"CHOICE'S THAT CHANGE OUR LIVES"
Joshua 24:15
Joshua 24:15 ...choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Introduction: I wrote a Trail Mix blog post the other day that received a very powerful response and I'd like to share it with you this morning to set the theme and tone for this message:
"We are seeing the beginnings of a great divide among those who call themselves evangelicals which some of us have been predicting for years. In my mind the foundation for this divide was laid when some evangelical groups began to soften or even jettison their traditional position on inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture. This has ultimately led evangelicals to where they are at today. Once you reject orthodox positions where Scripture is concerned it is not a big leap to reject other principles and precepts as well. We are seeing that today. The hot button issue today among evangelicals is the question, "Is homosexual behavior a sin?" According to Romans 1 and many other passages it is a sin along with adultery and murder. This has been the orthodox position of the church for two millennia. Will there come a day when there will be those who will seek to make the case that adultery is no longer a sin or that murder is not a sin? Just yesterday I read yet another article detailing how yet another congregation was petitioning its parent group to leave peacefully and one of the reasons given was a change in the denominational position on homosexual conduct and the redefinition of marriage. This is happening in evangelical groups all over the world and we are seeing more and more of it here in the American church. I predict that all evangelicals will be placed into the situation of having to take a stand one way or the other on this issue in the very near future. In the coming years we will have laws where Biblical positions on homosexually will be defined as "hate speech." That is already the case in some parts of the world. The day is coming when we will no longer be able "...to halt between two opinions..." when we will have to choice who we will serve. Get ready my Christian friend; know what you believe and be willing to stand on the Word of God."
Billy Graham said, "The strongest principle of life and blessings lies in our choice. Our life is the sum result of all the choices we make, both consciously and unconsciously. If we can control the process of choosing, we can take control of all aspects of our life. We can find the freedom that comes from being in charge of our life. So start with what is right rather than what is acceptable. "If you don't make a decision, then time will make it for you, and time will always side against you."
At the beginning of chapter 23 we are told that the 12 tribes of Israel were finally at home and at rest in the promise land and Joshua is coming to the end of his life. What we have in these two chapters is a challenge to them in three important areas of the believers life that have a spiritual application for us today. First is:
I. The Choice to Live by the Scripture - Ch. 23:6
If ever there was a time that believers needed to live by the precepts, principles and practices of the Scripture, now is that time. Believers are being told today that "if Jesus didn't specifically condemn something then it must be okay" and "it doesn't matter what you believe, just as long as you believe," and if you call some type of behavior a sin then you are being unkind and unloving. If we are going to live by the Scriptures then we're going to have to:
a. Be courageous (be...very courageous)
We are living in a day when it takes a certain amount of courage to take a stand on the Word of God and I believe that there is going to be even more pressure to compromise what we believe and conform to the world's way of thinking and believing. Let me give an example that I read about just the other day. This happened in the UK. A church put up a sign with John 3:16 and some flames at the bottom of the sign. A 20 year man who happened to be walking by saw the sign and objected to it, the flames in particular. He reported it to the police who came and investigated and declared that it was hate speech. The church took the sign down. (That's the part that I objected to!)
Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
b. Be circumspect (to do all that is written)
Why should we be concerned about obeying all of God word? The answer is fairly simple. We are taught that "...all Scripture is given by inspiration of God..." Since the entire Bible is inspired then it makes sense that God meant all of it to be obeyed. You and I do not have the liberty to pick and choose what we will obey. "By the word of God alone his followers are bound. Nothing is to be received as an article of faith which God has not spoken." Adam Clarke
c. Be consistent (turn not aside...to the right hand or to the left)
Consistency is the mark of maturity in the Christian life.
Joshua 1:6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
The promise of God's favor and blessing is given to those who will stay true to His word, keep a straight course and don't take any right or left turns!
II. The Choice to Live a Separated Life - Ch. 23:11-12
In Exodus 34 there is a warning from the Lord to the children of Israel concerning the taking of the daughters of the Canaanite tribes to wife and the giving of their own daughters in marriage to the Canaanite men.
In Judges 3:5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:
6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
This principle of separation is found in the NT as well.
2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
a. The warning
Take heed to yourselves is the word of warning from Joshua. What are they warned against? "...that ye love the Lord your God..." is the answer. This is the Great Commandment and the critical thing where Biblical separation is concerned. If we love God fervently them we will keep ourselves separate from the world.
b. The waywardness
When we don't love God as we should there is always the inevitable...going back..." in verse 12. They will "...cleave..." unto the nations that they had not driven out of Canaan.
c. The waste
Joshua 23:13 Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.
III. The Choice to Live a Life of Service - Ch. 24:14
Joshua's final admonition is that they might serve the Lord.
a. The review
Joshua 24:8 And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you.
9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you:
10 But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.
11 And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand.
12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.
13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.
b. The requirement
Joshua 24:14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.
The implications of this verse are that there were some Israelites who needed to put away some things. Some who weren't serving God in sincerity and in truth.
c. The response
Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
THE BIG BLACK DOOR
An Arab chief tells a story of a spy who was captured and then sentenced to death by a general in the Persian army. This general had the strange custom of giving condemned criminals a choice between the firing squad and the big, black door. As the moment for execution drew near, the spy was brought to the Persian general, who asked the question, "What will it be: the firing squad or the big, black door?" The spy hesitated for a long time. It was a difficult decision. He chose the firing squad. Moments later shots rang out confirming his execution.
The general turned to his aide and said, "They always prefer the known way to the unknown. It is characteristic of people to be afraid of the undefined. Yet, we gave him a choice."
The aide said, "What lies beyond the big door?"
"Freedom," replied the general. "I've known only a few brave enough to take it."
-- Don McCullough, "Reasons to Fear Easter," Preaching Today, Tape No. 116.
