Adrian
Old-Sunday Worship March 8th, 2026
  • Hallelujah What A Savior (Gethsemane)
  • Behold the Lamb

      • Romans 5:1–11LEB

      • Romans 5:1–11LEB

  • Oh The Deep Deep Love
  • Doxology

      • Joshua 5:8–15LEB

  • “The Man Standing in the Shadows”

    K. Arrian Scott
    March 8, 2026
    Introduction.
    The historical book of Joshua is the seventh book of the Old Testament and in it we find the nation of Israel in massive transition as Moses, their leader for forty years has transitioned into the heavenly “promised land”, that is, the very presence of the Lord. Moses has died.
    Joshua, a well-trusted man and Moses’ military assistant would become the new leader of the nation of Israel after being chosen and appointed to this role by none other than the Lord Himself – “After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, 2 Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.”
    In the opening verse, the Lord audibly spoke to Joshua, putting Joshua in rare company since few in the history of the universe can lay claim to this phenomenon. I believe we can concede that this is a tremendous responsibility for Joshua, but we can also say there was a phenomenal promise by God that the Lord would be with Joshua, and no one would be able to come against Joshua.
    Moses had led Israel to the plains of the Jordan River near the edge of the land of Canaan and near the fortress city of Jericho when Joshua began his reign as the leader of the people of Israel. Now Joshua will face his first test, as the children of Israel cannot enter the land of Canaan until they first cross a significant body of water, the Jordan River. The Jordan was a real physical challenge for the people of Israel, and at the same time the river served as a symbol of transition for God’s people. Their trusted leader Moses’ earthly life would end rather suddenly because of disobedience, and the rest of the nation is threatened with failure if they will not obey and comply with the Covenant God made with their ancestors. If they are obedient, Israel would transition from a wandering people and a place of uncertainty to the place they would call ‘home;’ a land tremendously fertile because of Yahweh’s blessing. Regarding the task of crossing the Jordan, some Bible historians would call the Jordan River a mighty river, but most people would agree the Jordan was a very significant River, especially during the heavy spring rain season when it was susceptible to flooding. For certain, if the people of Israel were going to successfully going to cross the Jordan River they would need the intervention of their God, Yahweh. This is not something they could do on their own.
    Chapter two provides the details of Joshua having sent out two spies to the fortified city of Jericho, so Israel might know how to best attack their enemy and be victorious. The spies made an unusual ally of a local woman who happened to be a woman of ill-repute; but nevertheless, Rahab was used by God to aid God’s people in their quest to overtake the city of Jericho and settle in the land of Canaan.
    Chapters three and four detail the plan for a unified, orderly and crossing of the Jordan River as this multitude of people and a company of forty thousand soldiers were lead across the River by the Priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant, that sacred piece of furniture that was to the people the real presence and power of God. With all the planning that went into crossing the Jordan, they would still not be successful if Yahweh did not plan to miraculously intervene on behalf of the people. With all our planning, we still need the Lord to do the work only the Lord can do. Why do we call the crossing miraculous? Because like the Israelites who crossed the Red Sea when Almighty God held back the Sea’s water and let the people cross over the it on dry ground (Exodus 14), the Lord also held back the water of the Jordan River (Chaps. 3 &4) so this generation of people could also cross over and enter the land of Canaan.
    Preaching Point.
    I believe we can see from this Jordan River experience that our Lord is up to the challenge no matter where God’s help is needed and no matter how many times the Lord’s help is needed. What God does for one of His own, God can do for any of His own. God is always working on our behalf! But do not try to overcome these challenges with the help of God!
    Joshua 3.17 says, “all Israel crossed over on dry land’.
    Noah was challenged with an Ark, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob claimed the land of Canaan, Moses confronted Pharaoh, and we must cross the Jordan to enter God’s promises!
    Here is the power of faith. And our faith in God is possible through history because it looks backwards to move forward!
    Question. What is your challenge? What stands between you and God’s promise of blessings upon your life?
    In every case, none of these patriarchs had to be concerned about God doing what God promised. The question mark is our faithfulness. ‘God will make a way when there seems to be no way!’ There is something special about new beginnings or starting over that seems to put past troubles and difficulties in the rear-view mirror of one’s life and that worn page of our lives has finally turned.
    The Context.
    4. 2-3; “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, 3 and command them, saying, take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.”
    Preaching Point.
    Do not take stones from near the bank, but from what would be the deepest part of the river! There is little danger of drowning when you are standing near the bank of the river but go out into the deeper parts of the river and find rocks! Use these rocks as a Memorial to the Lord!
    *Are you a Christian that is standing on the bank or one has launched out into the deep?
    Where are you getting your rocks from? God wants you and me to remember when the Lord helped us in the worst of our circumstances and when we were in our greatest need and the Lord came through for us! But taking rocks from the middle of the river also says something about our faith. Even though it is temporarily dry, the Jordan is still a river! What if the wall of water collapses while we are in the middle of the river? Are you willing to go out into the middle of the river to get rocks? Does our faith allow us to believe the Lord will hold up the water while we are in the middle of the river? If your faith is weak you will stay near the bank and collect smaller rocks and have little faith. But if you will obey and walk out into the middle of the river to collect your rocks, this is stronger faith, and it says you have learned to trust God!
    Question #1. Is your faith weak or is it strong? Do you trust God the God will sustain you if you walk out into the deepest part of the river? During the most difficult times of your life? Bigger fish are usually in the deepest parts of the water they tell me.
    Question #2. Where have you taken your rocks from?
    4.6 -7; “That this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, ‘saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?” Then you shall answer then that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the lord;”
    Are you building a spiritual legacy for your children? Are you using the spiritual rocks of faith in God’s Word, love of Christ and His Church, hope, trust, faithfulness, joy, diligence, dedication, commitment, integrity, sacrifice, patience, etc.?
    What are you building your legacy with?

      • Joshua 5:8–15LEB

      • Joshua 1:2LEB

      • Joshua 3:17LEB

      • Joshua 4:2–3LEB

      • Joshua 4:6–7LEB

      • 1 John 2:1ESV

      • Isaiah 55:6–7ESV

  • How Deep The Father's Love For Us
Adrian
8 members