Sunday Morning Service: 6/7/2026 [Joshua: Built To Lead

Devotional

Day 1: Stepping Into the River Before It Parts

The Jordan River stood as both a barrier and a doorway for Israel. God’s command to step into its currents required trust that He’d act after their feet touched the water. True courage isn’t ignoring fear but moving forward even when the outcome feels uncertain. Just as the priests carried the ark into the riverbed, every believer faces moments where obedience must precede clarity. God shapes leaders not in safety but in the tension between “I can’t” and “He will.” What seems like risk is often the birthplace of faith. [01:01:33]

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
(Joshua 1:9, NIV)

Reflection: What “Jordan” have you hesitated to step into because you’re waiting for God to act first? How might obedience today unlock His faithfulness tomorrow?

Day 2: Shaped in the Wilderness, Ready for the Promise

Joshua’s years in slavery and wandering weren’t wasted—they were his training ground. God uses seasons that feel invisible, like nursing home ministries or nervous teenage Bible studies, to build dependence on Him. The same hands that molded Joshua through hardship now prepare ordinary people for extraordinary callings. Your past isn’t a disqualification; it’s the raw material God uses to write stories of courage. [42:03]

“He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna… to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”
(Deuteronomy 8:3, NIV)

Reflection: Where do you feel “unqualified” because of your past? How might God be repurposing those very experiences to equip you?

Day 3: Leading When You’re Not the Most Talented

God bypasses talent pools to choose those willing to be shaped. Joshua wasn’t a trained general but a former slave. Mary Clark’s unscripted dance reminded everyone that joy often flows from unpolished authenticity. Leadership isn’t about perfection but surrender—letting God amplify ordinary obedience into kingdom impact. The church thrives when “suckers” say yes to nursing home ministries and awkward first sermons. [39:15]

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
(1 Corinthians 1:27, NIV)

Reflection: Where have you held back because you felt “unskilled”? What small “yes” could God use beyond your ability?

Day 4: The Courage to Dance Out of Step

While others moved in unison, Mary Clark danced freely—a picture of how God often calls His people to countercultural faithfulness. Joshua and Caleb stood alone against ten fearful spies, choosing trust over consensus. True leadership means embracing the discomfort of being out of step when God’s rhythm differs from the crowd’s. What looks like rebellion to others might be obedience to Him. [34:16]

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
(Romans 12:2, NIV)

Reflection: Where is God inviting you to “dance out of step” with cultural or spiritual expectations? What fear holds you back?

Day 5: Leaving a Legacy, Not Just a Lesson

Joshua’s final challenge—“Choose this day whom you will serve”—wasn’t a sermon but a lived testimony. Legacy isn’t about grand achievements but faithful increments: late-night parenting, unnoticed kindnesses, and daily surrender. Like the Israelites dividing the land, your ordinary acts of obedience today become the inheritance of the next generation. What you steward now echoes beyond you. [59:42]

“But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
(Joshua 24:15, NIV)

Reflection: What daily habit or attitude, if sustained, could shape your family’s spiritual legacy in 20 years?

Sermon Summary

God hands Joshua the mantle not from a talent pool but from years of quiet shaping. Ancient Israel has no auditions or seminars; God has a habit of choosing those who are willing to be formed. Joshua grows up a slave, serves beside Moses, and receives a laying on of hands that marks him with “the spirit of wisdom.” Deuteronomy 34:9 names that transfer, and Joshua 1:9 names the charge: “Be strong and courageous… for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” The I AM who split the sea is the same God who walks Joshua into an unknown future.

Joshua’s book speaks to the next gen standing on the Jordan. The story reads as history and also lands as prophecy: God’s ancient oath to Abraham is coming due, and the people must be coached to live inside that covenant. Deuteronomy 6 frames the heartbeat, then Joshua carries it forward. The land on the map is not trivia; it is promise with borders, inheritance with addresses, faithfulness you can walk on.

The narrative moves in three big movements. Chapters 1 through 5 show Israel entering the land: spies meet Rahab, the people renew circumcision and keep Passover, and Joshua encounters the mysterious commander of the Lord’s army. Chapters 6 through 12 show victories and failures: Jericho falls in obedience, Ai exposes compromise, and God’s faithfulness proves sturdier than Israel’s fits and starts. Chapters 13 through 24 divide the inheritance and end with a summons to choose whom to serve. Promise fulfilled becomes responsibility embraced.

Leadership threads run through it all. God forms leaders in ordinary places, then says, “now is your time.” Courage isn’t the absence of fear, but the presence of God. The Word anchors the work: Joshua 1:8 calls for meditation day and night, not as a slogan, but as the steadying rhythm of a life that will last. Integrity matters when promises cost. Legacy matters when the next gen is watching.

The Jordan sets the image for discipleship now. The priests step into the water before it parts. A disciple is called to open hands, not clenched fists; to step toward the thing God has been preparing; to trust that the I AM is already there. God takes ordinary, unqualified people and does extraordinary things.

Key Takeaways

1. God forms leaders, not talent scouts God’s pattern is to shape the willing, not crown the impressive. Joshua’s story moves from slavery to Spirit-filled service through long obedience in hidden places. Formation, not flash, fit him for the moment God chose. Dependence becomes the doorway into calling. [38:33]
2. Courage means God’s presence, not fearlessness “Be strong and courageous” is not a pep talk; it is a promise of presence. Courage grows when a disciple locates God in the middle of the risk, not after the risk is over. Fear may stay in the room, but it stops steering the decisions. Presence, not pulse rate, sets the pace. [58:51]
3. The Word anchors leadership and legacy Joshua is told to keep the Book close, to meditate and obey. Scripture does not merely inform choices; it forms the chooser. Over time, that slow saturation becomes a compass others can trust. Legacy is simply Scripture-driven faithfulness stretched across years. [59:19]
4. The promise drives the map and the march Inheritance lines matter because God’s oath to Abraham is concrete, not sentimental. The land is theology in geography, mercy with boundaries. Remembering the promise sustains obedience when battles confuse and delays test patience. God’s faithfulness remains the fixed reference point. [53:28]
5. Every disciple has a Jordan to step into The river parts after feet get wet. Calling often looks like a small first step into cold water, trusting God to make a way. Begin with an open hand, not a résumé, and let obedience outrun overthinking. The path often appears one step at a time. [61:07]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[32:45] - Ministry stories and El Grande update
[33:11] - Launching the Joshua series
[36:55] - A 5,000-foot view of Joshua
[38:33] - God chooses the moldable
[42:30] - Joshua steps into leadership
[45:43] - Joshua and Caleb’s faith report
[46:51] - Moses lays hands on Joshua
[47:32] - Be strong and courageous
[51:34] - History and prophecy in Joshua
[55:38] - Entering the land: chapters 1–5
[56:45] - Battles and setbacks: chapters 6–12
[57:36] - Dividing inheritances: chapters 13–24
[59:19] - Leading by the Word
[61:07] - What is your Jordan?

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Joshua 1:9 (NIV)
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Deuteronomy 34:9 (NIV)
“Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses.”

Joshua 1:8 (NIV)
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

Observation Questions

What specific command does God give Joshua in Joshua 1:9, and what promise accompanies it?
According to Deuteronomy 34:9, how was Joshua equipped for leadership?
In the sermon, what examples were given of God shaping leaders in “ordinary places” (e.g., Joshua’s slavery, Moses’ mentorship)? [38:33]
How does the sermon describe the relationship between courage and God’s presence? [58:51]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think God emphasizes meditating on His Word in Joshua 1:8 instead of merely reading or memorizing it? How does this relate to leadership?
The sermon states, “Courage isn’t the absence of fear, but the presence of God.” How does Joshua 1:9 redefine what it means to be courageous?
Why might God choose to form leaders through hardship and “invisible years” (like Joshua’s slavery) rather than through talent or status? [38:33]
How does the division of the Promised Land in Joshua 13–24 reflect God’s faithfulness to His promises, even when His people fail?

Application Questions

What “Jordan River” are you hesitating to step into—a situation, relationship, or calling where you need to trust God’s presence more than your fear? [01:01:07]
Reflect on a time when God used an “ordinary” or difficult season to shape you. How can you lean into His shaping in your current circumstances?
The sermon says, “Courage grows when a disciple locates God in the middle of the risk.” What practical step can you take this week to focus on God’s presence in a challenging situation? [58:51]
How can you prioritize meditating on Scripture daily (Joshua 1:8) in a way that shapes your decisions, not just informs them?
The Israelites had to renew their covenant with God before entering the land. Is there a commitment or promise to God you need to revisit or recommit to?
Legacy is described as “Scripture-driven faithfulness stretched across years.” What small, consistent habit could you start to build a legacy of faithfulness for others? [59:19]
Who in your life (family, friends, coworkers) is part of the “next gen” watching your faith? How can you model dependence on God’s Word and courage to them?

Sermon Clips

One of the things that we're gonna see is before they stood before the Jordan River and they could cross, there were priests that had to carry the Ark of the Covenant in. The water didn't separate before they walked in. They had to walk into the water first. They had to step into it. They had to allow it to be the first step of faith that they were going to lean in on. And so my question for you is, what's your Jordan? [01:01:15] (34 seconds) #StepIntoYourJordan

God leads us in a lot of different ways. We're gonna talk about being strong and courageous. Courage isn't the absence of fear, but it's the presence of God. And we're gonna look at the importance of that. We're gonna look at the importance of following God's word. Joshua one eight says, don't let this book, the Bible, depart from your mouth. Meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. [00:58:45] (34 seconds) #MeditateOnScripture

God is perhaps, and you know that he has been preparing you and raising you up and teaching you and guiding you. And it may be even just to step into a friend's life and to share Christ with them, and to love on them. Whatever it is that God's been challenging you to do, what is your Jordan? And if you've just been standing on the edge of it, looking at it, hesitating, I hope that this encourages you to do more. I hope you come with an open hand each week receiving what God wants to say to you and not with a clenched fist of look at me and look at what I can do and what I'm capable of. [01:01:49] (43 seconds) #SurrenderToServe

and we get down to the challenge to choose. How will you and your family live? How will you act? How will you step up? And so all of these are super important. And through this thread of all of these is this theme of a leader fully surrendered to God, finding strength in what seems impossible. Now today, as we wrap up here, I wanna ask you this question, and I wanna give you a challenge during this series to think through. First of all, what's your Jordan? [01:00:37] (38 seconds) #LeadFullySurrendered

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Sunday Morning Service: 6/7/2026 [Joshua: Built To Lead - Introduction]