A Final Exhortation Joshua 23

A Final Exhortation Joshua 23:1-8

EBC   12/28/08

  Joshua gathered the nation Israel together and presented them with two scenarios: obey the Lord and He will bless you or disobey the Lord and He will judge you. These are the same two scenarios we are given today.

1-      Matt. 16:27-

2-      2 Tim. 4:14-

3-      2 Cor. 5:10-

 Joshua was trying to encourage Israel to stay the course for God- that there sure would come many obstacles to their Christian walk- but they should continually look to God. We live in a day when many have forgotten about the glory and power of God, and those who have known about such things are becoming fewer by the day. We need to be reminded of the power and glory of our God. Our children need to be exposed to His power! Many of our children don’t remember one thing that God has dome is our lives- because we haven’t told them.

I. Joshua’s Concern (1-8)

  A. He fears complacency  (6)

    1. Joshua fears that many might begin to take God and His word for granted.

       a. Deut. 8:13-18-

       b. 2 Chron. 26:15-16-

    2. He feared that many will begin to let things slide in their lives.

       a. Rev. 3:14-22-

         1. Many today have developed a Laodicea attitude which has allowed us to drift from the Lord. ILL. Cold water was piped in from the mountains in Colossae, warm water was piped in from Hierapolis by the time each reached Laodicea they were useless.

  B. He fears compromise (7)

    1. Joshua fears the Israelites will start following the God’s of the Canaanites.

      a. Jer. 2:11-13-

    2. Have not we given many of our affections to other things. Things become Gods when we put them in front of the one true God.

    3. 1 Thess 5:22- Abstain from all appearance of evil.

  C. He fears a loss of commitment  (8)

     1. Joshua fears the something will replace the Lord in the lives of the Israelites.

       a. Rev. 2:1-4-

       b. Matt. 10:38-

     2. How would you describe your commitment to the Lord this morning?

II. Joshua’s Challenge

  A. Consider God’s will (24:14-18)

    1. Joshua tells the people it’s God’s will for them to serve Him faithfully

    2. Christ’s desire for all of us is to put away anything that interferes with our service for him

      a. Heb. 12:1-2-

      b. Phil. 3:8-

  B. Consider God’s witness (24:19-24)

    1. Joshua ten makes a strange statement- you can’t serve God. The meaning is clear- he is reminding them that the Lord is witness to their lives and they can’t have it both ways.

    2. They can’t serve God on one hand and the world on the other hand.

      a. Prov. 15:3-

      b. 1 Kings 18:21-

      c. Matt. 6:24-

  My friends, there is a generation in our midst who know nothing of the power of God. They know a church filled with people who claim to love Jesus, but who deny Him by the lives they live. They no longer see Him moving in power in the services. We need some this morning who are willing to pay the price for the power of God who will step forward and get themselves in these altars and call on God until He moves in their lives, forever changing them and their world.