Intro
We’re going to look at a leader today who had big shoes to fill. Maybe you can relate to that. Joshua was stepping in for Moses. The man who led Israel out of Egypt and was the mediator between the people and Almighty God. I can only imagine the pressure he must have felt as he stepped into that role. Maybe you have a father-in-law that is a spiritual giant and you feel like you’ll never live up as you try to lead your family. Maybe in the corporate world, you’ve just stepped into a new position and you have big shoes to fill. Whatever it is, I think there are some lessons we can learn today that will help you and encourage you.
Point
Text
Comment
In the Face of Adversity
Joshua focused on the character and power of God not the circumstances around him. He knew God would deliver on his promises. Godly leaders stand on God’s truth in the face of adversity.
Numbers 14:5-12 Then Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground before the whole community of Israel. 6 Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing. 7 They said to all the people of Israel, “The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! 8 And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. 9 Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”But the whole community began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the Tabernacle.[a] 11 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them? 12 I will disown them and destroy them with a plague. Then I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they are!”
Set context for the scene. Moses had sent out twelve spies to scout out the promised land.
Only Joshua and Caleb want to move forward and take the promised land. Talk about harsh criticism - the rest of the people wanted to stone them. Stone them! Now that’s a high pressure situation.
Story of students who left the classroom and all of the other students were clued in to answer incorrectly to a specific question. By the end of it the vast majority of the students who were out of the room just followed along with the crowd.
Joshua and Caleb knew God was on their side. They weren’t the underdogs. The other nations didn’t stand a chance. Always bugs me when people call the story of David and Goliath an underdog story. David wasn’t the underdog. The Lord God Almighty was fighting with him. Goliath was the underdog and he got smoked.
Do you know God’s promises? The only reason Joshua and Caleb weren’t suicidal maniacs is they knew God had promised they would inherit the land.
His promise to never leave you or forsake you.
His promise to forgive our sins when we confess them.
His promise to work all things out for our good.
Side note: We can’t hold God to promises he never made - prosperity gospel
We need to stand when everyone around us is critical. I’ve come to grips with the fact that there could be a time in my life when I go to prison for speaking God’s truth. I hope that’s not the case. I don’t know what God has in store for our nation. But if something doesn’t change, I can see myself being accused of hate speech when I teach what God’s Word says about marriage, the sanctity of life, transgenderism, etc.
Not allowing sleepovers for our kids, canceling cable - not saying God has put that conviction on everyone and not judging, but for us, we knew it was something God had called us to do and we took quite a bit of teasing and flak from...
