Joshua's Final Encouragement

Every year in the finals of the various codes of football, but especially in the AFL, I am struck by the relationship many fans feel they have with members of their team.

On a number of occasions older female fans refer to the team as “my boys”

Now for some of these fans they may have had some contact with the team.

But most people whom I have met with this level of devotion only know the team from a distance; the closest they get is the occasional autograph at a fan day.

They don’t really know the team members, but they feel they do.

They worship their team by flying the length & breadth of the country to get to a game where “their boys” are playing.

They adore a person they really don’t know.

They display a depth of devotion which is in many ways admirable.

Fans place their faith in the promise of victory.

Their faith is often not rewarded, their team loses.

Yet their faith remains and is expressed in ongoing adoration for their team.

The depth of their devotion is in sharp contrast to the devotion which many Christians demonstrate towards God.

Christians are commanded to have faith in God’s promises.

To express that faith, not by travelling all over the country; but in constant worship and adoration of the Lord.

Scene 1/ Commitment to God is commanded

In Joshua 24:14-15 we read of Joshua’s final address to the people of Israel. “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. 15 But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.””

Joshua had led the people of Israel into the Promised Land.

Throughout his life they had seen the Lord at work.

He had never let them down; commitment to him always led to victory.

There was one and only one question that they needed to answer.

Would they give their complete and utter devotion to the Lord or would they follow after the idols of their ancestors?

This very same question flows throughout Scripture.

Every generation had to answer the same question.

Who would they give their devotion to?

King David asked this same question of his son Solomon when he was about to become King.

Listen to David’s words in 1 Chronicles 28:9

1 Chronicles 28:9 NLT

9 “And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

Over and over again there is this constant theme.

Over and over again the same question is asked.

Who are the people of Israel committed to?

Who will they worship?

Centuries later when the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome he addressed the same thing that Joshua had centuries earlier.

Where would their focus be, who would they serve?

Would they serve the Lord, or would they serve the idols of their generation.

In Romans 12:1–2 the Apostle Paul wrote, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

We know the Apostle Paul’s answer; he willingly died because of his commitment to the Lord.

We know what Joshua’s answer to this question was because it is recorded in Joshua 25:15, “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord”

We are asked the same question.

Who will we serve?

Who will we worship?

Where is our devotion?

If our answer to this question is;

“We will serve the Lord!”

Scene 2/ Then the sign of our commitment is our obedience to God’s commands

Romans 6:17 says, “Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you.” (NLT)

The sign of our commitment is our obedience.

If the sports fan has no real clue about the effort that a player puts into learning and obeying the rules of the game it doesn’t really matter.

The sports fan doesn’t have to obey the rules.

They are not playing the game.

There is no effort required.

In fact on many occasions they will interpret the rules in a way which simply suits their idea of who should win.

In their mind the rules are there to make life easier for their team and harder for the opposition.

I think that at some stage we have all come across people like this.

But for the players it is an entirely different story.

They have to know the rules.

They have to learn what is and isn’t allowed.

They must know the rules but more importantly they have to obey the rules.

The Apostle Paul got this point when he wrote Romans 2:13 ,

Romans 2:13 NLT

13 For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight.

If the player doesn’t understand what the rules allow; and do not allow at any given moment.

And then act accordingly.

They will lose the game.

And if they will not put the effort into learning and obeying the rules then the team has to question their commitment.

Obedience to God’s commands is a sign of our commitment to God.

A person who is committed to God obeys his commands.

But it is far more than simple obedience.

Scene 3/ Jesus equates obedience with love:

Obedience isn’t a simple transaction where the Lord accepts your obedience as a sign of your commitment and that is the end of the matter.

That would be legalism.

Trying to justify ourselves in God’s sight by our own efforts.

Obedience is an act of Love.

Because you love the Lord you obey the Lord.

Because you obey the Lord you are demonstrating your love for the Lord and your love for the Lord is a sign of your commitment to the Lord.

Jesus said, John 14:15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.” (NLT)

He also said, in John 15:10 “10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”

There is a massive difference between obedience out of duty, obedience out of a desire to get something and obedience out of love and genuine devotion.

The sad reality for so many is the lack of genuine love for God in their relationship with him.

Something is missing.

Genuine love has a depth to it.

It is not shallow, it has substance.

It grows from an initial attraction into a deep knowledge of and involvement with the one loved.

It grows over time, because of time spent together.

It grows in trust because the one loved proves trustworthy.

Scene 4/ Love for God and worship of him are hallmarks of commitment

Throughout the Scriptures there is this central motif.

It was a command for Israel.

Deuteronomy 6:5 says, “ And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.”

It is repeated again in Deuteronomy 10:12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.”

Joshua said to the people he led into the Promised Land, “So be very careful to love the Lord your God”. Joshua 23:11 (NLT)

When Jesus was asked, “what is the greatest commandment”, he answered, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” Matthew 22:37 (NLT)

When Jesus was facing the cross and was a prisoner of the high priest Simon Peter stumbled and in fear denied him.

He needed to be restored by the risen Lord.

Jesus repeatedly asked him one simple question in John 21:15,

“Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

The people of Israel repeatedly forgot this central truth.

Love for God and worship of him are hallmarks of commitment.

In Joshua 24:31 we read, “The people of Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the elders who outlived him – those who had personally experienced all that the Lord had done for Israel.”

But a generation later they had forgotten what it was to be totally devoted to the Lord.

They had forgotten the command of total commitment.

They had forgotten the example of Joshua.

Joshua was totally committed.

“As for me and my house we will serve the Lord” was the hallmark of Joshua’s life.

For his entire life he was completely devoted to God.

From the first time we read about him until his death Joshua was totally committed to God.

If we want to experience all that the Lord has for us.

If we want to know the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.

Then we need to have the attitude which says, “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord”