im merse verb: to plunge into something that covers Written & designed by Gene DeVaughn

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2 MEET THE AUTHOR Gene DeVaughn has been serving in Student Ministry for twelve years in Southern Baptist churches. He is the founder of Redline Ministries and is the author of all Bible study curriculum offered by Redline Student Events for DiscipleNow Weekends, retreats, camps and small groups. Gene has also written two devotional books for students entitled FUEL: What are you driven by? and Unstoppable, both of which are available at LifeWay Christian stores. Gene currently resides in Alabama with his wife Lesley and daughters Reagan and Gracen. Check out other Bible study curriculums, Speakers, Worship Bands and everything else you need to custom build your own student event at

3 im merse verb: to plunge into something that covers Written & designed by Gene DeVaughn

4 God gave the prophet Ezekiel a vision of a man leading him through water that flowed from the temple. His vision reminds us that God s desire is for His people to be moving ever deeper with Him throughout our lives. Ezekiel said, As the man went out east with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a third of a mile and led me through the water. It came up to my ankles. Then he measured off a third of a mile and led me through the water. It came up to my knees. He measured off another third of a mile and led me through the water. It came up to my waist. Again he measured off a third of a mile, and it was a river that I could not cross on foot. For the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed on foot. (Ezekiel 47:3 5) ARE YOU MOVING EVER DEEPER WITH GOD? Session 1: Stepping Into the Deep Session 2: Roots That Go Deep Session 3: Everyday Life in the Deep

5 IMMERSE Session 1 (All Scripture NASB unless otherwise noted) Stepping into the Deep (Joshua 3 & 4) You ve no doubt heard the story of the Israelites conquering the city of Jericho. But do you know the story of how God s people literally had to go deeper with Him before they ever reached Jericho? Conquering this city was a defining moment for the Israelites, but between them and the place they wanted to be was the Jordon River at flood stage! Here s how it all began: Joshua 3:1 3 Joshua rose early in the morning; and he and all the sons of Israel set out and came to the Jordan, and they lodged there before they crossed. 2 At the end of three days the officers went through the midst of the camp; 3 and they commanded the people, saying, When you see the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. The Ark of the Covenant was a wooden box overlaid with gold. Inside the box were the stone tablets on which were written the Ten Commandments. On top of it was the mercy seat. This was a gold slab which covered the box. On each end of it was a golden cherub (angel) who was looking down at the mercy seat. The mercy seat was the place where the high priest of Israel sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice in order to make atonement for the sins of the people. The Ark represented the presence of God with his people on the basis of their sins being forgiven through the shed blood. 1 1 Ellsworth, R. (2008). Opening up Joshua (45 46). Leominster: Day One Publications.

6 So now that we have some background on their situation, let s see what we can learn about going ever deeper with God. 1. The first step in moving ever deeper is to avoid a casual view of God s holiness. Joshua 3:4-7 However, there shall be between you and [the Ark of the Covenant] a distance of about 2,000 cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before. 5 Then Joshua said to the people, Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you. 6 And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, Take up the Ark of the Covenant and cross over ahead of the people. So they took up the Ark of the Covenant and went ahead of the people. 7 Now the LORD said to Joshua, This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you. Even though the people were supposed to follow the Ark of the Covenant, they were also supposed to keep a certain distance away because of the holiness of God. They were to have no casual or careless intimacy with Him but a spirit of respect and reverence. 2 One of David s attendants learned this the hard way when they were moving the Ark to a new location: 2 Samuel 6:3-7 They placed the ark of God on a new cart that they might bring it from the house of Abinadab which was on 2 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (Jos 3:2 4). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

7 the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio were leading the new cart. 4 So they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark. 5 Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of instruments... 6 But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it. 7 And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God. Uzzah was not a Levitical priest and he had no authority to touch the ark. He was not killed for his good intentions, but because he violated a command and trespassed into territory reserved for consecrated priests. The tragedy could have been avoided if Uzzah and Ahio had insisted that David move the ark in the way that God required. It was to be carried by the Levites, not transported on a cart. 3 There was also another occasion where God used the Ark to warn the people about casually approaching Him: 1 Samuel 6:19 [God] struck down some men because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. He struck down 50,070 men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter. These two aspects of God s nature his close, comforting presence and His fearsome glory are kept in a healthy balance throughout the Bible 4 and we should keep them balanced in our own lives. Cabal, T., Brand, C. O., Clendenen, E. R., Copan, P., Moreland, J., & Powell, D. (2007). The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (462). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers. 4 Ellsworth, R. (2008). Opening up Joshua (46). Leominster: Day One Publications.

8 Before you can move deeper with God, you have to get rid of everything that keeps you at a surface-level relationship with Him. (vs.5) Joshua said to the people, Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you. The term consecrate yourself means to set your self apart in loyalty and service to God. 5 The Israelites were learning the truth that is found in Hebrews 12:14 which says without holiness no one will see the Lord (NIV). Trying to go deep with God, while holding onto sin, is like a diver trying to go deep while holding onto a life preserver. It s a waste of time and energy that will only result in surface-level swimming. 2 Corinthians 7:1 Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. A new level of depth in your walk with God calls for a new level of trust in following Him wherever He leads. (vs.3-4) When you see the Ark of the Covenant then you shall go after it that you may know the way for you have not passed this way before. As they waited by the Jordan River, the people must have wondered what Joshua planned to do. He certainly wouldn t ask them to swim because the river was at flood stage (3:15). They couldn t build enough boats or rafts to transport more than a million people to the other side. Besides, that approach would make them perfect targets for their enemies. 5 Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

9 What would their new leader do? Like Moses before him, Joshua received his orders from the Lord, and he obeyed them by faith. When you read Hebrews 11, the great faith chapter of the Bible, you discover that the people mentioned there all did something because they believed God. Amorites - A general term for the inhabitants of the Land, but especially for the descendants of Canaan who inhabited the hill country on both sides of the Jordan. Canaanites - Broadly speaking, these are the descendants of Canaan, son of Ham, son of Noah, and included many of the other groups named here. Girgashites - A tribe descended from Canaan, which was included among the general population of the Land without specific geographical identity. Hittites - Immigrants from the Hittite Empire (in the region of Syria) to the central region of the Land. Hivites - Descendants of Canaan who lived in the northern reaches of the Land. Jebusites - Descendants of Canaan who dwelt in the hill country around Jerusalem. Perizzites - People included among the general population of the Land who do not trace their lineage to Canaan. Their exact identity is uncertain. The MacArthur study Bible Their faith wasn t a passive feeling; it was an active force. Because Abraham believed God, he left his home and headed for Canaan. Because Moses believed God, he defied the gods of Egypt and led the Jews to freedom. Because Gideon believed God, he led a small band of Jews to defeat the huge Midianite army. Living faith always leads to action (James 2:26). It s been said that faith is not believing in spite of evidence but obeying in spite of the consequences. 6 As people see you moving ever deeper with God, they simultaneously see God elevating your impact on others. The LORD said to Joshua, This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you. 2. The scariest part about moving deeper with God is taking the first step into the unknown. Joshua 3:9-17 Then Joshua said to the sons of Israel, Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God. 10 Joshua said, By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly dispossess from before you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite. 11 Behold, the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over ahead of 6 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be strong (45). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

10 you into the Jordan. 12 Now then, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe. 13 It shall come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, and the waters which are flowing down from above will stand in one heap. 14 So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and when those who carried the ark came into the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest), 16 The waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho. 17 And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan. Though the deep can be scary, remember that God will always go ahead of you. (vs.11) the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over ahead of you Joshua was reminding the people that God had already gone ahead of them to overcome any obstacle they would face. It was similar to Ezekiel s vision where he said, The man led me through the water that was deep enough to swim in (Eze. 47:3-5). Joshua was also reminded them that this obstacle as big as it may have seemed to them was nothing for the Lord of all the earth. God was the One who created the Jordon River and He had complete authority over it.

11 So the priests carried the Ark into the waters of the Jordan and immediately the water stopped flowing from upstream. The same God who brought His people through the Red Sea was bringing the next generation through the Jordan despite the fact that the river was at flood stage because of melting snow. We don t know how the waters were stopped only that it took place around twenty miles upriver. At the Exodus, the drying of the sea bed was caused by a strong east wind but whatever was happening at the Jordan, God was causing it. His timing was deliberate and precise. 7 He could have brought them there when the river was at its lowest point but God was simultaneously showing His sovereignty over all creation, while building the faith of His people and revealing His glory to the people of Jericho who were no doubt watching from across the river. As a matter of fact, chapter 5 verse 1 says, Now it came about when all the kings of the Amorites and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until they had crossed, that their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel. All of this teaches us an important principle: God will meet us at every step of faith, but only after we begin to move. (vs.13) God said, when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the Ark rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters will be cut off. It would be pretty easy for the average Israelite to obey this command, but what if you were one of the priests? And in particular, one of the priests at the front! 7 Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed.) (108). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.

12 The 10 Lepers that Jesus healed also learned that God would act on their behalf, but only after they took a step of faith: Luke 17:11-14 While [Jesus] was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; 13 and they raised their voices, saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us! 14 When He saw them, He said to them, Go and show yourselves to the priests. And as they were going, they were cleansed. When we re standing on the edge wanting to take the next step two thoughts usually hold us back: Can I really trust God with my life? If the river didn t stop, they would drown. If they tried to use boats, they would be easy targets. But if they didn t move forward they would have missed God s best for their lives. They had to decide whether or not to trust God by faith and take the first step into the unknown. What about all the pressure and opposition I ll face? Remember, the deeper a diver goes in the ocean, the more pressure there is. It s the cost of deeper intimacy with God and there is simply no way around it. But in verse 10, Joshua helped them see that it was all worth it. He said, By this you shall know that the living God is among you. You ll never see the wonders of God unless you take the first step of faith into the unknown. The firmest footing you ll ever experience in your walk with God is when you move into the deep where you can no longer touch. (vs.17) the priests who carried the Ark stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan

13 Standing in the shallow end feels nice and safe because you can trust in your own footing, but you have to rely on God to carry you as you move into a deeper walk with Him. Psalm 121 gives us a greater picture of this: Psalm 121:1-3 (NIV) I lift up my eyes to the hills where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot slip He who watches over you will not slumber. 3. Every believer should have spiritual markers in their life to show how they re moving ever deeper with God. Joshua 4:1-3; 6-7 Now when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, 3 and command them, saying, Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight 6 Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, What do these stones mean to you? 7 then you shall say to them, Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever. However, be careful to put your faith in God and not the spiritual markers from your past. (vs.20; 24) Those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal that all the peoples of the earth may know that the

14 hand of the LORD is mighty, so that you may fear the LORD your God forever. Some people put their faith in a prayer they prayed rather than the God they claimed to be praying to. Some people put their faith in their baptism rather than the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, which baptism represents. Some people put their faith in a religious event they attended rather than God, whom the event was intended to glorify. Some people put their faith in a feeling they had in the past rather than the unchanging, unstoppable Word of God. Many Christians are quick to point out spiritual markers that occurred years ago but they are no longer moving ever deeper with God. Those of us who are not saved standing on the edge with all the doubts and fears take the first step of faith and ask Christ to save you. He ll meet you there as you take the first step. Those of us who are saved standing on the edge with all the doubts and fears take the first step of faith into the deep and God will also meet you there.