Joshua 24

“As for Me and My House…How to be a ‘Thanks Dad!’ Kind of Dad”

Intro:

A young father in a supermarket was pushing a shopping cart with his little son, who was strapped in the front. The little boy was fussing, irritable, and crying. The other shoppers gave the pair a wide berth because the child would pull cans off the shelf and throw them out of the cart. The father seemed to be very calm; as he continued down each aisle, he murmured gently: "Easy now, Donald. Keep calm, Donald. Steady, boy. It's all right, Donald."

A mother who was passing by was greatly impressed by this young father's solicitous attitude. She said, "You certainly know how to talk to an upset child—quietly and gently."

And then bending down to the little boy, she said, "What seems to be the trouble, Donald?"

"Oh no," said the father. "He's Henry. I'm Donald."

The human need to be well-fathered is illustrated by the enormous response to Bob Carlisle's 1996 ballad, "Butterfly Kisses." The song speaks of the tender love between a father and his daughter.

Reflecting upon the song's phenomenal success, Bob Carlisle said, "I get a lot of mail from young girls who try to get me to marry their moms. That used to be a real chuckle because it's so cute, but then I realized they don't want a romance for mom; they want the father who is in that song, and that just kills me."

The TV show "60 Minutes" ran a segment that tells us something important about fatherlessness.

The park rangers at a South African wildlife preserve were concerned about the slaughter of 39 rare white rhinos in their park. It turned out that the rhinos were killed not by poachers but rather by juvenile delinquents—teen elephants.

The story began a decade ago when the park could no longer sustain the increasing population of elephants. They decided to kill many of the adult elephants whose young were old enough to survive without them. And so, the young elephants grew up fatherless.

As time went on, many of these young elephants roamed together in gangs and began to do things elephants normally don't do. They threw sticks and water at rhinos and acted like neighborhood bullies. Without dominant males, the young bulls became sexually active, producing excessive testosterone and exhibiting aggressive behavior. A few young males grew especially violent, knocking down rhinos and stepping or kneeling on them, crushing the life out of them. Mafuto the gang leader eventually had to be killed.

The park rangers theorized that these young teen-aged elephants were acting badly because they lacked role models. The solution was to bring in a large male to lead them and to counteract their bully behaviors. Soon the new male established dominance and put the young bulls in their places. The killing stopped. The young males were mentored—and saved.

Joshua:

• Man of (Inspiration)

• Man of (Integrity)

• Man of (Influence)

Following Joshua’s Example

And as Joshua comes to the end of his life, he stands and gives Israel a great challenge, and in it he gives us a model of how men can be “Thanks Dad!” kind of men.  (And by the way, you may not be a dad…but remember that Joshua was this great mentor to people who were not biologically related to him at all.  And you can be, also.)

Because our world is desperate for people…men and women…young and old…that we can look up to as models…who (To borrow some words from Zac’s dad, Jon Randles,)  know who they are; know who they are living for; and know where they are going.

·        Declare Your (Testimony)

What you notice about Joshua 24 is that  a large part of the chapter is a reciting of the great things that God had done for Israel.

Verse 2 tells how God called Abraham…even though he at that time served other gods…false gods.

And vs 6-9 tell how God used Moses, a man that Joshua had personally known very well, to lead Israel out of slavery in Egypt.

And then look at verses 12-13.  (Read aloud)

What is Joshua doing, dads?  He is declaring his testimony.  He is giving his story...

And that’s something you need to do with your kids. 

APP: Stories are Huge things to kids…One of our favorite lines to hear is “Once upon a time…” 

“Grandpa, Tell me bout the good old days…”

And in just a minute I’ll tell you why that’s such a big part of being a “Thanks Dad!” kind of Dad…but notice with me…the 3 parts of Declaring Your Testimony…(Now, stay with me cuz it’s not like we teach in Evangelism training…)

• What (God) has (done)

This is what Joshua does in the verses we just talked about…v2-13.

Dads, listen to me.  You need to be able to tell your kids, about what God has done in the Bible… that’s very important. 

It’s not enough just to say, “Well, you can read it.”  You need to be able to show them that YOU have read it. 

They need to know that it is important to you.  If it’s not important to you…why should it be to them?

Tell them what God has done through history…in the lives of others.

Our kids need to know that this God we come to worship every week is not some distant God who has made no showing…

And then also…and perhaps most importantly…we need to tell what God has done in our lives…

Dad, let me ask you something.  Do your kids know how you became a Christian?  Do they know any stories about how God has delivered you?  Have you told them how God has led you?  Have you told them about any blessings that God has given you that were shocking and astonishing to you?

• (Where) You (Stand)

Another part of your testimony is where you stand. 

EXP: Joshua says in light of all of these things, “Here’s where I stand…”  Look at verse 15.

I’m not talking about being a grandstander…or a big talker…or a crazy man looking for a fight at the city council meeting. 

I’m talking about being transparent enough so that you can say, “This is what I believe in…This is what I am going to be and do…and it is that way whether I live or die, prosper or stumble…alone or surrounded.”

You don’t have to be perfect…may have made many mistakes…but let your kids know what you believe…don’t leave it up to them to guess…

I love the fact that Joshua says, “You can make up your own minds, boys, but here’s where I stand.”

APP: Dads, let’s go back to that question.  Do your kids know where you stand on drinking?  Do they know where you stand on abortion?  Do they know where you stand on the inspiration of the Bible?  Do they know where you stand on the big issues of life?

• (Why) You (Believe)

And the third part of that…is equally important.  You need to declare not only where you stand, but why you stand there.

May not seem that important when your kids are little, but as they get to be teens and young adults…they go through a stage, where they want to know “WHY?”

Deut. 6:20

"When your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What is the meaning of the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which the Lord our God has commanded you?'

Take that part from Deut 6:20 “What is the meaning…?”  Listen, God designed them to be that way…

And you’d better have a better answer than, “I dunno. Ask your mother.”

Now, I want you to notice the rationale for what Joshua believed.

It was based on 2 things.  Write these down…

(1)   God’s Activity

(2)   Joshua’s Observation

After detailing the activity of God in verses 2-13, Joshua says in verse 14…Now, therefore.

In other words, “In light of what God has done…this is where I stand and this is where I urge you to stand…”

Romans 12:1  

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.

But also, notice, that Joshua has considered the other options…

He does not have a belief that’s based simply on, “Because that’s what we’ve always believed…”

He says, “Look, you’re going to serve something or someone…  It can be the gods on the other side of the river…it can be the gods of this land we’ve just come into…or it can be the God who has demonstrated His power…”

Dads, let me tell you something…if you can give your kids that clear of a testimony…and a picture of the choices of life in front of them…you will have given them a gift that is greater than almost any gift they could hope for.

APP: Mike, why is that such a big part of a “Thanks Dad!” kind of dad…Wouldn’t a new car be better?

Because stories and role models are like secret signals in the wilderness of life…

Do you know what a mentor is?  It’s someone who you know what they would do in a given situation even though they may never have been in that situation themselves.

Ed Rodgers is a mentor to me when it comes to being a pastor.  Countless times I ask myself, “What would Ed do?”  How would he handle this person?  What would he say?

I just know.

Your kids are going into a wilderness you haven’t been to.  But I’m telling you that through declaring the what and the why of your testimony…it’s like you can get there ahead of them…and mark it before they ever get there.

And as they go through it, I’ll guarantee you…they’ll say in their hearts, “Thanks Dad!”  You may not hear it…you may be in heaven…but in the wilderness…will echo like thunder the whispered appreciation from their heart… THANKS DAD!

·        Determine to (Finish Strong)

One of the rare things about Joshua is that he started strong…but he also finished strong!

When God called Joshua to take over the leadership of Israel from Moses, he stressed to him what we all need.  Be strong.  You have to be strong.

6“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

He had already shown himself strong when he prayed in the tent of meeting…staying for prolonged periods of time…and he was strong when all the 12 spies went into the land…even when 10 were very negative…and thru the wandering in the wilderness…

And thru the campaigns…Joshua had stayed strong…and had people’s respect!

And even now…over 100 years old…we see that Joshua is still standing strong and it’s because he is standing strong that he can call others to stand strong. 

It seems like that message of “Be strong and Courageous!” stuck with Joshua for his whole life.  That same message is repeated to all of us…

Psalm 31:24

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

1 Cor. 16:13

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.

Men,  to be a “Thanks Dad!” kind of Dad we’ve got to finish strong. Let me give you three ways to apply that idea.

(1)   Finish the day strong…

If you are like most of us, our jobs are important and demanding…and you give a lot to it, and by the end of the day…it’s easy to see quitting time as quitting from everything time.

But the truth is that when your vocational work is done for the day…your most important work is about to begin…

So you need to save something for it.

Before you leave the parking lot…or if your commute is hard…before u pull into the driveway…do this exercise.

Palms down… “Lord I release everything…to you.”

Palms up fingers to you… “Lord I praise you…” (Important to get the right frame of mind)

Palms up fingers away…”Lord, I receive from you…love, concern, help, strength, wisdom”

I’ll be the first to admit that too many days I have come home from the office…and I didn’t play the 4th quarter very strong. 

That’s a big mistake.  Determine not to do it.

(2)   Finish the kids strong

I remember hearing someone say just as my oldest son turned 13…how too many parents pull away from their kids too much as they become teenagers…they have been so involved in their lives…and work hard at parenting…but easy to pull back…

ILL:  Years ago…I was just getting into ministry…outstanding athlete at Waco Midway high school…but nite after nite…go in shut the door…never talked. The dad asked one of our associate pastors, “Why does he do that?”  The minister said to that dad, “You should have knocked on that door a long time ago…”

But you have to finish strong…stay with them…releasing them to appropriate levels of freedom…but stay engaged in their lives.

(3)   Finish the Race strong

The last track meet I ever competed in was in my 8th grade year.  I was assigned to run the 880 now of course the 800 Meters. It was a cold, cold day in March. The Track meet was at our stadium…schools from across the panhandle were there. Clay Guthrie was our #1 runner and when the race started Clay started out quickly and was in first place…followed closely by another runner…and I was nearby in 3rd…

At the end of the first lap (it’s a 2 lap race) I was still in third but quite a distance from the 2 leaders…still I was doing my best to keep up….

By the time I cam to the back turn…about 220 yards from the finish, I hit the wall.

My legs became like lead…

I literally had nothing left.

And it was like one of those nightmares where you can’t run…

At about 100 yards to go…right in front of the people in the stands…I stumbled and fell…I was so weak…I couldn’t push myself up off the track…about the time I got myself together…

A huge pack of runners came by and literally knocked me down again.

By now I was one of only 2 runners left…

I did get up…and with coaches cheering me on…I finished the race.  I didn’t even come in last…

But I didn’t finish strong.

I was not adequately prepared for how long the race was.

It was a huge embarrassment for me…in fact, I never competed in track again.

Let me ask you something that’s a lot more important than track…Are you finishing strong?

I love to see young college students and young adults…teenagers on fire for Jesus.  It’s thrilling…

But let me tell you what’s even more thrilling…and that’s to see a Joshua…or an Anna (who blessed Baby Jesus when he was a baby) who after years and years of running…are finishing strong.

There are a lot of people in the Bible who started strong…there aren’t near as many who finished strong.

Henry Ford is one of the biggest names in American life. His use of mass production in manufacturing the Model T automobile shaped not only the economy and industry, but the values of 20th century America.

A 2005 biography of Ford tells the story of the man who achieved incredible fame and fortune, and describes how, in the end, this "gifted man was undone by his own success."

Ford loved the ordinary folk and they loved him back. By 1920, half of all cars on US roads were Fords. But it wasn't just cars that Ford was selling. He preached a new gospel to a public raised on Puritan ideals of delayed gratification and self-control. Ford believed that money was for spending, and that workers should use their income to buy products that would improve their lives products like his Model T.

Seen as a hero for making it possible for the average family to own a car, Ford's opinion was sought out for every area of life, from world peace to marriage and child care.

The adulation of others ultimately convinced Ford that he was infallible and led him to ruinously bad decisions. It blinded him to his own hypocrisy as he preached family values and old-fashioned virtue and yet kept a mistress. It may also have driven him to destroy his only child. The older Ford offended by his son's gentle style and superior education ruthlessly undercut him at every turn, only then to mourn grievously when Edsel died young. Ford's last days were sorrowful. On a visit to the house where he had lived as a newlywed, he told his chauffeur, "I've got a lot of money, and I'd give every penny of it right now just to be here with Mrs. Ford."

Starting strong is good…finishing strong is better.

Finish the Race strong…and you will be a “Thanks Dad!” kind of dad….Do you know why?

Because they will feed from your example.  You know as good as I do that those kids are going to hit slick spots…You did…You will…I do…We all do.

When you’re a young child…you don’t realize your dad does…When you are a young adult you don’t realize that you will!

But when they come…what a great source of inspiration…and reservoir of guidance if your son or daughter knows…I can look to my dad…still because he is still running strong….like Joshua.

ILL: First Call, Dad!

While kayaking in southern England off the Isle of Wight, Mark Ashton-Smith, a 33-year-old lecturer at Cambridge University, capsized in treacherous waters. Clinging to his craft and reaching for his cell phone, Ashton-Smith's first inclination was to call his father. It didn't matter to the desperate son that his dad, Alan Pimm-Smith, was at work training British troops in Dubai 3,500 miles away. Without delay, the father relayed his son's mayday to the Coast Guard installation nearest to his son's location. Ironically, it was less than a mile away. Within 12 minutes, a helicopter retrieved the grateful Ashton-Smith.

Like this kayaker, when we are in peril, our first impulse should be to call our Father—the one we trust to help us.

Many times I have dads come to me and say, “I don’t understand why I am going through this…” They ask, “What have I done?” And more than a few times I’ve felt the Lord prompt me tell them, “It’s not something you’ve done; it’s because some little eyes are watching you…and they’re going to need your example.”

·        Develop Their (Faith)

1 Thes. 2:11-12

For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

In We Are Still Married, Garrison Keillor writes:

The town ball club was the Lake Wobegon Schroeders, so named because the starting nine were brothers, sons of E. J. Schroeder. E. J. was ticked off if a boy hit a bad pitch. He'd spit and curse and rail at him. And if a son hit a homerun, E. J. would say, "Blind man coulda hit that one. Your gramma coulda put the wood on that one. If a guy couldn't hit that one out, there'd be something wrong with him, I'd say. Wind practically took that one out of here, didn't even need to hit it much"—and lean over and spit.

So his sons could never please him, and if they did, he forgot about it. Once, against Freeport, his oldest boy, Edwin Jim, Jr., turned and ran to the centerfield fence for a long, long, long fly ball. He threw his glove forty feet in the air to snag the ball and caught the ball and glove. When he turned toward the dugout to see if his dad had seen it, E. J. was on his feet clapping, but when he saw the boy look to him, he immediately pretended he was swatting mosquitoes. The batter was called out, the third out. Jim ran back to the bench and stood by his dad. E. J. sat chewing in silence and finally said, "I saw a man in Superior, Wisconsin, do that a long time ago. But he did it at night, and the ball was hit a lot harder."

Scott Larson tells about being approached by a 16-year-old boy named Ricky after I wrapped up my first speaking session at a weekend retreat for high schoolers. "I just hope you're not heading down a path where at the end of the weekend you're going to ask us to make some kind of commitment to follow God with our whole lives," he said. "'Cause if you are, I want to go home right now."

Without pausing for breath, Ricky continued: "I've been coming here for a long time, and I've made these promises year after year promises I can never keep and ended up worse off than before I started, with God even more mad at me. 'Cause now, not only am I sinning, but I'm breaking another promise I made to him. And so I just want to make sure that's not where you're headed this weekend. Is it?"

Feeling sad for Ricky and not knowing exactly how to respond to him, I took a shot in the dark and asked: "What can you tell me about your dad, Ricky?"

He proceeded to tell me a story from when he was in fifth grade. "Every day when my dad came home from work, the first thing he would always ask me was, 'Have you done your homework yet?' It was a pretty safe bet that I hadn't. Then one day I decided to surprise him. When he got home, I met him at the door saying, 'Guess what, Dad. I did all my homework!' His response was, 'Then why aren't you working on tomorrow's?'"

Suddenly it wasn't so surprising that Ricky felt the way he did about himself and about God. He had learned that no matter how close he came, the mark of approval would always move a few notches higher. He would always come up short.

• Be Honest about the (Cost) (v19-20)

Jesus was always honest about the cost.

• Be Willing to (Correct Them)  (v23)

We have examples of dads in the Bible who neglected to correct their children and in both cases, the result was disastrous…

First was Eli…Eli was a priest…a preacher…and he had 2 sons and the Bible says they were sinful…the Bible says they did wrong and Eli, perhaps too busy with important things…failed to correct them.

By the way…God held Eli accountable for that, too.

Then, there was David….a great king who also committed sins…and with at least 2 of his sons…David’s guilt kept him paralyzed from properly correcting them…and again the result was disastrous…

Now, I know we want to be close to our kids…and not embitter them…but we can’t just let them go…

APP:  Error Increases with Distance

• Be (Sensitive) to the condition of their (Heart) (v23b)

EXP: Incline…means to stretch out…to be stretched toward…

If you were a rancher, you wouldn’t be content just to say, “My cattle are all here.”  “My sheep are all here…”  You’d want to know that they were in good condition…

Why be content with “At least they’re going to church?” 

Over and over we see God is concerned about the condition of the heart!  (Examples…)

Joel 2:13 “Rend your heart…not just your garments…”

“These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me…”

“Love the Lord Your God with all of your heart…”

“Love one another from the heart…”

Some of you know that the people you love—your children—their hearts aren’t close to the Lord.  Not meaing to discourage you…just saying this:  Don’t be satisfied with anything less than an inclined heart…AND don’t over re-act to other things…lesser things…if their heart is inclined toward God.

Just keep praying…

• Create (Spiritual Markers) (v25-27)

Spiritual Markers---give us identity

Spiritual Markers---restrain us

Spiritual Markers---encourage us

Camp Experiences…

Significant Decisions…

Leading someone to Christ…

Sometimes Pain…

Stu Weber…great Christian author of Men’s Books  Tender Warrior….3 sons…youngest “Pocket knife”

And, of course, the most important spiritual marker is taking Jesus Christ as the Savior and Lord of your life.

ILL: Michael Reagan…adopted son of Ronald Reagan…

ILL: Michael Tait…DC Talk…

"Let me tell you the two most important things I learned from my dad," says Michael [Tait, of the dc Talk music group].

"Number one, love people. That's what he taught, and that's what he did. He cried with people, he laughed with people. Everybody was his friend. He could care less about your race, your nationality, your socio-economic status, whatever. All he cared about was you, your soul.

"Number two, live for God and don't get caught up in the things of this world, because they're just fleeting. The world will get the best of you if you let it, so we need to truly live for God.

"My dad [a preacher] preached those two things his whole life. And those two things have shaped who I am today. I love people; I realize that life is short, God is real and that I need to live for Him."

Michael was visiting his parents in Washington, D.C., during the Christmas holidays in 1997 when his dad complained of stomach pains. Michael took him to the hospital, where doctors found the cancer. Michael was there, a few weeks later, when he breathed his last in February 1998.

"The man was my hero."

That’s what your kids will say of you someday men….

Declare Your Testimony; Determine to Finish Strong; and Develop Their Faith…

Some day…they’ll say, “Thanks Dad!”