Sermon Central
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Choose The Best Series
Contributed by Rev. Dr. Andrew B Natarajan on Jan 7, 2018 (message contributor)
Summary: Joshua Called the People of his age to live for YHWH who redeemed them and Blessed them. It was a great Challenge in life.
“Choose Today whom you want to serve”
v.14. “Put away the gods that your ancestors served before and beyond and serve the Lord”.
God was concerned about the attitudes, customs, habit, religious life, life values, practices and all other things related to life situations. God was not only concerned about the religion of a person but also the lifestyle of a Person which is integrated in it. If a god of any religion is unholy, corrupted, cheating, sexually immoral. Then the follower of such religion will also be like that. Therefore, Joshua exhorts the people, to throw away or put away or leave such gods whom your forefathers believed and followed because they are evil in nature, and brings disgrace to you and your family.
The younger generation sees your life, hears the conversation, participates in the life matters. What he has seen he will practice. If you are drunkard, he will become a drunkard, if you are prayerful person, he will be a God-fearing person. If you speak the Truth, he will speak the Truth.
As pastor, I have seen how some parents bring their children in the fear of the Lord, also I have seen how some parents are least bothered about their children. Also, I have seen how some parents lost control over their children. So, put away your gods and serve the LORD.
v.15 We will serve the Lord
Joshua was a man who was brought up in Egypt. He was an army person, later a commander of the army, who fought and won the victory (Ex.17:8-13). He fulfilled the desire of the LORD. He was a servant to Moses (Ex.24:13)
He served as a Spy (Nu.13:16). Man, of positive faith, man of encouragement, man of consolation (Nu.14;6-9). God saw his heart, his intentions, his values, he was a man of Positive faith. He was different from others in spirit and in faith (Nu.14:30). Joshua was a Friend of Caleb who was a man of integrity, man of God, man of valour, man of daring personality, man who never compromised (Nu.14:24). Caleb and Joshua pair became very strong in the Lord. Joshua never bothered about the 10 spies who were evil, who were selfish and who had no faith, no fear of God. But he chooses the side of God than the side of Man.
v.16-28 Covenant with God
Vows:
We will not forsake the Lord
We will serve YHWH
Because (v.17-18)
He brought out
He protected
He drove out all peoples
He drove out Amorites
You cannot serve YHWH
Because (v.19-20)
He is Holy and you are unholy
He is zealous you are compromising
If you forget Good, he will punish you
Joshua made a covenant with people, and he wrote it in the book of the Lord. This is a symbolic writing of our covenant with God. YHWH is serious about our vows, our decisions, our commitments. Don’t try to fool God. He will not be appeased by Hypocrisy, good works, humanitarian works which are must and demanded by God. He wouldn’t tolerate the double standards in life. So be careful in talking with God and about God. God cannot be taken for granted. Fear the Lord and do the best for Him.
God Bless you, Amen