Sermon Preached By Rev. Kendrick D. Weaver - October 22, 2006

Joshua 17:11-18

If we were to think of the words most frequently affiliated with God, then the word promise would be near the top of the list. One of God’s most definitive acts was an extension of a promise to Abraham that his offspring would receive a new land.

Abraham carried this promise with him throughout his life, and, before he died, he reminded Isaac that there was this God who had made a promise. Isaac took this promise and carried it with him throughout his life, and, before he died, he reminded his son Jacob that there was this God who had made a promise. Jacob carried this promise with him throughout his entire life, and before he died he reminded Joseph and his brothers that there was this God who had made a promise. Joseph and his brothers carried this promise with them when they lived in Egypt, and before they died they reminded their daughters’, sons’, granddaughters’, and grandsons’ children and even great grandchildren that there was this God who had made a promise.

When these children, grand children and great grand children were oppressed and enslaved in Egypt, Moses reminded them that there was this God who had made a promise. One of the most consistent identifiers of the God of the Israelites was that He was a God of promise.

The book of Joshua is so monumental because in it we see the promise that God made centuries ago with Abraham being manifested. The people of Israel finally get their promised land.


Manasseh receives their land

Joshua summoned all the tribes of Israel and divided the land among them. He told each tribe which particular parts of the promised land they had dominion over. The Manassites along with the rest of Israel had received a blessing that was being formed and shaped before they even existed.

This generation of Israelites was not present when Abraham wandered in a strange land uncertain if God would ever give him a descendant. They were not there when Sarah experienced the anguish of having a closed womb. They were not there when Isaac was placed on that altar. They were not there when Jacob wrestled with the angel of God, and he was cheated out of seven years of labor. They were not there when Rachel and Leah feuded. They were not there when Joseph’s brothers left him in a ditch to die. They were not there when the Israelites escaped Egypt on foot being chased by chariots. They were not there when Israel had to cross the Red Sea. This generation of Israel was not there through all the struggles and hardship that had to be endured to receive the promise, yet this generation received the promised land.
 

God does not need your presence to start blessing you. All of us have had some people that came before us who struggled, endured hardships, persevered and died, and in those acts our blessings were being shaped and formed. As a result of who and what came before you, you were able to be educated to a greater degree. As result of who and what came before you, you were able to live in a better neighborhood. As result of who and what came before you, you were able to be more loving and kind. As a result of who and what came before you, you were able to be a better parent. As a result of who and what came before you, you have certain rights and privileges. As a result of who and what came before you, you are able to live a healthier, more balanced life. As a result of what was being formed and shaped before you even existed, you are able to be blessed today.

Manassites cannot live in their land

The Canaanites were the people who lived in the land that Israel had conquered. Joshua had already defeated them and their land had been divided. When the Manassites went to settle in their portion of the promised land, the Canaanites refused to acknowledge that the region belong to them. The Manassites had received ownership of this land but someone was preventing them from claiming it.

One day God decided that He was going to buy His people a house. After He thought about it for a while, He decided that He did not want to buy them a house but a mansion. God went to a mortgage lender. He told the mortgage lender that He wanted to buy a mansion for His people, and then immediately transfer the deed of the mansion to His people so they could have complete ownership of it. After God finished explaining what His plan was, the mortgage lender told him that he could not totally relinquish the deed to the mansion until the loan was paid off. God said, “That is not going to work. I want My people to have complete ownership over this mansion. That is ok. I will save up and pay for the mansion Myself.” God worked and saved for more than five hundred years. After saving and investing for generation after generation, He had finally accumulated enough to buy the mansion for His people. He turned over the deed to them and said this mansion is completely yours.

The Manassites had already received their mansion. They owned it completely. They had the deed to it, but something was preventing them from moving into their new home.
Some of us have some long-standing issues that are preventing us from living in the blessings that God has given us. You might have some detrimental attitudes, dysfunctional relationships and family dynamics, health problems, prior commitments, prejudices and preconceived notions, and self-esteem issues that are preventing you from claiming the blessing that God has already purchased for you.

Manassites take the land

The Manassites eventually get to a point where they are able to subdue the Canaanites and occupy the land God has given them. Notice, even though the Manassites are able to live in their land, the Canaanites are still present.

There are some issues that will be with you for the rest of your lives. We are all flawed and broken vessels. But even though you may never be able to eliminate completely some issues, you can still claim what God has for you if you can keep those issues in check. The true nature of your problem is not your detrimental attitudes, dysfunctional relationships, family dynamics, low self esteem, health problems, prior commitments, prejudices or preconceived notions but it is allowing those issues to prevent you from living in the blessings that God has for you. God is saying, “I don’t want you to be perfect. But I want you to get to the point where your imperfections are not interfering with what I have for you.”


The Land is not Enough

During the time when the Manassites were subduing the Canaanites and gradually moving into their God-given land, they grew in numbers and in strength. They had grown so much while claiming their land that their land was no longer sufficient for them.
When I was young my parents took me to the store to purchase a suit. I tried on a number of different suit jackets. I finally found one suit jacket that I liked, but I noticed that the shoulders of the jacket were broader than my shoulders. When I asked the store attendant what could be done to make this jacket fit me better, he told me, “You have to do some push-ups and grow some broader shoulders.”

After one year passed, the jacket that had been too big for me fit just right. Once another year passed, the jacket that fit me just right began to be too small for me because I was still growing.

God intentionally gave you something bigger than you thought you could handle to see if you would grow into it. Some of you will not only grow into what God has for you but you will out grow it. In the process of walking with the Lord and putting your issues in check, you will become stronger and more mature spiritually than you ever were before. As a result of that growth and maturity, some of the positions, activities, aspirations, desires and relationships that were good enough for you at one time will no longer suffice. Matthew 25:21 reads, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness.”

We must distinguish out growing our blessing from simply wanting more. When you simply want more, it usually starts from viewing something else. You have compared where you are and what you have with where others are and what others have, and you become dissatisfied. Your dissatisfaction comes from what you have observed externally. Notice the Manassites did not tell Joshua that their land was not enough because they saw another piece of land.

When you out grow your blessing, it is based on how far God has brought you. Your spirit becomes so restless that you feel that your environment or context is no longer adequate for the plan God has for you.

Joshua’s advice

Joshua told the Manassites “If you have really grown that much, then go out and claim some more land.” The Manassites were telling Joshua how far they had come but Joshua was telling them how far they could go. Growth is not just an indication of what you have been through but it is also an indication of what you can do.

Joshua and the Manassites Conversation

Joshua told the Manassites that they were capable of expanding their territory and simply needed to clear the land. The Manassites responded, “We can’t expand because there are Canaanites in the region with iron chariots that will never allow us to live there.” Joshua countered, “Don’t worry about what will prevent you from living in the expanded territory. Just clear the forest and the land will be yours. Don’t worry about the iron chariots of the Canaanites because before you can even live in the region you are going to have to cut down the trees on the land first.”

What is a primary human use for tress? Trees serve as a source for shade. In other words, they are used to obstruct the sun from shining on a particular area. They dim or darken areas that otherwise would be illuminated by the sun. Joshua was telling the people before you can live in this region you must eliminate all the things that are preventing you from clearly seeing this new land.

God has some new aspirations, new activities, new positions, new desires that He wants you to grasp, but before you can get them you must cut down the trees of doubt and fear that are blocking you from fully seeing the expanded blessings of God. God is trying to illuminate your future and give you a clear view of what he has for you, but some of you are walking among the trees of doubt and fear, and God’s new blessings are being placed in shadows. Cut down the trees so that the sun may shine on the land.

The Manassites were not simply commanded to cut down the trees but to make the land clear. Even if you cut down a tree, you still have a stump remaining. As long as the stump is in the ground, one will not be able to build on the land. Jeremiah 1:10 says, “See, today I appoint you over the nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down…” Luke 17:6 proclaims, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea and it will obey you.’”
 

Even a stump of doubt and fear can prevent you from possessing the expanded blessings that God has for you. Your doubt and fear must be uprooted if you want to live in the new blessings of God.

One Tree Missing

The Manassites went into the forest and saw a gargantuan hole in the ground that extended the width of the forest. After examining the hole for a while, they realized that a tree once occupied the hole, but someone had cut down and uprooted it. When they saw that someone was able to cut down and remove a tree that big, they realized the rest of the trees in the forest would not be as difficult to uproot. They received hope they could clear the forest with this head start.

One colossal tree has been cut down for you and me. On this tree Jesus cleared away all our sins. As you prepare to live in the new territory that God has for you, acknowledge and embrace the one who removed the most important tree of all, the tree of sin. Then clear out the land and its farthest limits will be yours. Amen.