“Faith, Obedience, and The Assurance of God’s Presence” Joshua 3:1-17

TRANSCRIPT

Date: August 17, 2025 Author: Wayne J. Edwards

Our eternal salvation is the gift of God, not of works, lest we would boast about them. All that was required for the Hebrews to be spared from death was to smear the blood of an innocent lamb upon the top and sides of their doors, and all that is required for a sinner to be spared the wages of sin is to be cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. However, our sanctification requires a partnership – our willingness to be separated from the evil world and unto a holy God, and God’s power to deliver us from those enemies that want to rob us of the abundant life Jesus died to give to us.  That’s the picture of the Children of Israel camped at the Jordan River. They had either seen or heard of God’s power to deliver their forefathers from Egypt, through the Red Sea, and to provide for them during their 40 years in the wilderness. Now it was their turn to trust the Lord with all their heart, and lean not upon their understanding. Imagine the scene: the Lord chose the time of year when the river was at its highest, overflowing its banks. He promised to go ahead of them and then told them to step in and watch Him work. But He didn’t stop the river until the priests took the first steps into the raging waters. Crossing the Jordan River is not just a historical event, it’s a powerful metaphor for our full surrender to the Lord. Let this inspire and motivate us to trust in His power. Faith is easy! Obedience is a bit harder! A complete surrender unto the Lordship of Christ requires us to die to ourselves, i.e., relinquish control of our lives, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus. Sadly, too many Christians are too comfortable on this side of the Jordan River, and while they may go to heaven when they die, they forfeit the true meaning and purpose of this life, and the blessed assurance of their eternal life in heaven. The central theme of our current sermon series is “Victorious Christian Living: A Study in the Book of Joshua.” The title of this sermon is: “Faith, Obedience, and the Assurance of God’s Presence.” Thank you for your continued support and for sharing these sermon study guides with those you think might be interested. We are truly encouraged by the response we’ve received from viewers worldwide.

Our eternal salvation is the gift of God, not of works, lest we would boast about them. All that was required for the Hebrews to be spared from death was to smear the blood of an innocent lamb upon the top and sides of their doors, and all that is required for a sinner to be spared the wages of sin is to be cleansed by the blood of the Lamb.

However, our sanctification requires a partnership – our willingness to be separated from the evil world and unto a holy God, and God’s power to deliver us from those enemies that want to rob us of the abundant life Jesus died to give to us.  That’s the picture of the Children of Israel camped at the Jordan River. They had either seen or heard of God’s power to deliver their forefathers from Egypt, through the Red Sea, and to provide for them during their 40 years in the wilderness. Now it was their turn to trust the Lord with all their heart, and lean not upon their understanding.

Imagine the scene: the Lord chose the time of year when the river was at its highest, overflowing its banks. He promised to go ahead of them and then told them to step in and watch Him work. But He didn’t stop the river until the priests took the first steps into the raging waters. Crossing the Jordan River is not just a historical event, it’s a powerful metaphor for our full surrender to the Lord. Let this inspire and motivate us to trust in His power.

Faith is easy! Obedience is a bit harder! A complete surrender unto the Lordship of Christ requires us to die to ourselves, i.e., relinquish control of our lives, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus. Sadly, too many Christians are too comfortable on this side of the Jordan River, and while they may go to heaven when they die, they forfeit the true meaning and purpose of this life, and the blessed assurance of their eternal life in heaven.

The central theme of our current sermon series is “Victorious Christian Living: A Study in the Book of Joshua.” The title of this sermon is: “Faith, Obedience, and the Assurance of God’s Presence.”

Thank you for your continued support and for sharing these sermon study guides with those you think might be interested. We are truly encouraged by the response we’ve received from viewers worldwide.

Download the following translated Sermon guides:

Old Testament Reading – Psalm 105:1-45 New Testament Reading – Acts 17:22-24

The 3rd and 4th chapters of Joshua detail the Israelite’s miraculous crossing of the Jordan River into Canaan.

The timeless truth of this passage is found in verse 7, where God told Joshua, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you.”

The Ark was a wooden box plated with gold inside and out, with four feet at the bottom and four rings on each side for poles to be used to carry it. The lid was of pure gold and on the top were two golden angels that covered the mercy seat.

The three items that were in the Ark of the Covenant:

Joshua wanted the people to know that while God had appointed him to take Moses’ place as their spiritual leader, the power that was about to be displayed was from God, not him.

However, Joshua told the people to keep their eyes on the Ark of the Covenant, and when it passed by them, they were to fall in behind it, but to keep a space the length of 10 football fields between them and the ark so that all of the people could see it from a distance, and because it represented the very presence and power of God.

Joshua said God was about to do some-thing that would convince the people that He was the One who would be driving the Canaanites out of the land and giving it to the Israelites.

The Israelite’s deliverance from Egypt into Canaan is an example or parallel comparison of the Christian’s deliverance from the bondage of sin into the abundant life Jesus said He came to give to those who received Him as their Savior and Lord.

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