It’s Your Choice

Text:

Joshua 24:15:

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.

 

 

Theme:

It’s Your Choice

 

Introduction:

• The book of Joshua is the sixth book of the Old Testament and contains the primary account of Joshua, seen as the first judge or captain over the people of Israel…a position to be ended by Jesus, who is the captain of our Salvation
• At this time in Joshua, our text gives the charge that Joshua declares to Israel. (read text)
• What is a choice?
  • The power to select freely and after consideration
• Why do we have a choice?
  • God gave us Free Will
    • Genesis 2:7, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
  • Examples of choices in the Bible:
    • 1Kings 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.”
    • 2Samuel 24:12, God said to the prophet Gad, “Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.” (seven years famine OR fleeing the enemy for three months OR three days pestilence in the land)
    • In the New Testament, Matthew 19:21, Jesus gave the rich young ruler this choice in response to the question of what must he do to have eternal life, “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.”

 

Body:

• Let’s look at the choice that Joshua posed to the people of Israel and his answer to that choice!
• “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD”
  • If you got a problem with serving God…
    • Folks who won’t believe…
    • Folks who won’t commit…
    • In church, folks who complain…
  • “choose you this day whom ye will serve”
    • Jesus explains to us in Luke 16:13:

“No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

• John explains to us in Revelations 3:16:

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

• “whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood”
  • The God that brought ya’!! …from
    • THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FLOOD
    • The other side of slavery
    • The other side of your birth
    • The other side of sickness
    • The other side of your bills
    • The other side of your salvation
  • “or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell”
    • We must be in this world but cannot be of this world
    • The old Gospel song says, “This world is not my home. I’m just passing by.”  Then later on it says, “I can’t be at home in this world anymore.”
  • “but as for me and my house”
    • Joshua does not separate his self from his responsibilities
      • We must be accountable for our responsibilities
        • Luke 19:17, “And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.”
        • How can expect much when we can’t even handle a “little”
          • Little money
          • Little job
          • Little husband/wife
          • Little children

 

Conclusion:

• Joshua’s answer
• “we will serve the LORD”
  • Joshua heeded to the words of Deuteronomy 30:19 which says:

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”

• I call heaven and earth to record this day against you
  • You have to make a choice, make a commitment, stand on something! You are accountable!!!
• life and death
  • No Spirit of God – No Jesus
  • No Jesus – No Life
  • No Life – No Light
  • No Light – No Vision
  • No Vision – Death … Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish”
• blessing and cursing
  • We know that when we act right, things feel right
  • The slogan use to say, “A clean car rides better!” A cleansed soul lives better!!

• CHOOSE LIFE!

#96