Title The Invisible Road/Joshua 3:14-17
It has been 40 years since the Israelites left Egypt.
The 40 years in the wilderness was a life of suffering and suffering that the Israelites did not even want to remember.
It was a series of times of anxiety and despair, fear and fear, which were really hard to bear.
God broke the Red Sea miraculously and led them with manna and quail, and with a pillar of fire and cloud, but they continued to complain and complain.
There was the agony of having to sleep in a tent with the animals.
In the endless desert road and the barren wilderness, there was no end to the anxiety and fear of the future.
Occasionally, there was the suffering of being bitten by fiery snakes, dying of disease, and many people dying.
There were many people who wanted to go back to Egypt if they could really go back.
Their opinions were divided in four quarters, and they fell into difficult and difficult situations over and over again.
But in the midst of such anguish and pain, they continued to advance.
I went ahead as God led me.
Although it was invisible to the eye, he looked forward to the invisible road with the eyes of faith.
And finally, the land that God had promised, the land he had promised to give to Abraham, and the land flowing with milk and honey that he had promised to Moses came to be before our eyes.
Now, the welfare of Canaan is right in front of you.
But I can't see the way.
No matter how much you search, there is no way.
In front of us, only the endless Jordan River was flowing like a flood, and the road was nowhere to be seen.
At the end of eternity, I came to this place in the agony and pain and the pain of many people dying and being sacrificed, but there is no other way out.
What should I do?
how can i cross
Should I give up here and turn around?
But in that desperate situation, Joshua saw an invisible way.
He saw with faith the great and wide road that crossed the overflowing Jordan River.
Also, God made a clear promise to Joshua.
"As I was with Moses, I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong, be courageous, and this people will inherit the land that I swore to their fathers. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:5-9
He looked at the invisible path and ordered.
'Come on over. Carry the ark of the covenant from the priests and cross over. The living God is with you; the Jordan River will be cut off. Go ahead.'
Common sense and faith are fighting in front of the flowing Jordan River.
Experience and faith are at war.
It cannot exist in common sense.
Neither experience nor knowledge can comprehend that the Jordan River is cut off.
But it is understandable by faith and faith.
Amen it is possible.
Because it is possible with faith and faith in the power of God.
In this battle of common sense and faith, faith has triumphed.
In the battle of experience and faith, faith has won.
The Jordan River was cut off and became a road.
Hallelujah!
The invisible path of faith has become a reality.
The road was brightly opened right in front of you.
This marvelous work of miracles was the victory of Israel's faith.
It was a success in faith.
So here we can ask a question.
It's about what made this amazing miracle happen.
There are three reasons for this.
First, their victory was due to their obedience to God's will.
They have been preparing for 40 years to conquer the land of Canaan.
Even when they came to the Jordan River, they spyed out the enemy camp sufficiently.
The operational plan was also meticulously drawn up.
But above all else, they put the will of God first.
Even if it seems like a foolish method, even if it is impossible to understand it with common sense and experience, if it is God's will, it is the people of Israel who say Amen.
Here we can learn a clear lesson.
In other words, the way will always be opened for people who want to put God ahead of their thoughts and follow God's will.
The invisible path of faith must be given before their eyes.
It means that a path that cannot be achieved through scheming and wit will be opened to the people who honestly follow God.
That is the teaching of the Bible.
The way to live by faith, the way to live in obedience, is the way to turn despair into hope
What the world's wisdom or experience cannot bring, this is the wonderful miracle that faith and obedience give us.
The second reason they found the unseen path was because of their unchanging dreams.
They do not come from Egypt.
Now all those who came out of Egypt are dead.
They are the second generation born in the wilderness.
In 10 years, rivers and mountains change, but after 40 years, the father dies and the son looks forward to the promise.
He promised his father Abraham, "Lift up your eyes and look from where you are, to the east, west, north and south, and I will give to you and to your descendants the land you see, and to your descendants forever. I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, and no one can If you can count them, your descendants will also be numbered.??Genesis 13:14-16.
?쏧 have clearly seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and they have heard their cry for their laborers, and have known their sorrow, and I have come down and rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians, a vast land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the Canaanites. , to the land of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites." Exodus 3:7-8
Their hearts were filled with this promise of God.
Even after so many years passed, even though many people who looked at the promise died, it continued unchangingly in the hearts of their descendants.
It was this unchanging dream that enabled them to accomplish this wonderful miracle.
We must have a dream.
No matter how big or small, we must have a dream that we look forward to for the rest of our lives.
When we have that dream, when we have a wonderful dream based on God's promise that is worthy of God, we can live like the people of Israel, fulfilling this wonderful work of miracles.
'You can'
This is by no means unique to the ancient Israelites.
It is something that can be seen as a reality for us today as well.
- in him who strengthens me.- to those who believe-
Persistently, do not give up on our dreams, and if we wait, we believe that He will surely grant us permission.
The dream of the martyrs of the martyrs who started the March 1st Movement with the dream of national independence 67 years ago was continued to their descendants, making the Republic of Korea today possible.
Ex) Elder Jeon Jeon-rye's dream- to find the ashes and to bury them comfortably.
(Suwon Jeam-ri Church)
Finally, the secret that they found the invisible path is strong faith and practice based on faith.
The flowing Jordan River was in front of my eyes, and the command to go forward was given.
Will the water really split?
is there a way
What do we do?
There were hesitation, fear, and trembling thoughts, but they took a step forward in faith.
' The God who parted the Red Sea, the God who led us with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. The God who springs water from the rock, the God who feeds us with manna and quail. The God of this miracle is with us. This Jordan River will be divided like the Red Sea.'
When they entered the blue river with the determination to die, the Jordan River was blocked by an invisible sluice gate and the flow was cut off.
What is important in our religious life is also a strong, living faith.
It is also believing that the belief will come true and practicing it.
When that happens, this amazing miracle work will appear.
I bless you in the name of the Lord to make this marvelous miracle yours.
Today is the 3.1 commemorative Sunday.
Verse 3.1 became the catalyst for liberating our nation.
Of the 33 representatives, 16 were Christians.
That is what our ancestors of faith sown with their hot blood to achieve today's Korea.
I do not believe that it is our strength that our Republic of Korea has become such a country today.
I don't think it's because of the US.
I don't think any politician ever made it.
I don't even think that some great powers have been achieved by businessmen.
I believe that the present day of our Republic of Korea was created by the blood of martyrdom that our ancestors of faith persistently sown with a dream.
The blood of martyrdom of those who clenched their teeth and endured in the midst of pain and suffering, pressure and sorrow, and steadfastly kept the foundation of pure faith, the prayers of their tears, their perseverance, their strong faith. , it is a gift from God created by their unchanging dreams.
Ladies and gentlemen, as we celebrate the 3.1 commemoration Sunday today, we must look at the invisible road with the eyes of faith and continue the faith of our ancestors who did not abandon that dream.
We must carry on that dream.
And I have to make up my mind again.
Let us not be ashamed.
May we not be ashamed of their steadfast faith,
May they not be ashamed of their lofty faith.
May we not be ashamed of their sublime faith.
And I promise you once again.
May all of you and me who stand up with the determination to make this world the kingdom of God and heaven by fulfilling the dream of missionary work today in Yeongwol, tomorrow in Korea, and in the world the day after tomorrow, continuing the dreams of our ancestors of faith, in the name of the Lord. bless you with