A Story and a Legacy
’So I gave you a land…’
Joshua 24:13
‘God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply.’
Hudson Taylor
‘Few of us are tempted today to dream too big. Rather, our vision shrinks to the size of our limited experience. Yet, all things are possible for those who believe in the God who created the heavens and the earth. In our disbelief, we can ask God for inspiration to believe. Then he may give us a vision of divine size.’
Collin Hansen
Throughout the book of Joshua, we see how God has taken the people of Israel on an amazing journey. They have stepped into the land, and yet there is still so much to do. At the end of the book, they face a choice - trust in the God who has provided so much so far, or turn away and place their faith in other gods.
As we approach a pivotal milestone in the life of Riverside, we face a choice. Do we take God at his word and humbly follow wherever he has called, or do we take matters into our own hands and follow a different path?
The legacy that we have inherited is testimony both to those who have gone before us at Riverside, and to those who have invested in this land over the last century. We stand on their shoulders. And so, before us lies a defining moment. We have the privilege of carrying forward a remarkable legacy - rekindling what has dimmed, building on what has endured - and trusting God to use us in ways that will impact this city for generations to come.
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None of us starts from scratch. We all stand on ground prepared by someone else's prayers, sacrifices, faithfulness, and vision.
In Joshua 24, God reminds his people of a remarkable reality: they are enjoying the fruit of work they did not do and receiving blessings they did not create. But this isn't merely a moment for gratitude - it is a call to action.
Because every generation must decide whether it will simply inherit a legacy, or carry it forward.
Bible passage: Joshua 24:1-13
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Most defining moments don't feel dramatic at first. They often begin with a decision - a quiet but significant choice about who we will trust and what we will build our lives around.
In Joshua 24, God's people are challenged to respond to the faithfulness they've experienced. Not with guilt or obligation, but with wholehearted commitment.
Because a legacy comes alive again when it moves from being something we inherited to something we choose to carry.
Bible passage: Joshua 24:14-28
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What if success isn't finishing the work, but faithfully passing it on?
As the book of Joshua closes, we're reminded that every generation stands on the shoulders of those who came before. Some plant, some build, some carry, and some harvest - but none of us are the whole story.
The invitation is not to do everything, but to play our part. To live faithfully, trust God with what remains unfinished, and leave behind something that can flourish long after we're gone.
Bible passage: Joshua 24:29-33
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