READ: JOSHUA 24:15-25 TEXT: v15 CHOOSE YE THIS DAY…
And if it seem evil unto you to serve
the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods
which your fathers served that were on the other side of the
flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for
me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Men make decisions every single day and do so all their waking hours
Many of our decisions are of little significance because they concern
insignificant things
If we were to make a wrong
decision/choice…it would hardly matter
No great mistake or harm
done
But there are other decisions which are momentous
On these decisions, hang serious consequences
Therefore we seek to choose wisely, so that we have no regrets
Our text concerns itself with the greatest decision we will ever make
Our eternal destiny is sealed by the choice spoken of/text
We must reap what we ourselves sow
None can make this decision for us
Must make it ourselves, and abide the consequences for all eternity
The challenger on the occasion/text was Joshua
NT rendering of his name is "Jesus" (same name)
The Lord Jesus would turn to all in our day and speak these words
Did he not do so in effect to the Rich Young Ruler?
Through His gospel preachers, He does so again/again
4 main thoughts/text:
1) MAN HAS THE TEMPORAL OPTION OF CHOOSING TO SERVE OTHER GODS:
A/ God has three kinds/creatures
[i] Inanimate kind
Possess no life and are controlled completely without any consultation
Moon/stars/planets in space
Set/courses by divine decree possessing nothing to make a choice with
[ii] Animate kind i.e. the animals themselves
Life possessing, but incapable of any spiritual thoughts or decisions
No one preaches to animals or holds them responsible
[iii] Spiritual kind - Highest creatures possessing souls with an
eternal dimension and facing an eternal destiny either in heaven or
hell
It is to the last alone that spiritual duties and choices are extended
i.e. it is to men - all men - that these words come with force
No robots among the sons of men
There are slaves! (John 8:36/Romans 6:16) but they are willing slaves and not robots
In this age/grace, God has given men the "option" to obey/disobey
C/ I need to explain what I mean "by "option" to obey/disobey
Perhaps "opportunity" might be a better word
Not suggesting: either choice is legitimate and without consequences
Not so
Also clear that men do (and therefore men can) make other choices from what is commanded in the Bible
D/ Do we not see this all around us?
Strictly speaking commandments are not choices
But every commandment/Bible is smashed every moment of every day
E/ This is only a temporary arrangement which God in His inscrutable wisdom has seen fit to allow
Will not always be…but it is now
But because God does not punish sin immediately…it does not follow that He will not punish sin at all
All the chickens will come home to roost in God's good time
2) MAN HAS TEMPORAL EXCUSES TO SERVE OTHER GODS:
A/ Note the word "excuse" - An excuse is not a "reason"
A reason is legal and genuine and cannot be punished
An excuse is illegal and false and must be punished
Man can only find an excuse to make the wrong choice
B/ In our text, the Israelites to whom Joshua spoke could plead their ancient family background as an excuse
Going back to Abraham (their common father) they could choose to serve their ancient gods
(Must be asked: Why would they re-embrace what their father Abraham had totally abandoned? Unreasonable and so an excuse)
How many there are who resist the gospel/Christ because of their family background/roots
[i] "Always been (Roman) Catholic" - "For generations, we have prayed
to Mary, exalted her to be our hope in death" etc., The mass/Pope
[ii] Someone else says: "Always been Presbyterian/COI etc.,"
Apart from saying that being Presbyterian/COI is not incompatible with
the gospel/grace - If you are using such things as an alternative to
Christ - then your name is one of dishonour rather than honour
[iii] The NT Jews did this: "We be Abraham's seed…" (John 8:33)
But they chose to reject Christ
C/ Another excuse/text is to embrace the dominant culture
In this case, it would be to serve the god of the Amorites
Always dangerous to look around you when it comes to spiritual things
Ans:- Never play the numbers game nor be influenced by the world
Think of Noah before the flood or the disciples at the Cross
You live in a secular world - don't sell out to the god/materialism
You live in an ecumenical world - don't sell out to heresy
D/ Man is never short in excuses as to why he will not have Christ
[i] There is a reproach in becoming a Christian that is hard to take
True as a fact but not as a supposed reason: 2 Timothy 2:3
But so what? There is a greater/longer lasting and more terrible reproach in being a sinner, standing lost before a Holy God
In 5:9 the people had rolled away the reproach when they chose God
One thing when men reproach you and stigmatise you…but another
when God does so and bids you "Depart from me, ye cursed…"
[ii] Another excuse: Being different suggests superiority and can lead to spiritual pride which is of the worst kind
Ans:- Only if your difference is based on your own good works or
efforts etc., but not (as in the gospel sake) if based on grace
Romans 4:1-4/1 Corinthians 4:7/15:10
E/ Bring whatever excuses your wicked heart can concoct - again, your opportunity to do so, are only temporary
Do not mistake divine inaction as divine approval
3) MAN HAS TO FORMALLY REJECT CHRIST IN ORDER TO EMBRACE ANOTHER MASTER:
"If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord.."
A/ Cannot have both Christ and another Master
Jesus Himself said so: No man can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24)
If it is not Christ alone…then it is not Christ at all and that means nothing less than a formal rejection/gospel truth
B/ We must ask: What is so evil about the gospel scheme/things that
would induce the sinner to reject it and seek for/embrace another?
(Paul marvelled: the Galatians had done so and that so quickly: 1:6)
[i] Think of the love of the Father in this scheme/redemption
Did He not love/give enough when He gave Christ (John 3:16)
Especially seeing He was the offended One
[ii] Think of the love of the Son etc.,
What more could he have done to save the sinner
What infinite worth lie in His sufferings on our behalf
[iii] Think of the love/Spirit of God, through whom the Lord Jesus offered Himself without spot unto God (Hebrews 9:14)
[iv] Think of the terms/width and security of the gospel offer
See all the benefits/salvation, accumulating in the eternal perfection of the trusting soul
The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me (Psalm 138:8)
The spirits of just men made perfect (Hebrews 12:23)
Complete in Him (Colossians 2:10)
4) JOSHUA VOWED TO SERVE THE LORD WITH ALL HIS HOUSE:
A/ He was very personal in his confession/faith: As for me
Had to be personal, because He personally had sinned, was personally
accountable, personally needed saved, had personally been converted
B/ He did speak about and for his house
Shows his burdens for others and his responsibility as head/home
Cp Abraham (Genesis 18:19)
Fine…but only as far as it went
His own house would have to choose for themselves
Cannot be saved on the faith of another
C/ Serving the Lord an evidence of grace/heart, but only if it is in sincerity and in truth (v14) with the false gods put away
We serve God not to be saved, because we are saved
If there is no serving/Lord in holiness/life and in the ways commanded
in the Bible - then (no matter what we say) we have chosen other gods
and are serving them
D/ This text is often taken to prove the so called "free will" teaching
i.e. that man has the power of contrary choice and is free to choose
Already said that he is not a robot void of any responsibility etc.,
But our text (as said again) shows him to be a slave - either to God in Christ, or to the Devil through sin
I know who I want to serve
I trust you do too
Appeal
THE END