This Sunday at City Central, we celebrated Youth Takeover and had the privilege of hearing a powerful message from Youth Pastor Steph Kram, who spoke on faithfulness through the life of Joshua. His character and obedience, show us that faithfulness is a daily choice that produces fruit, requires sacrifice, and depends on trusting God’s presence and Word. Ultimately, we are reminded that even when human faithfulness fails, God remains faithful and calls His people to live courageously, obediently, and wholeheartedly for Him.
Deut. 34:9
“And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Joshua 1:1-9
1After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, 2“Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success[a] wherever you go. 8This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua Assumes Command
Joshua 1:10-11
10And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, 11“Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’”
Joshua’s Character:
1. Trusted
Numbers 27:18-21
18So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. 19Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. 20You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey. 21And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole congregation.”
2. Hungry for the presence of God in his youth
Exodus 33:11
Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.
3 Truths About Faithfulness
1. Faithfulness is a choice
- Matt 5:7-Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
- Joshua 1:7- Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
2. Faithfulness produces fruit
Matt 25:20-23
20And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.[c] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
Joshua 6:27
So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land.
3. Faithfulness Requires Sacrifice
1 John 3:16
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
Romans 5:8
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Proverbs 3:3
Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
2 Timothy 2:13
If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Sin of Joshua
Joshua 9:14
So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord. And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.
Romans 7:15
15For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
3 Enemies of Faithfulness
– offense
– disobedience
– unbelief
Romans 4:20
No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God.
James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
Discussion Questions:
- The sermon said that faithfulness is a daily choice. What are some everyday choices where faithfulness really matters?
- How does Jesus’ sacrifice (Romans 5:8, 1 John 3:16) shape the way we think about being faithful to God and others?
- How do 2 Timothy 2:13 and Romans 7:15–20 encourage us when we mess up?
Application Question:
- Which of these feels like the biggest challenge to faithfulness right now: offense, disobedience, or unbelief? Why?