GateWay Church of Visalia
Reaching Forward: Famous Last Words!
Pastor Ed Kemp Joshua 23 & 24
Locations & Times
GateWay Church
1100 S Sowell St, Visalia, CA 93277, USA
Sunday 8:30 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
Introduction
3 And you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations because of you, for the Lord your God is He who has been fighting for you.
5 The Lord your God, He will thrust them out from before you and drive them from before you; and you will possess their land, just as the Lord your God promised you. 6 Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left…
8 But you are to cling to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day.
10 One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you. 11 So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the Lord your God.
14 “Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed.
15 It shall come about that just as all the good words which the Lord your God spoke to you have come upon you, so the Lord will bring upon you all the threats, until He has destroyed you from off this good land which the Lord your God has given you.
24Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem…
14 “Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
16 The people answered and said, “…We also will serve the Lord, for He is our God.”
19 Then Joshua said to the people, “You will not be able to serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgression or your sins.
21 The people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the Lord.” 22 Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves the Lord, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23 “Now therefore, put away the foreign gods which are in your midst, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 24 The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and we will obey His voice.” 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. 26 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 oak that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. 27 Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be for a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord which He spoke to us; thus it shall be for a witness against you, so that you do not deny your God.” 28 Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to his inheritance.
5 The Lord your God, He will thrust them out from before you and drive them from before you; and you will possess their land, just as the Lord your God promised you. 6 Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left…
8 But you are to cling to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day.
10 One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you. 11 So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the Lord your God.
14 “Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed.
15 It shall come about that just as all the good words which the Lord your God spoke to you have come upon you, so the Lord will bring upon you all the threats, until He has destroyed you from off this good land which the Lord your God has given you.
24Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem…
14 “Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
16 The people answered and said, “…We also will serve the Lord, for He is our God.”
19 Then Joshua said to the people, “You will not be able to serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgression or your sins.
21 The people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the Lord.” 22 Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves the Lord, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23 “Now therefore, put away the foreign gods which are in your midst, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 24 The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and we will obey His voice.” 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. 26 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 oak that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. 27 Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be for a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord which He spoke to us; thus it shall be for a witness against you, so that you do not deny your God.” 28 Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to his inheritance.
So What?!
Joshua gives the people two lessons:
#1. Being a leader means remembering God’s:
PROVISION
“…you have seen all that the Lord your God has done.” 23:3
PROMISE
“…the Lord your God promised you.” 23:5
PRODUCE
“…the Lord your God is He who fights for you,” 23:10
#1. Being a leader means remembering God’s:
PROVISION
“…you have seen all that the Lord your God has done.” 23:3
PROMISE
“…the Lord your God promised you.” 23:5
PRODUCE
“…the Lord your God is He who fights for you,” 23:10
#2. Being a follower means a commitment to God is:
PERSONAL
“…choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” 24:15
PERVASIVE
“…me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”24:15
PUBLIC
“…me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”24:15
PERSONAL
“…choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” 24:15
PERVASIVE
“…me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”24:15
PUBLIC
“…me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”24:15
Reaching Forward
Pastor Ed Kemp, March 22, 2020
Prayer Requests:
Group Discussion: What do you remember your parents providing for you in abundance? Of what do you wish they’d have given you more.
Read: Joshua 23-24
Make a list of the leadership qualities you see in Joshua in these last two chapters. Which ones do you think Joshua learned from Moses in his youth? Which ones do you think were displayed by Joshua in the beginning of this book? Which ones do you think he had to develop? Which ones do you think are related to his advanced mature age?
What has God provided for you, it could be the food on your table, the roof over your head or something specific that is just personal to you?
Here are 7 promises that Jesus makes to each of us:
1. Life, “…you will have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10.)
2. Acceptance, “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37).
3. Reward, “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age… (Mark 10:29–31).
4. Connection, “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (John 14:21, NIV).
5. Friendship with God, “…I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:14–15).
6. Real Joy, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:9–11).
7. Test of Faith
“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).
Which promise means the most to you and why? How does it work in your life? Do you remind yourself of it often? Which promise feels the most incomplete in your life and why? Is there a way you can ask God to help you experience that promise in a greater way? Joshua says, “…choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” 24:15. What gods are you trying to break free from. Notice Joshua doesn’t say, “choose for yourselves today whom you will believe in.” He uses the word serve, why the word serve instead of believe? Would we use that word today or the word believe?
Family Time: Read Joshua 24:15 to your kids and ask them how your family “serves” the Lord. Ask them for ideas to serve the Lord and plan a time to do that or take immediate action!
Pastor Ed Kemp, March 22, 2020
Prayer Requests:
Group Discussion: What do you remember your parents providing for you in abundance? Of what do you wish they’d have given you more.
Read: Joshua 23-24
Make a list of the leadership qualities you see in Joshua in these last two chapters. Which ones do you think Joshua learned from Moses in his youth? Which ones do you think were displayed by Joshua in the beginning of this book? Which ones do you think he had to develop? Which ones do you think are related to his advanced mature age?
What has God provided for you, it could be the food on your table, the roof over your head or something specific that is just personal to you?
Here are 7 promises that Jesus makes to each of us:
1. Life, “…you will have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10.)
2. Acceptance, “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37).
3. Reward, “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age… (Mark 10:29–31).
4. Connection, “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (John 14:21, NIV).
5. Friendship with God, “…I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:14–15).
6. Real Joy, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:9–11).
7. Test of Faith
“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).
Which promise means the most to you and why? How does it work in your life? Do you remind yourself of it often? Which promise feels the most incomplete in your life and why? Is there a way you can ask God to help you experience that promise in a greater way? Joshua says, “…choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” 24:15. What gods are you trying to break free from. Notice Joshua doesn’t say, “choose for yourselves today whom you will believe in.” He uses the word serve, why the word serve instead of believe? Would we use that word today or the word believe?
Family Time: Read Joshua 24:15 to your kids and ask them how your family “serves” the Lord. Ask them for ideas to serve the Lord and plan a time to do that or take immediate action!