A Choice We All Must Make

Joshua 24:14–15 (NKJV) 14 “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! 15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

One of my favorite stories of former President Ronald Reagan occurred as a young boy. He had an aunt who took him as a young boy to a cobbler, for a pair of new shoes. The cobbler asked young Ronald, “Do you want square toes or round toes?” Unable to decide, Reagan didn’t answer, so the cobbler gave him a few days to think about it. Several days later, the cobbler saw Ronald on the street and asked him again what kind of shoes he wanted, square toes, or round toes. However, again, he still couldn’t decide, so the cobbler replied, “Well, come by in a couple of days, and your shoes will be ready.” When our future President went to the shoe store, a few days later, he found that his shoes were indeed ready. But, to his surprise, he found that one shoe was square-toed, and the other was round-toed. The cobbler looked at young Ronald and said, “This will teach you to let people make decisions for you.” Our future resident said later, “That experience taught me that if you don’t make your own choices, someone else will.” 1

The fact of the matter is, that, as long as we live, we will always be faced with choices. It matters not whether you are young or older, life is full of decisions, and choices. Invariably, and inevitably, the choices that we make ultimately determine the course that we will travel.

Of course, we know, that the greatest choice that a person can make is to accept Christ as their personal Savior. After that, the next major choice we make to to fully surrender to His Lordship and serve Him and Him alone for a lifetime.

Take your Bible and look with me at a very familiar passage in Joshua 24:14-15.

Joshua, who succeeded Moses as the leader of the Israeli forces is now delivering his own farewell address. In so doing, he exhorts them, and encourages them not only to decide, and not only to choose, but to make the right choice.

Joshua epitomizes, and depicts a father, the leader of his home, taking the reins of domestic leadership, and choosing not only to be saved, but to serve the Lord with their whole being. Thus, as we examine this wonderful passage we see that choosing to serve God requires the utmost purpose, passion, and priority, and it is, without question, “A Choice We All Must Make!”

So let’s look at the choice, not only that Joshua made, but that each one of us must make, and we see that:

I. THIS CHOICE INVOKES A SOLEMN DECISION, Joshua 24:15a And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,

The choice to serve God is a very serious one, and one that invokes a solemn decision.

A. THE REQUEST THAT HE EXPLAINS

Notice the last part of verse 14, and the first part of verse 15. Joshua speaks to the people, and explains to them the difference between the gods that they were serving, and the one true God.

He not only exhorts them, but he explains to them why they are to serve the Lord, by reminding them of everything that God has done for them.

· In verse 3, he speaks of God’s providence in sending Abraham, the father of all nations, and multiplying his seed.

· In verses 5-7, he reminds them how God had miraculously delivered them from Egyptian bondage and captivity.

· In verse 8, he explains how God destroyed the Amorites, and had kept them from taking the land which He had promised to them.

· In verses 11-12, he recalls the battle at Jericho, and how God had fought the enemies that came against them.

· In verse 13, he reminds them that they have been given a land “for which they did not labor, and cities which they built not..”

Thus, they had been blessed with a place that was freely, and fully provided for them. So Joshua explains to them that they ought to serve God because of everything He has done for them.

May I say to you, today, that if you need a reason why you should serve God, just remember everything He has done for you.

He, just because of who He is, deserves our service; but, when we think of everything He has done for us, how we ought to desire, even more, to serve Him the very best that we can.

It seems as if the people of Israel has lost sight of what God had done for them, so Joshua begins to remind them, and refresh their memory. He’s desiring, and requesting that they serve God, that’s The Request That He Explains!

B. THE REQUIREMENT THAT HE EXPECTS

Not only do we see the request that he explains, but also the requirement that he expects. For, you notice the word “choose” that he uses.

The word “choose” is quite a descriptive word, and it carries with it the idea of “to appoint, or to select.” The word is a political word, and it depicts an elected official who has been appointed, selected, or chosen by the people.

However, the word “choose” is used in the indicative tense, which denotes it as being a command, and a requirement.

So we see that this matter of serving God is not something that is open for discussion, deliberation, or debate; but, rather it is something that is demanded, and commanded of us. It is not only requested for us, but it is also required of us.

Joshua reminds us of our duty, our demand, and our distinction as God’s people. This is serious business, and our number priority is to surrender, submit, and to serve Him.

T/S- Not only does this choice involve a solemn decision, but it also invites a specific direction.

II. THIS CHOICE INVITES A SPECIFIC DIRECTION. Joshua 24:15b

choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua focuses in on two areas of our life, first:

A. THERE IS A LOOK BACK TO THE PAST

1. Observe the middle part of verse 15. Joshua says, “choose you this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River or flood..” Thus, he points behind them, and looks back to the past.

2. It’s interesting to note the word “gods” that he uses. He’s not referring to God (Elohim), or God (Jehovah); but, rather he’s referring to the little gods of their life. Those false, untrue, and counterfeit gods that their ancestors had served long ago.

3. Therefore, the implication is that they had been serving something; however, they hadn’t been serving the Lord.

4. I don’t know about you, but as I reflect upon my life, I easily see that there are things in my past life that took the place of serving God. Whether it was a ballgame, a career, a relationship, or simple disobedience. Our past failures can either be a blessing or a burden to our service for the Lord.

5. It’s good to reflect and see the error of our ways in the past. But, many Christians not only remember the past, but they remain in the past, hence hurting their service to the Lord.

6. While our past many times hurts us, and hinders us, it ought to help us realize the importance of turning it around, and making it count for Christ. Joshua seeks to remind them, as well as us, of what’s behind, and There Is A Look Back To The Past!

B. THERE IS A LOOK OUT TO THE PRESENT

1. Notice, as he goes on to say “choose you this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.”

He’s not only looking back to the past, but he’s looking at their current situation, and dwelling place, and looking out to the present.

3. Let me ask you, right now, at this very moment, are you serving God? I mean really serving Him. Or, are you, like so many others, just going through the motions, and the routines of Christianity?

4. You see, when someone is serving God, they are not living in the past, but they are living in the present, and looking to the future. For, there is no room for digression, only progression in service to the Lord.

5. We may look back to the past, and then look out to the future, and determine where we are at in our Christian life. Joshua is focusing upon the choice to serve God, and he displays that This Choice Invites A Specific Direction!

T/S—Not only does this choice invite a specific direction but finally, this choice involves a sacred devotion.

III. THIS CHOICE INVOLVES A SACRED DEVOTION, Joshua 24:15c

“choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, ……… But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

We now see a man who devotes himself completely to God, and:

A. WE SEE A LIFE DEDICATED TO HIS LORD

Notice, after he has extended the invitation to serve God to them, he now makes a personal , and a domestic dedication, and says, “but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

It seems as if what Joshua is really saying is, “Regardless of what you decide, and regardless of what you do, I’ve made my mind up, that we’re going to serve God!” Without a doubt, we see a life dedicated to his Lord.

ILLUSTRATION:

It is said that when D. L. Moody was visiting England, he heard Henry Artley say, “The world has yet to see what God will do with a man who is totally and wholly dedicated to God.” Moody commented later, “He said ‘a man,’ not a ‘great man,’ a ‘learned man,’ or a ‘rich man;’ but, just ‘a man.’ I am a man, and it lies within the man himself to make that entire and full consecration to God. I will try my utmost to be that man!” 6

Oh, how we need some ‘men,’ just common, simple, and ordinary men to allow themselves to be totally, and wholly dedicated to Him.

I believe Phillips Brooks said it best, when he said, “It doesn’t take great men to do great things for God, it only takes dedicated men!”

Joshua was a man who had decided, determined, and devoted his life; and had placed it at the disposal of God.

B. WE SEE A LOYALTY DEMONSTRATED FOR HIS LORD

Notice again the words, “but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

We get the picture here of a man who has reported for duty, and is going to be committed, faithful, and loyal to His Lord no matter what. He is setting the example for others to follow, and is offering undying, unfeigned, and unyielding loyalty to the One who has become the entire focus of his life.

ILLUSTRATION: I think of the great missionary Adoniram Judson. Judson, just a common, ordinary man, was greatly used of God to reach untold thousands of Burmese people with the gospel. On one occasion, someone asked him how he would sum up his ministry in Burma. Judson simply replied, “DEVOTED FOR LIFE!” 7

There’s nothing hard about serving God when everything around you is going your way. But, it takes a person committed, faithful, and loyal to the cause to stick by the stuff no matter what, and come what may.

May we, like Joshua, give ourselves completely to the Christ of Calvary, and serve Him with our total being. Joshua was a man who had determined to serve God.

As we look at him, We See A Life Dedicated To His Lord, and We See A Loyalty Demonstrated For His Lord.

What a choice we all need to make! A choice to give ourselves to Jesus Christ as both Savior and Lord! Have you made that choice?

1. Today In The Word., MBI., August 1997., p. 16.2. Little House On The Freeway., Tim Kimmel., Broadman., 1991., p. 143.3. The Personal Jesus., R. Earl Allen., Broadman., 1971., p. 123.4. Putting Your Past Behind You., Erwin Lutzer., Moody., 1990., p. 13.5. IBID., Allen., p. 124.6. My Most Memorable Encounter With God., David Enlow., Tyndale House., 1977., p. 111.7. The Life of Adoniram Judson., Adoniram Judson., Moody., 1974., p. 161.

Related Media

Related Sermons