*******Joshua 24:14-15 SERVE THE LORD

Joshua 24:14–15 (NRSV)

14 “Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

I want to challenge EVERY CHILD OF GOD to love the Lord Jesus and serve the Lord Jesus with all OUR hearts.

I.WE are presented with a decision. (14–15a)

A. We can choose wisely to follow the Lord. (14)

“Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD!”

Joshua had been faithful to the Lord in following after Moses. God used Joshua to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land. There were battles fought and burdens carried.

There were victories won and defeats experienced. Joshua was giving his farewell address. He had called for the rulers, the elders, the judges, the officers, and all the people, to Shechem, to make a covenant with them. After reminding them about their fathers who lived on the other river and served other gods, Joshua lays down a challenge for this generation!

Remember:

→ The people Joshua led into the Promised Land were all sixty years and younger.

→ Forty years had passed since God rebuke the rebellious generation that complained, murmured, bickered, and rebelled.

→ Every person who was twenty years and older died in the wilderness except for Joshua and Caleb.

→ Caleb was forty-five when he went to see the land and he and Joshua gave a good report. It was a good land flowing with milk and honey and they encouraged the people to take possession of it, saying ‘we can surely get it.’.

→ Caleb was eighty-five before he went and possessed the land because of the sin and rebellion of that older generation.

Through the word of the Lord Joshua had reminded the people of all that God had done for them. Joshua reminded them that God had seen them through the Red Sea, provided food and water for them, and supernaturally saw that their clothes didn’t wear out for forty years. Joshua reminded the people that God had been good to them.

◦ Before we choose to follow the Lord we must understand with our heads and with our hearts how good God has been to us.

Joshua tells them because of what they know about the Lord, they are to fear the Lord, serve the Lord, and turn away from other gods.

Fear: yare’, yaw-ray’; to fear; moral to revere; causative to frighten, affright, be (make) afraid, dreadful, (put in) fear, (be had in) reverence (-end), x see, terrible (act, -ness, thing) to stand in awe. This word refers to a reverential respect which leads to willing obedience. We are to recognize the power and position of the Lord and in turn we are to render Him the proper respect due Him.

The Bible tells us that we should choose wisely to follow the Lord, but many do not because they do not fear the Lord. The foundation of pleasing God in this life is to have a reverential fear of God.

→ You cannot have genuine faith in God without fear of God.

→ He’s not our big buddy in heaven or the old man upstairs.

→ He is God alone!

Brothers and sisters , we need to hear and heed this message today. We are to give undivided loyalty to the Lord Jesus Christ if we are going to lead our families and if we truly love our families. The only way to experience the presence and blessings of the Lord is to follow the Lord.

Men: it is always wise to follow the Lord.

✓ It may not always be easy,

✓ the most popular way,

✓ the most populated way,

✓ but it is the best way

✓ and the blessed way!

Joshua exhorted the people to fear the Lord and serve the Lord.

We are to fear God and serve God. We cannot expect our families to love God, fear God, and serve God if we don’t.

Serve: abad, aw-bad’; to work (in any sense); by implication to serve, till, enslave, etc. be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, do, labor (-ing man), bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve, (be, become) servant (-s), do (use) service. We are to work and serve the Lord because that is the very best thing we can do. Are you serving the Lord Jesus? Do your wife and children know that you are a servant of the Lord?

It is possible to serve and not do it with the right motives.

Joshua tells them what to do and how to do it. They were not only to serve the Lord, but they were to serve the Lord with sincerity and in truth.

Sincerity: tamiym, taw-meem’; entire, integrity, truth without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerely (-ity), sound, without spot, undefiled, upright (-ly), whole. We are to serve the Lord in sincerity. Do it without hypocrisy. The Lord Jesus is number one and we put our heart into serving Him because He deserves our best.

That means:

→ we don’t quit serving Jesus during football season,

→ we don’t drop out during hunting season,

→ we don’t give up during harvest season,

→ we don’t pack it in during the playoffs

→ we don’t bale out during tough times

Serving Jesus is not seasonal and it is not optional! We are to serve the Lord Jesus in sincerity, with integrity, in truth, and with consistency.

Our decision to follow the Lord Jesus Christ must be a conscious and willful and consistent decision. We must not waver, flip flop, or be tossed to and fro. Rod Mattoon wrote, “Much of Christianity in the United States is characterized by worldliness, waywardness, willfulness, wandering, wastefulness, weakness, whimpering, worry, and wickedness and can be traced to believers who have not made a determined, decisive decision to dedicate themselves to the Lord Jesus Christ and to serve Him courageously, consistently, and continually.” What the world is waiting to see, our families are waiting to see, our children are waiting to see, our neighbors are waiting to see are fathers who genuinely and sincerely love and serve Jesus Christ. We are to serve Him in sincerity and in truth.

We will never make a lasting impression or a lasting influence on their families, in the church, or in the world if they do not serve the Lord in sincerity and in truth.

Faithful fathers are men of integrity, sincerity, and they are truthful. How can we serve the Lord with sincerity and integrity, and in truth? Joshua tells us in verse 14, “and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!” They were called to repent of their idolatry. They were called to serve the Lord only! You and I are to put away all the false gods today that have our attention and grab our affection.

David Jeremiah wrote, “I think our world is full of false gods. Some people serve the almighty dollar, others serve a god known as power or prestige. Still other are caught up in the god of pleasure. There are plenty of alternatives for how you will spend your life. You’ve got to make a decision about whom you will serve.” We must make a deliberate choice to put away the other gods and follow the Lord. That is the wise choice!

Joshua reminded the people that their fathers served other gods on the other side of the River and in Egypt. This tells me that we can choose to serve the Lord Jesus even if we have not been brought up in a Christian home. Even if our daddy was a drunkard, idolater, a blasphemer, a covetous man, a thief, a liar, or an adulterer. We don’t have to follow in the footsteps of our fathers! We don’t have to go the way they have gone especially if they’ve gone the way of the ungodly. If our fathers have served other gods we don’t have to serve other gods. If your father didn’t teach you to love the Lord and serve the Lord, we still have a heavenly Father who will teach us to be a godly father. The Bible tells us that we can choose wisely to follow the Lord. We also learn in this passage:

B. We can choose wrongly to forsake the Lord. (15a)

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.”

Joshua lays it on the line. He gives them an invitation.

He calls for them to make a decision. By the way, invitations are Biblical and preachers that give invitations are doing what God calls for them to do. Joshua reminds the people how good God had been to them and who He was. He challenged them to wisely follow the Lord. Then he challenges them to do one or the other! Follow the Lord or forsake the Lord! Get busy living for Jesus or live for yourself and serve the pagan gods of this world! There is no middle ground with the Lord! We are either for Him or against Him! Fathers that do not love the Lord and serve the Lord will forsake the Lord. That is the thing that the flesh will want you to do. That is the easy way, the path of least resistance.

It is not easy to serve the Lord Jesus and lead your family. Joshua gave the people a decision after he had presented the people with the facts. The fact is that God takes care of His children. The fact is that it is wise to follow the Lord. Joshua presented the facts in such a way that the people understood the obvious response. It would be foolish to forsake the Lord.

It is foolish to forsake the Lord. People still forsake the Lord. People choose wrongly to forsake the Lord. Warren Wiersbe wrote, “Being a wise and spiritual man, Joshua knew that everybody must worship something or someone, whether they realize it or not, because humanity is ‘incurably religious.”

Joshua asked the people a strong question. The people were to contemplate whom they would serve. He was asking them “Whose side are you on?” We are to choose sides and we need to choose wisely. Ronald Reagan, in his 2nd inaugural address in 1984, said, “America was founded by people who believed God was their rock of safety. I recognize that we must be cautious in claiming that God is on our side, but I think it’s all right to keep asking if we are on His side.”

Is it evil to serve the Lord? Of course not! The people needed to realize that!

We need to realize that today. It is not evil to lead your family and teach your family the word of God.

Evil: (ra’a; raw-ah) wicked, good for nothing. Fathers need to ask themselves daily whom they will serve and why they will serve that one. On a daily basis we are presented with a decision. Whom will we serve? Godly fathers will not choose wrongly to forsake the Lord.

Choose: bachar, baw-khar’; to try, i.e. (by implication) select-acceptable, appoint, choose (choice), excellent, join, be rather, require. This word means “a permanent choice, not a one-time choice.” The implication is clear. We are to keep on choosing every day to serve God. Joshua challenges them to choose for themselves this day. John G. Butler wrote, “Joshua said they needed to make the decision ‘today.’ There is no reason for delay. Delay only subtracts blessings. If you are on the wrong road, you need to stop immediately and get on the right road.” This is the day we must choose. Some of us need to quit playing games with the Lord, quit playing games at the foot of the cross, and rise up and serve the Lord. We are not promised tomorrow. We must choose whom we will serve. The Bible tells us that WE are presented with a decision. We also learn that the Bible says:

II. WE are proven by OUR devotion. (15b–c)

A. OUR devotion. (15b)

“But as for me”

Joshua was not only a leader of a country, but he was first and foremost the leader of his home. Joshua’s desire was that all the men of Israel would lead their families as he led his. It takes faithful fathers who are devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ to lead their families. Fathers are proven by their devotion to God.

→ WE cannot lead their families into a closer walk with Jesus if they themselves do not have a close walk with Jesus.

Joshua understood that he had to be sold out for the Lord before he could ever lead his family as God would have him to. Joshua’s declaration of faith was not a private declaration. He made it before all Israel. His was a public, personal, and persuasive declaration. Joshua made a bold statement before all of Israel. He was saying that he was devoted to the Lord. Charles Spurgeon said, “Does not Joshua’s outspoken avowal make you blush? You are espoused to Christ, you say, but will there never be an open marriage? Will you never take Him publicly before the eyes of men to be your Lord and husband forever and ever? Does Jesus agree to secret nuptials? Shall your Captain’s colors never adorn you? That is sorry courage which hides cowardly behind the bushes; that is poor loyalty which never utters the king’s name; that is questionable decision which dares not own itself to be on the Lord’s side … Run up the colors to the masthead where every eye may see them.”

→ It was over; he had planted a flag;

→ his life was dedicated and devoted to the Lord.

→ He was sold out and surrendered!

Donald Campbell said, “Adding example to exhortation, Israel’s venerated leader assured them that whatever their choice his mind was made up, his course clear: as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Faithful fathers will be resolved in their heart and minds to follow the Lord Jesus and serve Him.

No matter what others were doing or going to do, he was going to serve the Lord. Joshua didn’t take a poll or look around to see what others were going to do, but his devotion to the Lord was first and foremost in his life. S.R Aldridge, in the Pulpit Commentary, said, “He did not wait to see what the majority of the people would approve before he committed himself to a particular course of action; but boldly stated his intention to cleave with full purpose of heart unto the Lord.” Matthew Henry wrote, “Those that resolve to serve God must not mind being singular in it, nor be drawn by the crowd to forsake His service. Those that are bound for heaven must be willing to swim against the stream, and must not do as the most do, but as the best do.” Godly fathers are concerned about their own spiritual condition and the spiritual condition of their families.

Joshua knew that there were many options in life to serve false and dead gods; but he pointed the people to the Lord and challenged them to serve the Lord. A faithful man of God will not challenge others to do something that he himself is not willing to do. No matter what others were doing Joshua was committed to be a godly father. His devotion was to the Lord. He was resolved to be a godly dad!

Paul Harvey on his radio broadcast once announced this piece entitled, “I am going to stay a father.”

• At a time when being a buddy to one’s son is popular, I am going to stay a father. I believe it may yet prove to have been a bit sad psychology when dads are called ‘Jim, Pete, Art, Tom or Jack’ by their children.

• When Spock, Freud, Dewey, and Williams James have conspired to make Dad a minor stockholder on the home’s board of directors, when women’s rights, civil rights, people’s rights, children’s rights, and property rights have made it wrong for fathers to speak with authority, I am going to stay a father.

• When they tell it like it is, I will listen, even if I like it better like it was. If old-fashioned things as prayer, Bible study, worship and faith in God ever seem to my children to be out of it, square, or whatever—I trust God’s help to have faith enough to yet pray for them, and I pledge with Job to offer additional sacrifices for them.

• With love in our home, I will answer their questions about the facts of life, but at nudeness and lewdness I refuse to wink. Drinking and smoking are as out of place and unwanted in my home as profanity or the plague; and if experimentation with drugs or marijuana is ever a problem, it will be in violation of my every prayer and request.

• A ‘non-interfering’ attitude will not be accepted here—even if the weed is legalized and ‘social tripping’ becomes as acceptable as social drinking.

• I want my children to know that I make mistakes, that I am foolish, proud and often inconsistent. But I will not tolerate that as an excuse for my hypocrisy.

• I ask them to help me change as children should, and to expect me to help them change in the methods expected of a parent.

• Others may look to the under thirty crowd for the wisdom to throw away the past, and to say what will remain for future generations; others may let the off-spring in the house determine the foods, the music, and the spending of the household, but I am going to stay a father.

The Bible tells us that fathers are proven by their devotion. We’ve learned of the father’s devotion. We lastly note:

B. The family’s devotion. (15c)

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

The father’s devotion led to his family’s devotion. That happens when fathers truly, sincerely, and genuinely follow the Lord Jesus and serve Him. Joshua had confidence that he could speak for his household because he was the spiritual leader of his household. Joshua was a godly man and he was a leader of his family. Are you leading your family? David Jeremiah said, “Being honored as a father begins with honoring your heavenly Father.”

Joshua was a man of God who honored God and was honored by God. Fathers have the responsibility in leading their families. We are to love our children and lead our children. That means that the children are not to lead the parents, but the parents are to lead the children.

Advice from A to Z on leading your children:

◾ Always trust them to God’s care

◾ Bring them to church

◾ Challenge them to always serve the Lord Jesus

◾ Delight in their achievements

◾ Exalt the Lord Jesus Christ in their presence; at home as well as in church

◾ Frown on evil

◾ Give them love

◾ Hear their problems

◾ Inspire their creativity

◾ Joyfully accept their apologies and repentance

◾ Keep their confidence

◾ Live a godly example before them

◾ Magnify the Lord before them

◾ Never ignore their endless questions

◾ Open your home to their visits

◾ Pray for them by name

◾ Quicken your interest in their spirituality

◾ Remember their needs

◾ Show them the way of salvation

◾ Teach them the word of God and teach them to work

◾ Understand they are still young

◾ Verify your statements

◾ Wean them from bad company

◾ Expect them to obey

◾ Yearn for God’s best for them

◾ Zealously guide them in Biblical truths.

Joshua was determined that he and his house would serve the Lord. He was committed to the Lord God and His way and he was going to teach his children and lead his family to honor God. Joshua’s family was devoted to God! The family’s devotion to God is closely connected to the father’s devotion to God. God has placed the father as the head of the house and it is responsibility to lead. The children are not to run the show! They are not to dictate what goes on! Sadly, many children today do not submit to authority and are in rebellion because they are not taught at home. Charles Swindoll wrote, “Teachers see it in today’s classrooms; merchants face it in their shops; cops encounter it on a daily basis; youth workers in churches across America are forever forced to deal with it. Why? Because parents will not! The permissiveness found in homes today is downright disgusting. It is not uncommon to find child-centered homes where children intimidate their parents. Afraid to be strong, hesitant to stand firm against the determined will of their youngster, parents create a domestic setting that becomes unbearable.”

Men, we need to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might! We need to daily put on the armor of God and lead our families in the things of God. We need to work to teach our children and grandchildren about the Lord Jesus. We are to be devoted to the Lord Jesus and His word, His church, His work!

Families need to serve the Lord! It is a great blessing when whole families serve the Lord! Do you need to make a decision like this for the Lord? You need to choose this day to serve the Lord in sincerity and in truth. You need to surrender your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and be the man you are called to be.

We can choose wisely to follow the Lord or we can choose wrongly to forsake the Lord! Choose this day who you will serve. Father’s are proven by their devotion! If you are devoted to you toys, your pleasure, your club, your team, or your dream you will not be a faithful father! If you are devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ, His word, His will, His way, His church, then God can and will use you to have a devoted family! Which way will you go? What will you do? Who will you serve?