Don't Forget, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word, Pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. You see, the scripture says you are a new creature in Christ.

All the old things have passed away. You said you need to know that. Don't forget that. You see, don't forget that whatever you do. The New Testament has so many reminders of this. In John 1 he says you need to know that you're God's child. In John 15 you need to know you're Christ's friend. In 1 Corinthians 12 you need to know you're a member of Christ's body. Why does he keep telling us that?

Because we forget. Over and over and over again he says this. You're a new creature.

Don't forget that. Thank you for joining us today on this edition of Fellowship in the Word with Pastor Bill Gebhardt. Fellowship in the Word is the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible Church located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now as once again he shows us how God's Word meets our world. See, I think of how much the Lord's done for you.

How do I know? You're here. You see, you're here.

You might not be here, but you're here. You have a history with God. You see, and he says don't forget what I've already done for you. He says, And it came about when all the nation had crossed, the crossing of the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua and said, Take up for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, and command them, saying, Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight. And so Joshua gets the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe, and Joshua said to them, Cross again. He said to the ark of the Lord your God in the middle of the Jordan, each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel. Let this, he said, be a sign to you, he said, that when your children ask later, What do these stones mean? Then you will say to them, Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, when it was crossed, and the waters of the Jordan were cut off, see these stones shall be a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.

See, that might seem like a dumb thing. They're already across. He says, Take one man from each tribe, go to the middle. In the middle, you'll see some big stones, it must be, you've got to put it in your shoulder.

Put a stone in your shoulder, walk to the shore where you're going to camp, and make a memorial. You need to remember what God's done. And so when your children ask, Why do I know God's not working? Are you sure God will work in your life? Son, look at the stones.

Look at the memorial. He said, When you see that, you're going to see that it's a very different kind of thing. You see, God is much more concerned about something than we think when we read Joshua. The Book of Joshua is not about real estate.

It's not about God saying, There's the land, that land's yours, go get the land. That's not what the Book of Joshua is about. The Book of Joshua is about what's really going on.

The Book of Joshua is about a spiritual dimension to all this. You see, the real enemy of Israel are not theites. Theites are victims of the enemy. The real enemy of Israel is Lucifer.

That's the real enemy. You see, and what he did, he said, Look, I'm going to stop Israel from ever getting to the promised land. So Lucifer filled the land with ites. And all of the ites, every one of them, are about as evil and pagan as can be and warlike. And he said, I'll make this a very evil haven of warlike people so Israel can't get in the land.

His second strategy was, I'll tell you what else I'll do. I'll discourage Israel. You see, I'll discourage them so much that they won't even try to get in the land. And that happened 40 years earlier when they said the 10 out of the 12 spies and only Caleb and Joshua said, Let's go. And the others said, We can't. They're too tough for us. We can't follow God.

And they spent 40 years in the wilderness. That's the case for you and me. You can hold your place there. But go with me to Ephesians Chapter six, Ephesians Chapter six and verse 12. Paul writing to the Church of Ephesus. And he says something that's very important for us. He said, For our struggle, isn't that a description of life? He said, Our struggle was not against flesh and blood, but against rulers and against powers and against world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. We think that people are our struggle.

But they're not. They can only be victims of where the real struggle is. You see, the real struggle is spiritual. Paul says that's what the real struggle of life is. We have a real enemy, you see, and he's going to do everything he can to make our life as bad as it can possibly be.

Listen to his rap sheet. First Chronicles 21. Satan incited David. Luke 22.

Satan has asked to sift you, Simon, like wheat. John 13. The devil persuaded Judas Iscariot to turn against Jesus. Luke 13. This woman Satan has kept bound for 18 long years. Second Corinthians four for Satan has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. And as a result, they don't see the light of the good news.

Ephesians two. He rules this world and his spirit has power over everyone who does not obey God. Satan insights, sifts, persuades, binds, blinds and rules. He has one objective, Jesus said in John 10, to steal and to kill and to destroy. That's what he wants to do. He wants to discourage you in every possible way he can.

And you'll know if it's working on the basis of the anxiety and worry you have about a situation. Because he's getting to you. God says, look, don't don't do this. Don't do this. Remember, don't forget this. I go before you and don't forget what I've done in the past. You see, don't forget that.

I'll show you a great illustration of that. Go with me now back to First Samuel 17. First Samuel chapter 17.

Now, you know the story. It's one of the most famous in the Bible. David and Goliath. You learn it in Sunday school. It's probably one of the most preachable entire passages in the Old Testament.

It's a great story. All of us face our own giants. All of us face our own Goliaths.

Everybody does. What's interesting about this is Goliath has been tormenting and taunting the armies of Israel. He starts on one side and there on the other. But eventually he works his way down and starts working his way across. And he comes all the way to the bottom of the hill for them.

And they're more terrified than ever. Now, the logical person who should take on Goliath is Saul. He's the king.

He's the tallest. You see, he should be able to defend his people. But he's terrified as well. So, he has an encounter with David. And David says, let me at him. Now, David's a teenager. Goliath is nine foot nine. David might not even be five foot nine. Okay.

He's just a kid. And Saul's like, why would you, how do you, how do you think you could do this? You know what David said? I remember.

What? Look at verses thirty four and thirty five. It says, but David said to Saul, your servant was tending his father's sheep when a lion or a bear came and took the lamb from the flock. And I went out after him and attacked him and rescued it from his mouth. And when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard. I struck him and I killed him. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear. And this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them since he has taunted the armies of the living God. He remembered.

Goliath is formidable, but take a typical teenage boy. What are his chances with a lion or a bear in the wilderness by himself? David said, I got them both. Not only that, I rescued the sheep. He didn't get the sheep. I went and took the sheep off him. He rose up against me and then I killed him. David says, I remember that.

If God delivered me from the lion and the bear, what's this uncircumcised Philistine going to do to me? He remembers. See, do you do that? If you look at all the things that have happened in your life, do you look back and see God's hand on your life? And if God did that, you see, do you remember it or do you forget it completely? You see, he says, don't forget that.

Whatever you do, don't forget. Now watch, you know the story. They do a lot of trash talking back and forth, you know, from that point of view. And then there's a they rush each other and David takes a sling, hits Goliath in the forehead and down he goes. David goes over and picks up Goliath's sword, which is probably much taller than he is. And with a two handed baseball swing, he beheads the giant.

He cuts it off. That gets everybody in Israel's camp all excited. They go and attack the Philistines. The Philistines go in total route.

They start running. But I want you to see now what happens at the end of this all. Verse 54. It says, Then David took the Philistines head and brought it to Jerusalem.

But he put his weapons in his tent. Why? Now, this is a this is a head. I mean, it's kind of gruesome, but this is a head. David, see, I'm going to take the head to Jerusalem. And they're going to be a little stand there, Goliath's head.

Tourists are going to come by and say, hey, look at that. That's Goliath's head. Why is he going to do that?

So they remember. Look at that head. You need to remember that. He said, but I want to tell you something else. I'm taking his weapons. Now, understand, Goliath's weapons are so enormous.

There's a description. David can't use the weapons. He doesn't take them in his tent to use them. He takes them in his tent to remember.

You see, when Saul is chasing them all through the wilderness, when his own son Absalom goes in rebellion against them. He looks at his he looks at those weapons and says, God, you delivered me. You see, I'm not going to forget what you've done for me in the past. You see, that's what God is telling the nation Israel. He's telling them, don't forget to remember what I've done for you in the past. So back to Joshua.

Two things happen. One thing I'd like to mention is just verse nine. It says, Then Joshua set up 12 stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place of the feet of the priest who carried the Ark of the Covenant was standing there. And there to this day, there's two sets of stones of remembrance. One is at Gilgal on the land for Israel to see. But Joshua takes the others and puts it right in the middle where they are stood.

Now, when the waters come back, you can't see it. But God can. Joshua said, You always see that, Lord. You know what you did here.

So he does it for him. Then you pick it up in verse nine. It says, Now the people came up from the Jordan on the 10th of the first month and they camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho.

They're right there. It says, Then it says, Those 12 stones which had been taken from the Jordan Joshua set up at Gilgal. And he said to the sons of Israel, When your children ask your fathers in time to come saying, What are these stones?

You shall inform your children. Say, Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground. For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan before you until you crossed, just as the Lord your God had done so with the Red Sea, which he dried up before us until we had crossed, that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty so that you may respect or fear the Lord your God forever. Wow. These two reminders. Don't forget. I'll go before you and don't forget what I've done in the past. Now, what would you be thinking? OK, let's go get him now.

And there's a good reason to think you're going to get him. Look at verse one of Chapter five. It said, It came about when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west and all the kings of the Canaanites who were all the way to the sea, which means the Mediterranean, they heard how the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until they had crossed. Their hearts melted. There's no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel.

They're done. What are we going to do? Think of it if you're a Canaanite. We have spies there. I'm just telling you, for 18 miles up, the Jordan turned dry.

He held it back to two million people got across, which would be a long time. What are you going to do against them? You see, if God did that, what are you going to do against them? Their hearts melted, it said. Now, what would you and I think right there? Now is the perfect time, right? We've got great PR. They're terrified of us. We're in the land. Let's go. And God said, not so fast. There's something else you I want you not to forget. Don't forget that I go before you.

Don't forget what I've done in the past. Notice what he introduces in verse two. He said, At that time, the Lord said to Joshua, Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel for the second time. What? Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel.

This is the reason Joshua circumcised him, that all the people that came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war died in the wilderness on the way and they came out of Egypt. Well, now. Remember, we don't have the Jordan to protect us.

We're now in the land. Now, if everybody 40 and younger is getting circumcised. You can see men's faces grimacing here.

There's going to be a little bit of healing here, isn't there? The idea of going to war is not something right on our mind. And what about the women and the children? Theites are going to come. They're going to attack.

We can't even defend ourselves. God says you don't have to defend yourselves. I want you to remember something.

I want you to remember and never forget whose you are. You see, 600 years earlier, God in that's when he brought about circumcision as a sign of the covenant. And he said to the sons of Abraham, you'll be circumcised.

The male Jews at eight days old get circumcised. The reason is you're not like the other people. You see, you're not like those people. Those are pagans.

You're my people. Circumcision is a sign. You see, you have to have it. Circumcision, he said, is a wonderful sign.

God wasn't concerned about the battle at all. Now, I want you to see how this applies to us. Go with me to Colossians, chapter two. Colossians chapter two in the New Testament. In verse nine.

Because there's a direct application to you and me here. Verse nine of Colossians two says, For in him all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form in Jesus. In Jesus Christ, all the fullness of the deity dwells. And then he says this. And in him you have been made complete.

And he is head over all role and authority. And in him. You also notice in him, you are also circumcised.

That's us. He said with a circumcision made without hands. In the removal of the body of flesh by the circumcision of Christ. Having been buried with him in baptism. In which he says you were also raised up with him through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead. You were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh.

He made us alive together with him. He said, Forgiven all of us are transgressions. Paul says Christ cut away your old life. He circumcised you. He said you're not who you were. You're somebody else now. You see the scripture says you are a new creature in Christ.

All the old things have passed away. He said you need to know that. Don't forget that. You see don't forget that whatever you do. The New Testament has so many reminders of this. In John 1 he says you need to know that you're God's child. In John 15 you need to know you're Christ's friend. In 1 Corinthians 12 you need to know you're a member of Christ's body.

In chapter 1 of Ephesians he said you need to know you're a saint set apart by God. In Colossians 1 you need to know that you're redeemed and forgiven of all your sins. In Colossians 2 you need to know you're complete in Christ.

You lack nothing. In Romans 8 he says you need to know you're free from condemnation. In 2 Corinthians 6 you need to know you're God's co-worker. In Ephesians 2 you need to know that you're seated with Christ right now in the heavenlies. In Ephesians 2 also he said you need to know you're God's workmanship. Philippians 3 you need to know you're a citizen of heaven. Ephesians 1 you need to know you're adopted into God's family. In 1 John 5 he says you need to know you're born of God, the evil one cannot touch you. Why does he keep telling us that? Because we forget. Over and over and over again he says this. You're a new creature.

Don't forget that. You're not who you were. I've circumcised you. You're different forever. My spirit indwells you.

You see you really have to understand what's going on here. What happened to them physically is what happens to us spiritually. If I can embrace that I'm a new creature in Christ, then my past and my flesh and Satan himself, they've lost their hold on me.

They can't control me. 1 Corinthians 6 I've been bought with a price. I belong to God. 2 Timothy 1 I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind. Romans 8 I cannot be separated from the love of God. Hebrews 4 I find grace and mercy in my time of need.

And Philippians 4 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. That should be our mindset. That's how we should think about our lives. Promised land people think that way.

The people of Hebrews chapter, the entire book of Hebrews who enter what is called the faith rests life, that's the way they think. They think that way. They remember these things. You see that's the way it is. They live out their inheritance as I said in the first week.

They take what is theirs. You and I are spiritually circumcised by Christ himself, a new creature. Greater is he that is in us than he that's in the world. He keeps trying to remind us whatever you do don't forget these things.

Don't forget them at all. You see we don't need to be obsessed with our problems. We need to be obsessed with our Savior. You see that's what it has to come down to. That's why he said look in Philippians whatever is good, whatever is of good reputation, let your mind dwell on these and we don't.

We start thinking about the problem and running the cycles in our head. He says don't do that. Don't forget. Don't forget that God goes before us. Don't forget all the things that God has done in the past and don't forget who you are. Maybe the most important thing at all. You see it's only then that you're ready to take on Jericho.

Only after you've done that let's pray. Father thank you for the reminder. We get consumed with our own problems. We stress over them. We worry. We fill ourselves with anxiety.

And we try our best to figure out how we can solve them. But Father you tell us that the key is to remain close to you and to remember that you go before us. That you've brought us through so many different things in our lives. And most importantly never forget whose we are.

We're your children. We're new creatures in Christ. Your spirit resides in us. We can do all things through him who strengthens us. Father make that a reality in our lives. Help us become promised land believers. Help us to become the believers that enter the faith rest life. It will be for our good and certainly for your glory. In Christ's name we pray.

Amen. You've been listening to Pastor Bill Gebhardt on the Radio Ministry of Fellowship in the Word. If you ever miss one of our broadcasts or maybe you would just like to listen to the message one more time remember that you can go to a great website called OnePlace.com. That's OnePlace.com and you can listen to Fellowship in the Word online.

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