Your Public Relationship with God

Joshua 24:1–2 KJV 1900

And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.

Joshua 24:3–4 KJV 1900

And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

Joshua 24:5–6 KJV 1900

I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out. And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea.

Joshua 24:7–8 KJV 1900

And when they cried unto the Lord, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season. And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you.

Joshua 24:9–10 KJV 1900

Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you: But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.

Joshua 24:11–12 KJV 1900

And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.

Joshua 24:13–14 KJV 1900

And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat. Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

Joshua 24:15 KJV 1900

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Introduction

So we come to the final chapter and the final sermon in the book of Joshua. God has given the land to His people and they experience rest among the blessings. In our passage this morning, Joshua refocuses the eyes of the reader on the public worship and service to God.

We need to be looking throughout the book for our theme for 2025. The central focus of the book of Joshua is that God wants us to move forward and take ahold of the blessings of our salvation.

Joshua 1:11 KJV 1900

Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it.

As we saw in our study of Ephesians, God has blessed us with spiritual blessings. All the saved have access to these blessings. Do we share them with the lost? Do we live them faithfully in our lives? Do we thank God for them daily? The book of Joshua leads us along the path of living the victorious Christian life. All we need to live victoriously, we already have in Christ. We must just cross over the river of fear and take ownership of the land of Promise!

Joshua: No Falling Words An Exclusive Commitment

Both hen and hog were walking past a church and noted the pastor’s sermon title on the outside bulletin board. It read: ‘What can we do to help the poor?’ As hogs and hens are wont to do, they entered into earnest conversation over the question as they continued on their way. At last, the hen was smitten with a bright idea: ‘I’ve got it,’ she cackled, ‘we can help the poor by giving them a ham and eggs breakfast!’ ‘Oh no you don’t,’ shot back the hog, ‘for you, that only means a contribution, but for me, it means total commitment.’ The old sow was right. That is Joshua’s point—there can be no chicken’s way out, but Israel must go whole hog (if one may so speak) for Yahweh.

One of the biggest challenges in today’s world is commitment. Surely, you have heard people say that in some form recently. What is about commitment that makes it so rare in 2025 America?

Commitment is making a consistent effort toward something despite hardship. We grow distracted by the good and the bad around us. We feel bored with the routine. We call for breaks or entertainment to give us respite. Yet, each of these are just defense mechanisms against commitment.

What Joshua is speaking about in chapter 24 is not just verbal or even mental commitment. Joshua is calling the people of God to a public relationship with God through practical and meaningful commitment. Commitment to God is consistent, obedient action on the part of the believer. To quote one person,

Righteousness is a commitment to a relationship.

Don Garlington

What can we learn this morning about commitment in our public relationship with God?

Declaration

There must be worship for us to live in a correct relationship with our Creator. Our sinful nature constantly pulls us away from this rightful worship. Today, we need to heed the challenge of Joshua to choose and remain servants of the One True God. What does God have to say to us about our public relationship with Him?

1. God Starts the Relationship

Joshua 24:1–13 KJV 1900

And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods. And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt. I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out. And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea. And when they cried unto the Lord, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season. And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you. Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you: But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand. And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow. And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.

Joshua again speaks with those who have gathered in chapter 24. In the previous chapter, he spoke as a man who was soon to die. He spoke from his heart of what God had taught him and done for him in his walk of faith. Chapter 24 gives us a public declaration from a loving God through the voice of His servant.

Joshua gathers all to Shechem. This was a central location easily reached on the road network already in the land. They begin with a presentation before God in verse 1.

Joshua speaks forth “Thus saith the LORD” in verses 2-13. Joshua tells a series of historical anecdotes pointing to a central truth, namely that God is guiding Israel to this particular moment. The names and the people changed. The trials and miracles were not the same throughout. Yet, it is the same God from Abraham to Joshua that cares for His people.

Joshua begins with Abraham in verse 2. When Abraham was in his sin and still worshiping the idols, God came to Him. Abraham’s relationship with God is vital as an example of how God works in people’s lives.

Genesis 15:4–7 KJV 1900

And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness. And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

After giving the specifics leading up to the wilderness, we see that Joshua shows the people listening how they were involved in the history of God’s commitment to His people. When the people were still caught up in their own ideas of how to provide food and water, God came to them and provided. God loved them and kept His promises in verses 11-13. These verses are a series of Divine Actions that show the Sovereignty and Love of God for His people.

God is the One who has chosen to start a relationship with mankind. We see here the example of Israel but the New Testament gives us a broader perspective. We see this clearly at the cross of Christ.

Every person who has ever lived, except for Jesus, has sinned. Sin is anything that we do against God’s Word or Person. Because of our sin, we owe God. Our sin puts us into bondage for an un-payable debt. The ultimate destination of a sinner is eternal death, separation from God in punishment in the lake of fire.

Romans 5:12–14 KJV 1900

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

We could do nothing of ourselves, but God did something for us. He sent Jesus, God the Son, to earth to die in our place. God started the relationship to us!

Romans 5:8 KJV 1900

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Do you have a public relationship with God? Each of us must choose to believe the truth of the Gospel on our own. Yet, together, we are united by our common salvation in the same Blood of Jesus. God started the relationship with us because we could do nothing of our own, just as Israel and their ancestors.

2. God Has Given Responsibilities

Joshua 24:14–15 KJV 1900

Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

What can we do in response to the great things that God has done for us? How can we live in light of the provisions of the God who has given everything? Joshua switches gears from reminding the people of what God has done to application in verse 14. “Now therefore…”

Fear God - This is the worship of God for the Israelite. Only Someone who is feared with reverence will be worshipped solemnly and correctly. Solomon emphasized the priority of this command,

Ecclesiastes 12:13 KJV 1900

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Serve in sincerity and truth - Service requires sincerity and truth. This truth dictates that people rely on it for their protection and guidance in the land. Salvation is based on the truth of God’s Word. Faithful service is directed toward our God.

Psalm 98:1–3 KJV 1900

O sing unto the Lord a new song; For he hath done marvellous things: His right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. The Lord hath made known his salvation: His righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Choose to put away any idols - Though they had reached the land of promise, there might still have been some lingering distractions. God wants singular focus. There must be a conscious removal of any other controlling force in the life of the believer. Also at Shechem, we see

Genesis 35:4 KJV 1900

And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.

and Choose to serve the LORD

God is not hard to understand in His Word. He is clear on what He expects. God wants our obedience to be seen by those around us. The worship and distinction of a believer reflect the inner relationship with God.

3. God Expects a Choice

Joshua 24:15 KJV 1900

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Joshua brings his message to the end with a choice for his listener. Dr. Shetler, in college, defined preaching as “teaching with a purpose to persuade.” So Joshua is preaching for a response in his listeners. Which choice will they make?

There are three options are given in verse 15 either worship God, worship the gods of the Syrians, or worship the gods of the land of Canaan. Not much has changed since Joshua 24. The same three options face us today.

Will we listen to our inner sin nature or the wisdom of the world? Or will we serve God? Only One God has done anything for us. Only One God can claim existence. Only One God has sent His Son to die for us and offers us life forever, free of our sin. Which choice will you make today?

I remember watching an old Disney movie often as a kid. It is amazing that I did not wear out the VHS tape. The movie is called “Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier.” At the end of the movie, Davy Crockett arrives at the Alamo to help fight the Mexican army.

One of the men who commanded the garrison at the Alamo, William Travis, creates a dramatic scene by calling for those who are willing to fight to the death to cross over a line in the sand. The men in the Alamo cross over and commit to the defense of Texas. It is a stirring reminder of their courage.

The other commander at the Alamo, James Bowie, is sick and bed ridden. He has to ask others to pickup and move his bed across the line. That is what God wants from us, a commitment that nothing can stop. A choice that not hardship, fear, sickness, or prosperity will reverse.

James 4:8 KJV 1900

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

There is a dearth of commitment today because we have allowed our choices to be made for us. The world, the flesh and the devil will choose to make us comfortable and lazy. God calls to us today to make a choice to serve Him only. A public relationship is the outward commitment to God alone. Joshua has chosen the LORD.

4. God Calls Us to Witness

Joshua 24:16–28 KJV 1900

And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods; For the Lord our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed: And the Lord drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the Lord; for he is our God. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses. Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel. And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God. So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance.

After verse 15, the monologue of God through Joshua becomes a dialogue between speaker and listener. The people swear oaths to God regarding their faithfulness. In verse 15, Joshua commits to the LORD. In verse 18, the people swear loyalty to God as well as verse 24.

Throughout this section, a word is used here to describe the gods that were not Jehovah. They are called “strange” gods. This is connected in the Old Testament with idolatry. Worship of a god not connected as Jehovah with the history of Israel was idolatry. God is a jealous God.

Exodus 34:14 KJV 1900

For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

The people commit to God because of what they have seen Him do in verses 16-18. Joshua reminds them in verse 19-20 of the seriousness of this public relationship with God. Again, they profess their commitment in verse 21. Verses 22-25 locate the commitment into a binding “witness” against rebellion.

Like other stones as early as the book of Genesis, if they were to be unfaithful, the stone was the same as a living person testifying against them as in a court room. Under an oak, perhaps the same as in Genesis, Joshua writes the words on a stone. Joshua places this final witness in the land during verse 26-27. Now there are nine memorials throughout this book.

Be Strong Joshua 24:19–28

This is the ninth and last memorial mentioned in the Book of Joshua. The nine memorials are:

1. The stones in the midst of the Jordan (4:9).

2. The stones on the western bank of the Jordan (4:20–24).

3. The stones in the Valley of Achor (7:26).

4. The heap of stones at Ai (8:29).

5. The altar on Mt. Ebal (8:30).

6. The stones of the law on Mt. Ebal (8:32).

7. The stones at the cave at Makkedah (10:27).

8. The altar built by the Transjordanic tribes (22:10ff).

9. Joshua’s stone of witness (24:26–28).

The result of these commitments is another covenant sworn by Joshua and the people in the valley of Shechem below the stones of Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. Here, in chapter 8:30-35, Joshua had built an altar on mount Ebal and led the Israelites in rehearsing the blessings and cursings of Deuteronomy. Now there is also a stone bearing their commitment in the valley for all to see and remember. The challenge of commitment is to get up and obey each and every day just as God is faithful forever to us. The stone was pointing back in history to what God had done.

Psalm 77:11 KJV 1900

I will remember the works of the Lord: Surely I will remember thy wonders of old.

The greatest witness the children of Israel had against themselves was their good intentions. How often we have good intentions but never follow through! God wants our actions to be our testimony of a public relationship with Him. There must be a legacy of faith seen in the living of every believer. Our public relationship with God requires it.

Conclusion

There must be worship for us to live in a correct relationship with our Creator. Our sinful nature constantly pulls us away from this rightful worship. Today, we need to heed the challenge of Joshua to choose and remain servants of the One True God.

The chapter and the book ends with the deaths of the two leaders and their burials. Also, Joseph is buried according to his faith. We learn a truth that death is coming for all but how we meet it counts. These men lived lives of faith.

Joshua 24:29–33 KJV 1900

And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash. And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel. And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

What can be said for this final chapter and for the book of Joshua? The message of Joshua stands for all time in verse 14. God calls us today to choose to commit to Him. Are you committed to God? When was the last time that you committed to God? What have you not committed to God?

Crossing over the river of fear and taking ownership of the land of Promise requires commitment. If you want to live a life of victory, you must be committed to obedience to God. Are you committed today? Joshua ends with a question, “Believer, how is your commitment?” Decide your answer today.