NextWeeksChurchSchoolLesson - Saint Matthew A.M.E. Church

THE IMPROVED ADULT TEACHER QUARTERLY

Lesson 7 January 18, 2009

LEADERSHIP REQUIRES RESOURCES

LESSON SCRIPTURE: JOSHUA 3

PRINT: JOSHUA 3:1-13

Key Verse: The Lord said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they may know that I will be with you as I was with Moses." Joshua 3:7

JOSHUA 3:1-13 (NRSV)

1 Early in the morning Joshua rose and set out from Shit'tim with all the Israelites, and they came to the Jordan. They camped there before crossing over.

2 At the end of three days the officers went through the camp

3 and commanded the people, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place. Follow it,

4 so that you may know the way you should go, for you have not passed this way before. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, a distance of about two thousand cubits; do not come any nearer to it."

5 Then Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you."

6 To the priests Joshua said, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass on in front of the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went in front of the people.

7 The LORD said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they may know that I will be with you as I was with Moses.

8 You are the one who shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, 'When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'"

9 Joshua then said to the Israelites, "Draw near and hear the words of the LORD your God."

10 Joshua said, "By this you shall know that among you is the living God who without fail will drive out from before you the Ca'naan-ites, Hit'tites, Hi'vites, Per'iz-zites, Gir'ga-shites, Am'o-rites, and Jeb'u-sites:

11 the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is going to pass before you into the Jordan.

12 So now select twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.

13 When the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan flowing from above shall be cut off; they shall stand in a single heap."

JOSHUA 3:1-13 (KJV)

1 And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shit'tim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.

2 And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;

3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.

4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.

5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.

6 And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.

7 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.

8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.

9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.

10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hi'vites, and the Per'iz-zites, and the Gir'ga-shites, and the Amorites, and the Jeb'u-sites.

11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.

12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.

13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.

HOME DAILY BIBLE READINGS
January 12 - January 18

Monday — Exodus 17:8-16 (Military Leader)

Tuesday — Numbers 14:6-10 (Optimistic Spy)

Wednesday - Numbers 27:12-23 (Moses' Successor)

Thursday — Deuteronomy 31:1-8 (Moses' Charge to Joshua)

Friday — Deuteronomy 34:1-9 (The Spirit of Wisdom)

Saturday — Joshua 1:1-9 (The Lord Is with You)

Sunday — Joshua 3:1-13 (Joshua's Leadership Affirmed)

INTRODUCTION

Frequently, people acquire leadership positions without having the necessary skills and experience for the job. This is particularly true in the political arena.

How many times have we heard about government officials who hire their relatives, friends, and business associates to fill positions for which these persons have little or no skills? Or those who channel their children into civic positions in order to ensure that they will eventually take over the parent's job? Seemingly, nepotism and cronyism are the rule of political life in both large cities and small towns and usually to the detriment of the community.

The television show, Ugly Betty, lets us know that this problem is not just political nor relegated to the political arena but is a staple within the business world as well. But, what do our actions attest to within the church? Are we guilty of nepotism and cronyism within our ranks as well? How do we select or appoint those God-fearing leaders we can commit to follow? In today's lesson we will review Joshua's commitment to serve God and explore the requirements needed to be a leader whose loyalty and responsibility is to God first and then to those he or she is leading.

BIBLE STORY

Joshua succeeded Moses as the one God anointed to lead his people into the Promised Land. Bear in mind, the Israelite people wandered around in the wilderness for more than forty years because of their continuous complaining and disobedience. Most of the old generation died, including Moses, and now it was time for the God's people to move forward.

Joshua gave God's chosen people directives as he prepared them for the journey ahead. The priests were ordered to guide the caravan carrying the Ark of the Covenant. God's people were asked to follow the priests at two thousand cubits (8 ft approx.). By doing so, the people were forced to trust God who promised to guide their travel in a land that, although it had been promised to them, was still new and a little strange.

Joshua proclaimed to the people as they started out, "Make yourselves holy, because tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you" (Joshua 3:5, NCV). At this juncture, Joshua is showing trust in God with this prophesy. Certainly, he had enough faith in God to wait and see what God would do for him and God's people.

Manifesting the words of faith spoken by Joshua, God told him, "Today I will begin to make you great in the opinion of all the Israelites so the people will know I am with you just as I was with Moses" (Joshua 3:7, NCV). Without doubt, God knew that the children of Israel needed a sign or miracle to encourage them to go forward.

When it was time to cross the Jordan, God stopped the water outside the town of Adam as soon as the priests stepped into the Jordan River and the red earth was bone dry. This action of God is very significant since the Jordan was Canaan's largest river and was overflowing its banks during that year's harvest season. Halting the Jordan surely reminded the children of Israel of Moses and God parting the Red Sea. The red earth reminded them of their Creator who scooped up the same earth and fashioned humankind.

There was not fear, but absolute trust as the priests, according to Joshua's command, stepped into the river without hesitation and crossed over to dry land. Now, all the Israelites knew without a doubt that Joshua was led by God. God gave Joshua the resources he needed to lead his people.

LIFE APPLICATION

Many people of faith rely on God to give signs on which to base their faith. Depending solely on his power, Christians commit to assignments that seem impossible for them to achieve. Although certain obligations look as if they are unattainable, God gives leaders the insights, wisdom, and miracles he or she needs to be successful. These are essential as God-directed leaders reply in "God's Word" as the Holy Spirit reveals "a vision" to be developed into "a plan" to bring his or her God-given mission to fruition.

The Word. God gives the righteous visions that resemble road maps to a traveler on a journey. The vision comes after we have studied and meditated on God's word. Apparently, Joshua knew in order to receive precise instructions from God he had to meditate on God's word. He encourages us as he was encouraged as he spoke in Joshua 1:8, " Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful" (Joshua 1:8, NIV). Joshua kept the word of God before him and he saw the vision of the Promised Land and ultimately led the children of Israel there.

Certainly, God's Word is a very important resource for those in leadership positions. Today's leaders have an advantage over Joshua. We have God's Word from Joshua's days through Christ Jesus and other New Testament writings. All of these texts are designed to guide true believers in the ways of God and how to live according to God's ways. For leaders this is critical. Leaders must be well grounded in the Word if they are to provide effective leadership of their followers by ordering their lives according to God's rules and teaching their followers to do likewise.

Vision. People need to know that a leader knows where he or she is leading them. In order to lead the person must have vision; be able to visualize the end results because he or she is well aware of God's goal for his or her group. Every track and field runner learns that he or she must visualize themselves crossing the finish line. God understands that the Israelites were losing sight of the Promised Land, especially since their families spent years seeking for it without tangible results. Hence, God gave Joshua insight into his vision for the Israelites' future. The successful spy mission in Jericho, the priests leading the Ark of the Covenant before the Israelites, the parting of the Jordan River, the Jericho battle, and the defeat of Israel's enemies were part of God's vision.

Christian leaders are empowered by the Holy Spirit with visions for leading the church today. Once God tells us our mission, we need to see exactly how we are going to achieve our commitment. Thus, God may send a vision in a dream or while meditating on God's word, one may see with spiritual eyes the map that God laid out. Upon receiving the vision, we must write it down. The Lord told Habakkuk to "write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets..." (Habakkuk 2:2, NIV). Writing down the vision helps Christians stay on the path of their commitment to God. Finally, we must act on the plan that God has given us.

Plan. Acting according to God's plan requires faith. Every now and then, God must perform the impossible through his leaders to bolster believers' faith. Some leaders like Moses, Joshua, John the Baptist and Jesus are empowered and energized for godly service after a wilderness experience. Each person named exhibited a powerful leadership style after communing with God. With God's vision in front of him, each was able to record and carry out the assigned agenda.

As God's faithful, we each have a plan of action to follow in our lives. Jeremiah writes," For / know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV). God gives all of the particular resources necessary to make his action plans successful. It is up to the leader to inspire others to buy into and execute the plan.

Many times in our churches, people draft persons for leadership roles without praying or seeking God's advice first. Following the same pattern, some Christians obtain positions in the church without meditating and seeking God's blessing. Relying on one's skills, rather than depending on God's wisdom when fulfilling leadership roles, will cause failure and lead to a person feeling overwhelmed by his or her commitments. Remember, if you are called to leadership, God will use the Word and provide the vision in order to equip you to execute God's plan.

SUMMARY

This lesson challenges us to look at ourselves, specifically those of us in leadership roles, and examine the resources that God has equipped us with to reach our commitments to him. Our lesson today focuses on Joshua, to whom God provided the tools needed to be successful in leading the Israelites to victory and the Promised Land. The same God is still providing resources needed to make great leaders. God has given us instruction through the Bible and the comforter: the Holy Spirit. A vision is always given to those God anoints to lead. There is always a higher purpose and divine guidance in carrying a plan that is well structured and effective.

Questions

1. Relating this lesson personally to you, what resources has God equipped you with as a leader?

2. Why do you think God placed the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant in front of the Israelites? Do God's people need arks today? If so, describe them.

3. Why are the requisites necessary for persons who commit to serve in leadership positions?

CLOSING PRAYER

Father God, as we commit to being the leaders that you are calling us to be, we thank you for your resources you have given us to lead your people. We thank you for the opportunity and we know that with you, all things are possible. We praise you, we give you the glory for giving us the perfect example of leadership through Jesus, and we magnify your name for allowing us to be called your children. It is in the Holy name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; the third day He arose from the dead, He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Church Universal, the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

D E C A L 0 G U E

Superintendent-And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

School-Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law

Superintendent-Thou shalt not make unto thyself any graven image, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

School-Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law

Superintendent-Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.