LWWC - Joshua - Session 1

Sermon Summary — Joshua: Session 1

Text: Joshua 1:1–9
Theme: “Be Strong and Courageous — Stand on God’s Word”
Speaker: Pastor Matthew Robbins (LWWC)

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1. Opening & Testimony

• Ministry outreach continues to grow — 92 nations now tune into the podcast, with Brazil as the leading listener.

• Reminder from Amos: there is “a famine in the land — not of bread or water, but of hearing the Word of the Lord.”

• Pastor celebrates that God always gives a platform to those who faithfully teach His Word.

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2. The Call of Joshua

• After Moses’ death, Joshua is appointed to lead Israel into the Promised Land — the end of wandering and the start of inheritance.

• God alone buried Moses, preserving his body for future purpose (referenced from Jude and the Mount of Transfiguration).

• Joshua is charged to “Arise… go over this Jordan,” marking a new beginning of courage, obedience, and leadership.

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3. The Meaning of the Name

• Joshua (Yahashua / Yahushua) — means “Yahweh is salvation.”

• Same root name as Jesus (Iēsous) in Greek — both mean “the Lord saves.”

• Just as Joshua led Israel into the land of promise, Jesus leads believers into eternal life.

• The sermon explained transliteration (sound-based) versus translation (meaning-based), showing how “Joshua” and “Jesus” are connected through language and purpose.

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4. God’s Promise to Israel

• God promised Israel vast territory — from the wilderness to the Euphrates River.

• Today, Israel holds only a fraction of that land.

• Their partial obedience and sin caused loss, yet God’s promises remain and will be fulfilled in His timing.

• Every nation is accountable to God — “The nations that forget God shall be turned into hell.”

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5. God’s Charge to Joshua (and to Us)

Three times God says:

“Be strong and of good courage.”

• The Hebrew meaning carries the sense of divine impartation — God depositing strength within Joshua.

• The same word (“Be of good cheer” — tharreo) in the New Testament shows Jesus imparting courage to His followers.

• Believers today receive the same spiritual strength through faith and obedience.

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6. The Word as the Foundation of Success

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth… then you will make your way prosperous, and have good success.”

• Success, used only once in the Bible, is defined by obedience and meditation on God’s Word.

• True prosperity is not wealth or position — it is faithfulness to Scripture.

• “Do not turn to the right or left” — God’s Word must be the final authority in every area of life.

• The pastor warned against redefining morality through governments, culture, or opinion: “If the Holy Spirit lives in us, change is inevitable.”

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7. Personal Testimony: Strength Through Affliction

• Pastor shared his open-heart surgery experience (on Yom Kippur, “Day of Deliverance”) as a turning point where God deepened his walk.

• Quoted Psalm 119, emphasizing how affliction can become God’s classroom:

  • “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your Word.”

  • God’s faithfulness in affliction brings revelation and renewal.

• The Word is sweeter than honey and more precious than gold — a believer’s constant companion in suffering and success.

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8. The Word Made Flesh

• Read John 1:1–14 — “In the beginning was the Word… and the Word became flesh.”

• Jesus is the Word — you cannot love Him and reject Scripture.

• “If they won’t believe Moses and the prophets, they won’t believe even if one rises from the dead.”

• To reject the Word is to reject Christ Himself.

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9. The Battle of Faith

• When you were in sin, you weren’t battling Satan — you were living with him.

• The real battle begins when you switch sides and live for Christ.

• The Christian life is warfare — but God’s strength sustains His people.

• Illustration: a railroad worker’s lantern went out though he kept swinging it — a warning that we must not let our light go out.

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10. Final Call

• It’s time to:

  • Pray more

  • Study the Word more

  • Witness more

• “We’re running out of time. Be strong and courageous. The Lord is with you wherever you go.”