What is our church called to do?

Joshua 24

Introduction: A Call to Choose

When we open Joshua 24, we are stepping into the climax of a story that stretches back hundreds of years. It begins with Abraham in Genesis 12. God called him out of his father’s household of idols, promising him descendants, a land, and that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed. The very first place Abraham stopped in the land of Canaan was Shechem, where he built an altar to the Lord (Genesis 12:6–7 “Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.” ).

Generations later, Jacob returned to Shechem and buried his family’s foreign gods under a great oak tree (Genesis 35:4 “So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.” ). But famine drove Jacob’s family into Egypt, where they multiplied and became enslaved for four hundred years. God raised up Moses, who led them out of Egypt with mighty signs, through the Red Sea, and into covenant at Mount Sinai. But because of unbelief, that generation perished in the wilderness.

It was Joshua, Moses’ assistant, who then led the new generation across the Jordan, as God once again held back the waters. Jericho’s walls fell, enemies were defeated, and the land was divided as inheritance among the tribes. At long last, God’s promises to Abraham were fulfilled.

Now, Joshua is old. His life is coming to an end. The land is secured. But the greatest danger Israel faces is not external enemies—it is internal compromise. Will they serve the Lord alone, or will they turn to the idols of the peoples around them? That is why Joshua gathers the tribes again at Shechem, the place of covenant memory. Here Abraham built an altar. Here Jacob buried his idols. And now, here Israel must decide: “Choose this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15).

Dale Ralph Davis writes:

“The real issue is never the enemies outside the land, but the idols inside our own hearts.” (Joshua: No Falling Words).

This same question echoes into our own context. Here in Brampton, we live in one of the fastest-growing and most diverse cities in Canada. The nations are literally on our doorstep. And yet, our city also groans under the weight of real challenges—housing pressures, healthcare shortages, financial strain, and social division. Just recently, news reports highlighted Brampton as one of the youngest and most pressured municipalities in the country. Our neighbors are searching for security, identity, and hope.

So what will the Church of the City be known for? Will we, like Israel, forget God’s faithfulness and be consumed by the idols around us—comfort, success, cultural acceptance? Or will we stand together in our generation and declare, “As for us, we will serve the Lord”?

That is the question before us today. And Joshua 24 shows us what our church is called to do.

Point 1: Remember God’s Faithfulness in Christ (Joshua 24:1–13)

Joshua begins by rehearsing God’s mighty works—calling Abraham, delivering Israel from Egypt, conquering enemies, and giving them the land. Israel’s story is one of grace, not achievement.

For us, God’s ultimate act of faithfulness is Christ. Every story Joshua retells points to Him. Abraham’s calling points forward to the Seed who would bless the nations (Galatians 3:16). The Exodus foreshadows the greater deliverance we have in Jesus, who frees us from slavery to sin (John 8:36). The conquest anticipates His victory over sin and death at the cross.

Matthew Henry comments:

“The service of God is founded upon his mercies to us; we must first acknowledge his grace before we bind ourselves to his service.”

So our church in Brampton must continually retell our story in Christ. We are not sustained by our own strength, but by God’s faithfulness shown at the cross and empty tomb. When we remember His gospel mercies, we are stirred to serve Him together.

Point 2: Reject the Idols Around Us Through Christ’s Power (Joshua 24:14–20)

Joshua warns the people to put away idols and serve the Lord in sincerity and truth. The Hebrew verb for serve (ʿabad) repeats 15 times in this chapter—it demands loyalty, not half-hearted devotion.

But Israel’s history shows that on their own, they could not keep that loyalty. Neither can we. John Calvin rightly said:

“The human heart is a perpetual factory of idols.” (Institutes I.11.8).

We cannot smash our idols in our own strength. But Christ has broken their power. On the cross, He triumphed over every false god—sin, Satan, and death (Colossians 2:15). Because of Him, we are free to reject the idols of consumerism, comfort, cultural acceptance, and self-reliance that tempt us here in Brampton.

When the city around us bows to the idol of material security, we can be a church marked by generosity because Christ has already secured our eternal inheritance. When neighbors chase approval, we can be bold because we already have God’s approval in Christ.

Point 3: Renew Our Covenant Together in Christ (Joshua 24:21–28)

Joshua sets up a stone of witness at Shechem as a reminder of their vow: “We will serve the Lord.” But stones cannot change hearts. And as Israel’s story shows, they soon failed.

Christ, however, has established a new covenant in His blood (Luke 22:20 “And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” ). He writes His law on our hearts by the Spirit (Jeremiah 31:33 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” ). He is not just a witness to our commitment—He is the guarantor of the covenant itself (Hebrews 7:22 “This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.” ).

O. Palmer Robertson observes:

“Covenant renewal involves the totality of life. It is not a private spiritual moment but the public re-commitment of God’s people to their Redeemer.”

So what does it mean for us in Brampton? It means that every time we gather in worship, every baptism, every communion, every act of mission is a renewal of our covenant with Christ. It means declaring together: Our church exists not for ourselves, but for Christ and His kingdom in this city.

Conclusion: What Is Our Church Called to Do?

Joshua 24 was a turning point in Israel’s history. At Shechem, the people stood in the very place where Abraham built an altar and where Jacob buried his idols. They remembered God’s faithfulness, they rejected their idols, and they renewed their covenant. But if we keep reading the Old Testament, we know the truth: Israel would stumble. They would forget. They would chase idols again. The stone of witness at Shechem could not keep their hearts faithful.

And that’s why we need more than Joshua. We need a greater Joshua—Jesus Christ. His very name, in Hebrew, is the same: Yeshua—“the Lord saves.” Where Joshua led Israel into the promised land, Jesus leads us into the promised kingdom. Where Joshua called for covenant loyalty, Jesus fulfills the covenant on our behalf, living the life of perfect obedience that Israel (and we) could never live. And where Joshua set up a stone of witness, Jesus Himself becomes the cornerstone of a new covenant, sealed in His blood, written not on tablets of stone but on hearts by the Spirit.

As Hebrews 4:8–9 tells us: That rest, that covenant renewal, is found in Christ alone.

Hebrews 4:8–9 ESV

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,

Joshua 24 closes with Israel standing at Shechem, declaring together: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”That was not just a personal slogan; it was a corporate covenant. It was a people saying with one voice, “We belong to the Lord.”

Church of the City, this is our moment of covenant renewal too. God has placed us in Brampton—not by accident but by providence. And our vision is clear: we seek “in Brampton as it is in heaven.” That is not convenience—it is calling.

Joshua pressed Israel to remember God’s faithfulness, reject their idols, and renew their covenant. That same call comes to us:

As a family, we declare that we belong to one another in Christ, not as isolated individuals.

As missionaries, we live sent into this city, proclaiming the gospel to the nations God has brought to our doorstep.

As disciples, we are committed to follow Jesus with obedience, not just words.

But let me speak directly to where many of us may be today:

To those who are here but not yet serving: Joshua’s charge reminds us that serving the Lord is not optional for God’s people. The call is not to spectate but to participate. Romans 12:11 urges us, “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” This is your family. You have gifts. The Lord is calling you not to convenience but to calling.

To those who are in the church but not yet walking in community: Israel renewed their covenant together. Christianity is not a solo project. Hebrews 10:24–25 says, “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together…but encouraging one another.” Missional communities are not just another program—they are how we live out covenant faithfulness as a family. This is how we bear witness to Brampton that we serve the Lord.

To those who are serving, present, but growing weary: Joshua knew the weight of leadership, and so did Moses before him. But God promises strength to the weary: “They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31). Do not grow weary in doing good, for “in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). Your labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).

So whether you are weary, hesitant, or just beginning, the invitation of Joshua 24 is the same: Choose this day whom you will serve. Not idols. Not convenience. But Christ, the true and better Joshua, who has already chosen you.

And so, Church of the City, in a city that is young, diverse, and searching for hope, let us say together: “As for us, the Church of the City in Brampton, we will serve the Lord—in Christ, as His family, on His mission, as His disciples.”

Pastoral Prayer

“Father in heaven,

We come before You today as Your covenant people, gathered not at Shechem but here in Brampton, where You have planted us by Your sovereign hand. Just as Joshua called Israel to remember Your faithfulness, we pause to remember the greater faithfulness revealed in Christ—our true and better Joshua—who has led us out of slavery to sin and into the freedom of Your kingdom.

Lord, we confess that our hearts are prone to wander, that our city is full of idols competing for our allegiance. But today we choose, by Your grace, to say: As for us, we will serve the Lord.

We pray for those in our church who are here but not yet serving. Lord, stir their hearts. Remind them that they are not spectators but members of a body, gifted by Your Spirit. Awaken in them the joy of Romans 12:11—to be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.

We pray for those who are present but not yet walking in community. Lord, remind them that covenant renewal is not an individual vow but a family declaration. Draw them into deeper fellowship, into missional communities, into the joy of Hebrews 10:24–25—encouraging one another, spurring one another on to love and good works.

We pray for those who are faithfully serving and yet growing weary. Lord, renew their strength as You promised in Isaiah 40:31. Lift their eyes to Christ, who says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Remind them that their labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58), and that You see every act of faithfulness.

And Lord, we pray as a whole church: make us a family of missionary disciples who live not for convenience or safetey but for calling. Let our vision be true: in Brampton as it is in heaven. May our neighbors look at us and see a people who serve the Lord with joy, who embody grace and truth, who shine as lights in a weary city.

So today, together, with one voice we say: As for us, the Church of the City in Brampton, we will serve the Lord.

We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and King. Amen.