Joshua's Resolution

JOSHUA'S RESOLUTION

Joshua 24:1-15 (NLT)

Intro. A boy told his father, "Dad, if three frogs were sitting on a limb that hung over a pool, and one frog decided to jump off into the pool, how many frogs would be left on the limb?"

The dad replied, "Two."

"No," the son replied. "There’s three frogs and one decides to jump, how many are left?"

The dad said, "Oh, I get it, if one decides to jump, the others would too. So there are none left."

The boy said, "No dad, the answer is three. The frog only DECIDED to jump."

Does that sound like last year’s resolution? Great inspiration and great resolutions, but often times we only decide, and months later we are still on the same limb of do-nothing.

A new year as we call it is upon us. Most of us make resolutions or promises to ourselves to be a better person in some way in this New Year. Many of our resolutions revolve around exercise don’t they? Either we want to lose weight or just get into better shape physically. As I was preparing this sermon, I found some exercises that maybe we should not participate in this next year.

. Maybe we should not:

. Jump on the bandwagon

. Wading through paperwork

. Running around in circles

. Pushing your luck

. Spinning your wheels

. Adding fuel to the fire

. Beating your head against the wall

. Climbing the walls

. Beating your own drum

. Dragging your heels

. Jumping to conclusions

. Grasping at straws

. Fishing for compliments

. Throwing your weight around

. Passing the buck

. We would probably do well to leave these exercises alone this coming year.

. The New Year is also a time of reflection and review. A time to look back and review things and maybe make some corrections.

. In our scripture this morning we see this in the life of Joshua and the children of Israel.

. We are in Joshua 24 verses 1-15 this morning.

. Joshua is getting old. chapter 23 verse one tells us that Joshua is getting very "very old" it says.

. He knows that his time is coming to a close as the leader of the Hebrew Nation and he takes an opportunity to talk to the people. He reviews and finally comes to a resolution. We can look at what Joshua tells them this morning and realize that we are in the same position as they were. Joshua was telling them and us that we should have the same resolution as he.

. Let's look at Joshua's resolution.

In Joshua's resolution and in ours, first we need to:

.REMEMBER

.Look at verses 1-13 of Joshua 24 with me.

1Then Joshua summoned all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, including their elders, leaders, judges, and officers. So they came and presented themselves to God.

2Joshua said to the people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Long ago your ancestors, including Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River, and they worshiped other igods.

3But I took your ancestor Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him into the land of Canaan. I gave him many descendants through his son Isaac.

4To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the mountains of Seir, while Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

5“Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I brought terrible plagues on Egypt; and afterward I brought you out as a free people.

6But when your ancestors arrived at the Red Sea, the Egyptians chased after you with chariots and charioteers.

7When your ancestors cried out to the LORD, I put darkness between you and the Egyptians. I brought the sea crashing down on the Egyptians, drowning them. With your very own eyes you saw what I did. Then you lived in the wilderness for many years.

8“Finally, I brought you into the land of the Amorites on the east side of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I destroyed them before you. I gave you victory over them, and you took possession of their land.

9Then Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, started a war against Israel. He summoned Balaam son of Beor to curse you,

10but I would not listen to him. Instead, I made Balaam bless you, and so I rescued you from Balak.

11“When you crossed the Jordan River and came to Jericho, the men of Jericho fought against you, as did the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. But I gave you victory over them.

12And I sent terror ahead of you to drive out the two kings of the Amorites. It was not your swords or bows that brought you victory.