 Joshua chapter 3 so there's basically this is it so the after 40 years wandering around in the wilderness The children of Israel are finally crossing over the Jordan that happens in Joshua chapter 3 So it's a short chapter in the Bible. You know one significant event happens here So what I'm going to do this evening is I'm just going to we're going to preach quickly through Just verse by verse and I'll point out some interesting things here and there In the verses as we go through and then I'll give a larger application at the end of the sermon. So of course Here they are they're getting ready to pass over and of course God performs This great miracle as they they cross over the Jordan to get ready to go and take The promised land look down at verse number one and the Bible says and Joshua rose early in the morning And they removed from shittim and came to Jordan and he and all the children of Israel lodged there before they passed over Turn to Proverbs chapter 20 so I mean just just a little note here is that Joshua we learned about who the man Joshua was in Joshua chapter 1 we kind of just looked at his Personality who he was what he had done in his life up to this point before he took over Leadership of the children of Israel and I just find it interesting that in Joshua chapter 1 It says Joshua rose early in the morning. First of all, you know, especially for a man You know, you know, Joshua was a man that knew how to get things done. He was a man that would accomplish a lot of things in his life and He rose early in the morning the Bible says look at Proverbs chapter 20 in verse number 13 The Bible says love not sleep lest thou come to poverty Open nine eyes and now shall be satisfied with bread. So just let me just throw this out as a side note You know, if you are someone that wants to accomplish something in your life love not sleep Joshua didn't love sleep. Look everybody every single person has that feeling in the morning where they want to just keep sleeping Every single person has that you say I'm a morning person. Well, that doesn't matter What that means is that you just are really good at you know getting yourself past that Initial feeling of not wanting to wake up, but everybody has it It's just some people, you know sleep till eight or nine or ten or whatever it is every single day But Joshua we all know the kind of man Joshua was God chose him to lead the children of Israel And he rose early in the morning. So you should be rising early in the morning Even the virtuous woman was you know, she was working while it was yet dark the Bible says what was yet night look at the Second verse of Joshua chapter 3. That's just a side note Joshua got up early in the morning He was a man that knew how to get things done Look at verse number 2 and it came to pass after three days that the officers went through the host That means you know the people the army the host and they commanded the people saying when you see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God and the priests the Levites bearing it Then you shall remove from your place and go after it yet There shall be a space between you and it about 2,000 cubits by measure a cubit is about 18 inches come not near unto it or a foot and a half I guess if you want to look at it that way that you may know the way by which you must go for you Have not passed this way here to for you basically says follow the Ark at a distance Okay, so when it comes to the Ark you want to you also want to follow the rules Okay, remember somebody touched it who wasn't a Levite before they were carrying it in David's time in the future Not the way they were supposed to and God actually struck the man dead So you want to follow the rules when it comes to the Ark and Joshua said unto the people sanctify Yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you So I mean this must have been an incredibly Exciting time for the people here. They're about to go over that's been 40 years in the making They they messed up, you know 38 40 years ago, and now they finally get to cross over The Jordan River look at verse number six and Joshua spake unto the priest saying Take up the Ark of the Covenant and pass over before the people And they took up the Ark of the Covenant and went before the people and the Lord said unto Joshua This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel that they may know that as I was with Moses So I will be with thee so God is going to perform a miracle here is the first thing and you know God is showing you know God one of the reasons that God is going to perform this miracle He says right here is to show that he is with Joshua and the people just like he was with Moses and the people okay, so it's it's kind of a witness that you know God is with this thing You know God is going with you so God's gonna do this miracle He's not just gonna have them for the river, you know and get across the river, you know how you know Normal people would cross a river. He's going to actually perform a great miracle to show that he's with them It's not enough that he's just saying that he's with them. He's gonna show that he's with them Okay, look at verse number eight and now shall command the priests that bear the Ark of the Covenant saying when you're come to the brink Of the water Jordan he shall stand in the Jordan and Joshua said unto the children of Israel come hither and hear the words of the Lord your God and Joshua said hereby he shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail Drive out before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hibites and the Parasites and the Gurgoshites and the Amorites and the Jebusites so he's saying that you know that God's gonna show you that he's that he's with you That's what God's doing He's gonna show the people that he is with them and that he will fulfill his promise of You know driving out all these people and you say well, you know, why is why does God have to say this so many times? You know, why does God have to say this and then show this miracle? Well, I mean we'll get to that in a few minutes But you know you're gonna try to put yourself in the mindset of these people that were about to enter into this You know, it was a foreign land to them. Yes. It was the promised land, but look there was people living there. I Mean there were cities there that needed to be conquered I mean there was people that were living there Nations that were living there listed here all these people and they didn't want to leave So, I mean that is a situation that they're heading into and God is just giving them reassurance after Reassurance and then he's gonna do this great miracle to actually show them that hey, I'm here. I'm here. Okay verse 11 Behold the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of all the earth passes over before you into Jordan now Therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel out of every tribe of man And it shall come to pass as soon as the souls of the feet of the priests that bear the Ark of the Lord the Lord of all the earth shall rest in the waters of Jordan's that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come Down from above and they shall stand upon and heap Okay, now look it didn't the Jordan River here. It didn't it It didn't just dry up. Okay, it didn't just dry up The Bible says that so the Jordan River just for your information you have that you know It's it's this river that connects these two big lakes is what it looks like It connects the Sea of Galilee and it connects the Dead Sea or as the Bible calls it the salt sea here in a few Chapter but it's this you have the Sea of Galilee and then you have this river that connects the two and Look, it didn't just stop flowing. It all just it came up into a wall this massive Lake of wall of standing water. It says it shall stand upon and heap, you know, there's all this kind of Apologetics, I guess you could call it where people are trying to figure out like how maybe God did things where they're trying to figure out You know like you know he parted the Red Sea because they found a land bridge where the the water was only like two feet deep and if if a long you know a strong wind came in from a certain direction and You know did this weird vortex thing it could possibly dry up that two foot. I mean Or God just part of the sea. I mean I don't really understand that it's you kind of have to wonder if people believe the Bible when they're kind of coming up with These types of things because look I did not God create the entire earth Did not God create the universe and the stars and the heavens. I mean did not God do this in six days I mean he can't part water. I mean come on what you know literally it says here It says, you know, there wasn't a wind that came and blew it just it just it just walled up It just walled up. I mean it was Clearly a miracle look at verse 14 And it came to pass when the people removed from their tents to pass over Jordan and the priests bearing the ark of the Covenant before the people and as they bear the ark that came under the Jordan the feet of the priests that bear the Ark were dipped in the brim of the water for Jordan overflowed all his banks at the time of harvest so I mean This is showing you that the Jordan River was probably a little bit different than the Jordan River today I remember when I saw I remember when I saw you know I've obviously never been to the Middle East in this area, but when I saw that the beyond Jordan Movie I was really surprised. I mean, you know, you're there is this little stream of water And then you look at it on a satellite view and sure enough. It's it's not a big river You know when I was thinking about it, you know, I'm thinking about like, you know When I think of rivers, I think of like the Missouri River in in North Dakota It's like half a mile wide, you know, and or the Yellowstone River these massive Rivers that I'm used to but that's the type of river that this appeared to be it was overflowing its banks This was a big flowing river at this point So I mean to stop all this water must have been quite a scene look at verse 16 And the waters which came down from above from the Sea of Galilee Above stood and rose upon and heap very far from the city Adam that is beside Zaritan so it's saying that look this heap was just it pushed all the way back into These two cities and they're kind of around The the Jordan River Valley that is beside Zaritan and those that came down towards the Sea of the Plain even the salt sea That's the Dead Sea failed and were cut off So the flow into the Dead Sea was completely cut off and the people passed over Right against Jericho. I mean man, you know, you thought the people of Jericho were scared before I mean look at after this whole scene They must have been terrified look at verse 17 and the priests that bear so it wasn't just a wind You know, they were walking through, you know, the mud and the priests that bear the Ark of the Covenant of The Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground until all the people were passed clean over Jordan so, you know what I think about when I read verse 17 is here's what I think about Just imagine like all the fishing louvers that they could find you know what I'm saying brother Francisco I mean the rivers dried up. No, I'm just kidding, but That actually happened in North Dakota They actually cut off the Missouri River with the dam for a certain period of time and they cut the complete river off And that's what people did they went out and they just went and start picking up fish Anyway, I'm sure that wasn't the case here But look the people of Jericho must have been terrified here Because I mean not only did they know that this big hundreds of thousands of people of this army was coming across that That God was already with and they already heard about all the other miracles You know the parting of the Red Sea here They're right at their doorstep and God literally stops the river and they walk across on dry ground and Here they come So let me just give you some thoughts On this miracle and you know why God did this and some application that we can kind of look at it today So here we are we're across the Jordan River here. They are across the Jordan River. I want you to think about this For a minute think about you know being the children of Israel the the river was overflowing its banks It was this huge river God cuts the river off and they all walk across and now they are on the other side of the river and Jericho is right there not only Jericho, but all of their enemies that they must conquer at this point I mean here they are they it was a great thing God dried up the river But guess what guess what happened after God dried up the river The river started flowing again so the river started flowing again and Here they are on the other side and now the river is is back There's actually a river behind me, but the river's back. It's flowing. It's overflowing its banks Probably more so than before it's this huge massive river at their back. Look, there's not really any going back at this point I mean there's not really any turning back at this point. He got prepared the way in front of them But he made it difficult Yay impossible to go back look back at verse number 15 Where the Bible says for the Jordan overflowed all its bank his banks at the time of Harvest it's also interesting to note It's also interesting to note that all these people at this point the children of Israel at this point They were completely gung home They were completely let's go. We're with you Joshua. God's with you Joshua Let's go look go back to numbers 14 though Go back to numbers 14. You have to remember who these people are You have to remember who these people are numbers chapter 14 the reason that they were in the wilderness for 38 years or 40 years is because of the fact that when God sent the 12 spies in the 12 spies came back and The vast majority 10 of those spies said we can't do it We're all going to die if we go across like God says we should go across and So God you know punish them he punished them for their you know lack of faith Look at verse 29 of numbers chapter 14 The Bible says your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness and All that were numbered of you according to your whole number from 20 years old and upward Which have murmured against me doubtless He shall not come into the land concerning which I swear to make you dwell with therein save Caleb the son of Jeff Jeftina and Joshua the son of none, but your little ones which he said should be pray them Well, I bring in They shall know the land which he have despised these were the kids that were reading about here We're reading about at the kids that walked across the dry Jordan River. These were the kids of numbers chapter 14 These were the children These are the children they remember this event they remember This event of numbers chapter 14 of doubting God of their parents and their grandparents Doubting the Lord and the Lord having this fiery indignation against them and punishing them with this This wandering in the wilderness for decades But now these kids are grown up Now these kids are grown up and they are not making the same mistake that their parents did so look It's very clear that they weren't supposed to go back There wasn't really a way for these people to go back for these kids now adults to go back But let me just apply this to you this evening. You know, we're not supposed to look back We're not supposed to look back, and we're not supposed to go halfway turn to Genesis chapter 19 Look, I'm gonna I want to prove to you tonight That the Christian life is not designed for it the Christian life is not designed for either going halfway or Looking back on where you came from the Christian life is not designed from it for it. Look at Genesis chapter 19 Lot lot moved his family, you know towards Sodom and eventually was living in Sodom He was living there to the point where God had to send two angels to get him out of there He had to go in and rescue lot and his wife and his daughters Look at verse number 17 And it came to pass when they had brought them forth abroad that he said escape now This is the angel talking to lot and his family that he said escape for thy life. Look not behind thee Neither stay thou in all the plain escape to the mountain less thou be consumed. He's giving lot direction here He's telling them. He's like hey, don't stay in the plane. He's like Escape to the mountain less you be consumed, but look what he says before he tells him where to go He says don't look behind you He says don't look back Don't look back towards Sodom look at verse 26 But his wife looked back from behind him and she became a pillar of salt so you know She looked back and God killed her for it I Mean well here's what's interesting. Here's this interesting look at look at verse 27 look at verse 27 The Bible says in Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord and he looked Towards Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the plane to be held and low The smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace and then Abraham was turned to salt No, Abraham wasn't turned to salt So his wife lots wife works back at Sodom and she's killed Abraham looks at Sodom as it's being destroyed. He's looking from another place So look these people that say oh, she she she shouldn't she just you know shouldn't have looked at Sodom God didn't want you know anyone to see what was happening. That's not true Abraham looked and he saw what was happening. He saw that it was being destroyed look looking upon it Looking upon it wasn't the issue Many people have this wrong The reason the reason that she was killed is because she was from there It's because she lived there and she was looking back Looking back can make you want to go back. Did you know that don't look back That's the lesson from Genesis 19 and Lot's wife is don't look back from where you came from Abraham wasn't from there No big deal. He's just witnessing God's judgment But she was from there and looking back and make you want to go back Look these angels are like we came all this way to save you God's like I sent these angels all this way to save you and you're gonna look back Which could make you want to go back You know, I mean and don't tell me that there wasn't some yearning in her as she looked back Look, she still had family back there But God wasn't having any part of it. Don't look that's the lesson on Lot's wife You say why would God put that in the Bible? It seems obscure. Doesn't it? It's not obscure at all It's not obscure at all. Don't look back because it'll make you want to go back That is the lesson of Lot's wife and that's why it's in the Bible Abraham look back no big Abraham looked at the city no big deal Let's talk about this. Let's talk about actually going back Actually going back turn to Matthew chapter 12 look the gospel the gospel is funny in this sense The gospel is, you know funny in the sense that you know, it's not really it's not really something to dabble in It's not really something to just you know get saved and then you know go back to your normal life No, that's not really what the Bible teaches at all. I mean That's not how it's going to work for you at all. Look at Matthew chapter 12 in verse number 43 Look what the Bible says when the unclean spirit has gone out of a man. He walked it through dry places Seeking rest and find it none then he sayeth I will return into my house from whence I came out And when he has come he findeth an empty swept and garnished Then goeth he and take it himself with seven other spirits more wicked than himself And they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first Even so shall it be under this wicked generation turn to Hebrews chapter 10. It's interesting that it uses the term dry places there But look it's talking about how you know somebody gets right and then they go back to where they came from and They're worse and they're worse than they were in the first place is what this is talking about look at Hebrews chapter 10 Hebrews chapter 10 look at verse 23 Just for our sake. We'll look at Hebrews 10 verse 23 just for our sake Hebrews 10 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering For he is faithful that promised and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together of the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as You see the day approaching verse 26 for if we sin willfully If we go back After we've received the knowledge of the truth the remaineth no more sacrifice For sins look if you go back to where you came from there's no more sacrifice Jesus isn't going to die again for you Okay, that's what the Bible is saying here But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries He that despised Moses's law died without mercy under two or three witnesses of how much more sore punishment Suppose ye that he be thought worthy who had trodden underfoot the Son of God and had counted the blood of the covenant Wherewith he was sanctified an Unholy thing and had done despite unto the Spirit of grace. Well, he's talking. He's making a Comparison here. He's saying somebody that despised the law of God under Moses Was was killed It doesn't say the person what wasn't saved It says somebody that just just knew what the law wasn't just didn't follow it They were just killed under the law of Moses. It says for you though For you though because I mean like nobody's enforcing Moses's law around here. He said of How much sore punishment suppose ye have been thought worthy look for you You know what you're doing. You're troddening underfoot the Son of God is what the Bible says Wherewith he was sanctified look this this person is saved Is who this is talking about verse 29? He's sanctified look the Bible is saying that this is what's going to happen to a saved person that just disregards God's law Look knowing the law and rejecting it is despising the law verse 28 and He's in for sore punishment the Bible says I mean trodden underfoot the Son of God Look, that's the problem with this church right here. I mean this is I mean It's it's kind of like the name for the church is in here But the problem for this church is is right here too because here's the thing you come to church here you now know I Mean you now know what the Bible says you're gonna know what the Bible says in all these areas You can't claim ignorance. You can't be like officer. I didn't see the sign Because we're showing you the sign Every single, you know Bible study and sermon is about showing you the signs Look, you know what the Bible teaches in every area because we preach the Bible in every area All these areas look all these areas are rivers are Rivers for you Once you know once you cross that river it's going to be difficult if you go back But look people do it all the time People do it all the time and here's what's really depressing Here's what's really depressing is just seeing people like go back and forth Back and forth when they haven't they haven't really they haven't really even stepped onto dry land in the first place They haven't even really gotten to the other side and they just keep going back and forth Back and forth and and look I mean step one is to step out of the river onto the other side folks That's step one. I mean try that try the dry land first. I Mean just try it at least attempt to walk on dry ground on the other side. I mean what you get saved God parts the water God clears the way. I Mean, but these people they get to the edge The river starts flowing again and then they go back in the river and they start swimming in circles I mean you're just like what in the world But look, I mean it sounds tiring and You see people that do this you know people to do this and it is tiring Imagine what the people on the shores on the other side are thinking they're on you know They're on the shore, you know, they're they're sold out. They've crossed the river They're ready to go fight because look it's not just crossing the river There's battles over there That need to be fought. You know what you need for battles bodies people help You know and you're I mean you got all these you got these sold out people on the other side of the river And they're looking at all these people swimming circles in the river and they're just like What in the world? Why are they in the middle of the river? I don't know. I don't know Don't they know how to get over here? They just keep swimming in circles They won they're going this way and they're going this way. Oh, they almost made all they went back again. What? Why don't they just cross? Why don't they just cross the river? I mean why did they go in the river in the first place? If they're not going to cross the river. I Mean even Jesus knew this turn to Revelation chapter 3 Turn to revel. I mean what a joke. You're like what in the world. I Mean even Jesus look Jesus said this isn't some analogy. I'm making up Jesus said just get across the river or don't go in You're like don't go in the river at all. No don't go in if you're gonna go in the river and swim in circles Jesus is like please just stay on the other side I'm not talking about salvation But Jesus is just like just don't even just don't go in the river and swim in circles I mean, why would you what sense does that make? Look at Revelation chapter 3 look at verse 14 Revelation 3 14 the Bible says unto the angel of the church of the lay of the lay of the sea and is right These things say at the amen the faithful and true witness the beginning of the creation of God. That's Jesus I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot. I Would that work I would a would thou work cold or hot these people are in the middle of the river right here these people aren't on the the bank on the east side and They're not trying to get over to the west side They're just like they're in the middle of the river and they're swimming in circles He says though thou so then because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will spew thee out of my mouth look. I totally get this verse This is so true right here Wait look because when you're all in on something And you see people dabbling their toes in the water and then they fall in and they you know They start flopping around in there and then it looks like they're swimming And then they turn and then they start going the other way and you're just I mean look it's confusing It's confusing and look It's embarrassing Jesus is like this embarrassing It's like it's embarrassing just stay on the east side It's like just please stay over there. We got this He's like I would he didn't say I wish you were hot He said I wish you were cold or hot then whatever it is that you think you're doing spinning in circles Jesus is just like just just stay cold and then the people that are hot will just do what they're supposed to do I mean, I mean, that's why he said he didn't say all that makes me uncomfortable or I wish you wouldn't do He's like I'll spew you out of my mouth I'm in some pretty strong language there Look, I mean what? Why do you think we have gained more people from other churches in the area? You ever think about that? I'll tell you why right now because there's some rivers to cross That's why I mean you start talking about you start talking about like things like the things that we preach about like a lot Right like things like separation. Look, that's something that you actually have to do. I Mean, that's a river that you have to cross You start talking about things like you know protecting your kids from the world and and teaching your kids the Bible and how that is just Never going to work with the public school system And that's why we push homeschooling and that you know that's just something look if you care about your kids And you care about not just throwing them to the world. You're just going to have to homeschool. Well, that's a river right there That's a river to some people that is a river that's overflowing the banks and they're like how am I going to get across that thing and They can't even imagine, you know crossing a river like that That that's why That's why soul winning what soul winning is work So when it is work, you know Nobody in this church probably thinks of it this way But soul winning to somebody who has never gone out there and knock doors is a terrifying thought I mean you remember the first time that you got out of your car or whatever you're like I'm actually going to go knock on these people's door and and and ask them if I can show them the Bible I mean, it's a terrifying thought when you're not into it and you're not used to doing it Look, that's a river that people need to cross. Look, this isn't this isn't a church that we're I'm not look I'm not trying to get people to this church By like look, we're fun. Okay We're fun. We do a lot of fun stuff, but I don't want to get people to this church that way I Don't I don't want to like, you know leave a candy trail to try to get people. No, I don't build this church the right way I Want to get on it? I want to show people These rivers and and show people how to look God will part the waters. There's no problem There's no problem with that, but look there's rivers and look all these things when you cross these rivers There's there's fights on the other side That's another thing When you start when you start practicing these things in your life and separating and doing the things that the Bible I mean look what not just sitting up here and you know listening to some, you know moron in a in a hoodie, you know Talking about you know spread love not germs. I mean what in the world I mean, that's what when you actually start preaching the Bible and showing people that hey It is possible to follow the Bible even in this wicked world that we have today It's possible to raise a biblical family even in this world that we have today That's the power of of God on your life, but if you do it the right way, but look here's the thing I mean that's intimidating to people. That's how I want to build the church though That's how God wants to build the church and bring a bunch of people in here Hey, you know, you know, it's it's super fun church and then you know Maybe we'll get him saved or whatever. No, we're gonna build it with that's why I don't really care about the building too much I know we need a building and we're gonna try to find, you know Some different options and all some of you are helping with that and I'm thankful but ultimately, you know, who cares? Ultimately, oh, you know if we go to a nicer part of town Look, I want people coming here because of what's preached and what we're learning and what we're teaching and and what we're practicing here Not not because, you know, we're in a nice part of town I mean look, you know all these things by the way will bring trouble to you When that when the is children of Israel they cross the river they had trouble on the other side But look the Lord is going to be fighting with you So I mean here's the thing people will be mad that you cross the river People will be offended that you cross the river, but look, I mean, I never cared too much about that Why because the stakes were too high, that's why I Knew what was at risk? I knew it was at risk and as I got older look see I was paying attention See I was paying attention and I was watching the results of those around me And and I didn't want those results. I Didn't want those results and ultimately what drove me here was you know that just It it all it all seems easy to just stay on the other side of the river sometimes You know that you know to just to just never really to never really cross the river Look, it's really hard to get in it Look, it's really I'm do you understand the two different things. I'm talking about to get in the river and swim in circles I'll never understand that But it's really easy. It's a really easy short-term solution to just never just even get in the river I want a lot of these things to just stay on your side. That's why that's why a Lot of people will just never come to church here Because they just don't want to get in that river, but you know what? It's the worst path It's the worst path with the most disastrous results And and those people that would not dip their toes in the water that would not cross that river They would not they wouldn't even walk across the dry ground when God parts the waters for them Those people they will pay a heavy price and I guarantee you Saved people that do that will look back in 20 years and they will be like, oh man. I Didn't know the price was this heavy. I Guarantee it and look ultimately for the people swimming in circles Ultimately at some point it'll be too late to cross Because there will be there will be consequences there too at any rate I mean even James 1-8 comes to mind a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways It makes no sense to be in the river It makes no sense to be in there and to stay there if you're gonna get wet just get in there Just get going and get across double-minded and double-mindedness is just ugly all around folks It's basically, you know get in the river cross the river and you know the children of Israel were basically at that point They were in a fight or die situation And this really would have what it comes down to you know ask yourself I mean are you in the river? You know, how's your Christian life going? You know, how's your Christian life going? How's your family? Are there areas that you just won't cross? Just remember I mean look God parts the waters for you God parts the waters for you But the waters will rush back in they're not going to just stay parted forever You and just sit there and like you know walk around is the big wall of water standing there walk around Should I cross should I not cross these people walk straight across? God part of the waters look God parting the waters is you knowing what to do Okay, that's God parting the waters for you God parting the waters is you is you hearing a Bible study you reading the Bible you hearing preaching and just saying I know What to do in this area of my life I? Said that to my wife one time Be like man I you know in a in a tongue-and-cheek sort of way I was like you know it almost seems easier to not know what we know now But we can't not know what we know now neither can you Knowing what to do is the waters being put up and standing around you, but just Walking around in circles those waters aren't going to stay up there forever Those waters will rush back in the children of Israel. They were not going back. They remembered They remembered numbers 14 they remembered their parents, but look you don't have this example You don't have this example, but the results of going back or even looking back will be the same. They'll be just as disastrous Look, this is why this is why On Sunday mornings, so Sunday evenings. We usually do some kind of series, you know that to try to you know Explore some area, you know Sunday mornings. I really kind of focus I'm going to give up my secrets here, but I really try to focus a lot on things that are happening in the world You say why why I try to point out, you know a lot of things that are really messed up I got some good ones coming up by the way There's a lot look I was I was off today, and I read the news for about an hour today And I haven't done that in a long time man. It's messed up It's messed up up out there But that's why that's why I Preach on Sunday mornings. I try to point out how messed up this world is because look That's what's on the east side That's what you're going back to, you know a preach on convergence of everything, you know the perversion out there Look, that's what's on the other side. That's what you're going to look back at The complete abandonment of God out there. I mean, that's what's back there. The status quo is back there It's not a small thing It's not a small thing the more rivers you can completely cross folks in your Christian life The more you can mitigate the danger of all this. Did you know that? I mean, I don't know what more I have to say if you're sitting here saying that like that, you know This seems like a theme this year. Oh, you got it Thanks for paying attention if you thought that It's on purpose Ultimately look Looking back will cause you doubts Looking back will cause you doubts you say, you know, all look ultimately what convinced me to sell out You say, what does that mean sell out? Let's let's let's talk about that for a second. Let me give you that definition What does that mean to just sell out for the Lord? What does it mean to because I mean, I think some people maybe think that oh, yeah, you know Oh, I'm I'm doing pretty good, you know, and all this here's what it means to sell out Here's what it means, you know, you're three to thrive You're sold out You're soul winning. You're sold out Look, we aren't missing church in my family We plan our lives around church. You say you run the place. I know but even before In Sacramento, we didn't miss church Because we're sold out. We planned our lives around church. Why? Because I'm insane and think that if I miss church, I'll go to hell. No because I want my kids to grow up that way Because I want my kids to know that I want my kids I mean, do you see a pattern here where he's saying the next generation the next generation the next generation again and again and again From Joshua to Moses to to it's everywhere in the Old Testament. It's all about the next generation That's why you sell out Look, I sold out for personal reasons, but ultimately I want my kids to sell out and look That's what convinced me to sell out That's what convinced me because there was no other solution for my kids That's what convinced me. What else is sold out responding to preaching. You know, here's a funny one. Here's a funny one. I Was a YouTube guy back when it before I moved to a church We I mean we went to church But I was a I was a YouTube listening to YouTube preaching all the time. You know what I didn't do though You know what I didn't do. I didn't just go like and that like tons of people do this. I didn't do this You know what I did Look if you can take a sermon to the face You're sold out What am I saying? I'm saying you can take a sermon to the face something that applies to you and You can say That's me. I Need to fix that That's somebody that sold out that can do that But I loved sermons like that. I Went and I I listened to sermons and I'd be like, oh man, I Knew that I knew that was wrong. I Knew I need to be fixing that and I you know because many times I just I made so many excuses in my life about all this and just take a sermon to the face And there's no getting around it You're like, yeah, it's right there in the Bible And what the stuff on sin and all these things what those are I mean, there's no getting around those You know you take you know some people need a sermon like a chair to the face should be a bumper sticker I'm pretty sure it is in some way shape or form, but look that's being sold out That's being sold out But what convinced me was because there was no other solution look there was I could have stayed on the other side of the river I'd have been very happy over there I'd have been successful over there I'd have done nothing with my life. I'd have been successful in the world over there But I lost everything Does it make sense? That's what's at stake That's what's at stake. That's what convinced me there's no other solution Look the only path to success for them was on the other side of the river and look fighting Fighting because you get on the other side There's fighting That's what we're gonna do God clears the way and you head across the river and look Get your head turned in the right direction and get out of the water and then there's a fight in front of us And then there's a fight in front of us because look We're not promised this beautiful on you know, there's division that's gonna come from that That that's our fight Going out and and struggling to to wrestle souls out of the grasps of this Messed up philosophy that we live in and all these messed up religions that have come out of The Catholic Church or the Reformation or whatever look that's a fight That's a fight and on the other side of the river if you're in that fight and You're pushing towards that fight. You know what clean it up in front of the church is a fight These things are fights. I mean clean in the church is a fight You know fixing things is a fight the Christian life is a fight, but I love it It's such I mean It's the right way and you know what you know why I love it And you know why you'll love it too if you just get your tail across the river and get moving You'll love it because God's fighting with you and you can tell that he is And this is coming from a guy that when he was in his 20s would hear friends of mine talk about oh well The Lord let me in this direction. I would sit there. I wasn't saved but I would sit there and be like yeah Does God talk to you? This is me now I'm telling you that you get across the river and you start moving in the Bible direction and you can feel God fighting with you You go when you start making big moves in your life for the Lord and you could feel God with you there I've never seen God You know Move in my life before you know, but you got to move first That's the problem you got to get across the river because look there's a big fight in front of us There's a big fight in front of us and we're gonna fight it here You know, I mean look we're gonna have fun. We'll go fishing and hiking and do all this stuff But really what we're doing is we're fighting That's our goal here. We're fighting for people's souls. We're fighting to grow this ministry We're fighting for people's families in this church We're fighting for the next generation in this church We're fighting to teach these kids the Bible when 99% of the people out there in this world are trying to teach them something That's the opposite And we're gonna win that fight here, but it's not gonna come by just sitting back to a nothing and Just having fun and having a picnic. No, that's why people won't come here But look they're gonna pay They're gonna pay But we're gonna fight here We're crossing that river and look it's really obvious when you're like five miles from the river and somebody else's moving the river going Which way? That's why it's so obvious Just sell out and get across the river and let's go. I mean, that's where we're headed look That's where we're headed in the next year Let's bow our heads