Rest And Responsibilities

Intro

Text - Joshua 23.1-8

Joshua 23:1–8 NKJV

1 Now it came to pass, a long time after the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua was old, advanced in age. 2 And Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers, and said to them: “I am old, advanced in age. 3 You have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations because of you, for the Lord your God is He who has fought for you. 4 See, I have divided to you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, as far as the Great Sea westward. 5 And the Lord your God will expel them from before you and drive them out of your sight. So you shall possess their land, as the Lord your God promised you. 6 Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, 7 and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you. You shall not make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them, 8 but you shall hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day.

Title - Rest And Responsibilities

Series - Lessons from the Book of Joshua

[short speech on God’s message to me regarding the church’s hunt for a church property]

Background

Joshua did not complete the conquest

because of his age

Joshua 13:1 NKJV

1 Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the Lord said to him: “You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed.

his last work was the dividing of the land

Joshua 13:7 NKJV

7 Now therefore, divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and half the tribe of Manasseh.”

Joshua chapters 13-21 were accounts of dividing the land of Canaan to the tribes of Israel

2 and 1/2 tribes settled in east of Jordan river

Gan

Reuben

half of Manasseh

9 and 1/2 tribes settled west of Jordan

half of Manasseh

Simeon

Judah

Benjamin

Gan

Issachar

Zebulun

Dan

Ephraim

Asher

Levites - every tribe gave cities for them to dwell in

cities of refuge - 3 on each side of Jordan

The Main Point

“Rest” has a price!

basic price - roof above your head, a house with enough food; 1 or 2 more rooms with electric fan

more pricey - airconditioning unit; house inside a subdivision; paid house helpers;

price depends on your needs, problems, and number of enemies!

The “rest” that Christ gave us comes with “responsibilities” -

upkeep and preservation

Because there are enemies who would like to make your life a living hell

Sermon Points

Joshua’s work was done

because God has fullfilled His promises

Joshua 21:43–45 NKJV

43 So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. 44 The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. 45 Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.

Joshua 23:1–4 NKJV

1 Now it came to pass, a long time after the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua was old, advanced in age. 2 And Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers, and said to them: “I am old, advanced in age. 3 You have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations because of you, for the Lord your God is He who has fought for you. 4 See, I have divided to you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, as far as the Great Sea westward.

He’s destroyed the powers of the enemy in heaven and in earth

He has divided the land to God’s people

the land had rest

Israel is resting

they were no longer sojourning in foreign lands - they’re home at last

they were no longer wandering in the wilderness

they have nothing to worry about the enemy uprising - they are subdued!

Israel’s work has begun

Now that the battle is done - Joshua has subdued the enemy - Israel must focus on preserve the rest that God has given them.

How?

The keeping of the law of the covenant

Joshua 23:5–8 NKJV

5 And the Lord your God will expel them from before you and drive them out of your sight. So you shall possess their land, as the Lord your God promised you. 6 Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, 7 and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you. You shall not make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them, 8 but you shall hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day.

Israel’s part is to keep the service of God - God’s part is to “expel the rest of the enemies” out of the land of rest

keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses

they are to continue holding fast to God

To love the LORD God

Joshua 23:9–11 NKJV

9 For the Lord has driven out from before you great and strong nations; but as for you, no one has been able to stand against you to this day. 10 One man of you shall chase a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, as He promised you. 11 Therefore take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the Lord your God.

Warning against going back to idols

Joshua 23:12–16 NKJV

12 Or else, if indeed you do go back, and cling to the remnant of these nations—these that remain among you—and make marriages with them, and go in to them and they to you, 13 know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations from before you. But they shall be snares and traps to you, and scourges on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the Lord your God has given you. 14 “Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed. 15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all the good things have come upon you which the Lord your God promised you, so the Lord will bring upon you all harmful things, until He has destroyed you from this good land which the Lord your God has given you. 16 When you have transgressed the covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed down to them, then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and you shall perish quickly from the good land which He has given you.”

To fear the LORD and to serve Him

Joshua 24:13–14 NKJV

13 I have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.’ 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!

Christian “responsibilities”

Jesus Christ gives us “rest”

Matthew 11:28–30 NKJV

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

his rest is for those who are burdened by sin and worthless living

his rest comes with yoke - responsibilities which a believer must undertake

his yoke is easy and light - because they are meant they will ensure the upkeep of rest

Hebrews 4:10–11 NKJV

10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

diligence - to be eager, show interest, intense desire

We remain and enjoy Christ’s rest -

when we abide in the covenant of grace that He has established with His own blood

when we preserve it through active service in the kingdom of God

Conclusion

Are you resting in Christ’s today?

Know this -

that rest have been bought with the death of Christ

you are responsible for its upkeep and preservation

Joshua 24:15 NKJV

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.”

Service is not only our responsibility as God’s creatures

Service is our way of saying “thank you Lord for giving me rest!”

Is your whole family serving God today?

God’s covenant with Abraham includes his whole “house”

the house of Israel is under covenant with God

When the enemies are subdued and your whole house is serving God - then you can rest!

SONG

We Will Serve the Lord