Crossing Over, Part 1

It's time to cross over from the monotonous march of the spiritually mundane into the full abundance of all God has promised us in Christ Jesus!

Such a transition is worthy of no less than your best red shoes, so I left church and went straight to the discount shoe store to grab mine!  Yes, I did! I'm very serious about what these red shoes say...I hope people ask me everywhere I go, "Why are you wearing those red shoes?"  Because, you know what? I intend to wear these red shoes with outfits to which they do not belong...they are a signpost, designed intentionally to draw attention to a message people are hungry to hear!

In his letter to the church, Peter says in 1 Peter 3:15-16, "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who ask you to give the reason for the hope that you have."

Today at Elevate Church in Murphy, Texas, Pastor Kalyn Brassfield began a sermon series entitled, "Crossing Over." Our core text for these lessons comes from the Old Testament (Hebrew Scripture) book of Joshua, and today we began in Joshua, chapter 1.

As the book opens, God is speaking to Joshua following the death of Moses.  You might not be familiar with the story, other than perhaps seeing "The Ten Commandments" movie on TV every year at Easter.  If the story isn't known to you, the brief synopsis is that Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, and out of the bondage of slavery under the Egyptian Pharaoh.  They traveled through the desert wilderness for years, and God provided for them in miraculous ways.

Still, during the time of their journey, Moses was disobedient to God, and God told him that the punishment for this disobedience was that Moses would not cross over into the promised land.

Before we take another step in the story, I want you to see very clearly that God's promise is not in any way diminished or altered by the disobedience of one man, regardless of how important the man might be.  We are all of us, human, and prone to failure; whether we are spiritual leaders in a formal sense or not; we all fail.  Punishment can and does come, but God's promises are never broken. He is faithful even when we are unfaithful!

In the opening verses of Joshua, the writer describes what God says to Joshua like this: "After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua, son of Nun, Moses' aide, 'Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them--to the Israelites.  I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses."

God does not mince words.  He does not beat around the bush.  Moses is dead, He says.  So get up, get ready, and let's go forward.  I am going to give the people of Israel exactly what I promised to give them.  EVERY single bit of what I promised - "every place you set your foot..."

Their is no partial promise with God - no, it's not like that at all!  He fulfills His promises completely, and without respect to the shortcomings of those He made the promise to in the first place.

Notice though, there is also a role for the people of God.  It is our responsibility to get ready, go into the land God has promised to us, and possess it. 

I thought during the sermon this morning about the analogy of buying a house, or maybe renting an apartment.  Imagine that you've signed the papers for a house to purchase, or a place to rent. You have paid your money...and in every way that matters, it is yours to possess.  But you don't possess it.  You never pack your things, get ready, and move into the place. It would be a ridiculous scenario, and one that hardly seems likely to occur for anyone in possession of their mental faculties.

How often though, do we wander around in the wildness outside of the promises God has made to us?  We pass from death to life when we place our faith in Jesus Christ as Savior; and as His word promises us, we are delivered from the kingdom of darkness into His glorious light.  The parallel is like that of the Israelites...delivered from bondage and slavery by the hand of God, and promised a new land to live out their lives in abundance and victory.  But are we living in the promises? Have we taken possession of that which God laid hold of us in Christ Jesus?

Are we, perhaps, living the "lesser life" of desert living, as Pastor Kalyn suggested this morning?  Have you accepted Christ, but never crossed over into abundance and victory?  Has Christianity become for you, like a spiritual rat race?  Working hard to do what you think you should do, but without the joy and meaning you crave?

God's plan is to give you every place where you set your foot.   Jesus said He came to give us life, and life abundant.  There is no battle He has no already won for us, no victory too great.

It is not just in Joshua that the scripture affirms for us the supremacy of God's promises; the certainty of His complete fulfillment of every victory.

The Apostle Paul reminds us in his second letter to the Corinthians, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes!' in Christ. And so through the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God." 2 Cor 1:20

And so we say to you, those of us from Elevate Church who gather each week to worship and serve in Murphy, Texas, it's time to get your supplies ready.  It's time to get your red shoes on, and move into the promises of God for your life.

Feeling uncertain about the promises of God?  Worried that your shortcomings and missteps will keep you from His promises? Set aside whatever holds you back, and choose to embrace the deliverance which leads to His perfect freedom.  Remember that all of the promises of God are "Yes!" in Christ.  Will God do less for those of us who place our trust in His Son Jesus Christ than He has promised to do for the Nation of Israel? No, of course not!

You didn't come this far to only come this far, so don't you dare settle for wandering somewhere in the desert.  "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord you God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9