Dedication-5

DEDICATING/DEDICATION-V—Joshua 6:15-27

The Task Of Dedication

Attention:

Pastor Bob on summer vacation & visited a small country church—Congregation hot, sleepy, dozing largely because they had no air conditioning.

Their preacher says, “The best years of my life have been spent in the arms of another man’s wife!”

The Chairman of Deacons, sitting on the back pew, wakes up slams head into the wall & lets out a painful yelp—Hymn books hit the floor—Bibles drop.

The preacher then says, “That woman was my mother!”

Pastor Bob files that little trick away for future use because he’s got some sleepers in his congregation too.

Pastor Bob is before his congregation on hot summer day, & the congregation is beginning to drift.

But he then remembers the other pastor’s trick to wake them & says,

“The best years of my life have been spent in the arms of another man’s wife!”

Victoriously, the pastor gets the same reaction as the little country church he had visited!...The Chairman of Deacons, sitting on the back pew, wakes up slams head into the wall & lets out a painful yelp—Hymn books hit the floor—Bibles drop.

Pastor Bob thinks, “I’ve got ‘em now”...Until he realizes he’s forgotten the punch line!

Attempting a recovery he says, “And for the life of me I can’t remember her name!”

Pastor Bob’s joke was not fully dedicated to the Lord.

What we dedicate to God is vital for today & for our future!

What is demanded of us is to dedicate every aspect of our lives to the Lord!

Need:

We must remember that whatever we do, we do by the Lord’s direct instruction, & thus ‘for’ Him who has graced us with salvation by faith in Christ...

...God’s people DEDICATE their lives & our surroundings to Him!

2Cor. 10:3-6—“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments & every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, & being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.”

The children of Israel were to dedicate the entire pagan city of Jericho—inanimate & animate—to the LORD.

Israel began the conquest of Canaan with the dedication of Jericho to the Lord.

God’s people are to begin God-given tasks by wholly dedicating/devoting them to the Lord.

How are we to devote/dedicate ourselves, our ministries, & our world to the Lord?

Some consideration toward fully dedicating ourselves to the Lord.

Previously we’ve found that Dedicating you & your world to the Lord demands the considerations of...

1. OWNERSHIP(:17a)

2. DEPENDENCY(:17b, 22-23, 25)

3. PURITY(:18a)

4. EFFECT(:18b)

5—Dedicating you & your world to the Lord demands consideration of...

The TREASURY(:19, 24b)

Explanation:(:19, 24b)

:19—“But all the silver & gold, & vessels of bronze & iron, are consecrated to the LORD; they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.”

:24b—“...Only the silver & gold, & the vessels of bronze & iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.”

The “Treasury’s” existence & purpose is a Standing Testimony to....

GOD’S—Divinity/ Sovereignty/ Faithfulness/ Provision/ Holiness/ Worth/etc...

...And likewise the “Treasury” is a testimony to the—Call/ Trust/ Charge/ Purpose/ Dependence of God’s people.

Most temples/shrines of lesser gods had/have treasuries associated with them. The one mentioned here is a particular “treasury”, “the treasury of the LORD.”

The “Treasury” of the LORD was many things—

1)A constant & tangible reminder of the LORD’s bountiful blessing, to His people ...& even to the profane.

2)A constant & tangible reminder of the LORD’s provision, apart from worldly riches. That is to say, ‘The devil’s had it(that resource) long enough!’

3)A constant & tangible reminder of the LORD’s provision, thru those separated from the commonwealth of Israel(Ps. 23:5a).

4)A constant & tangible reminder of the LORD’s provision, of resources for those that are His servants(Levites/priesthood).

5)A constant & tangible reminder of the LORD’s provision, of resources for His physical/tangible presence(tabernacle/corporate worship). A depository for the acceptance of & disbursement for upkeep of Tabernacle/Temple.

6)A constant & tangible reminder of the LORD’s provision, for His people as a source of ‘purchasing power’ among the nations thru Almighty God. Undertaken as a nation/body & thru the Tabernacle/Priesthood of YHWH.

7)A constant & tangible reminder of the LORD’s omnipotent abundance, beyond overflowing.

8)A constant & tangible reminder of the LORD’s power, to undermine/dispossess/destroy even those of seemingly great power & ability. Retaining the ‘spoils of battle’ presented a means of declaring as negligible, all but YHWH.

9)A constant & tangible reminder of the LORD’s ownership, as a financial hedge against encroaching enemies.

10)A constant & tangible reminder of the LORD’s purity, as all the Dedicated items were removed from any common & personal use, by placing them within the watchcare & oversight of all that was associated with the Tabernacle/Temple, including the priests & Levites.