WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.520 I talked about maybe six months ago. 00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:04.799 There's this climber, this rock climber, his name's Alex Honaud. 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:10.080 And so he's a free solo climber, which means he climbs without a rope and without anybody else. 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:11.759 So no assistance and by himself. 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:18.000 So in 2011, a picture went viral, and it was him standing on this ledge. 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:20.800 And so it's a ledge of Half Dome in Yosemite. 00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:23.920 Half Dome and Yosemite is that famous granite structure. 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:30.879 It goes straight up, it's super smooth, and it's one of the most famous and well-known rock climbing destinations in the entire, entire world. 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:35.520 And there's this famous picture that went around in 2011, sort of put them on the map, and everybody became aware of him. 00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:39.280 And he's standing on this ledge, which is between five inches to 12 inches. 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:41.200 It runs 35 feet long. 00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:47.280 It's 1800 feet above the ground, and he's standing on it like this, looking out. 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:53.280 There's no rope, his feet barely fit on the ledge, and is an 1800-foot drop down. 00:00:53.439 --> 00:00:54.320 Maybe you've seen the picture. 00:00:54.399 --> 00:00:56.960 I think it ended up on Time Magazine or one of the big magazines. 00:00:57.039 --> 00:00:58.640 It's called Thank God Ledge. 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:05.439 And when you see the picture, you think, well, I don't know if I'd be thanking God if I was on that ledge. 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:06.799 I mean, that's kind of my thought. 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:13.280 My thought is, you know, oh God, or something more creative, perhaps, could be said. 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:17.920 And we would say those things because of fear, is why we would say those. 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:19.439 Because of the unknown. 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:26.159 And if you're in a situation where you're standing on that ledge without a rope, you have a lot of unknowns, right? 00:01:26.560 --> 00:01:28.239 Just a slight breeze. 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:29.760 Or a sneeze, right? 00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:34.079 I mean, just anything could happen that could throw you off and lose your balance. 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:40.319 What we said last week about fear is we said, fear arrives as we live in an unknown. 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:45.920 Or we realize we're not as in control as we thought. 00:01:46.159 --> 00:01:49.200 And that's when fear starts to pop up inside of us. 00:01:49.840 --> 00:02:02.319 So a few weeks ago, I was re-watching Free Solo, which is the same climber's rock climbing movie when in 2017 he climbed another route up half dome and is the first one to ever do this. 00:02:02.640 --> 00:02:03.439 Huge climb. 00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:05.840 I mean, it's just, you know, maybe you've seen it, have you seen it? 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:06.480 Have you seen it? 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:11.840 I mean, oh, I mean, I I watched it for a second time and I was just anxious. 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:16.560 Just, I mean, I was having an anxiety attack in my living room by myself. 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:18.240 I already know he lives, right? 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:21.599 Like I already know he makes it, and I'm still, I'm anxious. 00:02:21.680 --> 00:02:24.560 I can't, at times, I can't even watch it. 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:25.840 And I'd already seen it. 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:26.960 I'd already seen it. 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:28.159 I know he lives. 00:02:28.400 --> 00:02:30.479 I still can't watch it. 00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:32.879 Because it's just there's so much fear. 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:39.599 But for him, like he's he's just processing through that, he's motoring through and he's accomplishing it. 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:41.439 But for me, there's so much fear. 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:46.400 But what hit me watching it the second time, you watch him the second time, you start to pick up on different things. 00:02:46.479 --> 00:02:50.639 And what hit me the second time was uh he has fear. 00:02:51.199 --> 00:02:57.840 Well, he has physical fear of like the rock and stuff, and that's why he's like just meticulous in his preparation, right? 00:02:58.159 --> 00:02:59.599 But he can process through that. 00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:04.000 But what's really clear in the movie is he has relational fear. 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:07.039 He's afraid to be close with his girlfriend, right? 00:03:07.199 --> 00:03:15.599 I mean, you pick up on that when you watch the film, you're like, golly, how the same guy he can climb that rock and yet he's scared to open up just a little bit to his girlfriend. 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:16.879 He has relational fear. 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:18.639 We all have fear. 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:20.159 That's sort of my point. 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:23.439 Even the most fearless person in the world has fear. 00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:25.280 We all have fear. 00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:38.400 And what we talked about last week, looking in this book of Joshua, which is about a guy getting courage to do something that has a lot of fear, is that we don't want fear to enslave us, but it's not by ignoring our fears, by facing it. 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:45.439 And the way in which we can face our fears to know we are God's beloved through Christ, and that God is always with us. 00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:53.039 And that's the way in which that we can face our fears and we can go into our weakness rather than ignore it and move away from it. 00:03:53.439 --> 00:04:09.199 So we are teaching our way through the book of Joshua, and so this is the story where the Israelites, they had been in Egypt and they were enslaved, and they come out of their slavery, and then what should take a few weeks to move to the desert to get into Canaan or the promised land, this is the same land that is theirs. 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:15.439 It should take a few weeks, but because of fear, because of apathy, they settle down and they live in the desert for 40 years. 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:24.879 And then in Joshua 1, we see God comes to Joshua and begins to speak to Joshua and says, Hey, I'm gonna have you lead the people over the Jordan River and into the land. 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:28.879 And so this is where we pick back up in Joshua 1, the second part of Joshua 1. 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:32.959 So you can listen here is Joshua 1, 10 and 11. 00:04:33.279 --> 00:04:52.079 And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, prepare your provisions, for within three days you're to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess. 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:55.839 So, point number one is this a little bit of a repeat from last week. 00:04:56.079 --> 00:05:01.519 We take steps of courage, not only because God calls us, right? 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:05.040 That'd be one thing, but we take it because he's with us. 00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:10.240 We take steps of courage, not only because God calls us, but because God is with us. 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:18.240 So this is why cultivating spiritual practices like prayer and scripture reading matter. 00:05:18.639 --> 00:05:26.879 They don't matter because it earns God's presence with you, they matter because it helps you understand God is with you through Jesus. 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:29.360 It reminds you who you already are. 00:05:29.759 --> 00:05:33.759 And we see this distinct change in Joshua from the beginning of the chapter to the end of the chapter. 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:37.920 The first nine verses, it's a kind of a guy bound by fear. 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:40.399 And God's encouraging him, encouraging him, encouraging him. 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:48.480 And by the end of the chapter, these last eight verses, there's this distinct change, this transformation in Joshua. 00:05:49.040 --> 00:05:51.360 And it all becomes because of his trust. 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:53.600 He trusts what God had promised him. 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:54.160 Right? 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:56.079 It's not because he ignored his fears. 00:05:56.319 --> 00:05:59.199 He was facing his fears, he was voicing his fears. 00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:03.680 But it's because he's willing to go into his fear and trust that God says, I'm with you. 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:04.959 I'm with you. 00:06:07.199 --> 00:06:09.120 And so he has this distinct plan, right? 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:10.319 We see him get strategic. 00:06:10.399 --> 00:06:11.920 This is how we know that there was a change. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:13.439 All of a sudden he becomes a force. 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:15.040 He's strategic. 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:18.800 He probably has about 40,000 men out of 600,000 people. 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:21.199 So it's not like a group of 200 people in the desert. 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:26.480 There's 600,000 people in the desert, about 40,000 men who are gonna go and cross the Jordan. 00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:28.480 So he sends word for the plan. 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:30.079 The plan goes out. 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:36.720 And he didn't know everything, he doesn't know every detail, he doesn't know how it's all gonna work out. 00:06:37.839 --> 00:06:40.160 But he still goes forward, he still moves forward. 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:43.120 Is it not guaranteed there's gonna be no pain or no loss? 00:06:43.360 --> 00:06:48.720 Still moves forward because he's had an experience with God and he knows God is with him. 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:51.839 And so for me, it brought up a question in my heart. 00:06:53.279 --> 00:06:54.079 Question for you. 00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:57.519 What if you knew no matter what failure or feeling? 00:06:57.759 --> 00:06:58.079 Okay? 00:06:58.480 --> 00:07:07.360 What if you knew no matter what failure you've had in the past or what feeling you have because our range of emotions is all over the place, given on the day and what's going on? 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:10.079 What if you just knew God was always with you? 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:13.040 What if you just knew that in the core of your being? 00:07:13.839 --> 00:07:16.560 There's nothing you could do to cause that to change. 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:21.759 What if you knew that God fully and forever accepted you in Jesus? 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:24.959 Not in your own work, but in Jesus, and Jesus' work for you? 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:26.800 What if that was true? 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:35.360 And what if you knew that you held immeasurable worth because he deems you worthy? 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:37.040 Like, what would change? 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:43.519 Imagine the amount of courage that could rise up out of that, out of God's acceptance and presence. 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:47.680 That's what we're talking about here in this Joshua 1. 00:07:47.920 --> 00:07:49.680 This is real gospel application. 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:53.120 If you want some life application, this is life application. 00:07:54.000 --> 00:08:00.000 What it means to be worthy and loved in this way, and that God is with you no matter what you do. 00:08:00.639 --> 00:08:15.519 Verses 12 and 13, and to the Reubenites and the Gadites, I have no idea if I'm saying those right, in the half tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, Remember the word that Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded you, saying, The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land. 00:08:15.680 --> 00:08:30.000 Then in verses 14 and 15, Joshua goes on and he tells these two and a half tribes, out of 12 tribes, he tells these two and a half tribes, he tells them, Hey, your wives and your kids and your livestock, they can stay east of the Jordan River, but you gotta send your fighters. 00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:31.439 We need your men. 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:35.039 So he's reminding us of something that's happened in the past. 00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:40.879 So Moses had promised these tribes they could stay and live east of the Jordan with their livestock. 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:42.159 But you gotta send your men. 00:08:42.320 --> 00:08:47.840 We need your men to be a part of this nationwide fight and move into Canaan. 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:52.720 So we could easily pass all that by and us history and move on, but it's actually more interesting than that. 00:08:52.879 --> 00:09:00.320 Point number two is this God calls us to live and love across tribal lines. 00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:03.759 God calls us to live in love across tribal lines. 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:06.240 So verse 12 mentions these two and a half tribes. 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:09.360 And the nation of Israel is 12 tribes. 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:12.879 And these two and a half, they have their own agenda. 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:18.399 Because they have livestock, and the best grazing for them and the best life for them is east of the Jordan. 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:23.519 Now that would mean I don't need to go with the rest of the nation over the Jordan to fight, right? 00:09:23.679 --> 00:09:25.919 So I don't need to send fighters, I don't need to sacrifice for that. 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:28.879 We're gonna hold back, we're gonna stay here, this these two and a half tribes. 00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:30.720 This is our goal. 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:33.360 And Moses said, Hey, you can stay there. 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:40.480 Like we're not gonna force you to come over the Jordan if this is what's good for you into Canaan proper, you can stay there, but you need to send your fighters. 00:09:40.559 --> 00:09:43.200 And then Joshua, when he comes along, he says, Hey, same deal. 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:49.120 That Moses promised that you can stay here, but you need to you need to fight for the nation as a whole. 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:51.360 Okay, so can you just imagine? 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:54.000 600,000 people made up of 12 tribes. 00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:57.679 Can you imagine that there would be um different goals? 00:09:58.399 --> 00:09:58.799 Right? 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:06.080 I mean, could you imagine a country uh of two political parties with different goals? 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:08.960 Of course. 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:10.639 Of course. 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:12.320 Can you imagine a family? 00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:20.080 Can you imagine a family with two people in it, or five people in it, four people in it, with different goals? 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:21.440 Of course. 00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:26.799 So Joshua knows, like, of course, these people have different interests. 00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:28.320 Of course. 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:37.200 And yet he has to keep them under one unifying national goal safety and security in their land. 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:44.080 Which is more important than any of the sub-goals that any given tribe has. 00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:54.000 Okay, so by means of some application out of all that history, which I kind of find interesting, that's why I geeked out on it, out of some application comes this question. 00:10:55.279 --> 00:11:10.399 Are there any personal views or goals I hold to too highly that need to come under a call of God for me or the good of my family or my friends or my community? 00:11:10.639 --> 00:11:12.639 Is there a view I hold? 00:11:13.440 --> 00:11:16.960 Is there some goal I have for myself? 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:28.799 And I just hold it too highly compared to God's call for how He wants me to live in this world among neighbors and community, amongst people that don't look exactly like me or speak like me? 00:11:29.360 --> 00:11:37.840 Is there a view I have or a goal I have for me personally that's not necessarily the good for my family or my friends or my community? 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:40.960 And I just a grace on us to ask that question. 00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:49.120 Wouldn't that be great to know the answer to that question as a way for our hearts to be opened up to God and what he has for us? 00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:51.840 Tomorrow our country honors the minister Dr. 00:11:51.919 --> 00:11:53.600 Martin Luther King Jr. 00:11:54.159 --> 00:11:56.639 He knew the world was full of fear. 00:11:56.879 --> 00:11:58.879 People are full of fear. 00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:00.399 And what did he do? 00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:04.639 He called people to live encouraged, to view people beyond their skin color. 00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:06.080 It's just a shell. 00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:08.080 It's just a shell. 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:12.559 Here's what he wrote when he was sitting in prison one time. 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:14.639 He's sitting in prison, he wrote this. 00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:27.840 All too many others have been more cautious than courageous, and have remained silent behind the security of stained glass windows. 00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:33.679 So obviously, he's talking about Christian vote. 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:43.759 He's talking about Christian folk not caring about something that we should care about, and that is the worth and equality of all people no matter how they look. 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:47.039 The image of God born into us, right? 00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:51.039 This is the cause that he served, and it's still needing to be served. 00:12:51.279 --> 00:13:04.000 And here's why: because there'll never be a time in history where one group of people is not subjugating and demeaning another group of people because we are people who fear. 00:13:05.679 --> 00:13:10.000 And yet, for us as Christians, we believe in the worth and the value of all people. 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:12.480 And so we are called to what are we called? 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:13.519 We're called love our neighbor. 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:17.519 We're called to spread the gospel to every tongue and tribe and nation, right? 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:19.919 I mean, this is the call of God for us. 00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:27.039 And it's gonna take great courage because we're gonna have friends and we're gonna have family, we're gonna have people in our community that don't believe that way. 00:13:27.200 --> 00:13:29.919 They're not gonna speak that way, they're not gonna think that way. 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:33.840 See, we can't lose sight of what Joshua's doing here in this story. 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:36.159 Twelve tribes, diversity. 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:41.120 And he's gotta group them up, and they all have self-interest, and he's gotta group them up. 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:45.679 This happens in families, happens in community, happens all over the place. 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:47.840 All right, last point. 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:50.320 Joshua 1, 18 says this. 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:56.000 Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him shall be put to death. 00:13:56.159 --> 00:13:58.480 Only be strong and courageous. 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:03.360 Alright, so verse 18, I mean, we read this, oh my gosh, you know, that's severe. 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:07.039 Now remember, they're running an army in an ancient time. 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:08.720 It's not our time. 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:10.240 And it's an army. 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:12.720 Okay, so we're gonna get to that in coming weeks. 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:15.919 How do we think about this Old Testament stuff with wars and armies and all of that? 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:17.039 We're gonna get to that. 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:22.720 But our point number three is this overarching point of this passage of the book of Joshua. 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:25.120 Our resting place is Jesus. 00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:31.200 If we look back to verse 13, the Lord your God is providing you a place of rest. 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:32.559 That's what this land is about. 00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:34.480 This is a meaningful thought to these people. 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:39.279 It's been 40 years with no rest, wandering around. 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:41.200 Temporary home. 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:46.240 I mean, maybe you've known that for physical existence because you've been homeless. 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:47.120 It's very possible. 00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:49.279 Or maybe you've just known that in your own heart. 00:14:49.440 --> 00:14:51.440 We know the feelings of being held captive. 00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:55.679 We know the feelings of being feeling like you're stuck, of not being able to get out of bed. 00:14:56.879 --> 00:15:00.080 We know the feelings of like I'll never be at rest. 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:01.759 I don't have peace. 00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:05.360 We know what it feels like to feel like we don't have a home. 00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:09.519 And this story is not ultimately about five steps to courage. 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:12.240 Let me give you five things right now, and you're gonna have five steps to courage. 00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:12.879 It's not what it is. 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:16.080 That would be demoralize the story and take it out of the gospel narrative. 00:15:16.240 --> 00:15:17.440 And that's not what this is. 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:22.480 This story's leading us to the gospel story of the need for Jesus. 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:26.960 God's provision of Jesus for us and grace for us. 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:39.679 Hebrews 3 and 4 in the New Testament, it opens up this whole story of the promised land and Canaan for us because it invites us into the imagery of the promised land for our hearts. 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:43.360 Entering Canaan was about entering rest. 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:45.360 That's what it was about for these people. 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:51.279 And for us, that's about entering Jesus, for us to be in Jesus, right? 00:15:51.440 --> 00:16:02.480 That our sin and our failure and our brokenness and all that's put upon him and his righteousness given to us, so we're securely God's beloved, not by what we do, but because of who he is for us. 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:05.279 Listen to Hebrews 4, 8 and 10. 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:10.799 I mean, think back to what we've been talking about, Joshua, Old Testament, and then the Radhard in Hebrews in the New Testament. 00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:18.720 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 00:16:19.440 --> 00:16:29.120 So then there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works, as God did from his. 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:36.720 So after I wrote this sermon, I was out walking my dog, I walked my dog a good bit, and I was out walking my dog, and it hit me. 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:38.320 Why is it called Thank God Ledge? 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:40.720 Remember the rock climber saying, Thank God Ledge. 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:41.919 Why is it called Thank God Ledge? 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:42.799 And I started to think about it. 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:46.960 I'm like, oh, I'm you know, I'm working on the closing of the sermon as I walk, and I think, oh, this is so good. 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:55.840 It's probably because you climb up 1800 feet and finally you're standing on that ledge and you look out and you see the view of this mountain, and you say, Thank God for this view. 00:16:55.919 --> 00:16:57.440 And I'm thinking, oh, that'll preach. 00:16:57.519 --> 00:16:58.000 That's so good. 00:16:58.080 --> 00:16:58.960 I'm gonna tie that in. 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:00.720 So good. 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:03.759 So I got home and I Googled and I started reading. 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:05.119 It's not what it is. 00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:08.559 I was like, oh no, you know, sermon's ruined. 00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:12.240 Uh actually, what it is, even better. 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:22.400 The climber's been climbing 1800 feet, he gets up to this ledge, and most climbers don't stand there just hanging out like Alex and Ald. 00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:27.119 Most climbers they stick their hands in the walls and they can rest. 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:32.079 It's called, thank God, ledge because it's a place of rest and relief. 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:34.880 But that's the image for us to behold here. 00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:37.759 That's the image of Canaan in the promised land. 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:42.720 It's the image that you and Jesus have a place of rest and relief. 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:45.359 That's the place courage is born. 00:17:46.480 --> 00:18:00.480 So, my brothers and sisters, as we in grace, as we in grace seek to live in courage and across tribal lines, may you grow in the awareness that your ultimate rest of your heart and your soul is in Jesus, in Jesus alone. 00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:01.839 Let's pray together. 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:04.559 God, thank you for your grace to us. 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:09.519 Thank you that even while we lack courage, you are the courageous one. 00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:12.640 While we lack strength, you are the one with strength. 00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:24.000 Thank you that you are the one that promises for us, promises for us, that no matter where we've been and what we've done, we are welcomed and we are wanted. 00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:26.640 And you love us and you're enough for us. 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:34.480 Help our hearts to just rest deeply in Jesus this morning and to find in greater ways our identity in you. 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:36.480 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:37.440 Amen.