Series Big Idea: "Showing how the early stories of Scripture establish God’s Plan of Salvation”

Sermon Big: "God's faithfulness calls us to wholehearted commitment through His grace”

Key Scripture (Joshua 24:14-28)

Whom will you serve? Joshua 24 records a defining moment in Israel’s history. Joshua, now an old man, gathers the people one last time. He challenges them to choose whether they will serve the Lord or turn to false gods. Every day, we are faced with the same question: Will we live for the Lord, trusting in His grace, or will we give our hearts to something else?

Let me be clear: This passage is not about working harder to prove our devotion. What Joshua calls Israel to do is the same call we have today: to respond to God’s faithfulness with wholehearted commitment. With this foundation, let’s examine Joshua’s words and how they apply to us today. Joshua begins with a clear command. 

(Joshua 24:14-28)

“Therefore, fear the Lord and worship him in sincerity and truth. Get rid of the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and worship the Lord. 15 But if it doesn’t please you to worship the Lord, choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship—the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living? As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord.” 16 The people replied, “We will certainly not abandon the Lord to worship other gods! 17 For the Lord our God brought us and our ancestors out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery, and performed these great signs before our eyes. He also protected us all along the way we went and among all the peoples whose lands we traveled through. 18 The Lord drove out before us all the peoples, including the Amorites who lived in the land. We too will worship the Lord, because he is our God.” 19 But Joshua told the people, “You will not be able to worship the Lord, because he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions and sins. 20 If you abandon the Lord and worship foreign gods, he will turn against you, harm you, and completely destroy you, after he has been good to you.” 21 “No!” the people answered Joshua. “We will worship the Lord.” 22 Joshua then told the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you yourselves have chosen to worship the Lord.” “We are witnesses,” they said. 23 “Then get rid of the foreign gods that are among you and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 24 So the people said to Joshua, “We will worship the Lord our God and obey him.” 25 On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people at Shechem and established a statute and ordinance for them. 26 Joshua recorded these things in the book of the law of God; he also took a large stone and set it up there under the oak at the sanctuary of the Lord. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, “You see this stone—it will be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words the Lord said to us, and it will be a witness against you, so that you will not deny your God.” 28 Then Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance. 

I.         Commit to the Lord Fully (Joshua 24:14-15)

He says Fear the Lord and worship Him in sincerity and truth. Get rid of the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt and worship the Lord (Joshua 24:14 CSB). Why does he need to say this? Because although all God had done for them, some of the people were still holding on to the gods of their ancestors, unwilling to fully commit to the God who had delivered them.

So, Joshua lays out the challenge plainly. Choose for yourselves today which will you worship? As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord (Joshua 24:15 CSB). He is making it clear. Everyone worships something. If it’s not the Lord, it’s an idol.

We face the same challenge today. His words challenge us to examine our hearts. What are we holding on to that competes with our devotion to God? But remember that Joshua is not telling Israel to earn their salvation. They are already God’s people. He has already rescued them! This is a call to commitment that flows from grace. In the same way, we do not follow Jesus to be saved. We follow Him because we have been saved by His grace.

II.         Confess Your Need for Grace (Joshua 24:16-24)

Israel insists that they will be faithful. They recognize all that God has done for them, and they say the right words. But Joshua, rather than celebrating, gives them a shocking reply: "You will not be able to worship the Lord, because he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions and sins." (Joshua 24:19 CSB).

Joshua replied this way because he knew human nature. He knew they would struggle to remain faithful. They cannot serve God on their own strength. His holiness is too great; their obedience will fall short. And isn’t that true for us? Our hearts wander. We struggle with sin. If salvation was dependent on us, we would fail.

But here is where the Gospel shines. Joshua’s words expose humanities need for something, or rather someone, greater than ourselves. Alone, we cannot serve the Lord, but Christ has done it for us! Jesus fulfilled the covenant perfectly. He lived the life we could not live and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sin. This is why we confess our need for grace. Following Jesus is not about making promises we cannot keep; it is about trusting in the One who already kept every promise for us (Romans 5:8).

III.         Confirm Your Faith with Action (Joshua 24:25-28)

In response to Israel’s commitment, Joshua renews the covenant, making Israel’s decision formal and binding (Joshua 24:25 CSB). Then, he sets up a large stone as a witness to their promise (Joshua 24:27 CSB). The stone was a reminder of their commitment. It symbolized accountability and the call to remain faithful. But sadly, Israel’s devotion would not last. After Joshua’s death, the people gradually turned away. Their words of promise were not enough. They needed a New Covenant. And that is exactly what God provided through Jesus. 

Hebrews 8:6 (CSB) tells us, "But Jesus has now obtained a superior ministry, and to that degree he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been established on better promises." Unlike Israel, we do not rely on our faithfulness to maintain our relationship with God. Jesus is our perfect covenant-keeper. He secures our salvation, and He changes us from the inside out, giving us His Spirit to empower our obedience.

So, what does this mean for us? It means that faith should lead to action. Not action to earn salvation, but action that flows as evidence of true transformation. How we live should confirm that our trust is in Christ alone.

Conclusion:

I don’t know where you are in your walk with God today. Some of you may feel distant from God, weary in your faith. Others may be struggling with circumstances that make it hard to trust Him. And some of you may have never truly surrendered your life to Christ.

If that’s you, hear this: The Christian life is not about trying harder, it’s about trusting in the One who has already been faithful. Jesus has done what we could never do. On the cross, He paid for our sins, and through His resurrection, He offers salvation as a gift of grace. You don’t have to fix yourself first. He simply says, “Come.”

Joshua’s challenge stands before us today: Whom will you serve? If you have trusted in Christ, today may be a time to renew your commitment. If you’ve never made that decision, don’t wait. Turn to Him now.

Let’s pray, not a prayer of striving, but of surrender. If today is the day you are choosing Christ, come talk to me or someone from the church after the service. This isn’t just about a moment; it’s about a changed life. Let’s respond in faith because He has already been faithful to us.

Holman Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version Bible

King James Version Bible

Christian Standard Bible

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