The following sermon excerpt came from the YouTube site, Reformed Channel, click the link below to see his video page:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0_kZln9jvivLKvwdoJrBEA/videos
Pastor Coates, whose sermon excerpt is below, is that pastor who was arrested in Canada. A brief description of that is below the video and a link to one article about the circumstances of his arrest.
Biblical text used in video:
Joshua 1:6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
SERMON HIGHLIGHT POINTS [emboldening and bracketed statements are mine]:
- Biblical courage is the resolve to do what God demands in the face of any and all opposition, regardless of the outcome or cost, and to do it in a Christ-like manner as fruit of the Spirit, otherwise, your courage is fleshly
- To be strong and courageous is to be resolute in the discharge of duty
- As: 1Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
- As: 16:13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
- God called Joshua to have such convictions
- Joshua’s confidence was to come from God’s promises
- Our mission is different, our success is measured in our faithfulness
- There are truths in God’s word that are essential to us if we would be courageous and faithful
- 10 truths from God’s word that will give you courage
- God is sovereign: Ephesians 1:11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will; Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. [The Bible has many such verses]
- The glory of God: All of human history is moving towards the climax of the revelation of God’s glory, such that every event of our lives is an occasion wherein we might glorify God
- The worthiness of God, He is infinite in worth and value, nothing compares to Him. If I have Him, then I have everything. He is the satisfaction of my soul.
- The faithfulness of God: He is perfectly and totally faithful, 2Cor. 1:20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. Psalm 36:5 Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.
- The goodness of God: He is the fountain of all goodness; He is the Good Shepherd; Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
- The justice of God: He is perfectly just, in the end, justice will be served; Romans 12:19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
- The ownership of God: Our lives are not our own, we have been bought with a price and called to glorify Him in the body: 1Cor. 6:20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
- The salvation of God: We are eternally secure; our sins have been forgiven and we have been reconciled with God the Father because Jesus’ righteousness has been imputed to us via our justification: we are firmly held in the hands of the Father and Son
- We have an inheritance from God: Romans 8:17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him; 1Peter 1:4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time; Matthew 5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
- The judgment seat of Christ: We will stand before Him to give an account of ourselves, in that moment, only His judgment will matter; we will desire to receive praise from Him: 1Cor. 3:15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
- The above 10 truths will test your attachment to this world [and reveal it to you]; that is, have you believed these ten things about God such that your life has been changed? If not, then you either do not know God or have become numb to the things of God because of your attachment to the world
- To demonstrate strength and courage in your Christian life, you must be rooted in God’s word
- Biblical courage expresses itself via obedience to God’s word
- Obedience was key to Joshua’s success, it is also key to ours
- When God said, “be careful” He intended Joshua to be diligent and conscientious in how he obeyed ALL of God’s word / commands
- Do not turn to the right or to the left = no deviations
- To deviate from God’s commands is the same as idolatry: 1Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.”
- A careful, conscientious and comprehensive obedience gave Joshua success
- That is, such obedience was the key to Joshua’s military success, not military strategy, number of men…
- He was to be faithful to God and God would give him victory when he fought
- In our day, it would seem that we are called to political activism, not so; we are called to obey God; we cannot remove the reprobate minds of our nation via legislation; God can do it via regeneration, as in John 3
- God is adamant about obedience to His word
- To be obedient to His word, you firstly have to know His word
- Resolve to do what God commands in the face of any and all opposition [that could be possible via abiding in His word and prayer – means, or ways in which grace is given by God]
Link to Pastor Coates entire 44-minute sermon from which the above video was excerpted: https://gracelife.ca/sermons/be-strong-and-very-courageous/
AN EXCERPT OF AN ARTICLE ON PASTOR COATES ARREST AND A LINK TO THE ARTICLE FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO READ IT ALL:
Why was Pastor Coates arrested?
Pastor Coates, along with GraceLife Church Edmonton, holds the religious conviction that the whole congregation must meet together during one service. For that reason, he could not in good conscience follow the Emergency Health Orders authorized by the Alberta Health Act, which restricted building occupancy to 15% of a building’s fire-code capacity.
In light of this stance, Alberta Health Services asked the courts to enforce their health orders against GraceLife Church Edmonton. The courts agreed to do so. The police then charged James Coates with infractions on February 7 and 14. As noted here, GraceLife Edmonton gathered more than “15% of the total operational occupant load” according to the current fire code regulations in Alberta.
Link to article: https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/columns/detrinitate/what-you-should-know-about-the-release-of-pastor-james-coates/