### Summary

Good morning, everyone! It's a joy to worship together, whether you're here in person or joining us online. Today, we delved into the story of Joshua and the concept of covenants, which are foundational to our understanding of the Bible. We began by discussing the geographical and historical context of the Fertile Crescent, where many biblical stories take place. This region, rich in resources and strategically located, was often the battleground for major civilizations like Mesopotamia and Egypt.

We then explored the significance of covenants, agreements that define relationships and responsibilities. In the Bible, covenants are central, from the Old Testament to the New Testament. We examined two types of covenants: parity agreements, which are between equals, and suzerain-vassal agreements, which involve a hierarchy. The story of Joshua and the Gibeonites illustrates a suzerain-vassal covenant, where Joshua, representing Israel, agrees to protect the Gibeonites, even though they deceived him.

This story highlights the importance of seeking God's guidance in our decisions. Joshua's failure to consult God led to unforeseen consequences, yet God remained faithful to His covenant with Israel. This faithfulness is mirrored in the New Testament, where Jesus' sacrifice establishes a new covenant, offering redemption and freedom to all.

As we partake in communion, we remember and renew our covenant with God, reflecting on the profound love and grace extended to us through Jesus Christ. This act of communion is a powerful reminder of our ongoing relationship with God and our commitment to live out His love in the world.

### Key Takeaways

1. **The Importance of Context**: Understanding the geographical and historical context of biblical stories enriches our comprehension of the scriptures. The Fertile Crescent, a land bridge between major civilizations, was a strategic and fertile area that played a crucial role in biblical narratives. This context helps us appreciate the significance of the events and the challenges faced by the people of Israel. [28:10]

2. **Covenants as Foundational**: Covenants are central to the biblical narrative, defining relationships and responsibilities between God and His people. The concept of covenant, whether parity or suzerain-vassal, illustrates the depth of commitment and the seriousness of these agreements. This understanding helps us grasp the gravity of our relationship with God and the promises He makes to us. [32:36]

3. **Seeking God's Guidance**: Joshua's story with the Gibeonites teaches us the importance of seeking God's guidance in our decisions. Joshua's failure to consult God led to a binding agreement with deceptive consequences. This reminds us to always seek divine wisdom and direction in our lives to avoid pitfalls and align with God's will. [38:56]

4. **God's Faithfulness**: Despite Joshua's oversight, God remained faithful to His covenant with Israel. This faithfulness is a testament to God's unwavering commitment to His people. It reassures us that even when we falter, God is steadfast in His promises and will support us through our challenges. [44:07]

5. **The New Covenant in Christ**: The story of Jesus' crucifixion and the establishment of the new covenant underscores the ultimate act of God's love and redemption. Jesus' sacrifice offers us a new relationship with God, marked by grace and forgiveness. As we partake in communion, we renew this covenant, remembering the profound love that binds us to God and to each other. [47:22]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[06:52] - Announcements and Call to Worship
[22:36] - Prayer and Offering Instructions
[24:06] - Introduction to the Sermon
[28:10] - Geographical and Historical Context
[29:42] - Timeline and Patriarchal Period
[31:07] - The Story of Jericho
[32:36] - Understanding Covenants
[35:49] - Types of Covenants
[38:56] - The Gibeonites' Deception
[40:48] - Joshua's Response and God's Faithfulness
[44:07] - The Battle and God's Intervention
[45:40] - Major Biblical Covenants
[47:22] - The New Covenant in Christ
[49:24] - Communion and Renewal of Covenant
[53:10] - Communion Instructions
[01:03:59] - Closing Remarks and Benediction

### Bible Reading
1. **Joshua 9:3-15 (NIV)**
> But when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.” The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?” “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?” They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us.”’ This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.” The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.

2. **Luke 23:44-46 (NIV)**
> It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

### Observation Questions
1. What was the deception that the Gibeonites used to make a treaty with Joshua and the Israelites? ([37:21])
2. How did Joshua and the Israelites respond to the Gibeonites' request for a treaty? ([38:56])
3. What was the consequence of Joshua not consulting God before making the treaty with the Gibeonites? ([40:48])
4. In Luke 23:44-46, what significant event happened when Jesus was on the cross?

### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Joshua and the Israelites did not consult God before making the treaty with the Gibeonites? ([38:56])
2. How does the story of Joshua and the Gibeonites illustrate the importance of seeking God's guidance in our decisions? ([38:56])
3. What does God's faithfulness to Israel, despite Joshua's oversight, teach us about God's character? ([44:07])
4. How does the event of the sun stopping in Joshua's time compare to the darkness that fell during Jesus' crucifixion? ([47:22])

### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you made a decision without seeking God's guidance. What were the consequences, and how did you see God's faithfulness despite your oversight? ([38:56])
2. How can you make it a habit to seek God's guidance in your daily decisions? What practical steps can you take to ensure you consult God first? ([38:56])
3. In what ways can understanding the historical and geographical context of biblical stories enhance your comprehension and appreciation of the scriptures? ([28:10])
4. How does the concept of covenants in the Bible deepen your understanding of your relationship with God? ([32:36])
5. During communion, we remember and renew our covenant with God. How can you make this act more meaningful in your personal spiritual life? ([49:24])
6. Think of a situation where you need to rely on God's faithfulness. How can you remind yourself of God's unwavering commitment to you in that situation? ([44:07])
7. How does Jesus' sacrifice and the establishment of the new covenant impact your daily life and interactions with others? ([47:22])

Day 1: Understanding the Context of Biblical Stories
The geographical and historical context of biblical stories enriches our comprehension of the scriptures. The Fertile Crescent, a land bridge between major civilizations, was a strategic and fertile area that played a crucial role in biblical narratives. This context helps us appreciate the significance of the events and the challenges faced by the people of Israel. Understanding the backdrop of these stories allows us to see the bigger picture of God's plan and the faithfulness of His people amidst their struggles.

The Fertile Crescent was a region rich in resources and strategically located, often becoming the battleground for major civilizations like Mesopotamia and Egypt. This area was not just a physical location but a stage where God's promises and covenants unfolded. By understanding this context, we can better grasp the significance of the events described in the Bible and the faith required to navigate them. This deeper understanding can enhance our appreciation of God's work throughout history and His ongoing work in our lives today. [28:10]

Genesis 12:1-3 (ESV): "Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'"

Reflection: Think about a time when understanding the context of a situation helped you make a better decision. How can you apply this principle to your study of the Bible this week?


Day 2: The Gravity of Covenants
Covenants are central to the biblical narrative, defining relationships and responsibilities between God and His people. The concept of covenant, whether parity or suzerain-vassal, illustrates the depth of commitment and the seriousness of these agreements. This understanding helps us grasp the gravity of our relationship with God and the promises He makes to us.

In the Bible, covenants are not just agreements but sacred commitments that shape the course of history. Parity covenants are agreements between equals, while suzerain-vassal covenants involve a hierarchy, with one party offering protection and the other pledging loyalty. The story of Joshua and the Gibeonites is an example of a suzerain-vassal covenant, where Joshua, representing Israel, agrees to protect the Gibeonites despite their deception. This story underscores the importance of honoring our commitments and the profound nature of our covenant with God. [32:36]

Deuteronomy 7:9 (ESV): "Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations."

Reflection: Reflect on a promise or commitment you have made recently. How does understanding the seriousness of biblical covenants influence the way you view your own commitments?


Day 3: Seeking Divine Guidance
Joshua's story with the Gibeonites teaches us the importance of seeking God's guidance in our decisions. Joshua's failure to consult God led to a binding agreement with deceptive consequences. This reminds us to always seek divine wisdom and direction in our lives to avoid pitfalls and align with God's will.

In our daily lives, we often face decisions that can have significant consequences. Joshua's experience with the Gibeonites serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of seeking God's guidance before making decisions. By consulting God, we can avoid the pitfalls that come from relying solely on our understanding and instead align our actions with His will. This practice not only helps us make better decisions but also deepens our relationship with God as we learn to trust in His wisdom and direction. [38:56]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Reflection: Think of a recent decision you made without seeking God's guidance. How might the outcome have been different if you had sought His wisdom first?


Day 4: God's Unwavering Faithfulness
Despite Joshua's oversight, God remained faithful to His covenant with Israel. This faithfulness is a testament to God's unwavering commitment to His people. It reassures us that even when we falter, God is steadfast in His promises and will support us through our challenges.

God's faithfulness is a central theme throughout the Bible. Even when His people make mistakes or fail to seek His guidance, God remains committed to His promises. The story of Joshua and the Gibeonites illustrates this truth. Despite Joshua's failure to consult God, God honored the covenant with Israel and supported them in their subsequent battles. This unwavering faithfulness is a source of comfort and reassurance for us, reminding us that God's promises are steadfast and that He will never abandon us, even in our moments of weakness. [44:07]

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV): "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Reflection: Recall a time when you experienced God's faithfulness despite your own shortcomings. How can this memory encourage you in your current challenges?


Day 5: The New Covenant in Christ
The story of Jesus' crucifixion and the establishment of the new covenant underscores the ultimate act of God's love and redemption. Jesus' sacrifice offers us a new relationship with God, marked by grace and forgiveness. As we partake in communion, we renew this covenant, remembering the profound love that binds us to God and to each other.

The new covenant established through Jesus' sacrifice is the cornerstone of our faith. Unlike the old covenants, which were based on laws and rituals, the new covenant is founded on grace and forgiveness. Jesus' death and resurrection opened the way for a personal relationship with God, free from the burden of sin. Communion is a powerful reminder of this new covenant, as we remember Jesus' sacrifice and renew our commitment to live out His love in the world. This act of remembrance strengthens our bond with God and with each other, encouraging us to reflect His love in our daily lives. [47:22]

Hebrews 8:10 (ESV): "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

Reflection: As you prepare for communion, take a moment to reflect on the significance of the new covenant in your life. How can you live out the grace and forgiveness you have received through Jesus in your interactions with others today?

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "Oh, friends, it is a joy to be able to worship our Lord with you this morning, is it not? It is always a pleasure and an honor because, you know, we are very lucky to be able to be able to be in this space that God has given us and lift our voices and worship in such a way." [22:36] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2. "So today's story, which we're calling the Sunstopper, is about this prophet Joshua. Who is leading the people of Israel. But I want to give us some context of what we've been talking about the past few weeks. And one of those things is where we are in the world. Last week, we talked about the geography of the Fertile Crescent. Now, who can remember we call the Fertile Crescent that because the land is fertile. Very good. And shaped like a crescent. You're so smart. You're never going to forget that one, are you?" [28:10] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3. "So this idea of the patriarchal is everything to the family. Well, the thing is, is that because they are patriarchal, they don't need a covenant for the family. The family is the covenant. They don't need to explain how they work together. Father and son was already defined within their structure. Father and brother and father and cousin and father to father to father. All those things within the clans and the expansions of the family were defined. And the closer you related to someone, the closer the responsibility that was defined in their entire government structure." [34:10] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4. "So Joshua and his entire army, including his best warriors, left Gilgad and set out for Gibeon. Don't be afraid of them, the Lord said to Joshua. For I have given you victory over them. Not a single one of them will be able to stand up. Against you. So now that they are in this agreement, they have no choice. Joshua has to go redeem them." [42:19] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5. "I want you to think about something with me, because we can wrap the entire narrative of the Old Testament into the covenants, the major covenants that God made. And really, there are five, and we can wrap them to five people. And I want you to learn these five major names with me, because the whole biblical story can kind of be tracked by these five names. So say them with me, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David." [45:40] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


### Quotes for Members

1. "So for this week's message, we talked about the structure, the family. We've talked about where we are in geography. We're going to talk about this concept of a covenant. And see, a covenant is one of the most foundational concepts in our entire Bible. There's one thing you take away this summer from everything I'm talking about. It's this thing right here. What a covenant is. Because everything in our Bible, from the Old Testament to the New Testament, is wrapped around the concept of covenant. Did you know the word testament actually means covenant? So we have an old covenant and a new covenant in our Bible. That's how it's divided. Everything we have is a covenant. We have a covenant. We have a covenant. We have a covenant. And around this one concept, the entire story is arranged around the idea of a covenant." [32:36] (61 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2. "This, friends, was a suzerain vassal agreement between Israel and Gibeon. See, Gibeon came to Israel and said, we have heard your army is so powerful. Help us if we're ever attacked, that you will look after us because we are weak. We are small. We need someone to take care of us. And so Israel, maybe they had a little bit too big of a head on them at the time. I don't know. They just conquered Jericho without any effort. They conquered another big city like Jericho called Ai. They're feeling good and strong. And they're like, man, God sent us this group to get into a relationship with. We're doing good. Yes. Yes. We will be your Lord and make you our servants. Well, they didn't find out if it is what God wanted. And so the result is they went into this agreement and they will now bound by oath to protect them and to look after them because that's what a suzerain does." [38:56] (83 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3. "So what does God do? Because God has a covenant with Israel, God follows through on his side, even though they didn't consult him, and says, I will take care of you. I will ensure that you succeed. And you heard at the beginning of the scripture reading, he did that when Joshua prayed for more sun, more sun. God held the sun in the sky, as the story goes, so that there was enough light for them to finish the battle. There's a lot of reasons that this was the way that the battle was run, but the hail and the holding of the sun shows God's power over creation, which would also show his power over the local deities, who are usually gods of the sun and the rain and the earth. And God ensured that the people he had a covenant with succeeded." [44:07] (66 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4. "The Old Testament can feel very big, and it can feel very hard to put our minds around, because honestly, it's not in order. Those who are reading the Bible chronologically with me, we've been talking about how out of order some of these books feel. But when you can wrap around these five people, you can place the stories. And when we think about who God is with us, I want to suggest to you this idea of, in Joshua's story, God kept the sun in the sky. But if we think about this idea of the covenant reaching all the way into the New Testament, where we have the final covenant, God stopped the sun one more time. But this time, he didn't leave it in the sky. He set the sun." [45:40] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5. "This is the act of the final covenant, our entire New Testament around this moment. And once again, God uses nature to show his power for those who may not understand the relevance of the moment. The old covenant and the new covenant. In one, he uses the sun, to hold high in the sky for success. In the other, he sets the sun to show his grief and his pain. Today, as we come to the Lord's table, I want you to start thinking with me deeper into this idea of what our covenant means, because this table is our sign of the Lord's covenant with us. And when we come and join in the cup and in the bread, we enter in every time, renewing our covenant with God, which Jesus opened to us." [47:22] (63 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

Is everybody this morning? Oh, y'all seem a little sleepy. How's everybody this morning? Yay! Wonderful! I'm so glad that you're all here.

So I just wanted to say hello to everyone watching us online. I hope you're having a fantastic morning, whether you're live or you're watching later in the recording. We're just glad that you're joining us for worship here at Fleming Island United Methodist. I am Faith, the pastor here, and it's a joy to be worshiping with all of you.

So I'd like to just point out if you are worshiping with us for one of the first or second times, we have information we'd love to share with you. You can grab one of us after worship. We'd love to help with that.

Just a reminder, we have the July listings of events that are out in the back. If you want to see those, you can pick them up. But there is one major thing controlling July, and that is Vacation Bible School. So even if you can't be here for VBS, there are lots of other ways you can help.

For example, we're going to have a family craft night this week for parents and kids to come and help make things for Vacation Bible School. There's also going to be evening nights to decorate. And tomorrow, Katie is looking for a couple of hands to help load a truck, a box truck, where we're getting decorations from another church that they are donating from theirs so that we can reuse them. Isn't that a great reuse of resources? Yeah, big thanks to that church.

If you're available during the day tomorrow and can help with that, go talk to Katie, and she can give you the details for that. So thank you again for being with us.

I'd like to invite everyone now to stand for our call to worship this morning. I will read the first part that is marked for the leader, and you will read the second part for the people, which is in bold.

Come, all you people, come and worship.
Come, all you creatures of the earth, come and worship.
Remember the covenant and be thankful. Amen.

Oh, friends, it is a joy to be able to worship our Lord with you this morning, is it not? It is always a pleasure and an honor because, you know, we are very lucky to be able to be in this space that God has given us and lift our voices and worship in such a way.

As we come to the Lord and we pray this morning, I just want to remind you that you can submit any prayer requests that you have. You can write them on a piece of paper, drop them in these baskets. You can give them to preferably Val because she won't lose it. And you can also drop them by the church office. We want to pray for you and pray with you and pray about what's happening in your life.

I pray over our church every day. I'm always praying for you, but if you have specific things, I like to do that specifically, not just for you. I like to do that for you. I like to do just generally for you.

And as a reminder, too, that we don't pass the offering plate here because we come forward for communion every Sunday. So we allow you to respond to God in multiple ways at the table. And one of those ways is if you choose to give a physical offering, you can bring it forward to the offering plate.

Would you join me now as we pray?

Heavenly Father, I want to thank you for this day. I want to thank you for the rain that you've been giving because, Lord, we needed it. I want to thank you for the opportunity to be in this space together, whether it be in this room or through the online worship, that we can honor you with our voices.

But now, God, we shift and we look at your scriptures, and our children are going to study scriptures. And we just ask, God, that you draw us closer to you. You open our minds. You open our hearts. You renew our souls so we may better understand who you are in our lives. And we may better walk with you. You walk at our pace, and we thank you for that, God.

So I ask today that you help us take some more steps forward in our spiritual lives. I ask your blessings, Lord, over the teachers in our children's space as they go and guide our children and that we may all hear a message from you today. We pray this in your holy and powerful name. Amen.

All right, friends, if you're going to join Miss Katie and Kids Club today, y'all have fun.

All right. So friends, just a reminder, if you would like to see those images from that comic up close, you can do so inside the sermon notes in the church app. And you'll also see any of the quotes that I'm using today inside that app as well.

So today's story, which we're calling the Sunstopper, is about this prophet Joshua who is leading the people of Israel. But I want to give us some context of what we've been talking about the past few weeks.

One of those things is where we are in the world. Last week, we talked about the geography of the Fertile Crescent. Now, who can remember why we call the Fertile Crescent that? Because the land is fertile. Very good. And shaped like a crescent. You're so smart. You're never going to forget that one, are you?

And this is, of course, in the Middle East. And this section of land is where all of the biblical stories take place. And they travel throughout the crescent back and forth. It's named this because the land has been made fertile by four major rivers. And the land is then couched between the rivers.

There's one road called the King's Highway that goes along the crescent. That road still exists today. Who thinks that they must have been really good at making roads back then? I know, right? If their road still exists. But they all traveled along the main highway, which went straight through the land of Canaan.

Now, Canaan was a land bridge. And it's a land bridge because it is connecting Mesopotamia and Egypt. Now, Mesopotamia was the first major civilization. We have the first documents of science and all these wonderful philosophies coming out of Egypt. And then Egypt. I bet you didn't really think about that, did you? We always think of the Egyptians and their big pyramids. But they were the second of the big civilizations in this region.

And then Canaan, which separated these two major civilizations, got a lot of good things from it because as travelers went from one civilization to the other, they got to get the best of the goods of both. And the best of the technology and the knowledge and all the things that travel between.

Our story today has to do with the fact that they also had to deal with the battles. Because see, this land bridge was a critical piece in the wars that were often fought between Egypt and Mesopotamia. And so whoever controlled this little land bridge was very important.

So where we are in this story, let's look at our timeline. Because remember, all of these biblical stories happened in real places during real time.

All right. So we've looked a couple of times at this image on the screen, which is a timeline of the scriptures. We had been for many weeks in what we call the patriarchal period: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And that's where we talked about the structure of the family and all that type of stuff.

But we've shifted now, a little bit later in the story, into the time period past the Exodus. All right. So the Exodus, when they left Egypt because they had been slaves in Egypt, Moses led them out. And now we are past the Exodus. And we've moved on to the next section, which is called the conquest and settlement period.

This is when Moses hands the people of Israel over to Joshua and says, "All right, you take them into the promised land." Excuse me. "You take them into the promised land and you help them get all that God has promised." This is the time period of our story today.

The very first place they conquered was the city of Jericho. Anyone remember that story as a kid? Joshua on the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho. Anyone know the song? Okay, good. I'm not alone. So that's the one where they marched around the city a whole bunch of times, right? And they blew their trumpets and the walls came down.

So when they're talking about, they've heard the stories of the might of God, they're hearing the stories of Jericho, the nations around, that this big mighty city fell at the might of God, because nobody could say that the might of Joshua and Israel brought the walls of Jericho down. That's not people's power. That's God's power.

So this is the time period we're in. For this week's message, we talked about the structure, the family. We've talked about where we are in geography. We're going to talk about this concept of a covenant.

And see, a covenant is one of the most foundational concepts in our entire Bible. There's one thing you take away this summer from everything I'm talking about. It's this thing right here: what a covenant is. Because everything in our Bible, from the Old Testament to the New Testament, is wrapped around the concept of covenant. Did you know the word testament actually means covenant? So we have an old covenant and a new covenant in our Bible. That's how it's divided. Everything we have is a covenant.

We have a covenant. We have a covenant. We have a covenant. And around this one concept, the entire story is arranged around the idea of a covenant. So this is the foundation of our story with God.

Now just to explain a little bit of why we didn't start with it. Remember we said that the family is a patriarchal family. We had the three Ps in the very beginning: patriarchal, patrilineal, and patrilocal. It's all designed around the head of the family. That is their structure. That's how they govern themselves. That's how they discipline each other. That's how they have laws.

We're going to look deeper into that next week, but that's how God gave the law to people. So this idea of the patriarchal is everything to the family.

Well, the thing is, is that because they are patriarchal, they don't need a covenant for the family. The family is the covenant. They don't need to explain how they work together. Father and son was already defined within their structure. Father and brother and father and cousin and father to father to father. All those things within the clans and the expansions of the family were defined.

And the closer you related to someone, the closer the responsibility that was defined in their entire government structure. And that's why we started there.

But when you go beyond the family, and remember, they're on this land bridge that's between two major nations. And if they're going to survive, they have to make some treaties, right? They have to work together with the countries around them and the tribes around them so they can stand up against Egypt or stand up against Mesopotamia or the other tribes that are trying to take over.

And they have to work together with the countries around them, and they have to make some alliances. And if they're going to do these things, they have to have a way to make an agreement. And they may not be related to those people. And so they have to have a way to do that.

So I want to read you a definition of what a covenant is. A covenant in its native context was an agreement enacted between two parties in which one or both make a promise under oath to perform or refrain from certain actions stipulated in advance. What does that sound like? It sounds like a treaty or a contract, right? Sounds like legalese. Anyone speak legalese? Any lawyers in the room? I don't. I'm one of those that looks at the legal documents and I'm just like, "Oh, this dyslexic person is getting cross-eyed."

The covenant was the contract of the day. They weren't the only ones that used it. Israel was not unique to it. This was something that they all used in every society.

So there were two types of covenants that were used to help them get connected with each other. The first one was called a parity agreement or a parity covenant. And this oftentimes would have language of a brother to a brother. Because you see what they're trying to do is take someone who's not family and treat them like family. Because they know what to do with family. All the tribes did.

So they're saying, "Okay, this person is not my family. If they were, they would be like a brother," which means equal partners. A brother is not above a brother. They are equal in their responsibilities and they're equal in their share of what they get from something. Say they go to shear sheep. They get the equal share of the sheep.

And oftentimes these are trade agreements or they're going to decide that maybe they're going to go fight together. Maybe they're two smaller nations and they're going to go and protect each other. And they're going to go and fight each other against a larger nation. Brother to brother means equal.

Now there's a second type of agreement, and that's a suzerain vassal agreement. Often that language is father to son, meaning the suzerain or the father is above the vassal, the son. There's a hierarchy there. This is often when one nation conquers another nation. The suzerain says, "Hey, guess what? We're going to let you keep your land. But in return, you need to pay some homage to us. And as long as you give us our yearly homage, we will protect you and let you keep your land. If you don't pay homage to us or you try to make an agreement with another nation, we will come and take our land back and kick you off and give it to someone else."

This was the suzerain.

All right. I want us now, we're going to look into what this story that we just heard. We're going to look into parts of it and try to unpack the idea of covenant from the passage.

Okay. Joshua chapter nine, verse three. But when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done at Jericho and Ai, they resorted to deception to save themselves. They sent ambassadors to Joshua, loading their donkeys with weathered saddlebags and old patched wineskins. They put on worn-out patched sandals and ragged clothes. The bread they took with them was dry and moldy.

When they arrived at the camp of Israel at Gilgal, they told Joshua and the men of Israel, "We have come from a distant land to ask you to make a peace treaty with us."

Jumping to verse 14. So the Israelites examined their food, but did not consult the Lord. Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them and guaranteed their safety, and the leaders of the community ratified their agreement with a binding oath.

This, friends, was a suzerain vassal agreement between Israel and Gibeon. See, Gibeon came to Israel and said, "We have heard your army is so powerful. Help us if we're ever attacked, that you will look after us because we are weak. We are small. We need someone to take care of us."

And so Israel, maybe they had a little bit too big of a head on them at the time. I don't know. They just conquered Jericho without any effort. They conquered another big city like Jericho called Ai. They're feeling good and strong. And they're like, "Man, God sent us this group to get into a relationship with. We're doing good. Yes. Yes. We will be your Lord and make you our servants."

Well, they didn't find out if it is what God wanted. And so the result is they went into this agreement and they will now be bound by oath to protect them and to look after them because that's what a suzerain does.

Well, they didn't know the whole story because if we jump to chapter 10, the truth was that they had another suzerain who was going to protect them. And so they went into this other agreement with another nation.

Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, heard that Joshua had captured and completely destroyed Ai and killed its king, just as he had destroyed the town of Jericho and killed its king. He also learned that the Gibeonites had made peace with Israel and were now their allies. He and his people became very afraid when they heard all this because Gibeon was a large town, as large as the royal cities and larger than Ai.

So Gibeon is in the land that they're trying to take over. And Gibeon is a very large town. And the Gibeon men were very strong warriors. So king Adonizedek of Jerusalem sent messengers to several other kings, to Hoham of Hebron, Piram, and Japhia. I'm not going to say all those. Y'all forgive me, right? You can read them.

"Come and help me destroy Gibeon," he urged them, "for they have made peace with Israel."

So the five Amorite kings combined their armies. You see, this will be a brother-to-brother agreement right here with these five kings. They're equal parties with a common enemy. The five kings combined their armies for a united attack, and they moved all their troops in place to attack Gibeon.

The men of Gibeon quickly sent messengers to Joshua at his camp of Gilgal. "Don't abandon your servants now," they pleaded. "Come at once and save us. Help us. For the Amorite kings who live in the hill country have joined forces to attack us."

So Joshua and his entire army, including his best warriors, left Gilgal and set out for Gibeon. "Don't be afraid of them," the Lord said to Joshua, "for I have given you victory over them. Not a single one of them will be able to stand up against you."

So now that they are in this agreement, they have no choice. Joshua has to go redeem them. Y'all remember a couple of weeks ago we talked about Abraham and Lot, and that Abraham had the family responsibility to redeem Lot? These covenants made a legal redeemer when you had a family redeemer that by birth had to help family members.

Now the covenants made a legal responsibility for a person or nation to go help another person or nation. So whether Joshua wanted to go help this group of people that tricked him or not, he made a covenant, a contract, an agreement with them. So he had to. He had to go rescue them from the five kings who had joined to make their own agreement.

And a historian believes that probably one of them already was over or had some agreement with the Gibeonites. They had grounds to come and attack because the Gibeonites had broken a previous agreement to join with Israel. But Joshua now had to follow through.

So what does God do? Because God has a covenant with Israel, God follows through on his side, even though they didn't consult him, and says, "I will take care of you. I will ensure that you succeed."

And you heard at the beginning of the scripture reading, he did that when Joshua prayed for more sun, more sun. God held the sun in the sky, as the story goes, so that there was enough light for them to finish the battle.

There's a lot of reasons that this was the way that the battle was run, but the hail and the holding of the sun shows God's power over creation, which would also show his power over the local deities, who are usually gods of the sun and the rain and the earth.

And God ensured that the people he had a covenant with succeeded.

Now, over the next remaining weeks that we're in this series, we're going to dive deeper into the covenants that God made and how that applied to us. But I want you to think about something with me because we can wrap the entire narrative of the Old Testament into the covenants, the major covenants that God made.

And really, there are five, and we can wrap them to five people. And I want you to learn these five major names with me because the whole biblical story can kind of be tracked by these five names.

So say them with me: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David.

Now, Adam and Noah, we don't know the timeline of exactly when their stories happened, but we can date Abraham, Moses, and David. All five of them had movements that we can track. Adam and Noah were in Mesopotamia. Abraham moved from Mesopotamia into Canaan. Between Abraham and Moses, they went from Canaan into Egypt. Moses took them out of Egypt, back into Canaan. And David is when they transformed Mesopotamia into Israel as a king.

So we can see that geography lying through them. And we'll also look into each of their other covenants.

The Old Testament can feel very big, and it can feel very hard to put our minds around because, honestly, it's not in order. Those who are reading the Bible chronologically with me, we've been talking about how out of order some of these books feel. But when you can wrap around these five people, you can place the stories.

And when we think about who God is with us, I want to suggest to you this idea of, in Joshua's story, God kept the sun in the sky. But if we think about this idea of the covenant reaching all the way into the New Testament, where we have the final covenant, God stopped the sun one more time. But this time, he didn't leave it in the sky. He set the sun.

Some of you may remember this story, but I want to read to you out of Luke chapter 23, verse 44. The scene of this passage, and I want to read to you out of Luke chapter 23, verse 44.

It's Jesus on the cross at the very end, right before his final breaths. By this time, it was about noon, which of course is high sun, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o'clock. The light from the sun was gone, and suddenly the curtain of the sanctuary of the temple was torn down the middle.

Then Jesus shouted, "Father, I entrust my spirit to you. I entrust my spirit into your hands." And with those words, he breathed his last.

This is the act of the final covenant, our entire New Testament around this moment. And once again, God uses nature to show his power for those who may not understand the relevance of the moment.

The old covenant and the new covenant. In one, he uses the sun to hold high in the sky for success. In the other, he sets the sun to show his grief and his pain.

Today, as we come to the Lord's table, I want you to start thinking with me deeper into this idea of what our covenant means because this table is our sign of the Lord's covenant with us. And when we come and join in the cup and in the bread, we enter in every time, renewing our covenant with God, which Jesus opened to us as he sat at the table with his disciples and then hung on that cross and breathed his last breath.

Would you pray with me?

Almighty God, I'm so thankful that we have a covenant that stretches across time to us now. Where would we be if we didn't have opportunities to join with you? I'm so thankful that we continue to stay with you.

The old covenant and the old law, because we would all fall short. But yet today, we're all welcomed and we're all invited to join you in the redemption and the freedom of the new covenant.

So as we come before this table, renew us, redeem us, and set us free into this world for all that you have in store for us. We pray this in your holy and powerful name. Amen.

It was the covenant of Moses that they celebrated every year when they had the Passover meal. And after Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples got together regularly, weekly, to renew that covenant that Christ redefined.

As he sat at the table and he said, "This is my body, which has been broken for you. Eat this in remembrance of me."

In the same way, he took the cup and he said, "This is the blood of the new covenant. It's poured for all people of all time. Drink this in remembrance of me."

The only requirements he has of this meal is that we confess our sins together. He doesn't require baptism. He doesn't require church membership. Just that we come with open hearts and that we give whatever is on our heart to him.

So would you join me now as we share with this confession? You'll find the words on the screen.

Most merciful God, forgive us. We imagine that we can live without you. But when you give us our very breath, we seek control over others rather than strive to live in unity. We allow fear to overtake us, even though our lives are in your hands. Draw us back into your steadfast love and shape us into the likeness of your son, Jesus Christ, whose name we pray.

Take a moment and lift anything to God in your heart you'd like to lift.

God, we ask that you hear the confessions of our heart and we know that you receive them with open hands as freely as we give them. So thank you for hearing our confessions.

We ask, Father, that you bless this bread and this juice and transform it to be your body and your blood, that we may be transformed by your Holy Spirit and into your children redeemed by this body and blood and go into the world your witnesses for all that we meet.

We pray this in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Amen. Friends, hear this word of forgiveness. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Amen.

As my helpers come forward with communion, I just want to give a word of instruction. If you're watching online, we'd love for you to join in communion. You can grab anything you have around so that we can extend our table to you. Feel free to pause and come back as well.

I'm going to serve my helpers first, and they will then invite everyone forward. You'll get a small piece of bread to serve. I'm going to serve my helpers first, and they will then invite everyone forward.

I'm going to dip into the cup of juice, and if we want pre-packaged communion or gluten-free bread, we'll have that in the center. Give me just a moment, and we'll invite everyone forward.

The Lord's table is prepared, and you're all invited to come. We'll start in the back and...

Praise the Father, praise the Son, praise the Spirit now with us.
Praise the Father, praise the Son, praise the Spirit now with us.
Praise the Father, praise the Son, praise the Spirit now with us.
Praise the Father, praise the Son, praise the Spirit now with us.
Praise the Father, praise the Spirit now with us.
Praise the Father, praise the Spirit now with us.
Praise the Father, praise the Spirit now with us.
Praise the Father, praise the Spirit now with us.
Praise the Father, praise the Spirit now with us.
Praise the Father, praise the Spirit now with us.
Praise the Father, praise the Spirit now with us.
Praise the Father, praise the Spirit now with us.
Praise the Father, praise the Spirit now with us.

Crafts together, and I love crafts. So if you would like to do that, come and join. And if you want to help, you know, load stuff into the truck, that'll be noon tomorrow, but we are not meeting here, so get the details from Katie.

Make sure you show up at the right place because if you get here, there won't be anybody here. And she tried to explain to me where to go, but remember that whole directionally challenged thing. Talk to Katie.

Okay, hear this word as y'all go. Leave this space. God, help us see your power in creation. Help us to see your promise wherever we go.

But most importantly, God, in this week, show us someone who needs to know your love. God, I'm reminded as Fourth of July comes that there may be some that this is a hard week for them and our military community. This is not always an easy week for some in our military.

I pray, Lord, that if there are people we may know that this is a hard season, that you make us aware so that we can show some love. We thank you for the opportunity to live in a space where we can worship as we choose freely. Help us not to forget that our men and women of the military, sometimes this holiday is hard for them.

So we pray that you help us leave with your love and grace to share that love and grace with others. We pray this in your holy name. Amen.