lips." What's that mean?
Let your lips speak it out loud
00:25:44.77\00:25:48.04
so that your brain hears what
your lips are reading. Meditate
on the book, the book,
00:25:48.04\00:25:52.71
the book. "Meditate on it day
and night, so that you may be
00:25:52.71\00:25:56.58
careful to do everything written
in it. Then you will be
prosperous and successful."
00:25:56.58\00:26:00.36
You know what? I'm not worried
for you, sir. Ma'am, I'm not
00:26:00.36\00:26:05.23
worried for you. I'm not afraid.
You're gonna be fine. Why?
00:26:05.23\00:26:10.17
Because you dwell in the secret
place of the Most High and you
abide under the shadow the
00:26:10.17\00:26:15.00
Almighty. And in that proximity,
you have been shaped into a
00:26:15.00\00:26:18.97
companion with the Eternal.
I'm worried at all about your
00:26:18.97\00:26:24.91
future. It's dark. You can't
see a thing. But have I not
00:26:24.91\00:26:32.45
commanded you? "Have I not
commanded you? Be strong, girl.
Be courageous, boy.
00:26:32.45\00:26:40.00
Do not be afraid; do not be
discouraged, for the Lord your
God is with you whither
00:26:40.00\00:26:45.43
soever you go." How's
that work? It works like this.
00:26:45.43\00:26:49.24
God is always dependent on those
who are dependent on Him. He
doesn't need leaders that
00:26:49.24\00:26:56.71
have memorized every leadership
book on Earth. No, He needs
00:26:56.71\00:27:01.28
leaders who have gone to the
depths with Him. And if you are
dependent on God, I got good
00:27:01.28\00:27:06.29
news for you. He's dependent on
you. And, oh, boy, Joshua, is he
ever dependent on God.
00:27:06.29\00:27:12.76
But fascinatingly enough, do you
notice this? There is no game
00:27:12.76\00:27:18.50
plan. God does not tell Joshua
a single thing to do. Why?
00:27:18.50\00:27:26.64
Well, you got a brain. [
Scoffs ] "You got a brain.
00:27:26.64\00:27:31.81
Use it. And I'll be with you."
I'm gonna tell you something.
00:27:31.81\00:27:36.25
I've lived on this planet for a
few years, and I have found out
that most of the time, almost
00:27:36.25\00:27:41.19
all the time, that's how
God answers prayer. I said, "God
00:27:41.19\00:27:46.76
give me an e-mail. Give me a
phone call. Send somebody to
walk through that door."
00:27:46.76\00:27:50.10
Knock, knock. "Yo, I bring
a word for you." I've had that
00:27:50.10\00:27:54.74
happen. God sent me to you, and
I knew the moment she opened her
mouth, He sent me -- He sent her
00:27:54.74\00:28:00.61
to me. So I've had it happen.
Very rare. You know what God
00:28:00.61\00:28:04.08
says to me? "Come on, Dwight,
you got a brain. I gave it to
00:28:04.08\00:28:08.15
you to use. Now, listen,
wherever you go, I'm with you.
00:28:08.15\00:28:12.59
Just use it. Go from me. I'll
do it. And Joshua, he steps out.
00:28:12.59\00:28:16.99
He says, "Well, well, come on,
let's do something." And here we
00:28:16.99\00:28:20.80
go. So, Joshua, right after the
commands, "Joshua orders the the
officers of the people, 'I
00:28:20.80\00:28:24.87
want you to go through the camp,
tell the people, "Get ready,
00:28:24.87\00:28:28.64
provisions ready. This is it.
Three days from now, you will
cross the Jordan here to go in
00:28:28.64\00:28:33.27
and take possession of the land
that the Lord your God is giving
for your very own."'"
00:28:33.27\00:28:38.65
And the word, like electricity
-- zzzz-shoom! -- spreads
through this horde of
00:28:38.65\00:28:43.82
people gathered on
this side of the Jordan. My!
00:28:43.82\00:28:48.49
And Joshua walks into that
crowd. He sees a boy over there.
00:28:48.49\00:28:51.76
"Hey, lad, come here." Hey,
there's another one. "You, come
00:28:51.76\00:28:55.30
here. Hey, boys, come here. I
want to talk to you. My friend,
00:28:55.30\00:28:59.83
Caleb. You know Caleb. Everybody
admires that 85-year-old
00:28:59.83\00:29:04.91
warrior. Caleb and I were part
of a reconnoitering group. 12
00:29:04.91\00:29:09.04
spies. We went in. We measured
the strengths, we took note of
00:29:09.04\00:29:14.02
their weaknesses, and our
assignment was come back to the
camp, and on behalf of Moses and
00:29:14.02\00:29:20.29
God, give the report. Caleb and
I were absolutely certain that,
if God fights for us, we can
00:29:20.29\00:29:27.36
take this land. But 10 of them,
the majority report, came back
with two words, and they were
00:29:27.36\00:29:34.44
the wrong two words. They said,
'We cannot.' Well, I'm sending
00:29:34.44\00:29:39.84
you back into that land, boys,
just two this time. That's all
it took last time to
00:29:39.84\00:29:43.78
get the word. And I need you to
come back with two words, and I
00:29:43.78\00:29:48.05
don't want those words, 'We
cannot.'" And when the boys come
00:29:48.05\00:29:55.22
back, guess what. "We can." [
Chuckles ] That's what's going
00:29:55.22\00:30:00.10
on right here. You
don't get all that, but...
00:30:00.10\00:30:02.76
Awkward. I mean, please,
guys. Motel 6, and you go here?
00:30:15.61\00:30:23.32
Awkward. Robert Alter, in
his magnum opus, a one-man
00:30:23.32\00:30:28.29
translation of the Hebrew Bible,
which is the Old Testament,
here's how he renders this line.
00:30:28.29\00:30:34.00
It's even more awkward now.
What's going on? The truth of
the matter is there
00:30:49.08\00:30:57.55
is no way to import our Western
sensibilities into ancient
00:30:57.55\00:31:02.66
narratives. We have no right to
do that. Nobody's suggesting
that the way the ancients live
00:31:02.66\00:31:08.30
should be by our moral
interpretations, nor that we
should live the way their
00:31:08.30\00:31:14.07
ethical behavior lived. Women
were chattel back then.
Marriages could be polygamous
00:31:14.07\00:31:18.37
back then. Sexual mores were not
what they are today. Did God
have an idea for them?
00:31:18.37\00:31:23.55
But of course. Did the Seventh
Commandment, written with God's
00:31:23.55\00:31:27.55
own finger, still read back
then, "Thou shalt not commit
adultery"? Of course.
00:31:27.55\00:31:31.39
But the fact that God winked at
the moral ignorance of the
ancients, as Acts 17 reminds
00:31:31.39\00:31:37.19
us -- He just kind of winked --
is hardly license for you and me
to embrace their ancient
00:31:37.19\00:31:43.06
ignorance. And besides, may I
remind you that the Mosaic Code,
00:31:43.06\00:31:46.97
both the civil, the ceremonial,
and the corporate code, is
absolutely clear on the high
00:31:46.97\00:31:51.94
ideal of moral purity. There's
no way you can flimflam around
00:31:51.94\00:31:59.58
that. No. And besides, these two
boys have a very fresh memory in
00:31:59.58\00:32:04.82
their minds right now. Just days
earlier, days earlier, they
witnessed the fornicators
00:32:04.82\00:32:12.13
in the camp of Israel, who began
to play sexually with young
Moabite girls, pagans.
00:32:12.13\00:32:20.57
They witnessed 24,000 deaths.
The largest number of terminated
deaths in the four-year history
00:32:20.57\00:32:32.15
of the children of Israel
wandering in the wilderness. The
boys have that story in
00:32:32.15\00:32:36.99
mind. Do you think they
have any other plans in mind?
00:32:36.99\00:32:41.16
[ Scoffs ] Of course not. What
do the boys do? The boys do when
00:32:41.16\00:32:47.23
any stranger coming to town
would do, and that would be to
blend into the anonymous shadows
00:32:47.23\00:32:53.07
of a brothel. You'll be safe
there. And so they go. Not as
00:32:53.07\00:32:57.84
customers. As boarders. And
guess what. They got caught.
00:32:57.84\00:33:05.91
We're talking about a
city-state. So the king of
00:33:10.52\00:33:14.26
Jericho has all the territory
around his walled city. But it's
00:33:14.26\00:33:17.93
in a state of emergency tonight.
That's right. The gates are all
00:33:17.93\00:33:21.76
locked tight because the word
has reached Jericho long before
these boys, the spies, got there
00:33:21.76\00:33:26.90
of a marauding army marching
up from the south land. It runs
00:33:26.90\00:33:32.71
into two massive city-states,
two kings, and annihilates them.
There's not a witness left to
00:33:32.71\00:33:38.31
what has happened. And they're
headed this way. And in fact,
00:33:38.31\00:33:46.12
that sprawling mob of people is
15 miles away on the other side
of the river. Oh, the word is
00:33:46.12\00:33:52.16
out. You better
believe the king is nervous.
00:33:52.16\00:33:54.96
And now we not only have a
nervous king, we have a nervous
00:34:04.47\00:34:08.58
prostitute. You know why?
Because she's been putting two
and two together for weeks now.
00:34:08.58\00:34:12.98
She's heard all the rumors
because men talk loud and hard
in a brothel, and a conviction
00:34:12.98\00:34:17.95
is growing in her polytheistic
heart that maybe there is a God
who is higher than all the other
00:34:17.95\00:34:23.29
gods of Earth.
00:34:23.29\00:34:24.86
That's been
planted in her mind now.
00:34:24.89\00:34:27.83
Listen to her pouring out her
heart to these two boys she now
00:34:27.83\00:34:32.40
knows are
spies, Israelite spies.
00:34:32.40\00:34:35.67
"We have heard how the Lord
dried up the water of the Red
00:34:51.49\00:34:55.79
Sea." 40 years earlier is that
story. "We have heard how he
dried up the Red Sea for you
00:34:55.79\00:35:01.80
when you came out of Egypt, and
what you did to Sihon and Og,
the two kings, the Amorite kings
00:35:01.80\00:35:07.70
east of the Jordan, whom
you completely annihilated."
00:35:07.70\00:35:11.47
My!
00:35:22.55\00:35:25.49
From those terrifying snatches
of rumors and reports, this
00:35:27.76\00:35:32.46
prostitute believes that the God
of this people is the reigning
00:35:32.46\00:35:37.53
God over all gods.
00:35:37.53\00:35:40.27
This newly minted monotheist. "I
believe!" How do we know that's
00:35:40.30\00:35:48.94
true? [ Chuckles ] Bible Hall
of Fame chapter. Can't miss it.
00:35:48.94\00:35:52.95
Hebrews 11:31.
00:35:52.95\00:35:54.82
Isn't that amazing? My, my, my.
I believe. Robert Alter goes on,
00:36:05.03\00:36:12.00
talking about -- talking about
a switch. Isn't this a switch?
00:36:12.00\00:36:16.71
"What a pointed reversal," he
writes, "What a pointed reversal
of the failed spy mission in
00:36:16.71\00:36:22.08
Numbers. There the Israelites
quail before the gigantic
00:36:22.08\00:36:26.01
inhabitants of the land." But
what's happening here? Here a
Canaanite woman reports
00:36:26.01\00:36:30.29
that the inhabitants of the
land are quailing before the
00:36:30.29\00:36:33.52
Israelites. The story has been
flipped over. We can. We can!
00:36:33.52\00:36:41.36
Wow. I love this reminder
embedded in the Bible commentary
00:36:41.36\00:36:49.77
on Joshua. This is good. "All
appearances to the contrary
notwithstanding"...
00:36:49.77\00:36:53.38
That's a tricky little sentence.
You got to read that a little
00:36:53.38\00:36:56.44
slower. "All appearances to the
contrary notwithstanding, the
forces of evil cringe" today.
00:36:56.44\00:37:02.32
The forces of evil cringe today
before the manifest power of
00:37:02.32\00:37:05.55
God. Keep reading.
00:37:05.55\00:37:07.22
My... I don't care
what's going on in Ukraine.
00:37:15.63\00:37:21.40
I don't care what's going on
with this national economy. I
don't care what we're paying
00:37:21.40\00:37:26.84
for a gallon of gasoline now. It
doesn't matter what's going on
00:37:26.84\00:37:31.68
in your life. It doesn't matter
what's going on in my life. The
fact of the matter is the
00:37:31.68\00:37:35.02
kingdom of darkness is tottering
to its fall and Satan and his
00:37:35.02\00:37:40.36
hosts know it. They know it,
because the book of Joshua
begins -- This Joshua who became
00:37:40.36\00:37:47.96
the namesake of the
pre-incarnate Christ, who had
come to Earth, and when he
00:37:47.96\00:37:55.57
chooses the name, he says, "I
want the name of that boy.
Yehoshua -- Call me Yehoshua."
00:37:55.57\00:38:01.51
That Christ has already spoken.
What did he say? "Have I not
00:38:01.51\00:38:07.22
commanded you? Be strong and
courageous." Don't worry about
the hordes of darkness that are
00:38:07.22\00:38:11.49
tottering all around you. "Do
not be afraid. Do not be
discouraged, for the
00:38:11.49\00:38:14.66
Lord, your God, will be
with you wherever you go." Wow.
00:38:14.66\00:38:18.99
He certainly directed the steps
of the two spies to this
brothel, where the invisible
00:38:18.99\00:38:25.33
seeds of belief have already
begun to sprout up in a
prostitute's heart.
00:38:25.33\00:38:30.97
He says, "Go there. Yeah,
I'll be with you. Why are you
00:38:30.97\00:38:37.95
afraid?" Ah, she comes up to
those two spies who were hiding
under the flax that's drying out
00:38:37.95\00:38:43.22
on her now nighttime
rooftop. And she speaks...
00:38:43.22\00:38:47.12
And the two boys reply,
"Our lives for your lives," they
00:39:04.41\00:39:10.08
assure her. "If you don't tell
what we are doing, we will treat
you kindly and faithfully when
00:39:10.08\00:39:15.15
the Lord gives us the land." And
then one of them stoops over
because -- The Hebrew word is
00:39:15.15\00:39:19.65
for thread. She's a linen
woman, and out of the flax, she
00:39:19.65\00:39:25.09
produces textile. And he picks
up a red piece of cloth. He
says, "All right, I'm gonna
00:39:25.09\00:39:30.90
give this to you. That window
that you're gonna lower us out
00:39:30.90\00:39:34.44
of right now, when we're gone,
put this in the window." This is
not the cord that they
00:39:34.44\00:39:37.51
escaped. The Hebrew
word is completely different.
00:39:37.51\00:39:39.91
That's a rope. This is textile.
"I want you to hang this in the
00:39:39.91\00:39:43.65
window. Never take it out.
And on the day we sack this
00:39:43.65\00:39:48.85
city, every human being who is
gathered in that apartment space
we will spare...if the sign
00:39:48.85\00:40:01.03
is in your window." She nods her
head as she takes her textile
00:40:01.03\00:40:07.27
back. Let it be so. Now,
they're ready to go, but she has
00:40:07.27\00:40:12.34
last-minute instructions. You
know that she didn't yell this
down from the top of the
00:40:12.34\00:40:15.58
wall, so she gives them, "Here."
But it first describes them
being let down by a rope --
00:40:15.58\00:40:19.98
that's a different word --
through the window. "For the
house she lived in was
00:40:19.98\00:40:24.15
part of the city wall." Back
then, the ancients had double
00:40:24.15\00:40:27.46
walls. So her apartment goes
into the exterior, the outer
wall, and the window is straight
00:40:27.46\00:40:32.86
down to the ground. I have no
idea how far down. "So she let
them down by a rope
00:40:32.86\00:40:37.13
through the window." Now, she
gives these instructions before
00:40:37.13\00:40:41.00
they go, obviously. She says to
them, now listen, "Go to the
hills" -- that's to
00:40:41.00\00:40:44.57
the West -- "so the pursuers
will not find you. Hide
yourselves there three days
00:40:44.57\00:40:48.38
until they return, and then go
on your way." She had told the
00:40:48.38\00:40:51.68
king's emissaries, "Go East. Get
to that river. They're probably
00:40:51.68\00:40:55.15
trying to ford the river." She
sent them the wrong way so that
she could send these boys.
00:40:55.15\00:40:58.69
I've been to Jericho. There's a
towering cliff on the West side,
peppered with caves.
00:40:58.69\00:41:04.46
"You go hide there
for three days." Wow.
00:41:04.46\00:41:09.80
And three days later, under the
cover of dark, you know those
three -- those two -- dash to
00:41:12.07\00:41:20.21
freedom, cross the river. They
come to Joshua. "Then the two
00:41:20.21\00:41:24.31
men started back." They went
down out of the hills, they
forded the river, they came to
00:41:24.31\00:41:28.48
Joshua, son of Nun, "And told
him everything that had happened
to them. They said to Joshua,
00:41:28.48\00:41:31.72
'The Lord has surely given the
whole land into our hands. All
the people are melting in
00:41:31.72\00:41:36.79
fear because of us.'" "We have
come, sir, with your two-word
00:41:36.79\00:41:42.90
report. What's the word?"
We can! We can. 38 years of a
00:41:42.90\00:41:51.37
negative report now reversed. We
can. We need that can-do spirit
00:41:51.37\00:41:57.51
today, don't we? We can. Wow.
00:41:57.51\00:42:02.95
I spy two spies with the word,
"The Lord can surely give the
00:42:02.95\00:42:13.53
whole land." He has given it
into our hands. Oh, what's that
line from the Bible, hall of
00:42:13.53\00:42:19.33
faith, hall of fame? "By faith
the prostitute" -- You want to
00:42:19.33\00:42:22.30
call her a whore-woman as it
reads literally in the Hebrew --
"By faith the prostitute Rahab,
00:42:22.30\00:42:26.91
because she welcomed the spies,
was not killed with those who
00:42:26.91\00:42:32.58
were disobedient." I need
to call a timeout right here.
00:42:32.58\00:42:35.55
Timeout. There's something wrong
with this story. And I noticed
00:42:35.55\00:42:40.49
it this week. And I can't figure
it out. Have you noticed, every
time now this woman's story is
00:42:40.49\00:42:46.23
retold in the Old Testament or
the New Testament, it's like
she's been branded with her
00:42:46.23\00:42:52.60
past. She's
always the prostitute.
00:42:52.60\00:42:55.44
She's always the
sexually-fallen woman. Brand!
00:42:57.64\00:43:02.88
And that's happening, by the
way, not withstanding the good
news that's already embedded in
00:43:02.88\00:43:06.85
both the Old Testament and the
New Testament. "What good news
00:43:06.85\00:43:10.25
are you talking about, Dwight?"
Let me put it on the screen for
you -- Psalm 51:10.
00:43:10.25\00:43:13.25
Create -- The Hebrew word is
"bara." In the beginning, God
00:43:13.25\00:43:17.66
bara'd the Heavens and the
Earth. "Create in me a pure
heart, O God, and renew a
00:43:17.66\00:43:22.60
steadfast spirit within me." God
can wash you clean. And the New
Testament echoes the
00:43:22.60\00:43:27.34
same good news. 2 Corinthians
5:17 -- "Therefore, if anyone is
00:43:27.34\00:43:31.51
in Christ, the new creation has
come. The old has gone, the new
00:43:31.51\00:43:35.58
is here!" Can I get an amen
to that? My, oh, my, oh, my.
00:43:35.58\00:43:40.42
And yet poor Rahab has her past
life, her past record, branded
to her name in both testaments.
00:43:40.42\00:43:50.66
And it makes me wonder why. You
think about it. Could it be that
00:43:50.66\00:43:58.23
God very much intentionally
intends her name and her past to
be lashed together by a scarlet
00:43:58.23\00:44:05.44
cord that shall never be untied
or unloosed in this life? Could
it be that the scarlet
00:44:05.44\00:44:12.65
cord in the window in Jericho
and the crimson blood on the
doorpost of Egypt are but
00:44:12.65\00:44:19.72
harbingers of the scarlet and
crimson blood that stains
Calvary's middle cross?
00:44:19.72\00:44:26.53
Could it be that God needed us
to know that there is no sin too
sinful, there is no sin too
00:44:26.53\00:44:38.47
powerful that you cannot
be cut free from? No sin.
00:44:38.47\00:44:47.82
Our staff enjoyed an all-day
retreat together this week.
00:44:47.82\00:44:55.62
But I want to read this. I want
to read this text. I got so
excited, I got a little
00:44:57.83\00:45:03.70
ahead of myself here. Colossians
2:15. I love this. This is one
00:45:03.70\00:45:07.77
of my favorite verses. I
shouldn't have forgotten it.
Come on, here we go.
00:45:07.77\00:45:10.44
"And having disarmed the powers
and authorities, He" -- we're
talking about Jesus, Yehoshua --
00:45:10.44\00:45:14.41
He made a public spectacle of
Satan and his armies,
"triumphing over them by the
00:45:14.41\00:45:20.85
cross." Isn't that something?
Now, the truth of the scarlet
00:45:20.85\00:45:25.25
thread, there it is. What did
we read just a moment ago in the
00:45:25.25\00:45:29.89
Bible commentary? "All
appearances to the contrary
notwithstanding, the forces of
00:45:29.89\00:45:35.03
evil cringe before the manifest
power of God. The kingdom of
darkness is tottering to its
00:45:35.03\00:45:39.77
fall today, and Satan and his
hosts know it. In view of this
fact, let us be strong."
00:45:39.77\00:45:44.51
Now I'll tell you what we talked
about on our staff retreat, this
all-day retreat, Monday.
00:45:44.51\00:45:50.41
We spent some prayerful time
deliberating a collaboration
with a center for faith
00:45:50.41\00:45:55.88
engagement and Andrews
University this Fall, wherein
both places -- we're
00:45:55.88\00:46:00.26
talking about church and campus
-- the theme of sexual purity
will be front and center.
00:46:00.26\00:46:07.30
"Why are you doing that,
Dwight?" Because I'm hearing too
00:46:07.30\00:46:11.10
many stories now. I'm hearing
too many stories now, that's
00:46:11.10\00:46:16.57
why. Pornography is Satan's
most effective killer. It's not
00:46:16.57\00:46:26.28
heroin. It's pornography, the
destroyer of men and women's
lives. We cannot sit here as a
00:46:26.28\00:46:36.73
campus congregation this new
school year. We cannot just sit
00:46:36.73\00:46:40.53
here and wish everybody well. We
need a strategic -- "You got a
00:46:40.53\00:46:46.07
brain, use it, and I'll be with
you." We need a strategic plan
to take on, in the name of the
00:46:46.07\00:46:51.77
Lord Jesus Christ, hiding behind
Him, the furious forces of
darkness who will resist every
00:46:51.77\00:46:58.41
effort to cut them off from this
access to this parish, to you
00:46:58.41\00:47:08.72
and to me. Yeah. The enemy
himself has personally forged
00:47:08.72\00:47:14.10
these chains of pornography that
bind his victims and would love
nothing more than for you, sir,
00:47:14.10\00:47:20.27
to believe, "We cannot quit.
I cannot be freed. I cannot be
00:47:20.27\00:47:24.17
saved. I cannot be delivered."
Yes, you can! You got the
00:47:24.17\00:47:29.28
negative report of the 10
spies. Take the two. We can.
00:47:29.28\00:47:33.58
We can...through the power of
the scarlet thread. It's not my
power, it's not your
00:47:33.58\00:47:40.99
power. You don't
have the power, trust me.
00:47:40.99\00:47:44.53
It's a lie what Satan has
been whispering into your mind.
00:47:44.56\00:47:47.66
It's a lie, nothing could
be further from the truth,
00:47:47.66\00:47:50.57
according to the gospel of
Joshua, according to the gospel
00:47:50.57\00:47:53.60
of Yehoshua, the gospel
of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
00:47:53.60\00:47:59.11
The walls can come down.
The chains can be broken.
00:47:59.11\00:48:06.11
And they will. All it will
take is the power of the scarlet
00:48:06.15\00:48:15.06
thread to make the difference. I
close with these words. A
century ago or so, these words
00:48:15.06\00:48:22.63
were written. "Tell Satan," who
knows his kingdom is numbered,
00:48:22.63\00:48:27.64
his days are numbered, his
kingdom is tottering even now,
"Tell Satan of the blood of
00:48:27.64\00:48:33.71
Jesus that cleanses from all
sin. You cannot save yourself
from" -- stop right there.
00:48:33.71\00:48:38.85
I'm gonna tell you it could
read, "You cannot save yourself
00:48:38.88\00:48:41.98
from pornography." You cannot.
00:48:41.98\00:48:43.79
You've tried a
thousand times. It doesn't work.
00:48:43.79\00:48:47.29
You cannot save
yourself from pornography.
00:48:47.29\00:48:50.36
You'll have to
have intervention.
00:48:50.36\00:48:53.06
"Tell Satan of the blood of
Jesus that cleanses from all
00:48:53.06\00:48:56.63
sin. You cannot
save yourself from
00:48:56.63\00:48:59.03
the tempter's power, but
he trembles and flees when the
00:48:59.03\00:49:02.64
merits of that
precious blood are urged."
00:49:02.64\00:49:06.07
Can I get an amen for that? Are
urged. The power of the scarlet
00:49:06.11\00:49:17.45
thread. Wow. What does Jesus say
to us? What he said to Joshua.
00:49:17.45\00:49:24.63
"Have I not commanded you? Be
strong and courageous. Do not be
00:49:24.63\00:49:32.90
afraid. Do not be discouraged,
for the Lord, your God, is with
you wherever you go," especially
00:49:32.90\00:49:43.78
if you go to the cross.
00:49:43.78\00:49:48.48
We need to respond to this. We
can't just hear it. I'll put the
Connect Card on the
00:49:55.86\00:50:03.23
screen for you right now.
00:50:03.23\00:50:05.27
If you'll text the word
"Joshua1" to this now-familiar
00:50:05.30\00:50:09.20
number -- 269-281-2345.
You just text the word
00:50:09.20\00:50:14.38
"Joshua1," you'll
get these next steps.
00:50:14.38\00:50:18.85
Step number one, "I want to pray
the prayer of deliverance --
00:50:18.85\00:50:22.42
'His blood be on us
and on our children.'"
00:50:22.42\00:50:26.05
I've prayed that prayer in my
lifetime morning after morning
00:50:26.05\00:50:30.09
after morning.
It's Matthew 27:25.
00:50:30.09\00:50:33.80
It's right there, embedded
in the story of Calvary.
00:50:33.80\00:50:36.40
The people meant it as a curse,
but I have claimed it as a
00:50:36.40\00:50:40.04
blessed prayer -- "His blood
be on us and on our children."
00:50:40.04\00:50:44.67
"His blood be on
us and our children."
00:50:44.67\00:50:51.21
"I want to pray the
prayer of deliverance."
00:50:51.21\00:50:53.58
Scribble that
down -- Matthew 27:25.
00:50:53.58\00:50:57.42
"Please pray for me.
I need Jesus' victory."
00:50:57.42\00:51:00.96
I do. Pray for me. If
you put a checkmark there,
00:51:00.96\00:51:04.73
we will pray for you. We will.
00:51:04.73\00:51:08.40
And, "I want to be baptized
and follow the Lord of Calvary."
00:51:08.40\00:51:11.23
You've never followed
the Lord of Calvary yet?
00:51:11.23\00:51:14.57
Perfect time. We'll
be in touch with you
00:51:14.57\00:51:17.94
electronically. We'll
look at what would work
00:51:17.94\00:51:22.14
well for you as you
think about this desire.
00:51:22.14\00:51:26.38
It's a good time to join
Yehoshua in the final battle.
00:51:26.38\00:51:33.29
It's a very good time.
00:51:33.29\00:51:35.76
Let's pray. O God, you have
commanded us, "Be strong and
00:51:35.79\00:51:42.50
courageous." We get it. "I'll
be with you. I'll be with you.
00:51:42.50\00:51:46.50
I'll be with you wherever
you go. You'll never be alone,
00:51:46.50\00:51:52.41
ever." O God, deliver us from
the evil one. Deliver us from
00:51:52.41\00:52:00.45
evil. And in the power of the
scarlet thread hanging from our
-- the portals of our soul,
00:52:00.45\00:52:09.66
please know we wish to be under
the blood. We can't do this on
00:52:09.66\00:52:16.50
our own. We have shown
ourselves. We can't do it on our
own. So grant us the courage and
00:52:16.50\00:52:24.24
the victory that comes with
help. In Jesus' name we pray.
00:52:24.24\00:52:33.35
Amen. I want to sing an old
hymn. Boy, I love this. You're
gonna see white and
00:52:33.35\00:52:37.69
scarlet and white, scarlet,
white all the way through this.
This is beautiful --
00:52:37.69\00:52:41.59
"Cover with His Life." That's
this hymn. We're gonna sing the
00:52:41.59\00:52:46.09
first three stanzas. Hymn 412 --
412 in your hymnal. But the
words will be on the
00:52:46.09\00:52:50.80
screen. And we're gonna stand.
We're not gonna sit while we
00:52:50.80\00:52:53.37
make this commitment to Jesus.
As you sing the words "white"
and "scarlet" back and forth,
00:52:53.37\00:52:58.44
lift your life to the one who
says, "You and me together, we
00:52:58.44\00:53:06.28
got it." [ "Cover
with His Life" begins ] い
00:53:06.31\00:53:15.69
い い
00:53:15.69\00:53:29.00
い
00:53:29.00\00:53:31.94
>> Bow our heads. The
Lord bless you and keep you.
00:56:41.93\00:56:46.03
The Lord make His face shine
on you and be gracious to you.
00:56:46.03\00:56:50.14
The Lord turn His face
towards you and give you peace.
00:56:50.14\00:56:54.31
In Jesus' name, the
whole church prays. Amen.
00:56:54.34\00:56:58.85
Have a blessed
Sabbath and a good week.
00:56:58.85\00:57:03.55
>> Thank you for taking the time
to join us in worship today.
00:57:06.15\00:57:08.39
I'd like to spend another moment
with you here at the end of our
00:57:08.39\00:57:11.03
program to share a word of hope.
In fact, that's what this little
00:57:11.03\00:57:13.66
book is all about. In
these uncertain times -- and
00:57:13.66\00:57:15.83
let's face it, they're uncertain
all over this planet -- this
00:57:15.83\00:57:18.43
book entitled "The Great
Hope" will help you understand
00:57:18.43\00:57:21.70
not just what God has planned
for your future but for the
00:57:21.70\00:57:24.24
future of the entire human race.
Light keeps shining on this dark
00:57:24.24\00:57:28.41
old world, and new truths long
forgotten are being constantly
00:57:28.41\00:57:31.78
rediscovered. If you
need a fresh dose of hope
00:57:31.78\00:57:33.98
for your life these days, or
you know somebody else who could
00:57:33.98\00:57:37.25
sure use that gift of hope,
then I'd like to invite you
00:57:37.25\00:57:39.85
to grab your phone,
dial our toll-free number --
00:57:39.85\00:57:41.92
877, the two words "His will" --
877-HIS-WILL -- and at no charge
00:57:41.92\00:57:47.30
to you, we will get a copy
in the mail to you right away.
00:57:47.30\00:57:50.50
Till the next time we meet,
may the peace and hope of the
00:57:50.50\00:57:54.17
Lord Jesus be with you 24/7.
00:57:54.17\00:57:56.71
い い
00:57:59.94\00:58:16.69
い
00:58:16.69\00:58:26.53