Joshua 5:13-15 – Idols of the Heart – Bible study

Joshua 5:13-15 Idols of the Heart Many things were changing for Israel and especially for Joshua. 1. Moses had died \#Jos 1:1\. 2. Joshua had been chosen by God to be their new leader \#Jos 1:2\. 3. Israel had crossed into the enemys land (Jos 3-4). 4. The manna from heaven had ceased \#Jos 5:12\. 5. Israel was being sent to fight against the one of the most defensive cities in the land. Joshua needed time to meditate, to pray and, to strategize. While near the city, he sees someone with a sword drawn for battle. Swords are like guns. You dont pull one unless you are ready to use it. In such a situation as that, Joshua has little choice but to check the stranger out. So he approaches and challenges the stranger. At least, Joshua thought he challenged the Stranger. As it turned out, the Stranger challenged him. Although it is not specifically stated in the text, this is not a mere mortal man, neither is it an angel. This is none other Jesus Christ! How do we know this was Christ? Two reasons: 1. \#Jos 5:14\ "And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did WORSHIP." Angels do not receive worship, only God. Revelation 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. 9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. 2. \#Jos 5:15\ The presence of this One alone made the ground where Joshua stood, holy ground. This likewise happened to Moses. Exodus 3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. This is called a Christophany, that is, a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ on the earth. 1. You talk about a surprised Joshua! But that is only the half of it. 2. Joshua had asked the question, "Whose side are you on?" 3. The Lords answer is that He did not come to BE on either side. He is there to Captain the HOST OF THE LORD; that is, He is there to take over. Might I say, the only way the Lord will show up for anything is to be in charge. 1. Some people have the tag that says Jesus is my Co-Pilot. 2. If He is, your co-pilots chair is empty. 3. Jesus is either there to lead or He is not there at all. The question is, "What is Joshua going to do? Is he going to yield to the Lord God Almighty or not? 1. The answer should seem obvious, but it is the same question you and I face everyday. 2. Will we watch that or turn it off? 3. Will we act that way or change our behavior? 4. Will we tithe or spend that money on ourselves? Joshua was the new leader of these people. He had his own leadership style to develop. He needed to demonstrate that he was as good a leader as Moses. what would he do? Joshua did not hesitate. He immediately surrendered himself to the Lordship of Christ, placing himself as the Lords servant. There is a lesson there. The best leaders are the ones who know how to serve God. Some thoughts: I. You can not be saved if you have never surrendered control of your life to Jesus Christ. A. \#Romans 10:8-9\Gives two conditions for salvation. 1. You must believe. a. Believing is not an option. b. You must believe that what the Bible says about Jesus Christ is true. c. I feel for the many religionists of this world. The Muslims, the Hindues, the Catholics, the Jews, the Mormonsyes, even the Baptists, the Methodistsfor if they do not believe what the Bible says of Jesus, they cannot be saved. John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 2. You must confess the Lord Jesus Christ. a. Simply put, that means you must surrender to Jesus as your Lord and Master. b. This means that if you prayed a prayer but did not surrender your life, you are still lost. c. In order for salvation to take effect, both of these ingredients must be present. (1) You can call it believing and surrendering. (2) You can call it faith and repentance. (3) But if both of them are NOT there, there is no salvation! 3. Religion is filled with many lost members because their constituents have never surrendered control of their lives! B. \#Ezekiel 14:1-3\ 1. Idols of the heart – These leaders in Israel had made gods within their hearts. a. Theirs were literal idols of gold, silver, or wood. b. Any thing that you have not surrendered to the Lord is an idol. c. Hunting, football, work, yard work, sleep, suntans, television, liquor, drugs, pornography, night clubs. 2. \#Eze 14:3-4\ God also calls these things "stumbling blocks of iniquity;" that is, they are sinful things that make you stumble. a. To stumble means to trip and fall. b. You cant enter into heaven because you keep falling down at the door. c. Have you ever tried to walk out of wal Mart with anything electronic? It seems like 9/10 times the cashier doesnt deactivate the electronic thief device and you set off the alarms. d. sin is like that, except sin wont just set off an alarm. It slams down the door! 4. Look at Gods warning: a. \#Eze 14:6\ – Repent; Cast away your idols, Make Jesus Lord. b. \#Eze 14:8, 10\ – If not, you will be destroyed. c. \#Eze 14:21\ – These people were not just talking about a a spiritual salvation. (1) They were leaders in the nation of Israel. So God said that He would be four sore judgments upon the land. (2) Going to hell will make those four judgments look like a Sunday after picnic. C. Get this, you must have surrendered to Jesus or you are still lost! Dont let this sinful act send you to hell. II. You can not be a disciple of Christ unless you are presently surrendered to Christ as your Lord. A. Joshua 5 is a picture of every Christians decision to keep Jesus as Lord or not. 1. CROSSING THE RIVER JORDON UNDER THE SHADOW OF THE ARK is a picture of salvation at the foot of the cross. 2. PROMISED LAND is a picture of the Christian life. 3. JERICHO AND OTHER BATTLES are pictures of the growth and the trials Christians must face. 4. JOSHUA BEFORE HIS LORD is a picture of every Christian who must decide on a daily basis who will be Lord today? B. It is not easy to live the surrendered life. 1. Paul compared it to dying EVERYDAY. 1 Corinthians 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 2. Giving yourself to death everyday is difficult. 3. Yet, without doing so, you cannot be Jesus disciple. Luke 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. C. \#Luke 9:23\ – Jesus gave three marks of a disciple: Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 1. One must deny thyself a. That means keep first things first. b. It may come as a surprise but life is not about us. c. Life is about honoring God. 2. Take up thy cross. a. This has to do with our devotion. b. Devotion is the distance between our first and second love. c. In this sermon, Jesus is not only telling us that we must be prepared to die for Him. d. He is also telling us that we must be willing to supply the cross! e. We must be willing to volunteer death if that is what our God asks us to do! f. That is devotion. 3. And follow me. a. To follow the Lord in service and, if need be, in death is faithfulness. b. The chorus of the old song say it. Where he leads me I will follow, Where he leads me I will follow, where he leads me I will follow; Ill go with him, with him, all the way. (Where He Leads Me, by E.W. Blandy) D. Jesus adds another word – "DAILY." One cant get away from the fact that discipleship is a daily discipline. E. If you dont want to be a disciple, you do not have to be. 1. If you do not want to surrender to Christ as your Lord, you do not have to do so. 2. You will be a liar and a fraud if you do not, because that is the commitment you made when you were saved, but still, you do not have to do so. 3. However, if you are saved and not surrendered, you will lose some things. a. You will lose your peace. b. You will lose your power. c. You will lose the presence of God on your life. III. You can not know not for sure that you are saved if you are not presently surrendered to Christ as your Lord. A. I am amazed by some of the things I have seen in the lives of church goers. 1. I am amazed at how many never surrendered to get saved in the first place. a. As I have already said, churches are filled with counterfeit Christians. b. I believe I will be even more amazed when I get to heaven and attempt to look up some of the folks I preached to! 2. I am amazed at how many do not really have any assurance that they are saved. a. I do not know how many there are, but, over the years, I have heard of many who speak about how they went for years with no assurance. b. Of course, one reason may be that you are not saved. c. But even many who seem to be saved lack assurance. B. My friend, I am going to be blunt with you. 1. You can never be certain you are going to heaven if you are not surrendered to the Savior. 2. How could you be? 3. The proof that you are going to heaven IS your relationship with Jesus. a. The proof is not a prayer. b. The proof is not a membership. c. The proof is not an attendance pin. 4. The proof is that Jesus is Master of your life. What was the proof that Joshua belonged to Jesus? It was not that he was the leader of the nation of Israel. It was when he saw his Lord, he bowed, worshipped, and submitted to Him. Will you do likewise this morning.