Joshua 24:15

Introduction

Father’s day

Challenges, pressures

Hard providing today, being different in this world

Look to the world likely not going to get the encouragement we need

Bible

Background

Joshua’s final charge to the people before he dies

Encourages them to choose and follow God

As a faithful assistant to Moses for 40+ years he followed God

As a faithful successor to Moses he followed God for another 28 years

And here he is about to die and it is his desire for Israel for them to follow God

Joshua was concerned that the people would lapse into idolatry because of the influence around them

People prone to worship idols

Exodus 20:4 no graven images

People are just prone to worshipping objects, Israel was no exception to that.

In his exhortation of the people to stay on the right path, Joshua walks them through the history of God’s goodness in the past.

Birth of a nation in the call of Abraham

Called Abraham because of God’s goodness and grace

God gave the land to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

God protected them in Egypt

God delivered them

God protected and provided for them in the wilderness

God drove the enemies from the Promised Land

Because of all of this they should

Love Him

Serve Him

Lesson

In Joshua 24:15 we have one of the most powerful testimonies of a father in all the Bible

Remember Joshua 110 years old

Not a spring chicken

Family established, old themselves on their path of life

He is not saying this with the future before him in the windshield heading toward him

He is saying this with his life in the rear view, he has run his course

So he is not saying this as a leader as a father that we will start serving the Lord someday or we will do it in the future

He is saying this as a 60 year example to Israel that he has served the Lord and they can too

But as for me

Joshua had to make that personal decision himself

Regardless of his surroundings

Regardless of whatever the nation was doing

Joshua was not going to be swayed by what was the popular thing to do or believe

And my house

Joshua had to make the decision to lead his family in the same way that he choose himself

Eph 5:23 - For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Joshua had the right order to himself

Joshua had the right order to his home

Illustrate

So separate today

We Will Serve the LORD

LORD is all caps which represents God’s sacred name, His personal name for the Jew

That’s what it was for Joshua, the LORD was not some statue that he walked by once a week

The LORD was personal to Joshua and his family

We

Together

That is what a family is supposed to do

Serve the Lord together

I’m for the Ladies meeting

I’m for men’s work days

I’m supremely for family activity where everyone gets together and serves

Joshua’s ministry was not just him, but rather a them, his whole family served the Lord

Such a definitive statement

We will serve the Lord. Period.

Without room for excuse

Without room for exclusion

Conclusion

Must answer as for me?

Have you made that decision as to who you will serve

The gods of this world

The LORD

Is He your Saviour?

Is He your Lord today?

And your house

I understand busy

I understand distraction

Out of all of those things demanding our attention, our family is deserving of our best

Are you leading them in the Lord?

Creating an environment in your home where the LORD is supreme

We will serve

Joshua’s love for the LORD was not idle and it was not just lip service

Joshua’s love for the LORD and His decisions were active, not just him, but his family as well

Get involved as a family

Joshua again, concerned over Israel, the next generation and generations to come

Spoke these words of testimony of His decision for himself, his family and service to encourage that next generation that they can do it too

Lord willing, your children and your grand children and your great grandchildren can make those same decisions to serve the Lord as fathers and families.