SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). A Call to Remember (vs 1-13)
(2). A Call to Choose (Josh. 24:14-18)
(3). A Call to Commit (vs 25-28)
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• Herbert Asquith was a British politician and statesman,
• Who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916.
• He was the last Liberal Party prime minister to command a majority government,
• I love the story of when Asquith was invited to spent a weekend,
• At the Waddesdon estate of the 19th-century Rothschild family.
• One day, as Asquith was being waited on at teatime by the butler,
• The following conversation took place:
• The Butler asked him: "Tea, coffee, or a peach from off the wall, sir?"
• "Tea, please," answered Asquith.
• "China, India, or Ceylon, sir?" asked the butler.
• "China, please." replied Asquith.
• "Lemon, milk, or cream, sir?"
• "Milk, please," replied Asquith.
• "Jersey, Hereford, or Shorthorn, sir?"
• Asked the butler.
• TRANSITION: Now that is a choice!
• It sure beats a P.G. Tips teabag with a drop of semi-skinned milk.
• Now life does not have to be that complicated:
• Sometimes we need to just keep thins simple and make key choices.
Life is a series of choices.
• Studies tell us that we make more than 2500 choices every day.
• You have already made several choices today.
• e.g. /You chose what to eat for breakfast.
• e.g. You chose your morning drink
• (maybe it was China tea with milk from a Shorthorn cow!)
• e.g. You chose what you wanted to wear today.
• e.g. You chose to come to church.
• e.g. You chose where you wanted to sit.
• e.g. You chose who you wanted to say hello to first.
• Life is a series of choices,
• Many of the 2500 choices we make every day are trivial,
• They have no lasting impact on our lives.
We also make hundreds of extremely important choices every single day.
• e.g. You chose to take your medication.
• e.g. You chose when driving your car to stop at red lights.
• e.g. As Christians we make a choice to live for self or to live for Christ.
• Jeus said, “Take up your cross daily and follow me!”
• (Luke chapter 9 verse 23 and Matthew chapter 16 verse 24)
• TRANSITION:
• In this chapter Joshua will ask the people to make some choices.
• These choices are important and will determine the nation future.
• It will also impact on individual families – so choose well!
Now, we noted last week that this chapter is Joshua’s Farewell Words to Israel
• Chapters 23 to 24 is Joshua’s farewell speech.
• Joshua is old and about to die.
• Chapter 23 verse 1b: “Joshua was a very old man”.
• Chapter 23 verse 2b: “Joshua said to them: “I am very old.”
• Chapter 23 verse 14: “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth.”
• Chapter 24 verse 29: Joshua lived to be 110 years old.
The book of Joshua could be entitling, ‘Mission Impossible.’
• Now, Tom Cruise may do all his own stunts in the movie of that name.
• Joshua was also ‘hands on,’
• He led from the front, he fought alongside his people to achieve victory!
• Joshua’s ‘Mission Impossible’ was two-fold:
• 1st: to conquer the Canaanites (chapters 1-12).
• 2nd: to settle the Israelite tribes in their allotted territories (chapters 13-22).
Now we come to the last two chapters of the book of Joshua.
• They're in the land. They're occupying the land. They are settling the land.
• It's been a long time coming.
• It took seven years to conquer the land, another 13 to occupy it,
• So about 20 years have passed since the beginning of this book,
Now, in Joshua chapter 24:
• It is time for this old timer, this elderly leader,
• To offer his last words of instruction,
• And to make sure the nation is in a spiritually good place.
(1). A Call to Remember (vs 1-13)
“Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.
2 Joshua said to all 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 worshiped other gods. 3 But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac, 4 and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his family went down to Egypt.
5 “‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out. 6 When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen[a] as far as the Red Sea. [b] 7 But they cried to the Lord for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.
8 “‘I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land. 9 When Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor to put a curse on you. 10 But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand.
11 “‘Then you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The citizens of Jericho fought against you, as did also the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites, but I gave them into your hands. 12 I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you—also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow. 13 So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’”
Ill:
• Doug dead! Is a two-word obituary.
• It was penned by a North Dakota man called Douglas Legler.
• Who died at the age of 85
• Doug did live a full active life,
• He was once a truck driver, and he also entered talent-shows and loved classic cars.
• His daughter said,
“He wanted his obituary to read these two words. He is probably having a chuckle over all the people who find it amusing!”
• TRANSITION:
• Now in those few words I have helped you know a little bit more about Doug.
• In a similar way the writer of this book,
• Will give us a brief history of the people of God.
• Joshua gathers Israel to the town of Shechem in the central highlands of Israel,
• And there Joshua reminds them of their history and all that God had done for them.
• Verses 2-4: He reminds them of how God called Abraham,
• And from him came the Jewish nation, the nation of Israel.
• Verses 5-7: He reminds them about Moses and Aaron,
• And the experience of the people of Israel in Egypt during their years of slavery,
• And their eventual deliverance in the Exodus.
• Verses 8-10:
• He reminds them of the forty years of Israel wandering around in the desert.
• And how God protected his people from the false prophet called Balaam.
• Verses 11-13 He reminds them of how the people of God,
• Crossed over the Jordan River and their conquest of the promised land of Canaan.
Question: Why the history lesson?
Answer:
• Because God is going to remind these people that their history,
• Is really HIS history!
• Scan the verses,
• And look at the intentionally repetitive emphasis on God’s involvement.
• i.e. verse 3a: “I took your Father Abraham.”
• i.e. verse 3b: “I took (or led him) through all the land of Canaan” (v. 3b).
• i.e. verse 3c “I gave him Isaac” (v. 3c).
• i.e. verse 4a “and to Isaac I gave Jacob”
• i.e. verse 4b: and “I gave Esau the hill country.”
• i.e. verse 5a “I sent Moses and Aaron.
• i.e. verse 5b “And I afflicted the Egyptians “
• i.e. verse 5c: “When I brought you out”
• i.e. verse 6a: “I brought your people out of Egypt”
• i.e. verse 8a: “I brought you to the land of the Amorites”
• i.e. verse 8b: “I gave them into your hand”
• i.e. verse 8c: “I destroyed them before you”
• And on and on and on it goes.
• 21 times in verses 2-13 the first-person singular occurs with God as the subject!
• Because Israel’s history is really HIStory!
These verses testify to God’s grace, mercy and unmerited love for his people.
• Note verse 14 (NIV):
• “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness.”
• KJB:
• “Fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth.”
• Fear or reverence and obedience to God,
• Are the primary ways by which God’s people give thanks to him,
• For all his generous gifts of life and freedom given to us!
APPLICATION:
• Never forget what God has done for you.
• Especially if you are in difficult circumstances and life don’t seem fair!
• Remember, what God has done for you.
Ill:
• During the second world war,
• Corrie and Betsie Ten Boom endured hunger, being mocked and humiliated,
• Beatings, illness and denial of proper medical care,
• They were forced to do backbreaking labour,
• And lived in conditions we would not allow animals to live in.
• They were prisoners in Ravensbrück,
• A Nazi concentration camp located in northern German.
• Where Corrie watched her own sister Betsie starve to death,
• Before her in a German concentration camp.
Corrie says,
“I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there. Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart.
I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us.
“No, Corrie,” said Betsie, “He has not forgotten us.
Remember His Word “For as the heavens are high above the hearth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him.”
Corrie concludes,
“There is an ocean of God’s love available-there is plenty for everyone.
May God grant you never to doubt that victorious love-whatever the circumstances.””
• TRANSITION: when doubts and fears arise,
• Remember God’s love towards us,
• And we see that clearest of all in the giving of his Son Jesus Christ!
(2). A Call to Choose (Josh. 24:14-18)
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates 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 ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! 17 It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we travelled. 18 And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.”
Ill:
• A husband wanted a boat more than anything.
• His wife however objected with a passion,
• Saying, “We can’t afford a boat, and I don’t want one!”
• Now some of you husbands will be shocked to discover,
• That the man bought one anyway!
• . Trying to win favour with his very angry wife,
• He said, "I’ll tell you what in the spirit of compromise, you name the boat!"
• With great grace she accepted his suggestion.
• It was only when the husband went to the dock for his maiden voyage,
• That he saw the name freshly painted on the side of the boat - "For Sale."
• TRANSLATION: Be careful when it comes to compromising,
• Because if you compromise on the wrong things – expect trouble!
• What Joshua wanted to make clear was,
• That there was no room for compromise or divided loyalties!
• The Israelites could serve the Lord
• Or they could choose to serve the false gods of Mesopotamia or Canaan,
• But they couldn’t do both!
• It doesn’t matter which other god they choose.
• In doing so, they will have broken the sacred covenant between them & the true God.
Notice:
• Verse 15 reads as if Joshua is saying,
• You lot choose this false god or that false god,
• He offers them a choice between two false gods.
• First choice: ‘the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates,’
• Second choice: ‘the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living’
• It’s as if he is saying, “if you want a false God, you have plenty to choose from!”
• Then by contrast he simply says, “But me and my family are not coming with you!”
• Joshua had chosen a third option, “The Lord!”
Notice:
• The Israelites are so far gone that they do not even recognise that there is a problem.
• In fact, they take umbrage at Joshua’s suggestion,
• That they would consider serving another God:
Quote: verse 16:
• NIV: “Then the people answered,
• “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods!”
• The Message:
• “The people replied, “We would never leave the Lord to serve other gods!”
You can almost hear them say, “What us? I think you are mistaken!
So, again Joshua enlightens them (vs 19-20).
“Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. 20 If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.””
• And surprise, surprise, the people say, “Not us!”
• “Me thinks you might be mistaken!”
• Verse 21 they say, “No! We will serve the Lord.””
Ill:
• ‘Methinks the lady doth protest too much’
• Comes from William Shakespeare’s most quoted and quotable play of all, Hamlet,
• (from around 1601.)
• TRANSITION: Joshua is not fooled be their rhetoric.
• They might have all the words, but their actions condemn them.
• Quote: Verse 23:
“Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are AMONG you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”
Ill:
• The people are like an alcoholic who claims he does not drink,
• While in both hands he is holding a bottle of alcohol.
• TRANSITION:
• Joshua says, “I can see your idols, your foreign gods!”
• Joshua’s message had come from a God who could see into their tents,
• He saw what was hidden and valued and worshipped.
• And in addition
• God could see into the people’s hearts,
• He knew that they were honouring him with their lips, but their hearts were elsewhere.
• These people needed the call not only to choose, but repent!
(3). A Call to Commit (vs 25-28)
“On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws. 26 And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the Lord.
27 “See!” he said to all the people. “This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the Lord has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.”
28 Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.2”
Ill:
• The Stool Christian Sketch
• YouTube Preview: https://youtu.be/S3qh2dJxUy8?si=Kvxok56VqTj4W5w5
• TRANSITION:
• Joshua urges the people to make a choice,
• That requires they make renew their covenant with God and commit to serve him only.
Joshua wants more than words, he wants action:
• Notice that Joshua makes their response and commitment formal,
• If you want to renew your covenant agreement with God,
• Then we will do it legally and before witnesses.
• In verse 26:
• The people’s own words of commitment to serve God alone,
• Are written down.
• And Joshua reminds them these words would be remembered,
• As “witnesses against you” (vs 22).”
Ill:
• If you are married you had a similar experience,
• You made your vows before man and God,
• These words will, if necessary, used against you!
The people needed ACCOUNTABILITY.
• They needed someone or something (or both),
• To help remind them of their commitment and spur them to courageous living.
• For the people of Joshua’s day,
• That helping reminder was comprised of two “somethings”:
• A book and a large stone (vs 26-27).
• The book was a record of all the Lord’s commands to his people,
• In other words – the Bible, God’s written word.
• The stone was not an idol but rather a simple reminder, a monument,
• A testimony, of the people’s commitment to serve only the Lord.
• e.g. A wedding ring is a reminder that you are married,
• Therefore, do not behave as if you were single and free!
• As God’s people today,
• We too need accountability “partners”
• We have the Holy Spirit who lives in us prods away at our consciences/
• We have the Word of God,
• Which encourages and rebukes, it corrects, and it guides.
• We have the Church, one another,
• To help encourage and nudge or pull us in the right direction.
• We have the Church leaders,
• We have to know and again have some heart-to-heart chats with people.
• To say, “What’s going on? We rarely see you?”
• “Are you apart of this Church or is it just a club you come to know and again!”
• We all need some accountability,
• And Joshua leaves the people with that reminder.
This challenge by Joshua was a defining moment in the history of Israel.
• No generation can live on the past generations commitments and promises,
• Sooner or later, each generation must make it their own.
• And that is why Joshua is making this challenge and asking for this commitment.
• We all need to be challenged to make the choice now!
• If Joshua came to you after the service, what would he say?
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=AvEMDybXoMUHdJBLZcqtqcJywa4Sv9kf
SERMON VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/pb3CYKhWmJE
