What Choice Have You Made?

Joshua 24:13-18

• Joshua is about 110 years old; he is giving one of the final speeches to the people.
• Joshua challenges the people of Israel to make a decision.
• God is asking us to make a decision.
• But what specifically is God asking us to do?
• What is the choice that needs to be made?

A command to consider – vs 13

• Sixteen times in the first 13 verses, Joshua uses the pronoun I for God, followed by an action word. God’s goodness to them is summed up in this verse.

The charge given – vs 14

• They are to serve Him.
• The word serve appears seven times in verses 14, 15.
• How are they to serve God?

In Sincerity:

--means genuine in feeling, the absence of hypocrisy.

--means to serve God with our whole heart

--to really mean what we are doing.

In Truth:

--means you worship according to the whole counsel of God’s word.

--you come to God in truth, not in pretense.  John 4:24

--put away the gods their father’s serve; anything in our lives that has priority over

serving the Lord and our submission to Him is an idol.

The choice made – vs 15

• Joshua was willing to put his family up as an example, and he challenged others to follow.
• A real leader does not bully, push people to action; they lead, and they set the example.
• If you want your children or grandchildren to be a follower of Jesus, lead them do not push them, do not tell them to be what you are not willing to be.

We influence others with our choice – vs 16-18

• Joshua not only influenced his own household but also motivated many others to serve the Lord.
• For bad or good, our influence always extends beyond our immediate surroundings.
• There comes a time in your life when you’ve got to decide who you are, whose you are, and where you are going.

When you make a decision for Christ, count the cost!

Luke 14:27-33