"Choices Have Consequences"
Dumb and all the people of Israel to shechem along with their Elders leaders judges and officers. So they came and presented themselves to God. Joshua said to the people this is what the Lord the god of Israel says. Your ancestors including tear off the father of Abraham and Nick are these River and worship other gods? But I took your ancestor Abraham from that land and let him into the land of Canaan. I gave him many descendants through his son Isaac. I gave you land that you had not work for. And I gave you cities that you did not build their cities in which you're now living. I gave you Vineyards and Olive Groves for food though. You did not plant them. So is Ben Joshua said I say to you. I'm the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols that your ancestors worshipped when they live beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt serve the Lord alone. But if you are unwilling to serve the Lord then choose today whom you will serve. But as for me and my family. We will serve the Lord. May the Lord add his richest blessing to the reading of his word and together. Let us confirm our faith in he who truly is Lord of all life. I believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of the Living God shall we pray?
Oh Heavenly Father. We pray for this nation. We need your help in this time of division and uncertainty. Time in which families and friends are divided. Windows kin to who can seem to work together for a paycheck, but can't seem to find common ground when something is important as our nation is concerned. I pray that you would help us all to remember that you were behind the discovery of this land. You planted the idea of a representative democracy in the minds and hearts of persons like ourselves who are willing to risk everything. They owned to establish. This country is one nation under your blessing and guidance. So it is our prayer that all across this great land. We might experience change Hearts dedicated to once again having a nation in which we can all have pride. A nation Guided by The Same Spirit, which guided the founding fathers? a nation in which all people
Turn again, Amica play agree to disagree if needed. But work together to reach a sinful sensible compromise. So help us once again to become a nation of Law & Order. Nation whose pride and example can once again stand as a model for other nations to follow them. So make us all as Resolute for righteousness and Truth is our founding fathers envisioned. These things we ask in the most holy and precious name of your son Our Savior. I'm in.
As you know each Lord's day, it is our practice to remember Christ in the very special way is on the last night of his life the last really impression I guess and he was able to convey to his disciples. He said to them in words that they probably couldn't understand at the moment. But later he said this unleavened bread that I'm breaking. I want you to eat it and understand that it represents my body which is going to be broken for your sake. and this cup of wine Let it represent my blood. Which shall be shed for the Sands of mankind?
It was only after the crucifixion and the resurrection that they were able to to understand what he was talking about is the only thing that made sense in their shocked understanding. And so it was that every time they gathered together two or more. They would remember him in that way and they said it seemed as though he was there physically with them at that time. So it is our custom to invite all who claimed him as Lord and Savior to remember him by breaking the red taking the cup as you leave the Fourier.
baby father
This past week. We were able to see the results of Americans and others making choices. Just want the consequences of those choices will be remains to be seen. But certainly we've been forewarned about them. Go to share with you today a couple of other. events from history that remind us that all choices do have consequences. It was in 1918. 102 years ago this coming Wednesday At the 11th Hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. What we called the war to end all wars was officially declared to be over. President Wilson declared to be a day of armistice. Which I think was perhaps in for choice of words because Armistice simply means it's a temporary stoppage or suspension of hostilities by Mutual consent.
Shirley neighbors better work, but why there is as a consequence of that choice of words or not? These was hardly dry on the document. But a young former Corporal in the German army. young man by the name of Adolf Hitler took the doctor net its face value.
Said it's a temporary thing. and he began his takeover of his nation of Germany because he did not agree with The end of that stoppage of the war and some other things so he began his takeover indoctrinating especially the young people. Did the hiss ideas and ideals?
Course one of his ideas was to eliminate.
Probably about 10 million Jews before it was all over.
September 1st. 1939 20 years after the signing of that armistice he put into effect his plan of action. as Germany and black invaded Poland and as a result England who had a mutual Aid agreement with Poland would also drawn into the affair. That we came to know as World War II.
It was six years and one day later. on September 2nd 1945 on the deck of the World War II ship USS, Missouri anchored in Tokyo bay while much of Europe in Asia lay in Ruins the death toll is estimated to be somewhere between 75 and 85 million people. general Douglas MacArthur accepted the surrender of Japan the last combatant involved in those hostilities now since that time we've been involved in about 30 other Wars or skirmishes or whatever. They choose to be called at the cost of numerous lives in countless injuries. Certainly, we owe a great deal of debt to those men and women who have invested years of their lives in the military defense of our nation. Some of whom course paid the ultimate price with their lives to protect the American way of life.
since 1978 in order to pay tribute to all who served as our military. November 11th, what used to be call the Armistice Day is now Veterans Day. So however, we're able to celebrate and this year will be totally different than it has in the past at least remember those who have served.
What's the debt we owe them as much as we owe to the patriots who fought to win our independence from England back in the 17 hundreds? As much as dead as we honor those who fought long and hard to keep this nation together during Fox call the Civil War. As much as dead as we all of those who gallantly falsies the German aggressors during World War 1 and then again Germany, + Japan and other nations all around the globe during World War II. As much as dead as we all those young man who willing they braved the bitter cold of Korea. Are the steamy jungles of Vietnam? As much as dead as we owe those who continue to fight the aggressors in the mountains of Afghanistan or the fans of a rock wherever they might be. As much as dead as we all do all of these veterans.
There must be a better way.
choices do have consequences
in our scripture reading today. Read about Joshua and important time in his life. He was nearing the end of his life. Now if you remember Joshua took over the reins of leadership from Moses. Brenda accurate wandering in the desert for about 40 years God told Moses that it was time for him to move on and for Joshua to become the leader of this group. Now 40 years before remember they had failed they had refused to enter into the Promised Land. God said ain't no turning back now. You're going to go. And so they lay them across the Jordan River. And he said I want you to destroy. every city every person that occupies the land that I have given you.
Average these are squatters on your land. He had a reason why he wanted them to eliminate all of them.
Now everything went all right for a while. Now Joshua was dying and he called all these people together.
And he said to them. I want to remind you of three things. Who You Are whose you are? And why we're here.
Who you are God's people.
Why were here God told us to go occupy the land? So it was he encouraged them to continue the battle. And totally eliminate those. Canaanites it wants to die that we call Palestinians. Who were living there as God had commanded? Now think about it had they done that had they completed the job.
We would not have had all these midis conflicts that have been going on in the sleep for years and years and years.
But they didn't. Maybe they started out they invaded they destroyed Jericho. They didn't but God did. And then they were able to after failed attempt. They were able to destroy AI.
and on and on however, every time they did it seems as though they were some failure. either somebody in their greed stole part of what they saw their or they began to let certain people live and took them his captives against what God had told him to do.
and finally, they just quit fighting and said Let's just settle down here. We've got enough land as it is. They saw it as the easier way. Believe it or not. The easiest way is not always the best way. choices do have consequences
because of their continuous disobedience They're pursuing of worship of other gods and opting Pagan Habits Like the Canaanites.
God once again rebuked of people saying this you said I brought you out of Egypt. I brought you into the land that I swore to give to your father's. I said to them. I will never break my Covenant with you and you shall make no Covenant with the inhabitants of this land. You shall break down their altars. And Destroy them.
but you have not obeyed my command. So now I say to you. I will not drive them out before you. But you shall become adversaries or they should become adversaries to you and their gods will be a snare to you. They chose not to follow the direction that God had given them. choices do have consequences
for all everybody now if you read the Book of Judges tell us a lot about the. Of History. It's spelled with a phrase. In those days Israel had no king. So everyone did what they saw fit and did evil in the eyes of the Lord. What flavor settled into the land? They began to do what they wanted to. I'll Book of Judges tells a story about how this choice. Call conflict and chaos. And then he would raise up a judge. and the judge would once again remind them the three WS Who You Are who you are and why you're here.
They need to reminding just like we do. Enter. Time Life ended Israel would return to kind of normal it would be calm and peaceful for a while. And then the people began to act like their Pagan selves again. The cycle would continue over and over and over for about 300 years. During which God had appointed 12 different judges. To try to bring order out of there chaos.
ever since that time especially Christians and Jews Have suffered because of the failure of those people to follow God's commands.
Someone told me one time that that would be a cruel thing to do. They couldn't believe that God told them to kill all those people. And I said, well he did. And they had a recent. I just like how much much better it would have been had they completed their task.
Do you watch the news reports which I got to quit doing? from that part of the world It hasn't changed a whole lot those like whatever name they're called are still creating chaos.
after the. Of the judges for about a hundred and twenty years under the leadership of three different Kings Israel had some kind of stability. But as you know came set of Solomon's time to die and the one he appointed to take over the K Michelle. Listen to the Sean's got to fighting and the nation ended up split. And the northern part that maintain the name of Israel.
fell into really serving the Pagan God in Gods and so they God allowed them to be destroyed by the nation of Assyria totally destroy. And then later on the southern Kingdom became much the same way and he allowed the kingdom of babbling to at least partially destroy that
finally finally after they found themselves under the dominance of Persia. Persian king said go home. We don't need you. We have enough welfare welfare people. We don't want to take care of you. You had no purpose here. Just go home and some of the Dead. And God said to them. I want you back here where you can do basically two things rebuild the wall around Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. Well, it took them awhile a good while to do that. But they were finally able to accomplish it and over the years others came back and it became somewhat normal.
They went through a. Of 100 years or so that they didn't have any foreign interference in what they were doing.
And then Rome came. Dial Rome was a different from the other people that had dominated. At least they had a had a reason to plan a purpose. They defeated lost of Nations. So that their influence stretched rear from from the Eastern Mediterranean over into Asia. And they establish a network of the ability roads that allowed them to to keep peace over all the empire. It was totally different than what they had known. Now, of course the people in Israel still did not like these foreigners being there and they prayed that Got to do something about it. Thanks Russia for
Prophet said foretold the day when God would send this deliver this Messiah who would once again be the king over Israel. Well during this time of relative. Peace. Under the dominance of Rome in what historians call the fullness of time. God did just that he sent that long-awaited Messiah savior of all mankind in the person of Jesus the infant
Now looking back over these many many hundreds of years of History. I hope you can see that choices do have consequences.
choices can be made not always the best choice. The choices can be positive or negative. remains to be seen which way the consequences of our recent national elections will go but the truth is still that Josh's do have consequences. Let's pray that it be a positive consequence or come out of it. aspray gracious and loving God we give thanks to you for the assurance that in spite of all the chaos that appears in history and then our vets today that you are still God and we pray that you will be able to bring your wheels done in our nation and throughout the entire world. So help us God to be faithful to you and be drawn closer to you in Christ's name. We prayed on men. Our closing hymn is number 455 shall We Stand is who sing the first verse number? 455