Subject: Taking Responsibility for your Identity
Rick Welborne
Joshua 24:15-24 (NCV)
15 But if you don’t want to serve the LORD, you must choose for yourselves today whom you will serve. You may serve the gods that your ancestors worshiped when they lived on the other side of the Euphrates River, or you may serve the gods of the Amorites who lived in this land. As for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.“
16 Then the people answered, “We will never stop following the LORD to serve other gods!
17 It was the LORD our God who brought our ancestors out of Egypt. We were slaves in that land, but the LORD did great things for us there. He brought us out and protected us while we traveled through other lands.
18 Then he forced out all the people living in these lands, even the Amorites. So we will serve the LORD, because he is our God.“
19 Then Joshua said, “You are not able to serve the LORD, because he is a holy God and a jealous God. If you turn against him and sin, he will not forgive you.
20 If you leave the LORD and serve other gods, he will send you great trouble. The LORD may have been good to you, but if you turn against him, he will destroy you.“
21 But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the LORD.“
22 Then Joshua said, “You are your own witnesses that you have chosen to serve the LORD.“ The people said, “Yes, we are.“
23 Then Joshua said, “Now throw away the gods that you have. Love the LORD, the God of Israel, with all your heart.“
24 Then the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the LORD our God, and we will obey him.“
15 But if you don’t want to serve the LORD, you must choose for yourselves today whom you will serve. You may serve the gods that your ancestors worshiped when they lived on the other side of the Euphrates River, or you may serve the gods of the Amorites who lived in this land. As for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.“
16 Then the people answered, “We will never stop following the LORD to serve other gods!
17 It was the LORD our God who brought our ancestors out of Egypt. We were slaves in that land, but the LORD did great things for us there. He brought us out and protected us while we traveled through other lands.
18 Then he forced out all the people living in these lands, even the Amorites. So we will serve the LORD, because he is our God.“
19 Then Joshua said, “You are not able to serve the LORD, because he is a holy God and a jealous God. If you turn against him and sin, he will not forgive you.
20 If you leave the LORD and serve other gods, he will send you great trouble. The LORD may have been good to you, but if you turn against him, he will destroy you.“
21 But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the LORD.“
22 Then Joshua said, “You are your own witnesses that you have chosen to serve the LORD.“ The people said, “Yes, we are.“
23 Then Joshua said, “Now throw away the gods that you have. Love the LORD, the God of Israel, with all your heart.“
24 Then the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the LORD our God, and we will obey him.“
--As we continue to look at this subject of “Identity Theft” I am concerned about how our world will look and what our children and grandchildren will face in the days ahead.
--Everyday there is at least one story where this issue of gender identity is brought up…a guy who competes as a girl in weight lifting and wins the National Championship in that division.
--Issues in multiple states where men claiming their identity is female going into the women’s restrooms and videoing the ladies in there…of course you do not here this on the national news.
--Stay with me on this one…A guy who attempts to be a girl but finds out that he is attracted to females, now claims to be a lesbian woman…what? We try so hard to exchange God’s truth for lies.
--Don’t misunderstand me, I truly believe these people need our help and our prayers. Most of them have been abused in one form or another and have definitely lost their way.
--It is our responsibility to show them the way not just in words but in how we live. We will more than likely have to do spiritual warfare to see them set free. We must agonize in prayer!
--Just remember, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus has the power to set all of them free just like He did for us. We should never look down our noses at others because we were lost too.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NKJV)
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
--In our text today Joshua is getting ready to pass from the scene and he is giving some very important great instructions. The more I meditated on these verses the more I saw them in the context of our identity.
Joshua 24:15 (NCV)
15 But if you don’t want to serve the LORD, you must choose for yourselves today whom you will serve. You may serve the gods that your ancestors worshiped when they lived on the other side of the Euphrates River, or you may serve the gods of the Amorites who lived in this land. As for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.“
15 But if you don’t want to serve the LORD, you must choose for yourselves today whom you will serve. You may serve the gods that your ancestors worshiped when they lived on the other side of the Euphrates River, or you may serve the gods of the Amorites who lived in this land. As for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.“
--That last sentence was so magnified by Holy Spirit that I could not get away from it…we must make a choice when it comes to ourselves, our families, and our determination to serve God.
1. As for me, I choose to find my identity in Christ.
--It almost sounded like Joshua was trying to talk the people out of serving God…I know how your ancestors lived and how they served the gods of the Amorites. Who were these Amorites?
Amorite – People of the hill country - Bitter; a rebels; babblers.
--Joshua was asking…who are you going to identify with…the Lord or your ancestors who were a bitter bunch of rebels who were mostly talk and trouble!
--I am so concerned that our culture, our environment have turned people (even many in the church) into pathetic, wimpy, can’t do anything, won’t stand for what’s right, dependent on everyone else, weaklings.
--Where are the men who will stand up for what is right and not be afraid to be real men…our culture is trying to take away who God meant for us to be…God never intended men to be effeminate and emasculated.
--I am not saying that all men have to go out and slay a dear for dinner or love sports or be able to bench press 300 pounds but I think it is time for some Joshua’s to come forth…not afraid to fight for what is right!
--Joshua said…as for me…maybe I can’t speak for anyone else but as for me…I will serve God, I will fight for what is right, and I will be a leader, I will lead my family…I will be God’s man!
--Before it was politically incorrect, little boys played army and they played cowboys and Indians. We dreamed of being the hero of every fight we were in…we imagined doing great feats!
--We blew something up, we got rid of the bad guys, and we rescued the damsel in distress. We wanted to be the strongest, the fastest, the best. We wanted to come in on a white horse and rescue everyone.
--Kind of like Jesus when he comes back for the final battle…He is coming on a white horse and we are coming with Him to do battle with the enemies of God and we will win…shout Hallelujah!
Revelation 19:11-16 (NKJV)
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
--Joshua said…as for me…there is a time to be a suffering servant and a time to be a conquering King. There is a time that a man has to rise up and say I am heading to war and I am heading to rescue everyone I can.
--Jesus does not sound wimpy to me, at all, He sounds strong, powerful, protective! Listen men, trust me, your wives and ladies, in general, are still looking for their prince coming on a white horse.
--You can be that man. Feel that gap! Take your place and let your wife and children know that as for me…I am going to serve the Lord…no more excuses…no more being weak!
--The truth is that if you do not feel the gap, someone else will…it is the principle of the vacuum…it is true at home, at work, at church…wherever…You fill that gap! Be like Jesus!
Ezekiel 22:30 (NIV)
30 "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.
30 "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.
--I wish some men would get on their feet and say…as for me!!!! I will be that man!
2. As for your family, you will help them find their identity in Christ.
--I am well aware of the dynamics or make up of our church when it comes to family and what that looks like for our congregation.
--We have traditional families with mom and dad and the kids. We have husbands and wives and no kids. We have singles and we have single moms. We have widows and widowers.
--Everyone is an integral part of the body of Christ that makes up Life Church A/G. All of you are important to God and to us.
--Someone in that family has to take the lead…someone has to say and mean it…as for me and my family…we will serve the Lord.
--As I have already stated, there are men in our church who should take the lead and lead their wife and children in the ways of God and His Word.
--Some of you single moms have a great challenge before you, in that you are trying to lead your family without the help of a husband or dad in the house.
--Let me throw in here…you may be a single mom because you made some bad choices along the way, maybe you were in a marriage where you were done wrong or maybe you did wrong and it fell apart.
--As long as you have given your heart totally to the Lord…you can be the one saying…as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. This is what the Lord says about you:
Isaiah 54:4-5 (NIV)
4 "Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
5 For your Maker is your husband-- the LORD Almighty is his name-- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.
4 "Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
5 For your Maker is your husband-- the LORD Almighty is his name-- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.
--Get past the fear, the disgrace, the humiliation, the shame, your loneliness and realize that God is your husband now…He is your redeemer so let Him redeem you…As for me and my family!
--No more excuses…you will take what life has given you and you will serve the Lord…you and your family!
--Your family is looking to you for leadership…by God’s grace make some declarations and lead. We parents or parent are the greatest hope of our kids salvation and calling. Yes, it is a tough job!
--You may say…My kids are choosing the wrong path…listen, as long as they are in your house you lead them to God, to church, to the Word…you show them the way…As for me and my house!
3. As for you and your family, you will find your identity in serving the Lord.
Joshua 24:15 (NCV)
15 But if you don’t want to serve the LORD, you must choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…As for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.
15 But if you don’t want to serve the LORD, you must choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…As for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.
--The Scriptures are clear, in that, we only have two choices in whom we will serve…it is either God or Mammon, money, the Cosmos, the world, the flesh, ourselves, Satan.
Matthew 6:24&31-33 (NLT)
24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’
32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.
33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’
32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.
33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Dave Arnold – Faith is the link that connects our weakness to God’s strength. When we depend on ourselves, people can see what we can do. When we serve and depend on God, people can see what He can do.
--As for you and your family, serve God…be faithful and watch what He will do!
2 Peter 2:9 (NCV)
9 So the Lord knows how to save those who serve him when troubles come. He will hold evil people and punish them, while waiting for the Judgment Day.
9 So the Lord knows how to save those who serve him when troubles come. He will hold evil people and punish them, while waiting for the Judgment Day.
Listen to what Jesus said when Satan tried to tempt Him to bow down:
Luke 4:5-8 (NIV)
5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.
6 And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.
7 So if you worship me, it will all be yours."
8 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'"
5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.
6 And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.
7 So if you worship me, it will all be yours."
8 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'"
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