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As for me and my house, we will serve only the LORD
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Bible
scripture : Joshua 24:15 (NIV)
But if serving
the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom
you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or
the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.
But
as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
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Joshua
is the leader of Israel after Moses.
God
helped Joshua lead the Israelites and carry out the Canaan War well.
God
was always with Joshua and enabled him to do truly amazing things.
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4
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Joshua
sent two spies from Shittim to Jericho.
They met a
crisis that they almost got caught by the enemy there, but they were able to
get out of Jericho through a woman named Rahab. They completed their mission
and returned safely to Israel.
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5
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The Israelites had to cross the Jordan
River to enter the land of Canaan, but when they tried to cross the river,
the water was overflowing because it was the rainy season. However, God
allowed them to cross the river safely through the miracle of making a road
in the middle of the river.
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God
helped Joshua even in the war against Jericho, a city so strong and great.
The
Israelites obeyed God's command and did as he commanded them to walk around
the city once each for six days, and on the seventh day they went around the city
seven times and shouted loudly. God caused the great city of Jericho to fall
so that Israel could win the war.
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However,
they failed greatly in the battle against Ai, a city much smaller than
Jericho.
It failed because God did not join the war because a
man named Achan disobeyed God's command and committed the sin of stealing
from Jericho.
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However,
they failed greatly in the battle against Ai, a city much smaller than
Jericho.
It failed
because God did not join the war because a man named Achan disobeyed God's
command and committed the sin of stealing from Jericho.
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There
was a time when Joshua fought a war with the allied forces that had attacked
Gibeon, which was allied with Israel.
However,
if they had a little more time, they could all be defeated, but the sun was
about to set.
Joshua
then looked towards the sky and commanded.
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¡°Sun!, stop over Gibeon. Moon! Stop in the Valley of
Ayalon.¡±
But
God answered Joshua's prayer.
So, an
amazing miracle occurred when the sun and moon stopped, and Israel won the
war.
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Joshua,
who went to war to conquer Canaan, lived only serving God for the rest of his
life.
All
of his family also resembled his father Joshua and lived exalting only God.
Joshua
was a leader who set a great example for all the Israelites.
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Joshua,
who was used for such a great work, also grew older as time passed.
He knew that he had very little time left on this
earth. So he had all the tribes of Israel gather in a place called Shechem.
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Joshua
began to speak in front of all the people.
Joshua made the people know again how great God is.
He told us how God had helped them in Israel's history over the past long
time. He told the people gathered there about the works of God from the time of
Abraham until now.
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After the story, Joshua told all the people.
¡°You must never leave this God I have told you about.
You are to honor him and serve only him.
Do not serve idols like those of your ancestors in
Egypt.¡±
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¡°You have to make a clear choice here. Whether to
serve God or to serve idols.
If you like idols among you, there may be people who
serve them.
But no matter
what you choose, I and my descendants will only serve God.¡±
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At
Joshua's words, the people spoke in unison.
¡°We
will never forsake Jehovah God. We will never serve other gods.¡±
The Israelites made a promise to Joshua
that they would serve only God in front of God that day.
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Joshua recorded the events of the day in the book of
God's law.
And he took a large stone and set it under an oak
tree near the holy place.
¡°Look at this
stone. This stone will bear witness to what we have done today.¡±
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Joshua
left this world and went to heaven at the age of 110.
He was a true man of God who served and worshiped only God all his life.
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Joshua,
who shouted to the Israelites in the past, ¡°Never leave God,¡±
is still shouting to us today.
¡°Will
you serve and follow God alone?¡±
Let
our friends become people of faith who can confess, ¡°Me and my house will
only serve God!¡± in any situation like Joshua!
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(This
is the sample conclusion provided by CTM. Please feel free to change the
conclusion to best suit the listeners of your sermon.)
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