Are You Committed?

We're going to begin our worship by singing to God's praise. We're singing Psalm 115,

the Sing Psalms version, page 152 of the psalm books. We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse

9, and the tune is Tiverton. Lord, not to us, O not to us, to your name be the praise, because

your love and faithfulness endure, O Lord, always. Why do the nations question us? Where is their God,

they say? Our God inhabits heaven high, and over all holds sway. We'll sing from verse 1 to 9

to God's praise, and we stand to sing.

Lord, not to us, O not to us, to your name be the praise.

Because your love and faithfulness endure, O Lord, always.

Why do the nations question us? Where is their God, they say?

Our God inhabits heaven high, and over all holds sway.

Their gold and silver images are crafted carefully, but they have mouths which cannot speak,

and eyes which cannot see.

Their noses have no sense of smell, their ears can hear no sound.

They have no feeling in their hands, nor can they walk around.

Although these idols do have throats, no word can they proclaim.

Their makers and their worshippers will all become like them.

O house of Israel, please, your trust upon the Lord alone.

He is the mighty help and shield of all who are his own.

Let's come to God in prayer. Let us pray.

Lord, our God, our Father in heaven, we continue to worship you this day, thankful that you have given us your day,

given us this day set aside for that very purpose, to come away from the activities of the rest of the week,

to come away from the busyness of life in so many ways,

and to come and draw near to you in this way, to come and still ourselves in your presence,

to come and offer up our praise and worship to you.

And we thank you that your word has reminded us, even as we've sung,

that we come not for our glory, but for yours.

And we come seeking your face, seeking your presence in our midst,

thankful that you are the God who is above all other gods,

that you are not one who keeps silent or one who cannot speak.

You are not one who does not have ears to hear or eyes to see.

For as your word reminds us, you hear your people as they pray.

You speak to us and call us to yourself.

And we thank you that you are our God and that we can call upon your name,

that you have brought us from darkness to light to sea,

that there is only salvation found in one God and one Savior, Christ Jesus.

And we thank you that we come in his name, the name above every other name.

And we pray, Lord, that you will help us to put away all other idols

that may be in our hearts or in our lives,

all the things that come between through worship of you.

For we know that although we speak and read of idols as they were in days of long ago in these psalms

or in the word that we will be reading,

we know that there are still idols in our hearts today.

There are still things that we put first before you,

things that need to be removed before we can truly come and worship you aright.

But we thank you that just as you helped your people of old,

how you spoke to them and reminded them

and challenged them in the midst of idolatry that surrounded them,

that so your word challenges us today,

that it speaks to us about the idolatry that surrounds us,

but it reminds us of the God who is able to do

and able to do abundantly more than we ask or even imagine.

And so, Lord, help us to set our trust in you,

that we will indeed place our trust upon the Lord alone,

as the psalm reminds us,

for he is the mighty help and shield of all who are his own.

And so we thank you that we have these words in our hearts this night,

that even as we come in prayer just now,

that we have that confidence and assurance

that you are the help and shield to all your people,

that near and far you surround your people,

that you are with them, Lord,

that you hear those who rejoice in gladness and joy this day,

but that you hear too those who are full of sorrow and sadness,

those who mourn and grieve,

those who need you in special ways.

And we thank you that you are the God who is there to be called upon,

that you are the one who is near,

that you are the one who is able to help,

that you are the one who gives grace and that all-sufficient grace,

grace that is made perfect even in weakness.

And so we thank you for your grace that extends to your people.

And may it be so, Lord,

for those even of our own number who need you in particular ways,

those who are grieving and mourning,

those who are unwell,

going through periods of ill health,

those who are recovering from operations,

those who are laid aside because of other reasons of the body, mind, and soul.

We know the challenges that we face in these days are many,

but we thank you that we have one who has overcome,

one who knows every frailty and weakness,

one who knows every challenge and temptation that we face in this world,

one who was tempted himself and yet without sin.

And we thank you that even in our sin,

as we fall short,

that we have one who we can come to,

one who is able to forgive,

one who bore our sins on the tree,

one who died in our place,

that we might have life through him.

And so help us to hear your word as it speaks to us anew and afresh this evening.

Help us that we will hear what you're saying

and consider what you are saying

and even commit to what we hear,

that we are to serve the Lord,

that we are a people who are called to you to that end,

that we would put our trust in you

and serve you with all that we are and all that we have.

We thank you for every blessing that you extend to us,

for every perfect gift is from above as your word reminds us.

And we have so much to be thankful for,

for your goodness to us and blessings that are new day by day.

And we do pray that in the days ahead as we go on in this week,

that you will guide our every step

and help us along the way to honour you in all that we do,

whether it be in school or in our workplaces,

in our homes, in our communities.

Whatever we are doing, we would do it as unto the Lord,

remembering that we are your witnesses,

that we are your people,

and that to those around us who know you not,

to those who are still in darkness,

that we would be the light of this world,

shining your glory through us.

We pray, Lord, that you will help us to be your witnesses,

to be people who live aright

and are people who do good unto others as well.

And we thank you for every opportunity that we have

to serve you in every way,

from working with our young ones,

as we think even of the week ahead

with the toddler group tomorrow

and the explorers later in the week,

the YF tonight,

and the youth fellowship meeting

in the coming week as well.

We thank you, Lord, for every way

that we are able to help and serve in these ways.

And we pray that as a congregation here,

as your people,

you will strengthen our number

and strengthen our faith,

that you will help us to go on in your strength,

seeking blessing and goodness for us as a people,

but also for the people around us too,

that we would compel others to come in,

that we would remember the good news

of the gospel that we have,

that it is not something to be contained

to these walls or to our own lives,

to our hearts,

but that your word and your message

is a public message,

one that speaks to all around us

and the one that we all need to hear

and to hear afresh and to share with others.

So, Lord, may you enthuse us in our hearts.

May you convict us,

even in our own witness for you,

that we would ask,

oh Lord,

what can we do for you?

For we know that you have done so much for us.

And we pray, Lord,

that you will build up your kingdom

here in our community

and throughout our islands,

throughout our nation,

throughout the world,

that your kingdom

and glory would come in power.

We thank you for your church

that is far and wide

throughout this world.

And we thank you

for the witness of the gospel.

We thank you that it extends

to the north and south,

the east and west.

It is so far reaching.

The gospel bears witness

to all ends of the earth.

And we thank you

that your gospel is bearing fruit,

that there are lands and peoples

who are being reached with the gospel,

many even for the first time,

who may be hearing it

and marveling at it,

that you have sent your word to them,

that they have heard of a Savior

so precious, so lovely.

And we pray, Lord,

that as your word goes out,

it will be blessed by you.

It will be mighty and powerful

to save from every tribe

and nation throughout this world,

from leaders on high, Lord,

that they would come

to know you as their Lord

and as their King,

to serve you as servants

to you as their true Master.

We pray that even for our own nation,

Lord, that we would see

a turning in our land,

that we would see a turning to you,

a turning to faith

and your word and truth,

and that we'll be led by it.

We pray, Lord,

for your goodness

then over us as a people.

We pray for your mercy

to be upon us.

We pray that you will cleanse us

from all our sins,

and we commit all into your care,

even for the days ahead.

For the wake and funeral

of Professor McLeod,

we commit that to you.

We commit the family once again,

and friends,

to your care and keeping.

May you bless in the midst of grief.

May your words bring comfort

and convict us all, Lord,

of our need of you.

Thankful for all that we have heard

over many years

of the glory of Christ.

We pray that Christ will be glorified

even in these days ahead as well.

Remember the WFM meeting this Friday as well.

Bless that and be with them there

on our communion weekend as well

as we look forward to it.

Be with us in all these things,

and may you encourage us

and build us up,

and may you come

in a day of your power.

So hear our prayers.

Continue with us.

Continue to bless your word

and the singing of your praise.

The one who leads us in it, Lord,

be with him and help us all

to sing to your glory

with all our hearts.

So we thank you, Lord,

for your goodness anew each day.

We thank you for the hope

and assurance of forgiveness of sin

as we ask all these things

in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Again, sing to God's praise

this time in Psalm 15.

Again, in the Sing Psalms.

Psalm 15, in the Sing Psalms,

we'll sing the whole of this psalm,

page 16 of the psalm book.

Psalm 15.

Lord, who may stay within your tent,

your sacred dwelling place,

and who upon your holy hill

may live before your face.

Whoever walks a blameless path,

who acts in righteousness,

and who will always,

from the heart,

sincerely truth express.

We'll sing from verse 1 to 5,

the tune of Free Church,

and we stand to sing.

Lord, who may stay within your tent,

your sacred dwelling place,

and who upon your holy hill,

may live before your face.

Whoever walks a blameless path,

who acts in righteousness,

and who will always,

from the heart,

sincerely truth express.

He has no spark on anyone,

nor does his neighbor roam.

He has no spark within his heart,

or stander on his tongue.

He honors those who fear the Lord,

the worthless heal his spies.

He keeps the oath which he has sworn,

however high the price.

He lends his money,

he hath no charge,

no pride can he endure.

Those who meet him in life like this,

will always stand secure.

We'll turn to read the Word of God now.

In the Old Testament,

in the book of Joshua,

we're going to read in chapter 24.

Joshua chapter 24,

Joshua 24 · chapter mention

the last chapter of the book of Joshua.

We're going to take up our reading at verse 11,

and read down to verse 28.

Just to set the scene at the beginning of this chapter,

you see Joshua has gathered all the tribes of Israel together.

He's gathered them to show them,

and explain to them what the Lord has done for them,

how he has brought them out of Egypt and into the promised land,

and how God has been good to them.

And in the midst of this,

the people have their hearts pulled in different directions,

just like their fathers in Egypt had been pulled towards worshipping the gods of Egypt.

Now they're going into the land, the promised land.

There's this challenge that they may turn to the gods of that nation.

And the great challenge is to them,

who will they serve?

So up to verse 11,

he's explaining to them what the Lord has brought them to.

And we take up our reading at verse 11.

Verse 11.

And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho,

and the leaders of Jericho fought against you,

and also the Amorites, the Perisites, the Canaanites, the Hittites,

the Gergesites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

And I gave them into your hand,

and I sent the hornet before you,

which drove them out before you,

the two kings of the Amorites.

It was not by your sword or by your bow.

I gave you a land on which you had not laboured,

and cities that you had not built,

and you dwell in them.

You eat the fruit of the vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.

Now, therefore, fear the Lord,

and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness.

Put away the gods of your fathers,

that your fathers served beyond the river and in Egypt,

and serve the Lord.

And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord,

choose this day whom you will serve,

whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the river

or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.

But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Then the people answered,

Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods.

For it is the Lord our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt,

out of the house of slavery,

and who did those great signs in our sight,

and preserved us in all the way that we went,

and among all the peoples through whom we passed.

And the Lord drove out before us all the peoples,

the Amorites who lived in the land.

Therefore, we also will serve the Lord,

for he is our God.

But Joshua said to the people,

You are not able to serve the Lord,

for he is a holy God.

He is a jealous God.

He will not forgive your transgressions or your sins.

If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods,

then he will turn and do you harm,

and consume you after having done you good.

And the people said to Joshua,

No, but we will serve the Lord.

Then Joshua said to the people,

You are witnesses against yourselves,

that you have chosen the Lord to serve him.

And they said, We are witnesses.

He said, Then put away the foreign gods that are among you,

and incline your heart to the Lord,

the God of Israel.

And the people said to Joshua,

The Lord our God we will serve,

and his voice we will obey.

So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day,

and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem.

And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God.

And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth

that was by the sanctuary of the Lord.

And Joshua said to all the people,

Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us,

for it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us.

Therefore, it shall be a witness against you,

lest you deal falsely with your God.

So Joshua sent the people away,

every man to his inheritance.

Amen.

And may God bless that reading from his word.

And again, sing to God's praise before we turn back to that passage.

Singing in Psalm 50 in the Scottish Psalter,

the first version of the Psalm,

page 276 of the Psalm book.

Psalm 50, and that verse one.

The mighty God the Lord hath spoken and did call,

the earth from rising of the sun to where he hath his fall,

from out of Sion Hill which of excellency and beauty,

their perfection is God's shine it gloriously.

We'll sing from verse one to five to God's praise.

The mighty God the Lord hath spoken and did call,

the earth from rising of the sun to where he hath his fall.

From out of Sion Hill which of excellency and beauty the perfection is God's shine it gloriously.

Our God shall surely come,

His silence shall not be,

Before him fire shall with great storms

Shall round about to me,

Unto the heavens clear,

He from above shall fall,

And to the earth like my sanity,

May judge his people all.

We turn back to our reading in Joshua chapter 24.

Joshua 24 · chapter mention

We can read again at verse 14.

Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness.

Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the river and in Egypt and serve the Lord.

And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord,

Choose this day whom you will serve,

Whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the river,

Or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.

But as for me and my house,

We will serve the Lord.

These will be familiar words to many of you.

I'm sure the words are often found on plaques,

Put pictures that found in homes throughout our island.

A very common verse to see.

As for me and my house,

We will serve the Lord.

But maybe what we don't often notice is the midst,

What was in the midst of that statement,

What the challenge was that Joshua was putting out to the people.

And what the setting was when they were being pulled in so many different directions.

But here is Joshua when he gathers the children of Israel together.

They've come into the promised land.

They're being seeing all these good things that are around them.

They're looking back on what the Lord has brought them through.

And looking ahead to what the Lord has in store for them.

And they're being reminded once again of the need to be faithful to the Lord God and Him alone.

And it's one of these occasions where,

As we see a people gathered together.

So a day that they would remember for the rest of their lives, I'm sure.

And a day and a statement that was made that resonates right through the Old Testament into the New Testament

And stays with us to this day.

Because it's such a powerful challenge.

Choose this day whom you will serve.

And then the challenge is Joshua put it,

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

It would have been something that would have spoken about for a long time afterwards.

We hear this statement sometimes,

Where were you when?

And then it's followed by something important that happened in life.

Where were you when?

For example, if you look back maybe many years in your life to the time when John F. Kennedy was shot.

Some of you maybe recall where you were when you heard that news.

It was something dramatic.

Something powerful had happened.

And very often when that is the case, we remember where we were when we heard that news.

And over the years perhaps there have been times and moments when we've had that kind of statement asked of us,

Where were you when?

For example, maybe when Princess Diana was killed in a car crash.

Where were you when you heard that?

Where were you when you heard the Queen had passed away?

Where were you when you heard as a nation and as a people,

We were going into lockdown.

We had to stay at home because of Covid.

We often remember those important things.

And we remember maybe exactly where we were when we heard or saw these things taking place.

And they stay with us in some ways.

But as time goes on, we can maybe often forget.

And the longer time goes on, the more we have to think about these kinds of things.

Where were you when?

And you have to think a bit more about it.

And what's interesting is when we come to the scriptures, it's often the case as well.

The people here, where were we when they heard this?

They were gathered at Shechem.

They were there hearing Joshua putting this challenge before them.

But then as you go through the Old Testament, you find these people forgetting what they heard,

forgetting what had happened, forgetting the commitment that they'd made and moving on in their own lives.

It doesn't have the same impact.

But it shouldn't be the case with the Word of God.

We should never allow it to become something that we could just forget about.

Where were you when you heard the minister preaching on that passage?

Maybe when you were first converted, where were you when the Word of God spoke powerfully to you at that moment?

And you can remember the church, the very seat you were maybe sitting in when the Lord opened your heart.

But now maybe it's not having the same impact.

Maybe now it's just not seeming as powerful as it did just then.

But that's often the case.

But we often have to be challenged and convicted in what we are believing and what we're hearing week by week, month by month, year by year.

To be reminded that it's still the same word that is so powerful.

To not allow us to be distracted by other false gods as is the setting here.

The idols, the things that come between us and God.

And take away the joy of our worship.

Rob us of that joy.

Just to be reminded what God has done for us.

And what we owe to Him.

A right service.

A true commitment to Him.

And that's what is good about going into a week when we will have a communion time in our own midst.

It's always a powerful reminder to us.

We hear the Word of God week by week,

but then as we come to the Lord's Supper,

it seems to just add something to it.

It reminds us as we do that in remembrance of Him,

as we have the bread and the wine before us,

as we come to remember what the Lord has done.

It reminds us of what He has done for us

and what our commitment to Him should be as well.

And in some ways, Joshua is reminding the people of that here as well.

It's a significant moment.

He's called the nation, the people to Him,

reminding them of what they have been brought out,

of this bondage and slavery in Egypt,

what they have been brought to in the promised land,

and the fruits that are plenteous around them,

as you see in verse 13.

But all that the Lord has provided for them.

They are being reminded of this.

And some will listen and others won't.

That's the reality of it.

It may be the reality even here this evening.

Some will listen, some will not.

But our prayer is that God will speak.

God's Word will resonate in our hearts,

that it will remind us of what He has done for us.

Maybe even God's Word is speaking to you today.

It is challenging you.

Whether it's to recommit,

that maybe you've grown cold in your commitment to the Lord,

to come back to Him with a full sense of commitment.

Perhaps it's the fact you've not committed in the first place.

You're being challenged to commit.

But that's what the Word of God is saying to us.

It's asking of us,

are we committed to serving the Lord?

Joshua's words in verse 15 are like a summary for us.

In all that we move on in life with,

all the changes all around us,

all the distractions that come our way,

are we listening to God?

Are we committed to Him?

These words, they still speak to us today.

Verse 15,

In this message to the people that Joshua is giving,

he's giving them three things

that I want us to hear this evening as well.

He's asking them, first of all,

to consider,

to consider all that the Lord has done for them.

He's then giving them a comparison.

He's comparing the gods that are around them,

whether it's the gods of their fathers back in Egypt

or the gods of the Amorites in whose land they now dwell,

to compare these gods to the Lord

and what comparison is there.

And then thirdly,

as we'll see,

he's challenging them to commit.

So we've got consider,

compare,

and commit.

Well, the first thing we want to look at here is consider.

And really from verse 1 through to verse 13,

Joshua is there asking them to consider

all the things that they have seen

that the Lord has done,

how He has brought them out of the land of Egypt,

how He has brought them through the wilderness,

how He has brought them into the promised land.

There are all these things that they have seen of God

and are being asked by Joshua,

consider what God has done for you,

how He has led you to this point,

how He has provided for you all along the way.

Read through the beginning of chapter 24

in your own time,

maybe even this evening,

how He brought them out of Egypt,

how He brought them through so many battles,

victorious,

without even having to lift a sword or a bow.

He won the battle for them.

And how He brought them into cities

and with vineyards and orchards,

that the cities they didn't build,

the orchards they didn't plant,

everything was provided by God.

In Psalm 116,

the psalmist there speaks of how his soul finds rest

because God has been good to him.

Consider all that the Lord has done,

how He heard His prayer,

how He was with them,

and he comes to the conclusion,

his soul finds rest

because God has been good to him.

Do you have that rest in your soul this evening?

Because God has been good to you.

Consider what the Lord has done.

He shows us here what He has done

for the children of Israel.

But what about ourselves?

As you consider your own life,

as you look back over it,

as you see all your journey through this world,

consider the things that the Lord has done.

There will be very personal things for yourself.

There will be times when you felt

maybe you couldn't go on in your own strength,

but He gave you strength.

He gave you courage when you were afraid.

He gave you boldness when you were full of fear.

Consider the things that the Lord has done for you.

That's what Joshua is challenging the people,

ourselves today with.

Consider what the Lord has done

and the cost that is in serving Him.

Look at the way he says

to the positive response of the people

when you go down to verse 19.

In verse 16,

the people answered,

Far be it from us

that we should forsake the Lord

to serve other gods.

For it is the Lord our God

who brought us and our fathers

up from the land of Egypt,

out of the house of slavery.

He did all these things.

And they say at the end of verse 18,

We will serve the Lord,

for He is our God.

But look at the response of Joshua to that.

But Joshua said to the people,

You are not able to serve the Lord,

for He is a holy God.

He is a jealous God.

He will not forgive your transgressions

and your sins

if you forsake the Lord

and serve foreign gods.

What's he saying here?

Consider what you're saying.

Consider the commitment

you are making here.

It cannot be just mere words.

You cannot pay God platitudes

in that way with just mere words.

He's calling them here

to consider seriously.

To seriously consider

what is their commitment to the Lord.

Is it mere words,

just a gesture to the Lord?

Oh yes, I'll serve the Lord.

But their heart's not in it.

Or their hearts are divided,

as is the case here.

They're divided between

serving the Lord

and serving other gods.

He's saying there is a cost to this.

Consider that.

Jesus and His disciples

in Matthew 16, verse 24,

Matthew 16:24

Jesus reminds the disciples

of the cost of following Jesus.

He says,

If anyone would come after me,

let him deny himself,

take up his cross,

and follow me.

For whoever would save his life

will lose it.

But whoever loses his life

for my sake will find it.

This is similar to what

Joshua was saying here too.

There is a cost

as you consider what it means

to following the Lord.

But you see,

all along the way,

how the Lord provides,

how He gives,

how He helps.

And that is above all

what we consider.

The Lord will not fail us.

So as we commit ourselves

to the Lord,

He will be with us.

There's a poem called,

Hitherto the Lord Has Blessed Us.

And it goes like this,

When our soul is much discouraged

by the roughness of the way

And the cross we have to carry

Seemeth heavier every day.

When some cloud that overshadows

Hides our Father's face from you,

O'tis well then to remember

He has blessed us hitherto.

Looking back the long years over,

What a varied path and yet

All the way His hand has led us,

Placed each hindrance we have met,

Given to us the pleasant places,

Cheered us all the journey through,

Passing through the deepest waters,

He has blessed us hitherto.

Surely then our hearts should trust,

Though the clouds be dark overhead,

We've a friend that draweth closer,

When all other friends have fled,

When our pilgrimage is over,

And the gates we're sweeping through,

We shall see with clearer vision

How He's blessed us hitherto.

It's a reminder to us of the Lord

Being with us all along the way,

Especially through those times of challenge,

Those times of difficulty.

He will give us a clearer vision,

A vision of Himself.

And that's what Joshua is asking the people here

To consider.

As he's saying when he says,

Choose this day whom you will serve.

It's to consider where you are.

To consider what has been done for you.

And especially now as we know in light of Jesus Christ,

And what He has done for us at the cross.

To consider what that means.

To consider the cost

For the forgiveness of our sins.

To consider the cost

Of fully serving Him.

As he is challenging the people here,

There's a sense of it being,

There will be things that you will have to let go.

There will be things that you will have to put away from yourself

To fully serve God.

Consider your life.

Consider all of these things.

And see if there are things that need to change.

And that's true for ourselves.

There may be things in our lives we have to put away.

Things that are coming between us and God.

They will have to go.

But consider the cost

If they don't.

Consider,

Even as Joshua goes on to say here,

If you will not put away the gods,

He says in verse 20,

If you forsake the Lord

And serve foreign gods,

Then He will turn away

And do you harm and consume you

After having done you good.

There's a serious challenge there.

He will consume you.

Even after He has done you good.

If you forsake Him.

So consider all of these things.

The second thing we see here is

He's asking us to compare.

To compare God the Lord

And to compare the other gods

That they've had in their lives.

So Joshua gives them some advice.

And in many ways,

It maybe seems like strange advice to us.

The problem is there for us in verse 14.

He says,

Now therefore fear the Lord

And serve Him in sincerity and faithfulness.

Put away the gods that your fathers served

Beyond the river and in Egypt

And serve the Lord.

But then He says in verse 15,

If it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord,

Choose this day whom you will serve.

Whether the gods of your fathers

Served in the region beyond the river

Or the gods of the Amorites

In whose land you dwell.

He puts this choice before them.

And initially it maybe seems like a strange choice to us.

Either choose to serve,

If it seems evil to serve the Lord,

Then choose whom you will serve.

Either your fathers' gods

Or the gods of the Amorites.

But they're both false gods.

So what is the point of what he's making here?

The people were beginning to see the God of the Amorites.

And they were beginning to see an appeal

To go to these gods.

Not quite fully forsaking the Lord.

They were going to try and keep Him in their lives.

But it's almost like they were just trying to be fully covered.

We'll have God the Lord on one side.

But maybe we'll need the gods of the Amorites.

Or perhaps even the gods of our fathers

That they had back in Egypt.

We'll leave every option opened.

Believing that this would help them

To be almost fully covered.

That is why he says here,

Serving the Lord seems evil to you.

It seems evil in the sense that

They're putting all their eggs in one basket.

If they only rely on one God,

Well, that would be stupid, would it not?

When there's all these other gods

Who may be the answer for us as well.

Being accountable to one God

Just doesn't seem the right way to go.

And we say, well, how stupid is that?

That sounds just crazy to us.

And we say it should sound crazy to them as well.

And yet how easy it is for our own hearts

To be pulled in different directions.

How easy it is for ourselves

To have idols that will come into our lives.

Things that we will rely on and trust on

And depend on

That we think we can help ourselves with.

When all our trust is to be in God.

The point he is making is this.

The choices are just as bad

And just as absurd

And of no use to you.

He's saying if you will not serve God

You must at least serve another God

And this is your choice.

The God of your fathers

Or the God of the Amorites.

But neither can help you.

Neither can save you.

Just like we sang in the psalm earlier

About the idols.

They have no eyes that they can see.

They have no mouths that they cannot speak.

They have no ears that they can hear.

But God the Lord does.

What Joshua is saying is

It's nonsense to think that these gods

Can do anything for you.

Remember what the Lord has done for you.

How he has brought you

Out of the land of Egypt

Away from these gods

And into the land of the Amorites

And protected you from them and their gods.

There is no comparison.

Nothing compares to God the Lord.

And that's for ourselves too.

When you compare God the Lord in your life.

Is there anything else that you can bring in

That's going to add any benefit to you.

Is there anything else that you can do

That's going to make it better for you.

No.

Because only God the Lord can help.

So he's saying

Don't turn back.

Don't go back to the gods of your fathers.

Don't turn to the God of the Amorites.

He's saying

Make sure that you are fully committed.

Because if you're divided

He'll consume you.

And again he reminds them

Later on in verse 23.

It's almost like he's saying

You are

Well in verse 22

You are witnesses against yourselves

That you have chosen the Lord

To serve him.

Then put away the foreign gods

That are among you

And incline your heart to the Lord

The God of Israel.

You see they had them.

They had the gods

The foreign gods

Because he's saying

Put them away.

It wasn't even that the danger was there

That they might bring them in.

They were already there

But he's saying

Put them away.

Because nothing compares

To God the Lord.

The Lord our God

We will serve

The people said.

And so Joshua

Made a covenant.

That is how serious

It was.

A full commitment

To the Lord.

Because there is no one

Nothing

That compares

To God the Lord.

And when we know

Christ Jesus

When we truly know him

The one who saves us

From our sins

There is nothing

That compares.

Nothing

Compares to it.

They thought

They would be

Fully covered

By bringing in

All these other gods.

Fully comprehensive

In insurance terms.

They weren't even

Third party.

Third party.

Because it was a scam.

It was a fraud

To think

That these gods

Can do anything for them.

And yet that is

What the world

Seeks to do to us.

To pull us away

From God.

But it's a fraud.

It's a scam.

Because only God

The Lord

Can save us.

And so then

Thirdly and finally

We see here

Joshua is calling them

To commit.

He is calling them

To commit.

When he says

Put away the gods

Of your father

Serve beyond the river

And in Egypt

And serve the Lord.

And if it is evil

In your eyes

To serve the Lord

Choose this day

Whom you will serve.

Choose this day.

But then he makes

This statement.

He says

But as for me

And my house

We will serve

The Lord.

There is this

Commitment.

God the Lord

Is a mighty God

Who saves.

He is the one

Who is to be feared.

He is the God

Who is gracious

And concerned

For his people.

And having looked

At other gods

And how they compare

There is no contrast.

He says

As for me

And my house

We will serve

The Lord.

Isn't that a bold

And courageous statement?

And isn't that

What we all need

To be like?

It doesn't matter

What others

Are saying

Or what the rest

Think.

How the world

Says

Where is

Your God?

We can say

Our God

Is in the heavens

High

He is ruling

We can rest

And trust

In him

Even when the world

Laughs

And mocks us

For it

But our God

Is the Lord

And that is

The statement

That Joshua

Is making

Have you

Made that statement?

Have you made

That commitment

Yourself?

As for me

And my house

We will serve

The Lord.

His commitment

Is because

He knows

The God

Who is committed

To him.

And when it comes

To commitment

How committed

Are you?

I'll share

What sounds

Like a silly story

But it has

A very

Serious

Application

For us

It's about

Our commitment

And the story

Was about

A pig

And a chicken

A pig

And a chicken

Who were walking

Down the road

And the chicken

Said to the pig

Hey pig

I was thinking

We should open

A restaurant

And pig replies

Well maybe

What will we

Call it?

And the chicken

Responds

How about

Bacon and eggs?

The pig

He thinks

For a moment

And says

No way

For that

For you

That only means

A contribution

But for me

That means

A total

Commitment

It's a silly

Story in many

Ways

But the application

Of it is this

Are we merely

A people

Who are like

The chicken

Just a contribution

To the Lord

Or are we

Like the pig

That it means

Full commitment

For us

We are to be

Fully committed

Jesus experienced

The same things

With his own

Disciples

Many followed

Jesus when he

Was doing miracles

And all kinds

Of things

All kinds

Of teaching

They were hearing

And seeing

Great things

But then it

Became too

Hard

And many

Of his

Disciples

Turned back

It says in

John 6

John 6:66

Verse 66

After this

Many of his

Disciples

Turned back

And no longer

Walked with him

So Jesus said

To the twelve

Do you want

To go away

As well

Simon Peter

Answered him

Lord

To whom

Shall we go

You have the

Words of eternal

Life

And we have

Believed and

Have come to

Know

That you are

The holy

One

Of God

Are we

Committed

Like Simon

Peter's

Response

To whom

Else

Can we go

You alone

Have the words

Of eternal

Life

There is no

One who

Compares

To God

Our Lord

Do you want

To go away

Do you want

To just turn

Away

From him

The way

May be hard

As we follow

Him

But it is

The only way

It may not

Be an easy

Way

But it's

The only way

To eternal

Life

And that's

What Joshua

Is challenging

Us

Choose

This day

Whom

You will

Serve

A missionary

Society once

Wrote to David

Livingston

The famous

Missionary

And they

Asked him

Have you

Found a

Good road

To where

You are

If so

We want

To know

How to

Send other

Men to

Join you

David

Livingston

Wrote back

And said

This

If you

Have men

Who will

Come only

If they

Know

There is

A good

Road

I don't

Want them

I want

Men

Who will

Come

If there

Is no

Road

At all

He was

Looking for

A people

Who were

Fully committed

To serving

The Lord

Not having

The easy

Way to

Go on

Not having

Everything

Done for

Them

But those

Who were

Willing

To serve

The Lord

With all

Their

Heart

There is

No easy

Option

In serving

God

But there

Is every

Blessing

In it

To know

God

With us

And to

Know him

On our

Side

To know

The victory

That we

Have in

Christ

The hope

Of eternal

Life

No other

God compares

No other

God

Can offer

Us

The blessings

That are

Found

In God

The Lord

And so

The challenge

To us

All

This evening

Is to

Choose

This day

Whom

You will

Serve

May it

Be our

Response

Is the

Same as

Joshua

That we

Would say

With boldness

And with

Gladness

But as

For me

And my

House

We will

Serve

The Lord

Let us

Pray

Our

Father in

Heaven

We do

Thank you

For the

Verses in

Your word

That we

Maybe know

So well

But we

Thank you

Lord

How they

Both

Convince us

And also

Challenge us

They remind

Us that

We as a

People

Have maybe

In the past

Made a

Commitment

To you

A commitment

That at

Times has

Grown

Cold

A commitment

That is being

Distracted

By other

Things

In this

World

Or perhaps

Even

We are

At a

Point

Where we

Have not

Committed

But we

Thank you

That your

Word shows

Us that

There is

No God

Who compares

To you

You have

Done all

For us

You have

Provided for

Us every

Step along

The way

And you

Have been

A God

Who has

Been good

To us

But even

As your

Word reminds

Us this

Evening

If we

Forsake you

You are

The God

Who is

Able to

Consume

Us

But we

Thank you

To that

There is

Mercy

That there

Is

Mercy

As we

Commit

To you

And as

We seek

To serve

You

With all

Our heart

That we

Would know

Your blessing

And your

Favor

Your goodness

And your

Mercy

So help

Help us

Lord

That we

Would commit

To you

And serve

You

As the

Only true

And living

God

As we

Ask it

All

In Jesus

Name

Amen

We're going

To conclude

By singing

To God's

Praise

In Psalm

9

In the

Scottish

Psalter

Page

209

Of the

Psalm

Books

Psalm

9

At verse

9

Sing

Three

Stanzas

To verse

11

God

Also

Will a

Refuge

Be

For those

That are

Oppressed

A refuge

Will he

Be in

Times

Of

Trouble

To

Distress

We'll

Sing

From

Verse

9

To

11

To

God's

Praise

In the

Tunis

St.

Andrew

God

Also

So

Will

Our

Refuge

Be

For

Those

That

Are

Oppressed

Our

Refuge

Will

Leave

In

Time

Of

Throttle

To

His

Rest

And

Thee

That

Know

Thy

Name

In

Thee

Their

Confidence

Will

Place

For

Thou

Has

All

For

Forsaken

There

That

Truly

Seek

Thy

Name

O

Sing

Ye

Praises

To

The

Lord

that

dwells

In

Zion

Hill

And

All

The

Nations

прекрас

and

His

Now

I'll

go to

the main

door after

the benediction

now may grace mercy and peace from God

Father Son and Holy Spirit rest upon

and abide with us all now and forevermore

Amen

Amen