Lesson for April 9
EXPLORE THE BIBLE:
Faithful service to the Lord involves commitment
___
Joshua 24:14-25a
___By Ellis Orozco
___Calvary Baptist Church, McAllen
___Joshua was coming to the end of his life. He desperately wanted to leave his nation standing on a firm foundation. In his last formal address to the people of Israel, Joshua delivers a strong call to faithful service to God.
___Joshua mentions some basic elements necessary for committing to faithful service to the Lord.
___ Fearing the Lord (Joshua 24:14). Joshua admonishes the people to both fear the 
Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. The word Joshua uses for "fear" when used with respect to a person of authority means, "to stand in awe." When used of a person in an exalted position, it is not simple fear, but reverence, whereby a person recognizes the power and position of the individual revered and renders him proper respect. Joshua begins his "how to commit to God" speech with a call to "stand in awe" of the Lord.
___ Choosing the Lord (Joshua 24:15). Joshua then asks the people to make a choice. Faithful service to God is not just a matter of the heart. It also is a matter of the will. Serving God is not mandatory. However, choosing is mandatory. Everyone will worship something.
___Joshua recognizes that because God loves us he gives us the freedom to choose. Love can flourish only when it is given voluntarily. Therefore, serving God faithfully requires an act of the volition.
___ Remembering the Lord (Joshua 24:16-18). The people respond to Joshua's charge by remembering everything God has done for them. They push rewind on their nation's history and recall their 400 years of slavery in Egypt and, more importantly, how God delivered them from that land. They reflect on God's protection through the long and arduous journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. They remember how he fed them and cared for them through 40 years in the wilderness. I can almost see the tears glistening in their eyes as they remember how God practically dropped the Promised Land in their laps, driving out the nations that were inhabiting the land (Joshua 24:17b).
___The end result of their reminiscing is a firm commitment. Their response is, "How can we possibly choose other gods over the God who has done all this for us?" Our commitment to the Lord will not last unless we develop a very good memory.
___ Obeying the Lord (Joshua 24:19-25a). Their commitment to serve the Lord faithfully culminated in a commitment to obedience. Joshua warns the people that anything short of complete and total obedience to God would bring disastrous consequences for the nation (Joshua 24:19-20). Obedience is such an integral part of faithful service that Joshua asks the people to give an outward demonstration of their inner commitment to obedience. Joshua asks the people to "throw away the gods" that were among them (Joshua 24:23). God always will ask us to throw away the things that are hindering our service to him. This is our first act of obedience.
___It was one of Israel's finest moments: The people standing before their fearless leader making a lifelong commitment to being faithful to God.
___Joshua commemorates the importance of the moment by making a covenant with God for the people of Israel. In Jesus, that covenant never ends.
Send this story to a friend
Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!