Priorities For The Future'

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). Faithfulness (vs 1-3).

(2). Hope (vs 4-5).

(3). Obedience (vs 6-7).

(4). Dependence (vs 8-10).

(5). Love (vs 11).

(6). Sanctification (vs 12-13).

(7). Reverence (vs 14-16).

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• On Wednesday I felt old,

• The reason I felt old is Penny and myself went to the hawk Conservatory,

• And in booking our tickets I qualified as a senior citizen discount price!

• It was a Catch 22 situation,

• I felt old ticking the box for a senior,

• But then I saved a few quid on the entrance fee!

Ill:

Signs You're Getting Old:

• The Gray-haired person you help across the street is your spouse.

• An "all-nighter" means not getting up to pee!

• You choose your cereal for the fibre, not the toy.

• You know all the answers, but nobody asks you any questions.

• You smile all the time because you can't hear a thing others are saying.

• "Getting lucky" means you find your car in the parking lot.

• You keep repeating yourself.

• Your back goes out more than you do.

• Lawn care has become a big highlight of your life.

• You're wrinkled, saggy, lumpy, and that's just your left leg.

• You have trouble remembering simple words like...

• You still have a photographic memory, but it no longer offers same day service.

• Your insurance company has started sending you their free calendar...a month at a time.

• You sink your teeth into a steak...and they stay there!

• You've seen it all, done it all, heard it all...you just can't remember it all.

• TRANSITION:

• In chapters 23 to 24: Joshua is old.

• He lived to a ripe old age; he was 110 (chapter 24 verse 29).

• Twice in verse 1-2 his age is emphasised and brought to our attention,

• Verse 1b: “Joshua was a very old man”.

• Verse 2b: “Joshua said to them: “I am very old.”

• And again, in verse 14: “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth.”

The last two chapters in the book of Joshua.

• Contain Joshua’s farewell address to the Jews.

• He has enjoyed a long innings, a long life.

• And during those 110 years, Joshua has seen it all,

• Remember only Joshua and Caleb lived to see all of God’s miracles in Egypt,

• i.e. The time in the desert and the entrance into the Promised Land.

• So, Joshua is a knowledgeable senior, with a wealth of experience.

• We will see in this chapter from Joshua’s farewell address,

• Seven lessons of wisdom that will have a knock-on effect for you and me today.

• Those seven lessons are linked with seven key words.

(1). FAITHFULNESS’ (vs 1-3).

“After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest from their enemies around them, Joshua, by then a very old man, 2 summoned all Israel—their elders, leaders, judges and officials—and said to them: “I am very old. 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.”

These three verses remind us that God keeps his promises!

• Joshua is about to die,

• And he wants to make sure that the next generation of leaders keep the faith!

• He reminds the people of all that God had done for them.

• After 400 years of bondage, struggle, and war,

• God has given the people rest from their many enemies,

• And he has given them their own land:

• In other words, God has kept his promise!

Ill:

God kept every one of His promises to the Jews (I have listed 12 below).

• i.e. He freed the Jews from Egyptian bondage (Ex. 7:6-11:10).

• i.e. He crushed the Egyptian army (Ex. 13:7-15:21).

• i.e. He defeated the Amalekites in battle (Ex. 17:9-12).

• i.e. He made water come out from a rock at Horeb (Ex. 17:6).

• i.e. He also transformed the waters of Marah to provide drinking water (Ex. 15:22-27).

• i.e. He then provided both manna and quail after they grumbled about their food.

• (Ex. 16:1-8).

• i.e. He provided meat when they grew tired of His manna (Nu. 11:4-6, 32-33).

• i.e. He then provided for them in the wilderness (Dt. 2:7).

• i.e. Near the end of their journey,

• He also caused the waters to gush out of a rock at Meribah.

• (Nu. 20:10-11; Ps. 81:16; 106:41; Isa. 48:21).

• i.e. He also guided the Jews by a visible pillar of light both by day and by night.

• (Ex. 13:21-22; 14:19).

• i.e. He even protected the Jews’ feet from swelling.