Church of the Nazarene

NAMES OF JESUS · LAST FEW WEEKS-ThanksGIVING · TWO UPDATES: A. WE ARE A PROCESSING CENTER-DID 8,552 BOXES B. TOTAL INCLUDING COUNTIES FROM BEFORE 25,346 C. INCREASE OF OVER 3000 SHOEBOXES D. LAST WEEK RHONDA PAULSON ISAIAH 117 HOUSE E. SO FAR 2 DAYS WE HAD GIVEN OVER 17K DIRECTLY TO HER OR THROUGH CHURCH- NO ONLINE GIVING. WHATS IN A NAME · HELLO MY NAME IS? · LAST TIME YOU WORE NAME TAG/ · WHY DO WE WEAR ONE? · MEET SOMEONE A SECOND TIME AND YOU CAN’T REMEMBER THEIR NAME? · OR YOU GO TO INTRODUCE THEM TO SOMEONE AND YOU JUST BLANK? · TODAY WE START – IMPORTANCE OF A NAME DEFINITION OF WORD NAME: WORD OR SET OF WORDS BY WHICH A PERSON, ANIMAL PLACE OR THING IS KNOWN. ANGELA/ AMANDA/CHRIS NAMES MEAN SOMETHING- SOME SAY THEY PROPHETIC · ANGELA: (IN CHARGE OF EVERYONE)-MESSENGER OF GOD · AMANDA: WORTHY OF LOVE · CHRIS: BEARER OF CHRIST DARYL/JANETTE/JOE · DARYL: BELOVED/OAK TREE · JANETTE: GOD IS GRACIOUS/ GRACED BY YAHWEH · JOE: MAY JEHOVAH GIVE INCREASE BILLY/SAM · BILLY: RESOLUTE PROTECTOR · SAM: GOD HEARS SLIDE 6: JASMINE/JEREMIAH/RUTH/KEVIN · JASMINE: FRAGRANT FLOWER/GIFT FROM GOD. · JEREMIAH: GOD WILL UPLIFT/APPOINTED BY GOD · RUTH: COMPASSIONATE FRIEND · KEVIN: HANDSOME NAMES WERE GIVEN IN THE BIBLE AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE TIME IN AN EFFORT TO DEFINE THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF THEIR CHILD. HEBREW NAMES: · A KEYSTONE FOR IDENTITY FOR THEM · THE NAME THEY CHOSE IS BELIEVED TO IMPACT WHAT THAT CHILD WILL BECOME SCRIPTURE GENESIS 2:19 Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. (ADAM DOESN’T HAVE A NAME YET) SCRIPTURE GENESIS 2:20 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. SLIDE 9: SCRIPTURE GENESUS 2:21 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. · EVE IS NOT NAMED UNTIL AFTER THE FALL. · EVE “NAME MEANS GIVER OF LIFE” · HER WAS SIGNIFIGANT BC CHRIST WOULD COME SLIDE 10: SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 1:22 22. ALL THIS TOOK PLACE TO FULFILL WHAT THE LORD HAD SAID THROUGH THE PROPHET: “THE VIRGIN WILL CONCEIVE AND GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND THEY WILL CALL HIM IMMANUEL” (WHICH MEANS “GOD IS WITH US”) SLIDE 11: CATHY- CATHE-KATHY-KATHI 10. AGAIN THE LORD SPOKE TO AHAZ, 11.ASK THE LORD YOUR GOD FOR A SIGN, WETHER IN THE DEEPEST DEPTHS OR IN THE HIGHEST HEIGHTS.” 12. BUT AHAZ SAID, “I WILL NOT ASK, I WILL NOT PUT THE LORD TO THE TEST.” SCRIPTURE ISAIAH 7:13-14 13. THEN ISAIAH SAID, “HEAR NOW, YOU HOUSE OF DAVID! IS IT NOT ENOUGH TO TRY THE PATIENCE OF HUMANS? WILL YOU TRY THE PATIENCE OF MY GOD ALSO? 14. THEREFORE THE LORD HIMSELF WILL GIVE YOU A SIGN: THE VIRGIN WILL CONCEIVE AND GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND WILL CALL HIM IMMANUEL. · PEOPLE WERE BEING ATTACKED/OPPRESSED · KING AHAZ WAS FEARFUL/ANXIETY AND DREAD · GOD SHOWS UP AND SAYS” I WILL GIVE A SIGN” JESUS 50% HUMAN/ 50% 50%GOD · JESUS WASN’T 50 % HUMAN, 50 % GOD · MARY A HUMAN GAVE BIRTH TO A GOD MAN · JESUS WAS 100% HUMAN AND 100 % GOD · GOD WITH US, IMMANUEL THINK ABOUT HOW LONG PEOPLE HAVE WAITED DIDN’T FULLY KNOW WHAT THEY WERE WAITING FOR · LAST THING YOU WAITED A LONG TIME FOR? · WAITING GOES BACK TO THE GARDEN TREE · 4000 YEARS · 60 PROPECHIES GIVEN · A DARK- VERY DARK TIME IN HISTORY · ROMAN OPPRESSION VIDEO THE CHOSEN · THE PEOPLE HE ANNOUNCES HIS ARRIVAL TO · SHEPHERDS · THE AWE- THE EXCITEMENT · THE HOPE THAT HAS NOW ARRIVED SCRIPTURE PHILIPPIANS 2:9 9. THEREFORE GOD EXALTED HIM TO THE HIGHEST PLACE AND GAVE HIM THE NAME THAT IS ABOVE EVERY NAME. 10. THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY NAME OF KNEE SHOULD BOW, IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH AND UNDER THE EARTH. (THINK ABOUT PLACES WHO WILL BOW LISTED HERE) NAMES UNDER JESUS THE TOP 10 NAMES ALL TIME IN HISTORY 1. MOTHER THERESA 2. GEORGE WASHINGTON 3. ALEXANDER THE GREAT 4. NAPOLEAN 5. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 6. ABE LINCOLN 7. ARISTOTLE 8. HITLER 9. MUHAMMAD THEY ARE ALL UNDER THE NAME ALL TIME OF JESUS · A MAN WHO TRAVELED VERY LITTLE – HIS NAME IS THE MOST FAMOUS NAME OF ALL TIME WORLD WIDE- · THIS NAME HIS NAME STATES A PURPOSE- WHY HE CAME HIS NAME IS POWER SCRIPTURE LUKE 10:17 17: THE SEVENTY-TWO RETURNED WITH JOY AND SAID “LORD, EVEN THE DEMONS SUBMIT TO US IN YOUR NAME” · HIS NAME IS PERSONAL HES THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR HES COUNSELOR/MIGHTY GOD EVERLASTING FATHER HAD NO MEDICAL DEGREE BUT CALLED HIM HEALER HE HAD NO SERVANTS AND THEY CALLED HIM MASTER HAD NO DEGREE BUT THEY CALED HIM RABBI/TEACHER HE HAD NO MILITARY TRAINING YET HE CONQUERED THE WORLD WHERE’S WALDO PICTURE · BOOK THAT CAME OUT YEARS AGO · THE IDEA IS THERES A CHARACTER BLENDED IN WALDO ACTION PICTURE · EACH PAGE GETS HARDER TO FIND HIM · EACH PAGE THEY TRY AND LOOK MORE LIKE HIM · I CHECKED THIS WEEK-HES ON EVERY PAGE · IN MY LIFE-SOME DAYS HARDER TO SEE HIM · HE’S BEEN

https://www.bible.com/events/49354939 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus The Names of Jesus Part 1 East Rock Emmanuel, God with us. Today we begin our Advent teaching series "The Names of Jesus" Throughout this series we are looking at a few of the different names that the scriptures give to Jesus. Names In the bible often hold far more meaning and importance than what we are accustomed to in our time. Names often spoke of a persons character and even their destiny. The same is true for Jesus. We begin our series today with a name for Jesus found at the very heart of the Christmas story. Emmanuel. Matthew 1:18-19 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. Mary and Joseph are pledged or betrothed. Betrothal was similar to our idea of engagement, except it was legally binding. During this betrothal Mary has been found to be pregnant. Here we need to slow down and walk with the characters in the story. Mary was likely a teenager, pledged to be married. The gospel of Luke records that she was visited by an angle to tell her that she would bear a son. She knows the stigma that will bring. The potential punishment of stoning by the law. But, she says yes. Jospeh. He’s been working hard to prepare his home. He loves Mary, they have hopes and dreams together. And now this. This is the scene, this is the confusion, the tension, the hurt, the frustration and fear. Joseph ponders his options. This is the story of God coming to be with us. Matthew 1:20-21 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” One night in the midst of this turmoil an angel of the Lord comes to him in a dream. The angels message confirms Mary’s story that it was a work of the Lord in her life. She was telling the truth. Joseph needed to go ahead and taker her as his wife. He had a part to play in what God was doing too Matthew 1:22-23 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). As Matthew is recalling the story of Jesus’ birth, he pauses to help is readers make a connection. Quoting from the Prophet Isaiah hundreds of years before Jesus was born, Matthew recalls the time when another child was born as a sign of God’s presence with his people and his faithfulness to them. In the birth of Jesus, Matthew sees the prophet Isiah’s words fulfilled in a much more meaningful and powerful way. What was true hundreds of years before in the nation of Judah, is now fulfilled completely in the coming of Jesus. Jesus is not just another sign- he is literally God with us, stepping into our messy and complicated story for our salvation. Emanuel is God with us. Over the next few weeks as we journey towards Christmas, we will look at a few of the other names given to Jesus in the scriptures. We will see Jesus as a wonderful counsellor, the prince of peace. He is Savior, sent to save his people from their sins. Then finally on Christmas Eve, we will see Jesus as the light of the world, dispelling darkness and brining hope Each of these titles is revealing of the very nature and character of Jesus and they invite us to know him more. That’s certainly true of Emmanuel The name Emmanuel invites us to recognize that God is with us. To believe that He is not aloof, unaware of the messiness and challenges of our daily lives. But he is with us, regardless of how we feel. He is Emmanuel, God with us.

Ronda Paulson is the Founder and Executive Director of Isaiah 117 House. Isaiah 117 House is a nonprofit which provides transitional support for children in foster care and for those who come around those who come around those kids during that time. The Isaiah 117 House was founded on the scripture passage Isaiah 1:17 “Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.” Isaiah 117 House Rockingham website link https://linktr.ee/isaiah117houserockinghamcova

https://www.bible.com/events/49351445 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus ThanksGIVING Part 2 East Rock "Generosity flows from a heart of compassion." Today we are concluding our 2-part teaching series on ThanksGIVING. This series is not about a percentage to give, or a guilt trip into doing something. This is about coming to see God’s compassionate heart lived out through our generous actions in the world. Today we are going to look at a story in the bible of people giving beyond their means. Before we can dive into unpacking the teaching text of 2 Corinthians 8, we need to get a running start at what’s happening. During this time the believers in Jerusalem were really struggling. Scholars aren’t sure what exactly was happening in Jerusalem that led to such dire circumstances. Whatever the reason, the bible tells us people in Jerusalem were in need. While all this is going on in Jerusalem, the Apostle Paul was traveling around the Roman empire preaching and teaching the gospel and he wanted to help. As he was going to different cities to preach, he was collecting money to give to the church in Jerusalem to relieve their suffering. As we come to our teaching text in 2 Corinthians 8, Paul is highlighting the generosity of one specific group of believers from the region of Macedonia. 2 Corinthians 8:1-2 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. As the Christians in Jerusalem were struggling, the Christians in Macedonia were having a hard time as well. Here again, we aren’t exactly sure what was to blame for their plight. It’s believed that persecution of Christians was severe in this region effecting their ability to provide for basic needs. Whatever the cause was, the language Paul uses to describe their condition is stark. He said they were under a “severe trial”. And it was so severe was the situation left them in extreme poverty. The word here literally translated means “down to the depths poverty” or we might say- they were at rock bottom or dirt poor. For all that their circumstances had taken from them, it did not take their joy. It didn’t stop them from taking action to love others. But notice that as Paul holds up the example of the Macedonians, he says “Let me tell you about the grace God has given them” This whole conversation about generosity is because the grace of God. It was his divine enablement, his favor at work in their lives. 2 Corinthians 5:3-4 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. We don’t know how much they gave because Paul never tells us. And that’s probably because the amount doesn’t matter at all. Generosity is not about an amount. Paul says they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond. I think what he is trying to say here is that they gave more than what was comfortable. It was sacrificial giving, it stretched them, and they wanted to do it. 2 Corinthians 8:5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. For the Christians of Macedonia, their generosity was an outflow of their relationship to the Lord. They saw their generosity as and expression of love and devotion to the Lord. They realized it was part of their service to him as their Lord and savior. Even in the midst of their own extreme trial and poverty, giving wasn’t an optional part of their lives. It was a priority. That’s the Macedonian generosity. For the remainder of Chapter 8 and all of Chapter 9 Paul talks and teaches about generosity following the Macedonian example. I want to share some things that really stood out to me about the Macedonians story. Here’s the question I have been asking: How do I take a step of faith in that direction? The answer would be different for each of us, of course, but a few things have really stood out to me in this story. They gave themselves to the Lord, they received his grace. The kind of generosity the bible calls for, the kind that the Macedonians show us- It won’t happen on our own. If we are going to experience the kind of generosity we read about here- we have to start by giving ourselves to the Lord. We have to give our lives to him. We need to be experiencing new life in Christ, his transforming grace at work in our lives. The Macedonians joyfully refused to miss out on what God was doing in their world. They caught the passion and the vision of how God was moving to meet the tangible needs of people around them, and they weren’t going to miss it for anything. They believed in the mission of the church and they were willing to leverage their lives to see the mission happen. And friend

This Sunday and next Sunday we will be speaking on the topic of Thanks Giving. Today we are going to talk about compassion as an expression of giving thanks. As you know, the bible calls and teaches us to give generously of our time, talents, and resource to the people around us. And at times, to people we will never know and never see. Jesus helps us to live a generous life when we look at people through His eyes. At the center of the heart of God we find a spirit of extravagant generosity. This is a characteristic that God desires for each of His children to have. In one of the parables Jesus taught, He talks about eyes that looked at the same thing but see things differently. In it, Jesus gives us a powerful lesson on the significance of loving our neighbor. Transition I want to begin by asking you what these three words have in common? Deoxyribonucleic Acid, Ethos, and Identity. • Deoxyribonucleic Acid – also known as DNA is the molecule that constitutes the essence of who we are. • Ethos – is a characteristic spirit of a culture, era, community, or an organization as manifested in its beliefs and aspirations. • Identity – the fact of being who or what a person is. What these words have in common is that they all point to the essence and characteristics of what a person or an organization is and is known for. Hope Distributed From its beginning, the DNA, the Ethos, and the Identity of the Church of the Nazarene has been centered on expressing the generous and extravagant love of God to others in tangible ways. Since its beginning, our church has focused its mission evangelism, education, and compassionate ministry. Today we celebrate, with Hope Distributed, 20 years of compassionate ministry to our community. Hope Distributed was founded in October of 2004. The very first day we served 12 people, right here, from this kitchen that is to your right. The first year we served a total of 1,667 individuals and distributed 16,993 pounds of food. In the last 20 years Hope Distributed has served 412,638 individuals and distributed more than ten million pounds (10,272,718) of food. Video – play video HD 2024 If you have served and volunteer at Hope Distributed giving your time, talent and resources please stand up. On behalf of Jeff Wilhelm, Ellen Braun, and our board of directors I want to thank you for making a difference in our community. 2 Throughout the years many people have had a part in making this happen. Members of the Joy Group were instrumental in our success. Special thanks to Chuck Oster, Earl Clark, Dick Shoemaker, Ron Garber, and Marvin Varner. We have enjoyed a great partnership with the Blueridge Area Food Bank, food partners like Walmart, Food Lion, Target, and Martins. We have been blessed with great leadership from Vickie Waldrop, Jenny Meadows. We have been led well through the pandemic and into new growth with the leadership of Jeff Wilhelm and Ellen Braun. Countless lives have been impacted with the grace and love of God through Hope Distributed. Illustration To illustrate the impact that Hope Distributed has on a weekly basis you were given a 3x5 index card. It is possible that you may have lost it or misplaced it. That’s ok. If you have a card, and you remember receiving a card, please stand up. We distributed 400 cards. This number represents only half of the people that are fed through Hope Distributed every week. A total of 825 individuals receive food from Hope Distributed each week, every week of the year. Give Us Eyes to See Why do we do this? Because it is at the center of the heart of God. As a body of believers, it is our DNA, our Ethos, it is part of our identity. Jesus said: • Love your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:34-39). • For as much as you have done to one of the least of these you have done unto me (Matthew 25:40). Serving the needs of the poor and marginalized is equivalent to serving him directly. • I have come to serve not to be served (Matthew 20:28). • I have come to proclaim good news, freedom to the captives, heal the blind, and set the oppressed free (Luke 4:18-19) Parable of the Good Samaritan In Luke 10:25-37 we find what has become known as the parable of the Good Samaritan. The bible tells us that on one occasion an expert of the law stood up to test Jesus. He asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life.” Jesus replied by asking him what was written in the law. The man responded saying “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus said to him, “Do this and you will live!” The man wanting to justify himself asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus, if I am going to do this, who qualifies as my neighbor. Jesus replied by telling the man a parable. He said, a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and left him half dead. A priest happened to be going

  JOSHUA 24:1 1. “Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. JOSHUA 24:2 1. Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. JOSHUA 24:3 3 But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac,4 and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his family went down to Egypt.  JOSHUA 24: 5-6 5 “Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out. 6 When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Red Sea.  JOSHUA 24:7 7 But they cried to the Lord for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time. JOSHUA 24:8 8 “‘I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land. · THERE ARE 13 I’S IN THE FIRST 8 VERSES. · GOD SPEAKS AND REMINDS THEM- I DID THIS SLIDE 11: JOSHUA WARNINGS · WARNINGS/ADISEMENTS STRAIGHT OUT OF V’S 14-15. WHAT DOES HE STATE THEY SHOULD DO?  JOSHUA 24:14 14. “NOW FEAR THE LORD AND SERVE HIM WITH ALL FAITHFULNESS. THROW AWAY THE gODS YOUR ANCESTORS WORSHIPPED BEYOND THE EUPHRATES RIVER AND IN EGYPT AND SERVE THE LORD.  JOSHUA 24:13 13. BUT IF SERVING THE LORD SEEMS UNDESIRABLE TO YOU, THEN CHOOSE FOR YOURSELVES THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE, WHETHER THE gODS YOUR ANCESTORS SERVED BEYOND THE EUPHRATES, OR THE gODS OF THE AMORITES, IN WHO LAND YOU ARE LIVING. BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.” PROMISE KEEPER · 1997- LIVING IN PENNSYLVANIA · ATTENDING A CHURCH · GROUP OF MEN GOING TO DC TOGETHER · WEEKEND SERIES OF MEETINGS/CHURCH SERVICES · RFK STADIUM IN WASHINGTON DC (COMMANDERS) · PASTOR JAMES RYLE (SMALL NOTEBOOK) · 2ND LEVEL – CENTERFIELD · I WAS DATING – LIVING AS A MISERABLE CHRISTIAN · HAVING MOMENTARY FUN (SIN IS FUN) · PASTOR RYLE SAID- YOU NEED TO END GAME TONIGHT JOSHUA 24: 23 23. “NOW THEN,” SAID JOSHUA, “THROW AWAY THE FOREIGN GODS THAT ARE AMONG YOU AND YIELD YOUR HEARTS TO THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL.”  JOSHUA 24:24 24. AND PEOPLE SAID TO JOSHUA, “WE WILL SERVE THE LORD OUR GOD AND OBEY HIM.” JOSHUA 24:25 25. ON THAT DAY, JOSHUA MADE A COVENANT FOR THE PEOPLE, AND THERE AT SHECHEM HE REAFFIRNED FOR THEM DECREES AND LAWS.”  JOSHUA 24:26 26. “AND JOSHUA RECORDED THESE THINGS IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW OF GOD. THEN HE TOOK A LARGE STONE AND SET IT UP THERE UNDER THE OAK NEAR THE HOLY PLACE OF THE LORD.” · WORD FOR STONE HERE IS E’BEN · SAME WORD USED FOR STONE IN GENESIS 28 · JACOB HAS AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD · WITNESS “YOU HAVE SEEN YOU’VE BEEN WITNESS TO GODS FAITHFULNESS” NOW WILL YOU BE? _________________________________________________________ · LIFE GROUP CURRICULUM · DR. BRIAN CHARETTE AUTHOR · TITLE OF THIS LAST LESSON IS ‘ALL IN” · WHERE DOES THIS PHRASE COME FROM? · VIDEO “ALL IN” · STAKES RAISED · MUCH ON THE LINE · JOSHUA IS CLOSE TO THE END  PRIDE SIN SLIDE 22: DIE WHO WILL YOU SERVE ? THE ISRAELITES SERVED MANY GODS GOD OF FERTILITY GOD OF CROPS GOD OF RAIN WE DON’T HAVE THAT AS MUCH NOW AS I DECIDE NOW WHICH GOD I WILL SERVE OR WHO WILL I SERVE- FOR MOST OF MY LIFE I HAVE SERVED ------- ME THIS CHAPTER SAYS “I” (GOD SPEAKING 18 TIMES?) I THEN HAVE TO WRESTLE WITH THE OTHER I- ME · LISTEN TO HOW HE ANTICIPATES · SAYS ALL THIS AS IF THEY ARE NOT GONNA DO IT

https://www.bible.com/events/49345129 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus Joshua: Part 8 East Rock All-in We conclude with Part 8 of our teaching series through the book of Joshua. Within the story of Joshua we read of the people of God encountering real obstacles to living out their faith in the Lord. Flooded rivers, fortified cities, and giant armies. real things that would cause any normal person to fear. But what we see is that in the face of these challenges, is the power of God’s presence and his continued faithfulness to his people. That’s the story of Joshua, and that’s our story today. Real challenges met with the real and true faithfulness of God. Today we are in Joshua chapter 24 to hear his final call "Choose this day who you will serve" Joshua 24:14-15 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” With everyone leaning in and listening, Joshua gives the people a clear-cut invitation to choose who they will serve. No coercion, no threats, no manipulation, just a plain and simple choice. Choose to go and worship other gods, things from the past, or the ways of the world you’re living in now- OR- Go ALL-IN serving the Lord your God. Today as we conclude our teaching series on the book of Joshua, we will see Joshua’s final act as the leader of Israel is to invite them to be ALL IN in their relationship with the Lord. Fully committed, totally invested, nothing held back. All in. The message of Joshua rings loud and clear down through the centuries to us today. We have a choice Go all in, or don’t go at all. Are you all in? Joshua 24:1-2 Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. Joshua begins his farewell address speaking on behalf of the Lord. Before any specific challenge would come, God wanted to remind his people of all he had done for them in leading them to this point. ii.He begins all the way back with the story of calling Abraham to follow him, and traces it up to their time in Egypt. Joshua 24:5-10 “ ‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out. When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Red Sea. But they cried to the Lord for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time. “ ‘I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land. When Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor to put a curse on you. But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand. Verses 5-7 recount the stories of Moses and Aaron and how God brought the people out of Egypt. Verses 8-12 bring the story up to their present day. How the Lord fought for the children of Israel in the promised land. Joshua 24:13 So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’ From the distant past, to their present day, God was at the very center of the story. He was the one who made this life possible in the promised land. It wasn’t their efforts, it wasn’t because they deserved it. It was because he gave it to them. It was by God’s grace, motivate by his love for his people. One way to put it would be that God had gone “all-in” for his people. Joshua 24:14 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. In full view of all that God had done for his people, Joshua calls them to respond. In rapid fire succession, Joshua calls for 4 things from his people in light of all that God has done for them. Fear the Lord Serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away their gods. Serve the Lord This is ALL IN for the Lord. Joshua 24:15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will se

Church of the Nazarene Harrisonburg Gethsemane Gathering "Stay awake with me and pray" Today we are going to have what we call a Gethsemane Gathering. You may recognize the name Gethsemane from the gospels as it is the name of the garden where Jesus went to pray. Let’s dive into the story in Matthew 26 Matthew 26:36-41 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to pray with him. Hours before his crucifixion, Jesus is pouring his heart out to the father, and he doesn’t want to do it alone. He wanted his closest friends to pray with him, to keep watch. Jesus is pouring his heart out in prayer and he returns to find his 3 closest friends are taking a nap. Arguably when he needed them the most, they missed the opportunity. Jesus goes away a second time, wrestling, pouring his heart out in prayer. As he finishes praying he comes back a second time to check on his friends, and they are fast asleep. again. This time, he doesn’t even wake them up. Jesus just goes back to pray on his own. A foreshadowing of what was in the hours ahead. That’s the story of the Garden. Today our goal is to symbolically give back that one hour that the disciples missed that night in prayer. We are going to spend our time together today in prayer and worship. We will focus on 7 different areas in prayer while the band leads us in worship throughout the service. Our first area of focus is Souls Father, For the one, for the many, I pray. None are lost to You, for You know just where each soul You created has wandered. Let me be to those who don't know You a voice of hope, a peace-filled presence, and an example of the transformation You can make in a surrendered life. So that they each and all might come to know You. Amen. Opportunities Father, Open my eyes that I may see the opportunities You place in front of me. Let no conversation, no interaction, no path crossed be wasted. I give You each coincidence and happenstance and invite You to give meaning to each moment of my life, so that I may be a part of Your movement all around me. Amen. Petitions Father, I don't know how to ask it. I don't know what to say. Tam without words. But You know. You know my heart, my mind and my needs better than I know myself. So I trust You and give myself over to Your way. Amen. Relationships Father, Where they are wrong, give me the grace and humility to forgive. Where I am wrong, give me the grace and humility to apologize. Where others are at odds, help me broker peace. Where I am at odds, help me accept counsel. Father, forgive us, for we know not what we do. Amen Adoration You are more than all I could ever hope for. You are perfect and holy, above all others. You give such good gifts and yet without a single gift given, I am richly blessed with You alone. When I was all that is undeserving, You gave everything I could never deserve. Father. Abba. Lord. Yes/Yield Father, You have my yes. Yes to whatever, to wherever, to whenever, to however. Yes, to all of You. Amen.

https://www.bible.com/events/49341785 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus Gethsemane Gathering "Stay awake with me and pray" Today we are going to have what we call a Gethsemane Gathering. You may recognize the name Gethsemane from the gospels as it is the name of the garden where Jesus went to pray. Let’s dive into the story in Matthew 26 Matthew 26:36-41 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to pray with him. Hours before his crucifixion, Jesus is pouring his heart out to the father, and he doesn’t want to do it alone. He wanted his closest friends to pray with him, to keep watch. Jesus is pouring his heart out in prayer and he returns to find his 3 closest friends are taking a nap. Arguably when he needed them the most, they missed the opportunity. Jesus goes away a second time, wrestling, pouring his heart out in prayer. As he finishes praying he comes back a second time to check on his friends, and they are fast asleep. again. This time, he doesn’t even wake them up. Jesus just goes back to pray on his own. A foreshadowing of what was in the hours ahead. That’s the story of the Garden. Today our goal is to symbolically give back that one hour that the disciples missed that night in prayer. We are going to spend our time together today in prayer and worship. We will focus on 7 different areas in prayer while the band leads us in worship throughout the service. Our first area of focus is Souls Father, For the one, for the many, I pray. None are lost to You, for You know just where each soul You created has wandered. Let me be to those who don't know You a voice of hope, a peace-filled presence, and an example of the transformation You can make in a surrendered life. So that they each and all might come to know You. Amen. Opportunities Father, Open my eyes that I may see the opportunities You place in front of me. Let no conversation, no interaction, no path crossed be wasted. I give You each coincidence and happenstance and invite You to give meaning to each moment of my life, so that I may be a part of Your movement all around me. Amen. Petitions Father, I don't know how to ask it. I don't know what to say. Tam without words. But You know. You know my heart, my mind and my needs better than I know myself. So I trust You and give myself over to Your way. Amen. Relationships Father, Where they are wrong, give me the grace and humility to forgive. Where I am wrong, give me the grace and humility to apologize. Where others are at odds, help me broker peace. Where I am at odds, help me accept counsel. Father, forgive us, for we know not what we do. Amen Adoration You are more than all I could ever hope for. You are perfect and holy, above all others. You give such good gifts and yet without a single gift given, I am richly blessed with You alone. When I was all that is undeserving, You gave everything I could never deserve. Father. Abba. Lord. Yes/Yield Father, You have my yes. Yes to whatever, to wherever, to whenever, to however. Yes to all of You. Amen.

Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus Joshua: Part 7 East Rock "Hold fast to the Lord" We are continuing in Part 7 of our teaching series through the book of Joshua. Within the story of Joshua we read of the people of God encountering real obstacles to living out their faith in the Lord. Flooded rivers, fortified cities, and giant armies. real things that would cause any normal person to fear. But what we see is that in the face of these challenges, is the power of God’s presence and his continued faithfulness to his people. That’s the story of Joshua, and that’s our story today. Real challenges met with the real and true faithfulness of God. Today we are in Joshua chapter 23 looking at the farewell address of a very old Joshua. Joshua 23:1-2 After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then a very old man, summoned all Israel—their elders, leaders, judges and officials—and said to them: “I am very old. The battles are done for now and the people of God have rest. After 20-25 years they are finally getting to peacefully enjoy God’s gift to them of the promised land. Joshua appears here as a very old man, gathering the leaders of Israel together to share his heart with them. These parting instructions are critical for future success of the people of God. Joshua 23:3-5 You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you. Remember how I have allotted as an inheritance for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain—the nations I conquered—between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea in the west. The Lord your God himself will push them out for your sake. He will drive them out before you, and you will take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised you. Joshua begins by remembering and reflecting on all that God had done for the Israelites in fulfilling his promise to his people. While they did have rest in the land at this time, but there was still more territory for them to take possession of. Canaanites, the enemy nations, were still living in some farther regions of the promised land. But they were not to worry- God would fight for them, just like he had before. God was faithful then, he’s faithful now, he will be faithful in the future. All the people needed to do was remain faithful to Him- That’s what Joshua says next Joshua 23:6-11 “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them. But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now. “The Lord has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised. So be very careful to love the Lord your God. Rather than associating with the other nations, the people of God are to hold fast to the Lord. To hold fast to the Lord can carry the idea of two objects being glued or welded together. Relationally It speaks of loyalty and fidelity. It means to stay close, embrace, to hold on. That’s the way Joshua is encouraging his people to be with their heavenly father. The people of God had seen the blessing of embracing the Lord. He gave them life and identity as his children. He brought them into this land over incredible odds, and even their own mistakes. God had fought for them, he had driven out powerful armies from their path. He gave them power to do impossible things. One person routing a thousand. This is the picture of life holding onto God. When you are superglued to the Lord, there is no enemy that can stand. Joshua 23:12-13 “But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the Lord your God has given you. This is quite the contrast from life in relationship to the Lord. Rather than the promise of God’s presence, his power, his plan for their lives, if his people turned away from him, they could be sure that it would not go well. Listen to what Joshua says. If you turn away from the Lord, if you don’t cling to him and you go and embrace the ways of the foreign nations, the ways of the world. They will become a snare for you. This carries the idea of being entangled, confined, controlled, held captive by circumstances. Deceived. It will be a trap- Literally you will take the bait and be trapped. Stuck. Caught in their grasp. They will be a whip

https://www.bible.com/events/49338349 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus Joshua: Part 7 East Rock "Hold fast to the Lord" We are continuing in Part 7 of our teaching series through the book of Joshua. Within the story of Joshua we read of the people of God encountering real obstacles to living out their faith in the Lord. Flooded rivers, fortified cities, and giant armies. real things that would cause any normal person to fear. But what we see is that in the face of these challenges, is the power of God’s presence and his continued faithfulness to his people. That’s the story of Joshua, and that’s our story today. Real challenges met with the real and true faithfulness of God. Today we are in Joshua chapter 23 looking at the farewell address of a very old Joshua. Joshua 23:1-2 After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then a very old man, summoned all Israel—their elders, leaders, judges and officials—and said to them: “I am very old. The battles are done for now and the people of God have rest. After 20-25 years they are finally getting to peacefully enjoy God’s gift to them of the promised land. Joshua appears here as a very old man, gathering the leaders of Israel together to share his heart with them. These parting instructions are critical for future success of the people of God. Joshua 23:3-5 You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you. Remember how I have allotted as an inheritance for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain—the nations I conquered—between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea in the west. The Lord your God himself will push them out for your sake. He will drive them out before you, and you will take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised you. Joshua begins by remembering and reflecting on all that God had done for the Israelites in fulfilling his promise to his people. While they did have rest in the land at this time, but there was still more territory for them to take possession of. Canaanites, the enemy nations, were still living in some farther regions of the promised land. But they were not to worry- God would fight for them, just like he had before. God was faithful then, he’s faithful now, he will be faithful in the future. All the people needed to do was remain faithful to Him- That’s what Joshua says next Joshua 23:6-11 “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them. But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now. “The Lord has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised. So be very careful to love the Lord your God. Rather than associating with the other nations, the people of God are to hold fast to the Lord. To hold fast to the Lord can carry the idea of two objects being glued or welded together. Relationally It speaks of loyalty and fidelity. It means to stay close, embrace, to hold on. That’s the way Joshua is encouraging his people to be with their heavenly father. The people of God had seen the blessing of embracing the Lord. He gave them life and identity as his children. He brought them into this land over incredible odds, and even their own mistakes. God had fought for them, he had driven out powerful armies from their path. He gave them power to do impossible things. One person routing a thousand. This is the picture of life holding onto God. When you are superglued to the Lord, there is no enemy that can stand. Joshua 23:12-13 “But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the Lord your God has given you. This is quite the contrast from life in relationship to the Lord. Rather than the promise of God’s presence, his power, his plan for their lives, if his people turned away from him, they could be sure that it would not go well. Listen to what Joshua says. If you turn away from the Lord, if you don’t cling to him and you go and embrace the ways of the foreign nations, the ways of the world. They will become a snare for you. This carries the idea of being entangled, confined, controlled, held captive by circumstances. Deceived. It will be a trap- Literally you will take the bait and be trapped. Stuck. Caug

http://bible.com/events/49335430 Church of the Nazarene Joshua Part 6- COTN Harrisonburg Campus Joshua Part 6 Joshua 9:3-8 However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.” The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?” “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?” Joshua 9:14 The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. "DISCERNMENT ISN’T KNOWING THE DIFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG, ITS KNOWING THE DIFFERECE BETWEEN RIGHT AND ALMOST RIGHT." - Charles Spurgeon Joshua 10:1-5 Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel and had become their allies. He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters. So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon. “Come up and help me attack Gibeon,” he said, “because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.” Then the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it. Joshua 10:5-13 Then the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it. The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.” So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.” After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites. On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. Joshua 10:14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel! Joshua 8:20 The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising up into the sky, but they had no chance to escape in any direction; the Israelites who had been fleeing toward the wilderness had turned back against their pursuers. Hebrews 13:10 We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.

https://www.bible.com/events/49334932 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus Joshua: Part 6 East Rock Joshua: Part 6 "Scammed" We are continuing in Part 6 of our teaching series through the book of Joshua. Within the story of Joshua we read of the people of God encountering real obstacles to living out their faith in the Lord. Flooded rivers, fortified cities, and giant armies. real things that would cause any normal person to fear. But what we see is that in the face of these challenges, is the power of God’s presence and his continued faithfulness to his people. That’s the story of Joshua, and that’s our story today. Real challenges met with the real and true faithfulness of God. Today we are in Joshua chapter 9 looking at the story of the Gibeonite deception. Joshua 9:3-6 However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.” On the heels of the massive destruction of the city of AI, the news about of the Israelites is making its way around to the other cities. They hear of the power and might of the army and how God is fighting for them and they are terrified. Unsure how defend themselves, several neighboring cities decide to join forces and fight Israel together. But the Gibeonites different approach, they are going to try to trick the Israelites into allowing them to live. They gather up old worn-out clothing and sandals, old worn-out wine containers, and moldy bread and they take off pretending to be from a distant land. Joshua 9:7-8 The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?” “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?” Something must have seemed fishy about this whole thing or they are remembering that God has specifically told them NOT to enter into treaties with other nations. Either way, Israel questions the supposed weary travelers. Joshua 9:9-13 They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us.” ’ This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.” At Joshua’s questioning the Gibeonites recite their story and they are careful to highlight all the things that should indicate they were from a distant place. They also say that they have come because they heard about all the Lord had done for his people delivering them from Egypt and giving them victory over the kings in the wilderness. If you remember back to the story of Rahab and Jericho- she sited very similar reasons for her actions. This whole story has been building up to this moment. The cards are on the table, the trap is set. Joshua 9:14-15 The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath. They looked over the evidence that was before them. They saw the molded bread, the looked at the old wineskins. They could see their clothes were worn out. The did the best they could do, it seemed good enough, so they did it. They trusted their own ability, they trusted their own discernment, and in their own strength, they were deceived into breaking the command of God. They did not seek the Lord. The truth of the matter comes out a few days later. They learn that these ambassadors who were supposed to be from a far country are really from a town about 25 miles away. Joshua 9:22-25 Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way from you,’ while actually you live near us? You are now under a curse: You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.” They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. We are now in

http://bible.com/events/49331073 Church of the Nazarene, Harrisonburg Campus Joshua Part 5 - Harrisonburg Campus After Jericho... Review of the series: WEEK 1: Be Strong & Courageous WEEK 2: Rahab Hides the Men of Israel WEEK 3: The 12 Stones - Remembering God's Faithfulness WEEK 4: God's Victory at Jericho TODAY: Consequences of Sin Breakdown of the Book of Joshua CHAPTERS 1-6: Entering the Promised Land CHAPTERS 7-12: Conquering the Promised Land CHAPTERS 13-22: Settling the Promised Land Consider: What was the next thing that happened after the tremendous victory at Jericho? [Image] https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1728656548011.jpg Joshua 6:16-19 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.” Joshua 7:1-5 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water. Joshua 7:15 Whoever is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him. He has violated the covenant of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’ ” Two "Why" Questions: 1) Why did the Israelites crush Jericho but lose to a lesser opponent in Ai? After all, they had just celebrated a dramatic victory over mighty Jericho. Ai was the underdog. Yet they scattered God's people. Joshua 7:10-12 The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction. Joshua 7:20-23 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the Lord. Second "Why" Question: 2) Why was the response to Achan's sin so extreme? The death penalty for theft? That doesn't seem "fair." Without understanding God's Holy Justice, we can never truly grasp, appreciate or enter into His Grace. Today, we get to hear about Israel's loss and Achan's death from the shadow of the cross, where the Holy and terrible Justice of God was fulfilled on your behalf. In fact, it is a great gift to be shown the deadly underside of disobedience while there is still time. To get a clear picture of the darkness of sin is something to be grateful for. To get a clear picture of Holy God and an opportunity for repentance in His mercy, in the Name and for the cause of Christ. Joshua 8:1-2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.”

Joshua 7: The Enemy Within - Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.- Joshua is found in the OT of God’s Word • Being “old” does not mean it is not relevant, on the contrary this book is alive and well exhorting us in all things pertaining to life and godliness.- Joshua 6:17-19 17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”- Donald Campbell God’s people are never more vulnerable, never in greater danger, than right after they have won a great victory. Joshua 7 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things[a]; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel.- One commentator wrote in regards to the reciting of his lineage A warning is hereby administered to parents, to give the most diligent heed in training their offspring in the fear of God, lest they be a reproach to their memories when they themselves are no more. 2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. 1 East Rock 10/13/24 3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” 4 So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, 5 who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water. 6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8 Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9 The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?” 10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.- Warren Wiersbe “If God says something is wrong, then it’s wrong; and that’s the end of the debate.” 13 “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them. 14 “‘In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord chooses shall come forward clan by clan; the clan the Lord chooses shall come forward family by family; and the family the Lord chooses shall come forward man by man. 15 Whoever is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs 2 East Rock 10/13/24 to him. He has violated the covenant of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’”- Numbers 32:23 23 “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out… (ministers in spotlight) 16 Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen. 17 The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen. 18 Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned aga

https://www.bible.com/events/49327728 Church of the Nazarene- East Rock Campus Joshua- Part 4 East Rock Joshua Part 4 - "Walls and Worship" Joshua: Part 4 "Walls and Worship" Joshua 5:13-15 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. Joshua 6:1-27 Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.” So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” And he ordered the army, “Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.” When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!” So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there. Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.” When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys. Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.” So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel. Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the Lord’s house. But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day. At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “Cursed before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho: “At the cost of his firstborn son he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.” So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land. Obedience is the way to our Promised Land. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your hea

https://www.bible.com/events/49323506 Church of the Nazarene: Harrisonburg Campus Joshua Part 3 Joshua 3 & 4 Joshua 3:1-3 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. [Image] OCTOBER 16, 1995 & OCTOBER 4, 1997 STAND IN THE GAP PROB ONLY A 1/3 OF THE NUMBER CROSSING https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1727297362806.jpg Joshua 3:3-4 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.” [Image] Tent Containing the Ark of the Covenant https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1727297940319.jpg [Image] Ark of the Covenant https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1727297396868.jpg Joshua 3:5-7 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them. And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Joshua 3:13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” Joshua 3:15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, Joshua 3:16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. Crossing the Jordan Geography The Geography Behind Joshua Crossing the Jordan River Joshua 4:1-3 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.” Joshua 4:4-5 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, Joshua 4:6-7 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” [Image] FAMOUS MONUMENTS LEFT BEHIND- Eiffel Tower https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1727297631749.jpg [Image] Statue of Liberty https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1727297644001.jpg [Image] Rocky Statue: MAKE STATUES AN IMAGES OUT OF FAKE THINGS. HOW ABOUT SOMETHING REAL? https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1727297650645.jpg [Image] Which chair are you sitting on? https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1727298062072.jpg Chair #1-YOU DON’T BELIEVE ANY OF IT Chair #2- YOU BELIEVE IT- YOU SUPPORT- YOU SHOW UP Chair #3- YOU ARE SOLD OUT- THIS IS YOUR ENTIRE LIFE

https://www.bible.com/events/49324828 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus Joshua: Part 3 East Rock Joshua: Part 3 "The Crossing" Today we are continuing our teaching series in the book of Joshua. Our goal in this series is not just to brush up on ancient history, but to join the generations of God’s people who have looked back to see the faithfulness of God. Our teaching text today explores the story of the children of Israel entering the promised land, crossing the Jordan River on dry ground. Joshua 3:1 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. Last week we studied the account of Rahab and the two Israelite spies. The spies returned with the report that indeed God was moving ahead of them. Joshua doesn’t waste any time. They break camp and move to the banks of the Jordan River, just opposite of the city of Jericho. As we go through this story, remember, many scholars estimate this could be as many as two million people. Joshua 3:2-5 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.” Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” The officers tell the people that they need to follow the Ark of the Covenant. The ark came into the story back in exodus, when God gave Moses instructions on how to build it. It was a physical representation of God’s presence. That’s significant because what the people are told is that they are to keep their eyes on the Lord, they don’t know the way ahead.They will know which way to go by looking to the Lord. Even though they were to watch it, they were to keep their distance of about 1000 yards. This speaks of the holiness of God and the honor they were to show him, as well as logistically, for that many people to see, they would have to keep their distance. Joshua tells them- Consecrate yourselves, for the Lord will do amazing things- God didn’t need the people to do anything for the miracle, but he did require their obedience. Consecrate yourselves carries the idea of setting yourself apart from distractions. Be dressed, clean, and ready to go. Get rid of anything that would distract you from seeing what God is about to do. We begin to see that God is not as concerned with the logistics or the miracle as he is the spiritual significance for the people. Joshua 3:6-17 Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them. And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’ ” Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. Following the Lord’s instructions, the priests take up the ark of the covenant, representing God’s presence, and they take off towards the water. The priests continue on out to the middle of the riverbed. It’s backed up some 20 miles now. God moved mightily on behalf of his people to fulfill his promise to them. A promise hundreds of years in the making, came true in this moment because of the power and grace of God going

Joshua 2 : Faith’s Conduct - Hebrews 10:36-39 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” 38 And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” 39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved. • I ask you to do 2 things today:- Recognize - Respond MESSAGE Joshua 2 (entire chapter) Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.- Why did they go to a prostitutes house?- Rahab: brief bio • Immoral Canaanite woman • Lives in a pagan culture that is fanatically devoted to everything God hates—it is absolutely wicked. • She has profited from the evil that permeated her society- Rahab is the first person scripture introduces to us, and by name, in the Promised Land…remarkable isn’t it =) 2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.” 1 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5 At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” 6 (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) True biblical faith can’t be hidden, it but be concerned with action 7 So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut. 8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.- (SLIDE) Thomas Carlyle “Conviction, were it never so excellent, is worthless until it converts itself into conduct.” 12 “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness (hesed) to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.” 14 “Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.” 15 So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 16 She said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.” 17 Now the men had said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us 18 unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. 19 If any of them go outside 2 your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads; we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on them. 20 But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.” 21 “Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.” So she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window. • REAL BIBLICAL FAITH WILL ALWAYS DO SOMETHING- Putting herself at risk, Rahab rejected her past identity as a Canaanite and wanted to be identified with the people of God, with Israel. 22 When they left, they went into the hills and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had searched all along the road and returned without finding them. 23 Then the two men started back. They went down out of the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.”- Faith’s Conduct Recognizes Responds - RECOGNIZE WE ALL WERE RAHAB Rahab’s Faith God’s Faithfulness - Spoken Gospel “If a pros

https://www.bible.com/events/49321674 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus Joshua: Part 2 East Rock Joshua: Part 2 Rahab "God is Faithful" Today we are continuing our teaching series in the book of Joshua. Our goal in this series is not just to brush up on ancient history, but to join the generations of God’s people who have looked back to see the faithfulness of God. Our teaching text today is about an unlikely hero, with an even more unlikely faith. Joshua 2:1-3 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.” Following God’s command to Joshua and the people of Israel to be strong and courageous, these verses record some of the first actions steps. Stepping out in faith still required a plan, so Joshua sends out two spies to have a look at Jericho, a heavily fortified city across the Jordan River, about 15 miles away. A bit of irony appears in that these spies failed miserably in staying hidden. Immediately the news makes it to the King who dispatches men to capture these Israelite spies. It would seem like this first step into the promised land was as step on the wrong foot for the Israelites. Joshua 2:4-7 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut. As the King’s posse arrives to detain the 2 spies, Rahab steps in. She’s quick on her feet, she knows how to deal with men at her door. The unlikely hero re-directs the Kings men to pursue them out of the city gate. With her quick thinking and convincing words, the kings men don’t even bother searching her house. They take off for the city gate, thinking they are in hot pursuit of the jewish spies. The original audience reading this account would have been in stitches laughing at the comedy of errors and irony portrayed in this story on the part of the Canaanites. But for all of the irony, the danger for Rahab cannot be missed. Lying to the kings officers could have gotten her killed without question. She took literally took her life into her own hands. But why? Why would a Canaanite prostitute risk her lives for two Israelite men who showed up on her doorstep? Joshua 2:8-11 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. With the city gate closed, Rahab has the upper hand over the Israelite spies, they are literally at her mercy. But what comes next is not a bargain for profit or some other benefit- it’s a profession of faith in the first degree. Rahab not only believed these truths about God, she took action, risking her very life. She wasn’t just trying to save herself or her family from the impending invasion. No, she was responding to what she believed about the God of Israel. Her faith leaped into action in these moments. In the book of James, Rahab’s faith is celebrated right beside the faith of Abraham. James 2:25 says 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? This unlikely hero, had a heroic and historic faith. Joshua 2:12-14 “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.” “Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.” The Hebrew word that Rahab uses for kindness here is hesed. And it’s way more than ju

http://bible.com/events/49317557 Church of the Nazarene Harrisonburg Campus Joshua: Part 1 Harrisonburg Joshua ENTERING THE LAND- CHAPTERS 1-6 CONQUERING THE LAND- CHAPTERS 7-12 DIVIDING AND SETTLING THE LAND- CHAPTERS 13-22 Joshua 1:1-9 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:16-18 Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!” - Promise - Presence - Power

https://www.bible.com/events/49318005 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus Joshua: Part 1 East Rock Joshua: Part 1 Today we are beginning a new teaching series in the book of Joshua. Our goal in this series is not just to brush up on ancient history, but to join the generations of God’s people who have looked back to see the faithfulness of God. Our series begins at a watershed moment in the story of God’s people. Joshua 1:1-2 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. In these opening verses, the book of Joshua is linked to the entire story of God’s people that has led up to this watershed moment. The book of Joshua is a continuation of the story of God and his people. Beginning all the way back in Genesis 12 and Abraham, God had promised Abraham that his descendants would outnumber the starts in the sky and that his people would have their own land, it would be a land given to them by God himself. A promise hundreds of years in the making was about to be realized, and Joshua was God’s chosen man to lead his people. Joshua 1:3-5 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. God had given the people the land, now it was time for them to step out in faith and live into that promise. This promise was not without its challenges. Flooded rivers and fortified cities. Real giants in the way, hard battles to be fought, this new life would require faith to triumph over fear. It was not going to be easy Joshua was being called to lead his people into battle, into seemingly impossible situations. Joshua 1:6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. The promise of God’s presence comes before the command to be strong and courageous. This wasn’t about Joshua being a super warrior- this was about what God was about to do- he needed Joshua to have faith. It’s as if God says: “Joshua, I am with you, I am your strength. Be strong, because I am here, you are going to do this, be bold because we are going to do this together.” Joshua was God’s chosen leader, but it was God’s strength that would ultimately bring about victory for his people. Joshua 1:7-9 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” First Joshua is commanded to be strong and courageous in God’s presence. Now, he is to be strong and very courageous through obedience to God’s word. They key to life in God’s promised land, was living God’s way. Joshua was to be strong and courageous in obedience to God’s word. What we see in the story of Joshua is the people of God encountering real obstacles to living out their faith. And in the face of all those things, we see the power of God’s presence and his continued faithfulness to his people. And Friends, that links the story of Joshua to our story today. We were brought from the wonderings of our life in sin, to the promise of His spirit birthed within us by one greater than Joshua- Jesus Christ himself. Now, we have a life to live in Christ, and it’s not easy. Sure, we don’t have literal flooded rivers to cross of fortified cities to conquer. But we do have real struggles- Health challenges, financial pains, relational brokenness. We have things in our lives that seem impossible. Real situations that we have to choose faith over fear. Real life circumstances that are beyond anything we can do alone. That’s our story, and that’s the story of Joshua. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

· WELCOME · THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY · PRAYER · PURCAHSE OF A NEW VAN (PASTOR JOE AND DARYL) · TODAY IS CELEBRATION SUNDAY · IT’S THE MOST EXCITING DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH · CHRISTMAS/EASTER- BAPTISM SUNDAY · IM GOING TO EXPLAIN WHY IN A MINUTE · SHOW YOU A MAN-HIS LIFE TRANSFORMED · HE CAN’T HOLD IT IN-WHATS HAPPENED INSIDE  VIDEO · PRISONER PHYSICALLY-BUT NOT SPIRITUALLY WHAT · WHAT IS BAPTISM? · ITS ONE OF 2 SACRAMENTS WE RECOGNIZE · COMMUNION/BAPTISM (JESUS PARTICIPATED) · GREEK WORD IS BAPTIZO-TO IMMERSE · ITS AN OUTWARD EXPRESSION OF AN INNER WORK · MY WEDDING RING IS AN OUTWARD SYMBOL · BAPTISM IS AN OUTWARD EXPRESSION · WE ARE BURRIED WITH HIM SYMBOLICALLY WATERY GRAVE · RAISED TO LIFE WITH HIM · BAPTISM DOESN’T SAVE YOU (HBURG WATER) · BAPTISM DOESN’T FORGIVE YOUR SINS · IT IS BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH YOU BEEN SAVED Baptism may be administered by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion, according to the choice of the applicant.  WHY · BECAUSE JESUS COMMANDED IT/DEMONSTRATED · JESUS PUBLIC MINISTRY STARTS RIGHT HERE  MATTHEW 3:13-14 13. THEN JESUS CAME FROM GALILEE TO THE JORDAN TO BE BAPTIZED BY JOHN. BUT JOHN TRIED TO DETER HIM, SAYING, “I NEED TO BE BAPTIZED BY YOU, AND DO YOU COME TO ME?”  MATTHEW 3:15  JESUS REPLIED, “LET IT BE SO NOW, IT IS PROPER FOR US TO DO THIS TO FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS, “THEN JOHN CONSENTED”   MATTHEW 3:16-17  AS SOON AS JESUS WAS BAPTIZED, HE WENT UP OUT OF THE WATER. AT THAT MOMENT HEAVEN WAS OPENED, HE SAW THE SPIRIT OF GOD DESCENDING LIKE A DOVE AND ALIGHTING ON HIM. AND A VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAID, “THIS IS MY SON, WHOM I LOVE, WITH HIM I AM WELL PLEASED.” · MINISTRY BEGINS · THE FATHER-THE SON-AND THE HLY SPIRIT MEET WHO · ANY WHO GETS SAVED · YOU ASK FOR FORGIVENESS OF SINS · YOU ASK CHRIST TO TAKE OVER YOUR HEART · NICODEMUS- YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. FIRST SERVICE- I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO SCOTT MILLER YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN SCOTT-DRUMMER · I WANT SCOTT TO SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT HIS BEING BAPTIZED WHEN HE WAS YOUNG- · TAKE US THROUGH THAT. · AT SOME POINT LATER- YOU FELT PROMPTED TO GET BAPTIZED AGAIN? WALK US THROUGH THAT. · YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO DO IT- BUT YOU FELT MOVED TO DO SO. SOUNDS LIKE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF BAPTISM CHANGED? IM HERE TODAY HEARING YOU- “WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THE PERSON SITTING HERE CONSIDERING BAPTISM FOR THE FIRST OR SECOND TIME- WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS STEP FOR THEIR FAITH JOURNEY?” · FEW WEEKS AGO AT OUR EAST ROCK CAMPUS · SUPPOSED TO HAVE OUTDOOR/RIVER BAPTISM · FLOOD- WATER A BIT MUDDY AND FAST PICTURE OF MARY LIZ · DANCE INSTRUCTOR · WELL KNOWN IN THE ELKTON AREA · PASTOR TERRY TALKING TO HER  PICTURE OF MARY LIZ HANDS UP · PASTOR TERRY GETTING READY TO BAPTIZE · MARY LIZ IS MORE THAN READY  PICTURE MARY LIZ · PASTOR JARED AND PASTOR TERRY · ASKED PERMISSION TO SHOW THIS GLOW WHEN · WHEN YOU GET SAVED- YOU GET BAPTIZED · WHEN YOU TAKE A CLASS? · WHEN YOU JOIN THE CHURCH? · AFTER YOU ENROL IN WHAT??? · NOT SAYING WE DON’T REVERANCE BAPTISM · BUT YOU GET SAVED- YOU GET BAPTIZED  I PETER 3:18-19 18. FOR CHRIST ALSO SUFFERED ONCE FOR SINS, THE RIGHTEOUS FOR THE UNRIGHTEOUS, TO BRING YOU TO GOD. HE WA PUT TO DEATH IN THE BODY BUT MADE ALIVE IN THE SPIRIT. AFETR BEING MADE ALIVE, HE WENT AND MADE PROCLOMATION TO THE IMPRISONED SPIRITS 1 PETER 3:20 20. TO THOSE WHO WERE DISOBEDIENT LONG AGO WHEN GOD WAITED PATIENTLY IN THE DAYS OF NOAH WHILE THE ARK WAS BEING BUILT. IN IT ONLY A FEW PEOPLE- EIGHT IN ALL WERE SAVED THROUGH WATER.  I PETER 3:21-22 AND THIS WATER SYMBOLIZES BAPTISM THAT NOW SAVES YOU ALSO-NOT THE REMOVAL OF DIRT FROM THE BODY BUT THE PLEDGE OF A CLEAR CONSCIENCE TOWARD GOD. IT SAVES YOU BY THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST, WHO HAS GONE INTO HEAVEN AND IS AT GODS RIGHT HAND- WITH ANGELS, AUTHORITIES AND POWERS IN SUBMISSION TO HIM.” · MYSTERY IN SCRIPTURE ABOUT WATER · WATER DOESN’T SAVE YOU · SYMBOLIC PASSING OF DEATH TO LIFE · STUDY THAT IN A FEW WEEKS IN JOSHUA JUST LAST WEEK- WE HAD A TEEN- WANTING FOR ABOUT A YEAR TO BE BAPTIZED SO LAST WEEK-IN THE RIVER  PICTURE · PASTOR CHRIS- BAPTIZING ELI KOHL · CELEBRATE THIS ALREADY HAPPENED · LATE 70’S AND EARLY 80S- WILD MAN · BECAME FAMOUS BECAUSE OF JUMPING THINGS · HE LIVED A HARD PARTY LIFE · SAID LIVED BETTER THAN KINGS AND PRESIDENTS  EVIL KNIEVEL · HE WAS ADDICTED TO DRUGS/ALCOHOL · BEEN IN MULTIPLE RELATIONSHIPS WITH WOMEN · WASN’T AN ATHEIST-BUT ALWAYS REJECTED GOD · HE BROKE OVER 400 BONES · JUMPED CARS/BUSES/CANYONS/SNAKES/SHARKS  PICTURE JUMPING ON MOTORCYCLE · HE STARTED WATCHING A PREACHER ON TV · ONE NIGHT MOTEL ROOM IN FLORIDA · JESUS GOT A HOLD OF EVIL KNIEVELS HEART · HE CONTACTED THE PREACHER- SAID YOU PROB DON’T KNOW ME · PREACHER LISTNENED- PREACHER WAS MOVED · DECIDED HE WOULD SUNDAY SHARE TESTIMONY · OVER 200 PEOPLE CAME TO BE BAPTIZED · OVER THE NEXT 4 WEEKS OVER 1000 BAPTIZED  ACTS 2:37-38 “WHEN THE PEOPLE HEARD THIS, THEY WERE they were cut to the he

Over the last several weeks we have been focusing on the stories of Jesus’ compassionate attentiveness to ‘the one’.    Are you willing to follow Jesus in His steps, to take on Jesus’ missional strategy, to go for ‘the one’ He has put in your life?  Jesus was intentional to have a relationship with ‘the one’.  Definitely pray for the person, and begin to listen to the Holy Spirit to give you His guidance and to provide you opportunities to have conversations with ‘your one’.   I have a personal story, about a young woman that I have known since 2019.  Our first conversation was through a glass.  She is with us today.    I asked her permission to share, and she said “Pastor Terry, it’s okay. I want people to know how you were there for me to point me to Jesus.”      I met Amy when she was in Hotel Middle River; and for those of you who do not know, I call the local Middle River Jail the Hotel Middle River.      I visit individuals one-on-one at Middle River.    When visiting the ladies, they quickly learn that I am on a pursuit to point all people to Jesus.  Each one of the ladies know that they are “my one”.    I faithfully journeyed with Amy from Middle River and then to various prisons.    While in Middle River, Amy found a “Building Your Faith” book that was left behind by another lady who had moved to another Correctional Facility, and it had my name, the church of the Nazarene address, and my phone number written in the front of the book.  The ladies, are not allowed to take personal possessions to their next location.    Amy said as soon as she saw the contact information, she wrote me a letter.  Within a month, she said the officer on duty called to say “You have a Pastor visitor”, and Amy thought it was her pastor from her home church.  Amy said her most vivid memory was the first day that she met me, I was smiling at her through the glass and talking to her on the phone, and saying “Jesus loves you!”  It was during COVID, and she had already served two years, and everything was shut down for family or friends to visit.  Amy said she was depressed, and stressed out.  She said that being locked up that time around was really hard for her, and it was very different.    She is now living a new life, the old self is gone, and she is filled with the hope of Jesus.       When I visited Amy one-on-one:  We talked. We prayed together. Sometimes she would cry. I would share a short message. And, I always told Amy that Jesus loved her, and that He would never leave her. My heart was burdened for Amy to come to know Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior.  During our visits, I watched her grow spiritually. I remember when she prayed and asked Jesus to forgive her and come live in her heart.  Since that day, I have witnessed Amy continuing to grow in her faith and to have a thirst to know Him more and to love Him more.  She has left the old self behind.     Amy arrived in Harrisonburg in January 2023. She started to East Rock with me the first Sunday she was in Harrisonburg, and she has been with us ever since.    Amy attends Celebrate Recovery at our Harrisonburg Campus, and she recently completed her Step Study so she is ready to be a Celebrate Recovery leader.    Amy has a job, and she attends AA meetings regularly.  She is serving on a ministry team which are advocates for the ‘Homeless, Lower Income, and People who are in Need’.    Amy is growing in her faith, and she desires to share her story so that all will know that nothing is impossible with Jesus.  She wants people to know what Christ has done for her.  Amy is now enjoying a relationship with her mom, and her two sons.     Amy knows there will still be difficult days ahead, but the thought of living her life for Christ spurs her onward.    Who is your one? (Pause)  Our hope is that we have stirred in your heart the awareness that Jesus is for ‘the one’, and He uses you and me, to reach the world, one person at a time.  In the back, on the high top tables are the ‘for one’ cards.  If you have not picked up a card, please do so today, and be certain to write ‘your one’s name’ on the card.    Put your card where you will see it, to help you remember to pray for ‘your one’, and to ask Jesus to give you opportunities to spend time with ‘your one’ and for you to share Jesus with them.   We are going to look at one more story from the life of Jesus where he pursued ‘the one’. In His pursuit of this one, Jesus crossed all sorts of social and cultural boundaries.  Last week Pastor Jared taught about Nicodemus, a well-known teacher and le

http://bible.com/events/49311510 Church of The Nazarene Harrisonburg Campus For One: Part 4 Harrisonburg Part 4- Jesus and Nicodemus John 3:1-2 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” WHATS A PHARISEE? WHO IS NICODEMUS? (RULER/POWERFUL/WEALTHY) NICODEMUS MEANS “VICTORIOUS PEOPLE” John 3:3-11 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. John 3:14-15 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” [Image] https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1725145251251.jpg [Image] https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1725145357981.jpg [Image] https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1725145457037.jpg John 20:21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Isaiah 45:22 “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. Jesus & Nicodemus (The Chosen)