I came home one afternoon after visiting with some church members and went to open my front door, and I found a pamphlet stuck between the storm door and the actual door entitled The Watchtower. Ahhh! “They’ve been here,” I thought to myself. They probably prayer walked my yard while praying to their false god. It is none other than the Jehovah’s Witnesses! Oh, how I wish I would have been home during their visit. If you know anything about where I live, you will know that I live way out in the country in what I think is one of the most beautiful parts of Kentucky where from my front door, I can see no neighbors. Life is quiet, steady and good at the end of Lower Delaware Road. The Jehovah’s Witnesses have made it to my neck of the woods, and it is important to give them a loving and truthful greeting. No, I will not recite the pledge of allegiance or make an offer to become blood brothers; rather, I will welcome them with the truth of the Gospel as it is revealed to us fully in Jesus Christ. My prayer is the Holy Spirit will work in their lives in such a way that it will bring them to repentance and God’s name would be glorified.
So I thought to myself, “If they took a special effort to drive halfway between Henderson and Owensboro to give me a pamphlet about their cult, they probably have made it to other saints that I shepherd.” Thus, when the wolves come, I bring out my staff and prepare for an attack, spiritually speaking. So once a month at Cash Creek we will take a Sunday night to equip and train ourselves to counter the arguments of four popular cults: Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Christian Science and New Agers. All four groups will call themselves Christians, however, no such designation is appropriate when these groups forsake the major tenants of the Gospel and question the authority of God’s revelation. We will systematically go through the major Christian doctrines that we hold to, learn what these cult groups belive about these doctrines and how we can point to specific Bible passages that instruct us in the one, true way to God.
9/26 @ 6pm: Jehovah’s Witnesses
10/24 @ 6pm: Mormonism
11/14 @ 6pm: Christian Science
12/19 @ 6pm: New Age
Come to Cash Creek on these dates to become better equipped to share the love of Jesus in specific ways to the lost people of these cults.
Joshua encompasses two distinct genres of literature that are clearly marked between the 12th and 13th chapters of this important book. Up to this point, Joshua 1-12 has been the subject of many great narratives that involve lying, war, deceit, treks across dangerous terrain and God’s sovereignty throughout the whole thing. As we transition in chapter 13, we see an evident shift in the tenor of the rest of the book. We read lists of kings and kingdoms and territories being allotted out to the various tribes of Israel. On the surface, it is mundane, but what we actually see is the truthfulness of God’s covenant promise. The land division is playing out just as God had foreordained years before.
When we get to the latter chapters of Joshua we see yet a different genre emerge, a type of narrative that involves the renewing of the Lord’s covenant with His people. In this quasi-narrative, a dialogue occurs between Israel and Joshua, which is the focus of this week’s sermon, regarding the time for choosing to serve the Lord and the cost of that selection. This Sunday we look at Joshua’s exhortation to Israel, Israel’s response and what that means for the Gospel and the vision Christ has for His church. We look forward to having you worship with us this week at CCBC!
Last week’s victory over Ai will set the stage for this week’s jump into Joshua 9-12. Here we will see how God moves sovereignly and works providentially in order to see His chosen ones conquer the Promised Land. From the beginning God has had a plan that involves the revelation of Jesus Christ and without this part of the plan coming into being, the stage cannot be set for the coming Messiah who was promised to be the final atonement for God’s people. In these important four chapters in Joshua, we see God doing incredible things when Israel is obedient to the vision God has given Joshua. God goes to the extent of keeping the sun and moon still and sends large hailstones to destroy Israel’s enemies. God went to that extent to save Israel and give them victory. Think to the extent to which God went in order to save us from a Christless eternity. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Wow! What grace that we do not deserve! That the God, the very Creator of the heavens and earth, would love us so much that He made a way where there seemed to be no way. That should get us excited! That should be news that never goes stale! That is the news that will spur our church to newer heights in proclaiming the name of Christ above every other name. Come to CCBC this Sunday night for our Vision Planning session – we will be engaging in a dreaming session so come prepared with ideas and come prepared to pray.
As Joshua and the Israelites are regrouping after seeing the wrath of God played out on their own people, the city of Ai is square in their focus. In Joshua 9, we see a shift in the first two verses that point toward a renewed sense of affairs where God’s wrath has been satisfied and the time has come to follow God with a reckless abandon that is marked by devotion to the Lord. As the Israelites seek to obey that which God has commanded so should we as a New Testament church move forward with an unparalleled commitment to Christ and His church.
In this week’s sermon we will see the grace offered to Israel and the grace God has shown us through His Son’s death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. We shall also take note of Joshua’s commitment to Scriptural fidelity. In the last part of Joshua 9, Joshua leads the Israelites in a time of worship that is centered about what God has revealed of Himself in Scripture. We trust what Scripture says about salvation and being justified by faith in Christ and so should it motivate not only our mission as a church but also central to the vision Christ has given us. See how you can be a part of this vision casting this Sunday at CCBC at 11AM.
All seems well for Israel in the post-Jericho world until the next step in the battle plan is attempted and a major setback occurs. The relatively small city of Ai mounted a defense against the band of Israelites and Israel assumed a retreat mode. Joshua tore his garments and began grieving to the Lord when the Lord revealed the problem. Sin and wrong doing entered the camp to infect the entire nation from one man’s lust for personal wealth was acted out and the righteousness of God was severly violated. As a result of that violation, Israel earned God’s wrath. Achan, like many of us, had a bad heart (“Achan Breaky Heart”) that allowed sin to defile the whole of God’s people and offend the most high God. And this is what we need to talk about. As a church seeking and discerning God’s vision, we must understand the consequences of sin and what God’s wrath means for each of us. The most important part of God’s wrath is that Jesus assumed this wrath for us, and we have the opportunity for a restored relationship with the Creator. By God’s grace we have the opportunity for a new life in the work Jesus did on the cross for the elect. That is great news considering that we all deserve a Christ-less eternity. Praise God for His saving, irresistable grace that affords each believer life by faith alone in Christ alone.
Join us at CCBC this Sunday at 11AM as we exposit Joshua 7.
