Service Contract—2

SERVICE CONTRACT-II—Joshua 24:14-28

A newly appointed young preacher was contacted by the local funeral director to hold a graveside committal service at a small country cemetery in the country. There was to be no funeral, just the committal, because sadly, the deceased had no family or friends left.

The young pastor started early to the cemetery, but lost his way on the long back roads. After backtracking many miles, he finally arrived, a half-hour late. The hearse was no where in sight, and the workmen were relaxing under a near-by tree, eating their lunch.

The pastor went to the open grave and found that the vault lid was already in place. He took out his book and read the service.

As he returned to his car, one of the workmen paused between bites and said, "Think we should have told him that’s a septic tank."

The pastor was committed to do the funeral.

God’s people are to be committed to serving Him.

Israel covenanted together to exclusively serve YHWH as their God.

God’s people are bound to a commitment to serve YHWH as their God.

What communicates a people’s commitment to God?

Indicators/Measures of commitment among God’s people.

4 Indicators of commitment among God’s people are A Sincere...

1. REVERENCE(:14)

2. SERVICE(:14

3. UNDERSTANDING(:14)

4. SEPARATION(:14)

A 5th Indicator of commitment among God’s people is

A Sincere DECISION(:15)

—Explanation:(:15)Choice

“And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me & my house, we will serve the LORD.”

“Disagreeable in your sight”—

Conscious, willful, individual choice

“As for me & my house”—Joshua will lead his house Godward

Does this Christian “God” fulfill the promises claimed?

Begins with Individual Choice & carries thru to every area of existence...—Family—Corporate—Community—World

—Argumentation:

Mat. 8:19-23—“And a certain scribe came & said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, & the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” And another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go & bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me; & allow the dead to bury their own dead.” And when He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.”

Prov. 1:27-30—“When your dread comes like a storm, And your calamity comes on like a whirlwind, When distress & anguish come on you. “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me, Because they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of the LORD. “They would not accept my counsel, They spurned all my reproof.”

—Illustration:

Out for supper/Ellinor whining/Wouldn’t hush/Me at point of decision/Turned back home/At Vereen Bell Rd. asked for commitment/Decision made to hush/Sincere Decision

—Application:

?You made a Sincere DECISION to serve God?

?Was a Sincere Decision made when you publically declared your faith in Christ?

?You Committed to a Service Contract with God?

A 6th Indicator of commitment among God’s people is

A Sincere PRACTICALITY(:16-18)

—Explanation/Argumentation:(:16-18)Pragmatism

:16—“And the people answered & said, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods;”

:17— “for the LORD our God is He who brought us & our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, & who did these great signs in our sight & preserved us through all the way in which we went & among all the peoples through whose midst we passed.”

:18 “And the LORD drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. We also will serve the LORD, for He is our God.”

1Jn. 4:10—“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us & sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

1Jn. 4:19—“We love, because He first loved us.”

God had chosen Israel & graced them.

Jn. 15:16—“You did not choose Me, but I chose you, & appointed you, that you should go & bear fruit, & that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you.”

If God has chosen us & extends His love to us, then it makes no sense NOT to commit to Him!

Christianity is entirely & inherently practical.

—Illustration:

Dog that bite the hand that feeds it...

—Application:

?Your commitment to serve God a Sincerely PRACTICAL one?

?Your faith work in the real world... or just empty philosphy?

?You Committed to a Service Contract with God?