WILL YOU SERVE THE LORD?
Josh. 23:3; 24:14-15
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. Most of us make resolutions at New Year’s. One young boy asked his father what his new year’s resolution was, and his father said he was going to do everything possible in the new year to make his mother very happy.
2. The boy asked his mother what hers was, and she said, “To do everything possible to make sure your father keeps his resolution.”
B. POPULAR RESOLUTIONS
1. FUNNY RESOLUTIONS
a. “I have resolved not to do drugs anymore, because I get the same effect just standing up really fast.”
b. “I have resolved to live in my own little world, because at least they know me here.”
c. “I have resolved to stay married, because it is so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.”
d. “I have resolved to not make any resolutions, because nobody is perfect. I’m a nobody, therefore I’m perfect.”
2. SUGGESTIONS FOR RESOLUTIONS (Ann Landers)
“Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories. . . . Free yourself of envy. . . . Resolve to stop magnifying small problems and shooting from the lip. . . . Lighten up. When you feel like blowing your top, ask yourself, ‘Will it matter a week from today?’ Be optimistic. . . . Read something uplifting. Deep-six the trash. . . . Walk tall and smile more. . . . Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I love you.’”
3. IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE RESOLUTIONS. 63% of people say they are keeping their resolutions after two months; 67% of people make three or more resolutions.
4. How we start the new year will probably set the tone for our entire year. Now’s the time to establish our
willpower to accomplish something for the year!
B. TEXT
23:3 You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you. 24:14“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
C. THESIS
1. How might these verses be applied to our lives?
2. What did Joshua will mean by the last line -- verse 15 -- "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord?"
I. ISRAEL HAD SEEN WHAT GOD HAD DONE
A. FROM HOT TO LUKE WARM
1. Joshua told the Israelites in 23:3, “You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you.”
2. ISRAEL HAD SEEN GOD:
a. Send the 10 plagues on the Land of Egypt;
b. Part the Red Sea when the Egyptians pursued them and seen the Egyptians dead on the sea shore;
c. They’d seen God provide their food, water, warmth, cool, & light – meet all their needs – during the 40 years in the wilderness;
d. They’d seen God lead them into the Promised Land where they defeated 9 nations and 31 walled cities.
e. They’d settled in the land and lived there for 24 years…
3. BUT JOSHUA SENSED A COOLING OF DEVOTION. He was getting old. A new generation was coming up, many whom hadn’t seen some of God’s greatest miracles. Joshua felt God’s direction to challenge them to make a NEW COMMITMENT!
B. SCRIPTURE WARNS OF THE PATTERN
1. Judg. 2:7 The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua….10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. 11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. 12 They aroused the Lord’s anger….” This is what Joshua was trying to avoid.
2. This is the same situation we see in America. Our country went through the Great Depression and two World Wars. That generation, for the most part, had a fear of God and enshrined God in our National institutions.
3. They made the Bible’s Laws the laws of the Nation. They put monuments to the 10 Commandments in and out of the Courthouses. They put prayer in public schools. The public morals mirrored the Bible’s morals.
4. But a new generation arose which has never needed to depend upon God for survival. They took down the 10 Commandments; they took prayer out of schools. About morals: they call good “evil,” and evil they call “good.”
5. It’s time for American Christians to take a new stand; to recommit to God, so that the Gospel can be passed to our kids.
II. JOSHUA SET EXAMPLE FOR HIS FAMILY
A. “AS FOR ME – I’LL SERVE THE LORD”
1. "Example" -- "Someone or something that serves as a pattern to be imitated." We're familiar with dress patterns, construction patterns, etc.
2. Paul said, "Be followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" 1 Cor. 11:1.
3. How many of us could freely say, "Pattern your life after mine, and you will be a Christian?"
4. HUMOR: IT’S EASY TO MAKE EXCUSES
a. Two Christian men were fishing on Sunday morning but were feeling pretty guilty, especially since the fish weren't biting.
b. One said to the other, "I feel a little guilty about not being in church. I guess I should have stayed home and gone to the service."
c. The other replied lazily, "I couldn't have gone to church anyway." "Why not?" "My wife is sick in bed."
d. Amazing! People can go fishing but not to church.
5. It's easy to say you're going to "serve the Lord.” But it's not much different than saying you're going to "serve four years in the military." For four years, your life belongs to the US government! Christianity should be that way!
B. DEDICATION TO SPIRITUAL COMMITMENT
1. Today, there is a revival of Dads and Moms being good parents:
a. Parents are reading books on child rearing and going to seminars and conferences.
b. There are more theme parks, entertainments, paintball & laser tag & movies than ever before.
c. Family oriented businesses are everywhere -- McDonald's, shopping malls, etc. Even Las Vegas has gone family.
2. But there’s a shortage of demonstration of Commitment to God and the church.
3. Commitment to God is NOT:
a. Getting a head full of knowledge;
b. It’s NOT a particular experience.
4. Commitment to God IS:
a. A Deep conviction, reverence, and fear (born of faith) that moves us to be obedient to God, to try to please Him, no matter what it costs us!
b. Caught, rather than taught.
5. THE KEY THING TO PASS to our kids IS: SPIRITUAL COMMITMENT. If it doesn't possess you, it won't possess them. If it doesn't drive your life, alter your life, then it won't alter theirs either.
6. We can give them money, possessions, a good education, a healthy body... AND STILL FAIL AS PARENTS!
7. If we don't give them the CONVICTION OF GOD and SPIRITUAL COMMITMENT – to prayer, to the Bible, to Church, to witness -- then we've failed as parents.
8. Their lives must revolve around spiritual priorities.
III. JOSH. CALLED GOD’S FAMILY TO CHOOSE
A. THERE’S NEVER BEEN A TIME WHEN CHOOSING WASN’T REQUIRED. It's not a new thing:
1. Abel protested his elder brother's example; died as a consequence.
2. Noah, amid universal wickedness, persevered in preparing the Ark, though all men mocked his warnings.
3. Abraham -- left his country and kindred, became a stranger and Pilgrim.
4. Moses counted reproach for Christ as greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt.
5. The Judges stood in the gap and delivered Israel.
6. Elijah stood alone, defied the 450 prophets of Baal.
7. Daniel prayed, though he felt the doom of death hanging over him, of a lion’s den.
8. The 3 Hebrews -- faced devouring flames rather than bow to an idol.
9. John the Baptist called the Sadducees a "brood of vipers."
10. Paul -- stood against the Roman world and altered its course. God needs such resolve/grit today! Jesus demands you choose!
B. WHY MUST YOU CHOOSE? BC….
1. GOD COMMANDS YOU TO CHOOSE!
a. He doesn't give us the luxury or option of not choosing.
b. When we get married, we pledge to "for sake all others, keeping only to you." God is at Jealous God. He wants all our love or none of it; He won't take only part.
2. OUR NATURE DEMANDS IT
a. You can't serve two masters/2 bosses. There was a circus rider who rode on two horses: 1 foot on each horse’s back. If one of the horses veered, the contingency plan of the rider was to jump on the horse he was closest to. That's what we will do spiritually too.
b. We Are Limited. [Lady volunteers to pick up balls]. It’s hard for us to hold/carry several large objects for
long; eventually you must drop one or more to keep going.
3. NO NEUTRAL GROUND: IT FORCES A CHOICE.
a. You can't ride the fence; you must get on one side or the other.
b. During the Civil War, a man in a border state couldn't make up his mind which side to fight for – the North or the South. At last, he put on a Confederate shirt and Union pants and went into the battle. During the battle, the union shot him in the shirt and the Confederacy shot him in the pants. The moral? Choose one side or else both sides will shoot you!
4. Because the Israelites wouldn’t choose God, they incurred God’s anger. Judges 2:15 says that because the Lord loved them, He actually went out to FIGHT AGAINST THEM when they went to battle (because disobedient).
5. POINT? God is determined for you to be saved. You can get to Heaven the EASY way of willing surrender, or the HARD way of God’s correction through suffering. The choice is yours. You should FEAR THE LORD and what He might do, and serve Him freely!
CONCLUSION
A. WHEN MUST YOU CHOOSE?
1. "This Day!" It's neither right nor safe to wait until another day.
2. "I need time to think about it," the devil whispers. A man died suddenly at 53. A couple was discussing the event. His wife said, "It's a shame he died without any time to decide for Christ." The husband answered, "He’s had 53 years to decide!"
3. Joshua didn't give them "time to think about it."
4. God demanded an immediate choice. We must too. Now is the appointed time; today is the day of salvation.
B. ILLUSTRATION: HOW MUCH FOR HEAVEN? (How much are they willing to commit?)
1. Given the opportunity, how much would you pay for a place in heaven? A recent survey asked the wealthiest 1% of Americans that very question.
2. This elite group of about one million households earns at least $250,000 per year and have a net worth of at least $2.5 million.
3. These millionaires gave the following breakdown of what they would spend on certain unique opportunities.
a. For great beauty -- willing to pay was $83,000.
b. For talent, they would spend $285,000.
c. Great intellect – $407,000.
d. True love was worth $487,000.
4. HEAVEN. The highest bid on any subject went for a place in heaven. To secure their spot in eternity, these wealthy Americans said they would part with $640,000.
5. Isn't it interesting that even if heaven could be bought, those who have the most money don't want to spend more than 25% of their net worth to get there.
6. What a stark contrast to the 100% devotion Christ requires for us to secure our eternal destiny. (McHenry’s Stories, p. 141).
7. “If anyone would come after Me, let them deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Me.” Jesus demands all of us. He won’t take our leftovers. He won’t let us have other loves. He wants all of our hearts
C. THE CALL
1. Let’s make a new commitment to the Lord to start off this new year of 2019.
2. Is God your highest priority? Have you committed to serve God as a family?
3. Let’s have all our DADS stand up. Dads, let’s pray and commit ourselves to LEAD our families SPIRITUALLY. Let’s have all our MOMS stand up. Moms, let’s pray and commit yourselves to LEAD your families SPIRITUALLY.
4. Salvation call.
