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Sermon Date: 2006
Outline:
INTRODUCTION: Have you ever eaten something that was good and asked for seconds? Joshua saw the great victories that God gave to Moses. Here God is saying, “Don’t worry, there’s seconds if you want them.”
I. THIS WAS THE SAME MIRACLE HE PERFORMED WITH MOSES.
A. GOD HAS PERFORMED SOME INCREDIBLE MIRACLES IN THE PAST.
1. (Illus.) D. L. Moody
a. He was a shoe salesman turned The greatest evangelist of all time.
b. He pastored a church in Brooklyn that ran 20,000 each Sunday.
c. If you were not a member of the church, you had to get a ticket to be able to come.
d. He had an evangelistic tour through North America and Great Britain.
e. R. A. Torrey said that he had one foot on one continent and another foot on the other and shook them so hard for God that the world can feel the trembles still today.
f. In a 40-year period he won over a million souls, founded three Christian schools, launched a great Christian publishing business, established a world-renowned Christian conference center, and inspired literally thousands of preachers to win souls and conduct revivals.
2. (Illus.) J. Frank Norris.
a. While in Bible college he pastored a church on the weekends.
b. By the time he graduated the church was running 800 regularly in a town of 400 people.
c. After college he pastored the First Baptist Church of Fort Worth, Texas.
d. By the late 20’s they were running an average attendance of over 5,000.
e. He took the pastorate of a second church, the Temple Baptist Church in Detroit, MI at this time.
f. By 1946, the combination of both churches was an attendance of over 26,000 people.
g. His stand against the mafia and alcohol led to Ford Motor Company giving him a new car every year.
3. (Illus.) Bobby Roberson
4. (Illus.) Billy Sunday
a. Held revival meetings that were planned for 4 weeks, but lasted eight.
b. The results of many meetings was every bar in town closing and a church being established.
c. Chicago boasts today of the fact that they are the town that Billy Sunday couldn’t close down.
B. WE DON’T HAVE TO DRUEL OVER YESTERDAYS MIRACLES, WHEN GOD SAYS TO US, “EAT UP BOYS, THERE’S PLENTY OF SECONDS.”
II. THE RIVER WAS AT IT’S HIGHEST LEVEL. (VS. 15)1. Have you ever looked at men in the Bible as supernatural or on a higher plane?
a. They were just men like you and I.
b. God still can do the same miracles.
c. (Illus.) John R. Rice praying for rain or for women who wanted to have children.
2. God is still doing today what he did yesterday.
3. I’m tired of hearing about yesterday’s miracles, I want seconds.
a. As he was with D. L. Moody, so shall he be with us.
b. As he was with J. Frank Norris, so shall he be with us.
c. As he was with Billy Sunday, so shall he be with us.
4. It’s about time we quit blaming the day we live in for our failures and go out and get some seconds.
“The melting of the snow on the mountains of Lebanon, near which this river had its rise, was the occasion that at the time of harvest, barley-harvest, which was the spring of the year, Jordan over-flowed all his banks.” (Matthew Henry)
III. THE MIRACLE DIDN’T HAPPEN UNTIL THE PRIESTS STEPPED INTO THE WATER.1. (Illus.) The widow woman and the empty barrel.
2. (Illus.) Elijah’s God vs. Baal.
3. (Illus.) Gideon (God sent most of the army home)
4. (Illus.) Lazarus (God wanted to wait until he was dead and the odds were worse)
5. Times may seem bad to you, but God likes it when the odds seem against Him.
6. It’s not until we climb the mountain that we can stand at the top.
7. The higher the mountain, the higher you stand when you finish.
IV. THE MIRACLE MAY HAVE BEEN SIMILAR TO MOSES’ BUT IT WASN’T IDENTICAL.1. God wants to see if you’ll step into the water before He performs the miracle.
2. (Illus.) Peter stepping out on the water.
3. Some of you, God’s calling to be in the ministry and you’re afraid to step into the water.
4. Some of you know God will bless you if you tithe or raise your giving, but you’re afraid to step into the water.
5. Isn’t it true that finances are what we trust God the least with?
6. “I know God wants me to do something, but can he take care of my needs if I do it?”
7. My father-in-law left a secure job to go on a mission field.
8. (Illus.) Joining the Wrestling Team
A. THE DIFFERENCES
1. The first was a sea, this was a river.
2. The first had the waters form a wall on both sides, this one was only the right side, while the left just ran down into the sea.
3. Moses parted water to escape, while Joshua parted water to conquer.
a. The same God that brought you out of the bondage of sin wants to bring you into a life of victory.
b. We get so settled with the fact that God brought us out of bondage that we forget that He brought us into His service.
c. God didn’t save Israel from Egypt so they could hang around a wilderness forever.
d. Just as God had lands for Israel to conquer, God has lands for this Church to conquer.
e. When I came to ODBC, I was told that this church is a charity case that will never grow.
f. I was told that we’d never be financially stable and we’d better just be happy with what we have.
g. I’m sorry, but I don’t see it that way.
h. If I have to choose between the ten that said they couldn’t and the two that said they could, I’ll take the two.
i. Most of you us in the category of the ten and that’s why we won’t do anything for Christ.
B. THE PRINCIPLES
V. THEY PASSED RIGHT BY JORDAN.1. God will not work in your life the exact same way He did in someone else’s.
a. I thank God for the example of D. L. Moody, but God doesn’t want me to be D. L. Moody.
b. I thank God for the great Temple Baptist Church in Detroit, MI, but God doesn’t want this church to be exactly as they are.
c. God has brand new miracles for you and me.
d. God may not use you exactly how he uses someone else, but God does want to use you.
e. (Illus.) The church is the body of Christ. The arm shouldn’t try to be an ear.
2. Our God is a personal God.
A. JERICHO WAS THEIR STRONGEST ENEMY, YET THEY WENT AFTER THEM FIRST.
1. It was a statement to the enemy. No other war campaign in history used this strategy.
2. Could you imagine what the enemies must have thought as they marched in and the waters split?
3. Could you imagine little Israel barging in the land as if they owned it, because they did?
4. As a Christian, you can walk with confidence.
a. I’m tired of seeing people who walk around defeated.
b. If you want a larger Sunday School Class, God has one for you, go get it.
c. (Illus.) A. V. Henderson’s S. S. Class
1- He wanted to teach and the Pastor gave him the 10 year old boys’ class.
2- “How many are in it?” “None”
3- He used a bag of marbles and won 12 kids to the Lord.
4- All of them grew up to be in the ministry.
d. What happened to A. V. Henderson can happen to you.
e. God has plenty of seconds for everyone.
B. JERICHO WAS THE LAND WITH THE GREATEST REWARDS.
1. As they passed through the river in faith, they could look over to Jericho and see the promised reward.
2. Aren’t you glad that as we serve God, His Word reminds us of the rewards? (continued...)
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