Choose you this Day Whom you shall Serve
Study Text: Joshua 24:14 - 15
Introduction:
This scriptural portion highlights the importance of making a deliberate choice to serve God and emphasizes the need for individual commitment.
It challenges believers to choose wholeheartedly to serve the Lord, and setting an example for their households to follow.
The passage emphasizes that serving God is a conscious choice, not a passive acceptance.
Joshua urges the people to serve God with sincerity and faithfulness, putting away the gods of their ancestors and embracing true devotion.
He serves as a powerful example of personal commitment to God, and how a father's choice can impact the household's spiritual direction.
Deliberate choice to serve the Lord, with personal commitment can produce family influence, and plays significant roles in shaping one's spiritual journey.
We shall be discussing the topic under three subheadings:
1. The Call to Decision
2. The Commitment to Desire
3. The Consequences to Discover
1. The Call to Decision
Joshua challenged the people to make a decision on Whom they shall serve.
The choice is not whether they will serve God or not, but which one they will serve.
He knew that every man has a god. That master passion by which his life is governed. There are those who worship knowledge, money, a personality, and some do worship various kinds of graven images and idols. In those days there were many choices of gods.
The power of choice is a sacred gift of God. We should recognize it as such and use it discreetly.
Believing on God and serving Him wholeheartedly is a matter of choice. You can choose to believe. You will discover all you need to intellectually support that choice.
You can choose not to believe on God. You will then develop arguments to support your position.
The intellectual factors do not determine your choice but are developed after your choice is made. Now if you choose to believe, look at all the benefits that are offered to you. If you choose not to believe what hope do you have?
The wisest way to exercise this freedom of choice is to choose to submit your choices to God, who is far wiser than any man.
Life is a series of choices. We make choices every day. Some choices have far-reaching consequences and other choices are not so far-reaching. Our choices determine the character, direction, destiny, and eternity of our life. Thus, learning what to choose and how to choose is very important in our lives.
Destiny is not a Chance, Destiny is a Choice.
How to choose the right destiny?
1. Remember what God has done.
Joshua lifts his voice in thundering tones and speaks on behalf of God. He begins with God’s call to Abraham and he recounts in stirring notes all the wondrous ways in which the Lord led his people down to this very day. Joshua 24:1-13
When people obeyed God, God prospered them. They have a land they had not labored for, cities they had not built, and a harvest that they had not planted. All our blessings are God’s gift to us. One of the ways for us to help keep focus in life is to remember what God has done in our life.
The primary way we remember what God has done is through reading His Word. Remember the work of Christ. However, we also need to be constantly reminded of all the things that God has done for us personally throughout our life.
2. Be Faithful to and Singleminded with God. Joshua 24:14
When Joshua urged the people to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully, the biggest danger here wasn’t that the people wouldn’t worship God. It was that they would develop a religion that just mixed in God along with all the other gods and other priorities of life.
Joshua is telling them not to mix with different priorities. Don’t serve two masters. We live in a world that has grown comfortable with partial commitments. Get off the fence. Give your absolute devotion to God alone. If you are serious about God, serve Him alone wholeheartedly.
James gives us the key to avoid double-mindedness. Submit to God and resist the devil. James 4:7-8
God is not interested in these partial commitments.
Jesus said to the church at Laodicea: Revelation 3:15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
One of the biggest dangers for Christians today is this: Not that they will reject Jesus, but rather they will add Jesus into their lives along with other things. Matthew 6:24
2. The Commitment to Desire
Joshua presented himself as a worthy example for the people to follow. He didn't force his choice on them, but targeted at producing a godly influence on them, by declaring his choice and that of his household.
Indeed, when we look at the life of Joshua, we certainly have a lot to learn from him.
1. His God-given Skill in Battle (Exodus 17:9-14)
Joshua began his life as one of the Israelites who were in bondage of slavery under Egyptian taskmasters. He left Egypt together with the rest when God used Moses to deliver them.
He apparently had God-given qualities and skills that were recognized by all, because early in their journey to the Promised land, Moses appointed Joshua to lead the Israelites to put up a strong defence against an attacking force of Amalekites (Exodus 17:9-14).
With the Lord's help, Joshua was able to defeat them. This, by the way, is the very first time that Joshua is mentioned in the Bible.
2. His Unswerving Trust in God in the midst of Crisis (Numbers 14:7-9)
Joshua is mentioned again when he was appointed to be one of the twelve spies that were sent to survey the Promised Land. While ten spies brought back an evil and discouraging report, Joshua and his good friend, Caleb, displayed their faith in the Lord by urging the people to trust that God would enable them to occupy the land of Canaan.
For daring to trust in the Lord like this, even when the majority of the Israelites were doubting and disobeying the Lord, and were about to stone them, Joshua and Caleb became the only ones to be spared by God from dying together with the rest, as Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years.
3. His Godly Leadership of Israel (Joshua 1:1-8)
Hence, after Moses died, Joshua and Caleb became the two lone survivors of the older generation who had come out of Egypt. Joshua was commissioned by God to succeed Moses as the leader of Israel.
And Joshua fulfilled the charge given to him by God exceedingly well. Following God's instructions, he brought the Israelites safely across the river Jordan and then led them into battle with the Canaanites.
Joshua had clearly proven himself to be one of the greatest leaders in the Bible.
4. His Incomparable Faith in God (Joshua 10:12-14)
One remarkable thing about Joshua's life is the fact that he was the only man in all history who has caused the sun and moon to stand still.
This miracle took place when the Israelites were in a crucial part of their battle with five Amorite kings, and they desperately needed more daylight time to complete their manoeuvres.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said that we can move mountains if we have faith as small as a grain of mustard seed (Matthew 17:20). By faith Joshua was able even to stop the sun and moon not just for a few seconds or a few minutes, but for a whole day.
3. The Consequences to Discover
Forsaking the Lord has severe consequences.
It's crucial to remember that God's love and provision are available to those who return to Him through repentance and faith.
Some of the
consequences of forsaking the Lord include:
1. Spiritual Blindness:
When we turn away from God, we become susceptible to deception and lies, making it difficult to discern truth from falsehood.
2. Vulnerability to Evil:
Without God's protection, we become more vulnerable to the influence of darkness, fear, and anxiety.
3. Rejection of God's Blessings:
By rejecting God, we reject His blessings, guidance, and provision in our lives.
4. Separation from God's Presence:
Forsaking the Lord can lead to a feeling of emptiness and a lack of meaning and purpose.
5. Risk of Eternal Damnation:
Ultimately, forsaking the Lord can lead to eternal separation from God.
God is merciful and longs for His children to return to Him. He offers forgiveness and restoration to those who repent and seek His face.
God promises to heal, restore, and bless those who turn back to Him in faith.
Returning to the Lord brings a renewed sense of purpose, peace, and joy.
Prayer is a powerful way to connect with God and seek His guidance.
Reading the Bible helps us to understand God's character and learn how to live in obedience to Him.
Living in accordance with God's will brings blessings and fulfillment.
