Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Define the word reality = The quality or state of being actual or true.

Reality is the leading cause of stress among those who are in touch with reality.

~ C. Everett Koop, U.S. surgeon general, U.S. News and World Report, January 9, 1989.

A golfer who had been playing badly went to a psychiatrist who told him to relax by playing a round of golf without a ball.

"Do everything you would normally do, but use an imaginary ball," advised the psychiatrist."

The golfer tried it the next day.

He stepped up on the first tee, imagined he got a 260-yard drive, made a fine approach shot to the green, then putted for a par.

The round went splendidly and as he approached the 18th hole, he met another golfer playing the same way--no ball.

The other golfer had seen the same psychiatrist.

They decided to play the last hole together and bet $10 on the outcome.

The first golfer swung at his imaginary ball and announced that it had gone 280 yards right down the middle of the fairway.

The second golfer matched his drive.

The first fellow then took out his 5-iron and after swinging at his imaginary ball, he exclaimed, "Look at that shot!

It went right over the pin and the reverse spin on it brought it right back into the hole!

I win."

"No you don't," said the second golfer.

"You hit my ball."

Both these guys need a reality check don’t that?

In psychology, the term would be their “perceived reality.”

Perceived reality is “an individual's subjective experience of reality, in comparison to objective, exterior reality.

(Psychology Dictionary)”

“Besides being complicated, reality, in my experience, is usually odd.

It is not neat, not obvious, not what you expect.

For instance, when you have grasped that the earth and the other planets all go round the sun, you would naturally expect that all the planets were made to match—all at equal distances from each other, say, or distances that regularly increased, or all the same size, or else getting bigger or smaller as you go farther from the sun.

In fact, you find no rhyme or reason (that we can see) about either the sizes or the distances; and some of them have one moon, one has four, one has two, some have none, and one has a ring.

What is PERCEIVED REALITY? definition of PERCEIVED REALITY (Psychology Dictionary)

Besides being complicated, reality, in my experience, is usually odd.

It is not neat, not obvious, not what you expect.

For instance, when you have grasped that the earth and the other planets all go round the sun, you would naturally expect that all the planets were made to match—all at equal distances from each other, say, or distances that regularly increased, or all the same size, or else getting bigger or smaller as you go farther from the sun.

In fact, you find no rhyme or reason (that we can see) about either the sizes or the distances; and some of them have one moon, one has four, one has two, some have none, and one has a ring.

Reality, in fact, is usually something you could not have guessed.

That is one of the reasons I believe Christianity.

It is a religion you could not have guessed.”

~ Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis

We often think we have a situation figured out—that’s our perceived reality, but then it goes a way that we didn’t expect—that’s reality.

Sometimes, our family, friends, pastor, help us by giving us a reality check.

What is your perceived reality of the Christian life?

What is the reality of the Christian life?

What is the reality of the Christian life?

The Book of Joshua presents us with what the reality of the Christian life is.

Let’s establish sound interpretation facts about Joshua.

Crossing the Jordan River is not a picture of death.

When I shall reach that happy place,

I’ll be forever blest,

For I shall see my Father’s face,

And in His bosom rest.

The land of Canaan is not a picture of heaven.

Heaven is a place of rest, not warfare.

Canaan is not heaven,

When I shall reach that happy place, I’ll be forever blest, For I shall see my Father’s face, And in His bosom rest.

Joshua pictures the practical living of the Christian life—the battles/defeats/victories we can have in our Christian life.

In your Christian life, you are either wandering wilderness of defeat or living in the land of victory.

How do you know which place you are in—check your reality.

These early verses show us 5 perceived realities that reveal if we are in the wilderness of defeat or the land of victory.

The first perceived reality of wandering in the wilderness of defeat is...

I. “I can’t move on.”

Moses my servant is dead

Everyone in this life faces hurts of all shapes and sizes.

If you stay long enough in the wilderness of defeat, you’ll say…life is too difficult.

This perceived reality can immobilize you.

Loss overwhelms— moving forward without family and friends (; )

“Moses my servant is dead.”

— Loss of a leader, counselor, friend, etc.

Moses didn’t look unhealthy

Moses knew he would die, did he tell Joshua?

Grief overwhelms—death of Moses (Joshua 1:2)

Grief is normal, has a purpose, and is temporary.

Moses didn’t look unhealthy

When we allow our grief to overwhelm us, then we find ourselves wandering in the wilderness of defeat.

Moses knew he would die, did he tell Joshua?

God is faithful comforts us “in all our tribulation”

God always calls us to continue His work.

“...arise, go...” — God has a purpose for Joshua.

Our sorrow/grief/despair doesn’t have to immobilize us.

Our sorrow/grief/despair can strengthen our ability to serve God and comfort others.

TRANSITION: The first perceived reality of wandering in the wilderness of defeat is...