Joshua 24:14-18

New Year’s Eve

December 31, 2009

Joshua 24:14-18 (New International Version) 14 "Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." 16 Then the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods! 17 It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. 18 And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God."

The pipes have burst. There is water everywhere. There is no one to call but the plumber. You are looking at a remodeling job in your home. There is extensive wood work that needs attention. You contact a carpenter. Your teeth need work, you go to the dentist. When something needs special attention, you contact a specialist in the matters of what you need. When the focus is on things spiritual – matters of the soul – how can there be anyone but the LORD?

How can there be anyone but the LORD?

Joshua 24:14-18

That was exactly Joshua’s point at the time of the lesson on which we are focusing this evening. The conquest of the land of Canaan was over. It was time for the tribes of the sons of Jacob to take possession of their allotted portion of the Promised Land. After such an intense time of battle and wandering, it was time for God’s people to refocus on spiritual matters.

In this the final address as the leader of God’s people, Joshua reminded the people of the blessings they and their forefathers had received from the LORD. Remember Joshua was one of only two remaining alive from the beginning of the exodus from Egypt. He had seen the destruction of Egypt during the time of the ten plagues. He had witnessed the demise of Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea. He had walked across the sea on dry ground. He was an eyewitness to the glory of God at Mt. Sinai as God gave his law setting apart the people as God’s special nation of the gospel promise. Day after day, year after year he saw the LORD provide daily bread and meat with the miraculous manna and quail. He saw the LORD provide water where there should have been none. Even though the previous generation who had come out of Egypt had died long ago because of their unwillingness to follow the LORD trustingly, the LORD was still faithful to his promise to the people. Now they, the next generation, had been witness to the Mighty LORD winning battle after battle for them. At this time of peace, Joshua their faithful leader refocused them on exactly what they would need as they settled in their new home.

Joshua challenged the people to rise above the unfaithfulness of the previous generations with these words, 14“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Serving the LORD would be a continuing response to an already established relationship the LORD had made with them. To be sure, they could forsake the LORD for the gods of their ancestors. But to Joshua, the matter was more than obvious. How could there be anyone but the LORD.

To this generation, the matter was obvious. Their response was immediate, 16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods! 17 It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. 18 And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God.” They saw the LORD as their faithful provider. They knew by faith that the LORD was the God of love who made a promise to save them from their sins and give the an eternal Promised Land in heaven.

Is the matter as obvious to us? We are here tonight to review and remember the blessings of the LORD to us over the past year. We have seen the LORD’s goodness. He chose you and me from eternity. We have been the beneficiaries of countless blessings, most of which we cannot even count tonight. Yet, often we forget from whom all blessings flow. Our sinful thoughts, words and actions do not bear witness to faithfulness to the LORD. We often do not live as a people who have been set apart as a special people of a promise. Yet, the LORD who was so faithful to the Joshua’s people is the very same LORD. He made a promise of salvation to us. He gave us faith to believe that promise. We see the newborn baby in the manger as that promise made flesh. God has sustained us in that faith throughout the past year, and he will sustain us throughout the new year.

Ask yourselves this evening: forsake the LORD who has made with you an everlasting relationship of love and salvation? How can there be anyone but the LORD? With Joshua and his people we echo these words of faith: “We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God.”

Amen.