Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro: These were exciting times for the people of Israel.

They had defeated their enemies and claimed the promised land.

Each of the tribes had received their inheritance and now they could settle down and enjoy life a little.

It was a time of hope, prosperity and blessings.

It was also a very dangerous time for these people!

There was the danger that they would forget where they came from, how they had gotten to where they were and what the Lord had done for them.

There was the danger that they would begin to adopt the idolatrous religion of the Canaanites who still lived around them.

There was the danger that they would fall into a state of complacency.

A state in which they might feel that they could let down their guard just a little.

These were dangerous times for Israel indeed!

In the midst of this situation, Joshua stands up to deliver to the people a challenge from the Lord.

God wants them to dedicate themselves to Him and to His work.

He does not want them trying to live for Him on the one hand and the gods of Canaan on the other.

He wants wholehearted dedication or nothing!

I would just remind you that these are dangerous times for the church as well.

We are seeing the church develop an appearance that is more and more like that of the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3:14–22

“14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

21 To him that…”

A church that has everything it needs, except for the presence, power and glory of God.

Just as the Lord issued a call through Joshua, all those centuries ago, for His people to make of their minds as to whom they would serve, so He issues the same call to His people on this day.

Let’s take some time this morning to look into these verses and hear the call God is giving to us this morning.

I want to preach for a few minutes on the thought, It’s Time To Make Up Your Mind! And, it is!

You will have an opportunity today to decide who will have your worship, your love and your obedience: God almighty, or you and all the things that want to capture your minds.

I. V. 1–13 IS A TIME OF CONTEMPLATION

Joshua begins his remarks by calling them to a time of contemplation.

He wants them to remember who they are, where they came from and what the Lord has done for them.

It would do us good to think back on those things ourselves!

A. V. 1–12 To Contemplate God’s Power In Their Lives—They are reminded about God’s choice and call of Israel.

How He redeemed them and delivered them from Egypt.

How He manifested His power and glory on their behalf time and time again.

They are reminded of the victories they have enjoyed and the blessings that have been theirs because of the Lord’s work in their lives.

We need to contemplate all the Lord has done for us!

Remember where He found you.

What He did for you.

How He has blessed you.

How He has worked on your behalf time and again.

B. V. 1–12 To Contemplate God’s Presence In Their Lives—Israel is reminded that God has ever been with them.

In everything they faced, He was there to help them and to see them through.

We need to remember that since the day we were saved by grace, God has never left us nor had He forsaken us, as He said, Heb.

13:5; Matt.

28:20.

Remember His presence in your life.

C. V. 13 To Contemplate God’s Provisions In Their Lives—Now they are reminded of how they enjoy blessings that they do not deserve.

They are clearly partakers of grace and have more then they could have ever imagined!

We need to contemplate the fact that we have much this morning that we simply do not deserve!

Think of it!

We are saved, secure and headed to a home in Heaven!

We are hell prove and in the body of Christ.

We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and live in the presence all the time.

We have more than anyone can understand or imagine!

God has been so good to us!

In light of these truths, I wonder why so many of God’s children seem to have a hard time just simply loving and serving Him as they should.

Of course, this is nothing new!

Israel was guilty of walking out on God even when He had been so good to them, Jer.

2:5–19!

I wonder if we would not have to admit to the same kind of sin? Everything under the sun is allowed to come before the Lord in our lives.

This simply is not right!

Perhaps we need to contemplate what the Lord has done for us once again.

Remember where He found you and all that He has done for you.

II.

V. 14–15 IS A TIME OF CONFRONTATION

A. V. 14 Confronted By A Command—Joshua’s command to the people was three-fold.

They were commanded to “fear” God; clean up their lives by putting away their other gods; and they were to serve the Lord.

This would put them in a position to put God back in the forefront of their lives.

This is a command that God’s people need to take heed to today!

We need to

1. Fear the Lord—That is, we need to reverence and honor Him for Who He is.

He deserves to be respected and loved by those He has redeemed!

2.) Put away our other gods!

All those things in our lives that come ahead of the Lord need to be put away forever!

3.) Serve the Lord with sincerity.

The word “serve” means “to fulfill the role of a slave.”We

are His possessions and should live as such, 1 Cor.

6:19–20 “What?

know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

The word “sincerity” means “wholeheartedly, completely, with integrity” The English word “sincere” comes from two Latin words which mean “without wax”.

It was used to refer to scrupulous pottery dealers who sold first class pottery that did not have cracks patched with wax.

When patched pottery was held up to the light, the wax patch was easy to spot.

So it is with people who live insincere lives.

When they are held up to the light, their hypocrisy shows!

The implication for us is that God does not want His people to live lives of hypocrisy!

He wants us to be what we claim to be!

B. V. 15a Confronted By A Choice—Joshua challenged the people to choose who they would serve and to get about it!

The same choice stands before us this morning!

It’s about time people got off the fence and made up their minds who’s team they are on.

The people Elijah confronted on Mt.

Carmel—1 Kings 18:21 “ And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions?

if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.

And the people answered him not a word.”

Friend, you cannot have both God and the world!

You cannot have Him and all your distractions.

Either He is in first place, or you have a different god!

The question that comes to my mind is this: “Why would anyone think it evil to serve the Lord?”

C. V. 15b Confronted By A Challenge—Joshua set the example and laid down the gauntlet for the rest of the people by stating his clear intention to serve God.

We need some Joshuas in our day!

We need some men and women who will settle it in their hearts that Jesus Christ and His Word and will are going to come before everything else in life!