Jericho III

Jericho III

Today, I want to focus on lessons from Jericho from the perspective of the overall congregation. I will identify 3 keys that underpinned the successful mission - 3 platforms on which victory was achieved. I will also suggest that if congregations effectively put in place these 3 platforms, they too will be victorious.

Platform #1: Leadership

One thing that we cannot miss from Jericho is that effective leadership was provided and that leadership was dutifully followed.
God provided the plan. Joshua accepted it without question. He presented it with certainty. The story as recorded does not suggest that there was any doubting or quibbling or vacillation or hemming and hawing. This is the plan and that is what we are going to do.

On the other side, the followers followed Joshua’s lead. “I have never heard of anything like this but I am with you in this.” “Tell me what you want us to do and we will support you to the fullest.” Simply put, “you lead, we follow.”
Organizations in which leaders lead and followers follow have outstanding chances of success. Things fall apart where leaders fail to lead. Also, the whole thing collapses rapidly when everyone tries to lead!

If Joshua had been faced with a handful of men who had their own leadership aspirations and were bent on taking their supporters along different paths we might not have been reading about the battle at Jericho…at least not in the same context.
People who are mandated to provide leadership in any of the activities or ministries of the congregation or for the entire congregation must lead with certainty. At the same time, the others of us who are not appointed to lead must follow.

One thing that happens in some organizations is that a leadership vacuum appears. No one readily volunteers to fill the position. Yet when someone is finally persuaded to do the job they meet with all sorts of resistance and criticism. The support is not forthcoming. Some people fall away because the refuse to fall in line with the leadership that is being offered. The question then is why did you not step up to the plate in the first instance?

Platform #2: Structure

It is amazing how clear God can be when giving instructions to man. I suppose the prime example is the set he gave to Noah re the ark. Moses missed the point of the specificity of God and His instructions, hit when he should speak and lost his chance to go to the Promised Land. Many people today are running the risk of losing their souls because they do not appreciate how careful and particular God is about His instructions.

Arising from the communication he got, Joshua organized the people for the march around Jericho. There was a particular structure that was put in place. People had special roles to play and there was an order in which they were to proceed.
Up front and at the rear were men bearing arms. They were geared to attack or to defend.

Behind them, were the 7 priests with ram’s horns (trumpets). And behind them, the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. Then the people who were followed by armed men as rearguard.

We too must have clear roles and appropriate structure if we are to succeed.
We must have a band that can attack for and defend the faith and the congregation in its mission. This band needs to be willing to go out front fully equipped to strike with the Word when the opportunity presents itself. They must also be swift to put down any threat to the faith and to the congregation.

This band not only proclaims the Gospel in and out of season. They are also quick to go to the aid of brethren who are falling away to restore them. Their role is to deal with anything that stands in the way of achieving the mission. All this must be done without favouritism and with hearts overflowing with love.

Then we need to have horn blowers - people that announce the presence of the congregation and soften up the opposition. “Here’s a track.” “I want to invite you….” “And speaking of Obama or Cricket or Crime Rate or layoffs, we had a wonderful Bible Study at church last week. We discussed…..”

When horn blowers unite and fulfil their responsibilities the enemy retreats and the entire army is encouraged. This congregation desperately needs horn blowers.
Then comes the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. This in a sense defines who Israel was. In it was in a way their constitution…. The guiding principles for how they lived.

We need a congregation that studies the Bible – which is our constitution. It contains the guiding principles by which we ought to live. We should settle arguments and make decisions in accordance with Biblical principles and precedence.

Then comes the people.….the general membership. The victory at Jericho could not be achieved if this group did not behave appropriately. They did what they were supposed to do when they were supposed to do it.

This leads me to the discussion of the 3rd key that underpinned the success at Jericho. We looked at Leadership and Structure.

Now we come to Discipline.

One remarkable feature of the victory was how disciplined the Israelites were in the face of challenging circumstances. That is a huge lesson for congregations.

Imagine if you will Joshua at roll call just before setting off on a march.

OK….Armed men step forward: Then a few persons step forward….some explaining that others are on their way.

7 horn blowers: Well we only have 4. So you 3 will have to blow twice as much to make up for the missing ones.

Ark: Well, the Zephaniah’s are coming with it. Let us go on they will catch up with us.

Imagine if Joshua also noted that some persons that showed up on Day 1 of the march were not seen again until Day 4 then they went missing again on Day 5 & 6. He had no idea and who and how many would turn up for the marches.

Consider also the impact if some people had to leave the march early to go an tend to domestic affairs. What kind of success would Joshua have?

It is a good thing that God is not like man. If He was, He would just get angry and decide that these people are not serious. He would refuse to be associated with them.

Given the spiritual state of our beloved country we face not a Jericho wall but more like the Great Wall of China. We have to be serious about God’s work. We have to be disciplined in all that we do.

Indiscipline is manifest in every aspect of our national life. We have to be the salt of the earth. People must see and feel the difference when they observe us or come in contact with us.

There should be an overwhelming sense of order about everything that we do. There should a feeling that there is an invisible conductor who is guiding proceedings.
Discipline also has to do with our lifestyles. Are onlookers curious to know what drives you to go about all of your life in an ordered manner? Or do they see someone who is the very manifestation of indiscipline?

Discipline relates to what we read or do not read. What we watch or do not watch. What we say or do not say. Where we go or do not go. When we go or do not go. What we do or do not do.

This is a call to order. A call to fall in line to wage war on behalf of Jesus. A call to tidy up house and to get with the programme. The march starts now and we need to ensure that we play our part to the fullest. We have to overcome self for the cause of Christ.

When we do this, the walls that are keeping people from filling these seats will come tumbling down.

When we do this, the walls that are holding you back from more active participation on the activities of the congregation will fall.

When we do this, the congregational walls will more securely keep those on the inside from leaving.

Let’s do this!