God's History of Grace (Joshua 24:1-13) - a podcast by Mid Cities OPC

On November 22, 2020, Pastor Joe Troutman preached, "God's History of Grace" from Joshua 24:1-13.

The mighty deeds of Jesus Christ have washed us clean of sin, and he remembers them no more.

1. From Abraham to Egypt (vs. 1-4) 

"Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. 3 Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac. 4 And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. And I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt."

Even hard providences are part of his plan. The captivity was not an error, but a blessing. Israel's time in slavery set them up for deliverance. We forget what God does for us because we demand too much too soon.

2. Out of Africa (vs. 5-7) 

"5 And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and afterward I brought you out. 6 “‘Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. 7 And when they cried to the Lord, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time."

If you have faith in Christ, this is how he looks at your sin: it is rebellion. This is how he remembers it: Though God could have brought up their sin, he doesn't do it. His focus is not on their performance, but on his deliverance. 

3. The Conquest (vs. 8-13)

"8 Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you. 9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. And he sent and invited Balaam the son of Beor to curse you, 10 but I would not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I delivered you out of his hand. 11 And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand. 12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow. 13 I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.’"

 "Just like Abraham, we were deserving of nothing but judgment before the Lord called us to himself. Because of our sin, the only thing that we deserve is his curse. But God has blessed us. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has defeated all of our enemies. The things of this life that we can be so afraid of, the Lord has already taken care of them for us, and we who are in Jesus Christ, we know that there can be no true harm that can befall us who believe in Jesus Christ." 

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