'13 JOSH 24 ONE FINAL REMINDER 6/19/13 1

Transcription

1 1 I) V1 INTRO: Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel together at Shechem and called for the elders a) Joshua is preparing to die, and because he is he has called for a meeting with the nation 1) He has already spoken to the nation and exhorted them to follow the Lord completely 2) He had reminded them of God s faithfulness to them, and had warned them to remain faithful II) HE NOW: Calls them together for a second and last time a) NOTICE: We are told that Joshua gathered all the tribles, but they presented themselves to God 1) This reveals to us how important this gathering actually is III) MEETINGS: Occur every day in various locations for various reasons a) The boss or supervisor calls for a meeting, and the employees show up 1) Athletic teams have meetings and the manager or coach speaks to the players 2) Not every meeting is really that important IV) WHEN WE GATHER: In church services, it is always important to remember Who we are meeting with a) They presented themselves to God, and not to Joshua 1) Though they met together, and heard from Joshua, it was to God that they presented themselves 2) They assembled to hear the Word of the Lord V) IN THE BOOK OF ACTS: We find an interesting story that illustrates this well a) The apostle Peter was staying in Joppa (Jaffa) at the home of Simon, a tanner 1) While there, God had answered the prayer of a soldier named Cornelius 2) He commanded Cornelius to send for the apostle Peter, so that Peter could share the gospel VI) CORNELIUS LIVED IN CAESAREA: So he sent three men to Joppa, a trip of around 30 miles to the south a) As they were making their way to Joppa, Peter went to a rooftop to pray 1) While praying, he had a vision of a great sheet with all manner of animals, clean and unclean 2) A voice commanded him to slay and eat, and Peter argued saying he was kosher! 3) This vision was repeated three times VII) AS HE THOUGHT: The men arrived at the tanners house, and the Spirit told Peter to go with them a) The next day he made the journey with them and came to Cornelius house 1) He had assembled his close friends and his relatives that they might hear what Peter would say 2) This is what we should also do, which is what I learned when I first was saved VIII) WHAT DID THEY GATHER FOR:

2 2 a) Ac 10:33 So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God IX) TODAY: The church can sometimes gather for reasons other than hearing the things of God a) Believers can enter the church with unrealistic expectations, and thus become disappointed 1) We need to remember that church services do not always make us feel comfortable 2) We won t always like what happens at church 3) We might leave a service upset because we actually see ourselves in light of God s righteousness 4) AMAZINGLY: You might not even get along with everybody you meet in church! X) KEY: When believers gather together, it is intended by God for them to present themselves to God a) When they present themselves to God, they will be in the best position to hear from Him I) QUESTION: How will they hear from Him? Through His word that will be delivered to them a) Quote: It is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men. 1) 1 Th 2:13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. II) JOSHUA: Is closing his service to God to a close and does so with a solemn assembly a) He determines to call for a renewal of the covenant that Israel has with the Lord 1) He does so by assembling the leaders who are representatives of the nation (23:2) III) V2-14 AND JOSHUA SAID: To all the people Thus says the Lord God of Israel Your fathers a) Joshua begins to rehearse in their hearing how God has been so gracious to them 1) He does so by reminding them of how God has cared from them from the time of Abraham 2) He also will use this reminder to exhort them to remain faithful to God: 3) He exhorts them to be faithful to God and to be removed from idolatry (V14) IV) V2 NOTICE: Thus says the Lord God of Israel a) Joshua reminds them that God has a special relationship with them as a nation 1) To establish this he begins with a short reminder of how God has been with them over history V) V2 YOUR FATHERS: Including Terah the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor dwelt on the other a) He begins by reminding them of the the fact they were not seeking God, but God sought them 1) NOTICE: Throughout these verses God s work is emphasized 2) GOD SAYS: I took your father Abraham, I gave Jacob and Esau, I gave the mountains of Seir to possess, I sent Moses and Aaron, I plagued Egypt, I brought you out, I brought your fathers out of Egypt, He (I) put darkness, your eyes saw what I did, I brought you into the land, I gave them

3 3 into your hand, I destroyed them, I would not listen, I delivered you out of his hand, I delivered them into your hand, I sent the hornet, I have given you a land VI) SO: He begins by emphasizing how God chose Abraham out of a family with a history of idolatry a) Idolatry in a basic form is the veneration of something other than the true God 1) Ro 1:25 (Speaks of those) who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. VII) KEY: Incidentally, God still does call us out of a life of idolatry a) This comes by the message of the cross, and results in our turning from idols to the Living God 1) 1 Th 1:9 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God 2) Abraham s calling reveals the tremendous grace of God VIII) NAHOR: Is Abraham s brother, from whom Rebekah and her nieces Leah and Rachel are descended IX) V3 THOUGH ABRAHAM: Was childless, in his old age God gave him Isaac a) Through Isaac came Jacob and Esau, with Esau occupying to land east of the Jordan X) V4-6 WHILE ESAU S DESCENDANTS: Began occupying that region, over time Israel went to Egypt a) After centuries of bondage, He delivered the Jews through Moses and Aaron 1) He reminds them of the Red Sea crossing and God s overthrow of Pharaoh s army (V6-7) I) V8 AND: I brought you into the land of the Amorites who dwelt on the other side of the Jordan a) This speaks of their initial defeat of two kings, Sihon and Og by the east border of the Jordan II) V9-10 THEN BALAK: The son of Zippor king of Moab arose to make war against Israel a) On three separate occasions Balaam was asked to curse Israel, but he could not (Nu 22-24) III) V11-13 THEN: You went over the Jordan and came to Jericho And the men of Jericho fought a) He brings them up to recent history, including Sihon and Og but including recent conquests 1) Sent hornets: a way of saying God fought on their behalf (23:3, 5, 10, 18) IV) V14 NOW: Therefore fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods a) NOTICE: The fear of the Lord results in serving the Lord V) V14 YOU SERVE HIM: With sincerity a) Completely; unimpaired; with integrity; completely whole (complete devotion)

4 4 1) Mt 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, Away with you, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve. 2) Ps 119:34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart. VI) V14 AND IN TRUTH a) Truth: Firmly; faitfulness; continually 1) It can also speak of true doctrine; holding fast to the truth of God s Word VII) KEY: Obviously this would speak of us believing the Bible, and holding tightly to what we know a) Jer 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts. 1) Fear, sincerity, and truth will result in proper service of the Lord VIII) V15 AND: If it seems evil to you to serve the Lord choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve a) If it is displeasing to you to serve God, then what will you choose to serve 1) They are given a choice: choose whom you will serve: what God has been better to you? 2) KEY: Genuine worship does not spring from prohibitions and commands, but by love IX) V15 BUT: As for me and my house we will serve the Lord a) He was not encouraging them to forsake God, but to make the choice to do so 1) He would serve God, and would lead his family to do the same 2) Ps 119:112 I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, to the very end. X) V16-18 SO: The people answered and said Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord a) They are saying they will faithfully obey God s command concerning idolatry 1) Dt 5:6-7 I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. 2) 1 Jn 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. XI) V19-20 BUT JOSHUA: Said to the people You cannot serve the Lord for He is a holy God a) POINT: Just exclaiming that you will serve God does not guarantee that you will 1) Without a changed heart and God s help, this will be impossible for them to do I) HE IS HOLY: And demands full worship and is not to be trifled with a) If you are not faithful to Him, He will judge you, even though He has blessed you in the past II) V21 AND: The people said to Joshua No but we will serve the Lord a) They remained fully resolved to keep their promise III) V22-23 SO: Joshua said to the people You are witnesses against yourselves that you havae chosen

5 5 a) Dt 23:21 When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin to you. b) Mt 12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned 1) Confessions of faith are not to be made lightly IV) obey V24-25 AND: The people said to Joshua The Lord our God we will serve and His voice we will a) This established that they had agreed to follow God with their whole hearts V) V26-28 THEN: Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God And he took a large stone a) He wrote out a document, and placed it in the scrolls of the Law as a reminder 1) He then set up stone of remembrance for a consistent reminder of their promise 2) He then dismissed the people VI) V29-33 NOW: It came to pass after these things that Joshua the son of Nun died being 110 years old a) The godly generation died off, and the writer speaks of the bones of Joseph and the priest Eleazar VII) KEY: When Israel had left Egypt, they brought the remains of Joseph who had died there a) Gen 50:25 Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here. b) Ex 13:19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had placed the children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you. VIII) SADLY: The pure worship only lasted for one generation