A Call To Commitment

A CALL TO COMMITMENT

JOSHUA 24:14-27

INTRO: several years ago I was flipping through the channels on the TV and ran across the country and western version of American Idol. I don’t remember what they called the program but it was basically a talent show for people who wanted to be country music stars. I like all kinds of music so I hung out there for a few minutes. The biggest difference in this show and others like it was that they had to sing a song that they had written. There was one song title that night that I believe I will remember forever. This guy got up to sing and told the story of the song and then gave the song title. The song title was” If it wasn’t for the whiskey, daddy would have been a good man.”

. Country music has produced many songs with rather odd titles. Let me share a few of them with you this morning.

. "May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose"

"You Can’t Roller Skate In A Buffalo Herd"

"Thank God And Greyhound She’s Gone "

"How Can I Miss You If You Won’t Go Away?"

"If Love Were Oil, I’d Be A Quart Low "

"If The Phone Don’t Ring, Baby, You’ll Know It’s Me "

"She Done Tore My Heart And Stomped That Sucker Flat"

. I’m sure there’s a story behind each and everyone of those songs.

. There’s one more song I want to mention this morning. The singer songwriter is George Jones. Many of us are probably familiar with his lifestyle of what is called “ Honkey Tonking” and drinking. Back in 1999 George came out with a new album and one of the songs on it was called choices and the line that was prominent in it was “ living and dying with the choices that I’ve made”

[ sermon central, Lee Huddleston, Living and dying … ]

. That line is so true, we all live and die with the choices that we make.

. This morning, I want us to look and what gods word has to say about choices.

. The bible teaches that we have free will. That we all make choices in our lives that will make an impact on our lives and our eternity.

. If you look all the way back to Adam and Eve, you will see that God wants mankind to choose to worship and obey Him.

. In Genesis chapter 3 wee see where mankind chose to disobey God and set our destiny of being separated from God until we choose to come back to Him through the acceptance of Jesus Christ as the sacrifice for our sins.

.Since that day, mankind has been allowed to choose their own individual relationship with God.

. Our scripture this morning talks about this choice.

. We see Joshua, the man who took over leading the children of Israel after Moses died, about to die and he wants to talk to the people one last time and give them a word from God.

. Joshua 24: 14-27:

. 14“So fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone.15But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”

16The people replied, “We would never kabandon the LORD and serve other gods.17For the LORD our God is the one who rescued us and our ancestors from slavery in the land of Egypt. He performed mighty miracles before our very eyes. As we traveled through the wilderness among our enemies, he preserved us.18It was the LORD who drove out the Amorites and the other nations living here in the land. So we, too, will serve the LORD, for he alone is our God.”

19Then Joshua warned the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy and jealous God. He will not aforgive your rebellion and your sins.20If you abandon the LORD and serve other gods, he will turn against you and destroy you, even though he has been so good to you.”

21But the people answered Joshua, “No, we will serve the LORD!”

22“You are a witness to your own decision,” Joshua said. “You have chosen to serve the LORD.”

“Yes,” they replied, “we are witnesses to what we have said.”

23“All right then,” Joshua said, “destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.”