THE CALL TO RESOLVE—II—Joshua 23:1-16
Faithful/Called/Chosen/Elect/Determination
Christians should resolve to continue in what they know to be right.
Joshua reminded Israel of the resolve required of God’s people/witnesses.
A particular resolve is required of God’s people/witnesses.
What must God’s people resolve to maintain?
Expressions of Christian resolve.
God’s people must resolve to maintain God’s...
1.Advocacy(:3, 9-10)
2.Inheritance(:4)
3.Continuance(:5, 12-13)
4.Standard(:6)
5—Christian resolve maintains God’s ASSOCIATIONS(:7)
—Explanation:(:7)Influence
“...in order that you may not associate with these nations, these which remain among you, or mention the name of their gods, or make anyone swear by them, or serve them, or bow down to them.”
“Associate with”—Testimony to personal freedom & bi-directional influence
“Name”—Allow even a casual mention
“Swear by”—Elevate as an object of assurance.
sure as...Sun rising, I’m Living
“Serve”—Lifestyle obviously influenced by belief.
“Bow Down to”—Worship
—Argumentation:
1Kgs. 11:1-2—“Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, & Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the sons of Israel, “You shall not associate with them, neither shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods.” Solomon held fast to these in love.”
1Cor. 5:6—“Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?”
1Cor. 15:33—“Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.””
—Illustration:
Examples: TV—Music—People—
Employed by Insurance Co./Associations deal with insurance
—Application:
?Your Resolve to Maintain God’s ASSOCIATIONS?
?Your Resolve a witness to God’s Call?
6—Christian resolve maintains God’s
PRESENCE(:8)
—Explanation:(:8)
“But you are to cling to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day.”
“Cling to”
—Of Leviathan—Scales cling together—no air between
—Of Husband & Wife—Gen. 2:24—“For this cause a man shall leave his father & his mother, & shall cleave to his wife; & they shall become one flesh.”
—“Hold Fast” to the Lord
“As you have done”
—Past expression—Follow God’s word & direction.
—Argumentation:
Deut. 4:3-4—“Your eyes have seen what the LORD has done in the case of Baal-peor, for all the men who followed Baal-peor, the LORD your God has destroyed them from among you. “But you who held fast to the LORD your God are alive today, every one of you.”
Acts 11:23—“Then when he[Barnabas] had come & witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced & began to encourage them[Antioch] all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord...”
Acts 3:19—““Repent therefore & return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;”
2Thess. 1:6-10—“For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, & to give relief to you who are afflicted & to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God & to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord & from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, & to be marveled at among all who have believed--for our testimony to you was believed.”
—Illustration:
Pacemaker/difibrillator/Doctor & Hospital can’t go with us/Defibrillator does/Presence
Lifevest/Presence
Astronaut on spacewalk/Clings to life support/Presence
—Application:
?Your Resolve to Maintain God’s PRESENCE?
?Your Resolve a witness to God’s Call?
7—Christian resolve Maintains God’s
WORTH(:11)
—Explanation:(:11)/Love/Devotion
“So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the LORD your God.”
Truly free “Love” cannot be forced!
Everything we are & do flows from our love for God.
The quality of our love for God determines our actions.
—Argumentation:
Mk. 12:30-31—“AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ “The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.””
—Illustration:
Flag/Never touch ground/Fold correctly/Country’s Worth
—Application:
?Your Resolve to Maintain God’s WORTH?
?Your Resolve a witness to God’s Call?
Conclusion
Action:
God’s people must resolve to maintain God’s...
ASSOCIATIONS(:7)
PRESENCE(:8)
WORTH(:11)
ADVOCACY(:3, 9-10)
INHERITANCE(:4)
CONTINUANCE(:5, 12-13)
STANDARD(:6)
