Finishing Strong

Sermon Series: Courageous Faith
Today's Message: Finishing Strong
Text: Joshua 14:1, 6-15
Dr. Scott Hanberry

Now these are the territories which the sons of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the households of the tribes of the sons of Israel apportioned to them for an inheritance,

6 Then the sons of Judah drew near to Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the word which the Lord spoke to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh-barnea. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought word back to him as it was in my heart. 8 Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear; but I followed the Lord my God fully. 9 So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden will be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God fully.’ 10 Now behold, the Lord has let me live, just as He spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, when Israel walked in the wilderness; and now behold, I am eighty-five years old today. 11 I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in. 12 Now then, give me this hill country about which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day that Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps the Lord will be with me, and I will drive them out as the Lord has spoken.”13 So Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. 14 Therefore, Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite until this day, because he followed the Lord God of Israel fully.

What do you learn from the reading of a will?

• The divisions of the estate
  
• indications of person’s attitude and feelings towards heirs
• how the benefactor wants his or her heirs to conduct themselves
  

1 Peter 1:3-5  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1) Caleb’s Courage and confidence never ceased! V. 8, 9, 14

Caleb was committed and that commitment flowed from a courageous heart and a confidence in God.

Here’s the lesson: Retreat is easy when you have the option.

Caleb’s COURAGE never ceased…but neither did his CONFIDENCE!
V. 12  CALEB WAS CONFIDENT IN THE WORD OF GOD

The promise of Deut. 1:34-36 was his confidence!

2) Caleb’s Strength and Security never failed!

3) Caleb’s God never forgot (v. 13)