Be strong and of good courage
Moses had led Israel from bondage in Egypt to the doorstep of the promised land, but he would not lead them into Canaan. Sin would keep him from entering the land (Numbers 20:7-12). The Lord told him,
Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. (Deuteronomy 1:38)
It seems that Joshua was an exceptional man; not one bad thing is spoken of him. We know that he sinned, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) but no record is made in Scripture of his transgressions. The one thing he may have struggled with was confidence. Several times, it was said to him, "Be strong and of good courage" (Deuteronomy 31:7, 23; Joshua 1:6, 9, 18). Of courae, he had a huge task before him; to lead the people of God into the land promised to their forefathers.
Shortly after making an unwise treaty with the Gibeonites, Israel was called upon to defend their new allies. A group of kings banded together to battle with them. The LORD assured Joshua,
Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you. (Joshua 10:8)
It was on that day the sun stood still until all the enemies who fought against them were destroyed. The LORD gave them victory, as he had said - Joshua truly had been strong and of good courage. In fact, his faith was so affected by this miraculous display of God's care for His people, that Joshua said before the people:
Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight. (Joshua 10:25)
The one who needed encouragement to stand strong and not fear now shared the strength which he had gained with those whom he led. Not only had God given them victory that day, but He did so miraculously. With such a great God watching over them, there was no need to fear, so long as they walked faithfully before Him.
“Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.”
None of us are called as a leader of the people of God in the way that Joshua was, but the admonition first given to him, and then afterward from him to the nation is certainly applicable to us. As the people of God, we must not fear, but be of good courage. The same God who protected and brought victory to Israel is watching over us.
We have every reason to "be strong and of good courage." Consider:
...in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. (Romans 8:37)
...thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)
...thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14)
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5)
What a blessing, to know that the God of all creation is on our side; we need never fear, but simply trust in His providential care. Friend, "be strong and of good courage."
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Answering The Atheist
Complaint:
Did Jesus preach his first sermon on a mountain (Matthew 5:1-3) or a plain (Luke 17, 20)? Is there a contradiction?
Response:
The questioner has made two assumptions. First, that these two texts record the same preaching occasion, and second, that either text is a record of Jesus' first sermon.
Neither Matthew 5 nor Luke 6 identify themselves as Jesus' first sermon. In fact, Matthew 4:23 tells us that
...Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom...It is obvious from this text that Matthew 5-7 is not Jesus' first sermon.
In Luke 6:6, we find that Jesus "...entered the synagogue and taught." He'd already been preaching prior to the material recorded in the latter half of Luke 6. So, neither Matthew 5-7 nor Luke 6 record His first sermon.
Are these sermons the same occasion? It is certain that much of the same content is used in the two accounts. It may be that they are two records of the same preaching occasion, but it is equally plausible that the same sermon was preached by the Lord in two different locations. I know that I have done so several times, as I am sure most (if not all) preachers have.
Neither writer tells us where the sermon recorded was preached. Matthew does tell us that "He went up on a mountain" (Matthew 5:1), and taught the multitudes. When He was done He came "down from the mountain" (Matthew 8:1). Luke says that He came down the mountain with the apostles (Luke 6:12-17), and "on a level place" taught the multitudes.
One record appears to be of a mountainside sermon, while the other was on a plain. Or, it is possible that the records are of the same lesson, and that the "level place" was a plateau on a mountain.
Either way, there is no contradiction.
This article is in response to Skeptic's Annotated Bible.