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 20 prepares the people for life in the land by implementing cities of refuge. These cities are meant to ensure that God’s justice is seen in the land. For a modern audience, this chapter gives an opportunity to show people God’s justice in action, encouraging Christian believers to seek after what is just and right in this world even as we look forward to the day of perfect justice when Christ returns.