Last week we looked at Nehemiah and talked about the passion he had and how important it was for him to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. What better opportunity for us to talk about walls and look at when it’s necessary to tear em down! …and when you think of tearing down walls who’s the first person that comes to mind? Joshua! That’s right! Memory verse: Psalm 77:14 “You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples.” We’re going to take a look at walls today and the affect they have on people in general. What are is a wall for? Walls are popularly viewed as a defense mechanism. The Great Wall of China, for instance, was built to prohibit invaders. The Berlin Wall once separated East and West Germany. Prisons have tall walls topped with razor wire to defend those outside the walls from those within. Walls are a defense, and a useful ones at that. • What walls do you think exist in the church today that keep those outside from coming in? • What walls do you think exist at our church in particular? • In our group? • Within yourself? The story of Joshua bringing down the walls of Jericho is a story that most five-year-old churchgoers are probably familiar with. Yet, a closer look at this passage reflects some deep spiritual truth about the walls in our own lives. While Joshua is commissioned to bring down the walls of Jericho so that Israel could invade and conquer, we are commissioned to remove obstacles in our spiritual path so that we can be accessible to others and used by God and so that He can be glorified. Remember that walls are obstacles, and removal of them is a must if our influence as Christians will continue to move forward. Any wall that prohibits someone from getting to Christ must be destroyed. As we go through this think of walls that need to be brought down around us and feel free to share them as you think of them. Here are some questions you can ask as you read… Read Joshua 5:13-6:5 Put yourself in Joshua’s shoes. What would you be thinking during this encounter? What is the Lord’s message to Joshua? What do you make of the Lord’s military strategy? What if such methods were employed in modern warfare, would such directions be taken seriously? Read Joshua 6:6-14 The first installment of marching and circling goes off without a hitch. But the plot is beginning to thicken. …read on. Read Joshua 6:15-21 What details about this story might you realizing for the first time today? The actual conquering of Jericho was a gruesome event. How does the brutality of the events attest to the importance of removing this barrier? Read Joshua 6:22-27 Think for moment of what must have been going through Rahab’s mind as all this was happening. How do you think Rahab and her family reacted to what was going on around them? How do you think they felt once they had been saved? (Do you think at this point they are pretty glad that they hid the spy’s?) Why do you think Joshua pronounced an oath against the rebuilding of the walls? How did Joshua’s life change as a result of these events? There’s one undeniable truth to this story—the walls of Jericho were an obstacle that God wanted destroyed. There can be no mistaking His desire for His people to overtake this obstacle and that He would get the glory for it. We are the Body of Christ, and God has a purpose for our lives too. The questions that we must begin to ask after reading this story are numerous: • What is it that God is calling you toward? • What seemingly HUGE obstacles might there be in your path? • What unorthodox strategies might God have to employ (or be currently using) to see those walls brought down? One of the most important steps in tearing down walls that obstruct people from truly knowing Christ is identifying walls which are in place. I asked last week what walls you think the modern church has. I also asked you which of these walls is particularly present in our church, our group, and even your own life. Let’s get really practical here. OUR OWN WALLS: 1. What is one wall our church could tear down so that more people could get to Christ? How might we do that? 2. What is one wall we’ve constructed that prohibits people from getting plugged into our group? How can we tear down that wall? 3. What is one wall you’ve put up in your life that actually reinforces the enemy instead of defeating him? 4. What do you need to do to flatten it down so that others will see Christ in you? Until next week… Stand_Fast!
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 18:02:17 +0000
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