Be Diligent
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· 3 viewsAim: Conditional, so be diligent!
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Transcript
Anything worth having takes diligence
Anything worth having takes diligence
Want to have a relationship you have to be diligent to preserve it, grow it, nurture it.
Want to loose weight you need to be diligent to whatever program you set your mind do to.
Life is full of things that take diligence, and some need it because they are conditional
Jos23 summary thus far
Israel after 40 years in wilderness due to their rebellion and a generation passed away is now in the promised land of Canaan
It took 7-years to defeat the enemies inhabiting the land.
It took another 13-years before there was peace in the land and the land was divided among the tribes of Israel
Joshua called all Israel, elders, heads of the families, judges, officers to come to him (v.2)
He reminded them of everything the Good Lord, Good God had done for them
Then look at (Jos23:8) - he tells them what they are to do. Do what you are doing!
8 “But you are to cling to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day.
And He tells them why, God fights for them
10 “One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you.
Joshua was an old man, about 110, and was still going strong but he knew his time was drawing to an end. Our passage this morning is part of his final admonishment, warning about the conditional provisions of God’s blessings on Israel.
Like our very salvation has conditions, we first want to focus on our text; then look what we can gain for us today.
11 “So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the Lord your God. 12 “For if you ever go back and cling to the rest of these nations, these which remain among you, and intermarry with them, so that you associate with them and they with you,
13 know with certainty that the Lord your God will not continue to drive these nations out from before you; but they will be a snare and a trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the Lord your God has given you.
14 “Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed.
15 “It shall come about that just as all the good words which the Lord your God spoke to you have come upon you, so the Lord will bring upon you all the threats, until He has destroyed you from off this good land which the Lord your God has given you.
16 “When you transgress the covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and you will perish quickly from off the good land which He has given you.”
Did you notice any conditions in here, most are put in the negative
If you go back (v.12) - Then God will
Not drive out the nations before them
They will be a snare, a trap, a whip, thorns until you perish, off the good land (removed from the promised land)
He reminds them God is faithful, He is just and keeps His word, and does not break His promises. They had a choice, keep the conditions or suffer the consequences
The Lord will bring threats, will destroy, will take you from the good land which the Lord had given
Then he says “when” when they transgress, when they break covenant, then the Lord will burn against them,, they will perish quickly from the good land.
This is exactly what happened to Israel and continues to happen today for they did not keep the conditions
They were defeated, they were discomforted, they were displaced
722- Israel taken into Assyrian captivity for 120 years
686 Judah taken into Babylonian captivity and the temple destroyed
The people returned, the people rebelled then in 165 Antiochus Epiphanies humiliated them and desecrated the temple.
Still even after Messiah came, they did not meet the conditions of salvation and in 70ad through Titus Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed.
(Transition) Your very salvation is conditional for
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
There is no other way
12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
There is no other name
The conditions for your, and everyone else very salvation have to be met, for that is how God will meet with you.
Hear (Rom10:17)
Believe (Jn3:16; Rom10:9)
Confess (Rom10:9-10; Mt10:32)
Repent (Mk1:15, Act2:38)
Be Baptized (Act2:38; 22:16)
Then be diligent, faithful to the end (Rev2:10)
(Transition) I want to develop if you want to keep the conditions, know the conditions there are things we can do, be diligent about to ensure we stay in the conditions.
Conditional
Conditional
Our passage set before us tells Israel what God did, and what God will do if they go back, return, sway from His instructions.
God’s word is a two-edge sword (Heb4:12) keep it and it will bless you, break it and you invite the chastening of the word.
Joshua is not saying they are not doing right here, in fact they are doing right (23:8) but is warning them to stay the course, to be diligent (23:11).
If you love God than you will keep His commandments (Jn14:15)
Because God loves you He will chasten you when needed
11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord Or loathe His reproof, 12 For whom the Lord loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
or maybe you know this one more
6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.”
Spurgeon said: “God will not let His children to sin successfully.”
Moses had warned Israel against compromising with the world around them. If they did
God would remove His blessings
And they would be defeated
They had inherited and occupied all the land (Jos21:43) and then it was taken from them because of their not staying to the Lord’s conditions
Warren Wiersbe said “ After all, if you want to live and worship like Gentiles, then live with the Gentiles!”
You want to know and keep the conditions of the Lord? Know the Lord
(scriptures below not on screen)
11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.
Seek the Lord and He will be with you.
10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
James says to meditate on the goodness of the Lord, turn with me to Jm1:13-17
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
For the goodness of the Lord leads to repentance
4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
Joshua gives three parts in the admonishment passage this morning that is applicable to the church today
Keep Gods word (Jos23:6)
Cleave to the Lord (Jos23:8)
and love the Lord (Jos23:11)
(Transition) I still have a few minutes and want to bring in something to help us do that. Something we also see in the passage to be diligent (Jos23:11)
Be Diligent picture inserted here
Diligent definition: (Adj) constant in effort to accomplish something; attentive and persistent in doing anything:
God has given us all things we need for life and godliness (2Pt1:3) that means what we need to be diligent. Let me give you some scriptures covering diligence to consider.
9 “Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons.
Like our passage today said to give heed, we see it here in Deuteronomy to keep your soul, to not forget and to teach, show others so they know and do not forget (can see in Deu6:7 too)
17 “You should diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and His testimonies and His statutes which He has commanded you.
Diligently keep the word of the Lord, His commandments, teachings
17 “I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.
If you love Him, diligently seek Him and You will find Him!
One that we have to strive for, contend for today
2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace
Diligence takes work, takes effort, it is with purpose, consider
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
So that you can present yourself approved
Then consider Peter’s words
10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;
When you are diligent, when you put all these things into practice you will never stumble and then just one more before we close
14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,
Be diligent to be found in peace, spotless and blameless.
(lead to invitation)
Can you say I am Yours Lord? Are you seeking, following, keeping His commands?
Can you say I am Yours Lord, I have been cleansed of my sins, I have been born again having my sins washed away?
Can you say I am Yours Lord by my life, living in surrender, enjoying the blessings of God even the ones that feel like trials and tribulations?