This Sunday, we're exploring one of the most pivotal moments in Israel's journey—when they stood at the threshold between forty years of wilderness wandering and the Promised Land. In Numbers 32-34, two tribes make a request that sounds reasonable but reveals a dangerous temptation we all face: settling for "good enough" when God has promised something greater. Their desire to stop east of the Jordan River rather than crossing into God's full promise mirrors our own tendency to choose visible comfort over invisible inheritance—whether that's in our marriages, our spiritual disciplines, our generosity, or our community involvement. The question hanging over these chapters is one we need to answer: Where are you tempted to settle for good pasture when God is calling you to promised presence?
But God doesn't leave us to cross over in our own strength. Through a detailed record of Israel's forty-two wilderness camps, He shows us that remembered mercy fuels future courage. Every station of their journey—from the Red Sea to the plains of Moab—was a testimony to God's faithfulness, and rehearsing these moments of provision prepared them to face what lay ahead. Similarly, Jesus gives us the Lord's Supper as our own practice of remembrance, bridging our wilderness experiences to our promised inheritance. The good news is that Christ has already made the ultimate crossing through death and resurrection, securing an inheritance that Peter tells us is "imperishable, undefiled, and unfading."
Join us this Sunday as we discover how to refuse settling short, remember God's mercy, and receive the ordered grace that makes our inheritance not just possible but enjoyable. Whether you're exhausted from surviving and ready to start thriving, or you're standing at a threshold moment wondering how to move forward, this message will equip you with practical next steps and gospel hope. Come ready to identify where you've camped east of grace and learn how Christ empowers us to cross over together into all He has prepared for us.
Sermon Outline: Don't Settle East of Grace
Numbers 32-34
Introduction
Israel stands at the threshold—one foot in the wilderness, one foot reaching toward the Promised Land. After forty years of wandering, they're learning how to cross over, not just geographically but spiritually.
Movement 1: Refuse to Stop Short (Numbers 32)
The Story: Reuben and Gad request to settle east of the Jordan
The Problem:
Decisions based on sight, not faith
Prioritizing personal comfort over corporate calling
Settling for "good" instead of God's best
The Application: Where are you tempted to settle east of grace?
Comfort that keeps you from calling
Security that keeps you from generosity
Convenience that keeps you from community
Movement 2: Remember Mercy (Numbers 33)
The Itinerary: 42 camping sites from Egypt to Moab
Memory as Formation: Remembered mercy fuels future courage
The Practice: Identify three "stations of mercy" from your journey
Crisis where God provided
Failure where God forgave
Fear where God led you through
Movement 3: Receive the Order (Numbers 34)
Boundaries and Leaders: God defines the land's borders
Ordered Holiness: Grace has edges, freedom has a form
Application: Living inside God's good boundaries
Time boundaries (Sabbath)
Relational boundaries (reconciliation)
Moral boundaries (holiness)
The Gospel: Jesus Is the True Joshua
Jesus Crossed for Us: Pressed all the way to the cross
Jesus Remembers for Us: "Do this in remembrance of me"
Jesus Is Our Inheritance: We receive everything in Christ
Response
Three movements of prayer:
Confession: Where have you settled east?
Remembrance: Thank God for your stations of mercy
Commitment: What boundary will you establish this week?
