Faith When Advancing - Joshua Part II (Joshua 3.1-17)

Introduction

The 16th Century nun, Teresa of Avilla, once went through a very difficult and painful time in her life. She was a feisty and courageous reformer, a bit of an eccentric, but she was a woman of faith.

During this troublesome phase of her life, certain members of her religious order began to resist the changes she was trying to introduce; they criticised her and bullied her. Her friends and associates were also harassed and made to jump over endless bureaucratic hurdles. They obstructed her drive for spiritual renewal. They forced her into ‘voluntary’ retirement (which didn’t actually stop her, but it was discouraging).

From about this time, there’s an old story about her going on a journey to set up a couple of houses of prayer. Her journey was frustrating and exhausting – and at one point perilous. And it’s said that at this point, it all got a bit much, and she turned to God in a prayer of utter exasperation. “My Lord,” she said, “when will you cease from scattering obstacles in our path?”

And she sensed God saying to her, “Do not complain, daughter; this is how I treat all my friends!” And, according to sources, she said back, “In that case, Lord, it’s no wonder you haven’t got very many!” I told you she was feisty!

In the Psalms, we often find this kind of outburst in times of trouble. “How long, Lord?” “God, hear my complaint.” “Have you forgotten us, Lord?” “Lord, why are you so far away?” If your spiritual journey, like Teresa of Avilla’s, or the psalmist’s, is challenging or demanding at the moment, don’t forget; at no point did Jesus ever promise us a smooth ride. But remember, he does assure us of a safe arrival.

Two weeks ago, we were looking at the parting of the Red Sea with Moses. It is followed by four decades of frustration and obstacles in the wilderness. Today, we’ll be reading about crossing the Jordan on dry land with Joshua. You can’t help but notice the striking parallels between the two miracles either side of those desert years.

Both involve the travels of the people of Israel. The first miracle is at the beginning of their flight out of slavery towards the Promised Land. The second one marks that journey’s end. Both feature a daunting body of water to cross. In both, the water defies the laws of physics and piles up in a heap. And in both, the people cross safely without getting their feet wet.

Matthew Henry, in his commentary, says this repetition is “to show that God has the same power to finish the salvation of his people that he had to begin it.”

God was with them not just at the start, but all the way and, after many ups but mostly downs, he finished off what he began. As with them, so with us. You might say to yourself, God doesn’t seem as close as when I was first saved. The sense of his presence with me is not as intense as it once was.

But God does not deliver us from the slavery of sin only to then leave us to finish off our salvation on our own.

It’s why Philippians 1.6 says you can be confident, “that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” when he returns in glory. It’s why 1 Thessalonians 5.24 says, “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.”

And, with all that in mind, let’s read Joshua, chapter 3.

Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out… and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits [that’s 900 metres roughly] between you and the ark; do not go near it.’ 

Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.’ Joshua said to the priests, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.’ So they took it up and went ahead of them. And the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so that they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: “When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.”’ 

Joshua said to the Israelites, ‘Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord – the Lord of all the earth – set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.’ 

So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is in flood all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. 

So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

Prayer…

Let’s try and set the scene. We can tell from Joshua 4.17 that this event is set in the early spring. At this time of year, the Jordan is in flood and very fast flowing, because all the mountain snow has melted upstream to the north.

Phil Moore in his book on Joshua gives us a helpful sense of what it would have been like. “Normally 30 metres across,” he says, “the Jordan could be up to a mile across when it was flooded. God chose the hardest time of year for this miracle to showcase his power.”

Do you know what it’s like when you’ve got something really difficult to do, and you don’t want to do it, so you keep putting it off? If Oscar Schindler had been a procrastinator, we’d have a film called Schindler’s To Do List instead of Schindler’s List. Thankfully, he was a good man with a good work ethic who got things done.

But it seems that Joshua is a bit of a procrastinator. He keeps putting things off. Perhaps understandably, given the Mission: Impossible he has been given, he seems reluctant and nervous.

In chapter 1, God says, “you will cross the river in three days.” But in chapter 2, Joshua stalls by first sending out spies who take four days to return. Then he waits three more days after that in chapter 3 verse 1, before announcing in v5, not “Right, let’s go, we’re already five days late, but, “We’re going to go tomorrow.”

Look, do it now, do it today. God has spoken, what are you waiting for? Why are you sitting on your hands when you know God has called you to get to your feet?

But, if you’re feeling a bit condemned because you’ve been putting something off, be encouraged that God is so patient. Just as Jesus “understands and empathises with our weakness because he was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin,” the Lord seems to graciously overlook Joshua’s faffing around.

He lets it go. Because in v7, after all that dilly-dallying, he says to Joshua, “Today, I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel.”

Well, I’ve got two points this morning as we take a deeper look at this chapter. And they are both imperatives that require from us a response of faith. Firstly, be holy. And secondly, take that first step.

Consecrate yourselves

Firstly then, be holy. In v5, Joshua says to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

“Amazing things!” Who isn’t up for a bit of that? We are all ears for testimonies of spectacular conversions. We want to see God do miraculous signs and wonders among us. We want to experience extraordinary healings and incredible deliverance. Joshua says, “tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you” and we can’t wait. Bring it on! But God says, “all right, but first of all, consecrate yourselves.”

Notice God doesn’t tell his people to get the Canaanites and Hivites and Perizzites to become holy. It’s not our job to lecture and berate the ungodly society around us about its ungodly music and its ungodly legislation and its ungodly celebrities and its ungodly values. Paul asks, in 1 Corinthians 5, “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?” “Consecrate yourselves,” God says.

I can think of about a dozen great Christian leaders over my lifetime who I really looked up to and learned from and have been inspired by; evangelists, conference speakers, artists, pastors, authors - outstanding people, who fell into sin or serious error and unbelief and ended their ministries discredited and in disgrace.

What humiliation for the cause of Christ! For years in some cases, they sustained a secret double life, keeping things hidden in darkness, instead of living a repentant life and bringing things into the light.

I thank God for the likes of John Stott, Billy Graham, David Pawson, Voddie Baucham and John MacArthur; Christian leaders who ran their race well, right to the end. There is no asterisk on their obituaries. All went to be with the Lord with no hint of scandal tarnishing their legacy or bringing dishonour to Christ.

When we let the values of this world get inside us and start to soak into our hearts, we’re in trouble. Boats don’t sink because of the water all around them, they sink because of the water that gets in them.

1 John 1.8-9 says, “If we say we are without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

We’ve got to deal with stuff now. We’ve got to sort things out with God. “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

In 1730, a young student studying at Pembroke College, Oxford began to yearn for God. He just longed for more of God. And the more he sought God, the more he wanted God. The more he experienced of God, the more he wanted.

Every evening after supper, he’d walk around behind the cathedral, in Christchurch Meadows. And he would kneel under a tree and ask God for more. And then he began to rise early and seek God, fasting and praying.

The more he prayed, the more he saw the holiness of God, and the more he wanted a greater experience of him. Like in Psalm 42, “like a deer panting for water, so my soul longs for you.” And then one day, in his journal, he wrote, “Oh, what a day!” He met with the Lord incredibly powerfully that day.

His name was George Whitefield and God anointed him as an effective evangelist. A holy fire was lit in him that day that never burned out. It joined the blaze of revival that God was lighting up and down this land. Tens of thousands were saved. And signs followed; God turned whole communities around and nations were touched. Thousands of new, vibrant churches were planted.

Every major revival, every fresh outpouring of the Spirit, seems to start with someone somewhere seeking God, yearning for more and saying, “enough is enough, there has to be more than this.”

“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

So, first of all, Joshua says, let’s get ourselves right with God. Let’s turn away from all compromise and seek his face.

This is not, by the way, an appeal to be sanctimonious or holier than thou, looking down with condescension on others for not measuring up to our standards. That’s what was so unappealing about the Pharisees and teachers of the law.

The reason why Jesus’ holiness was so different, so attractive, was not because he avoided contamination from sinners, but because his holiness was so contagious they were transformed by grace.

Are you right with God this morning? Be holy, as the Lord is holy. Consecrate yourself.

You might say, “I’ve tried and tried. A thousand times I’ve failed. I can’t live up to Jesus’ standards.” That’s right, you can’t. If you could, you wouldn’t need him to save you. But you do need him. We all do. That’s why we share bread and wine together once a month here and at home in our Life Groups; we’re admitting that we need grace to start again.

John Newton was a slave ship captain, whose life was dramatically and abruptly turned upside down by the gospel. He wrote the famous hymn Amazing Grace about his conversion. I was a wretch; now I’m saved. I was lost; now I’m found. I was blind; now I can see.

Late in life, looking back on his journey of faith, he said, “I am not yet what I ought to be. I am yet not what I want to be. I am not what I hope to be in another world. But still I am not what I once used to be!”

Just take that first step

Second point, and more briefly; take that first step.

In v13 Joshua says to the people, “as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord – the Lord of all the earth – set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”

What if those priests are afraid to take that first step? I’m sure they are all thinking, “Can’t God just stop the floodwaters first? What if we take a step into that river, and nothing happens? We’re going to look like idiots in front of two million unimpressed onlookers.”

Do you have obstacles up ahead in your life? Are you trusting him for his leading? My experience is this; so often, God doesn’t tell you what steps 2, 3 and 4 will be until you launch out in faith and obedience and take step 1.

Take the step. Just do it.

Are you hesitating to take the big step of finally entrusting your life to Christ? Jesus promises you this; “whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” Why don’t you take that step today, just do it. You’ll never be the same again.

Are you wavering about joining the church and becoming part of the family of believers? Instead of being an uncommitted observer. The Bible says, “you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” Is the church “them” for you, or is it “us”? Take the step, just do it.

Are you undecided about baptism? You might be saying, “I don’t know, I’m not sure What would I say in front of all these people? Maybe I should wait.” No! If you’re a child of God by faith, the Lord commands it. Repent and be baptised. Take the step, just do it and watch what God does.

Are you uncertain about starting to give the first portion of your income to the Lord’s work? That’s a key step of discipleship. You might say, “I don’t know if it’s responsible on my income. What if my bank account goes into the red?”

I’ll never forget a member of this church say to me, “John, when I give the Lord the first tenth, it’s amazing how far the remaining 90% stretches. And when I don’t, I never seem to have quite enough.” That’s right. God is our provider. Take the step, just do it and watch what God does.

Are you reluctant about breaking up an inappropriate relationship? You know what God’s word says; don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” Take the step, just do it and watch what God does.

Are you nervous about beginning to serve the Lord in a new way, or forgiving someone who has hurt you, or sharing your faith with a neighbour or a colleague? Take that step, step number one, just do it, and watch what God does.

Ending

There’s an old hymn that’s based on this passage of scripture. I think Prince William and Kate had it at their wedding. Set to the tune of that well-known football song, “You’re not singing anymore,” the third verse goes like this:

When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell’s destruction
Land me safe on Canaan’s side:
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven
Feed me now and ever more.

As the priests advance into the river, by faith, they little do they know that this is just about the lowest point on the earth’s surface; the point where the Jordan meets the Dead Sea is about 400 metres below sea level, it’s part of the Great Rift Valley.

And little do they know that as they take that big step into the water, they are pointing prophetically to Jesus who came to be baptised at pretty well this very spot, from the highest heavens to so lowest point on earth, to be anointed with the Holy Spirit and to save us by dying on a cross and rising again on the third day.

In obedience, those priests consecrated themselves - and God, as he had promised, did amazing things that day. We can scarcely dream of the awesome signs and wonders God might do in a consecrated and holy church.

And, in faith, as they lifted their sandals and took that first step, God made a way. Because God keeps his promises.

As he was with them at the start of their journey out of slavery, so he was with them at the end of it. And as he was with you when you first believed, know this; he will be faithful to your very last breath.

Sermon preached at King's Church Darlington, 27 September 2026

Faith When Advancing - Joshua Part I (Joshua 1.1-11)

Introduction

We’ve been thinking about faith over these last few months. And we’ve been asking ourselves: how do I live by faith when I’m suffering (like Job), when people have wronged me (like Joseph), or when I have to take the lead (like Moses)? And today, as we start to consider Joshua, the question we’re going to ask is this: how do I prevail in faith when I’m advancing?

We can see from the three characters we’ve already looked at that faith is not just believing theoretically that God could... Faith is laying hold of God’s promises, stepping out into the unknown and trusting that God will. Faith, in the Bible, is never theoretical; it’s always practical.

Let me illustrate that with this chair here. I’m sure you all believe this is an actual chair. You are probably convinced it’s real. Look, here it is, right next to me. You can see it. But faith, in the Bible, is more than believing that a chair exists.

Do I believe that the chair will support my weight when I sit down on it? Yes, I think it will, but I’m not going to risk it, because what if it doesn’t? I think it probably would, but I’m not going to sit on it, just in case. That’s not faith either. Faith doesn’t hedge its bets.

It’s only by sitting down on the chair that I show my faith. Faith, in the Bible, is the action of sitting down on the chair, fully trusting that it will not crumple and break when I do so.

I remember hearing the evangelist J. John talking about a friend who was in hospital, unresponsive, in a coma. He and his wife Killy asked permission from the medical staff to pray for her. They looked at their friend with all sorts of tubes and monitors around her and felt utterly helpless. Where do you start? What do you pray?

Killy said, “Maybe the Lord’s Prayer?” So they stood either side of her, each held a hand, and they slowly began praying, line by line… Our Father… in heaven… hallowed be your name… The moment they said, “Your kingdom come” their friend suddenly sat up and looked around. She was discharged the next day.

That’s faith. They may not have been sure of what God would do or not do, but faith is not about discussing it, it’s about going for it.

The Book of Joshua is all about stepping out in faith, advancing in faith, especially the first half of the book.

Let’s set the scene for the Book of Joshua. On numerous occasions in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, God promises his people that he will give them a land flowing with milk and honey. The appalling wickedness of the current occupants has become so excessive and so deeply ingrained that God has decided to evict them.

But nothing will change if the people of God simply stand on the banks of the Jordan talking about it. It’s not going to fall into their laps while they remain idle.

It’s going to require action. They are going to have to advance in faith, outnumbered, in the face of complex logistical challenges and seemingly impossible missions, and they’re going to have to exert great effort to take possession of what God has promised them.

Do you remember as a child seeing a present with your name on under the tree on Christmas Eve? Oh, I remember that. You look at that wrapped up gift, and you know it’s yours. But until you tear off the paper on Christmas Day, you’re not even allowed to peep; you certainly cannot take ownership of it or enjoy it.

Such is the situation for the people of Israel in Joshua 1. After passing through the Red Sea, which Phil spoke about last Sunday, they fail to trust God to give them victory and lead them into the Promised Land. And so they spend 40 years wandering around in the desert until that whole disobedient and unbelieving generation has died.

Now, in Joshua chapter 1, everyone is under 40 years old except for two men of faith: Joshua and Caleb. And now it’s time. Let’s read the opening verses of Joshua, which set the scene for the whole book.

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant: ‘Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the River Jordan into the land I am about to give to them – to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates – all the Hittite country – to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’

So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: ‘Go through the camp and tell the people, Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.”

I’ve got three points this morning: a new season, a new challenge and a new command.

A new season

Firstly then, the Book of Joshua marks a new season. The opening five books of the Bible which precede it are dominated by Moses, a giant of faith. It’s hard to think of anyone else in the Bible, apart from Jesus, who did as many signs and wonders as he did. By faith, he brought about ten plagues in Egypt before Pharaoh. By faith, he led his nation through the Red Sea on dry land. By faith, he brought forth water from a dry rock. By faith, he prayed for food for two million people and God sent manna and quail.

But now, Moses is gone. It’s over. The Book of Joshua begins by stating the stark fact that Moses is dead and Joshua has been appointed as his successor. You can imagine how overwhelming that must be for Joshua and how out of his depth he must feel.

But you’ll notice in verses 1 and 2 that God doesn’t dwell on the past. There’s no nostalgia for the golden age of Moses. There’s no “Oh, it was so much better when he was around.” Not at all.

There is an appropriate time for grieving, and then comes the announcement of a new season. “The Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant: ‘Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the River Jordan into the land I am about to give to them – to the Israelites.’”

They’ve been going round in circles for forty years. Decades of drifting in a dry, desert place. Now, it’s time to advance at last into the land flowing with milk and honey. It’s a new day.

So the first five books of the Bible are dominated by Moses. They are also chock-full of laws, statutes, rules and instructions. You mustn’t do this; you can’t eat that... But Moses, great man of faith though he was, never set foot in the Promised Land. He was identified with law, not grace. We even call it the Law of Moses.

Jesus said to the hard-hearted, legalistic, stiff-necked religious leaders of his day, “You look to Moses. You put your hope in him”meaning, it’s all about rules for you. But the law can never give life or bring anyone into their inheritance of freedom. We need Joshua - Joshua, or Yeshua, is actually the same Hebrew name as Jesus - to bring us into the place of grace and fruitfulness.

When we get to the Book of Joshua, having just read Deuteronomy, the atmosphere totally changes. There’s not a single law. Something new is happening. Winter is turning into spring. God’s commandments have long been established. The people have solemnly agreed to live God’s way. Now there’s an end to all that wandering around in the desert. That wretched season is over. Done. Now, it’s time for what God’s doing next.

Chapter 1 of Joshua starts with these words: “After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua...” The book opens with God speaking. Every major breakthrough in biblical history, and every spiritual advance in church history, has its origins in God taking the initiative and speaking prophetically. God says, “I’m going to do something new.”

It’s not some dusty old committee somewhere, desperately trying to get something going: “Let’s dream up some new programme, a decade of this or a network of that.” And they say, “We’d like you to get on board.” But it’s man-made and it sucks the air out of you. But when God initiates, when God speaks, when God moves, there’s an energy about it, it’s totally different.

Years ago, a group of Christians began meeting in this town, sensing that God was doing a new thing. They were excited about the baptism in the Holy Spirit and they were seeing a recovery of certain aspects of New Testament living that wasn’t really welcomed by other churches in town at that time.

Just a few people, a handful, small enough to meet in peoples’ homes. Over time, it evolved into King’s, and here we are today; there are hundreds of us.

And now, we are hearing God speak to us about sending out a team to plant another Word and Spirit church in Marske and Saltburn. There have been visions and dreams, prophetic words. As in the early days of this church, God is speaking and bringing something new to birth. It’s a new season; it’s a new era for us as well.

Are we believing God for a healthy, thriving church plant? Am I praying for that yet? What is your part in it going to be? Are you asking, “Is it me, Lord? Are you calling me to up sticks and move with the team? Am I going to be part of this new adventure?” So,firstly, (and this seems timely for us) Joshua is about a new season.

A new challenge

Secondly, our scripture today speaks of a new challenge that calls for fresh faith. God speaks to Joshua in verse 2, and nine verses later Joshua goes to his leaders and relays what God has just said to him. “Three days from now, you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.”

Joshua cannot hide behind Moses anymore. Joshua saw Moses lead the people through the Red Sea. He was there; he was one of them. But that was 40 years ago. Now Joshua is going to have to personally step up to an entirely new level of faith.

He is going to have to start with a miracle. He’s going to have to embrace the quite frightening prospect that if God doesn’t move in power, he will stand before an entire unimpressed nation looking like a total muppet. No pressure there, then. You can imagine Joshua wondering if he has the calibre to meet that challenge.

Some of you are facing a new challenge right now. You can relate. As it was for Joshua, so it is for you: our God is a supernatural God, and he wants to involve us in displaying his awesome power in the world.

Every Wednesday, in this very building, we hear testimonies of changed lives in our foodbank outreach, Taste and See:

- I was homeless and cried out to God, then everything began to change.
- I was a heroin addict for years and my children were taken off me, but God met me at my lowest ebb and now I’m clean and I have my family back.
- I was chronically ill, and the doctors said I had a couple of years to live. Here I am, still alive a decade later - healed, thanks to Jesus.
- My wife had an affair and walked out on me, but with the help of God I’ve managed to forgive her, all my anger has gone, and I’m doing okay now.
- I was abused by my dad all my childhood, but now, thanks to Jesus, I know God as my loving heavenly Father.
- I was depressed and ready to end it all, but I randomly met a Christian who told me about Jesus. That was the start of my mental health recovery.
And on it goes…

This is what Jesus is like. This is what he does. This is living by faith. Are we believing God for more?

Crossing a river in flood is faith-stretching, but not impossible, because as we’ll see next Sunday, God can do it. Planting out into Marske and Saltburn next spring is similarly going to require faith that goes beyond what we are familiar with and comfortable with.

Relocating to a new town with a handful of people to plant a new church is faith-stretching. But we believe in the power of the gospel, and we have faith that God is going to do it. People are going to get saved and filled with the Holy Spirit and added to the number of believers. And by the grace of God, a new church is going to take root and grow.

A new command

So, a new season and a new challenge. Thirdly, a new command. There are several commands from God in this chapter. “Be strong and courageous” appears four times, and it comes with a promise: “As I was with Moses, I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

During the days of communist rule in Romania, many churches cowered before the atheist authorities, compromising their faith in the process. The government systematically undermined the church in an effort to weaken and destroy it.

During those days, a Lutheran pastor called Richard Wurmbrand and others were being pressured by the communists to go soft on their primary allegiance to Christ. Some caved in.

His wife, Sabine, said, “Richard, these compromised pastors are spitting in the Lord’s face. Stand up and wipe away this disgrace from the face of Christ!”

Wurmbrand looked into the eyes of the love of his life, and said, “You need to know that if I do that, you will lose your husband.” And without hesitation she replied, “I don’t want a coward for a husband.”

Be strong and courageous. What happened next resulted in 13 years of interrogation, beatings and imprisonment, much of it in solitary confinement for that man. He later wrote about it in his book Tortured for Christ.

Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” And, as we know, the footsteps of Jesus have nail marks in them. But this is not the first time we read ‘be strong and courageous’ in the Bible. It appears three times in Deuteronomy 31 alone.

In verses 7–8, God says, “Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.”

This command is so relevant for us today. Ben Stuart, speaking at the Desiring God conference in 2014, said, “I have never met a strong Christian who doesn’t meditate on God’s word every day. And I have never met a weak Christian who does.”

Read your Bible daily. Let God speak to you. Don’t change what you read in the Bible to make it agree with what you think. Change what you think until it agrees with the Bible.

“Be careful to obey God’s word.” But this is not new either. All the way through Deuteronomy, countless times, God repeats this same command.

In verse 9, God says, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” But that’s not a new command either. God said those very words to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob on many occasions in Genesis. He said them to Moses no fewer than 15 times. And look, if you fear God, you’ll never fear anything or anyone else.

Only one command in our passage is found nowhere else in Scripture up to this point. It’s in verse 2, where God says, “Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the River Jordan.” Get ready. Get ready spiritually. Get ready for change. Get ready practically. Come on - this is our time. Let’s go.

In the New Testament, and in these last days, overwhelmingly, the call to be ready comes in the context of the Lord’s future return in glory to judge the living and the dead. Jesus repeatedly warns us to be prepared, watch for the signs, don’t be caught sleeping, stay alert… get ready.

Because there comes a point when it is too late. The return of Jesus Christ will be abrupt, sudden and unexpected. Jesus himself says he will come at a time when people least expect him. It will be in royal power and unparalleled glory. Before anyone realises what is happening, it will be done. The Lord of history will appear in all his splendour and put all evil under his feet.

And when he returns, it will be too late for the mockers, the sceptics and those who always say they’ll get around to spiritual things later.

Are you ready? If not, give your life to Christ before it’s too late! Oh, how I pray that, for each person here today, the moment you take your last breath will not be the moment you realise you are spiritually lost!

Ending

So, there we are: it’s a new season. Let’s not get stuck in nostalgia for a golden age—the Reformation, the Wesleyan revival, the Great Awakening, the early charismatic renewal or the Stoneleigh years. Or whenever. Thank God for all that, but God is doing a new thing among us. Do you perceive it?

There’s a new challenge: you’re going to cross the Jordan and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you. It’ll take a miracle, and there’ll be years of battle to follow. Are you up for it in faith?

And there’s a new command. We don’t neglect the old ones: “Be strong and courageous.” “Be careful to obey God’s word; do not turn from it; keep it always on your lips; meditate on it day and night; and be careful to do everything in it.” Those are standard. God’s fresh word in this new chapter is: “Get ready.” Are you prepared to step up the moment God says, “Come on, now is the time; let’s get going”?

Can we stand to pray...



Sermon preached at King's Church Darlington, 20 September 2026