Monument Of Resolution Series

Monument of Resolution - Joshua 24:15-27 Go through and run cross references

Intro. A monument is a stone or a building that is set up to remember a person or an event. Today we come to a monument of Resolution - A choice is to be made.

Army - older slogan, Be all you can be. Marine office had a sign that said, “Be more than you can be.”

I heard about a husband who really enjoyed the meat his wife had served for dinner one night. He asked her, "What did you marinate this in?" Well, his wife immediately went into a long explanation about how much she loved him and how life wouldn’t be the same without him, and so on. Eventually, his puzzled expression made her interrupt her answer with a question of her own: "Why did you ask me that?" When he told her, she chuckled and said, "I thought you asked me if I would marry you again!" As she left the room, he called out, "Well, would you marry me again?" Without hesitation, she replied, "Vinegar and barbecue sauce."

Would you marry me again? Sometimes you’ll hear about a couple who’ve been married for 30, 40, or 50 years. They’ll have another wedding ceremony and repeat their vows once again to renew the pledge they made years ago.

And a similar thing happens in the passage that was read this morning. In Joshua 24:15. I was concerned as I prepared this message, as the text is so familiar that people do not hear or see the challenge as strongly. Read text

I. Chronicle of God’s Goodness - Vss. 1-13 Reviewed history

A. The Remembrance of the Goodness of God

Do You Remember? Remember how good God has been to you.

It is always good to remember past blessing and blunders. Joshua reminds Israel of God’s blessing on them in the past.

B. The Reminder of the Grace of God - PAGE - It was all HIM!

Please don’t tell me how good you have made it, it is the Lord!

Do you remember how good God has been?

II. A Challenge to be Genuine- Vss. 14-15

A. The Charge - vs. 14 - Now therefore - because He has been so good to you!

If He has not been good to you, then do as you please. But if He has -

1. Wholehearted Service - Senceity - whole heart Truth - according to exact instructions, by the Truth of His Word.

2. Worship Him Solely - Never acceptable - first command of the Law

Exodus 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

- There was a problem of secret idol worship (vs. 23)

they had seen all the mighty works of God They had seen His provision, yet they

still bowed to false gods!

Am 5:25 Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? 26 But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.

I thought of those that forsook Christ - Jesus had declared He was the bread from heaven, and that He was the only way to heaven. Some that had followed Him said, “his is an hard saying; who can hear it?” (John 6:60)

Jesus had already performed miracles, like water into wine, the man at the pool of Bethesda, and the feeding of the 5000!

Then Jesus challenged His disciples - John 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. We will worship God solely, or not worship at all.

B. The Choice - it is time to choose - vs. 14

We choose whom we will serve - vs. 15. 1 Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

1. It’s a Personal Choice - Choose YOU

2. It’s a Prompt Choice - this day

3. It’s a Particular Choice - Will you serve the Lord or not?

C. The Conviction - As for me and my house

George Whitfield preached on this passage and called it “the Great Duty of Family Religion - We influence others with our choices

1. Again, a Personal Choice - As for me!

2. It’s a Paternal Choice - We need some dads that will lead, some moms that will live it, and some children that will follow.