Richvale Community Church
Sunday, September 28 2025
- Good morning!We’re continuing our series Finding God in Transitions, and today we’re focusing on Fine-Tuning Our Obedience.I grew up playing the guitar. I never learned to read music, but I learned to play by ear.One of the first lessons my dad taught me was how to tune a guitar.Because if a guitar is out of tune, nothing you play will sound right—no matter how skilled or how beautiful the song may be…It will always be just a little off-key.When you tune a guitar yo u start with the E string—top and bottom. That sets the foundation for the rest of the strings..If that first string is off, the whole instrument will be flat or sharp.Discipleship is like that sting an It’s all about alignment.—The Lord is the Major Key —When we dial in to Christ—we tune our hearts to his Character —our lives resonate with His Will .. and this ultimately bring praise and Glory the Father.This is what discipleship is all about!A disciple is a learner and a follower of Christ—one who reflects Jesus.But following Jesus also means walking in obedience.Oswald Chambers— who wrote the classic “My utmost for the Highest” describes discipleship like this“A disciple is not one who simply admires Jesus but one who obeys Him, aligning their life completely with His will.”That word obedience stirs all kinds of emotions, doesn’t it?Most of us struggle with it, because obedience requires laying something down—surrendering, making room for God in our lives..If we’re honest, those are exactly the things we guard: our comfort, our plans, our agenda’s.Yet the Christian faith is, at its core, a call to obedience. This is what Jesus taught:Matthew 16:24–25 – “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”John 8:31–32 – “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.”John 14:15 – “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”In other words, discipleship is more than doctrine or belief —it is about a walk of obedience ..it is about living out what God has said in his wordIt’s a continuous journey of alignment and obedience..Last week we were in Joshua 4, We talked about -Israel crossing the Jordan River and as soon as their feet touch dry ground, the waters rushed back and pile up — at place called Adam…and the whole nation crossed over on Dry land…It was a remarkable miracle and act of God!And news of this miracle spread like wild fire..and it doesn't take long until before kings on the West side of the Jordan ..hear about the miracle and — their hearts melted within them…And you have to wonder -Why was it such a big deal?We know from the testimony of Rahab …that those in Jericho had heard about Israel crossing the Red Sea— they had heard of the whole Egyptian army had been swept away and drowned…and so Now, Israel stood— on their front porch. and things are more real… It no longer something removed from them.. it was close to 🏠 ..It’s interesting that when things are closer to us they hit harder…When famine is in Africa we dont think about much.. but when it is in your back hard that changes thing ..like the paradise firesOr… when a loved on struggles with an addiction..On when there illness and sickness in your family lifeLife takes on a whole new meaning..The kings in Cannan..realized“The same God who Parted the Red Sea … parted the Jordan.This meantthere was no limitation to what God might be able to do in the future…”that there was nothing beyond God’s reach…Here is the less on…They saw something that we as the church should shout about and that is ..“If God has done it it before ... he can do it again”that there is nothing too difficult for God..In Jerimiah 32.17 the prophet - looked up at the heavens at creation and says — he marvels . He says..God you created the heavens and earth — by your out stretched arm— (basically the wave are your hand.).Nothing is too difficult for you..Jesus said …that with man it is impossible but with God all things are possible..The problem is WE often relate more with fear than faith…WE worry about the good stuff and bad things..The book of Joshua speaks right into that fear…The answer to Fear is the presence…of Gof..In the first chapter of Joshua .. God tells His people—To be strong and courageous— to not be terrified .. because he is with them wherever they go!..—In Joshua 5 We see that God makes His Enemies Fear and melt before Him..to the point where“there was no longer any spirit in them.”We need to know God is able to silence our enemies..and stop what ever force that we come against..(or the things we fear)Isaiah the prophet said that …
Isaiah 59:19 NKJV … When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.If there is anything we learn from Joshua is that is on our side…but it takes faith and obedience..T/s We are going see three distinct movements in our text —that teach us how to Fine tune —— Our Obedience … first.1. Through Personal Renewal – Aligning with God’s CovenantWe are living in a challenging moment in history -where worldviews are clashing and strong opinions dominate our news and our social media feeds—This seems to be happing at every front —between nations and governments — leadersand at some level…even in the church…—We spend so much time focused outward on others..Where the scripture points us inwards —towards personal faith and holiness.What’s striking about Joshua is that we see that -God is more concerned with our Personal obedience and holiness than out circumstances..After Israel crossed the Jordan -God calls Israel to higher level of committed….Through covenant..Let’s read our text:Joshua 5:2–6 (ESV)Joshua 5:2–6 ESV 2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth. 4 And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way after they had come out of Egypt. 5 Though all the people who came out had been circumcised, yet all the people who were born on the way in the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt had not been circumcised. 6 For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey.Here we see that..Before Israel could face the challenge of Jericho - God calls for a time for renewal and recommitment to Covenant..God does this through circumcision.Now, The rite of circumcision goes all the way back to the Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 17.Where it was a sign of belonging to Goda visible mark showing that you were part of His chosen people —Normally, circumcision was performed on the eighth day of a of a new borns life..but here it is being performed at a much later time, because the entire generation needed renewal at this pivotal moment.Verse one says that the Lord told Joshua to do this a second time..The first generation had been circumcised in Egypt, but after forty years of wandering, a new generation had grown up uncircumcised.Think about it! that for forty years no children nobody was following the ceremonial law..to the point.. They didn’t even have the instruments to do the task God had to say.… “Go and make flint stones”— how Many times do we we get off track..We All of suffer from mission drift — where we set out to do something…but after time we forget…Whether it’s our Finances or health… relationships…spiritual life .. after a while we drift…The Good news is that we can start again….— Saint Benedict said..“Always we begin again,That should encourage us…Remember when David faced crisis in his life.. a moral failure with Bathsheba.. initially he didn’t acknowledge his sin and only after being confronted by Nathan does he see his need for repentance .He writes about this in Psalms Psalm 51.It is a heart filled prayer of repentanceDavid Asks God for mercy and grace ..He acknowledges that he had sinned against God and him alone —he asks God to wash his and cleansed from his sin..He prays that his relationship with God would be restored…He prays for a clean heart..Psalm 51:10–12 ESV 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.This a picture of restoration and healing —N.T Wright says… renewal of covenant and renewal of heart go together.N. T. WrightIn our text..This is a key moment in Israel.. God says now is the time for repentance and renewal..We see that God Prioritizes Personal Renewal..AFTER circumcision there is a time of Healing…This was vulnerable time for Israel..I was in college in the 1990s when U.S. forces launched Operation Desert Storm.The opening assault was described by reporters as “shock and awe.”Within a single day, American forces had taken control of Baghdad. That’s the kind of swift, overwhelming strategy we expect in warfare.But God’s plan with Joshua was the exact opposite. Instead of rushing to attack, He required the men to pause, heal, and trust Him completely. God healed them before he sends them…Joshua records:Joshua 5:8–9 ESV 8 When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. 9 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.HERE GOD DOES A DEEP WORK THROUGH RENEWAL..They remained there until they were healed…Dallas Willard — in his book called the Great Ommision…. says that…“Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life ”Because Healing takes time..THERE IS not only physical recovery, but also spiritual recovery and restoration.Gilgal becomes a living symbol of grace, a place where God turns old stories into new beginnings.God declares that He has rolled away the reproach of Egypt—the shame of slavery, the weight of their past.After the circumcision, God called Israel to celebrate the Passover.The Passover—recalls - the night when the destroying angel passed over homes marked with the blood of the lamb, sparing the firstborn from death. It was a vivid reminder that God rescues His people from death and bondage.In the New Testament —Jesus is our Passover Lamb. Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 5:7,“For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”In Christ we remember the blood of Jesus spares us from the penalty of sin and death.He restores our identity, our honor, and our purpose.He brings us back into deep communion with Himself, rolling away shame and into the joy of His presence.T/S AS Israel moves towards the edge of Jericho..God continue fine tune their hearts towards obedience -1. THROUGH Renewal – Is Aligning with God’s Covenant2. THROUGH Personal Encounter – Experiencing God.Over the past couple of years we have been running the Alpha Course… and it has been huge blessing for our church… It interesting that you can just see transformation in those who attended .In the middle of the Course there is the H.S weekend— take out for prayer and to be filled with His Spirit… We go into the weekend prayerful and expectant…There is something about feeling and experiencing the presence of God…In our text Joshua has this encounter with the Lordlets read..Joshua 5:13–15 ESV 13 When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” 14 And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” 15 And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.Here is Joshua… standing on the ridge, eyes fixed on Jericho.Canaan was an impressive land, and Jericho was its crown jewel—the gateway to the Promised Land.It was a fortress city—beautiful, yet intimidating. Giants lived in the land, and the Canaanites were known for their brutality.I can imagine Joshua there, praying earnestly, seeking God’s guidance for the battle ahead. And then, suddenly, a mysterious figure appears before him.This is a theophany—a divine appearance. I believe it may well have been the Lord Himself.Joshua sees him and asks.."Are you for us or for our adversaries?""Are you with us or against us?"But the answer surprises him. The NIV translates it as: “Neither.”Can you imagine Joshua’s surprise? Surely God would say, “I am for you, not your enemies!” So why “neither”?The reason is profound. …because..Joshua was asking the wrong question. The real question is never, “Whose side is God on?” The real question is: “Whose side am I on?Too often, we get spiritual warfare backwards. We think God is here to fight our battles, to guarantee our plans, to secure our victories.But that is not the way God works. God calls us to join His battle—not the other way around.This was about God’s purposes being fulfilled.When the man finally reveals who He is, Joshua falls to the ground and worships. When we truly encounter God—seeing Him as He really is, holy, mighty, and glorious—our only fitting response is surrender.We are compelled to bow, to humble ourselves, and to acknowledge His majesty.And this isn’t unique to Joshua.When Moses sees a bush that burns but is not consumed.Moses trembles. He hides his face because he cannot look upon the holy presence of God..He had to remove his shoes because it’s is holy ground…Both Joshua and Moses encounter the presence of God, and in both cases, it changes them.Encounter with God will change your life….An encounter with God is never just an event; it is a transformation..You see.. When God shows up, nothing remains the sameOur perspectives shift. Our priorities are reordered.Worship flows naturally, and obedience becomes the next step.One Encounter Can Change EverythingBlaise Pascal, the French Philosopher .Had an experienced what he called his “Night of Fire.”In that one night, he encountered God brought , overwhelming joy, and peace far beyond reason. He wrote:“God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob… I am reconciled; I have given myself to You, and I ask You never to leave me.”He held onto that experience..He sewed the page document his experience into the lining of his coat.When we encounter God we need to treasure — those moments.Like Joshua. Like Moses. Like Pascal. True submission begins with a personal encounter with God.One encounter can shape your heart and prepare us for victory…As Zechariah 4:6 reminds us:“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”T/S AS Israel moves towards the edge of Jericho..God continue fine tune their hearts towards obedience -3. Through Faith in His Victory – Trusting God for the WinI Admire those who play golf because it’s a really difficult game… you have to keep your eye on the ball. You have to not lift your head up and you have to follow through…Apparently, when you get all that right, the ball is meant to go straight down the fairway..it’s all about the follow-through..Jericho was no ordinary city. It was the gateway to the land of Canaan, Strategically, it was the most fortified city Israel would face. Its walls were high, its defenses strong, and its people were fierce. This was the first major obstacle standing between God’s people and the fulfillment of His promises.Yet, Jericho, intimidating as it was, was already in God’s hands.God had met with Joshua and had revealed his plan for victory…now it was a matter of following through in obedience…the follow through..was important..Let’s read Joshua 6:1–5 (ESV) to set the scene:Joshua 6:1–5 ESV 1 Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. 2 And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. 3 You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. 4 Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.”When Jericho saw Israel coming, the city shut down.No one came out; no one went in. The city was sealed.But God reminds Joshua that victory is already His..the city, the king, the mighty men of valor—all under His authority.But..The battle must be fought God’s way, not Israel’s.The plan sounds almost absurda silent march —Soldiers in the front in back… the priests and the ark towards the front… people followingFor six days, the Israelites walk quietly around the city walls.No swords. No siege engines. No human strategy—just faith in action.Then comes the seventh day: seven circuits, the sound of trumpets, and one long shout. And walls would fall.It’s was an amazing battle..Joshua 6:20(MSG) describes it:Joshua 6:20 MSG 20 The priests blew the trumpets. When the people heard the blast of the trumpets, they gave a thunderclap shout. The wall fell at once. The people rushed straight into the city and took it.Imagine it.Jericho wasn’t that large—walking around it might take only thirty minutes—butGod’s plan was never about speed.On day one, the people of Jericho, expecting a sudden assault, saw the Israelites quietly marching, priests blowing trumpets, the ark of the covenant in the center, soldiers at the rear.By day six, they probably thought, “This is nothing to worry about.” Then, on day seven, the unthinkable happens: the walls collapse.The battle of Jericho was not about human strength—it was about God’s power.It reminds me of the cross.On Good Friday, it looked like all hope was lost. Jesus, the Messiah, condemned, crucified, and dead (Matthew 27:27–56).His disciples scattered, confused and afraid (Mark 14:50).From the world’s perspective, the battle was over.The “walls” of sin, death, and despair seemed impenetrable.Saturday brought silence, a seeming pause in God’s plan.Yet even in that stillness, God was at work, orchestrating His victoryThen, early on Sunday morning, the women came to the tomb and found it empty (Luke 24:1–6).Victory came not through human might but through God’s power.The impossible became possible, the walls of death fell, and life was restored.Notice the pattern at Jericho:obedience → faith → action → victory.And it’s the same pattern with the cross. Jesus obeyed the Father unto deathPhilippians 2:8 “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”We victors throu weakness..God delt fairly in victory..Even amid judgment, God’s mercy shines. Rahab and her household were spared:Joshua 6:25Joshua 6:25 ESV 25 But Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.Rahab’s faith and obedience became part of God’s redemptive plan—a reminder that God’s judgment is never devoid of mercy.Victory isn’t just for Israel. It is a testimony to all nations that when God fights, no wall is too high, no obstacle too great.The story of Jericho speaks to us today:About “walls” are you facing?Personal struggles, family challenges, seemingly insurmountable obstacles? Victory doesn’t come from human effort alone—it comes when we submit to God, step in obedience, and let His power moveNo wall is too high. No obstacle is too great. When God fights, victory is inevitable.ConclusionWe have to learn obedience..Years later, before another battle field, King Saul..grew impatient while waiting for the prophet Samuel and took on the role of a priest, offering sacrifices himself.When Samuel arrived, he heard the noise of the sheep and asked, “What is that noise?”Saul casually replied, “It is the sacrifice I am making; I thought I would help you out.”That single act of disobedience cost him the kingdom.1 Samuel 15:22 (ESV) “And Samuel said, ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.’”Obedience matters more than anything else we can offer.The story of Jericho reinforces this truth:Obedience Matters..God’s work done in His way will never lack His supply.This challenge of onedience is just as real for us today. God calls us to:Continual Renewal – aligning our hearts with His covenant.Call Encounter him – submitting to His authority.Trusting Victory – , even when His methods seem unconventional.“When we follow God’s plan and trust His timing, walls that seem unbreakable fall, and the impossible becomes possible, because God fights for us.” Matthew 16:25NLT
John 8:32NLT
John 14:15NLT
Isaiah 59:19NLT
Joshua 5:2–6NLT
Psalm 51:10–12NLT
Joshua 5:8–9NLT
Joshua 5:13–15NLT
Joshua 6:1–5NLT
Joshua 6:20NLT
Joshua 6:25NLT
Richvale Community Church
5308453694
24 members • 9 followers