D. D. Lowery (2013) Oxford University Press, 2010).

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1 Mother s Day Sermon Intro: I. Image/Intro: Today is Mother s Day, and this means something different to each one of us, depending on where we re coming from. Elaborate. Love God and Love Others in the context of the family. For Mother s Day, let s explore what this looks like in the context of the family. Also preview making disciples in the context of the family too. Kenda Dean s Almost Christian, who suggests our teenagers failure to live vibrant Christian lives isn t because we re not passing down our faith to them, but rather because we are, and our faith isn t vibrant or attractive! 1 So it makes sense to spend a little time talking about what loving God, loving others, and making disciples looks like in the context of our families! II. Audience(s): parents, or anyone hoping to someday be parents, or anyone who wants to learn how to relate to others in church in family-like ways. III. Key thoughts/big Idea(s): Loving God and others, and making disciples starts in the family, so we should take family seriously. IV. Text: Josh 24:14ff. Contexts to bridge: I. Hittite suzerain-vassal treaties Hittite treaties of the 2 nd millennium had a specific set of things they included in them, and also a fairly rigid order of presentation. Other treaties, such as 1 st mill. Assyrian treaties, did not include all the same elements in them, and our Joshua text resembles more fully the Hittite treaties of the 2 nd mill. Josh 24 is not a treaty text, per se, but rather a text that reports a treaty or covenant making ceremony. It reflects in some ways the form of a vassal treaty, which makes sense in light of the covenant that Yahweh made with Israel. Joshua presents this in a manner reminiscent of Ancient Near Eastern vassal treaties. 2 II. Serving the gods of the land It was customary in the ANE world to serve the gods of the land one entered. Thus, the choice to choose whom you will serve, as well as the call to abandon other gods, would have in some sense been expected by Israel at this point. According to the religious ideas of the period entering a new country meant that the people placed themselves under the jurisdiction of new gods, abandoning their traditional deities for those of the country. 3 The twist to this, of course, has always been that Yahweh demands service and obedience (i.e., covenant love ) wherever they are, over and above all other gods. His jurisdiction is universal, in other words. Hence, the call to not serve the gods of the land they ve entered! III. Jewish and other ANE conceptions of family 3 primary social divisions in 1 K. C. Dean, Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010). 2 P. M. A. Pitkänen, Joshua (AOTC 6; Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2010), 400. For more on this, see R. S. Hess, Joshua: An Introduction and Commentary (TOTC 6; Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1996), 54-55, , and more fully, K. A. Kitchen (K. A. Kitchen, Ancient Orient and Old Testament (First American Printing ed. Chicago: InterVarsity, 1968), and idem K. A. Kitchen, On the Reliability of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003), ). All are in my office if you re interested. 3 J. A. Soggin, Joshua: A Commentary (OTL; Reprint ed. London: SCM Press, 1982), of 6

2 ancient Israel: tribe, clan, family (also called house or house of one s father ). Family was extended family, clan was an association of extended families, and a clans were the largest of the groups. 4 These 3 groups can all be seen in Josh 7:14, when God susses out the guilty party by going through the groups, getting progressively smaller and smaller, finally ending with Achan. 5 This comes into play when Joshua refers to his decision for his family ית),ב house ) to serve the Lord (24:15). Here the concept of family is certainly larger than what we d think of by our concept of nuclear family extended family, servants, some foreigners, etc. 6 The ב ית אַב ( house of the father ) could be up to 100 people, all living in the same building complex! 7 Here s the importance of the family: A primary role within the family would be to reflect upon the unifying features of their value systems and work at further developing and strengthening them. 8 Sermon Notes: I. Introduction: Treaty elements in passage (see above, Contexts to bridge ): Treaty introduction (2b). Historical prologue (2c-13). Treaty stipulations (14-24). Deposit of the text (26). Witnesses (26-27). Curses and blessings implied (20). 9 Note that Shechem (the passage s setting) is one and the same with where Jacob abandoned his household idols (Gen 35:1-5). Rich symbolic significance. 10 II. Historical backdrop (24:2-13) Note that all of what Joshua will ask of Israel is only properly seen as a response to God s gracious activity in their lives and in the lives of their ancestors. From the Christian perspective, it is difficult to read these passages and not reflect upon Ephesians 2:8-10 and the free gift of God s grace in the person and work of Christ. 11 Reflection on God s activities changes perspective. See also numerous Psalms, where the author laments a situation, and after some reflection on God and his activities in their past, they come to see things differently. Ps 77, for example, esp. vv. 9-13, where the transition is completed after reflection. For Christians, when thinking of our treaty with God, we should like Joshua and Israel did here reflect on our history with God. 12 III. Joshua s charge to the people and their response (24:14-24) 4 J. J. Pilch, A Cultural Handbook to the Bible (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2012), See also P. R. Davies and J. W. Rogerson, The Old Testament World (Second ed. Louisville: Westminster, 2005), 32-38, and more fully, R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions (trans. J. McHugh. Second ed. London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1965), Davies and Rogerson, The Old Testament World, de Vaux, Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions, Pilch, A Cultural Handbook to the Bible, Ibid., Hess, Joshua, Pitkänen, Joshua, Hess, Joshua, Pitkänen, Joshua, of 6

3 The command: fear and [more primarily] serve From vv.14-24, the word serve appears 14x! 13 In vv alone, 7x. 14 Seems to share the ideas of several Semitic roots, one of which includes the idea to worship (so NET Bible and the Message translate it as such). 15 Often when in context of serving God (and in qal form) has the sense of honoring him, thus, worshipping. 16 Serve when used in conjunction with fear has the sense of transferring loyalties to Yahweh. 17 Thus, the idea is one of loyalty and allegiance. Summary The term constitutes a central motif in Josh. 24. The core statement is v.15 The people must choose, and they choose to serve Yahweh (vv. 18, 21, 24). Precisely this definition then becomes the foundation of the covenant itself (v.25a). This service is specified more closely as putting away the foreign gods, inclining one s heart to Yahweh (v.23), and hearkening to his voice (v.24). By contrast, serving other gods means forsaking Yahweh. 18 Decide: What kind of choice is Joshua calling Israel to? 19 It s personal, deliberate, disciplined, influential, and immediate. All-encompassing, in other words. MAKE THIS A CHART FOR A SLIDE IN THE SERMON. Warning: The people commit, but perhaps a bit too hastily (3x in vv.14-24). In light of how the book ends, and what follows (i.e., the downward spiral of the book of Judges), perhaps the people didn t quite realize the nature of what they were committing to? Note how whether or not it is coincidental (but probably on purpose) the author makes no mention of the people suggesting they ll put away foreign gods in their last verbal affirmation. That part of their promise is ominously absent. 20 B. Waltke suggests the peoples haste in committing to Yahweh reveals their overconfidence, or simply confidence in themselves rather than Yahweh. This concluding irony highlights the book s tension: the ambiguously successful subjugation of the Land with incomplete/certain failure to possess the Land Joshua implicitly looks forward to the 13 V. P. Hamilton, Handbook on the Historical Books (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001), R. G. Boling and G. E. Wright, Joshua: A New Translation with Notes and Commentary (AB 6; Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1982), 537, Hess, Joshua, : in TWOT 2:639. See the more full discussion of Semitic cognates and roots in TDOT ע ב ד See examples in HALOT 2: Boling and Wright, Joshua, From,ע ב ד in TDOT 10: See Hamilton, Handbook on the Historical Books, 82 for a nice bullet list of characteristics about the choice. 20 Hess, Joshua, 307; I. W. Provan, P. V. Long et al., A Biblical History of Israel (Louisville: Westminster, 2003), of 6

4 need for a new covenant 21 Also, an ominous note with the final occurrence of serve in the book, v.31. Israel served Yahweh faithfully through the lifetime of Joshua and other leaders ominously suggests what Judges displays, that Israel s service may have its limits (temporal and otherwise). With this hint, the transition to the book of Judges is complete. 22 Note: this ambiguous ending should color how we walk away from a sermon like this. Humbly, trusting in God s goodness and grace, not our own abilities. Succeeding in something like this (serving the Lord) comes from constant dependence, not out of our own abilities. V. The people make a covenant with Yahweh (25) VI. They set up reminders (witnesses) to the treaty (26-27) Stones play a large role throughout the book of Joshua. Stones indicated God s faithfulness and power. 23 Also serve as a reminder to do what they ve said they ll do. 24 Similarly, what sorts of reminders could we set up? In other words, are there things we can do, reminders put in place, habits to build, to serve as reminders of who God is and what he s done for us (and for our family)? Perhaps: regular times of prayer (meals, bedtime, etc.), going to church together to worship on a regular basis, being creative with other memorial stones as you engage your family, etc. Applicational Thoughts: I. What foreign gods are we tempted to serve today over and against God? Work to demonstrate clearly what modern day counterparts of foreign religions would be. What sorts of things do we choose to worship over and above God today? For Joshua & Israel, and also for us today: Neutrality is not an option. 25 Work? Social lives? Busyness? Recreation? Standard of living? Hobbies & other interests? These things should be deliberately eschewed for pure and faithful worship of Yahweh. JoAnn Rowley, in answering this question: over-involvment in good things so much that God gets scheduled out. Ex., sports on weekends so church is missed, etc. ***She notes: the kids see the gods you choose, even if it s they that you worship. In other words, model for your kids, because what you choose to worship is often what they ll choose someday. *** Dale Magee: everything costs you, but it s worth it. It s a sacrifice, but it s worth it. Andy Stanley choose to cheat somebody s getting cheated. Who will it 21 B. K. Waltke and C. Yu, An Old Testament Theology: An Exegetical, Canonical, and Thematic Approach (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007), Provan, Long et al., A Biblical History of Israel, A. H. W. Curtis, Joshua (Old Testament Guides; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998), 80. To see other examples of the various religious roles stones could play in the Near Eastern world, see R. S. Hess, Israelite Religions: An Archaeological and Biblical Survey (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2007), Pitkänen, Joshua, Hamilton, Handbook on the Historical Books, of 6

5 be? ***KEY: THIS IS WHAT GOD WANTS FOR YOU, NOT FROM YOU!!! This is so important, and right back to the key paradoxes of Scripture that we ve been harping on this sermon series. It s only in abandoning ourselves to God and his purposes that we will ever truly find meaningful and purpose-filled life. This is a huge thing to dwell on!*** II. Reminders or habits Perhaps we could even set up memorials for ourselves and others, like the Israelites did with the stone (Josh 24:26). A teaching tool for Joshua and others, and good for us to think about as we are discussing the transmission of our faith. What teaching tools can we employ? III. Decision-making We should also reflect on our call to follow God, as did the Israelites, especially in light of Jesus command to follow me. 26 From above, this decision is: personal, deliberate, disciplined, influential, and immediate. Allencompassing, in other words. IV. Don t be discouraged Results not immediate (or often even visible) there s an element of trust here, trusting that God is at work. Remember N. T. Wright s building blocks for the kingdom thoughts all we can do is obey and trust that God will redeem our little acts of obedience and worship, our service, for his glory and for his kingdom. And God does. 27 These things we do become building blocks for God s kingdom, because remember God, in his infinite wisdom, chooses to enter the world through the ways we love each other. It s how he chooses to make himself known to the world around us. Also talk about folks who may have had families already (kids grown, moved out, etc.) but feel like they did it wrong. What do you say to them? Or folks who may have grown up in families who did it wrong, so to speak. In other words, their family wasn t like this. What do we say to them? Practical Takeaways: I. Pay attention to your own heart (like the airlines that warn in case of crash, put on your own air mask first!) Don t forget Kenda Dean s Almost Christian, who suggests our teenagers failure to live vibrant Christian lives isn t because we re not passing down our faith to them, but rather because we are, and our faith isn t vibrant or attractive! 28 In other words, the best way to ensure we re making disciples of our family is to ensure we re growing as disciples ourselves! Make sure our faith which will get passed on is vibrant and authentic. So where are you in relation to Jesus? Recall the categories we ve been talking about, as they relate to Christ. What do you need to do to grow? Pick one thing and start doing it. As Hoehner (and dad) always say: If something s worth doing it s worth doing poorly. That is, don t wait till you re great at something to start trying it. Especially if it matters! 26 Pitkänen, Joshua, N. T. Wright, Following Jesus: Biblical Reflections on Discipleship (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994), Dean, Almost Christian, 5 of 6

6 II. Put away foreign gods look back over the list in the application section. Anything strikes you that you might need to forsake? III. Set up a memorial stone It might be that you d like to begin building a healthy habit, or put a reminder in place somehow to help you and your family serve the Lord. What is something you can do in this regard? IV. Be honest: Donald Miller as he s observed it, the best parents with the most welladjusted kids once they ve grown up and moved out on their own were those who were honest about struggles, mistakes, etc. with their family. Be quick to apologize to your family if and when you mess up. A little humility goes a long way, apparently. 29 Summary [homiletical point]: Finding and fulfilling your purpose in life begins with you. Choosing. This choice moves outward through your family to the wider world. Choose today whom you will serve. Choose wisely. 29 This is from Miller s blog post Great kids have parents who do this well and it can be found at: /storylineblog.com/2013/04/18/great-kids-have-parents-who-seem-to-do-this-well/. 6 of 6