Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
To emphasize the importance of consciously choosing to serve God, not just in words, but through our actions and decisions, reflecting our commitment to Him.
Good morning, Church family! Today, we're diving into Joshua 24:15. This is one of those verses that you probably have on a plaque somewhere in your house, or maybe even tattooed on your arm. It's a popular one, and for good reason. It's all about choices - God's choice for us, our choice for God, and the consequences of our choice.
Before we delve in, let's read the verse together: "But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15, NIV)
The wise Billy Graham once said, "The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless." I like that. It's telling us, it's not just about saying we choose God, it's about showing it. It's about making choices that reflect that commitment.
When we think about the concept of choice, we often think about it from our perspective. We think about the choices we make, the decisions we have to navigate, the options we weigh. But before we delve into our choices, it's important to consider the choice that was made for us - God's choice for us.
The Bible is filled with stories, parables, and teachings that illustrate God's choice for us.
A. From the very beginning, God chose us. In the creation story, we see God creating the world and everything in it, and then, as the pinnacle of His creation, He created humans. He didn't need to create us, but He chose to. He chose to create us in His image, to breathe life into us, to give us dominion over the earth. This was His choice for us - to exist, to live, to have a relationship with Him.
But God's choice for us didn't stop at creation.
B. When humanity fell into sin, God could have abandoned us. He could have wiped us out and started over. But He didn't. Instead, He chose to save us. He chose to send His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so that we could be reconciled to Him. This was His choice for us - to be saved, to be forgiven, to be restored.
C. And God's choice for us continues every day. He chooses to love us, to be patient with us, to extend grace to us. He chooses to be present with us, to guide us, to comfort us. He chooses to hear our prayers, to answer our cries, to meet our needs. This is His choice for us - to be loved, to be cared for, to be known.
Application – But what does this mean for us? It means that we are not an accident. We are not a product of chance. We are not a mistake. We are chosen. We are wanted. We are loved. And this choice that God made for us shapes our identity, our purpose, our destiny. It gives us value, dignity, worth. It gives us hope, peace, joy. It gives us life, abundant and eternal.
D. Also, God's choice for us is also not a coercive force. He invites us, draws us, and woos us. But it leaves the final decision to us. We have the freedom to accept or reject God's choice for us. We have the freedom to choose to follow Him or to turn away from Him.
E. God's choice for us is also not a guarantee of an easy life. It doesn't exempt us from trials, hardships, or suffering. But it does promise us His presence, His peace, His strength in the midst of our struggles. It promises us His guidance, His wisdom, His comfort in the midst of our confusion. It promises us His love, His grace, His mercy in the midst of our failures.
Our choice for God is a significant aspect of our faith journey ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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