Courageous Purity! (Sermon Audio)

This is the audio from the July 17, 2022 sermon, “R & R: The Fruit of Courageous Purity”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Joshua 5:1-12, Colossians 2:9-15

Before the battles begin, God calls us to be purified and set apart for His exclusive use. We grow in courage when we allow the purifying work of God to cut away our sinful nature when we are buried with Christ in baptism. The fruit of this circumcision of the heart should result in the same type of fruit the Israelites experienced following their obedience to God in circumcision. While most of us appreciate the common R & R of rest and relaxation, this morning I want us to consider three R & R events experienced by the Israelites, and by us, when God is allowed to do His work of purification.

As we grow in courageous and obedient purity, we find our. . .

Reproach Removed. Joshua 5:9, Colossians 2:13-15
- The enemy does a pretty good job of accusing, blaming, and making us feel unworthy and unfit for God’s love. When we allow God to do the work of purifying us, we find the reproach of the enemy removed. While it takes courage to live in obedient purity, the freedom from reproach makes every effort of obedience worth it.
Rescue Remembered. Joshua 5:10, Colossians 2:11-12
- As forgetful people, it is often easy to start thinking we’ve always been where we are in our relationship with God. Not only did God remove the reproach from the Israelites, and from us, He calls us to remember how He is the One who rescued us. While it takes courage to remember where we were before becoming obedient to Christ, the result of remembering will help us believe God can rescue those around us.
Resources Restored. Joshua 5:11-12, Colossians 2:9-10
- Sin has a way of devouring all that is good and wholesome in our life. When God’s people responded to His instructions with a courageous and obedient purity, He restored their resources and brought them fully into the land He had promised. While it can be much easier for us to focus on what we have lost, or don’t have in comparison to others, God want us to live as those who have the fullness of Christ and all of His resources dwelling within us.