Choose Today! Text: Joshua 24:1-33 Series: The Venture and Victory of Faith [Joshua, #16] Pastor Lyle L. Wahl June 10, 2018

Transcription

1 Choose Today! Text: Joshua 24:1-33 Series: The Venture and Victory of Faith [Joshua, #16] Pastor Lyle L. Wahl June 10, 2018 Introduction Today we conclude our march through the book of Joshua. Last week we looked at Joshua s farewell address to Israel s leaders in chapter 23. He told them to remember that God had been and would be faithful to them. God has been faithful to us and will continue to be faithful to us in the weeks, months and years to come. We need to remember and count on this. Joshua also told the leaders to remember to be faithful to God, and explained some of what that means. We too are to remember to be faithful to God in all things at all times. In the months and years ahead we and all who know us, who know of us will be very glad to hear that the people of this church are continuing to be faithful to God, continuing to walk in His truth. 1 This last chapter includes a postscript about Joshua s death and the burial of Joseph s bones which Israel brought with them from Egypt. Primarily it is Joshua s farewell address to the nation. He gathered the nation together to renew their covenant with God. This was a formal and solemn event, with the format being similar to the ways treaties and covenants were made at that time in that part of the world. As Joshua prepares to leave, he challenges the nation to make a choice. He told them to choose whom they were going to serve. His challenge was similar to the one Moses gave the nation close to the end of his life and before the people came into the land. In Deuteronomy chapter 30 he said, I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you

2 may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them (verses 19-20). Here in our text Joshua told the people to follow his example of serving God, but that they must make their own choice. And he said they should choose today. They should make a decisive decision. They should choose for today and all the days ahead after he was gone. God s message, my message for us is Choose Today! Decide, reaffirm that you will serve God today and every day. If you have been a believer for some time, that might seem obvious and simple. But there is more to this than we might think. So let s explore God s message through Joshua to Israel and to us. Choose to serve God. Joshua began his address by telling the people to choose to serve God because of all God had done for them. God directed Joshua to give the people a pointed and powerful summary of some of the great things He had done for Israel. It is difficult to miss the repetitive, personal punch. Joshua gives them God s word. God tells them in verses 3-13 as we read earlier, I took your father Abraham from the other side of the River (verse 3). I led him throughout all the land of Canaan (verse 3). I gave him Isaac and multiplied his descendants (verse 3). I gave Isaac Jacob and Esau (verse 4). I sent Moses and Aaron to Israel in their bondage in Egypt (verse 5). I plagued Egypt for their mistreatment of you (verse 5). I brought you and your fathers out of Egypt (verse 5). I brought darkness on Egypt when they pursued you and then brought the sea on them and covered them with it (verse 7). I brought you into the land of the Amorites whom I gave into your hand when I destroyed them (verse 8). 2

3 I did not allow Balaam to curse you, but made him bless you instead (verses 9-10). I gave Jericho, the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Gergashites, Hivites and Jebusites all the ites into your hand (verses 11-12). I gave you a land on which you have not labored, cities which you did not build, vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant (verse 13). God was saying You are in the land but, verse 12, not with your sword or bow, not by your ability or power, but by My direct action. You see, the people had been settled in the land for a while, enjoying rest from their enemies, peace and prosperity. It would have been easy for them to look around, remember the battles they won, and say to themselves, Look at all that we have done! Let s expand our fields and storage, enjoy all the things we have laid aside which will last for many years. Yes, we ve done well. It s time to take it easy, eat, drink and celebrate all that we have accomplished! That would be like the rich man in a story Jesus told who foolishly looked at all he had, determined to tear down his storage barns and build bigger ones and then take his ease eating, drinking and happily celebrating all he had accomplished. 2 God said to Israel, I have done all this for you. Remember that, and continue to serve me. Be stewards, My stewards of what I have given you. God says the same thing to us all that you are and have are gifts I have given you. We need to keep this in the front of our minds. Because if we have been settled in the land, that is, in the faith as well as our situation in life for a while, we can look around, see where we are and loose sight of the reality that all we are and have is a gift from God. Spiritually, all of us are sinners by nature and action we have sinned and fall short of God s glory. The wage we earn and deserve for that is death being separated from God and bearing the just punishment of our sin. 3 But, while we were dead in our sins, helpless children of wrath, the Bible tells us, alienated and hostile toward God, and were His enemies, in unfathomable love Christ took our punishment when He died on the cross and saved us when we placed our faith in Him. 4 In light of this, and everything else God has done for us, we should choose to serve Him today and every day. Here is an assignment for you: sit down with pen and paper, if you still use that, or at your computer or even on your phone. At the top of the page write: I choose to serve God 3

4 because of what He has done for me. Then beneath that make a list of specific things God has done for you. Take your time, think carefully. It could be, should be a long list. Yes, we should choose to serve God because of all that He has done for us. And then Joshua says that we should serve God not only because of what He has done for us, but because of who He is. Look at verse 19. But Joshua said to the people, You cannot serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good (19-20). There are a number of things here. Let s look at two of God s many characteristics or qualities that are listed here. First, God is holy. Because He is holy we should serve Him. This is fundamental and familiar. God tells us through Isaiah that His name is holy, that He dwell[s] in the high and holy place. 5 God told Israel as He gave them the Law, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. 6 God is absolutely pure and so He is separated from even the slightest hint of impurity or evil. All that He says and does is pure, right and good. Habakkuk tells us that God s eyes are too pure to approve evil, and [He] cannot look on wickedness with favor (NASB). 9 One way we serve Him is to be holy as He is. Think about God s holiness as a motivation for serving Him. To start with, we are not holy by nature. Our hearts are deceitful, plagued by the disease of sin and its deception. As we read in Jeremiah, The heart is deceitful above all things and despirately wicked; who can know it? 8 How much sense then does it make to trust and serve ourselves or anyone else, our ideas, our analyses of people and things? The only way we can fulfill God s design for us and so have real certainty and fulfillment is to serve Him, not ourselves or others. This is so important that it is a theme and motivation of serving God in heaven as well as here on earth. An unending chorus in heaven is Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come (NASB). 9 The second quality Joshua mentions which should motivate us to serve God is that He is a jealous God. This too was stated in the Law. God said, you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God (ESV). 10 4

5 This might sound a bit strange to us. Jealousy, after all, is usually negative and sinful. Paul lists jealousy as one of the sinful deeds of the flesh in Galatians chapter 5 verse 20. James tells us that where jealousy is found disorder and every evil thing is found with it (NASB). 11 This jealousy is the impure desire to have what we want that is not right and/or not rightfully ours. God s jealousy is pure and goes hand in hand with His holiness. It is His desire, His demand to have His people be devoted only and totally to Him. Joshua was addressing the very real possibility that after he was gone the people might compromise and add some of the man-made religions and gods from the people they had conquered. Man-made religion tends to draw in ideas and methods from a variety of sources which seem right, seem to make sense or even seem to be good to those who make up the religions. So some religions have a god for clouds and rain and another god for clear skies and no rain. People had and still have different gods for different purposes. Then too, in many ways that is easy go to a temple, bow down before a idol, give an offering of some produce or a bit of money, and go on your way. God is the only true God. He is the one and only holy God. He desires and demands that those who worship Him only worship Him. He demands exclusive allegiance. We don t bow down to idols of wood or stone, but we can drift into serving acceptance, position, success, money, and happiness, just to mention a few things. God is jealous. He is jealous of our allegiance, our worship and service. He does not look the other way at divided devotion. He does not excuse the easy way of giving some time on Sundays, putting something in the offering, doing a few things when we can fit it in, and going on our way pursuing and serving things. And so, we should choose to serve Him, and Him only. Again, these are just two of God s qualities. The Bible tells us He is love, He is sovereign, He is faithful, He is gracious and merciful. And on the list goes. We should choose to serve God and only God because of who He is. The challenge of serving God. Joshua called the people to choose to serve God knowing it is challenging to do that. That is quite clear from what he says here. 5

6 We can see some of this just in the idea of serving. What does it mean to serve God? The word serve has different meanings. Damon Knight wrote a science fiction short story titled To Serve Man. Aliens landed on earth and promised to bring peace and prosperity. They quickly provided enough food to eliminate hunger, inexpensive power, medical advances and rendered nuclear weapons harmless. They also offered people a ten-year visit to their planet. A man stole one of the alien s books and began to work on translating it with a basic bilingual dictionary the aliens had. It was very difficult. First the title, To Serve Man. Then, after some weeks he was able to translate the first paragraph. To his horror To Serve Man was a cook book. 12 That was a totally different thing than any of them thought or imagined! Yes, the word serve has different meanings! Joshua makes several points and clarifications on what serving God means. First, serving God is not something you can do on your own. Let s go back to verse 19. But Joshua said to the people, You cannot serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good (19-20). You may have more than one question here. Let s consider an obvious one. What did Joshua mean when he said, [God] will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins? He has been telling them and showing them by example to serve God. And now he says they are not able to do it, and when they fail God will not forgive. Does that sound strange? Does it seem to be a contradiction? There is a similar statement in Exodus chapter 23 where God told Israel about their then future conquest of the land. He said, Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him (verses 20-21). 6

7 But we know from the Bible that The LORD is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression. (NASB). 13 The Bible tells us that God is good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon [Him] (NASB). 14 And also that If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from [how many?] all unrighteousness. 15 So what is this about? Joshua was testing the people s quick and bold response to his challenge to serve God when they said, verse 16, Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods and, verse 18, We also [that is, we, along with you, Joshua] will serve the LORD, for He is our God. Joshua wanted them to understand that this is serious, that God does not look the other way when His people sin by not keeping their promise to serve Him. Discipline and judgment follow. That s the point: God will not look the other way or excuse being unfaithful to Him. God will, as we read in Scripture, discipline His children whom He loves. 16 And the reality is that we cannot faithfully serve God on our own, in our own strength. Just as we cannot be saved by our own effort and works, 17 we cannot be totally devoted to God by our own effort. The challenges from our old sinful nature are too intense. The force and fraud of Satan s forces are too powerful. The answer is for us to cling to, to fasten our grip on God, as Joshua directed in chapter 23 that we looked at last week (verse 8). This has to be a constant day by day, situation by situation choice that lives out the foundational choice of serving God always in all times and things. We can do it because God, as the Bible tells us, is working within us both to will and to do for His good pleasure. 18 And also that He is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to [His] power that works within us (NASB). 19 Yes, it is challenging to serve God because we cannot do it on our own. Then Joshua also told the people, and tells us, that we cannot serve God selectively or casually. Many of us have heard about the Pony Express in the U.S. This short-lived but longremembered venture was founded in 1860 in response to the need for faster communication with the western U.S., spurred on by the threat of Civil War. The Pony Express consisted of relays of men riding horses carrying saddlebags of mail across a 2,000-mile trail. Eventually there were more than 100 stations along the way, 80 riders and between horses. 7

8 The route was extremely hazardous and the work demanding. 20 There was no place for casual, pick-and-choose riders. They had to be young, light weight, tough and committed. One advertisement reportedly read Wanted: Young, skinny, wiry fellows not over eighteen. Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred. 21 I cannot truly serve God if I am casual or selective in my service. This is a familiar theme in the book of Joshua. The book opens with God telling Joshua, be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go (1:7). After the land was subdued Joshua told the leaders of the eastern tribes as he sent them home, But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul (22:5). He told the leaders of the nation in his last address to them in chapter 23, be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left (verse 6). Our model for service is Jesus who told us I do exactly as the Father commanded Me (NASB). 22 Serving God is not just for Sundays and other special times, in some things but not others, when it is easy or convenient but not when it is difficult or inconvenient. The Pony Express ad said orphans preferred. Jesus said this, If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me (NLT). 23 Question: In this last week, and today so far, have you met this requirement? Have you truly been serving God or has it been selectively or casually? Another part of this challenge of choice, the choice to serve God, is that we truly serve Him only as we serve in sincerity and truth. Look at verse 14. Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth. 8

9 Sincerity and truth go together. They must go together to truly serve God. I can be sincere and wrong. Many people are sincere in thinking that all religions are the same, that they all lead to the same end, they all lead to God. Even if they are totally sincere about that they are totally wrong. Then, I can hold to what is true, but only outwardly, without personal commitment, without sincerity. Over three hundred years after Joshua another old man spoke to the nation. Samuel had just appointed Saul as Israel s first king. Many of the people thought having a king would make them a great, world class nation. Samuel reminded them of what God had done for the nation and called them to fear and serve the Lord. He told them, Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. 24 A thousand years after Samuel the apostle Paul told the church at Corinth, using the figure of the Passover meal, to live with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (NASB). 25 In Joshua s day, Samuel s day, Paul s day and our day the message is the same: we truly serve God only as we serve in sincerity and truth. And so it is imperative for us, it is required of us to be grounded and growing in the truth of God from the Bible in order to serve Him. It is imperative for us, it is required of us that we love God and serve Him with all our heart and with all our soul. 26 It is a challenge to truly serve God. Because you cannot do it on your own. Because you cannot do it selectively or casually. Because you must do it in sincerity and truth. Conclusion. The challenge is given: Choose Today! Choose for yourself today whom you will serve. Israel that day chose to serve God. Turn ahead in your Bible a few pages to Judges chapter 2. Last week we looked at the opening verses of that chapter. Now drop down to verse 7. So the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD which He had done for Israel. Now Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died when he was one hundred and ten years old. And they buried him within the border of his inheritance at 9

10 Timnath Heres, in the mountains of Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaash. When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, [that is when all that generation had died] another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel (verses 7-12). Those are sad, tragically sad words. Today is the time to choose to serve God. Not lightly, but seriously. In light of what God has done for you, in light of who and what He is, in light of His unlimited power that works within you, choose to serve Him today and every day He gives you life. In these next quiet moments, examine your heart, asking God to help you see the state of your devotion to Him. Confess and turn from anything and everything that is not as it should be. Ask God to change your heart to make it wholly His, ever true to Him. Commit yourself or recommit yourself to truly serve Him. Do that now. 1 3 John 1: Luke 12: Romans 3:23; 6:23. 4 Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 1:21-22 etc. 5 Leviticus 19:2. 6 Isaiah 57:15. 7 Habakkuk 1:13. 8 Jeremiah 17:9. 9 Revelation 4:8, NASB. 10 Exodus 34:14, ESV. 11 James 3:16, NASB. 12 Damon Knight. To Serve Man. Galaxy Science Fiction, Numbers 14:18, NASB. 14 Psalm 86:5, NASB John 1:9. 16 Hebrews 12:6. 10

11 17 Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2: Philippians 2: Ephesians 3:20, NASB. 20 Pony Express National Museum. < Accessed 30 May Pony Express. Wikipedia. < Last modified on 24 May Accessed 30 May John 14:31, NASB. 23 Luke 9:23, NLT Samuel 12: Corinthians 5:8. 26 Deuteronomy 10: Lyle L. Wahl Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture marked (NASB) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois All rights reserved. 11