Serve The Lord

“Serve the Lord” – Joshua 24:1-15

God’s goal for our families is that we would serve Him together.

I. We Must Understand the of Our Salvation

Joshua 24:1-13 And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods. And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt. I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out. And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea. And when they cried unto the Lord, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season. And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you. Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you: But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand. And you went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow. And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

II. We Must Understand That Flows Out of Our Salvation

Joshua 24:14a Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth:

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

If we do not consistently highlight the power of the Gospel and create an atmosphere of gratitude to God in our homes, we will inadvertently portray God to our families as the One Who wants to keep us from the good life when the reality is that the only good life is found is salvation.

When we see our service to God as an overflow of a heart that is grateful for salvation, we can have joy in serving.

III. We Must Understand That Service Requires

Joshua 24:14b And put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

2 Corinthians 6:17-18 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Leviticus 20:26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.

IV. We Must Understand That Needs Support

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.

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

A successful life is not determined by finances, fame, or fun. It is determined by faithfulness to God.

1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Families need wives encouraging husbands and husbands encouraging wives. We need parents who encourage kids and kids who encourage one another. Serving God is to be a function of the family.

Deuteronomy 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.