Joshua: Servant of the Lord - Lesson 3
Overview
Crossing the Jordan: Following the Lord into the Promised Land
When Israel arrived at the Jordan, the river was at flood stage Joshua 3:15. Apart from a miraculous act of God, the people were stuck. Yet the Lord commanded them to follow the ark of the covenant—the divinely appointed visible location of the invisible presence of God—at a distance of 2,000 cubits, "for you have not passed this way before" Joshua 3:1-6. To follow the ark was to follow the Lord. As the priests' feet touched the water, the Jordan was cut off, and Israel crossed on dry ground Joshua 3:14-17. The lesson endures: in new territory and in the familiar alike, God lifts our eyes to Himself through Word and Sacrament. We keep our eyes on Jesus, just as Israel kept their eyes on the ark.
Foreshadowing Our Baptism
The crossing of the Jordan, like the parting of the Red Sea, foreshadows what God accomplishes in Holy Baptism. Scripture interprets Scripture, and the saving use of water runs throughout the biblical story. Through Christ's resurrection we receive "an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading" 1 Peter 1:3-4. "He saved us… through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" Titus 3:5. "Be baptized, and have your sins washed away" Acts 22:16. Christ cleanses His Church "with the washing of water by the word" Ephesians 5:25-26. And Peter says plainly, "Baptism… now saves you" 1 Peter 3:21.
This is monergism—God's work alone. Salvation is not synergistic, as if God were waiting for our decision; faith itself is His gift. He takes ordinary water, joins it to His word of promise, and applies the victory of the cross and empty tomb to us. Beware whenever the law creeps into the gospel through "now all you have to do is…" The pure proclamation is what God has done for us in Christ.
Setting Up the Right Stones
After the crossing, the Lord commanded twelve stones to be taken from the Jordan as a memorial, so that when children asked, "What do these stones mean?" parents could rehearse the mighty acts of God (Joshua 4:1-7; Joshua 4:19-24). The stones taught the next generation to fear the Lord and to know that His hand is mighty.
We set up stones too—whether we mean to or not. Children quickly learn which stones carry the most weight in a household. When the Lord's Day is consistently honored as the day God gathers His people to give them Word and Sacrament, children receive a clear proclamation: this is who God is, and this is what He has done for us in Christ. When sports, busyness, fatigue, or company routinely displace worship, a different message is preached. One of the enemy's most effective strategies is to crowd the Lord's Day with distractions that pull families away from the stones God has set up. If you recognize that the wrong stones have been raised in your home, take heart—God is a God of forgiveness, and today is a new day to confess, reset, and point your children and grandchildren to the stones that proclaim Christ crucified and risen, who has brought us safely to Canaan's side.
Transcript
Good morning. 6s
Let's join together in prayer, please. 9s
Gracious Heavenly Father, what a joy it is to be in your house on this the Lord's day. 12s
You have called us and you have gathered us together because you have something to give 19s
us. 24s
Word and sacrament. 25s
We thank you, Lord. 27s
For how you speak to us through the very words of Scripture, your words. 29s
And we pray now for your blessing on this time of study. 34s
In Jesus' name, amen. 40s
Well last week we were taking a look at the person of Joshua, who Joshua is. 43s
And we saw that Joshua is facing several fronts of challenges. 50s
And we also saw how God provided a series of promises as Joshua faced his promises, his challenges. 56s
We also saw how Joshua was called to meditate on Scripture. 66s
And in ancient day, the way meditation occurred, it was not a silent exercise. 69s
It was the speaking of the word out loud. 74s
And that was intentional because then the word goes back into the ears as you hear yourself speak that. 77s
So there was the call to meditate. 85s
We took a look at how God defines success and God defines success with the simple word of faithfulness. 87s
He will not share his glory with anyone. 96s
And so success is faithfulness to him. 100s
God is the one that accomplishes what God will accomplish. 103s
We took a comparison of when Moses sent spies in 38 years before Joshua did the same thing. 107s
And the report of the spies, 38 years before, compared to the report that Joshua's spies came back in terms of the Promised Land. 114s
Remember, they were facing the same situation, same series of challenges, but different report comes back with regard to the spies of Joshua. 125s
Being the reason is because they were trusting in God's provision and God's promise with his unilateral covenant to him. 136s
Remember that covenant that God established with Abraham and Sarah, that covenant in Genesis to 12 chapter is unilateral. 145s
In other words, God says, this is what I will accomplish. 153s
The mosaic covenant was bilateral. 158s
God was calling for obedience on the part of the people. 163s
Remember, key point. 167s
The covenant established with Moses, the giving of the law, the law was never, ever given to save. 170s
Never. That was never part of God's plan. 177s
Law came so far after the Garden of Eden. 181s
The mosaic bilateral covenant was only given to reveal sinfulness. 185s
The Abrahamic covenant, that is unilateral. 191s
We see that manifested here in the birth of Jesus coming through the line of people, etc. 196s
But there was a different perspective from the spies that where that Joshua sent in. 202s
And that's because they had a perspective of trust. 208s
Well, today I have entitled the class Crossing the Jordan. 212s
And that's what we are going to do, scripturally speaking, today. 216s
One of the great hymns is guide me ever great redeemer. 221s
You know, it's so interesting the hymns that endure. 225s
hymns that endure that aren't just hymns that are popular for the moment and then they disappear. 230s
hymns that endure, one of the things of the main thing about hymns that endure is that they preach. 236s
They preach. 245s
There's depth to the hymns. 247s
When you look at those hymns that we sing each Sunday morning, those are carefully chosen and those are good hymns because those hymns preach. 251s
Every time we sing hymns together, we are proclaiming a sermon. 261s
We are hearing that word of God through that hymn, that word of the hymn that is rooted in the word of God. 267s
And I think of that hymn guide me ever great redeemer in verse one. 278s
Guide me ever great redeemer. 283s
Pilgrim through this barren land. 285s
I'm weak, but you are mighty. 288s
Hold me with your powerful hand. 291s
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven. 294s
Feed me now and ever more. 297s
Feed me now and ever more. 300s
And then verse three. 303s
When I tread the verge of Jordan, bid my anxious fears subside. 306s
Death of death and hell's destruction land me safe on Canaan's side. 315s
Songs of praises. 326s
Songs of praises. 327s
I will raise forevermore. 329s
I will raise forevermore. 332s
When God commanded the people to cross over the Jordan into the promised land, 338s
they, God was asking them to do the impossible because there was a huge problem. 346s
Let's open up to Joshua chapter three, verse 15. 354s
Genesis Exodus, Leviticus, numbers Deuteronomy, then Joshua. 358s
Joshua chapter three, verse 15. 364s
And here's the problem that they faced. 374s
Now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest. 379s
So as the people here come to the Jordan, the Jordan is at flood stage. 389s
The Jordan is at flood stage. 395s
So what are the people to do? 397s
Let's backtrack in chapter three, two, verse one. 401s
Early in the morning, Joshua rose and set out from she team with all the Israelites. 407s
And they came to the Jordan. 416s
They camp there before crossing over. 418s
At the end of three days, the officers went through the camp and commanded the people. 422s
When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, 427s
then you shall set out from your place. 433s
Follow it so that you may know the way you should go. 437s
For you have not passed this way before. 442s
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, a distance of about 2,000 qubits. 446s
Do not come any nearer to it. 453s
Then Joshua said to the people, 456s
sanctify yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. 458s
To the priests, Joshua said, 464s
take up the ark of the covenant and pass on in front of the people. 467s
So they took up the ark of the covenant and went in front of the people. 472s
So what's the ark of the ark of the covenant? 479s
The ark of the covenant was the divinely appointed visible location of the invisible presence of God. 483s
So it was the divinely appointed location, the presence of the invisible God. 498s
So in other words, to follow the ark was to follow the Lord. 509s
Who then is leading into the Promised Land? 518s
It's the ark, isn't it? 524s
God is leading them into the land. 527s
Look at verse four, again, please, of chapter three. 532s
So that you may know the way you should go. 540s
For you have not passed this way before. 543s
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, 547s
a distance of about 2,000 qubits. 550s
Do not come any nearer to it. 553s
The eyes of the Lord, the eyes of the people, then, were to be upon the Lord. 557s
They were to lean on Him and His leading. 563s
That is excellent direction for us. 568s
Anytime we're entering into new territory, isn't it? 571s
It's excellent direction for us at all times, even amongst the familiar. 574s
To always keep our eyes on God. 579s
They kept their eyes on the ark. 585s
That was the divinely appointed location. 588s
That visible presence of the invisible God. 591s
They kept their eyes on the ark. 597s
We keep our eyes on Jesus. 600s
God is constantly lifting our eyes unto Him. 605s
He uses word and sacrament to do that. 609s
As the word is studied, as it is proclaimed, as it is taught, 612s
God uses that to lift our eyes unto Him when we receive the sacrament. 616s
God is using that to strengthen our faith. 622s
We swallow the very body and blood of Jesus Christ. 626s
That fresher seminary said, here's the forgiveness of God's suallowate. 631s
God is continually lifting our eyes unto Him. 637s
Verse 7 here of chapter 3. 643s
The Lord said to Joshua, 647s
This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, 649s
so that they may know that I will be with you as I was with Moses. 653s
You are the one who shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant. 659s
When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, 663s
you shall stand still in the Jordan. 666s
Joshua then said to the Israelites, 670s
Draw near and hear the words of the Lord your God. 672s
Joshua said, by this, you shall know that among you is the living God 676s
who without fail will drive out from before you. 681s
The Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Parasites, Gurghashites, Amorites, and Jebusites. 685s
The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is going to pass before you into the Jordan. 691s
So now select 12 men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 699s
When the souls of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, 703s
the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, 708s
the waters of the Jordan flowing from above shall be cut off. 713s
They shall stand in a single heap. 718s
Remember what was the problem? 721s
The Jordan was at what? It was at flood stage, right? 722s
So unless there's a miraculous act of God, people are stuck. 726s
They're absolutely stuck, verse 14. 730s
When the people set out from their tents to cross over the Jordan, 733s
the priests bearing the ark of the covenant were in front of the people. 737s
Now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest. 742s
So when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, 747s
and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the edge of the water, 750s
the waters flowing from above stood still rising up in a single heap far off at Adam, 755s
the city that is beside Zerathan. 763s
While those flowing toward the sea of Irabah, the Dead Sea, were wholly cut off, 766s
then the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 773s
While all Israel was crossing over on dry ground, 778s
the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on dry ground 782s
in the middle of the Jordan until the entire nation finished crossing over. 787s
This crossing of the Jordan has beautiful, beautiful, new testament imagery. 797s
Again, that third verse of that hymn guide me ever great redeemer. 806s
When I tread the verge of Jordan, bid my anxious fears subside, 813s
death of death and hell's destruction. 822s
Land me safe on Canaan's side. 829s
Songs of praises, songs of praises, I will raise forevermore, I will raise forevermore. 834s
By God's greatest miracle, the raising of Jesus from the dead, 846s
we inherit far more than the land of the Canaanites, don't we? 850s
Let's go to first Peter, please new testament. 857s
Good way to find first Peter is to go to the book of Revelation 860s
and slowly work your way backwards. 863s
You're going to cross over the Johns, then you're going to bump into the Peters. 866s
First Peter, chapter 1, verse 3, verse 3. 870s
First Peter, chapter 1, verse 3. 878s
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 886s
By His great mercy He has given us a new birth into a living hope 890s
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 897s
and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, 901s
and unfading kept in heaven for you. 908s
You see through Christ we land on Canaan's side, don't we? 915s
That's why we're still singing that hymn, right? 925s
When you read lyrics like that, when you hear preaching like that, 929s
and that hymn, that hymn's got gravitas. 934s
Death of death and hell's destruction 938s
land me safe on Canaan's side, 946s
hymn preaches, the hymn preaches. 952s
The Israelites' safe journey of the Jordan, across the Jordan, 958s
the safe journey across the red sea, 963s
that foreshadows what God does in our baptism. 967s
Remember, Scripture is woven together, 973s
and so that's why the principle, 979s
you let Scripture interpret Scripture, 980s
and you see this beauty of this salvific message of God, 983s
written over centuries, and you see the story weaving together, 989s
and the occurrence of the crossing of the Jordan, 995s
foreshadows our own baptism. 998s
God delivers us through a promise made in association with what he does in our baptism. 1003s
How God takes the victory of the cross and the empty tomb, 1014s
He takes that word of forgiveness, 1019s
and He puts us in that water, 1022s
and we are washed then in that word. 1026s
Think about that for a moment. 1030s
That's ordinary grapevine water. 1032s
That's the water that we wash the car and cook in, 1037s
shower with. That's that water that, 1042s
when summer comes, you say, 1045s
is this smell kind of funny to you? 1047s
That's ordinary grapevine water that God puts His word of promise with. 1051s
Just as He saved us, 1060s
just as He saved the Israelites through the waters of the Jordan River, 1062s
He saves us. 1068s
Let's look at Titus, please. 1070s
You're in first Peter, so keep turning to the left there. 1073s
You're going to quickly run into the tea books. 1076s
If you've hit Second Timothy, you're too far. 1081s
Titus, chapter 3, verse 5. 1084s
So the crossing of the Jordan has new testament imagery, 1100s
and it's associated with baptism. 1104s
Titus, chapter 3, verse 5. 1106s
He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, 1111s
but according to His mercy, 1118s
through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 1120s
Notice how that verse starts. 1125s
He saved us. 1127s
That's what's called monogism. 1132s
Our salvation is totally monowon. 1134s
It is totally the work of God. 1139s
It's not synergistic. 1145s
It's not where God says, 1148s
I sure hope, I sure hope you believe, 1150s
as if God is in heaven sitting on His throne and saying to Himself, 1154s
we were so close on that one. 1159s
We were just so close on that one. 1162s
I sure wish that they would have made their decision for me. 1164s
No, it's not synergistic. 1169s
It's monogism. 1170s
He saves us. 1172s
What does Ephesians tell us? 1174s
We have been saved by grace through faith, and then what's the next part? 1175s
And this is what? 1180s
Not your own doing. 1182s
It's not your own doing. 1187s
God is the one that births faith in us. 1190s
God is the one that calls us His own. 1193s
God is the one that saves us. 1196s
God will not share His glory with anyone. 1201s
God continually communicates that it's His action, 1209s
and it's His work. 1212s
Let's go to Acts chapter 22, please. 1214s
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts, Acts 22, verse 16. 1218s
And now why do you delay? 1240s
Get up, be baptized. 1243s
Notice what's associated with baptism. 1245s
And have your sins washed away, calling on His name. 1247s
Let's go to Ephesians chapter 5. 1255s
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans. 1258s
First and second, Corinthians, Galatians, and then Ephesians. 1261s
Ephesians chapter 5, verse 25. 1266s
Ephesians 5, verse 25. 1288s
Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church 1291s
and gave Himself up for her in order to make her holy by cleansing her 1295s
with the washing of water by the word. 1303s
See what's that? 1309s
That's baptism, right? 1311s
That's the word with the ordinary grapevine water. 1313s
And we're washed in that word so that we know that those promises are for us. 1316s
Let's go to first Peter again, first Peter chapter 3, verse 21. 1322s
Here it is talking about Noah and the flood. 1331s
First Peter chapter 3, verse 21. 1339s
And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you. 1344s
Not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience 1354s
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven, 1359s
is it at the right hand of God with angels, authorities, and powers, 1365s
made subject to Him? 1368s
Notice the language there, and baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you. 1370s
Now saves you. 1379s
That's monogism. 1382s
That's God taking the victory and applying it to us. 1383s
That's not letting the law creep in there. 1388s
Because the law can creep into a statement where you say, 1391s
well, this is what God does for you. 1394s
But now all you have to do is, that's when the law creeps in, 1396s
is if there's something that we do know, the pure gospel proclamation is what God has done for us. 1402s
He saves us. 1409s
And Luther's wonderful hymn to Jordan came the Christ our Lord, the last verse goes like this. 1412s
All that the mortal eye beholds is water as we pour it. 1420s
Before the eye of faith unfolds, the power of Jesus, merit. 1428s
For here it sees the crimson flood to all our ills bring healing. 1436s
The wonders of his precious blood, the love of God revealing, assuring his own pardon. 1445s
See in baptism we see the victory that has been won for us on the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1456s
That's why we're still singing that hymn, right? 1464s
Because it's a sermon. 1468s
Because it preaches to us. 1471s
Because of its depth. 1474s
In Luther, what is called his flood prayer, he prays this, 1476s
yet you led your people through the water on dry ground, 1484s
foreshadowing this washing of your holy baptism. 1489s
Through the baptism in the Jordan of your beloved son, our Lord Jesus Christ, 1494s
you sanctified and instituted all waters to be a blessed flood and a lavish washing away of sin. 1501s
What the crossing of Jordan, what it prefigures, what it looks ahead to, 1512s
is the saving use of God using water. 1519s
Okay, back to Joshua, chapter 4. 1526s
Please, Joshua, chapter 4. 1529s
Taking up in verse 1. 1540s
When the entire nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 1544s
select 12 men from the people, one from each tribe and command them. 1551s
Take 12 stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, 1556s
from the place where the priests' feet stood, carrying them over with you, 1562s
and lay them down in the place where you camp tonight. 1568s
Then Joshua summoned the 12 men from the Israelites whom he had appointed, one from each tribe. 1572s
Joshua said to them, 1579s
pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, 1580s
and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, one for each of the tribes of the Israelites, 1585s
so that this may be a sign among you. 1592s
When your children ask in time to come, what do these stones mean to you? 1596s
Then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of the covenant of the Lord, 1602s
when it crossed over the Jordan. 1608s
The waters of the Jordan were cut off, so these stones shall be to the Israelites a memorial forever. 1611s
Then jump to verse 19, please, of chapter 4. 1622s
The people came up out of the Jordan on the 10th day of the first month, 1627s
and they camped in Gilgol on the east border of Jericho. 1631s
Those 12 stones, which they had taken out of the Jordan, 1636s
Joshua set up in Gilgol, saying to the Israelites, 1640s
when your children ask their parents in time to come, what do these stones mean? 1644s
Then you shall let your children know, 1651s
Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground. 1654s
For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over 1657s
as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we crossed over, 1664s
so that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord is mighty, 1670s
and so that you may fear the Lord your God forever. 1676s
They were to take stones, pile them up, teach their children the wonderful acts of God. 1684s
What are the greatest blessings I ever received growing up? 1697s
Is my parents continually brought me back to the memorial stones of the importance of worship? 1704s
And what they did is whether we were home or on vacation, Sunday was worship. 1717s
I've shared with you before, it never, ever dawned on me, ever, 1732s
whether we were going to church on Sunday. It never did. 1745s
The only time one of us didn't go to worship on a Sunday morning 1752s
is if we were literally sick. When we were on vacation, we would go to a church because it was Sunday. 1759s
That is, and I share it with couples as we meet about baptism. 1774s
I share it with couples in premarital counseling. I say, no, if the Lord ever, ever blesses you with children, 1784s
to set up these stones, because every time we went on Sunday, every time they didn't verbalize it, 1791s
but what they were doing was they were pointing to the stones and saying, 1804s
there's a reason why we're here, because God calls us and gathers us as His people, 1810s
because He's got something to give us, word and sacrament. 1816s
It was an incredible, incredible gift that I was given. 1821s
Honestly, never, ever dawned on me. I never asked my parents, 1828s
are we going to church this Sunday? It never dawned on me that we wouldn't be. 1833s
We can set up the wrong stones. 1844s
And what can happen is, whatever takes the place of being in the Lord's house on the Lord's day, 1852s
sets up the wrong stones, because then the child sees the stones of some Sundays in worship 1864s
and some Sundays not in worship, and they see why they are not in worship, 1878s
and they get it. They don't verbalize it, they get it, that there are other stones that take the place of those stones. 1888s
Whatever it is, as you're teaching your children and your grandchildren, 1907s
whatever it is that they can interpret as the different stones that are of greater weight, 1914s
know that they'll get it. 1929s
They'll get it. 1932s
And you can fill in the blank of whatever that is. 1936s
Is it a sporting event? Is it because you've got company in town? 1942s
Is it because it was a really, really busy week, and you need to catch up on the laundry? 1950s
Is it because you were out too late on Saturday night and you're tired? 1958s
Whatever it is, those stones will get set up, and the child will understand what stones have the greater weight. 1967s
One of the greatest tools of Satan, one of the greatest tools of Satan, is to set up all of, 1985s
and I'm not complimenting Satan when I say greatest, greatest in the evil of his work, 1997s
when the greatest tools of Satan is to pull away from the stone and the proclamation that comes, 2003s
as the stones are set up and the parents say, this is why we're going to worship. 2017s
God doesn't give me a choice. Why would I give you child a choice? 2028s
And you know what? The kids will get it. The kids will get it. They'll get it. 2034s
One of the greatest tools of Satan is to set up all kinds of distractions, all kinds of it, on Sundays. 2040s
Isn't that interesting? 2049s
I mean, you know, most of us here today are old enough to remember when there was an unwritten rule in society that said Wednesdays are church days. 2051s
And school districts didn't touch it. The events in community didn't touch it. It was known. 2066s
Then things started to creep in on, of all days, Wednesdays. Have you know, in that interesting? 2074s
Well, who's behind that? You know who's behind that? And now things are creeping in on Sunday, 2080s
to where the child then gets the message that I understand the value of the stones here, 2089s
but I understand what carries more weight. And the child receives the message that if nothing else is going on, 2102s
that's when my family goes to church. 2119s
What they did an ancient day, what I thank my parents for every day, is that they set up stones and they said, 2125s
this is why we do this, because this is who God is. This is why we do this. This is what God has done for us in allowing us to cross the Jordan. 2139s
Our message then, this is why we do this, because this is what God has done for us in the cross of Jesus Christ. 2152s
And this is what he gives us in worship. His word and sacrament whereby he sustains the very faith that he has given us. 2162s
What an incredible blessing. Maybe you reflect back in your own life and you say, I didn't do that. 2173s
You know what? God's a God of forgiveness and today's a new day. And so make a new proclamation and confess to your own children. 2182s
I was wrong on that, because I put up the wrong stones. I put up the wrong stones. 2198s
We raised three boys. And I've got 30 seconds, I'm going to start running into the opening hymn here. 2210s
We raised three boys. They all were in, I'm just going to use sports. They were all involved in sports. 2219s
We would tell the coaches, they can't play until Sunday school and church. 2230s
And you know what? The response that we got was, I totally get where you're coming from. 2240s
Totally get it. Didn't hurt their athletic careers one bit. Now one bit. 2250s
Here's the word challenge. The only reason why society has moved into Wednesdays and Sundays is because 2263s
we have let them do it. That's the only reason. Because we have said it's okay to set up your stones. 2278s
And we'll point to them. Instead of saying, hear the stones. We must point our children to. 2298s
The only reason. And it will stop when the church says, not today. Because that's the Lord's day. 2310s
Well, we're going to continue next week as we follow the people in the study of His Word. 2330s