“Get Ready, Get Ready, Get Ready” – Crossing the Jordan I. Introduction

Opening greeting and call to readiness for the Word of God.
Reference to the recent week of prayer and fasting as preparation.
Sermon title: “Get Ready, Get Ready, Get Ready.”
Text reference: Joshua 3:1–5.
Key verse: “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
Connection to the new year (2026) as a “new season” — a place we’ve not passed before.

II. Two Extremes in the Life of Faith

Extreme #1: People who think everything depends on God alone.
- Passive faith; no personal effort (e.g., expecting blessings without action).
Extreme #2: People who think everything depends on themselves.
- Self-striving faith; no prayer or reliance on God.
Balanced truth (Joshua 3:5):
- Human responsibility → “Sanctify yourselves.”
- Divine power → “The Lord will do wonders.”
- A biblical tension: God acts, but we prepare.

III. Historical and Scriptural Context

Israel at the Jordan River.
- On the threshold of the Promised Land after 40 years of wandering.
- Consequence of earlier unbelief and disobedience.
The Ark of the Covenant.
- Symbol of God's presence and holiness.
- Instructions: follow it at a distance — reverence before a holy God.
The Crossing.
- Jordan River in flood (½ mile wide); an impossible situation needing a miracle.
Spiritual parallel for 2026.
- Represents transition into a new season filled with both blessings and unknowns.

IV. Our Part: “Sanctify Yourselves”