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.
13I gave you land you had not worked on, and I gave you towns you did not build—the towns where you are now living. I gave you vineyards and olive groves for food, though you did not plant them.
.The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture. "Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, ’There’s Jennifer; she’s a lawyer,’ or ’That’s Michael, he’s a doctor.’" A small voice from the back of the room rang out, "And there’s the teacher; she’s still old and wrinkled.”
. There are some things we don't want to remember aren't there?
.Joshua tells them and us that there are certain things we should remember when we make our resolution.
. Joshua tells them to remember that God has called them.
. In verses 1-5 Joshua tells to remember that they are a:
. Called people.
. He say remember that you are a people who were created and called out by God.
. Remember the story of how God called Abraham, a man who worshipped other gods and brought him from the land beyond the Euphrates river and created , through him, the Hebrew Nation.
. He reminded them that they were the descendants of Abraham and a called out people.
. People who were created to worship and serve the one true God.
. The in verse 5 he tells them to remember how God called you, his people out of Egypt.
. Joshua tells them to remember that you are different. You are special. You have been called by God.
. Folks, as we make resolutions for the coming year, we need to remember that we are special, we have been called by God.
. The Holy Spirit has convicted us of our sin and has called us into repentance and we are now children of God.
. Heirs to the kingdom of God. The scriptures tell us that we are to be different from the world. We are to be a peculiar people because we have been called by God to be Ambassadors for Christ.
. As we resolve to live a better life in the coming year, remember that you have been called by God to be and do something special and different from the world.
. Next Joshua tells them to remember that not only have you been called by God, you have also been:
. Cared For by God
. In verses 6-13 Joshua reminds them of this care that they had received from God.
. He says remember when your backs were against the wall and the Red sea was in front of you and the Egyptians were behind you and you thought that there was no way out. Guess what, God parted the Red Sea for our people and we crossed on dry land and then God destroyed the Egyptians that were chasing us.
. Do you remember when we finally got to the edge of the promised land and there were people there who wanted to destroy us.
. Do you remember what God did?
. God gave you victory over all the peoples on both sides of the Jordan River. He helped you defeat kings and warriors from many different armies who should have defeated you but God cared for you and allowed you to defeat them.
. Not only did you defeat them but you took possession of their lands and cities and vineyards.
. You need to remember how God cared for you.
. Folks as we make our resolutions this year, remember how God has cared for you.
. I'm all of us who are Christians here this morning can look and remember a time in our lives where God has cared for us.
. A time when we thought we couldn't go on. A time when we were overwhelmed with the challenges that lay before us and with God's help, we defeated those challenges and moved forward in our lives.
. God will always care for his people. For his children.
. There is an old country and western song that has some words that we should remember. Lynn Anderson had a giant hit with it.
. The first few words of the song are "I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden"
. Folks God has never promised us a rose garden here on Earth but He has promised to care for us.
. He has promised not to allow more than we can handle.
. Just like the Children of Israel, we need to remember that God has and will continue to care for us.
. Joshua then goes on to tell the Hebrew people and us that when we remember all that God has done for us we should:
. Renew Our Faith in God.
.Look at verse 14 with me.
14“So fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone.
. You know we renew all kinds of things don't we. We renew our drivers licenses and car tags and credit cards and insurance.
.For those with businesses, you know that the new year brings all sorts of renewals with it.
. Joshua tells them that when you remember all that the Lord has done for you, it should help you renew your faith in God.
. Many times we forget what God has done for us.
. In this award winning film called “The Mission,” Robert DeNiro plays a mercenary who has taken asylum in the local church after killing his brother in a fit of jealous rage. He eventually leaves the church and heads to a mission post located above the waterfalls in a South American jungle. Because of what he has done, and how bad he feels, he ties himself to a several-hundred pound net of items that represents his sinful life. He feels compelled to drag this sack of sin around with him as a way to do penance for what he has done.
. Folks, remember that you have been called out and now you are a child of God. Don't let your past sinfulness keep you from renewing your commitment to God.
. You have been forgiven, that's what you need to remember and use that fact to renew your faith in God this new year.
. Joshua tells them to Fear God. That means that you realize who the creator of the universe is and you recognize his awesome power.
. You realize that He could have just destroyed you and given you the punishment that you deserve for your sin. He could have washed his hands of us but He didn't.
. He chose to take the punishment on himself for our sin and He came and died on a cross for us.
. We sometimes hear this so much that we kind of take it for granted but in this new year, take a fresh look at the awesomeness of God and renew your faith in him.
. After Joshua tells that we should remember what God has done for us and that we need to renew our faith in him he tells us his resolution.
. Joshua says that there is something that you must:
. RESOLVE
. Look at verse 15 with me as we see Joshua's resolution.
15But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”
. Joshua's Resolution, Serve The Lord
. Back in those days, the father spoke for the whole family and Joshua said the his family was going to serve the Lord.
. The KJV renders:
. As for me and my house, we will serve the lord.
.This word that we translate serve is a Hebrew word and this is how it is spelled in the Hebrew language.
. òÈáÇã In Aramaic it is abad pronounced aw-bad
. It is a verb because it shows action.
. You remember you basic English don't you. Anything that shows action is a verb.
. It basically means "to work". To do something.
. It does not mean just to worship. Joshua could have said that him and his family would worship the Lord.
. That means they would go to the tabernacle and worship God and then go home and come back again the next time the people gathered. That was and is the formal worship of God.
. There would be no service, just worship.
. That's what many Christians do today. I got mine and I really don't care about anybody else. Pastor, just let me worship and leave me alone.
. I Don't Want To Serve
. That was not Joshua's resolution though.
Joshua's resolution was that since he remembered what God had done for him. How God had called him and his people to be a special people dedicated to Him and how He had cared for him. After he had renewed his commitment and faith in God, now it was time to work for God. Not to sit on the sidelines.
. Folks, I challenge you this morning to have the same resolution for the new year that Joshua had so many years ago.
. We don't speak for our families anymore because culturally we speak for ourselves but your New Year's resolution should be the same as Joshua's.
. As for me, I will serve the Lord this Year.
. I will give service, I will work for the Lord this year.
. Joshua resolved to serve, to work for the Lord.
. I challenge you to do the same this morning.
. Invitation
*** To my Christian brothers and sisters, thank you for taking the time to read this sermon. I ask that you take another second and score this for me. I am always open to feedback so that I can continue to grow in the proclamation of God’s word.
May God bless you as you continue to strive to walk worthy of His calling.
Sources: The Holy Bible, NLT
Illustrations from sermon central
Hebrew spelling and definition : http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/kjv/abad.html
