Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
This sermon emphasizes the importance of choosing to serve God wholeheartedly and the blessings that come from a committed spiritual lifestyle.
Good morning, beloved family of God. Isn't it a blessed day to gather together in the house of the Lord? We are here, bonded by the love of Christ and driven by a shared purpose to worship and honor Him. As we come together today, let us open our hearts and minds, ready to receive the divine wisdom from the Word of God.
Today, we will be focusing on a powerful passage from the Book of Joshua, a scripture that speaks volumes about the choices we make in our spiritual lives. Joshua, a man of faith and courage, stood before the children of Israel and presented them with a choice. A choice that would determine their destiny, a choice that echoes through the ages and resounds in our hearts today.
Let's read Joshua 24:15 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."
The words of Joshua ring as true today as they did thousands of years ago. We are faced with the same decision. Who will we serve? Who will we choose as our King? And once we make that choice, how will we commit to serving Him?
When we consider the idea of choosing Christ as our King, it's essential to understand what this truly means. It's not merely about acknowledging His existence or recognizing His authority. It's about consciously deciding to yield to His sovereignty in every aspect of our lives. It's about letting Him reign not just in the big decisions, but also in the mundane, everyday choices we make.
This decision to choose Christ as our King is a deliberate choice that we make that requires courage, conviction, and commitment. It's a choice that demands our wholehearted devotion and unwavering faith. It's a decision that calls for us to surrender our desires, our dreams, and our destinies into His hands.
In Joshua 24:15 we see a clear example of this choice. Joshua, standing before the children of Israel, presents them with a choice. He challenges them to decide whom they will serve. He doesn't coerce them or manipulate them. He doesn't sugarcoat the options or downplay the consequences. He lays it out plainly and simply: choose this day whom you will serve.
Joshua says, "choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve." This underscores the fact that our relationship with God is a personal one. It's not something that can be inherited or borrowed.
Next, see that this is a present decision. Joshua says, "Choose this day whom you will serve." He doesn't say, "choose someday" or "choose when it's convenient." He says, "Choose this day." This highlights the urgency and immediacy of the decision. It's not something that we can postpone or procrastinate. It's a decision that needs to be made now, in the present moment.
After that, see that this is a public decision. Joshua doesn't make this choice in secret or in private. He makes it publicly, in front of the entire assembly of Israel. He declares, "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." This demonstrates the public nature of our commitment to Christ. It's not something that we can hide or keep to ourselves. It's a decision that we need to declare publicly, for all to see and hear.
Lastly, we need to appreciate that it's a perpetual decision. Joshua doesn't say, "we will serve the Lord today" or "we will serve the Lord for a while." He says, "we will serve the Lord." This signifies the ongoing, continuous nature of our commitment to Christ. It's not something that we can do intermittently or sporadically. It's a decision that we need to reaffirm and renew every single day.
The commitment to Christian service is a lifelong endeavor, a journey that begins with the choice to follow Christ ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO