The Sun Stands Still (Joshua 10:8-15)

Summer Worship Series, July 5, 2020

Under the Sun Series, Week 4, The Sun Stands Still

Readings:

First Lesson and Sermon Text:  Joshua 10:8-15. The Israelites, led by Joshua, had made a treaty with the People of Gibeon. When Gibeon was attacked by the Amorite kings, they called to Israel for help. These verses share how the battle unfolded and how God fought for his people in a special way.

Psalm 31: In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge

Second Lesson:  Ephesians 6:10-17..  Not only does God fight for his people, he also fights with them and equips them for their battles against evil.

Gospel:  John 16:22-33.  We rejoice and take comfort not in our own ability to overcome the sinful world, but in the victory won for us by Jesus. He has overcome the world in which we still struggle.

Sermon: The Sun Stands Still: Joshua 10:8-15.

We pause to consider how God fights for his people today. “His people” no longer means a specific nation in the world, but they are called out of nations throughout the world: they are the full number of those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior from sin.

Our battle is a spiritual battle. Currently in the world it is a battle whether we will trust in people and expect that the only way we win this battle by trust in in God’s promises that he will use all things to accomplish his good purposes.

This spiritual battles requires us to look past the limitations of this world and into an eternal life that God has promised to us.

God fights for us because without him we don’t stand a chance. Jesus, on the cross, defeated Satan and death and hell. He said, “It is finished,” because the battle was won. But the skirmishes continue!

We need to daily repent of our sins and weaknesses, our failures, and to humbly look to God for forgiveness and strength.

Pastor Nathan Kassulke