Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture

Joshua 24:15-1

Introduction 1

Introduction 1

(Another way to start: In some films and cartoons when a character has to make a choice, there are two figures that pop up on their shoulder....)

Have you ever been in a store trying to choose between two pairs of shrts that you like, or two pairs of shoes that you like or between two choices and because you couldn’t decide, you ended walking out the store with both?

Have you ever been in the same situation where you can’t decide between two choices, but eventually you choose one because you can’t afford to take both of them?

When it comes to your relationship with God, what type of shopper are you?

Are you the former, where you see God but you also see gods of materialism, gods of pleasure, gods of money and gods of emotion and can’t decide which one you want to serve so you take all of them?

Or are you the latter, where you live in a world full of different gods you can choose from, and there is a battle between what the flesh wants and what the spirit wants, but you eventually make a choice because you know that the wages of sin is death and that is simply a price you can’t afford?

Which shopper are you?

Today we are going to talk about the little gods that we struggle with everyday and that is trying to pull us away from serving the one true God.

And before you tell yourself too quickly you don’t serve any other gods, let me put this into perspective for you.

Martin Luther said that anything you rely on or place your trusts in more than God, is a god.

He said that it is impossible to break any commandment without first breaking the first: “You shall have no other gods before me.”

In other words, at the root of every sin, there is a god trying to take the throne of our lives.

And so as we talk about a few of these gods today, as a title of this message, I want to encourage you with one word: Choose!

Introduction 2

In our text, their are two main characters outside of God: Joshua and the Israelites.

Before God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, the Israelites had spent 400+ years in a nation that was polytheistic as oppose to monotheistic.

Polytheistic means to worship many or a multiplicity of gods.

For the Egyptians, there was the sun god and the moon god and the rain god.

A person who is monotheistic worships one God.

Before God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, the Israelites had spent 400+ years in a nation that was polytheistic as oppose to monotheistic.

Polytheistic means to worship many or a multiplicity of gods.

For the Egyptians, there was the sun god and the moon god and the rain god.

A person who is monotheistic worships one God.

In Exodus, we see God raising up Moses to lead the Israelites out of 400+ years of slavery.

Before God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, the Israelites had spent 400+ years in a nation that was polytheistic as oppose to monotheistic.

Polytheistic means to worship many or a multiplicity of gods.

For the Egyptians, there was a sun god and the moon god and the rain god.

A person who is monotheistic worships one God.

The highlight how large polytheism or serving multiple gods was in the ancient world I want to bring you attention to the first verse in the Bible: .

When we read , In the beginning God created the Heavens in the earth, to the ancient readers, it was a very dramatic thing to say because polytheism was the normal.

So when an ancient reader read it, the focus wasn’t on the detailed scientific play to play of how God created the world like we make it today, but the focus was on that one God created the world.

To ancient reader, saying “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, is making the statement that there was no moon God, there was no sun, there was no rain god or sea god, but there was one God that made everything.

In Leviticus, God establishes the levitical priesthood (what Pastors and preachers are today) what it means to be holy and set apart.

In Numbers, the wilderness story is told, what would have been 1 year in the wilderness turned into 40 years because of the Israelites lack of trust in God (unnecessary hardship -11am service), and Moses ends up doing something that causes God to replace him as the person that will lead the Israelites into the Promised land.

So from Genesis to where we are now in our text God has been trying to shape a people who are used to a polytheistic world into being monotheistic and therefore serving Him, the one true God.

Deuteronomy is Moses’ last speech to them before he dies and Joshua takes leadership over Israel.

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.

Joshua, was the successor of Moses.

He was one of the few people that could say that he was a slave in Egypt, survived the 40 years in the wilderness and was alive when they made it to the Promised Land.

Joshua has led the people into the Promised land, fought many battles, divided up the land and now in chapter 24 Joshua is getting up in age and he is giving his last “State of the Union” speech.

And in doing so, he understands that though the Israelites may seemingly (say seemingly) be monotheistic.

Though the Israelites seemingly or look like they serve one God, he knows that for many of them, secretly, behind closed doors, when no one is watching, under the sheets and in the dark corners and areas, many of them still have polytheistic tendencies.

Before God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, the Israelites had spent 400+ years in a nation that was polytheistic as oppose to monotheistic.

Polytheistic means to worship many or a multiplicity of gods.

For the Egyptians, there was the sun god and the moon god and the rain god.

A person who is monotheistic worships one God.

And the truth of the matter is that though many Christians seem to be monotheistic.

Though many Christians seem to serve the one true God.

Though many Christians look like Christians dress like Christians, sing like Christians, usher like Christians, preach like Christians, hold leadership positions like Christians, secretly, behind closed doors, when no one is watching, under the sheets and in the dark corners and areas, between Monday and Saturday, many of us still have polytheistic tendencies.

and God makes Joshua, the one the who succeeded Moses, has led the Israelites into the Promised Land.

This is the land in which God had promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

This is the land in which they had been waiting for 40 years, since God had delivered them out of 400+ years of slavery in Egypt.

When they came into the land, there were other people living inside the land, and as such, they had many battles.

No we didn’t setup Asheroth polls, or pray to other gods, but at the root of every sin is some form of idolatry.

Remember

ow we are in the Book of Joshua and Joshua has led the Israelites into the Promised Land that has been talked about ever since the book of Genesis.

And in chapter 24, Joshua is getting ready to die himself and so he is giving his last speech to them.

Now we are in the Book of Joshua and Joshua has led the Israelites into the Promised Land that has been talked about ever since the book of Genesis.

And in chapter 24, Joshua is getting ready to die himself and so he is giving his last speech to them.

They worshipped God on Sunday, but worshipped something else Monday through Saturday.

They looked like Christians, talked like Christians, they ushered like Christians, they sung like Christians, they served in leadership like Christians, they preached like Christians, but underneath all the church clothes, they were just whitewashed tombs.

And so now in chapter 24, Joshua does two things: He reminds them of the one true God and and demands them to make a choice.

Joshua knew that the people who surrounded him, while seemingly (I said seemingly) serving God, were many of them secretly worshipping the ancient idols of their fathers

And so now in chapter 24, Joshua does two things: He reminds them of the one true God and and demands them to make a choice.

Do you mind if I allow the word to preach for itself really quick?” Look at verse 1 of chapter 24.

I’m reading from the Message Bible.

Joshua 24:1-

Joshua 24

Joshua 24:14-15a

Joshua reminds them of what God has done for them, and then exhorts them to choose the one true God.

There is something about remembering what God has done for you that ought to make you want to choose him over any other god.

JOSHUA knew that the people who surrounded him, while ostensibly serving Jehovah, were many of them secretly worshipping the ancient idols of their Mesopotamian fathers, those teraphim which were once hidden in Rachel’s tent, and were never quite purged from Jacob’s family.

The people were nominally worshippers of Jehovah, but in very deed many of them had turned aside unto strange gods.

Joshua could not endure double-mindedness, and therefore he pushed the people to decision, urging them to serve the Lord with sincerity, and, if they did so, to put away altogether all their graven images.

He demanded from them a determination for one thing or the other, and cried, “If it seem evil unto you to serve Jehovah, 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 among whom ye dwell.”

He shut them up to a present choice, between the true God and the idols, and gave them no rest in their half-heartedness.

In front of the pulpit there is a communion table that reads “THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.”

This is what Jesus told his disciples when he was having the Last Supper with them.

And so in our tradition, every first Sunday, we remember how Christ died for us, we remember how he was mocked, we remember how he was beat, we remember how he was spat upon, we remember how he was speared in the side, we remember how he was nailed to the cross for our sins.

WE REMEMBER!

And when we remember, it should cause us to choose him over any other god.

Be Consistent

But then in verse 14,Joshua gives another choice.

He says that if serving the one true God doesn’t quite line up with what you want to do, if that seems evil or disagreeable to you, then worship the gods of your fathers or the gods of the Amorites of whose land you are in.

His point is this.

Whatever god you worship, at least be consistent.

If popularity on social media is going to be your god, go all the way!

If your job is going to be your god, go all the way!

If success is going to be your god, go all the way!

If your relationship is going to be your god, go all the way!

Joshua is saying that if you are not going to be wise enough to choose the one true God, then at least have the decency to not play around with God.

Don’t worship God on Sunday, then Monday through Saturday you worship other gods.

Be consistent!

Not to decide for the Lord is dangerous in the last degree.

There is Lot in Sodom: perilous is his position, but the angels come to him, and they say, “This city is to be burned with fire, you must escape.”

Lot is on the road at once, and ere long he reaches the mountain, and is safe.