Content Good - Complacent Bad. (Joshua 18:1-19:51)

Welcome to today’s episode! 

Today we’re looking into a powerful lesson on the difference between being truly committed and merely content. In our discussion, we explore three groups we all encounter—those who are eager and committed, the complainers, and those who are passively content. Using the allocation of the land in Joshua 18 and 19 as our backdrop, we’ll challenge you to examine your own level of engagement in God’s work.

Episode Notes

• Biblical Context:
  • Joshua 18–19 recounts how the remaining tribes of Israel, despite having subdued the land, were divided into their inheritances at Shiloh. Yet, seven tribes remained content with what they had instead of actively claiming their full inheritance.
• Main Themes:
  • Three Groups in Life:
    • The Committed: Eager to dive in and win the prize (like Caleb, who challenged the status quo).
    • The Complainers: Always finding fault with change and the way things are done.
    • The Contented: Passive, satisfied with simply being present, without striving for more.
  • The Danger of Complacency:
    • While being content is good, complacency can lead to spiritual stagnation.
    • Even when blessed, failing to actively engage can prevent us from experiencing God’s full promise.
  • Taking Action:
    • Joshua not only confronted complacency by questioning, “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land?” but also provided a clear plan of action by appointing men to survey the land.
• Practical Application:
  • Reflect on your own spiritual journey—are you actively pursuing growth, or are you content to sit on the sidelines?
  • Consider ways to step up in your personal and communal walk with the Lord. Whether you’re a leader or a friend, encourage one another to move beyond mere contentment toward a life marked by active faith.
  • Remember: It’s not enough to simply be present; we must act to claim the full inheritance God has prepared for us.

Thank you for joining us as we challenge complacency and encourage a heart of active commitment. Enjoy the episode, and let it inspire you to get up, get involved, and make a lasting impact in God’s kingdom!

Transcript

Content Good, Complacent Bad. (Joshua 18:1-19:51)

Transcript.

Three groups in life. 

I think back to my school days when teams were picked for sports competitions. 

The committed.  Eager to dive in and take part ready to dive in and compete to win the prize.

The complainers, who didn’t really want to be there.

The uncommitted, content to be there but little more.

The committed who wanted to take part, to win, and to claim the prize. 

And all the years that I have and spoken in churches or with Pastors literally all over the place and, I've come to the conclusion that that every congregation, regardless of its size, has a few complainers. 

They're always a few that are going to think that's not the way you ought to do things. They were those complainers who would say why do we have to do that now, or in that way, or why do you have to change the way we are doing that, we’ve always done it this way? 

And the prize was definitely the furthest thing from their mind. 

But then there was a third group. The group that I think in some way you have the hardest time with, they weren’t committed but they didn't particularly complain. I call them the passive and the contented, they did nothing. 

They wouldn't even complain. They were the contented.

Today I want to talk about the people who are just contented. I've concluded they're in every church everywhere and I’m wondering if you listening to this today might be one of them….

We've been studying the book of Joshua, and we've seen that in the first 12 chapters the Israelites entered the land and conquered it. In chapter 13, they divided the land among the 12 tribes of Israel. Within these divisions, we see different responses among the people.

Remember Caleb? He was a man of commitment. He declared, “Give me the mountain—I’m ready to take it.” 

Then we looked at the tribe of Joseph. Remember Joseph? Ephraim, Manasseh—some of those people complained. They said they hadn’t received a big enough portion, and they murmured and grumbled about it.

Now, I want to introduce another group, which I’m calling “the Contented.” 

1 The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. The country was brought under their control, 2 but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had not yet received their inheritance.

(Joshua 18: 1-2)

if you’ve been following the geography, you know that the Israelites camped at Gilgal. This was their headquarters at the time. Today, when we think of Israel, we often think of Jerusalem as the capital, but early in Joshua’s account, their base was Gilgal. 

From there, they set up the Tabernacle at Shiloh, about 20 miles north of Jerusalem. The Tabernacle remained at Shiloh for 350 years before it eventually moved to Jerusalem, where someone called Solomon would later built the temple.

Verse 1 begins by observing that “the land was brought under their control”. They could set up the Tabernacle and worship the Lord in peace because they had conquered the land. But verse 2 tells us that seven of the tribes had not yet received their inheritance yet. 

That is unbelievable! Here were seven tribes who have just sat on their hands and done nothing. 

Note: the land had been subdued, the enemies had been brought under subjection, and yet these tribes were content to live in their tents without settling the land they had fought for over seven years.

So, what does this mean? Perhaps these tribes were simply tired from fighting, wearied by war. Maybe they wanted a holiday; maybe they just wanted to rest. Maybe it was just physical.

This leads me to a broader point: if you are going to do what God has called you to do, if you’re going to serve the Lord wholeheartedly, it requires energy. The older I get, the more I realize that serving the Lord well means taking care of ourselves physically and as you get older it harder to maintain the level of fitness you used to have.

You’ve also got to get plenty of sleep, one of the greatest things you can do for your mental health as well as your spiritual life is to get a good night’s sleep. When you’re rested, you’re also less grumpy as well.

Before the  age of 55 when I first became pastor I was consistent with exercise, I ran three times a week and trained in a gym twice a week. But over the last 9 years as I spend more time studying and speaking and have neglected my health somewhat.

But now, I realize I must do both, exercise is essential for me. I truly believe that I neglect my physical health, I hinder my ability to serve.

I now wrestle with considerable health issues, but my goal is now (and I have set the time aside to exercise at least twice a week, hopefully rising to three times a week again, when I am more mobile again.

Perhaps that’s why the southern tribes were so negligent, may it was physical and they were just tored from the effort of war.. 

We must care for our bodies if we want to fulfill God’s purposes for our lives.

Maybe it was psychological. 

Perhaps they were just self- satisfied. 

Maybe they had a sense that they had just experienced a great victory, and now that all the enemies were subdued, they could finally relax. I believe there are people who, once they gain some ground, become content with what they have. 

Ask yourself: Are you commenting on conquests of the past, or are you actively gaining new ground spiritually? 

Caleb, for example, wasn’t content with small victories; he wanted the biggest and the toughest challenges. Yet, seven of the twelve tribes were satisfied with the victories they had already won.

Maybe another possibility is that it was spiritual.

Maybe they were afraid. Repeatedly in this book, God tells Joshua, “Don’t be afraid, don’t fear.” Could it be that their fear, the opposite of faith, held them back? If you’re too afraid to step out and act in faith, how can you accomplish much for the Lord? Are you frozen with fear, rather than fighting with faith?

Or perhaps the simplest explanation is that they were just plain lazy.

As a teenager I went through a phase on a Saturday morning when I would bounce out of bed the minute the sun hit his window—if only my bedroom window hadn’t faced west! 

Whatever the reason, it seems these people were content to do nothing. They can’t all have been teenagers

Now, let me ask you: What do you do with people like that? Not just the complacent, but people who neglects their spiritual responsibilities—whether you’re a parent, a teacher, or a fellow Christian with a friend who’s slacking off. How do you address it?

Let me share what Joshua did. Look at verse 3:

3 So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you? 4 Appoint three men from each tribe. I will send them out to make a survey of the land and to write a description of it, according to the inheritance of each. Then they will return to me. 5 You are to divide the land into seven parts. Judah is to remain in its territory on the south and the tribes of Joseph in their territory on the north. 6 After you have written descriptions of the seven parts of the land, bring them here to me and I will cast lots for you in the presence of the Lord our God. 7 The Levites, however, do not get a portion among you, because the priestly service of the Lord is their inheritance. And Gad, Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan. Moses the servant of the Lord gave it to them.”

(Joshua 18: 3-7)

Joshua did two important things. 

·        First, he confronted them with their problem. He asked them directly, “How long will you fail to possess the land?” In our own ministry, whether as pastors, as teachers, or just as friends, we are called to equip and encourage one another, daily.

·        Second, Joshua provided a specific plan of action. In verse 4 he commands, “Pick out from among you three men from each tribe, and I will send them to survey the land according to your inheritance.” With a clear plan, they could gather the facts and then proceed to divide the land.

This is a call to confront complacency and provide clear, godly direction. being bold and challenging one another to step into the full inheritance that the Lord has given us.

Now, what is particularly important here is that Joshua got everybody involved. He selected three men from each tribe and sent them out to survey the land. 

Josephus—a historian from the first century—suggests that these men were experts in surveying. Some even propose that they may have learned their skills in Egypt or from the Egyptians. But be that as it may, what Joshua did was give them very specific instructions: “Give me three from each tribe. We will send them out, gather all the information, then sit down and parcel out the land.”

He did not simply confront them with the problem; he also presented them with a clear solution. 

This distinction is crucial. If you merely point out that a fellow Christian is neglecting their spiritual duty, you risk alienating them rather than motivating them. To minister effectively, you must not only identify what someone is doing wrong but also clearly encourage them and give them a strategy for a way forward to do what is right.

Joshua’s plan was simple and practical. It the earliest example of what we today call CBT, breaking down a challenging task, even a emotional or spiritual challenging task into manageable steps and encouraging the person to do it, little by little. 

An example today would be to instead of merely admonishing someone for not reading their Bible, for example, imagine giving them a specific plan—telling them which book to start with (perhaps Philippians or one of the shorter epistles) and suggesting they read one chapter a day until they finish, and agree to meet with them and reflect on it as they work through it.

Then encourage them to continue through the New Testament. 

The point is: don’t just condemn their neglect; instruct them positively.

Their response here in this situation is rather intriguing. 

8 As the men started on their way to map out the land, Joshua instructed them, “Go and make a survey of the land and write a description of it. Then return to me, and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord.” 9 So the men left and went through the land. They wrote its description on a scroll, town by town, in seven parts, and returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh. 10 Joshua then cast lots for them in Shiloh in the presence of the Lord, and there he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions.

(Joshua 18: 8-10)

In verse 8, Joshua tells to, “Go survey of the land and write a description of it. Then return to me, and I will cast lots for in the presence of the Lord.” 

The result? They did exactly as Joshua commanded. They secured their inheritance because someone stepped forward and said, “Get with it; do it this way.”

Often, we tend to think only of ourselves and shy away from confronting those who need encouragement or even correction. But if we minister as Joshua did then when confronted with both a problem, we are meant to acknowledge it to the person/people, but also, offer a specific solution so they will be better off.

And they land is then allocated and taken according to the plan. In a lengthy section from 18: 11 through 51 verses in chapter 19 we see the land allocated and subdued. 

Allotment for Benjamin 18: 11- 27

Allotment for Simeon 19: 1-9

Allotment for Zebulun. 19: 10-16

Allotment for Issachar 19: 17-23

Allotment for Asher 19: 24-31

Allotment for Naphtali 19: 32

Allotment for Dan 19: 40-48.

Allotment for Joshua 49-51.

So, stop thinking only of yourself. Go and minister to others, and by minister, I mean encourage  other to claim the land, the spiritual territory that God has mapped out for them.

Encourage them to be active in the Lord’s work, for if people remain content doing nothing, they will only become weighed down. As one wise man once said, “The heaviest burden in life is having nothing to carry.” 

Perhaps the burdens you bear are heavy simply because you haven’t taken up the Lord’s burdens as a way to lighten your load.

You know, I preached through the book of James twice in my life and I always talked about trials. 

Last time I did it as in 2019 and right out of the gate in chapter 1 it speaks about trials and troubles in life, and we got down to the end of chapter 1 and James says that you ought to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction. 

That’s a very interesting observation because in James because he starts immediately by discussing his own trials and he ends up saying you ought to be a doer of the word. Meaning you ought to go be involved in the ministry of helping somebody else. 

Maybe if you took on some burdens that belonged to the others you wouldn’t be burdens so much my your own issues.

Maybe if you are more concerned about the Lord's work, you wouldn't be so burdened or broken by your own problems. 

But the point is, you need to confront the contented, the complacent so that they will be content in the will of God. And not content in their own selfish, sinful, laziness themselves. 

Now let me conclude this morning. 

I'm making two suggestions today.

1. The committed should confront the complacent If you are involved in the Lord's work, then it is your responsibility to encourage other people involved in it. And if you know people that are not involved, you ought to confront them and challenge them. 

But don’t just moan at them give them specific ways to get involved and that’s a basic principle throughout the Scripture. 

The Bible says in Galatians chapter 1, “If a brother or sister is overtaken by sin or fault help spiritual restore them but do it with a spirit of meekness, 

Restoration, that's the principle. If you're one of the committed, then you ought to be encouraging the complacent.

If you’re a parent, and you have a child that is contented. Don't let him stay there. If you're a teacher and you've got a pupil, whether it in a Sunday school class or a public classroom, and that pupil isn't producing then you need to point it out to them.

And I think the same thing could be said of a boss, or for that matter, just a believer who has a friend that needs confronting. 

That's what we ought to be doing. That's what Joshua did, and it worked. 

And those who got confronted were better off. 

But let me make a second observation. Let me speak to the contented or the complacent for a minute. I am sure that there are contented people listening to me right now.

If you contented you ought to be discontented. I want tot make you feel a little bit uncomfortable. 

You ought to be made to feel discontented in living in your own self will until you become content only in the will of God.

If you are listening to me today and you're not doing anything for the Lord, may I say to you, how long is this going to go on for? Will you continue neglect to do what the Lord has told you to do? 

Other Are you involved in the Lord's work at all? Are you ministering to people? Are you reading the Word? Are you praying? Are you giving? Are you witnessing? Are you working? 

And if you can't think of anything you were doing for the Lord other than coming to church on Sunday and sitting, and you're in the category of the content and the complacent and you ought to be doing something,.

You can't do everything. But you have the ability to do something. 

You ought to be doing something. You gotta be getting some of your effort and some of your energy and some of your enthusiasm for the Lord. You ought to be doing something for Him. 

So if you're contented. I trust that the Spirit of God would speak to you this morning and you become discontent.

Martin Luther in one of his sermons imaginary story of a conclave that Satan called, and he asked all of his Imps to report on what they had been doing.

One of them said, I let loose the wild beasts of the field and they attacked a caravan of Christians, and now their bones are bleaching on the sand. 

Another one of the demons said to Satan, well, I blew up a great win on a ship, and as a result it was shipwrecked and a number of Christians drowned. 

And then a third spoke up and he said, well, I've been working on one Christian for 10 years, and I finally succeeded. I got him to go to sleep., I told his all was well and he didn’t need to do anything. I put him to sleep. 

And as Lther told the story, he says there was great joy and jubilance in hell. Because the Christian. Fell asleep. 

If you're contented to do nothing for the Lord, you're great joy and celebration, but in the wrong place.