Joshua 23 repeats the same lesson as the rest of the book with a twist: instead of stressing serving the Lord your God with all of your heart and soul it stresses NOT serving other gods. We approached the book looking to be encouraged to evangelize others, but the book tells us to start with our own hearts and souls and walk. Regarding that walk the emphasis of Joshua 23 is on not mixing with the nations so that you cannot tell them apart. This is a lesson that still very much applies to you through the cross. The reasons the text gives to encourage you to avoid getting caught up in the ways of the world are that the LORD fights for you and that not one word of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you have failed.

Click the title or here to listen. Please pray for my bronchitis to go away.

Labels: cross, evangelism, heart, joshua, promises, serve, soul, walk, worship

Joshua 23 repeats the same lesson as the rest of the book with a twist: instead of stressing serving the Lord your God with all of your heart and soul it stresses NOT serving other gods. We approached the book looking to be encouraged to evangelize others, but the book tells us to start with our own hearts and souls and walk. Regarding that walk the emphasis of Joshua 23 is on not mixing with the nations so that you cannot tell them apart. This is a lesson that still very much applies to you through the cross. The reasons the text gives to encourage you to avoid getting caught up in the ways of the world are that the LORD fights for you and that not one word of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you have failed.

Click the title or here to listen.

Labels: cross, evangelism, heart, joshua, promises, serve, soul, walk

See previous description.

Click here to listen to the sermon at Shepard Memorial.

Labels: burnt offerings, grain offerings, heart, joshua, peace offerings, sacrifices, serve, shema, soul, witness, worship

Joshua 22 reminds the people of Israel that no matter where they go they need to return to the place God has chosen and serve Him. How? First, they were to observe all that Moses commanded with all their heart and soul. Second, in particular this means they were to serve at Shiloh. Thus the theme is that they are to offer their burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings in loving service of the LORD their God with all their heart and soul at Shiloh. Applying this text to the generations after AD 70 (the destruction of Jerusalem prophesied by Jesus) takes some study. For Judaism this study is Torah and Talmud study, and especially reading the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4 especially). This application of the text is appropriate because of many points of contact between Deuteronomy 6:4ff and Joshua 22. But the verse has a different meaning for Christians. The difference is Jesus Christ. Jesus is LORD. And His work of death on the cross, resurrection to glory, and sending the Spirit on Pentecost changes the purpose of this text for us to observing all that the LORD Jesus Christ commanded and serving sacrifices of praise in the congregation, which is the tabernacle of God. May we all testify and witness to our faith in Him in the congregation. Amen.

Click here or title in order to listen to the sermon at Peter Creek.

Labels: burnt offerings, grain offerings, heart, joshua, peace offerings, sacrifices, serve, shema, soul, witness, worship

Joshua chapters 13-21 are centered upon WORSHIP. Worship is what we see Israel do throughout the book of Joshua. And as we shift to this portion of Joshua it should be no surprise that it is at the center of what the people of Israel are doing. The challenge for you then is to put Sunday worship at the center of your lifestyle and empowered by this worship to go out and conquer the land for Jesus Christ (evangelism in word and deed). Do not go AWOL (absent without leave) from Sunday worship. Instead, promise God you will be faithful in attendance and do it.

The passage is a long one. Therefore, I only read selected portions (part of 13:1-7, 14:1-5, 18:1-10, and 21:43-45). But the preaching portion (the text the sermon is based upon) cannot be shortened without missing the big picture articulated above.

Note: This is the sermon as it was preached at Peter Creek on Sunday and I had a terrible sinus cold at the time (I nearly lost my voice a couple days before, so thanks be to God that I got it back in order to preach).

Click here or the title to listen.

Labels: AWOL, chiasm, evangelism, joshua, Sunday worship, worship