Acts 1
Luke appears to frame Acts as a narrative of conquest after the pattern of Joshua.
God’s Presence: Purity and Protection
Joshua 6:24-8:1
Joshua chapter 7 is challenging: God's love for us is immense, but His power and His protection are on His terms, to build His kingdom, His (pure) way, not ours.
Let's Be Ready
Joshua 5 and 6
Immediately after the Israelites cross the Jordan, they take the time to re-dedicate themselves to God and to remember all that He has done for them. They are then ready to receive the bizarre instructions for the conquest of Jericho which happens, not in their own strength but, with the Presence of God at the heart of it. To get involved in what God is doing we should also take the time to get close to God to be ready to receive His instructions.
The Fame of God, Faith in God, and the Fear of God
Joshua 2-4
As Joshua leads God's people into the Promised Land, they find that the 'fame of God' has gone before them, and that faith in God & the fear of God rise as a result.
Be Strong and Courageous
Joshua 1:1-9
We begin a new sermon series, with a short survey of Joshua, and on to the Acts of the Apostles, with a look at the mission and the commission that God gave to Joshua, to Jesus' disciples, and to us.