Archive for the ‘Jordan River’ tag
June 13, 2010: God Divides the Jordan River
The text for this lesson is Joshua 3:1-4:24
Discussion Points
- What did God point Joshua to that would help him to be a good leader?
- God commands Joshua, who then commands Israel, and they obey the command. God tells Joshua that when the people see the miracle they will know that the Lord is with Joshua just as He was with Moses. Why is that important?
- What is significant about the twelve men chosen to carry the memorial stones and the purpose for building this sign?
- Why did Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan in the place where the priests had stood?
- Why did God miraculously heap the Jordan River? Couldn’t He have told the people to build rafts or boats or engineer a bridge?
- What is the message of the twelve stones?
- How is the crossing of the Jordan similar to the crossing of the Red Sea?
- How does this miraculous passing through the Jordan River point us to the New Testament and into our time?
- On what did God constantly have the children of Israel focus? Why is that important?
- On what does God constantly have us focus for our salvation?
October 18, 2009: Elijah Is Taken to Heaven
The text for this lesson is 2 Kings 2:1–15.
Key Points
- Enoch and Elijah were taken into heaven alive. Jesus, who is our Enoch and our great Elijah, ascended alive into heaven for us and our salvation.
- Law: Death overtakes me because I am permeated by sin and am subject to its penalty.
- Gospel: In the death of Jesus is the death of death itself, and I will be raised up with Christ and seated with Him in heaven.
Context
It’s time for the baton—or rather the mantle—of Elijah to pass to his vicar, Elisha. Cleaving to his master’s side, Elisha follows him on a somewhat circuitous route that ends east of the Jordan. In this same region centuries before, the baton had been passed from Moses to Joshua. Now it would go from Elijah to Elisha—same song, second verse. It is here, too, that the latter-day Elijah, that is, John the Baptist, would bow out so that the Elisha-like Jesus could move forward with His ministry— same song, final verse.
September 28, 2008: Entering the Promised Land
The text for this lesson is Joshua 3:1—5:12.
Key Points
- At the Jordan River, led by Joshua, Israel left the desert and entered the Promised Land of milk and honey; in the water of our Baptism, led by Christ, we leave behind the desert of sin, death, and Satan and enter into our heavenly promised land.
- Law: In sin, I am ever-complaining and unrepentant, wearily wandering in the desert of death, determined to go my own way.
- Gospel: In Baptism, Christ lifts me from the grave, joins me to His own baptism and His own body, the Church, and leads me and the Church into the land of rest.
- Bible Words: Titus 3:5.
- Faith Words: Ark of the Covenant, Jordan River, Promised Land, tribe.
- Catechism: Holy Baptism
