SERMON DISCUSSION GUIDE

Joshua: Choose to Love and Serve [part 1]
Joshua 23-24

  • What are some of your favorite speeches throughout history, or maybe from a movie? What makes them so memorable and impactful?
Joshua 23:1-2
[1] A long time afterward, when the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years, [2] Joshua summoned all Israel, its elders and heads, its judges and officers, and said to them, “I am now old and well advanced in years. 

We must choose to love and serve the Lord.

Joshua 24:14-15
[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. [15] 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.” 

1. Everyone serves (worships) something.

Joshua 23:8, 12
[8] but you shall cling to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day.

[12] For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, 
  • Joshua makes it clear that we either cling to the Lord or cling to the world. There is no third option to worship nothing. Why do you think this is?

2. Everyone roots their story in a greater narrative.

  • What are some examples of worldly ideas or movements we might identify with to make our own lives seem more important?
Joshua 23:3, 24:2-5
[3] And you have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you. 
​
[2] 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. [3] Then 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. [4] And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. And I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob
and his children went down to Egypt. [5] And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and afterward I brought you out.
  • What is the Lord saying here? Whose story is this that’s unfolding and what is the true narrative here?

3. Christians love the Lord exclusively.

Joshua 23:6-8
[6] Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, [7] that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them, [8] but you shall cling to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day. 
Joshua 23:11
[11] Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God
  • What does Joshua mean when he says to “be very careful to love God?”
Joshua 23:16
[16] 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.” 
  • We all choose to worship something. We then identify our lives with what we worship. What are some safeguards we can put in place to ensure that we worship God and make his story the foundation of our story?