Crossing the Jordan: Lessons in Faith and Perseverance - Sermon Audio 2547

Jesus said in Matthew 28:19, Go, therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Welcome to Go Teach all nations, bringing you Christ's teachings through Australian and international speakers. And here is today's presenter, Tim Matsis. Speaker B Our Father in heaven, we thank you for the Sabbath day. Lord, as we gather together this morning, we're mindful of your promise that where two or three gather together, that you will be there in the midst. So, Lord, we know that you have been with us throughout this week, but we especially ask for you to be here through your Holy Spirit today. Lord, we know that we are living in very difficult times. Lord, you have seen into the future. There's nothing that's happening in our world that you have not prepared for. And so today, as we open your word, we ask that you convict upon our hearts the message that will prepare us not just for today, but for the future. Until you come, we ask these things in Jesus name. Amen. Well, as I said this morning, I had a feeling of deja vu being back here at Wicklow Street Church. And I remember it was just a. A few months ago, we were traveling up to the North Island, I was going for work and we got up early in the morning and we traveled over on the Picton Ferry, as we call it, and we got just, we were just leaving Wellington, ready to head over the hill, the hills to Masterton, and we got news that there was going to be a lockdown. And so immediately we had to turn around and head all the way back to Christchurch again. And we got there, I think at about 4 o' clock in the morning. It was a long day's traveling, one that I wouldn't want to repeat again, except that about a month later I had to go up for work again. And I can tell you the feelings of intrepidation that we felt as we went over on the ferry and then we got to Wellington, we were just about to leave Wellington and I thought to myself, we've been here before, I wonder if we're going to get to go over this time over the hills. And it was quite a bizarre feeling to, you know, to get that sense of, I suppose, anticipation, but intrepidation probably is the right word. Will we make it this time? And this morning I am going to talk to you about another experience this time of the Hebrews, where they must have felt a little bit like this. The Bible tells us in the Book of Joshua, chapter three, that the hosts of Israel stood again on the banks of Jordan. Finally. About to go over into the Promised Land. Of course, it wasn't the first time that they had been there. About 40 years earlier. After God had miraculously delivered them from slavery in Egypt. They had also stood on the banks of Jordan. And God had said to them. Send 12 men over to spy out the land. We find in Numbers 13:23. Going to read a little bit this morning. It says they came to the brook of Eshcol. When they went over in the promised Land. They found at the brook of Eshcol. They cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes. Now, I like grapes. And I've always liked that picture in Uncle Arthur's Bible stories. With the men carrying the grapes. They cut down one cluster of grapes, it says. And they bear it between two upon a staff. And they brought her the pomegranates and the figs. Can you imagine a cluster of grapes so big. That it takes two men to carry it hanging on a staff? This is how wonderful the land of Canaan was. They brought back all the things from Canaan. And they told the people. What a land of milk and honey it was. Overflowing with all the good things. Just like God had promised. Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of the report. Ten of the men at least, carried on. This is what they said. Numbers 1331. It says. But we be not able to go up against these people. For they are stronger than we are. Verse 32. And they brought up an evil report. Of the land which they had searched. Unto the children of Israel. Saying, the land through which we have gone to search. It is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof. And all the people that we saw in it. Are men of great stature. And there. Boy, they really embellished it now. And there we saw the giants. The sons of Anak. And which come of the giants. And we were in our own sight as grasshoppers. And so we were in their sight. Would you feel like going over. The Bible tells us in numbers, chapter 14. That when the Hebrews heard this report. It says that all the congregation. Verse one. Lifted up their voice and cried. And they wept all night. If you've got children, it's like some of them having a tantrum. Isn't says they wept all night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. And the whole congregation said unto them. Oh, would God that we had died in the land of Egypt. Or would God that we had died in the wilderness. And wherefore hath the Lord brought us up unto this land to fall by the sword that our wives and our children should be a prey, were it not better for us to return to Egypt. And they said to one another, let us make a captain and let us return to Egypt. All that way they'd rather go back to slavery. They would rather have died in the wilderness. There was one man who stood up. Actually two. But one man here says his name was Joshua, the son of Nun. And it says Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, who were of them that searched out the land. So these are two of the 12 spies. It says they rent their clothes. That means they're very upset. And they spake unto the company of the children of Israel, saying, the land which we pass through to search it is an exceedingly good land. And if the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land and give it to us. A land which floweth with milk and honey only. Rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of this land, for they are bread for us. For their defence is departed from them. And the Lord is with us. Fear them not. Only 2 out of 12 had faith to believe that God could overcome the giants in the land of Canaan. And numbers, chapter 14 tells us that they then had to spend 40 years back in the wilderness, waiting to enter Canaan, because the people chose to believe them 10 instead of believing the two. This is what God said. Numbers 14, 30, 33. So God said to them, doubtless ye shall not come into the land concerning which I swear to make you dwell therein. Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which you said would be a prey, them will I bring in. And they shall know the land which ye have despised. But as for you, your carcasses, they shall fall in the wilderness. Was that what they wanted? That's what they asked for. And your children shall wander in the wilderness for 40 years and bear your whoredoms, or unfaithfulness, we might say, until your carcasses be wasted in the wilderness. They had to wait another 40 years. Another 40 years to get to the land that God had promised them. And every man over the age of 20 was going to die in the wilderness. That was obviously the age at which they were accountable for their doings. All because they wouldn't believe that God could give them the victory. All except two. Two men. Joshua and Caleb. Paul, when writing about this experience in the book of Hebrews, says there was a Very simple reason why they couldn't go into Canaan. And it wasn't the giants and it wasn't the walled cities that they said were so big. And it wasn't because the land was a dangerous place that would eat up the inhabitants of the land. This is what Paul says in Hebrews chapter 3 in verse 19. He says they couldn't enter in because of unbelief. Now you might think that's a strange thing because as you know, these people had followed God, followed the cloud, followed Moses, all the way from Egypt across the desert to the banks of the Jordan River. But when push came to shove and their faith was really tested against the giants, Paul says they couldn't go in because they didn't believe. Now that's a strange thing to me. Listen to the promise that God made to them when they were in Egypt. This is what Moses was told to tell them. Exodus 6, 6, 8. He says, Wherefore? Say to the children of Israel, I am the Lord. Now notice this first promise. And I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will rid you out of their bondage. And I will redeem you with a stretched out arm and with great judgments. It's a promise, isn't it? How easy is it to take a nation of slaves away from another nation? Now you look at America today, do you know how hard it was to liberate the slaves? Do you see the problems they've still got today? How easy is it to liberate people from slavery? Not that easy. But God promised that he would deliver the Hebrews from slavery. Now notice this next promise, verse seven. And I will take you to me for a people. And I will be to you a God. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. Did God take the Israelites to be his people at Mount Sinai? Did he enter into a solemn covenant with them? He did. Now notice the third promise, verse eight. And I will bring you into the land concerning which I did swear to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. And I will give it to you for an heritage. I am the Lord. Had God shown them that he was capable of doing what he had promised? He had. But when they got to the borders of Canaan, they wouldn't believe. Now here's the interesting thing. As you know, Paul says that the deliverance of the Hebrews from Egypt is a symbol of of our salvation. It's a symbol how God delivers us from the Slavery of sin. Notice this. First Corinthians, chapter 10, verse 1 and 2. Paul says, Moreover, brethren, I would not have you be ignorant how all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. So Paul says that their deliverance from Egypt is a symbol or a metaphor for our deliverance from the slavery of sin. Now, in order to be baptized in the Red Sea, what did they need to have? I'll put it this way. In order to walk down into the Red Sea with water piled up on one side and water piled up on the other side, it's kind of not normal, is it? With the hope that you could walk through this channel in the middle where it was dry ground and come out on the other side alive. I'm sure that's never been done before. What do you need to have? Well, Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 11:29, in case you're in any doubt, Paul says in Hebrews, by faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians attempting to do so were drowned. In other words, those without faith could never do that. But by faith, the Hebrews were baptized in the sea and came out the other side, and God rescued them from Egypt. By faith, they had to believe that God had the power to deliver them, and they had to act on that belief and walk through the sea. That's faith, isn't it? Believing and acting on that belief. But what's incredible to me is that almost the moment they reach the other side, the moment they stop celebrating their deliverance, it seems as if they stopped believing, they stopped trusting, and Egypt started to sound like not such a bad place after all. Because of this, Paul says in 1st Corinthians 10:5 that with many of them, God was not pleased and they were overthrown in the wilderness. Kind of reminds me of many Christians today, doesn't it? Many people pass through the waters of baptism. I'm saved, they say, only to return to a life of slavery on the other side. They believe enough to be baptized. And Paul says that this is a warning to us. In First Corinthians 10:11, he says, now all these things happen to them for examples and are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come. In other words, he's saying that we will have a similar experience to the Hebrews, because Jesus said in John 8:34, Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave to sin. And if Jesus is going to rescue us from the slavery of sin. What do we need? We need faith. We need to believe. Notice these texts here from the New Testament. Mark 16:16. Jesus said, he who believes and is baptized will be saved. What comes first, Belief and then baptism. Did the Hebrews believe before they were baptized? They did. They walked through by faith. Notice this. Acts 8:12. But when they believed, Philip, as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Belief. Then baptism. Acts 18:8. Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians hearing, believed and then were baptized. Some of you wonder why we spend so long. Why Mike and Thomas and Joe and whoever does the studies in the church, why they spend so much time studying with you before you're baptized. Because it's important that you believe before you are baptized. You have to know what you're believing. When we repent from a life of slavery to sin, and we want Jesus to forgive us for the sins of the past and set us free, we believe in that. And then we're baptized. What do we need to believe? We need to believe that Jesus will do for us just what he's promised to do for us. You know the text, John 3:16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. We have to believe that Jesus will do just what he says. And he says that if we come to him with all our sins and all our mistakes, what does he promise? That if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just. To forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We have to believe that if we want to be saved. But now Paul gives a warning. In Hebrews 4:1:2, he says, Let us therefore fear. In other words, we need to be afraid. We need to be cautious, lest a promise being left of us, of entering into his rest. Any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them. But the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. Did the Hebrews have the Gospel preached to them? Did they understand salvation? Did they get baptized when they got to Mount Sinai? Did they have a sanctuary service that explained to them the process, the plan of salvation? They sure did. Did they sacrifice a lamb representing Jesus, the Lamb of God, that came to take away the sins of the world. Did God promise them rest in the land of Canaan? That was the Gospel. They had it preached to them. But as we've seen, they got all the way to the borders of the promised land. And those that were left, except for two, would not believe. Their belief had limits. Their faith had a point where it stopped and said, no, no further, that's enough. I believe this much, but no further. You know, many Christians are tripped up by this today, aren't they? They realize they have a bad past. They're taught to come to Jesus and ask forgiveness. And that's just exactly what we should do, isn't it? Believe that Jesus forgives us. But just like the Hebrews, when they get to the other side of the Red Sea, they start to drop off. When they have to face the challenges of everyday life on the other side, when they face temptation and struggle, suddenly all that faith they had to get baptized, it just disappears. The kind of faith that only gives us the power to believe we'll be forgiven is not apparently the kind of faith that will get us to the promised land. There needs to be something more. It's not enough to believe that Jesus will forgive the sins of the past. Of course he will. We need to believe. We need to continue to trust. We need to continue to believe and have faith. Notice these comments here. Jesus said in John 8:31. Jesus said to those Jews which believed on him, did they believe? Yes. If ye continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed. Colossians 1:22 23. This is Paul writing. He says he will present you, holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight if you continue in the faith grounded and settled and not be moved away from the hope of the Gospel. Notice what Paul says here in Hebrews chapter 3. He says, Take heed brethren, verse 12. Take heed brethren, lest there be any of you with an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. He says, but exhort one another daily while it's called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ. If. If we hold on, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast until the end. Friends, salvation is not just a one day event. Belief, trust. Faith is something has to continue throughout our lives. If we want to reach Canaan, if we want to make it to heaven, we have to believe that Jesus can not only deliver us and give us remission of sins that are past. We need to believe that he can give us victory over the sins and temptations that will confront us in the times ahead. Notice what Paul says in First Corinthians 10:13. There has no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which ye are able, but will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it. Does God promise to deliver us from the temptations of the future, from the struggles, the trials, the difficulties that we face on the way to heaven? He sure does. Again, in Philippians 4:13, Paul says, I can do some things through Christ who strengthens me. I'm glad you're reading. He says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Jude 1:24 now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy. Does that sound like God is able to deliver us from temptation? Does that sound like God is able to work in us to prepare us for eternal life? You know, many Christians are willing to say that they believe Jesus can forgive their sins. But let me ask how many different kinds of faith are there in the Bible? Is there like a type 1 faith and a type 2? Is there baptismal faith and salvation faith and eternal life faith and victory over sin? Are there different kinds of faith in the Bible? Have you ever seen any friends? The Bible doesn't teach that there are different kinds of faith. The Bible doesn't teach that there's a different faith that saves you and a different faith that gives you victory over sin. It's the same faith that grasps the promise of forgiveness. It's the same faith that grasps the promise of victory. You can't say, I have faith to believe that Jesus will forgive my sins, but not have faith to believe that he will give you victory over sin. And that includes giants. Now I know there's some of us who believe that God can help us with the little things in life. When I was a kid, we sometimes go to town and I remember Mum always used to pray that we would find a car park, couldn't find a park, and she would pray for a car park. You may think that's silly, but as a child I remember that was something that always taught me that we should pray for things. It's a little thing, but God cares about little things. Do you believe that God cares about big things too? I do. The Bible says that even the giants in our life will fall back at the Demand of faith, you might say. Well, I've tried it. I've got things in my life, I've tried to overcome them. And honestly, I prayed and it just didn't work. Have you seen anyone who's perfect? I've heard that one before. Now this is an interesting question. Have you ever seen anyone who's perfect? Some of you are shaking your heads. I guess I haven't either. And I guess if there was some plausible way we could become perfect, or I could explain it, then it wouldn't require any faith, would it? Notice what Hebrews says. In Hebrews 11. 1, it says, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Do you know there have been perfect people? Do you know the Bible says that Enoch was a perfect man? God took him without seeing death. I'm not saying he never made a mistake, but he reached the point where he obtained victory. And God said, you're ready for heaven now, I've never seen it, but I believe it by faith. Now let me ask you. You believe that Jesus will forgive your sins, that he's forgiven your sins already, right? You believed you've been baptized. Most of you, I know some of you haven't. But you believe that Jesus will forgive your sins and that he's done that. How do you know? Have you been up to heaven? Have you seen the books of record and opened them up to make sure they've been. You've never seen it, have you? So you have to believe it. You have to believe it by faith. So that's a bit silly, of course. No one's been to heaven. Do you believe that one day Jesus is going to return? He's going to raise the dead. Have you ever seen anyone raised from the dead? But you believe it. You believe it by faith. Have you ever seen heaven, a place with no sickness or death? No. But you're all hoping to get there. And you believe there's such a place by faith. If you can believe all that by faith without any proof, then why can't you believe that Jesus will give you victory over the giants in your life? That he will give you victory over every sin that gets between you and heaven? It's a good question. Say, well, I make mistakes all the time. And do you know what the Bible tells us? That in the wilderness wanderings, we will have struggles. You read through it. Many of them stumbled and had to get up again. And you know, God tells us that that will happen. In our Christian experience, the devil doesn't leave us alone in the Wilderness. Notice this comment in 1 John 2:1. He says, My little children, these things I write to you, that ye sin not. Can God give us victory according to that? Yeah, he's writing so that we sin not. But then he says, and if any man sin, there's a backup plan. We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. So here's the promise. Isn't that a good thing? God just doesn't have one plan. I'll give you victory. If you believe it, you can be saved. But if you don't and you make a mistake, you're out. That would be pretty hard, wouldn't it? Jesus says, I write these things to you that you sin not. But if you do fall, if you do make a mistake, then that's the time Jesus says, I will help you get up and fight the battle of faith again. The Bible calls this process of fighting temptation and finding victory calls it sanctification. It's God making us like him, teaching us to obey, challenging us with the things in our lives that we didn't know were a problem and showing us how to find victory over them. You see, when we go through the waters of baptism and we leave our past behind, God makes us all clean. That's called justification. But as we walk through the wilderness and we meet difficulty and we learn to trust God with every difficulty, God makes us more and more like Him. That's called sanctification. First, Thessalonians 5:23, Paul writes, and the very God of peace, sanctify you wholly. And I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved. Blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. What happens when we are sanctified as we go through life and God cleanses us day by day, as we trust in him, he makes us like him and prepares us so that we can be blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus. Because, friends, one thing is clear in the Scriptures that when this world comes to an end and it's time to go to heaven, only those who have found victory over sin through faith in Jesus will be going through. Only those who have found victory against the giants will be going through and inhabiting the promised land. Notice this in Revelation 21, verse 27 says, there and there shall in no wise enter into it. Anything that defiles neither, anything that works an abomination or makes a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. Oh, you say that's because when Jesus comes, he's going to change me before I go to Heaven, so that I won't want to do bad things anymore. And he'll take away my cigarettes and he'll take away my alcohol and my bad temper and all the things that I indulge. Now let me ask you, is that how it worked for the Hebrews when they got to the other side of the Red Sea? Did Jesus say, oh, great, now you're on the other side of the Red Sea, you won't be tempted anymore. I'll take away everything that can tempt you and can give you a problem. You can walk straight into Canaan. Is that how it worked for them? No, it didn't. Friends, don't believe the unbelievers. You will come into contact with people who are believers who don't believe. Oh, they'll believe that you can be baptized, but they won't believe that God can give you victory over temptation and sin. Don't believe the unbelievers. They fell in the wilderness. The Bible says that when it's time to go home, his people will be keeping all of his commandments. Notice this, Revelation 14:12. It says, Here is the patience of the saints. Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Say, Tim, that's legalism. You can't be telling people they've got to keep all the commandments. That's legalism. Well, the Bible doesn't think so. Notice what John says here in 1 John 5:3. He says, this is not legalism. This is the love of God that we keep his commandments. And his commandments aren't grievous. Friends, it's not legalism to obey God. It's the love of God born out of faith and trust. Because you know what? When you leave that life of sin behind in Egypt, when you realize what Jesus has done, how he came down from heaven and poured himself out when he endured the cross for you and I. When you see how holy he is and you look at how sinful I am, and you think, lord, would you do that for me, a sinner? Friends, when you realise what Jesus has done for you, when you realise how much he loves you and how undeserving you are, but that he's willing to forgive you anyway, all you can do is love Him. And when you love him, you will learn to trust him and you'll learn to obey him. This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And it's not burdensome. The book, Great Controversy, page 623. She comments on this fact in this way, she says, it is in this life, in the wilderness. It is in this life that we are to separate sin from us through faith in the atoning blood of Christ, our precious Saviour invites us to join ourselves to him, to unite our weakness to his strength, our ignorance to his wisdom, our unworthiness to his merits. God's providence that's in the wilderness. God's providence is the school in which we are to learn the meekness and lowliness of Jesus. The Lord is ever setting before us, not the way that we would choose, which seems easier and pleasanter to us, but the true aims of life. It rests with us to cooperate with the agencies which Heaven employs in the work of conforming our characters to the divine model. In other words, making us like Jesus. She finishes by saying, none can neglect or defer this work, but at the most fearful peril to their souls. It's a sobering thought, you know, but the Bible says that there were 600,000 men that came out of Egypt, plus women and children. They all believed and walked through the Red Sea by faith. But only two of them had the faith to enter Canaan. Sobering statistics, aren't they? And so now Israel finds itself back at The Jordan After 40 years in the wilderness. The ones that are there now are the children and Caleb and Joshua. The parents of those children didn't have the faith to believe that God could take them in. But now there's another generation, a generation who would believe his promises enough to have victory over those giants. Ones who were prepared to go forward and say, lord, I believe. A generation who found victory in the desert and were ready to march through the Jordan into Canaan. Notice this. Joshua 3, 15, 17. It says there. And as they that bear the Ark will come unto the Jordan. And the feet of the priests that bear the Ark were dipped in the brim of the water. For Jordan overflows its banks at the time of harvest. It says that the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city. Adam. Adam that is beside Ziratan. And those that came down toward the Sea of the Plain, even the salt sea, it's also known as the Dead Sea, failed and were cut off. And the people passed over right against Jericho. And the priests that bare the Ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan. And all the Israelites passed over on dry ground until all the people were passed clean over Jordan. Friends, that's a fascinating passage. There's a lot in that you notice that this river Jordan, by the way, is often used as a symbol for death. I don't know if you've heard that before, but it makes sense, because up here is the city Adam. And this Jordan river flows down, it says, all the way to the Salt Sea, or the Dead Sea, we call it. And I find that very interesting, you know, because Romans 5:12 tells us that by one man, Adam, sin entered the world, and death by sin. And so death passed on all men, for all have sinned. What does the Bible say? The wages of sin is death. Because of Adam's sin, anyone who enters Jordan is carried down into that dead sea from which there is no exit. That's why it's salty. Isn't that interesting? But notice what happens in this passage. The priests take the Ark of the Covenant on their shoulders. That ark is a symbol for the atonement that Jesus has made for yours and my sin. It tells us of the life and the death and the resurrection of Jesus. It tells us of his heavenly ministry, where he intercedes for us and gives us power, gives us victory over sin. It tells us how he cleanses our lives. And as that symbol of Christ's atonement enters the Jordan, what happens to this natural flow, this natural consequence of sin? It comes to a stop, a standstill. Friends, that's an amazing parallel. Jesus Christ has interrupted the natural course of events. You see, the wages of your sin is death. But when the atonement of Jesus stands in the way, it allows us to enter the Jordan and pass through and come out the other side without even getting our feet wet. Unfortunately for them, when they crossed over Jordan, because this is just a story, they had to carry on living a mortal life, didn't they? Facing the struggles of daily life in the land of Canaan. But this morning, I want to tell you that that's not going to be the same for you and I. The Bible tells us that when we cross over Jordan, it's going to be a different experience. Revelation 21:4 says that God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. There shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying. Neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away. And he that sat on the throne said, behold, I make all things new. Friends, this is glorification, justified in the waters of baptism sanctified. Walking through the desert and finding victory through Christ. And now glorification. As we pass through the river Jordan, I found an interesting fact as I was reading this story. Did you know that not all of the 12 tribes actually crossed through the River Jordan. Well, some of them stayed behind. They just sent representatives through. In other words, they didn't make it over, they didn't have to cross Jordan. Some of them stayed behind. And do you know, this is exactly what the Bible teaches. It'll be the same for us. You know the passage, First Corinthians 15, Paul says, behold, I show you all a mystery. We shall not all sleep, we won't all have to pass through Jordan, but we will all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump. It says, for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible. And we shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. Isn't that marvelous? Isn't that an incredible promise? First Thessalonians, chapter 4 and verse 16 says, for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord wherefore comfort one another. He says with these words, Friends, as I look around today, you can tell that time is not going to last much longer. We are seeing things in our lifetime that we have never seen before. All the prophecies that we've spent time studying in the book of Daniel, in the book of Revelation, all of these things we've seen happen around us, we can see them fulfilling fast. Friends, we are on the banks of Jordan and soon it's going to be time to cross over. And only those who have put their faith in Christ, only those that trust in the atonement of Jesus to forgive the sins of their past and to give them victory over the giants in the land. Only those will cross over. Only those who will be entitled to to take part in the promised land. I wonder today how many of us, how many of us have a love and a trust that is preparing us to follow Jesus even when things seem dark and forbidding. Friends, do you believe that we are soon going to be passing over Jordan? I believe we are. I believe we're soon going to cross over. I don't want to stay in this world. I don't want to be preaching sermons in 10 years time. The longer you go through life, the more you realise that this wilderness we're wandering in is not a pleasant place to be. It's full of serpents. It's full of trouble. It's full of troublemakers. Dangers on the left and the right. People all around us falling by the wayside. Attacks from the enemies. I want to cross over. I want to cross over Jordan. I don't want to stumble in the wilderness. I want to claim myself the promise of victory that comes by faith. It's a promise that God will give to all those who believe. I want to go over. You know, this world's not our home, friends. This is just the wilderness. We weren't meant to stay here. He's just taking us through here to prepare us for our real home. I want to go over. Friends, we're standing on the verge of Jordan, and we've been here before. But I pray and I know that God says it will happen. That there will be a generation. I hope it's this generation that will believe God's promises enough to carry us over. On Jordan's stormy banks I stand. I cast a wishful eye To Canaan's fair and happy land. Where my possessions lie. That's where my possessions lie. Not here. Friends, I'm bound for the Promised Land. I'm bound for the Promised land. My question to you this morning is who will come and go with me? I'm bound for the promised Land. Will you? Will you come and go with me? Is it the desire of your heart this morning to say, jesus, I believe. Help thou, my unbelief? I want to believe that you've forgiven my sins of the past. I want to believe that you're going to carry me through this wilderness. But, Lord, I believe that you will conquer the giants and carry me safe into Canaan. Who will stand this morning? Who will come and go with me? Will you stand? Stand now if you want to go to heaven. Stand now if you want to say, Jesus, I want to go with you over to Canaan's bright and happy land? Let's bow our heads. Our loving Father in heaven, we thank you for this promise. We thank you for the promise that you will take us to a promised land. And, Lord, I know today there are hearts that are crying out for you to come. We want to go over, Lord, While our heads are bowed today, Lord, we want to indicate to you that we want you to come into our hearts. We want you to inspire us with this faith, the faith to believe that you will carry us through this wilderness. That you will give us victory over the giants. Victory over the sins that so easily beset us. And that you will take us to heaven to be with you while our heads are bowed. If there is a heart that wants to indicate to the Lord today, Lord, I want you to come into my heart. I'm not going to ask you to raise your hand. Lord, I want you to come into my heart to prepare me for eternal life, to take me over Jordan, to spend eternity with you. Jesus sees Jesus understands. He's never broken a promise. The Bible says in Titus that he is the God that cannot lie. And so, Father, today we ask you, not because we are worthy, not because we are good, but because you have promised and we need the fulfillment of your promise in our lives. We look forward to seeing you when you come. But Father, we want you to be with us now. For we ask it in Jesus name. Amen. Speaker A This message was made available by the Masterton Seventh Day Adventist Church. For more resources like this, visit mastertonsda.nz.