Seeing Clearly: Give Up

Seeing Clearly: One More, Don’t Stop Now

September 18th, 2022/Casey Middle School

Story: Have you ever felt like ____giving up____?

Intro:

Marriage - when you’ve tried to resolve the conflict, but you’ve been feeling like it might be time to ______give up______?

Finances - when you’re behind on rent, hospital bills keep pushing you further in debt, and you’ve wondered if it’s time to __________?

Kids - When you’ve prayed and prayed but your child seems too far from God and you’ve almost ____________?

Church - when you’ve served faithfully and you feel overlooked and nobody truly understands your pain and you just want to _______.

Addiction… Friendships… Justice… Relationship to God…

Just stop. You were never going to make it anyways. You’re not worthy of it even if you did finish. Just take a break, it’ll be there tomorrow. Did God really say? Just stop and give up.

Passage: Joshua 6:1-16 CSB

Now Jericho was strongly fortified because of the Israelites—no one leaving or entering. 2 The Lord said to Joshua, “Look, I have handed Jericho, its king, and its best soldiers over to you. 3 March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry seven ram’s-horn trumpets in front of the ark. But on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the rams’ horns. 5 When there is a prolonged blast of the horn and you hear its sound, have all the troops give a mighty shout. Then the city wall will collapse, and the troops will advance, each man straight ahead.”

6 So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord.” 7 He said to the troops, “Move forward, march around the city, and have the armed men go ahead of the ark of the Lord.” 8 After Joshua had spoken to the troops, seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns before the Lord moved forward and blew the rams’ horns; the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. 9 While the rams’ horns were blowing, the armed men went in front of the priests who blew the rams’ horns, and the rear guard went behind the ark. 10 But Joshua had commanded the troops, “Do not shout or let your voice be heard. Don’t let one word come out of your mouth until the time I say, ‘Shout!’ Then you are to shout.” 11 So the ark of the Lord was carried around the city, circling it once. They returned to the camp and spent the night there.

12 Joshua got up early the next morning. The priests took the ark of the Lord, 13 and the seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns marched in front of the ark of the Lord. While the rams’ horns were blowing, the armed men went in front of them, and the rear guard went behind the ark of the Lord. 14 On the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. 15 Early on the seventh day, they started at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same way. That was the only day they marched around the city seven times. 16 After the seventh time, the priests blew the rams’ horns, and Joshua said to the troops, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city.

Pray:

Background:

Moses had led the nation of Israel out of slavery and had wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. After Moses passed away, Joshua became the leader of the nation and conquered the land and received the reward of the promised land. Here in this text we see God call Joshua to a unique assignment. This is not your typical method of conquering a “strongly fortified city”. But God had a different lesson He wanted to teach Joshua and the people of Israel.

Title: One More, Don’t Stop Now

The Lie: GIVE UP

Big Idea:

God will bring about the outcome, our responsibility is obedience despite the assignment or circumstances.

Main Points:

1. Sometimes Obedience Looks Ridiculous
   1. 2 The Lord said to Joshua, “Look, I have handed Jericho, its king, and its best soldiers over to you. 3 March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry seven ram’s-horn trumpets in front of the ark. But on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the rams’ horns.

   2. God speaks in the past tense on future events

      1. When God says it, it’s done. He is the only One that can do and say this!
         3. What impresses and inspires me now
      2. “I used to be impressed by people that have the faith to start things, now I’m impressed by people who have the fortitude to finish it.” - SF

      3. I’m looking further. I’m thinking higher. I want to sit under the couple who’s been married 30 years and ask some good questions. I’m reading books, listening to podcast, and leaning in to general saints. Who’ve kept the faith, who’s stayed the course, who’s gone the extra lap!

         4. Illust: looking up and gaining a new perspective

      4. What’s blocking your perspective to what God has for you? Your perspective could be limited.

      5. (Glasses) - Look up - see higher (catch a glimpse)
      6. Look over - see further (catch a vision)
      7. Often the walls are so high that you cannot see, so you have to remember the last thing that He said.

      8. Sometimes you’re stronger when you cannot see. Could it be that faith is making you stronger! Building a dependence on God! I don’t know what we’re doing here, I look ridiculous, but I TRUST IN GOD!

         5. Application: What have you almost given up on, that God is calling you to grow in? (Or go through?)

      9. I was just about to give up on starches… but pastor said I need to grow in…

      10. I was about to give up fast food, but pastor said I needed to drive thru it…
      11. What if God is calling you to do something ridiculous, “this doesn’t make sense”, people might laugh at us kind of a way, so that He alone can receive the Glory from it?!

      12. Sometimes Obedience Feels Redundant

          1. But Joshua had commanded the troops, “Do not shout or let your voice be heard. Don’t let one word come out of your mouth until the time I say, ‘Shout!’ Then you are to shout.” 11 So the ark of the Lord was carried around the city, circling it once. They returned to the camp and spent the night there.
          2. So let me get this straight, you want me to walk, seven days, and then shout. And then do it again, and again, and again.

      13. Yes, don’t stop until I tell you.

      14. Story: Meeting on Sundays in the early days of Pinewood.
      15. I remember when I sensed God saying “keep showing up. I’m doing something.” So the next Sunday… one more lap. The next year… one more lap. Today we are here with expectant hearts believing that God keeps His promises as we persevere!
      16. “For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised.” - Hebrews 10:36

      17. But Persevering Obedience Will Reap A Reward

          1. Early on the seventh day, they started at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same way. That was the only day they marched around the city seven times. 16 After the seventh time, the priests blew the rams’ horns, and Joshua said to the troops, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city.
          2. Outcome of giving up:

      18. Fall short of the promise

      19. Miss out on your calling

      20. Send a message to the next generation

          3. Ps Steven Furtick “Don’t Stop on Six”

      21. Joshua doesn’t give the sixth day a special meaning. Here’s how I’d apply it: six is often called the number of man, humanity falling short

          4. The progress isn’t obvious

      22. I’ll keep working if I can see it working

      23. Illust: Playing a video game and going to the next level
      24. Would have been nice for a brick to fall each lap.
      25. If you want me to keep walking, let me know it’s working.
      26. He is always working in the waiting. And He never leaves an abandoned project.

      27. “I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 1:6

          5. Story: Florence Chadwick:

      28. Swam the English Channel both ways. 1952, Chadwick decided to attempt a 26 mile swim between the California coastline and Catalina island. 15 hours into her swim, a very heavy fog settled in and she lost her bearing and she couldn’t see. Confused and discouraged she wanted to get in the boat. They said “keep swimming keep swimming!” Once she got in to the boat and could hear everybody she realized that the shore was less than a half mile away. I don’t know who this is for, but you may be closer than you think.

      29. ONE MORE. DON’T STOP NOW. YOU’RE TOO CLOSE TO QUIT.
      30. Specific Prayer - keep praying
      31. Tired and Weary - keep serving
      32. Stressed About Finances - keep working, keep giving

      33. Worried about Health - keep trusting, keep believing!

          6. “Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.” - Galatians 6:9

      34. Success is not in how big you do it, but how you keep doing it.

      35. Success is not in how you feel doing it, but how you keep doing it.
      36. Success is not in how well you do it, but in how you keep doing it.
          7. Pray, Praise, Persevere! (Repeat)

Closing: Going The Second Mile

“And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two.” - Matthew 5:41

Principle of the extra mile

Law against the Jews. The Romans were in control over the Jews and they would humiliate them by forcing them to carry their equipment.

It has been said that a father in that age would take a staff and give it to his boy at four years of age and he would say “son, follow me”. So he would mark off a mile and he would have him follow him for a mile.

He would tell his boy, when you go one mile, you stop and end your mile and be done with that pagan gentile.

Jesus said this about how to respond to someone who forces you, without getting even. Here’s how I’d apply it: do more than what is required by the law. A deeper principle. A higher perspective.

One more lap, one more shout, one more mile, till the race is done. I’m not stopping… till He tells me to stop. I’m gonna keep walkin. Keep preachin. Keep having faith.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Sometimes obedience looks ridiculous, sometimes it feels redundant, but persevering obedience will reap a reward if you DO NOT GIVE UP!

STAY THE COURSE

KEEP SAYING YES

TAKE ONE MORE STEP, ONE MORE LAP, ONE MORE MILE, ONE MORE SHOUT!

GOD’S NOT DONE WITH YOU!

You can either throw in the towel or pick it up

God didn’t throw in the towel on you, He picked it up and washed feet. He served, He laid down His life…