20th Sunday after Trinity – Sermon – 286

17th February 2019 Off By Derek

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity
6.30pm Choral Evensong BCP
4th October 2018 [not preached]

Prayer to Start

May the words of my lips and the thoughts of our hearts be graciously received for the Glory and Honour of our Lord Jesus Christ

                                                  AMEN

INTRODUCTION

As its a Choral Evensong – perhaps we’d better start with a song –

Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho,”
Joshua fought the battle of Jericho
and the walls came a-tumbling down”

We all know the song don’t we?

About Joshua’s winning a great battle – at Jericho!

But if we look much closer at the words in our Bibles – we’ll soon come to realise that it wasn’t Joshua and his army that achieved the great victory at all – but God!

Point 1 God’s plan for victory

Imagine being under the leadership of Joshua –

Joshua who stood beside Caleb as the only one to bring back a good report after spying out the Land of Canaan – Joshua – who was chosen as the successor to Moses to lead the Children of Israel into the Promised Land – And Joshua who was at the helm as the people crossed the Jordon – to start a new life in a new country – and was now approaching Jericho –

considered the greatest walled fortress of all time – a military citadel unparalleled in those days – with walls so thick that chariots could traverse on top of them. 

From a human perspective it was considered an impenetrable and unconquerable city – impossible to get through – all their dreams must have stopped cold when they approached it  

Our OT reading takes up the story – with Joshua out in the field – surveying the situation – looking up at those high walls – wondering what to do next – turned around to see a man who came out of nowhere –  

Are you for us – or are you for them?

But the man explained that he was neither – but a captain – sent by God – to show the way forward – His words were nearly identical to those when God spoke – to Moses – out of the burning bush – a full forty years before

Joshua realized he was on Holy Ground –

God promised to deliver Jericho – its king and its warriors – to Joshua – and gave him special instructions to follow –

Joshua and his army were to march in silence around the city once a day for six days – and on the seventh – to march around seven times – and on the seventh – blow their trumpets – or ram’s horns – and give a great shout – 

Then – the walls of Jericho would collapse – and allow his army to enter the city –

Not we might think – the most logical or plausible of plans

Why would those big strong city walls crumble and fall down – all of a sudden – just because the army walked around it a few times and made a loud noise. 

It doesn’t seem possible – but that’s the point – it isn’t possible – at least not for man anyway-but it is possible for God – 

The real hero of this story is not Joshua but God – God gave the Israelites these commands to show them that He was keeping His promise – and that He would be on their side if they loved and obeyed Him.

At some time in our lives – we will all have – what we consider – impregnable walls to overcome – or impossible tasks to perform – problems that seem too difficult to attempt or to carry out – and we will need the help and support that only God can provide – and although the way forward that God suggests – might seem improbable or unlikely at that time – we have to trust in Him – as see it through

Point 2         God’s plan is fulfilled

Joshua and his Israelite army do as God commands – and God does as He has promised.

The Walls of Jericho fall down and the Israelites attack the city – and the Israelites win a great victory –

Only Rahab and her family are spared, because she helped the spies who had entered Jericho earlier.

Joshua and his warriors trusted in God’s plan – despite its implausibility – and they won the day and were able to move forward – in their occupation of the Land that God had promised –

The God that brought down the Walls of Jericho is the same God who governs our lives today. He’s the same God that rescued His people from Egypt, the same God who stopped the waters of the river Jordan and parted the Red Sea.

The same God who loved us so much that He sent His only Son into the world – to die upon the cross – so that our sins can be forgiven – so that we can have a unique access to God – who will show us how to go forward – through Jesus Christ –

Jesus has made us all one through the one Spirit – and with one God – we are all invited to become part of His Kingdom –

But as Jesus reminds us in our NT lesson – we are sheep among wolves – and as his disciples and followers – we will face negativity from some of those around us –

In this reading he gives us both warnings and encouragements –  

He speaks out against those who refuse to repent – challenging them to turn away from their sinful ways – and take the opposite path instead – their vision of the kingdom was of revolution – swords – spears surprise attacks – hurt – God’s vision of the Kingdom is of peace – compassion – listening – healing – love

Jesus Himself is a window on the ways of God and His Kingdom – and any who wish to be part of it must follow the ways of Jesus – those who turn away From Him – also turn away from God –

Just like the Israelites we need to trust in God’s Word and to follow His instruction. Sometimes we can’t see how this could possibly help or how it will be for our good, but we need to remember that it isn’t about us. With God, anything is possible.

Point 3         How the Walls come tumbling down

Too often we find ourselves facing challenges we believe are beyond us – that God’s call is not the joyride we might have hoped for – but if we are ready to respond – like Joshua and those before us  we – will discover that when God asks us to do something  –  we just have to trust Him – and he will give us the resources – that we need to finish the job –  

So the story of the fall of Jericho and our NT reading give us a number of lessons to ponder.

  1. God is not on our side. Rather, he calls us to be on his side. He will fight our battles for us (Josh 5:13-16)
  2. Since God is leading our battles, we must be careful to listen to his directions, and follow them carefully, rather than try to do it ourselves (Josh 5:13-16)
  3. God is depicted as a Warrior and as his disciples we should expect to “fight the good fight of faith”.
  4. With God on our side – victory is assured no matter what lies ahead and as his disciples we must be “devoted to Him”. We are not our own, but bought with a price – that Jesus paid on the Cross
  5. Jesus was sent to show us the way forward – to die on the cross for our sins – our captain and our leader – Through Jesus we will be shown what to do and how to do it

Ending

After the death of Moses – Joshua was the Israelites new chosen leader – who must have felt overwhelmed by the new responsibility thrust upon him – having the daunting task of inspiring his people to move positively forward – only to be met by a seemingly impossible task of overcoming the city and walls of Jericho –

Alone he couldn’t have done it – but he wasn’t alone – he had the promise that God would be with him wherever he went –

Through Jesus – God has also made that promise to us today – to anyone and everyone willing to serve and trust in Him – however great a challenge that His service may bring –

God can do great things for us – if we only accept Him as our Leader – His guidance and power can achieve the impossible – we just have to listen to Him – do what He says – and trust Him – and go forward in faith –

There can be no greater victory for God – than that – and surely that must be worth singing about.

AMEN