Shiloh Lord's Day Service
Date: January 2, 2022
Scripture: Joshua 3:1-8
Speaker: Pastor James Park
Introduction
We are in the Christmas season right now, but every day needs to be Christmas in our hearts. Every day, Jesus needs to come into our hearts because He is the true light. Now, we must transition from this season of Christmas to the rest of the year, but what is the meaning of transition? We go through different transitions in our lives. For instance, there is a time of training. There are times when God calls us to places that are new and uncomfortable for us, which can cause anxiety. What do we need to do during times of change? The Israelites were in the wilderness for 40 years before they entered Canaan. They had to cross the Jordan River to transition into the new land of Canaan. This crossing of the Jordan River symbolizes the Israelites’ transition from their old lives in the wilderness to their new lives in Canaan. As we finish up Christmas, we need to look toward the new year 2022 that is just around the corner. We need to prepare ourselves for the change and transition to come.
1. We must have a period of consecration
What is consecration? First, we need to prepare ourselves through the Word and prayer. We are preparing ourselves physically and spiritually to move on to the next level. There was a period of consecration when the people entered the land of Canaan (Josh 3:1-2). Also, the book of Exodus talks about three days of consecration that are needed before meeting God (Exo 19:10-15). When we transition into a new period in our lives, there is a feeling of uneasiness and anxiety, which helps us be closer to God, and He will bless us in these times of uncertainty. We can consecrate ourselves through worship, studying the Bible, and prayer.
2. We must set our eyes on the Word
Sometimes, we tend to look at people during our lives of faith because we think that people will bring us to a better place. However, the Bible tells us that we cannot trust people. Our trust must only be in the Lord. Our eyes must focus on the Word alone. God told the people to look towards the covenant of the Ark, which represents the Word of God (Josh 3:3-4). God is saying, “Completely trust in Him and acknowledge Him in all ways” (Prov 3:5-6). How can we do that? We have to pray and seek the Word of answers. If we do these things, God will lead and guide us in our lives of faith. God’s Word is the only standard we need. It is the lamp and the light that guides our lives (Ps 119: 105). We cannot move on feelings or emotions, but we need to fix our eyes on God (Heb 12:1-2) as the visible is temporary (2 Cor 4:18). We must only look upon God. If we do this, He will guide us. Today’s passage also states to follow at a distance because we need to revere God’s Word. We need to understand the holiness of God’s Word, and be in sync with His timing. God wants us to move according to His pace.
3. We must make markers (Remember the grace of God)
In the book of Joshua, it talks about how the Israelites were commanded to set up 12 stones in the middle of the Jordan River (Josh 4:9). Also, in the same chapter, God states that He wanted Joshua and the Israelites to set up 12 stones in the land of Gilgal (Josh 4:20). The 12 stones in the Jordan River represented the past life of Israel. Just like this, we need to make markers in our lives, something that will help us not forget these times when God has blessed us with his grace. So these 12 stones were reminders to the Israelites of their past when God saved them from their old life of slavery and wandering in the wilderness and brought them into the land of Gilgal in Canaan. They were set up to help them remind future generations of the great work that God had done for them and the beginning of their new life. Today, this symbolizes that we need to make new markers in our lives moving forward. Not only does this give us a feeling of starting something new, but in the future, it will remind us of the time that God created a new beginning for us in our lives of faith.
Conclusion: A spiritual circumcision must take place in our hearts. We need to settle accounts with God.
The book of Jeremiah tells the people of Judah to circumcise their hearts (Jer 4:4). Before the conquest of Canaan, Joshua instructed all of the second generations of the Israelites to be circumcised. We need to be made into a new person every day. In our lives today, this circumcision of the heart represents repentance. Repentance is a way to be born again spiritually. It is a way to settle accounts with God. There are times when we have sinned in our lives that we don’t realize we have committed. When we accomplish this, there is a spiritual circumcision that takes place in our hearts. With the few remaining days of 2021, let us all settle our accounts with God. Let us repent before God for all of our wrongdoings. That way, God can make us into a person. Only those who are circumcised can be the true children of Abraham, and only they can enter the land of Canaan.
