Philippians 1:6 (ESV) - And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Joshua 23:14 (ESV) - “And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed.

Joshua 23:16 (ESV) - …if you transgress the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land that he has given to you.”

Joshua 24:2–3 (ESV) - And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. 3Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac.

Joshua 24:14–15 (ESV) - “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. 15And 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.”

Joshua 24:16–18 (ESV) - Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, 17for 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. 18And 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.”

1. Remember God’s Faithfulness

Philippians 1:6 (ESV) - And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

2. Choose to Serve God Wholeheartedly

Titus 2:11–12 (ESV) - For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

Discussion Questions

1. What gods of this world are you tempted to serve or worship?

2. In Joshua 23, “the LORD your God” shows up at least 13 times in 16 verses. In Joshua 24, God gets the credit for all of Israel’s story. Why is God at the center of these closing chapters of Joshua? What is true of God that translates to our personal lives?

3. Read Romans 6:15-23. Is it possible to serve neither the Lord nor other gods? Why or why not?

4. Read Luke 9:23-27 and Luke 14:25-26. Who is Jesus addressing in these passages? In what way does His teaching relate to this message on Joshua 23-24?

5. According to Galatians 5:1, what hope do we have that we can truly follow Jesus? Discuss how we can daily walk by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).