FHBC Sermon Notes

Joshua 13:1-19:51 - A sermon on how God works as a land manager. Fun!

This section is mostly legal speak. It takes up almost a third of the book of Joshua. Is God saying something special, something great through these details? Yes, yes he is. even in the midst of detail God declares his Son Jesus boldly.

The primary theme of these chapters is the fulfillment of God's promise to his people, the promise of the inheritance of land, inherited from the hand of God.

What do we learn of Israel's inheritance here? What do we learn of our inheritance?

1. Our inheritance is the expression of God's goodness and grace to us.

We can talk so much about the attributes of God, his justice, his power, but we cannot describe his rightly without focusing on his goodness and his grace.

James 1:17 - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

His gifts do not come simply as physical needs, though he provides that as well, but also, His Spirit, His peace, life itself. These are even more valuable treasures.

Yet, also these gifts are ones of grace. Even in the face of the force of the law, the death that comes from sin, God pours out his grace on his children. We inherit these gifts. These are not anything we have earned. We are not special in anyway of ourselves, we are only special in the grace poured out on us.

Examples of grace: Numbers 36:1-14. See the fulfillment in Joshua 17.

It is not the land here that is important. It is the way in which it allows the people of Israel to live out the covenant relationship God had established with them.

Psalm 16:5-6 - The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

As Rebecca and I have inherited the house we now live in, a great gift, this lesson so truly applies, and strikes me hard. These things are great, but only in as far as they allow us to live out the relationship, in obedience, to my savior Jesus Christ, who is my true inheritance.

Matthew 13:44-45 - "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Christ is our inheritance!

Or inheritance isn't heaven, just in things in the future of heaven. We enjoy our inheritance now! We have Jesus, and he is our inheritance. Because he is our inheritance, then we are joined with him in HIS inheritance: life eternal, a new body, and new creation. How awesome!

So... What are obsessed with, in what do we treasure? Our ministry, our gifts, our possessions? Are these so valuable that they would take our eyes from our savior?

2. Our inheritance is rooted in God's enduring faithfulness to us.

The only way Israel could inherit the land was by God's hand, but his faithfulness. Remember Ai when Israel tried to do it on their own.

Ch. 16:20-63 - every rock every city, every village. All was part of the inheritance. God's creation, our gift.

God's faithfulness did not end with Israel. He is not just a land dealer, he is a life giver. Just as he promised in the garden of Eden. The offspring, Christ would crush the head of the serpent, and restore us to life. Indeed God's faithfulness continued and found fulfillment in the cross.

3. Our inheritance leads us to a continuing obedience to God.

The work is not finished. Just as when we are entrusted with an earthly inheritance, isn't it true that we should want to honor our parents, and the work of their hands, not to receive such a thing as just another possession. We are called to use it in obedience to their wishes. This is the job of the executor of the estate.

So much more is our inheritance from the hand of God! The work is not finished. We must share and proclaim his glory to all the world, to our neighbors, our friends, our enemies.

Christ is All” (W.A. Williams)

I entered once a home of care,
For age and penury were there,
Yet peace and joy withal;
I asked the lonely mother whence
Her helpless widowhood’s defense;
She told me, “Christ is all.”

I stood beside a dying bed,
Where lay a child with aching head,
Waiting for Jesus’ call;
I marked his smile, ’twas sweet as May;
And as his spirit passed away,
He whispered, “Christ is all.”

I saw a martyr at the stake,
The flames could not his courage shake,
Nor death his soul appall;
I asked him whence his strength was giv’n;
He looked triumphantly to Heav’n,
And answered, “Christ is all.”

I saw the gospel herald go
To Afric’s sand and Greenland’s snow,
To save from Satan’s thrall;
Nor home nor life he counted dear,
Midst wants and perils owned no fear,
He felt that “Christ is all.”

Then come to Christ, oh, come today,
The Father, Son, and Spirit say,
The Bride repeats the call;
For He will cleanse your guilty stains,
His love will soothe your weary pains,
For “Christ is all in all.”