Notes from Joshua 1 – Sunday 9/25
SixTen:
Here are Pastor Nate’s notes from Joshua 1 which we studied this morning. Enjoy!
*God addresses Joshua directly:
A. “I will never leave you nor forsake you (NIV).”
- Deuteronomy 31:6 –God made a commitment to all ofIsrael, though He called them not to fear but to be strong.
- Joshua 1:5 –God made a commitment to Joshua, an individual man, to “be with” him in the same way He was with Moses.
- Hebrews 13:5 –God makes a commitment to us, though He calls us to keep away from a love of money and to be content.
B. “This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth…”
How seriously do we take the Bible?
a. Do we take great care to (know and) obey all of it?
b. Do we excuse ourselves to err on one side or the other?
c. Do we talk about it at all?
d. Do we think about it through the day and at night?
C. “Be strong and courageous. Do not tremble or be dismayed.” (4x: 3x from God and 1x from the men!)
How “realistic” is it to be told not to be scared or depressed, but to be mighty and bold?
- …because you will lead people (v6)
- …because this charge precedes the “care” to follow Scripture (v7) –it takes courage to obey!
- …because we are commanded to seize this attitude for ourselves (v9) –and to eradicate any fear and/or depression. Example: some nurses need to get overseas to aCUREHospital…
- …because those who follow need such character in a leader (v18)!
The Getty’s: Maintaining a Deep Foundation in Theology and Scriptural Truth
THE PERFECT WISDOM OF OUR GOD,
All things created by His hand,
And held together at His command.
He knows the mysteries of the seas,
The secrets of the stars are His;
He guides the planets on their way,
And turns the earth through another day.
That mark the path of righteousness
His word a lamp unto my feet
His Spirit teaching and guiding me
And O the mystery of the cross
That God should suffer for the lost
So that the fool might shame the wise
And all the glory might go to Christ!
To pray for peace and cling to love,
And teach me humbly to receive
The sun and rain of Your sovereignty.
Each strand of sorrow has a place
Within this tapestry of grace;
So through the trials I choose to say:
Joshua – Sunday 9/25
SixTen:
Sunday, 9am, we’ll be in Joshua Chapter 1. I’m really excited about it. Most people emphasize v9 -”Be strong and courageous”- and that is fair. But we’ll look at some themes that don’t get noted quite so often: fear, depression, meditation, obedience, and abandonment. God said to Moses, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So, what does that commitment from God look like, and can we count on that commitment from God for ourselves today? Read up on it and we’ll talk Sunday. Love you all,
Nate
Two Ways to Read the Bible
Mike Bullmore, The Gospel and Scripture: How to Read the Bible (The Gospel Coalition Booklets; Wheaton: Crossway, 2011), 16–17 (formatting added):
The Bible is endlessly interesting because it is God’s story, and God by nature is himself endlessly interesting. . . .
There are actually many methods of reading the Bible, and because the Bible is inexhaustible, many methods can prove fruitful. However, we are not so much concerned here with what might be called “methods” as we are with what we can call “approaches.” Two main approaches to the Bible usefully unlock its treasure, which is the gospel.
- Reading the Bible as Continuous Narrative (or History) . . . .
- Reading the Bible as a Compendium of God-Inspired Perspectives (or Theology) . . . .
Whichever of these two ways the Bible is read, its message is the same.
If read as a continuous narrative, its storyline is
- creation,
- fall,
- redemption, and
- restoration.
If read as a collection of theological perspectives, the themes that emerge are
- God,
- sin,
- Christ, and
- faith.
The message of both readings is the triumph of God’s eternal, redemptive purpose.
These two ways of reading the Bible are not at all contradictory. On the contrary, they are both necessary to fully understand and “hear” the biblical gospel and to help us see how all the parts of the Bible hold together and point us to Jesus.
The Most Important Word in the Universe
From Ray Ortlund:
Some years ago, in a faculty devotional at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Dr. Murray Harris proposed this line of thinking:
What is the most important Book in the universe? The Bible. Which book within the Bible is the most important? Romans. Which chapter in Romans is the most important? Chapter 3. Which paragraph in Romans 3 is the most important? Verses 21-26. Which verse in that paragraph is the most important? Verse 25. Which word in verse 25 is the most important? Propitiation: “. . . whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.”
Therefore, the most important word in the most important verse in the most important paragraph in the most important chapter in the most important book within the most important Book in the universe is propitiation.
Worthy of our reverent contemplation.
Workout Your Own Salvation
“You are in a storm, and your salvation is in danger. You may lose your soul, so work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Work it out of the dark. Work it out of doubts, fears, and all disputes. Work it out against all objections, and get things cleared up. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. It is a hard work, a difficult work to accomplish, and great pains must be taken about it. ‘Give diligence to make your calling and election sure’ (2 Peter 1:10). There must be diligence, for it is not easily done. Merely reciting ‘Lord, have mercy upone me’ will not save or assure a man. No, there must be praying, struggling, crying, and wrestling with God. One must search Scripture and apply its truths to his own heart. So, 2 Peter 1:5 speaks of ‘giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue’ and the like. Men and women should be diligent, very diligent, and all their diligence should be to get grace and to make their callings and elections sure. We give all diligence in other things, yet little pain is taken about the soul.”
-William Greenhill, Stop Loving the World, p. 46
Ecclesiastes
From Pastor Nate:
SixTen,
I just wanted you to know that I’m really looking forward to this Sunday and a look at Eccl. 5:1-7 on worship. What does God want our worship of Him to look like? So often we get bogged down in our own preferences and experience of worship, but what does God, the intended object of the worship, actually desire? Eccl. 5, while not providing a comprehensive answer, will suggest some things to us that are rarely, if ever, heard. But they are honest and straightforward from an honest and straightforward God.
Also, wear something Sunday that you won’t mind sitting in the grass on. If it’s nice and not too hot we’ll go sit outside in the shade.
Love you and am so proud of you all,
Nate
The Getty’s Are Coming to Messiah!
SixTen:
On September 22, Keith and Krystin Getty will be performing a FREE concert at Messiah College. The event will begin at 7:30. Tickets are free but must be reserved in order to enter. You can call the Messiah ticket office at 717-691-6036 to reserve your tickets today.
If you’ve never heard the Getty’s music, here is a sample of one of their most famous songs, “In Christ Alone.”
