Setting

The point: May the warning come home to us that it's possible to leave only the terrible blot of an act of sin in history, bringing tragedy to oneself and crippling to the people of God.

David, Abraham, and Peter are cited as examples of men famous for both their sins and their graces, contrasting them with Achan, who is known only for his sin.

A man who apart from his sin would have been an unknown commodity in the history of the world. David was famous for his sin with Uriah and Bathsheba. But had he never sinned with Uriah and Bathsheba, he still would have been famous for his grace. Abraham is famous for his sin of lying and his fearfulness and his unbelief in the case of Sarah.

8:03 - 8:31 Read in full sermon

The point: May the warning come home to us that it's possible to leave only the terrible blot of an act of sin in history, bringing tragedy to oneself and crippling to the people of God.

The possibility of leaving only 'the terrible blot of an act of sin' as one's mark in history is presented as a warning, paralleling Achan's legacy.

For the tragedy of his sin. And oh my friend, may the warning come home to us. It's perfectly possible that some of you will leave but one mark in history. The terrible blot of an act of sin that brings great tragedy to your own heart and life and family.

8:50 - 9:13 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Joshua Jericho may be too much for you but it is not for me all that is before you is too much for you and for your armies but as I captain of the Lord's host am here to fight your battles for you I can conquer and none …

The narrative of Joshua encountering the Captain of the Lord's Host with a drawn sword is recounted to illustrate God's sovereign presence and power in the conquest.

Joshua is now about to lead his people into the conquest of Jericho. And as he was perhaps even reconnoitering he was doing some reconnaissance work to size up the situation there appears before him not in a vision but this was an actual appearance. He sees a man with a sword drawn. And Joshua used a little good horse sense.

12:09 - 12:33 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Joshua Jericho may be too much for you but it is not for me all that is before you is too much for you and for your armies but as I captain of the Lord's host am here to fight your battles for you I can conquer and none …

Jericho is presented as a symbol of all the 'might, strength, and imposing military genius' that stands between God's people and their conquest, emphasizing God's ability to overcome it.

or had that experience of the burning bush and the voice of Jehovah spoke and God said put off the shoes from off thy feet. The same God who appeared to commission Moses in the burning bush now appears to commission Joshua in this vision of the Lord Jesus as the captain of all the host of heaven and he is saying to Joshua Joshua Jericho may be too much for you but it is not for me all that is before you is too much for you and for your armies but as I captain of the Lord's host am here to fight your battles for you I can conquer and none can withstand my conquering advance. What is God telling...

14:31 - 15:48 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Joshua Jericho may be too much for you but it is not for me all that is before you is too much for you and for your armies but as I captain of the Lord's host am here to fight your battles for you I can conquer and none …

The detailed, seemingly absurd instructions for conquering Jericho (marching, trumpets, shouting) are described to highlight how God deliberately chose a method that would underscore His power and the people's faith, not human strategy.

thus shalt thou do six days and seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams horn before the ark and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times so seven times plus the six thirteen times around that city and the priests tooting their horns blowing their trumpets and it shall be that when they make a long blast with the rams horn and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet all the people shall shout with a great shout and the wall of the city shall fall down flat and the people shall go up every man straight before him and Joshua then takes his orders from the Lord and gives them to...

17:15 - 18:42 Read in full sermon

The point: If dollar signs loom larger than the Lord with the drawn sword in our minds regarding church expansion, we need to ask God for mercy and allow Jesus to fill our vision as the mighty conqueror and gracious provider.

Lydia's 'walled heart' is used as an analogy for the natural human heart, which King Jesus conquers with the 'sword of his grace,' paralleling the conquest of Jericho.

and the uttermost part of the earth for thy possession as we think of the purposes of Christ in our day the purposes of God to give to his son a people what is our confidence our confidence is that God has given and will give all that is necessary that his son may be a satisfied savior and so when you turn to the book of Acts it's a New Testament parallel to the book of Joshua there in a city is a woman who has a walled heart for the truth of God is every man and woman has a walled heart by nature but King Jesus died to win her and he draws the sword of his grace to conquer her and the scriptu...

27:23 - 28:50 Read in full sermon

The point: If dollar signs loom larger than the Lord with the drawn sword in our minds regarding church expansion, we need to ask God for mercy and allow Jesus to fill our vision as the mighty conqueror and gracious provider.

Peter's miraculous release from prison in Acts is used as an example of God's commitment to remove material obstacles (chains, prison doors, guards) to advance His redemptive purposes, not just spiritual ones.

for the accomplishment of the purposes of the church of Jesus Christ rest firmly down upon the sovereign almighty power of God but not only in terms of what we would call exclusively spiritual activity such as the opening of a heart the unstopping of a deaf ear the opening of a blind eye but listen everything that is necessary in terms of material provision and activity that fits in with that purpose God is also committed to do it read the book of Acts again God has purposes of grace through Peter there is a household of Cornelius through whom King Jesus desires or that he is going to reach th...

28:50 - 30:17 Read in full sermon

The point: Put the promise of God's word, 'I have given,' between ourselves and all obstacles (town councils, contractors, financial needs) that need to be conquered for the church's advance.

Martin recounts the story of unexpected donations (a $7,500 check from an unknown source and $5,000 from a seminary student) during a previous building project, illustrating God's provision and humbling of human wisdom.

and expanding their physical facilities getting in financial assessors to assess the income of the congregation and all this carnal wisdom our confidence is not in our resources it is we just put up a building about half this size our confidence is not in our foreseeable projected income our confidence is in him who says the earth is mine and the fullness thereof the world and all things that are therein isn't that just a pretty little bit of poetry? or does God mean that? I remind some of you who were here when we launched into this building and the elders and deacons felt we're unanimous we ...

37:30 - 38:41 Read in full sermon