Spring City Fellowship
240407Sunday
Sunday April 7, 2024 10:15AM Service

      • Psalm 150:3NIV2011

  • Shine Jesus Shine
  • Days Of Elijah
  • Living Hope
  • Hymn Of Heaven
  • I See The Lord
  • Before You Now
  • Breathe
  • In The Secret
  • Holy And Anointed One
  • Our theme for 2024 is “Possessing the Land”
    We have been working our way through the book of Joshua and we are only a little more than half-way through, but significant portions of the land have been conquered.
    Joshua and the Israelites, having taken out the strategic leaders in the region are now beginning to divide up the land to make settlements.
    Today we want to focus especially on Joshua and Caleb and finishing well.
    A quick study of biblical characters will show that many of them started well bu didn’t necessarily finish as well as they started.
    Gideon was an amazing general like Joshua, but his fame went to his head and he ended up falling back into idolatry.
    Samson was a great hero whose lack of moral character became his downfall.
    Saul, David, and Solomon all started out well, but made choices that resulted in major failures.
    David, more than the others, showed a heart of repentance and is therefore remembered in a positive light even though he had some of the biggest failures.
    We have had numerous recent examples of national ministry leaders who had built large ministries with seemingly great track records an then we are rocked by revelation of scandal after many years of successful ministry.
    It shouldn’t surprise us given what we have learned about burnout; the connection between physical and mental exhaustion leading to moral compromise.
    It turns out that people don’t make the best decisions when they are “running on fumes”
    Add to that the blindness that comes with celebrity - people thinking you can do no wrong and sometimes saying as much.
    Leaders who lead well earn a sort of “legendary status” which keeps them from continuing to develop themselves personally.
    The lesson that we learn is that when you think you are “too big to fail” watch out! - that’s when it happens.
    It doesn’t matter who you are or what you have accomplished already for God, life is a marathon, not a sprint.
    You should think about completely fulfilling the purpose that God has for you, not just for the present moment.
    You can do that by continuing to take on new challenges - each season of life will have them.
    Don’t stop doing what you are doing until you reach the end of your journey- and don’t settle for less than God’s best.

    Fulfill your purpose

    Joshua 13:1 ESV
    1 Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess.
    We are not at the end of the book yet, but there is reason to believe that not everything we have read is written in sequence according to when it happened.
    One of the reasons might be that in Hebrew poetry (chiasm) the part you want to emphasize is put in the middle.
    But in general, in the second half of the book, large portions of the text are devoted to describing allotted territories as defined by cities and boundaries.
    So why make a statement here that seems like it belongs at the end of the book?
    What is the message that we are supposed to get?

    Don’t stop until you are finished.

    These verses are not just about Joshua getting old - it’s also a statement that God's purposes for Israel are not finished.
    Most of the Old Testament was edited and compiled while Israel was in exile.
    That is why parts of the book have an omniscient author filling in what we need to know, sometimes before the events themselves occured.
    They (the editors) want us to know that the story is not over yet.
    All of the enemies are not conquered in Joshua’s lifetime.
    Joshua divides up the land among the tribes, but each tribe has territory that they are going to need to possess.
    The book of Judges is going to begin with a list of the territories that the tribes of Israel failed to conquer.
    Truth be told, at the time of the exile, Israel still had not finished the job.
    And what is worse, some of those nations around Israel had conquered them by getting Israel to serve their gods.
    I think the first lesson for us is to realize that the job of bringing the earth under God's rule still isn’t over.
    Jesus would come and die so that our sin could be forgiven an our hearts could be changed - that made victory possible.
    Then he gave us the Holy Spirit to fill the earth with His presence.
    Our conquest is to to conquer the forces that would keep us from living our lives in obedience to Christ.
    The Bible promises that one day it will be finished - but we have not yet seen that day where:
    Philippians 2:10–11 NLT
    10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
    We are not there yet - so don’t give up!

    Don’t ever think you have arrived.

    The idea of possessing the land was that the tribes of Israel were to move into the promised land and establish communities and raise families.
    As they increase in number, in wealth and in influence they would be in a position to take over land and cities that were occupied by civilization that were dying out.
    These other nation were sacrificing their children to idols - they were destroying their own future.
    But instead of dispossessing them, some in Israel practiced the very things that they were supposed to rid the land of.
    So somewhere between Joshua and Judges, God changed His strategy.
    Judges 2:20–23 ESV
    20 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he said, “Because this people have transgressed my covenant that I commanded their fathers and have not obeyed my voice, 21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations that Joshua left when he died, 22 in order to test Israel by them, whether they will take care to walk in the way of the Lord as their fathers did, or not.” 23 So the Lord left those nations, not driving them out quickly, and he did not give them into the hand of Joshua.
    God decided that future generations would need to know how to fight and what they were fighting for - so he left some some tribes like the Philistines behind.
    One could argue that it was not really God changing his mind, but simply adapting to His people's slowness to obey.
    But it makes sense that God allows things in our life that challenge us and teach us what it really means to obey.
    In the same way, learning to live the Christian life is a process and one that you will never fully master on this side of heaven.
    I know - we all want every one to think that we are perfect - but the people who live with you know that you are not.
    But hopefully, like Jesus, they love you anyway.
    And even though your spouse or your kids may see you fail - they should also see you get back up again - that’s how they learn to do the same when they fail.
    Even the Apostle Paul admits that he is still learning and growing.
    Philippians 3:12 NLT
    12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.
    If Paul can admit that he hasn’t arrived yet, I think we can too.
    So what is our goal then?
    If perfection is not something that we experience this side of heaven - then what should we expect to attain?

    Serving should be its own reward.

    I would read all of the names of the tribes and the towns that they are to possess, but I do want to pause to mention a curious notation.
    Joshua 13:14 ESV
    14 To the tribe of Levi alone Moses gave no inheritance. The offerings by fire to the Lord God of Israel are their inheritance, as he said to him.
    So there are twelve tribes, but they are not the same ans the twelve sons of Jacob.
    Two of the tribes are named for Joseph’s two sons - Ephraim and Manasseh.
    And there is one son of Jacob that doesn’t get a portion of land for an inheritance - Levi.
    The Levites are the tribe of Moses and Aaron.
    Joshua 14:4 ESV
    4 For the people of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And no portion was given to the Levites in the land, but only cities to dwell in, with their pasturelands for their livestock and their substance.
    The Levite will inhabit towns and farms throughout Israel, but they won’t actually own any of it.
    The Levites were devoted to serving the Lord and to maintaining the religious life of the community.
    This meant making the sacrifices in the temple and preparing for the feasts.
    During the wilderness wanderings, while everyone else was carrying their own stuff, the Levites were carrying the Tabernacle, its furnishings and it’s instruments.
    They ate from the meat and grain offering that were scarified at the tabernacle.
    Now in the promised land, they don’t get an inheritance like everyone else - the Lord is their inheritance.
    Joshua 18:7 (NLT)
    7 “The Levites, however, will not receive any allotment of land. Their role as priests of the Lord is their allotment.
    In other words, serving God is it’s own reward.
    The Levites serve the tribes of Israel by performing the services of the temple.
    During and after the exile, many of them would become scribes and teachers of the law.
    They are the ones who gave us the Bible and who have explained it to us.
    In turn they live off the generosity of those who benefit from their service to God.
    1 Timothy 5:17–18 CEV
    17 Church leaders who do their job well deserve to be paid twice as much, especially if they work hard at preaching and teaching. 18 It is just as the Scriptures say, “Don’t muzzle an ox when you are using it to grind grain.” You also know the saying, “Workers are worth their pay.”
    In many ways this has shaped the way we view Christian ministry today.
    We recognize that some are called to serve the Lord full-time and we support them as a community.
    But the Levites also represent an ideal for everyone- we all should think of the Lord as our portion and that whatever we receive comes from Him.
    Psalm 16:5–6 NLT
    5 Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. 6 The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!
    Karie and I are blessed to be able to live, like the Levites, from the generosity of those with other vocations.
    Being able to serve full-time means that we area able to devote time to study, counseling and training which takes time and benefits others.
    Our role is equipping, not just serving everyone else, but helping everyone else to view their life in term of serving God.
    And our job then, is to help each of you to grow in your faith and to serve the Lord better in whatever role in life He has called you to.

    Continue to take on new challenges.

    One of the things I have learned from study is that you will never know it all.
    The more you learn - the more you understand how much there is to learn.
    The more you know, the more you realize just how much you don’t know.
    But I can tell you what I do know and what I have learned.
    There is more to this life and to God’s goodness than you will ever see.
    Anybody who claims to know it all is either lying or is deceived.
    Wisdom is always learning, always growing and yet always humble.

    Build on the faith of the past .

    Joshua 14:6–8 ESV
    6 Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea concerning you and me. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart. 8 But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God.
    Joshua and Caleb have a long history together.
    When Moses sent out spies after coming out of Egypt, Joshua and Caleb were two of the young men selected for the job.
    Numbers 13:1–2 ESV
    1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a chief among them.”
    Remember also, ten of the spies came back with a bad report and only Joshua and Caleb said, “Let’s go for it!”
    Numbers 13:30 ESV
    30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”
    Now Joshua is the leader of Israel, and Caleb is exactly the same person that he was when he was sent out to spy out the land.
    Back then, Joshua was the only one who stood with him, but they were outnumbered and shouted down by the others.
    Now Joshua is the successor of Moses, all of the other spies are dead and Caleb makes his plea again.
    Caleb set his heart on following the Lord by possessing the land.
    It took forty years to get there - but Caleb has only built upon the foundation of faith that he had back then.
    Caleb demonstrates what real faith looks like.
    You may have a conviction, a vision or a word from God.
    And just because it doesn’t happen right away doesn’t mean you were wrong.
    You may be absolutely right - God is showing you what is possible - but nobody said it was going to be easy.
    In fact, if it were easy or automatic, there would be no reason for God to show it to you.
    Hebrews 11:1 CEV
    1 Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see.
    Caleb is finally seeing exactly what he had hoped for way back then.
    Now he is standing in the reality of what everyone else said was impossible.
    And even this is not the end of the story.

    Strength and wisdom increase with use.

    Joshua 14:9–11 ESV
    9 And Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ 10 And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. 11 I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming.
    You would think that at 85, Caleb would be like - “Give me a rocking chair - let the young folks do it!”
    Actually, he says he just as strong as he was then.
    I don’t think he is just talking about physically, though I don’t doubt it either.
    We have some great examples in my dad and Pastor John who wear their age in such a way that you would never suspect they are as old as they are.
    A big part of that is simply attitude.
    It’s not that they don’t have aches and pains - it’s that they have something more important to live for.
    It purpose that gets you out of bed every morning.
    Without purpose, our bodies would just give up.
    God has created us in such a way that we grow and increase the more we do what is right.
    The more you use your muscles, the stronger you become.
    When you stop exercising, your body deteriorates as well.
    The same with your mind, the more use it, the more adept at thinking you become.
    The more of life you experience, the wiser you become.
    The only way to not become wise is to refuse to remember or to learn from past experiences.
    The Bible uses this same principle applied to spiritual growth.
    Hebrews 5:14 ESV
    14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
    It’s the principle of practice.
    You may have heard that “practice makes perfect”
    Well, that’s not true - but it is true that practice makes better!
    And what better thing to practice than your faith!

    Faith grows when it is stretched.

    Joshua 14:12–14 ESV
    12 So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said.” 13 Then Joshua blessed him, and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. 14 Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord, the God of Israel.
    Caleb asks for Hebron.
    The place where Abraham lived.
    The place where Abraham built an altar and worshipped YHWH.
    The place where he stayed when Lot moved to Sodom.
    The place where he buried Sarah.
    Yes, Caleb wants the old family homestead.
    There’s only one problem - when they spied out the land, there were giants living there - Anakim!
    Caleb doesn’t seem to mind.
    Caleb say, “I’m going to find out if God is really with me!”
    That, my friends, is faith.
    Anyone can talk about faith - real people of faith do what they talk about.
    Do you think Caleb was being stretched a bit?
    I can’t imagine facing a real giant and not being stretched either in my faith or perhaps literally.
    Do your actions align with what you say you believe?
    Caleb says, “I’m not sure but I’m going to find out.”
    I like this guy - he doesn’t sound like someone who is bragging- he sounds like someone who is genuinely up for a challenge.
    If you said to Caleb- let’s pray for healing - do you think God would heal this person?
    Caleb would say, “let find out!”
    Let’s pray for a miracle? - Sure, what have we got to loose!
    What about you?
    Are you willing to let God stretch you faith?
    ​

    Don’t settle for less than God’s best.

    The idea of finishing well is not just that we finish, but that we finish well.
    1 Corinthians 3:14–15 ESV
    14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
    When I think of finishing well, I think of not just living a life where I can go to heaven and say, “I kept the faith.” _ “I just barely made it, but I’m here.”
    But when I get to heaven, I want to see that my life meant something.
    Not just that I served the Lord and blessed some people, but that I blessed people who in turn blessed other people and there is a ripple effect from my life.
    If that’s ever going to happen, I can’t live my life as if God’s purpose is simply one of my goals.
    It has to be THE goal of my life.
    So how do we do that?

    Conquer your fear.

    Joshua 14:15 ESV
    15 Now the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath-arba. (Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim.) And the land had rest from war.
    So we learn here that Caleb was not just up again giants, but he was up against the biggest giants.
    I find it interesting that the biggest giants settled in the same area where Abraham, the father of faith also lived.
    It speaks to me of the level of spiritual warfare that was taking place behind the scenes.
    Chapter fifteen gives us an update on what happened.
    Joshua 15:13–14 ESV
    13 According to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, he gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the people of Judah, Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron (Arba was the father of Anak). 14 And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak, Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, the descendants of Anak.
    We like to tell the story of David and Goliath.
    Well Caleb, an 85 year old man takes on three, probably bigger giants, and defeats them.
    Caleb wasn’t afraid.
    Or if he was, his faith was bigger than his fear.
    David had the same attitude when he defeated Goliath.
    1 Samuel 17:45 CEV
    45 David answered: You’ve come out to fight me with a sword and a spear and a dagger. But I’ve come out to fight you in the name of the Lord All-Powerful. He is the God of Israel’s army, and you have insulted him too!
    OK, so fear is real, but is your God bigger?
    This is not about what you can do - it is about whose you are.
    The battle you are facing is a sign - a representation of a much bigger battle.
    If you realize that and you know whose side you are on, it will help you rise above the fear.

    Success is best shared.

    Joshua 15:15–17 ESV
    15 And he went up from there against the inhabitants of Debir. Now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher. 16 And Caleb said, “Whoever strikes Kiriath-sepher and captures it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife.” 17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, captured it. And he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.
    Notice that Caleb was not acting alone - he had help from a relative whom he promised to reward by giving his daughter in marriage.
    Othniel also became the first of the judges of Israel after Joshua died.
    Caleb didn’t just defeat giants, but he left a legacy of giant killers.
    The next leader of Israel would come, not from Joshua’s family, but from Caleb’s.
    That’s not how the other nations around Israel operated.
    They created family dynasties that were based entirely on blood relation, not merit.
    In Israel, Moses had sons, but Joshua was chosen to lead Israel
    Joshua had sons, but Othniel, Caleb’s son would be the first judge.
    It wasn’t about status, it was about who God could work through.
    I think about this too - I could pass my legacy on to my kids, but they have to want it.
    They have to face their own giants and know that they can win.
    They have to have their own faith; their own confidence in God; their own anointing for ministry.
    And hopefully what I have given them is not just something handed to them, but an example that they can follow.
    In fact, I hope that they live to accomplish greater things than I could ever dream of.
    That’s because i believe that God is bigger and even more generous than what I have been able to comprehend.

    Live generously.

    Joshua 15:18–19 ESV
    18 When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. And she got off her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?” 19 She said to him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me the land of the Negeb, give me also springs of water.” And he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
    So this is a story about Caleb’s daughter Achsah, Othniel’s wife.
    She must have been “daddy’s girl” because she knows she can ask for anything and he will give it to her.
    She asks for a field, as a blessing or a favor.
    Hebron is hill country, she wants a flat area of tillable land.
    So he gives her some land in the nearby wilderness or desert.
    “Daddy, if you love me you will give me some land that contains springs of water.”
    So he gives her not one, but two areas of springs, presumably on either side of the land.
    Now that is a generous father!
    Our God is a generous father too - and we are his beloved children.
    John 15:7–9 ESV
    7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
    The lesson of finishing well is learning to live in a way that is not stingy, but generous, because we have a generous father who loves us very much.
    If you live your life just trying to get by - you will just barely get by.
    If you live your life just trying to prove you are good enough, you will just be good enough.
    If you live you life with the hope of just making it to heaven, we will probably see you in heaven - but you will have a lot to learn when you get there.
    Because God is bigger, more powerful that we could ever conceive and He is kinder and more generous that we dare to imagine.
    If somehow you know that it’s true, then why not live the rest of your life like you really believe it?
    Let’s not just finish the race of life, let’s finish well!

    Questions for reflection:

    What is your goal in life? Is it just to go to heaven when you die or is it to bring heaven to earth while you live? What would make the difference?
    What are the giants that you are facing? What causes you fear or makes you worry? How can you practice faith in that situation? What would make your faith grow?
    Have you found yourself slipping into complacency? When you think of a testimony of God’s goodness in your life, how far back do you need to go? What would you ask for if God were to give you an inheritance?

      • Joshua 13:1MESSAGE

      • Philippians 2:10–11MESSAGE

      • Judges 2:20–23MESSAGE

      • Philippians 3:12MESSAGE

      • Joshua 13:14MESSAGE

      • Joshua 14:4MESSAGE

      • Joshua 18:7NLT

      • 1 Timothy 5:17–18NLT

      • Psalm 16:5–6NLT

      • Joshua 14:6–8NLT

      • Numbers 13:1–2NLT

      • Numbers 13:30NLT

      • Hebrews 11:1NLT

      • Joshua 14:9–11NLT

      • Hebrews 5:14NLT

      • Joshua 14:12–14NLT

      • 1 Corinthians 3:14–15NLT

      • Joshua 14:15NLT

      • Joshua 15:13–14NLT

      • 1 Samuel 17:45NLT

      • Joshua 15:15–17NLT

      • Joshua 15:18–19NLT

      • John 15:7–9NLT

  • Because He Lives
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