The book of Joshua is a very positive book in the Bible. It is a book about the faithfulness of God, written to strengthen our faith in his promises, particularly the promise that Jesus Christ is preparing a new home for us where we can enjoy rest in his presence (Hebrews 4:1–16). It is also a book about our responsibility toward God. The Lord has made promises to us. He has shown himself to be worthy of our trust. And in this book we will see how the Lord calls us to now be faithful to him.
In light of the purpose of Joshua, the goal of your sermon must be to show how God has been faithful to us, and what response the Lord is calling us to. Joshua 18–19, similarly to Joshua 16–17, focuses on how the Spirit makes God’s people strong for service. This time, however, our attention is drawn to the regular meeting that takes place between God and his people. As we meet with God and come into his presence he changes our desires and shapes us so that we are ready and eager to serve him in the places where he has placed us.
1 Then the whole congregation of the people of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. The land lay subdued before them.