Special Guest: Dr. Timothy Warren

Cornerstone Church

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March 7, 2022

Dr. Timothy Warren March 6, 2022

00:52: Few words of announcements We have a congregational meeting not tomorrow the next
00:59: Sunday at 7 p .m. Here. We're gonna be talking about electing elder a new elder and deacon as well as financial secretary and treasurer
01:08: We also approved the budget at that meeting if you're a member, please come if you're not a member Please come also so you can be a part of what's going on and and see how that goes
01:17: Pastor John come on up I'm doing the announcements I Don't have them all written down.
01:26: So I've done congregational meeting and We'll ask pastor John to come in finish those
01:34: Yes, he was deep in fellowship I was gonna do as much as I could for my head hi hi guys
01:41: Where's Jeff Jeff loves it when I'm not not that Jeff Jeff Spires Congregational meeting and did you mention that?
01:49: We are required to I identify the slate two weeks in advance we don't do it by paper anymore
01:55: It's on Jeff's pastor Graham So look at Jeff's pastor Graham and you'll see the slate for the elders and the deacons as we're going to be having them
02:03: Also, the congregational meeting will include the budget approval giving you a chance to see the budget to ask questions about the budget today
02:11: And next Sunday after service the guys will be in one of the classrooms
02:16: So if you want to see the details of the budget, we're gonna do a budget read today Love life our ministry to the women
02:25: Who are considering a very very bad decision? We have a prayer walk on Saturday mornings.
02:32: It's shifted from the second Saturday to the third Saturday So it's not this weekend, but the following weekend we do have have love life gentlemen set your clocks tomorrow morning
02:43: Early, we have our men's prayer breakfast We have a great group of guys a group of great guys, whichever way that belongs
02:51: But we do get together at six o 'clock here in the building for some time of fellowship Considering God how he would teach us.
02:59: I think there's bagels and and there's juice and coffee I think Monday night.
03:06: This is amazing. I asked the numbers during the first service the men have the apologetics training class and They had
03:14: I think they're up to 28 gentlemen are here being trained on the depths of a relationship
03:20: Through apologetics at the same time. The women are here and I understand they're close to 30
03:26: Also, and they're doing precepts study. That's over 50 people If you consider six and a half years ago,
03:33: Jeff had just preached for the first time here at this church We were without a senior pastor after the children would leave
03:41: The children that were here at the time we were down to 40 people in the sanctuary one service
03:48: And now we have over 50 Adult men and women going into the depths of growing in the
03:55: Lord This is an awesome thing God is blessing us as the light is lit as pastor
04:00: Jeff preaches truth here from from the pulpit But people are growing in depth if you are not involved with these with a small group with one of the apologetics
04:10: The women's precepts. I really really encourage you to do that We're going to be exhorted today to finish strong at the
04:18: T's And how do you do that? Well a relationship with God, that's another that's another
04:24: T I'm done. I won't go there. I'm done. I'm done
04:32: Isaiah 52 verse 1 awake awake Put on your strength
04:37: Oh Zion put on your beautiful garments Oh Jerusalem the Holy City This is our call
04:44: Every day all day Don't get dull in your thoughts. Don't get don't get put and lulled into sleep
04:50: Satan has got all kinds of tactics stay stay focused on God. Let's pray father
04:56: God We do thank you that we are here together. We do. Thank you that we are here
05:02: Because we are your children drawn by you by your grace We're here because your
05:08: Holy Spirit encourages us and teaches us. We're here because your son obediently went to the cross
05:16: Unworthy as we are our sins are cleansed by the blood of the
05:21: Lamb Father we do pray for our church as we consider things that are going on right now
05:28: We have a meeting coming up to identify the new board and approve the budget we ask for your wisdom
05:34: This is your work. This is your kingdom. We are but shepherds We pray for your wisdom and also
05:40: Lord as we continue to consider the land on Phillips Road. We we surrender to you
05:47: Lord we pray for the people in Ukraine who are under the oppression of evil right now
05:55: Lord you can change the heart of Vladimir Putin in an instant Lord we ask for your hand to protect the people give us wisdom on how we should be either a prayer or support
06:08: And then and that Lord we pray for our country and for our leaders We pray for our president our vice president our senators and our congressmen our governors
06:16: Lord those that don't know you That are ruling out of the world's
06:22: Understanding we pray father that you would draw them to you and that they would rule Father for our missionaries in the field spreading the word that our lamps in dark places protect them
06:37: Protect the word they have protect Lord. Oh Lord that their families keep them safe.
06:43: Keep them healthy and encouraged Lord We do pray for the souls of the people in those countries this morning
06:50: Lord as we're together as we worship and song as we Anticipate hearing your word that your
06:56: Holy Spirit would work in our hearts. We pray in Jesus name. Amen Can we sing together?
07:25: Tom no, it's not there some thrown into a seat without bottom
07:33: Sure Our sins they are many his mercy is more
07:50: Patients would wait as we constantly What father so tender is calling us home he welcomes
08:02: Violence the poor Our sins they are many mercy is more praise the
08:12: Lord His mercy is more
08:21: Stronger than darkness You every more our sins.
08:27: They are many his mercy is more Riches of kindness he lavished on us his blood was the payment his life
08:47: Was the cost we stood need the death we could never
08:55: Our sins are many his mercy is more praise the
09:02: Lord His mercy is more
09:11: Stronger than darkness You every more our sins.
09:17: They are many his mercy praise the Lord His mercy is more
09:30: Stronger than darkness You every more our sins.
09:35: They are many his mercy is more Let's pray together
09:43: Lord we are so so grateful That our sins although they are many
09:50: Your mercy is more We know that it's by your deep love for us
09:57: That you stretched out your arms on that cross to take
10:04: Our pain on yourself the pain of being lost forever. We can have hope
10:13: If we put our faith in you we are so grateful and humble before you
10:18: Lord How deep the father's love for us?
10:30: How vast beyond all measure That he should give his only son to make
10:45: His Pleasure How great the pain of searing loss?
10:55: the father turns his face away As wounds which mar the chosen one
11:09: To glory I Sit upon his shoulder
11:32: Shamed I hear my mocking It was my sin that held him
11:49: Until it was Accomplished his dying breath has brought me
11:59: I will not boast in anything
12:19: No gifts, no power. No wisdom but I Won't boast in Jesus Why should
12:38: I gain from his reward I cannot give
12:48: This I know with all my I Made my
12:58: Why should I gain from his But this
13:11: I know with all my I've made my
13:18: I It's such an amazing song as we focus in on community this morning where the cross is
13:33: Where we need to focus our eyes It wasn't anything that we've done
13:40: But his blood that was shed for us Sometimes we need to put our focus right back in and not lose sight of that place
13:50: The Sight that his mercy his grace was shown
13:58: Let's sing together on a hill of Calvary The light
14:12: With the world on his shoulders Way Oh Sky went dark the angels
14:37: Swept The lamb of God was slain
14:59: By his wounds I am set free
15:06: By his blood I've been Redeemed The great
15:13: Me Oh praise the
15:20: God of Calvary On a hill of Calvary Into the father's hands a
15:42: Holy surrender Borrowed to his mother
15:56: But the stone was moved he conquered death and rose up Great By his wounds
16:13: I am set free By His blood
16:19: I've been Redeemed The great divide he crossed for me.
16:30: Oh praise the God Calvary And if I never
16:38: Never lose sight of this place. I will never
16:44: Never lose sight of your grace your cross is all
16:51: All I need to see Oh praise the
16:56: God of Calvary And if I never
17:05: Side of this place Crosses all
17:19: Oh Your cross is all all
17:29: I need to see Oh praise the God of Calvary Your cross is all all
17:42: I need to see Oh praise the God of Calvary The nation
18:02: Israel was Created by God to mediate blessing to the world. They were
18:07: God's chosen people and Yet as we come to the book of Isaiah We see that the surrounding nations are enclosing upon them first the
18:17: Assyrians and then the Babylonians They are being destroyed by surrounding empires
18:23: The reason for that is that they were not obeying the Ten Commandments or the covenant given to Moses They were disobedient children
18:35: The wrath of God was on them and it was described this way in Isaiah 51 verses 18 to 20
18:44: There is none to guide her among all the sons. She has born There is none to take her by the hand among all the sons.
18:51: She has brought up These two things have happened to you who will console you?
18:58: devastation and destruction Famine and sword who will comfort you your sons have fainted
19:05: They lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a net They are full of the wrath of the
19:12: Lord the rebuke of your God Therefore hear this you who are afflicted who are drunk, but not with wine
19:22: Isaiah 51 describes people being judged by God and it even describes it as drinking a bowl of wrath
19:31: God has a bowl of anger a bowl of judgment and wrath that the people of Israel must drink
19:40: Because of their sin and that's terrible news. In fact, it corresponds to our sin as well
19:47: Because of our sin we deserve to drink the bowl of God's wrath
19:53: But here in Isaiah 51 verse 22 is wonderful news
20:01: Gospel hope it says thus says the Lord your
20:07: Lord Your God who pleads the cause of his people Behold I Have taken from your hand the cup of staggering the bowl of my wrath
20:22: You shall drink no more The gospel promise there is that God pleads our case he
20:31: Interposes and takes that bowl of wrath that we deserve to drink Now we know that those who must drink that judgment on their own will suffer eternal hell
20:44: That's what hell is. It's the wrath of God for all eternity against lawbreakers
20:51: But here we learn that he takes from our hand the cup of staggering The bowl of his wrath that we would not drink it anymore.
21:00: So what comes of that wrath? I And he prays father if there's any other way
21:13: Yet let your will be done He says take this cup from me if there's any other way yet.
21:22: Let your will be done Submitting himself to the will of the father. He takes the cup of wrath the bowl of judgment that was owed to us sinners and he
21:34: Drinks that bowl in full on the cross of Calvary He takes
21:40: God's wrath upon his own shoulders and dies the death that we deserve he stands in for us and drinks the cup of God's wrath and In exchange he offers us the cup of forgiveness
21:56: He takes our cup and drinks it and then gives us the cup of forgiveness in his blood.
22:02: Isn't that a beautiful? Thing and that's what this table represents his body broken for us his blood poured out on the cross and Offering us forgiveness of sin.
22:14: It's accomplished in his cross and we remember it in the table So ushers if you would come forward
22:20: The ushers are going to distribute The bread and as you take a piece of bread broken hold it in your hand and Think about the meaning of the bread
22:37: Confess your sin Take a moment to examine your heart and say
22:42: God is there any impure way in me examine me and in that Moment confess your sin to God For I received from the
25:07: Lord what I also delivered to you that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread and When he had given thanks he broke it and said
25:17: This is my body Which is for you do this in remembrance of me
25:44: You'll please distribute and as you take the cup and hold that in your hand and look at the redness of the juice remember his blood shed for you and rejoice
26:00: That your sin debt is paid in full By his blood he has drunk the cup of Judgment and in exchange has given you the cup of his righteousness
26:11: Forgiveness of sin in his blood. So take a moment as you hold that cup to pray and give thanks for the forgiveness of sin
28:01: Jesus, thank you so much for shedding your blood for our sin. Thank you for drinking the cup of our judgment and providing a cup of forgiveness
28:13: Your name we pray. Amen in the same way Also, he took the cup after supper saying this cup is the new covenant in my blood
28:22: Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me Amen, thank the
28:37: Lord for his forgiveness of sin remembered in the Lord's table Brothers and sisters we have a special treat this morning
28:48: Dr. Timothy Warren is The senior professor of pastoral ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary He leads.
28:59: All right. We got a cheer for dr. Warren. Whoo He leads the Friday morning men's
29:04: Bible study at Cooper or aerobic Center he is also the president and guide for preaching camp ministries and Church some of our young people who are here who are looking at potentially going into the ministry others who are elders
29:20: Some other pastors from other local churches will be joining here us here on Monday and Tuesday and pastor
29:26: Warren is going to be Working with us on our preaching. So we're so thankful.
29:31: We'll have him here the next couple of days He provides continued training and encouragement for preachers serving in local churches
29:40: Timothy earned a Master of Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary That's also my alma mater and a
29:47: Doctor of Philosophy at Ohio State University He pastored Grace Bible Church in Kanawha, Winchester, Ohio from 1978 to 1984 he and Beverly have been married for 52 years and They have three adult children and six grandchildren and before you come dr.
30:08: Warren just on a personal note I want to share with the folks that when my wife and I we were missionaries in inner -city,
30:14: Philadelphia for 12 years and Dr. Warren among all the professors at Dallas was the one who would write us encouraging notes very often
30:24: So dr. Warren, we appreciate that. We love you, brother Thank you for that and we invite you to come and share the word of the
30:30: Lord with God's people. Thank you Beverly and I were married 52 years ago on Valentine's Day in Toledo, Ohio Is there anybody here today who was there for our wedding?
30:54: You were there. Were you there in Toledo, Ohio that night?
31:01: Okay, I I see one person who was here Raise your hand again my best man
31:10: Gus Lottman Joe and Gus Lottman's son
31:20: Who grew up next door to me in? Michigan so we've known each other for I can't even count that high of Many years probably over 65 years.
31:32: I don't know Nice to see Gus and always a pleasure to visit with him when
31:37: I come to New Jersey I say that people who have never been to New Jersey Do not know
31:46: What a great state the Garden State is I Know there may be some issues
31:55: But it is a great state and I have always enjoyed coming and Visiting and always found a great welcome here and it's a privilege to be here today
32:06: And I'm glad to bring this message and this message is not just another sermon on another
32:13: Sunday morning This message is for every one of us in this room today
32:21: Because God has us all on a journey and he wants us to finish that journey and finish that journey.
32:28: Well It was May the first Saturday in May of 1973
32:37: That a big red horse Set off on a quest to do something that had not been done in 25 years and that is to win the
32:47: Triple Crown of racing The place was Louisville, Kentucky the
32:53: Kentucky Derby and the last horse out of the gate that day was
33:00: Secretariat Behind everybody else Secretariat ran a fast first quarter mile
33:08: Faster yet the second quarter mile faster yet the third quarter mile still faster the fourth quarter mile and Coming home on the last quarter mile split
33:24: Secretariat ran the fastest of all of five Quarter miles to win the race by two and a half lengths set a course record one minute 59 and two -thirds second a record that still stands
33:42: People who watched secretariat go from last to first Faster and faster all the way said that horse
33:52: Knows how to finish Now they all wondered because it had been a long time since there had been a
33:59: Triple Crown winner Can he keep it up? And so they were on to Pimlico and in Pimlico Secretariat was the last horse out of a gate but won again by two and a half lengths
34:17: Setting a track record that still stands today now
34:25: Belmont is a quarter mile longer and Everybody thought this this horse knows how to finish on a mile and a quarter
34:33: But can he do it if you add another quarter mile can he win the
34:40: Triple Crown? out of the gate secretariat was the first and Ran and ran and ran ahead of every other horse finishing 31 lengths ahead of the second place horse setting a track record
35:03: That stands today People all across the nation
35:10: Sports writers were asking the question. How is it that a horse can finish?
35:17: So well can run the race and finish like that Well, they found out a few years later in 1989 when
35:30: Secretariat died they rushed his body to the University of Kentucky in Lexington and Dr.
35:38: Thomas Swerczak did the autopsy on the horse people were waiting to see not only what had killed him, but Everything else that they could find out about the horse
35:51: Swerczak came out and spoke to the media. He said this is the most amazing thing I've ever seen
35:56: I've done thousands of necropsies on horses, but this was amazing every vital organ was healthy and well and There was only one exception to the normal and that was the heart
36:13: The heart of an average thoroughbred weighs about nine pounds. He said This heart weighed half again as much and Was a third as big
36:26: Everything about that heart was perfect. It was just bigger now he said
36:34: We know how he was able to run and finish. Well The conclusion of that was this horses with big heart finish well and Christians With a big heart of Devotion to the
36:57: Lord finish well and That is God's desire for everyone in this room today
37:05: To have a big heart of devotion that allows you to finish this life race.
37:11: Well That doesn't mean that it's always smooth and easy
37:19: We face problems. Don't we there are hurdles. There are detours. There are discouragements
37:26: You don't have to watch the news for five minutes to get discouraged
37:32: So many people feel hopeless when when persecution of Christians and biblical values are constantly being attacked and When you may yourself receive personal attacks for being a person of the true faith
37:50: Once for all delivered to the Saints it becomes a challenge That may make you want to step back and step away and just live life and survive
38:02: All of the discouragement all of the hopelessness all of the difficulty and it may be a health issue
38:07: It may be a relational issue. It may be an issue of debt Do you all realize how much money you owe every one of you because our government is in debt
38:19: It's Incredible the burden that comes upon us and some people just throw up their hands and give up the race and say it's not worth
38:27: It anymore Through all of this. I believe that there is a way that we can run the race
38:34: God has for every one of us We can be faithful We can finish.
38:40: Well How do we do that? That's the question. I want to answer today
38:46: In order to answer that question, I want us to turn first of all to the book of Hebrews Hebrews chapter 12
38:57: Hebrews chapter 12. It's a classic text. The author of Hebrews has been writing to guess what
39:04: Hebrew people Jewish people Who are
39:09: Christians? They have believed that Jesus is the eternal
39:15: God He is the Lord of creation and he is the Lamb of Redemption the promised
39:23: Messiah and they place their faith in Jesus as their Messiah who paid the debt for them on the cross and they became true believers
39:34: But as a result of that they were facing persecution their family members
39:40: Rejected them their employers fired them their communities ostracized them and They were thinking, you know, if I just step back from my
39:54: Christian faith a little if I just silence my voice
40:01: About my faith a little if I just go back and practice the old ways of doing
40:09: Church Maybe I won't be persecuted. Maybe life won't be so difficult anymore
40:16: I think I'll just step back and they were in danger of their hearts shrinking and so the author writes to these
40:30: Hebrew believers to Encourage them that the sacrifice that was made was a once -for -all
40:37: Sacrifice made by Jesus on the cross who was resurrected and ascended into heaven and That there was no way to turn back all they could do was press forward and finish and finish well and in chapter 11
40:57: You remember how he says it's possible with all of the difficulties that you may be facing today
41:04: It is possible to run and finish. Well, and he goes through a list of people who had faith
41:12: To pursue God in the midst of difficulty and so he begins chapter 12 with these words
41:22: Therefore since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us people who have run and finished well
41:30: Let us lay aside every encumbrance our doubt our Discouragement our hopelessness and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the faith the
41:46: Race that is set before us Fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of faith
41:57: Who for the joy set before him endured the cross Despising the shame and has sat down in glory at the right hand of the throne of God Jesus faced
42:13: Persecution he faced rejection He was betrayed he was falsely accused and tried and crucified, but he went joyfully and What was the result
42:28: He's now glorified at the throne of God What a great hope
42:35: What a great witness he gives us of God's plan for us the joy set before us
42:43: Enduring whatever comes our way for the glory that is to follow. So watch verse 3
42:50: Consider him Who has endured such hostility by sinners against himself so that you will not grow weary and Lose heart
43:06: Is a literal way of translating this look to Jesus so that you do not lose heart
43:15: God doesn't want your heart to shrink Because of Discouragement or persecution he wants your heart of devotion to grow into a big heart that will finish
43:27: Well, and guess what? We're not alone in this. We have a great host of people who have lived that way
43:35: Witnesses who will say it's possible. They're they're sitting in the stands saying press on press on Right across the page from Hebrews 12 in my
43:50: Bible Chapter 11 verse 30 There's a key verse that makes a key reference to an
44:00: Old Testament Individual and I'm gonna have a quiz here for Pastor Jeff To see if he gets to stay here and keep trying to lead you people.
44:15: I Don't want you to shout out a name until I ask you to but I want you to look at chapter 11 verse 30
44:23: It's one of those many witnesses Who by faith saw the walls of Jericho fall down after they had encircled it for seven?
44:35: days Now on the count of three to see if he keeps his job.
44:48: I Comes to mind one two three Whoa, he did he's doing well, isn't he?
45:03: He's doing well The the writer of Hebrews who wants people not to lose heart says look to Joshua Joshua is one of those witnesses
45:16: Joshua is a person who lived in such a way as To finish well and provide you an example to follow
45:26: So I want to look back in the Old Testament at the life of Joshua and try to see if we can uncover the secret
45:34: Strategy that allowed him to run and to finish Well, you know in Numbers chapter 32 verse 12 when
45:44: God himself Sums up the life of Joshua. He says and Joshua followed the
45:51: Lord Wholeheartedly Joshua had a big heart of devotion
45:58: For the Lord when he comes to the end of his life in chapter 24 of the book of Joshua He's on the last lap and he says to the people who follow he says as for me in my house
46:12: We will serve the Lord Till the end of my days So I want to look at two principles two strategies from Joshua That will help us
46:25: To develop a big heart of devotion to the Lord so that we might finish well and enter into glory with joy
46:35: Because at the end of the race When you finish There's joy There's a glory.
46:43: I Joshua chapter 5 Joshua chapter 5 we're going to begin at verse 13
46:52: Moses has died Joshua has taken over the leadership of the nation of Israel They've been in slavery and Egypt for 400 years
47:04: They've wandered in the wilderness for 40 years and now Joshua is taking over and he has led the people across the
47:12: Jordan River he has called them to repentance and Revival in the beginning of chapter 5, but now the next obstacle to taking the
47:27: Land and the plan of God is the fortified city of Jericho Jericho sits there at the entrance
47:34: There are huge four city to protect the land of Canaan and Joshua's gone
47:40: I'm not I don't know how to take this city. And so while the people are camping in the wilderness
47:47: Joshua walks off to have a little bit of time to himself to try to figure out a plan
47:53: So that they can go forward on the race that God has given them.
47:58: So look with me at verse 13 now it came about when
48:04: Joshua was by Jericho that he lifted up his eyes and looked and behold a man standing opposite him with a sword drawn in his hand and Joshua went to him and said to him.
48:20: Are you for us or for our adversaries? This is a bold moment
48:32: Joshua's in the middle of a crisis He's got to take the city. He doesn't know how he's out in the wilderness all alone.
48:39: He's behind enemy lines And he sees a man standing there with a sword drawn.
48:49: I know what Timothy would do. I Would turn and run
48:55: But what does he do he confronts the man and he says are you for us or are you for our adversaries
49:05: That's bold. That's courageous Well, remember God has told him be
49:10: Bold and courageous and so he's showing that Notice the answer verse 14
49:18: The man said no rather indeed. I come now as captain of the host of the
49:25: Lord And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and bowed down and said what has my lord to say to his servant and The captain of the
49:36: Lord's host said to Joshua Remove your sandals from your feet for the place where you are standing is holy and Joshua did so in the great moment of crisis behind enemy lines wondering
50:00: How am I going to take this fortified city this man shows up and he says?
50:06: I'm from the Lord of Hosts and he falls down on his face to Do reverence and fear before this individual
50:17: It's the kind of thing that would be a natural response to an angel by the way If you ever have an angel appear, you know, just Take a pause be silent, you know, listen be afraid
50:31: Maybe get down on your knees. That's what Joshua did But you know throughout the scripture we learn that when human beings are
50:41: Confronted by an angel from heaven and they fall down on their faces before the angel
50:47: We know this because of Daniel We know this because of John and Revelation the angel the messenger from heaven says no.
50:56: No, no stand up stand up We worship the same God we bow down To the same
51:03: God in heaven you don't bow down to an angel But this individual not only
51:11: Didn't say get up get up. He said Joshua Get your sandals off your feet
51:21: Because you are on holy ground You are in the presence of the
51:27: Lord of Heaven and Joshua did so Now what does this tell us?
51:34: This tells us that this person Was the eternal
51:40: God the creator? Was the Lamb of God? the
51:46: Redeemer Who before he became incarnate in the person of Jesus from time to time in the
51:53: Old Testament? Would appear as the angel of the Lord. This was the second person of the
51:59: Godhead come in human form in a moment of crisis to give
52:05: Instruction to Joshua on how to accomplish God's plan When Joshua most needed
52:14: God to show up God was there in the person of the second person of the
52:20: Godhead Before he became the incarnate Jesus Joshua knew
52:30: God Personally He knew him personally
52:38: That's part of the secret of how you can finish well you need to know
52:44: God personally That's what the author of Hebrews was saying to these people you know
52:53: God Personally you have placed your faith in him the once and for all
52:59: Sacrifice for sin the promise of glory Know God personally and the only way to have a relationship with God the
53:11: Father the only way to experience sins forgiven the only way to have the hope of heaven and the bowl of grace rather than the bowl of God's judgment is to place faith in This person the one that Joshua knew
53:33: But the fact that he showed up in this moment of crisis Should not surprise us keep your finger there in Joshua, but turn back to chapter 33 of Exodus This is this is part of the story of Joshua's journey
53:55: This is the Old Testament showing us the witness of Joshua's life of How he was able to accomplish the mission the race
54:06: God had him on and in Exodus chapter 33 Moses is still in charge
54:15: The people are wandering in the wilderness The instructions for the tabernacle have been given they're building the tabernacle but they also built a tent another little
54:29: Tabernacle that they called the tent of meeting and they they set it outside the camp like about over there
54:37: Among the trees out there and and there was a tent of meeting and that's where Moses Got instructions from the
54:47: Lord on how to lead the people of Israel You remember
54:53: Moses didn't have a Bible. Can you think of that? What did he do for devotions?
55:00: Who did he read? You know, no Bible. So how does he know what to do?
55:07: He goes out to the tent of meeting and he Gets instruction from the
55:12: Lord. Now. I want you to watch what's going on here because this is This whole story is my favorite one of my favorite stories chapter 33 of Exodus verse 7 now
55:25: Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp a good distance from the camp and he called it the tent of meeting and Everyone who sought the
55:36: Lord would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp And it came about whenever Moses went into the tent that all of the people would arise and stand
55:47: Each at the entrance of his tent and they would gaze after Moses until he entered the tent
55:54: Moses walks out to the tent of meeting and and word goes through the camp Moses going out to the tent of meeting and everybody would run to their own tent
56:05: And they would get behind the flap of their tent and they would watch What's happening?
56:12: Because they remembered what happened on Sinai When God met with Moses on the mountain, there's thunder there's lightning this big cloud of darkness comes down It was a scary thing.
56:25: The people trembled and they knew it was about to happen again God was gonna meet with Moses this time in the tent look at verse 9
56:35: Whenever Moses entered the tent the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent and the
56:42: Lord would speak with Moses and when the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent
56:47: All the people would arise and worship each at the entrance the tent flap of their own tent
56:56: Waiting and anticipation and fear and thus The Lord used to speak to Moses face to face
57:05: Just as a man Speaks to his friend Can you imagine that?
57:11: Here's Moses goes to the tent of meeting the cloud comes down and God shows up in person and He's he's talking to him.
57:23: Like I'm just talking with Jeff right now and and he's like Moses I'm like God he's like Moses.
57:29: He's He's just he's just sitting there going Yeah, but look it's face to face man to man and God showed up in Person and spoke to Moses and gave him instructions, isn't that amazing?
57:51: Watch the rest of the verse When Moses returned to the camp his servant
57:56: Joshua the son of Nun a young man Would not depart from the tent
58:05: What does that tell you? It tells you number one That Joshua was there when
58:12: God showed up and spoke mano to mano with Moses and That when
58:18: Moses left the tent to come back to the people Joshua stayed
58:26: Here's the second part of that first principle. He not only knew
58:31: God personally he nurtured a personal
58:37: Relationship with God It wasn't that out of the blue God showed up in that moment of crisis it was that Joshua was developing all along the journey a big heart of devotion for the
58:55: Lord Wouldn't it be something to overhear the conversation between God and Moses?
59:02: That'd be in Hebrew so we wouldn't understand it, but if we could that would have been something but here's
59:09: Joshua now having the same kind of devotional development of nurturing his
59:17: Relationship with the Lord and this is what the author of Hebrews wants us to be aware of That if we want to run the race and finish well looking unto
59:28: Jesus We not only need to know him personally we need to nurture our relationship with him
59:41: Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so that's good.
59:46: That's great Thank you Lord for saving my soul. Thank you Lord for making me whole
59:53: That's good But for many people it stops there
59:59: They go I'm good sins forgiven I'll go to heaven when I die, that's it Notice, I'm not talking to you today.
01:00:06: I'm talking to all the people who aren't here Okay, so you're here You are continuing to develop that big heart of devotion to the
01:00:18: Lord It's also and He walks with me and he talks with me and he tells me
01:00:28: I am his own and The joy we share as we tarry there.
01:00:34: I Don't think any other person has ever known Because something is going on there and in the nurturing of that relationship in the devotion through attending
01:00:49: The the coming together of the fellowship in Bible study and personal devotion in giving in service on mission
01:00:58: Nurturing that relationship with the God of eternity If you want to run and finish well
01:01:06: Not only do you know God personally, but you nurture a personal relationship with him
01:01:14: When I was a teenager I went to church camp And the speaker at the end of the church camp around the fire, you know when they try to force you into making some decision told this story he said in 1519 when
01:01:31: Hernando Cortez the Spanish conquistador landed in the
01:01:37: Harbor at Veracruz He unloaded all of his ships and all of their supplies and then he sent back a small
01:01:46: Contingent to burn all of the ships, but one That was immediately sent back to Spain for Reinforcements and he turned to his men and he said you can either stay here on the beach without any supplies and die
01:02:02: Or you can go with me into the tangled jungle Where there's snakes and all kinds of things going on so that we can get to Montezuma and his gold and come back in glory you decide
01:02:18: Do you stay here? which is not to make a decision or do you decide to go on and And the speaker said and so you need to make a once -for -all decision
01:02:29: Either you'll follow Christ or you won't and I thought later
01:02:37: What a lousy Picture of the Christian life You don't make a once -for -all decision
01:02:46: You make a day -by -day sometimes hour -by -hour decision
01:02:52: That not only do you know him, but you trust him and you fellowship with him
01:02:58: That's how you will finish. Well in spite of health in spite of financial in spite of relational in spite of persecution problems
01:03:09: Nurture a personal Relationship with God, but there's more one more principle for you.
01:03:15: And that is that you anticipate God's Supernatural intervention.
01:03:21: I'm back in Joshua. I'm at chapter 6 You know how the story goes
01:03:29: Joshua gets instruction from the Lord and the Lord says I want you to take the
01:03:35: Ark of the Covenant And I want you You remember the
01:03:41: Ark of the Covenant? That's where the bowl of manna and the Ten Commandments and the staff of Moses were and you remember when the
01:03:49: Nazis? Opened it up and and you know If you haven't watched Raiders of the
01:03:55: Lost Ark, you need to watch that you get a lot of theology out of that But you know, there's there's God's glory
01:04:00: There's his terror because the Ark of the Covenant Was the symbol of God's presence and protection among his people and he said take the
01:04:10: Ark march around the city with The army and the people for seven days in a row and on the seventh day
01:04:18: March around the city seven times and I want you at the end of the seventh
01:04:24: March to shout and blow the trumpets and And Trust me.
01:04:31: I'm gonna make something happen. It's chapter 6. Look at verse 20
01:04:39: So This is a matter of obedience Joshua obeyed the leaders obeyed now the people are obeying so at the end of the seventh day of the seventh cycle so the people shouted the priests blew the trumpets and When the people heard the sound of the trumpet and the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell flat
01:05:02: So that the people went up into the city every man straight ahead and they took the city mission accomplished in this moment something
01:05:19: Supernatural happened. I'm just saying Jericho was a
01:05:26: Fortified city it was the roadblock to Canaan everybody in Canaan knew that Jericho Couldn't fall they just can't be defeated or we're in big trouble and it was a it was a tough it was a tough object to take and Yet in a moment the walls fell
01:05:50: Now I expect that if we got a million people to encircle this building fortress that it is
01:06:04: And they blew trumpets and a million and a half or two million people shouted.
01:06:09: I bet the walls would still stand I'll bet But God showed up and he did something supernatural
01:06:18: Moses experienced God's supernatural work in his life to accomplish the mission
01:06:27: So that he might continue on the race. He experienced a God thing in his life, but that should not have been a surprise
01:06:37: Turn back with me to Exodus Exodus chapter 17
01:06:45: Moses is still in charge people are still Marching around in the wilderness
01:06:52: There's been dissension in the camp There's been conflict from the outside and as the people make their way and Exodus chapter 17 up toward the promised land they pass through the land of the
01:07:06: Moabites and the Amalekites and and guess what even though they're refugees and they're just passing through People consider them enemies and attack them.
01:07:16: So watch what happens in chapter 17 verse 8 then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim and So Moses said to Joshua Choose men for us and go out and fight against Amalek Tomorrow not to worry.
01:07:39: I will station myself on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand
01:07:44: I'm gonna take the staff of God and I'm gonna lift it up in supplication
01:07:50: This was the staff that miraculously turned into a serpent before Pharaoh This was the staff that parted the
01:07:58: Red Sea why because there was magic in the staff No because it was a sign of dependence upon God as God's people moved forward and Moses says
01:08:09: I'm gonna take the staff of God in supplication I'm gonna ask that he's supernaturally intervene on our behalf and So Joshua did as Moses told him they fought against Amalek and Moses and Aaron and her went up to the top of the hill and it came about when
01:08:31: Moses held his hand up that Supernaturally Israel prevailed but when he let his hands down Amalek prevailed
01:08:43: When when he got weary Remember don't grow weary and lose heart when he got weary the enemy prevailed but Moses hands were heavy and so they took and put him on a stone and he sat on it and Aaron and her
01:08:59: Supported his hands one on one side one on the other and thus his hands were steady until the setting of the
01:09:07: Sun and Israel prevails They defeat the enemy because God Supernaturally intervenes look at verse 13
01:09:20: So Joshua Overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword
01:09:28: He beat them silly. He trashed them. That's what the word overwhelmed means and Then the
01:09:37: Lord said to Moses write this in a book as A memorial and Recite it to Joshua Write it down put it in your journal tuck this away and make sure
01:09:54: Joshua remembers this make sure he hears it on a regular basis because in order to experience
01:10:03: God's supernatural intervention in a moment of crisis we need to be anticipating
01:10:09: God's Supernatural intervention in a moment of crisis You need to expect that God will show up You need to anticipate that God will do a
01:10:22: God thing in your life Whatever that might look like there are a lot of people acting with courage today
01:10:32: There are a lot of Ukrainian Christians acting with courage today there are a lot of surrounding country
01:10:42: Christians who are acting with courage to take these people in to house them to feed them to clothe them
01:10:50: To care for them to share the gospel with them One of them is my good friend Peter Wiakowski who lives in Białystok in Poland And they're opening up their church camps across Poland to host those people
01:11:04: They are trusting that God will supernaturally show up for them and make a difference in their life
01:11:11: When was the last time God did a God thing in your life? Where you were beyond yourself
01:11:19: God did something supernatural There was a time that that I was talking about this and I said it may be
01:11:29: It may be That that God is gonna zip your mouth
01:11:36: From criticism. I said sometimes Women just need to zip it.
01:11:43: They don't need to talk I went on to say and sometimes men need to open their mouths and utter something
01:11:53: Just say something so that I know you're there instead of So I said sometimes it's a supernatural act of God to stop my mouth from speaking
01:12:05: Criticism or to open my mouth with the word of grace After that service,
01:12:12: I had a woman walk forward to me and say you should not be saying that about women You are such a hypocrite talking women down like that.
01:12:21: And I said you make my case That finally silenced her
01:12:31: I don't know if it carried over but you know what
01:12:38: This is something that's that ought to be an everyday occurrence for us When God stops me from lying or envying or Lusting or being angry at somebody when they don't deserve it
01:12:55: That's a God thing Because I know me Gus knows me He knows it's a
01:13:01: God thing when God steps in and makes a difference and that's what happened for Joshua That's why he is one of the cloud of witnesses
01:13:11: That helps us not to shrink in our heart of devotion to the Lord but to grow a big heart of devotion to the
01:13:19: Lord nurturing a personal relationship with God and anticipating his supernatural intervention
01:13:30: Another of the greatest races in my lifetime occurred at the
01:13:36: Barcelona Olympics Derek Redmond was the favorite in the 400
01:13:42: He was the hands -down pick for winning the gold He owned the 400 meters for the last two years
01:13:51: He'd been injured before the last Olympics in which he hoped to win gold
01:13:57: But he had trained he had disciplined he had recovered and he was winning race after race and everybody said
01:14:05: He's got the gold in his pocket When he took off on that 400 meter race
01:14:11: He pulled out ahead of everybody and was pulling ahead Faster and faster when he got to the back of the track
01:14:20: He pulled a hamstring and he went down on the track and the 400 meters you don't recover from something like that, especially if you're injured and every other runner quickly passed by him and his hope of a gold medal
01:14:43: Was gone Evaporated all that work all that discipline
01:14:49: All those strategies all those past wins and it was over The race of his lifetime was over but it wasn't
01:15:00: It wasn't He pulled himself up from that track and with his bad leg lifted up He started hopping
01:15:12: Around the track Trainers came out tried to pull him away and give him aid.
01:15:18: He pushed them away He was hopping around the track on one leg
01:15:25: He was determined to finish the race
01:15:34: By the time he made this turn Everybody had watched the winners Cross the line and now their attention turned back as they saw what was happening and everybody stood out of the stands a
01:15:49: Man jumped out of the stands and ran onto the track. He had a just do it hat on He came up under Derek on his bad side
01:15:58: Wrapped his arm around him It was Jim Redman Derek's dad
01:16:05: And he whispered in his ear We started this race together
01:16:13: We'll finish this race together and in the greatest event of the
01:16:20: Barcelona Olympics Derek Redmond crossed the finish line to a standing ovation
01:16:32: You will stumble You will fall you will doubt you will get discouraged
01:16:39: But with a big heart as you rise up and Again join the race that's before you
01:16:49: Jesus will jump out of the stands He'll show up He'll come up under you and he will say
01:16:58: We started this race together We'll finish this race together
01:17:06: For joy and for glory Would you stand receive this word of benediction now go into the world in peace?
01:17:27: Have courage Hold on to what is good honor all people
01:17:36: Strengthen the faint -hearted help the suffering support the weak share this good news
01:17:44: Love and serve the Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit And the grace of our
01:17:51: Lord Jesus Christ be with you all He is coming Soon Finish well, amen
01:19:10: You're my stronghold Yes, I know
01:19:33: Satan's evil plans will fail in your power
01:19:40: I'm sick My solid rock and my salvation
01:19:48: My steadfast hope that won't be shaken my soul
01:19:55: My soul You're my comfort when
01:20:03: I feel forsaken my refuge and my sure
01:20:09: Foundation my soul will wait my soul This is love
01:20:20: I can't explain This is mercy unreserved through the
01:20:29: Sacrifice so great. I have peace that's undeserved for the battle has
01:20:39: Won and I fear no shame or loss
01:20:44: Now the sting of death is gone You're my solid rock and my
01:20:59: Shaken my soul Comfort when
01:21:10: I feel forsaken my refuge and my sure
01:21:16: Foundation my soul will wait my soul We pour out your our hearts to you
01:21:34: Lord Oh See for you we will trust
01:21:51: Your strong Defender we will trust
01:22:10: Oh See for you we
01:22:26: Trusted you Perfect save your strong Defender we will trust
01:22:47: We trust in you Lord Jesus, thank you. Dr. Warren for leading us in your word about staying strong and finishing