Joshua 3 & 4 Study Guide

This past weekend, Pastor Doug shared an update on Vision 2023 as we explored Joshua 3 and 4, the crossing of the Jordan, and the amazing work God did among the Israelites.

Watch the video below to see a few highlights from the teaching and share it with your friends via social media. To watch the message in its entirety, click here.


For the Note Takers

God Loves to Give Us Second Chances at Divine Moments (Joshua 3:1–4): God is always ahead of us. He is always going in front of us to guide and lead, to protect and provide for us, to show us the way. As the Israelites crossed the Jordan, the presence of God, through the Ark of the Covenant, was between them and the impossible. For us, we have the Spirit of Christ living in us to go forth and lead us through life.

As we walk every single day as believers, we always need to have a clear view of Jesus; we need to keep our eyes fixed on Him who is the “the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2 ESV).

Between You and Your Divine Purpose Is the Jordan (Joshua 3:5–8): The Jordan was symbolic of a seemingly impossible barrier that needed to be crossed. And in life, we all come to our own crossing moment. How will you/did you proceed? What do you do when you come to the crossing? Will you cross or stay where you are?

Change is extremely difficult. One of the most vivid examples of this painful reality is the inability of heart bypass patients to change. Roughly 600,000 people have heart bypass surgery each year in United States. These patients are told they must change their lifestyle, from their diet and exercise habits to needing to quit smoking and drinking. If not, they will die. The case for change is so compelling that they are literally told, “Change or die.” Yet despite the clear instructions and painful reality, 90% of the patients do not change. Within two years of hearing this brutal truth, they remain the same. For the vast majority of cardiac patients, death is chosen over change.

The truth of the Christian life is a lot like this: If you want to receive the promise tomorrow, you must consecrate yourself today! We must go stand in the river and sanctify ourselves daily. We must walk in the light as He is in the light. As believers, we are saved and will go to heaven, but we can still miss out on the promises of God here on earth if we don’t “work hard to show the results of [our] salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear” (Philippians 2:12 NLT).

God’s Divine Purpose for Your Life Starts with One Step (Joshua 3:9–17): For the Israelites in Joshua 3, that step was into the water. That day, even with all they had seen, even with all their preparation and consecration, they still had to be willing to take the first step in order to take ground. In the Christian life, steps of faith are necessary. God is faithful to carry out His promises and accomplish His great work when we step out in faith. He will make the water flow change; He will turn the tides. He wants to use us to step into the water and rescue those who are drowning.

If You Don’t Choose to Remember Divine Moments, You’ll Forget Them (Joshua 4:1–5): The stones of remembrance were just one example of different memorials and memory markers created by the Israelites in the Old Testament. Why? So they could remember and memorialize what God had done for them and in them for themselves and future generations.

How are you intentionally creating memory markers in your life? What are your stones of remembrance? Journaling is a wonderful spiritual discipline to help us remember what God is showing us through His Word, prayer, worship, fasting, service, what He has spoken to us through others, and what He is doing in our life. It’s also a beautiful thing to pass down to our children so they may get a glimpse of the legacy God has written in and through us.

Quote to Remember: We need a clear view of Jesus.—Pastor Doug Sauder


QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

As you think about this weekend’s teaching, here are a few questions to reflect on and consider on your own, with your family, or in your group.

1. How is the Ark of the Covenant emblematic of Jesus? 

2. What are you doing to ensure you keep a clear view of Jesus in your life?

3. How are you consecrating yourself today in order to receive the promises of God tomorrow?

4. What steps of faith have you taken in your life? How did God honor them? 

5. How are you choosing to remember what God is showing you, doing in you life, and the lives of those around you?


VISION 2023: GET IN THE STORY!

Imagine a city filled with the hope of Jesus . . . Imagine schools, businesses, neighborhoods, families, entire communities walking with Jesus, loving one another, living generously, and radiating the truth of the gospel. Imagine South Florida full of people who are connected to God, one another, and to those in need! That’s what Vision 2023 is all about! It’s a city-changing five-year vision to make 60,000 new, passionate, fully-devoted disciples by 2023.

We believe as God’s people saturate the region with the gospel, generosity grows, stronger families are formed, the elderly are cared for, orphans, addicts, and widows find lasting hope, and true social changes happens.

Do you want to see South Florida changed for Christ? Click here to get in the story today!


A LOOK AHEAD

Join us this Wednesday as Pastor Reuben Ramsaran shares a powerful word about remembering all that God has done in our lives. We’ll discuss the importance of journaling and how we can set up our own “stones of remembrance.”

Then on the weekend, Pastor Doug will explore Joshua 5 and the amazing and holy moment that took place just before the Israelites took the city of Jericho. Discover the importance of what took place at Gilgal and how we see the resurrection of Jesus parallel this moment.

About the Author

Danny Saavedra

Danny Saavedra is a licensed minister who has served on staff at Calvary since 2012, managing the Calvary Devotional and digital discipleship resources. He has a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling and Master of Divinity in Pastoral Ministry from Liberty Theological Seminary. His wife Stephanie, son Jude, and daughter Zoe share a love of Star Wars, good food, having friends over for dinner, and studying the Word together as a family.