Follow Christ

Text: Joshua 14:6-12

Joshua 14:6–12 ESV

6 Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea concerning you and me. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart. 8 But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God. 9 And Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ 10 And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. 11 I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. 12 So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said.”

Big Idea: Follow Christ to Lead Others to Christ — It means following Him wholeheartedly.

Opening Hook:“Today is our last morning together on this series. We’ve talked about denying yourself and taking up your cross. Today we finish with the third part of Matthew 16:24 — Follow Christ.”

Read the Passage:In Joshua 14, Caleb stands up at 85 years old and says, “Give me this mountain!” He reminds Joshua that he has followed God fully (wholeheartedly) for 45 years — since he was your age.

The Message:Caleb didn’t follow God halfway. He didn’t quit when it got hard. He stayed faithful through 40 years in the wilderness. And because he followed God wholeheartedly, he was still ready to fight giants at 85 years old.

Three Sermon Points:

Caleb followed God fully as a young man (age 40) and was still following Him at 85. Following Christ isn’t a short sprint — it’s a lifelong commitment. Start strong now and keep going.Wholehearted Following Starts Young and Lasts a Lifetime

Caleb waited 45 years in the wilderness because of other people’s unbelief, but he never gave up on God’s promise. You will face hard seasons, disappointments, and waiting — but wholehearted followers keep trusting and obeying.Wholehearted Following Means Staying Faithful Through the Wait

At 85, Caleb said, “Give me this mountain!” (v.12). Because he followed God fully, he had boldness to face giants. When you follow Christ wholeheartedly, you’ll have courage to step into the hard things God calls you to — and others will follow your example.Wholehearted Following Gives You Courage to Claim the Mountain

Wholehearted followers are the ones who actually lead others to Christ — because people can see their faith is real.