back to indexBerean Community Church Sunday Service 1.22.2023
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As always, it's a joy to gather together to worship our God. 00:09:14.360 |
So let us begin our service with a song of worship. 00:12:44.600 |
If you are joining us for the very first time this Sunday, 00:12:50.760 |
please be sure to swing by our welcome booth. 00:12:54.720 |
right at the front of the entrance of our parking lot. 00:13:14.140 |
The first announcement is related to our Bible study 00:13:24.200 |
Come a little bit early maybe just to get situated. 00:13:33.400 |
to just to email me directly at marklim@briancc.com 00:13:37.360 |
and we will coordinate and help you find your way. 00:13:44.840 |
that will be running on Sundays from two to 3 p.m. 00:13:53.140 |
For those of you who either want just a refresher, 00:13:56.200 |
this is open to both members and non-members. 00:13:59.040 |
If you are curious about how we do the inductive process, 00:14:08.560 |
and would like to volunteer serving with the children, 00:14:13.620 |
who are consistently with children in the room, et cetera, 00:14:16.600 |
we do have a requirement that they have to be safety trained. 00:14:29.040 |
Additionally, next week is the last day to sign up 00:14:37.620 |
and Family Ministry sisters to come together, 00:14:44.120 |
And there will be different times for meeting on that, 00:14:54.560 |
we like to announce our special communion Sundays 00:15:00.040 |
put that on your calendar, and take extra time to pray. 00:15:03.600 |
So our next communion Sunday is gonna be February 5th, 00:15:07.000 |
or during both service we'll observe the communion table. 00:15:10.900 |
Final announcement is that our men's ministry 00:15:13.460 |
is taking signups for a special Saturday meeting 00:15:17.080 |
which will take place from 9 a.m. to about 12.30. 00:15:36.880 |
we'll get the privilege of hearing the testimony 00:15:38.940 |
of our sister Tiffany, and she'll be baptized this morning. 00:15:44.520 |
Again, if you have a physical check you'd like to submit, 00:15:46.920 |
we have our offering box right by the entrance, 00:15:49.520 |
or otherwise you can submit it via the digital form. 00:15:58.560 |
for your grace and mercies that abounds to us every day. 00:16:05.280 |
that are given to us only in the name of Christ. 00:16:10.920 |
when we gather this way in a corporate worship, 00:16:14.000 |
we wanna lift up to you our heart of appreciation 00:16:16.560 |
for your mercies that are new, for your saving grace, 00:16:24.880 |
to be challenged by your word, to be washed, Lord God, 00:16:29.680 |
and to be renewed in our commitments and our faith. 00:16:33.600 |
And so we pray for such a fruitfulness of faith this morning 00:16:40.540 |
We also pray, Father God, that as we offer to you 00:16:48.480 |
we do pray, Lord, for these things to be lifted up to you 00:16:51.480 |
in the name of Christ, and God, that as you receive, 00:16:56.320 |
We thank you this morning, Lord, it's in Christ's name, amen. 00:17:47.240 |
Would you please stand with us as we continue our worship? 00:19:28.640 |
♪ Hear the sound of hearts returning to you ♪ 00:25:55.000 |
♪ And we shall let our heads be full of glee ♪ 00:27:17.600 |
I am so grateful to have been raised in the church 00:27:31.400 |
through my mom's teaching and through my dad's worship. 00:27:35.040 |
However, my faith was more of a general acceptance 00:27:40.280 |
than a joyful revelation and deeper understanding 00:27:46.520 |
My understanding of Jesus was limited to his work 00:27:51.520 |
rather than the constant and current mercy and grace 00:28:18.460 |
and when they did not fulfill those expectations, 00:28:21.360 |
I felt simultaneously disappointed and unwanted, 00:28:24.600 |
many nights despairing and wishing that I didn't exist. 00:28:30.960 |
as I began to search for comfort and security 00:28:34.080 |
in worldly possessions throughout my years in high school, 00:28:37.760 |
feeling very anxious through change and instability. 00:28:41.360 |
Throughout high school, I prioritized my hobbies 00:28:44.040 |
and activities over learning, serving, and worshiping 00:29:00.100 |
In 2017, I started college at Azusa Pacific University, 00:29:07.760 |
of what it looks like to worship and glorify God 00:29:14.720 |
were some of the most sanctifying years of my life 00:29:17.600 |
as God tested me through even more friendship trials 00:29:26.960 |
and to obediently follow his commands and plans for my life. 00:29:31.420 |
God spoke to me through the chapel messages and worship, 00:29:50.440 |
and recognized my identity and worth in Christ alone. 00:29:53.680 |
God fulfilled many promises to me in my college years, 00:30:26.560 |
"but the word of our God will stand forever." 00:30:32.640 |
and I found myself struggling with the same sin 00:30:43.720 |
finding comfort and security in my friendships, 00:30:47.880 |
I felt confused, disappointed, and upset with God 00:31:03.200 |
strained a season, and began to listen to lies 00:31:06.480 |
from the enemy that my emotions make me unwanted by God. 00:31:11.100 |
I was once again a slave to anxiety and depression, 00:31:15.860 |
believing the lie that it would be easier to disappear 00:31:19.700 |
than to continue to face suffering in the world 00:31:27.580 |
of God's love and grace, and I did not dwell in his truth, 00:31:38.480 |
and made certain that I kept hearing his truths 00:31:42.840 |
even when my sin made me want to ignore them. 00:31:45.100 |
He led me here to Berean last year to be encouraged 00:32:05.720 |
and to do my best to glorify God with my life, 00:32:16.540 |
"so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 00:32:41.920 |
"who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, 00:32:49.180 |
"To him be the dominion forever and ever, amen." 00:33:21.500 |
you symbolize your union with Christ in his death, 00:33:25.100 |
you symbolize your union with Christ in his resurrected life? 00:34:05.600 |
but in terms of the core of it, it's the same. 00:34:15.020 |
Let's pray as we enter into a time now of hearing his word. 00:34:21.820 |
God, we are so thankful that you remind us of it daily, 00:34:29.100 |
we see your hand working in the lives of people, 00:34:32.700 |
bringing them to points where they no longer trust 00:34:42.580 |
And thank you, God, that you exhibit your great, 00:34:48.340 |
Father, this blessing, we pray, would go out, 00:34:51.940 |
and we take time now to even pray for our India team, 00:34:55.180 |
desiring to share this great blessing of Christ 00:35:00.520 |
that if anyone would humble themselves and come before you, 00:35:15.540 |
to be washed from the stains of this world and our sins, 00:35:24.520 |
Please take your Bible now and turn to Joshua chapter 24. 00:35:41.140 |
Several months ago, back in the first Sunday of November, 00:35:45.720 |
I preached a sermon in Joshua from chapter one 00:35:54.620 |
The book of Joshua, just as a quick run-through, 00:36:04.960 |
Chapters one through 12 is all about being strong, 00:36:08.620 |
courageous, and overcoming these incredible odds, 00:36:17.380 |
and outnumber, vastly outnumber the people of God, 00:36:26.380 |
to the next battle, and so it's very, very exciting. 00:36:30.020 |
And then you hit chapter 13 through chapter 21, 00:36:39.200 |
but the reason why is because it just starts to list, 00:36:49.760 |
because the promise of land within the grand scheme 00:36:55.200 |
of God's desire to bless his people was pivotal. 00:37:01.480 |
when he called Abraham, he says, "I will bless you. 00:37:04.720 |
"I'll bless you beyond any other, because I've chosen you, 00:37:09.920 |
"I will give you a land, and you'll become a nation." 00:37:16.280 |
various elements of his blessing to his people. 00:37:19.680 |
And if you think about it, Joshua is an incredible one, 00:37:31.560 |
we're thinking about both the various tribes of God, 00:37:35.880 |
or the nation of Israel, having their inheritance, 00:37:46.860 |
now that you've won the land, what are you supposed to do? 00:38:02.800 |
Joshua is aged, he is old, in years he's now advanced, 00:38:16.060 |
"You need to hear the commandments of the Lord." 00:38:19.500 |
And he's gonna be giving his then final sermon, 00:38:31.080 |
And it says, "Now it came about after many days, 00:38:52.040 |
"and said to them, 'I am old, advanced in years. 00:38:56.780 |
"'And when you have seen all that the Lord your God 00:38:58.940 |
"'has done to all these nations because of you, 00:39:06.480 |
Now, I want you to get a picture of the scene, 00:39:11.180 |
an image of this individual speaking to you, okay? 00:39:15.260 |
Interestingly enough, Joshua goes down in scriptures 00:39:30.000 |
"but rather he's been a faithful servant of God. 00:39:33.140 |
"He has been trained, he has been at the right hand 00:39:36.120 |
"of Moses long ago, even from the time of Egypt. 00:39:40.280 |
"When the nation was underneath bondage and suffering, 00:39:49.000 |
"the mighty works of plagues, Joshua was there." 00:39:52.700 |
And if you recall, Joshua, he was one of the members 00:39:55.780 |
of the reconnaissance crew that went to scope out the land. 00:40:13.320 |
But unfortunately, the rest of the nation rebelled, 00:40:16.720 |
and they said, "Oh, God brought us out here to kill us. 00:40:31.560 |
That entire generation of people that came out of Egypt, 00:40:42.000 |
rallying them up, and he's the one who's then 00:40:49.840 |
chapters one through 12, it almost sounds like 00:40:53.880 |
and then you just win this nation, win that nation, 00:40:56.360 |
but actually, it was a span of seven to eight years 00:40:59.940 |
in battle, trying to go through the land of Canaan 00:41:03.560 |
from Jericho to different nations, seven years. 00:41:07.520 |
So when you hear the voice of Joshua in your head, 00:41:10.740 |
you're seeing a weathered man who has seen it all. 00:41:33.200 |
to the land of Kadesh Barnea, when they're walking 00:41:35.720 |
to that pinnacle point, going over into the land, 00:41:39.040 |
the promised land of Canaan, it should have taken 12 days. 00:41:43.920 |
He's seen it all, and now as you can imagine then, 00:41:52.320 |
and it's interesting to me that the scriptures 00:42:11.920 |
He says, very much of the land remains to be possessed 00:42:19.000 |
But the reason why I emphasize this is because he's dying. 00:42:27.440 |
Have you guys met people who have so much clout? 00:42:30.880 |
You know the things they've accomplished in their life. 00:42:35.000 |
everyone's just, shh, he's about to say something, right? 00:42:39.900 |
He's gathered everybody, including the leaders, 00:42:47.320 |
Joshua has a word for us, and it's that important. 00:43:14.580 |
so that you will not associate with these nations, 00:43:31.120 |
For the Lord has driven out great and strong nations 00:43:42.140 |
for the Lord your God is he who fights for you, 00:44:12.020 |
these commands have been given over and over and over again. 00:44:19.300 |
You have to be committed to do every single thing 00:44:24.300 |
and not stray from it to the left and to the right. 00:44:27.020 |
You have to cling, literally cling to the Lord, 00:44:33.380 |
And you have to make sure you're sober and alert 00:44:37.140 |
Look at yourself and see, do you really love the Lord? 00:44:41.580 |
Take heed, it says, to yourself that you love God. 00:44:49.940 |
right now, they are not in a time entering into battle. 00:45:03.220 |
It's almost like maybe it's time to now settle in 00:45:14.280 |
whether you fought and you won, or even if we failed, 00:45:26.220 |
I need you to hear the one thing that you have to hear 00:45:38.940 |
You can't sway because there's a change of leadership. 00:45:41.940 |
You can't sway because there's a lot of people, 00:45:43.940 |
little people, we have resources, we don't have resources, 00:45:54.300 |
And so that's why three months ago, I gave that sermon. 00:46:02.100 |
and that idea of being strong, not just for today, 00:46:09.740 |
It doesn't come from having influence, resources, 00:46:16.700 |
I'm gonna do it God's way, according to his word. 00:46:20.500 |
An unwavering man is a man set on the word of God, amen? 00:46:27.180 |
this is just the beginning of Joshua's sermon, 00:46:30.260 |
and he's gonna go now into different segments 00:46:34.740 |
Think about how to be prepared for when Joshua leaves. 00:46:38.540 |
So let's continue to read on, and what he says is this. 00:46:41.860 |
Just skipping a little bit, we're gonna come back to it. 00:46:52.980 |
now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, 00:46:57.180 |
meaning just like everybody else, I am dying. 00:46:59.600 |
And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls 00:47:07.560 |
which your Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed. 00:47:20.500 |
because we operate by the flesh and with our eyes, 00:47:23.860 |
that if we see a leader who is strong and powerful, 00:47:32.500 |
And what Joshua is saying is all the attention 00:47:34.940 |
is completely removed from him, and he's saying, 00:47:49.000 |
And what he is saying is you know in your heart 00:47:55.860 |
He is good because his promises to you have been good, 00:47:59.840 |
and everything he spoke that he will do, he has done. 00:48:02.680 |
Now to us then, number one, there's a challenge. 00:48:26.380 |
We believe in a verbal, plenary inspiration of God's word 00:48:31.940 |
When I say that, it means down to every exacting word, 00:49:22.060 |
that the people experienced because he highlights this idea. 00:49:25.060 |
You have seen it for yourself how good God is. 00:49:29.720 |
Just doing a couple of just walkthrough of Joshua, 00:49:57.940 |
What's more, the very first city that they overcome 00:50:00.680 |
is Jericho, and Jericho was a fortified city. 00:50:10.620 |
God told us to carry this ark and walk around it. 00:50:15.860 |
and the people of God walked around shouting and screaming, 00:50:24.700 |
That is not a military strategy you're able to repeat. 00:50:28.020 |
That's you have seen the power of God moment. 00:50:44.580 |
there's so many sequences of against all odds moment. 00:50:54.860 |
that I can't pronounce come together against one nation, 00:51:06.140 |
I wanna read this to you because it's both hilarious, 00:51:09.080 |
but also amazing, and it's just a miraculous work 00:51:14.180 |
In Joshua chapter 10, verse 10 through 11, it says, 00:51:20.700 |
He slew them with the great slaughter at Gibeon 00:51:24.380 |
and pursued them by way of the ascent of Beth-Haran 00:51:36.020 |
God threw large stones from the heavens on them 00:51:45.800 |
than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword 00:52:08.720 |
What I'm saying is Joshua is highlighting this idea. 00:52:14.900 |
You know in your heart that God is good for his word. 00:52:18.920 |
You know in your heart that God has been good to you. 00:52:21.640 |
And down to the very T, I wanna give another example 00:52:25.040 |
of a devastating situation where it should've been a loss. 00:52:40.060 |
the people, Israelites, are plowing through these nations. 00:52:52.320 |
the Lord said, "Do not be afraid because of them. 00:52:56.280 |
"For tomorrow at this time, I will deliver all of them 00:53:06.360 |
Now I didn't know what hamstring their horses meant. 00:53:22.680 |
to have some kind of retaliation or counterattack, 00:53:28.240 |
of the horse's back leg right at the hamstring 00:53:36.640 |
in just a couple verses later, in verse eight and nine, 00:53:39.160 |
the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel 00:53:50.680 |
And they struck them until no survivor was left to them. 00:54:15.300 |
What the Lord says is not going to kinda happen. 00:54:23.600 |
Because in your life, what are the big things 00:54:25.940 |
and the little things that you trust God with? 00:54:38.060 |
And then also, do you have that kind of testimony? 00:54:46.120 |
to all these temptations, distractions, allurements, 00:54:49.460 |
the things that look good and valuable and fine on earth? 00:55:42.980 |
Joshua continues the sermon by giving an intense warning. 00:55:50.860 |
the middle section, verse 12 down to verse 16. 00:56:00.560 |
these which remain among you and intermarry with them, 00:56:16.200 |
and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes 00:56:23.540 |
Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, 00:56:29.380 |
that not one of the word of all the good words 00:56:32.320 |
which the Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed. 00:56:39.140 |
It shall come about that just as all the good words 00:56:41.620 |
which the Lord your God spoke to you have come upon you, 00:56:44.220 |
so the Lord will bring upon you all the threats 00:56:48.620 |
until he has destroyed you from all his good land 00:56:53.640 |
When you transgress the covenant of the Lord your God 00:56:57.320 |
and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, 00:57:00.360 |
then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, 00:57:03.840 |
and you will perish quickly from off the good land 00:57:25.000 |
I wonder if I go back to when I wasn't Christian, 00:57:35.560 |
I wonder what I could do if I just let my own wings fly. 00:58:01.380 |
but we don't have the words to adequately describe 00:58:20.400 |
Now, I asked this question when I was doing the devotions. 00:58:31.440 |
Like, if you do the meditation on this thought, 00:59:33.360 |
through Joshua, God is shepherding their souls. 01:00:13.960 |
to be with this good God and to walk with him 01:00:24.280 |
And so what do I mean by God is shepherding our soul? 01:00:27.760 |
When God is talking through Joshua to the people, 01:00:35.580 |
"You will see how God is shepherding them in wisdom. 01:00:39.240 |
"I want you, my children, to make wise decisions 01:00:47.880 |
By walking through the next portion of his sermon, 01:00:50.720 |
Joshua says in chapter 24, verse one through 13, 01:00:55.160 |
"The kind of shepherding that God has already done." 01:01:05.320 |
"Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem 01:01:08.720 |
"and called the elders of Israel for their heads 01:01:17.120 |
Notice how it's they presented themselves before God. 01:01:23.180 |
"Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you." 01:01:29.380 |
What Joshua is doing here is gathering these people 01:01:33.500 |
in a very particular place for a very particular reason. 01:01:37.860 |
And that reason is because this place, Shechem, 01:01:45.360 |
So if you are in the habit of highlighting your Bible, 01:01:48.580 |
et cetera, Shechem is a place you wanna know, 01:01:50.760 |
or just take note on it, that Shechem is the place 01:02:19.600 |
when Moses, the great leader, is setting before the nation, 01:02:27.660 |
"God wants to bless you, but there are also curses." 01:02:52.000 |
And so he had six of the tribes go on one mountain, 01:03:05.380 |
And the people were shouting, "Curse that man! 01:03:13.340 |
they were screaming, "Amen, amen, curses, curses!" 01:03:16.500 |
And then God would set up the other side, Mount Gerizim. 01:03:19.940 |
And he would say, "But blessing, if you abide in my way." 01:03:23.320 |
Is God being an angry God who's just threatening you? 01:03:32.020 |
by not just telling them but showing them, "My people, 01:03:38.320 |
"You think in your own wisdom, in your own way, 01:03:52.220 |
"Why can't I at least have a run with the world, 01:03:55.900 |
"Why can't I take this journey and trip first?" 01:04:12.080 |
"But what's more, to encourage and motivate your heart, 01:04:19.960 |
"and you know these commands and instructions and threats, 01:04:23.900 |
"it's not coming from some random guy out on the street. 01:04:41.960 |
I'm gonna accentuate how God is speaking to them, 01:04:53.180 |
"From ancient time, your fathers lived beyond the river, 01:04:59.160 |
"and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods. 01:05:03.680 |
"Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the river 01:05:11.060 |
"And I multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac. 01:05:18.000 |
"and to Esau I gave the Mount Seir to possess it. 01:05:26.640 |
"and I plagued Egypt by what I did in their midst. 01:05:37.920 |
"And Egypt pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen 01:05:44.140 |
"He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, 01:05:47.120 |
"and brought the sea upon them and covered them. 01:05:53.400 |
"You lived in the wilderness for a long time." 01:05:56.320 |
Now that's an understatement, that was a long time. 01:05:59.060 |
"Then I brought you into the land of the Aramites 01:06:01.400 |
"who lived beyond the Jordan, and they fought with you. 01:06:09.260 |
"Then Balak and the son of Zipporah, king of Moab, 01:06:15.260 |
"He sent and summoned Balaam, the son of Beir, to curse you. 01:06:21.720 |
"So he had to bless you, and I delivered you from his hand. 01:06:29.160 |
"and the citizens of Jericho fought against you, 01:06:33.240 |
"and the Canaanite, the Hittite, and the Gerrishite, 01:06:41.900 |
"and it drove out the two kings of the Amorites 01:06:49.980 |
"I gave you a land on which you had not labored, 01:07:02.400 |
I read that section because clearly what God was saying was, 01:07:08.940 |
"I need you to understand what's really happening." 01:07:22.400 |
But no, you are being given real, genuine wisdom 01:07:28.360 |
and warning from a God who is our perfect shepherd. 01:07:34.620 |
Just like a shepherd, I lead you and brought you, 01:07:46.480 |
So if anything, as we hear the sermon of Joshua 01:07:48.680 |
this morning, I wanted your heart to be thankful. 01:07:52.120 |
Anytime you hear a good instruction from God, 01:07:56.680 |
know that it comes from your great and perfect shepherd. 01:08:06.080 |
and it looks like he's just shaking you up, thank God. 01:08:10.400 |
Thank God and say, "God, we confess together. 01:08:18.000 |
"Oh yeah, good, good, but I don't really get it. 01:08:20.760 |
"Sometimes I think I got it and I really don't 01:08:23.320 |
"because in application, I don't follow through. 01:08:25.780 |
"Sometimes I think I get it and I try to follow through, 01:08:30.000 |
"So many ways your instructions can go wrong, 01:08:37.800 |
"But thank you, God, that you reason with us. 01:09:11.420 |
And God says, "Because of this pivotal moment," 01:09:17.800 |
and now then perhaps they were more susceptible 01:09:22.260 |
"I need to know that you will choose and cling to God." 01:09:33.340 |
"Now therefore, upon hearing how God has been shepherding you 01:09:37.620 |
"and shepherding the flock and all your souls, 01:09:40.940 |
"fear the Lord, serve him in sincerity and truth, 01:09:43.740 |
"and put away the gods which your father served 01:09:45.960 |
"beyond the river in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 01:09:49.220 |
"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, 01:09:51.660 |
"choose for yourself today whom you will serve, 01:09:59.640 |
"or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. 01:10:02.600 |
"But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." 01:10:08.100 |
This is a famous and epic portion of scripture, 01:10:24.100 |
and to anything that takes me away from my Lord, 01:10:28.020 |
anything that makes me feel a little far from my Savior, 01:10:36.520 |
And we may have excuses, we may have reasons, 01:10:39.700 |
but I'm scared, I don't know how it's gonna work out, 01:10:46.140 |
I don't know if I'm in the end actually gonna be safe, 01:10:54.140 |
reservations, excuses, and be willing to say, 01:11:00.360 |
"that does not contribute to me serving my God." 01:11:10.580 |
in sincerity and truth, truth by nature is exclusive. 01:11:15.120 |
If truth is truth and it's right, then this is false. 01:11:26.160 |
When we think about things like washing, renewal, revival, 01:11:56.700 |
and here and now there's Joshua and the people. 01:12:01.400 |
God called Abraham because he was a righteous man? 01:12:11.340 |
He comes from the civilization of the Sumers. 01:12:49.160 |
The Jordan, the second splitting of the sea, so to speak. 01:12:59.600 |
It could be something you know is compromise, 01:13:03.280 |
it could be something you know is very, very tempting. 01:13:31.560 |
If there are things in your life keeping you from God, 01:13:47.620 |
You could be a 15-year-old youth group student in here. 01:13:58.880 |
Once you get into college, you know the temptations to come. 01:14:17.220 |
but it's powerful if you have a pre-determined decision 01:14:25.340 |
For me, as I was meditating on that, I think, 01:14:27.600 |
I had this thought that in my own personality, 01:14:30.920 |
I do find safety in being around others who make decisions. 01:14:36.920 |
I am content to have others make strong decisions for me 01:14:53.120 |
it's not as though my decision is contingent upon you 01:14:58.520 |
As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. 01:15:09.580 |
let me see at least first what that guy does. 01:15:17.700 |
What's incredibly interesting about this sermon 01:15:23.580 |
As a narrative, you see how the people respond to his call. 01:15:32.840 |
far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord 01:15:41.320 |
out of the land of Egypt from the house's bondage 01:15:46.800 |
and preserved us through all the way in which we went 01:15:49.640 |
among all the peoples through whose midst we passed. 01:15:53.300 |
The Lord drove out from before us all the peoples, 01:15:58.420 |
We also will serve the Lord for he is our God. 01:16:02.100 |
Now when you look at their words, when they say, 01:16:10.300 |
Does that automatically make you feel a little weird? 01:16:13.880 |
Kind of the feeling of like, I don't know, you guys, 01:16:21.240 |
I don't know, you guys, it feels a little overconfident. 01:16:24.700 |
Let me just say at first, it is an encouragement 01:16:34.280 |
I think you and I actually live in fear these days. 01:16:38.180 |
So many people are afraid of making any commitment, 01:16:42.860 |
You don't wanna look silly because you couldn't do it. 01:16:45.900 |
You don't wanna say stuff that you might not have 01:16:50.620 |
The bad thing is when they completely lose sight 01:16:54.180 |
of their track record, when they have too much 01:16:58.540 |
oh, far be it from us that we would ever do this, 01:17:02.080 |
we also know not the next book but the previous book. 01:17:12.500 |
the people said we will obey all that you command us 01:17:20.140 |
Just as you obeyed Moses, what are you talking about? 01:17:24.500 |
And so what's really interesting is we have this paradox 01:17:30.820 |
No confidence in the flesh means I know actually 01:17:34.960 |
I can sin on the way down from an amazing retreat. 01:17:39.840 |
I can sin in the moment of weakness when I'm even 01:17:43.020 |
like having done my devotions, et cetera, et cetera. 01:17:54.700 |
We're gonna talk about that, but Joshua's response 01:18:08.380 |
Then Joshua said, you will not be able to serve the Lord, 01:18:17.420 |
He will not forgive your transgression or your sins. 01:18:20.420 |
If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, 01:18:23.660 |
then he will turn and do you harm and consume you 01:18:43.020 |
We'll serve the Lord, and Joshua goes, no, you won't. 01:18:46.780 |
But what Joshua's really saying is not like that. 01:18:54.420 |
Joshua clearly is seeing the people and saying, 01:19:06.900 |
You can't, 'cause there is a moment right before 01:19:28.500 |
What are you gonna do, like burn something on there? 01:19:36.860 |
We were just setting this up so that we never forget 01:19:46.700 |
I can just set up stuff, and God will accept my offering. 01:19:51.060 |
What I mean, and I think what Joshua's getting at, 01:19:56.060 |
is there is this thought that yes, we will serve God, 01:19:58.500 |
but then there's always been this strange assumption 01:20:06.020 |
I can just offer this, and he'll just accept it. 01:20:08.420 |
And when Joshua says, no, no, no, he is holy, 01:20:14.060 |
God is a holy God that we do not just approach him 01:20:24.340 |
no matter what's in your heart now, just come, 01:20:28.180 |
He's holy, and his holiness will consume you. 01:20:33.740 |
You don't treat God like one of your hobbies, 01:20:35.860 |
one of your pets, and that is the sad state of affairs 01:20:44.020 |
just as long as at least I carve out this moment for him. 01:20:50.660 |
well, my dog needs a walk every so often, so I'll do it. 01:20:55.820 |
And so what Joshua's saying is, you can't do it like that. 01:21:06.740 |
that you hold dear and near to your heart and you value. 01:21:18.780 |
To liken it to this scenario would be to liken it 01:21:35.660 |
It's fourth quarter, there's two minutes left. 01:21:39.060 |
They're only down by six, so he has this moment 01:21:41.820 |
with his team, and he says, hey, everybody, all eyes on me. 01:21:52.420 |
From young and old, leader or follower, everybody came. 01:21:56.180 |
And just like a good coach would look at his team and says, 01:22:17.460 |
They're getting all hyped up, saying, we're gonna win. 01:22:24.740 |
And everyone's sitting there like, what's going on? 01:22:30.140 |
Man, and you could get defensive at that moment. 01:22:39.060 |
I've been making blocks that I'm not even supposed to. 01:22:41.620 |
Why is this guy yelling at us, telling us we won't win? 01:22:44.340 |
And the coach says, you're not gonna win like that, 01:23:00.340 |
You're sitting there competing with each other. 01:23:09.460 |
Some of you guys are over here all distracted on your phones 01:23:11.660 |
and all you do is stay on your phone on the bench. 01:23:13.620 |
Even if you're on the bench, stay in the game. 01:23:28.180 |
and he says, you guys are saying you wanna win, 01:23:43.220 |
Look at this next portion of the scriptures in verse 21. 01:23:48.300 |
The people say to Joshua, no, no, no, no, we'll do it, 01:23:52.220 |
And then Joshua says, you are witnesses against yourself 01:23:55.860 |
that you have chosen for yourself the Lord to serve him. 01:24:21.700 |
And they save it like hoarders who can't clear their garage. 01:24:24.940 |
It's just, maybe one day, someday it'll help me. 01:24:39.580 |
but so many times the prophets of God are like, 01:25:00.540 |
you fought well up to this day, you've obeyed, 01:25:03.460 |
but you understand that little bit of compromise, 01:25:10.040 |
wishing you could have it both ways, it will kill you. 01:25:33.540 |
But I think it's because we just thought we got wiser 01:25:40.780 |
I'm not going to give fruit to the Asherah pole. 01:25:42.940 |
I'm going to give a lamb to the Asherah pole. 01:25:46.900 |
The game was, you know, you go to the Asherah pole 01:25:49.860 |
and it's like, give me blessing, make me fruitful. 01:26:16.020 |
and you have idols of business success, entrepreneurs. 01:26:20.100 |
is only because I fantasize about me being them. 01:26:30.260 |
I'll have more than what God gave me currently. 01:26:38.060 |
And God says, wash yourself of that regularly. 01:26:42.220 |
Put away the little thing you hide in your home. 01:26:58.740 |
we will serve the Lord our God and we'll obey his voice. 01:27:02.020 |
So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day 01:27:05.140 |
and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. 01:27:21.820 |
behold, this stone shall be a witness against us 01:27:35.620 |
Then Joshua dismissed the people each to his inheritance 01:27:46.060 |
I am so glad that nobody looked at Joshua and said, 01:27:59.580 |
But instead they said, we will serve the Lord. 01:28:09.240 |
And in order to commemorate that, what did they do? 01:28:22.740 |
because just to signify that this is a God thing. 01:28:30.940 |
I wanna make sure that you do not deny your God. 01:28:49.100 |
we're gonna make a decision today, let's do it. 01:29:10.420 |
It's a binding, it's a instructional contract, yes? 01:29:21.820 |
They were responding to the sermon and it was good. 01:29:32.500 |
You and me, we have the sealing, the empowering, 01:29:41.220 |
You and me, we have the indwelling of the Spirit 01:29:45.540 |
that does not leave, it does not abide outside of us, 01:29:52.420 |
outside of my heart, we have the law in our hearts. 01:29:56.940 |
We have so much more power, and that's an understatement. 01:30:03.020 |
We have so much more power that God has gifted to us 01:30:17.300 |
of making outwardly expressions of commitment 01:30:20.800 |
and dedication to God than Old Testament saints. 01:30:26.660 |
We are afraid of saying, Lord, I wanna serve you, 01:30:31.260 |
I dedicate myself, I'm decided today in my heart and soul, 01:30:53.980 |
in the name of Christ, not me, but the life of Christ in me, 01:31:04.980 |
Anything that is an offense to my God, I'll put away, 01:31:26.060 |
We know, God, that from past events of history, 01:31:59.320 |
that the call to remove ourselves from the stain of sin, 01:32:08.880 |
that we should offer up ourselves no longer to sin, 01:32:12.640 |
but God, completely to you, we hear that today, 01:32:15.040 |
and we know that for this incredible calling, 01:32:20.540 |
So God, thank you so much for all the provisions 01:32:48.200 |
God, we want your blessings and nothing more. 01:37:04.040 |
Help us, Father God, whether in this scenario 01:37:06.880 |
or that circumstance, whether we have a lot or little, 01:37:18.520 |
pray for anybody in the room who is struggling, 01:37:31.200 |
by the words that we found today this morning, 01:37:46.160 |
And God, as we decide, as we choose to serve you, 01:37:52.840 |
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling 01:37:55.600 |
and to make you stand in the presence of his glory,