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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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“AS FOR ME AND MY
HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD” (2014 GBC THEME) “CHRISTIAN
COMMITMENT” Joshua 24:15-29,
1/12/14 Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I.
ISRAEL’S COMMITMENT A. Joshua’s Challenges (14, 15) 1. Joshua’s first challenge is implied
in the command of vs. 14, “Serve the Lord…and put away false gods.” If they
were going to serve the Lord, then they must in addition put away false gods.
However, if they were not going to put away false gods, then neither would
they be serving the Lord. The second challenge in vs. 15 continues, “If you
are not going to serve the Lord, then choose one of the false gods to serve.” 2. Joshua’s exhortation to “choose for
yourselves today whom you will serve” was in his second challenge (vs. 15).
However, it was also implied in the challenge of vs.
14. It essentially boiled down to either Israel was going to serve God or
they were going to serve idols. They had to make achoice
between them. B. The Meaning of Serve the Lord 1. The phrase “serve the Lord” contains the
Hebrew word, abad, which has the
Arabic root meanings of “worship and obey God” as well as the idea of
“enslavement or servitude.” In regard to God,
worship and obedience does not equate to divine enslavement. Rather it
suggests the voluntary submission of a loving and loyal bond-slave (Ex 21:5-6
cf. Ro 1:1; 2Pe 1:1) that results in joy and liberation (Ex 4:23; 7:16; Je
2:20). However at times, the word was associated with serving other gods (Dt
7:16; 2Ki 10:18; Jos 24:15). 2. In regard to serving
the true God it encompasses multiple aspects such as: a joyful heart (Dt
28:47), sincerity and truth (Jos 24:14), reverential understanding of God (Dt
10:12; Jos 24:14), commit to Him and swear by His name (Dt 10:20), love God
and obey His commands (De 11:13; 13:4;
Jos 22:5), temple service (Nu 3:7), put away false
gods (Jos 24:14, 16). To serve the Lord then means to love, reverence, commit to, and
obey, and minister for Him supremely. C. The Meaning of Choose for Yourselves 1. The Hebrew word for “choose” is bachar and means to select or choose. It is
not an arbitrary choice but involves a
careful, well thought-out decision (1Sa 17:40; 1Ki
18:25; Is 1:29; Is 40:20). It is used in reference with God, especially in
His election of Israel (Nu 16:5; Dt 4:47; 7:6). It is chiefly translated in
the LXX with the Greek word eklegō (cf.
Jos 24:22; Ac 1:2; 6:5; 1Co 1:28; Ep 1:4). 2. In Jos 24:15 the LXX uses elesthe, an aorist middle imperative from aireō. It depicts the idea choosing
for oneself between alternatives (cf. 2Th 2:13; Php 1:22). Being in the
middle voice it stresses the volitional responsibility of choosing (“for yourself”). Therefore, the Lord places the moral
accountability of such choices upon the individual (Ps 25:12; 119:173; Pr 1:29;
3:31). II. THE ELEMENTS OF COMMITMENT A. Immediate Commitment (Jos 24:15) 1. [15] Israel’s decision to serve the Lord
was to be an immediate commitment. They were to make it “today,” that
particular day. 2. For Israel, to wait or to procrastinate,
was a decision. It was a decision not to serve the Lord but continue serving
false gods. Joshua made an immediate commitment for himself and his house to
serve the Lord. 3. Though we grow in sanctification, once we
know what the Word tells us to do, our commitment to serve the Lord should be
immediate (Ps 119:59-60; Jn 14:15). In many cases, remaining neutral is a
decision not to serve the Lord. B. Reasons For a Commitment (Jos 24:16-18) 1. [16] Israel responded to Joshua saying, Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to
serve other gods.” Most likely they were speaking of
their moral obligation (“ought”) to serve the Lord because He was God, the
supreme Moral Being and Creator. 2. [17-18] They also gave other reasons why
they ought to serve the Lord. First the Lord called
them, delivered them (“brought us out”), revealed Himself (“great signs”),
“preserved” them, protected them, fought for them, gave them their land. 3. The believer’s commitment is rooted in
his moral obligation to his supreme Moral God, Creator, Savior, and Lord (Le
11:45; 1Pe 1:14-17). Coupled with this obligation is the fact of the Lord’s calling of him (Ro 1:6; 1Co 1:9), the Lord’s
calling for him (Ep 1:18; 4:1), and the Lord’s preservation of that calling
(1Th 5:24; Jude 1:24). C. Limitations to Commitment (Jos 24:19 1. [19] Then Joshua states another striking
and relevant statement. He said, “You
will not be able to serve the LORD.” Joshua
understood Israel’s sinful propensity and history toward idols. 2. In addition, Joshua understood that
Israel could not make or keep a commitment without the Lord’s divine
enablement. But Joshua also understood some very
pertinent facts concerning Israel (cf. Jos 24:23). 3. Even the believer has limitations to his
commitment because he still possesses the sinful nature which has a
propensity for idols (Gal 5:19-20). But the believer
also possess the Holy Spirit (Ep 1:13; 1Co 3:16) and a new nature (Ro 6:4;
Col 3:10). These are divine enablements to be able to make a commitment to
serve the Lord (2Pe 1:3). However, along with these, the believer has a
volitional responsibility to make a commitment to serve the Lord (Php
2:12-13; Php 3:12-14 cf. 1Co 15:10). D. Consequences of Non-commitment (Jos
24:19-20) 1. [19b] The reason that Joshua pressed
Israel to commitment was because there would be consequences for
non-commitment. As stated before, no commitment to serve the Lord for Israel
was a commitment to serve idols. But because God is
holy and jealous for His created and chosen people, He would not allow them
to abandon Him without consequences. God would not excuse or forgive such
abandonment. 2. [20] If Israel
served other gods, He would turn His indignation from the nations and direct
it toward Israel.
God had warned them numerous times about His intentions toward idolatry (Le
26:17; De 28:25, 48; Jdg 2:12-15). This would culminate in three deportations
and exiles in captivity. 3. Though the believer cannot lose his
salvation, if he walks in continued sin without repentance, the Lord will
bring upon him heavenly discipline. The purpose for such discipline is so
that God’s children will grow in holiness (He 12:5-10). It
will be the believer’s faithful commitment to the Lord that keeps him from
severe heavenly discipline and further widespread consequences. E. Accountability with Commitment (Jos
24:21-27) 1. [21-22] With the understanding of the
brevity of commitment, the Israelites affirm their commitment to serve the
Lord. Joshua then holds them accountable to the testimony of their own words.
They are their own witnesses to their own verbal commitment. Israel would be
accountable to their words and themselves. 2. [23-24] Joshua demands that they “put
away their foreign gods.” This demand was not only for reiteration, but also
for any who had been publically or secretly harboring
idols. Hence, Joshua was justified in his earlier accusation, “You will not be able to serve the LORD” (Jos 24:19). Verbal commitment must
be followed by active commitment; otherwise, it is no commitment at
all. Israel confirmed their obedience to the Lord’s voice. 3. [25] Joshua made a covenant with Israel
that very day. The covenant was a renewal of the covenant made at Sinai (Dt
28:69). 4. [26] The renewal was written in the “book
of the Law” (added to the book of Moses) and placed a stone under an oak tree
that had spiritual significance (Ge 12: 6-7; 35:4). Now Israel’s commitment
became accountable to a memorial and Scripture. 5. In a similar way, believers are
accountable not only to the Lord but to one another. No greater
accountability should be found then in the church.
Believers come to church not only to grow but to
show that they are walking with the Lord. Could it be possible that some do
not come to church faithfully because they do not desire such accountability?
The accountability from the church is a strong encouragement to stimulate
spiritual growth and accountability. III. CONCLUSION A. As a testimony to Joshua’s challenge and
example, Judges recorded that this generation remained faithful to the Lord
(Jdg 2:8-10). But as was the typical case, the next
generation did know the Lord or possess the same commitment to serve Him (Jdg
2:10-11). To them, it was disagreeable to serve the Lord and therefore, they
served false gods (cf. Jos 24:15). B. Joshua gives just cause and motivation for
the believer today to possess a strong Christian commitment. It has been shown that Christian commitment needs to be well
understood, immediate, sincere, faithful, accountable to the church, and
dependent on the Lord. But the commitment must not
only be personal, it must be passed on in the home to the next generations.
Only then will we be able to say with Joshua, “as for me and my house, we
will serve the Lord. |
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