"CHOOSE TODAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE!"

JOSHUA 24:14-18

Melissa Vinson, an honors student at Seminole High School in Sanford, Florida played a game called "Pass-Out" with two other girls. In the board game, players land on squares that read, "Take a drink" or "Go to the bar" and they recite tongue-twisters on "Pink Elephant" cards. In a two hour period, Melissa consumed most of a liter bottle of vodka. Later that night she began to convulse and blacked out on her living room floor. She was pronounced dead at Florida Hospital in Orlando. Medical examiners concluded that possibly a reaction of the vodka to a prescription drug contributed to her death.

Abraham Bininger, a Swiss boy from Zurich, came with his parents to this country on the same ship with John Wesley. His parents died on the trip and were buried at sea. Young Abraham stepped down the gang-plank alone in a strange and bewildering land. A short time later he decided to take the gospel to the natives on the island of St. Thomas but when he got there he learned that it was illegal for anyone but a slave to preach the gospel to the slaves. He wrote to the governor of the island begging to become a slave himself that he might have the freedom to proclaim the gospel. The letter was forwarded to the king of Denmark who was so touched by Bininger's desire that he sent an edict to allow him to preach the gospel where, when and to whom he chose.

What do those stories have in common? What is the thread weaving them together? The element of choice. Melissa made a choice and it cost her life; Bininger made a choice and it led him to preach the gospel.

The people of israel needed to make a choice. They were summoned to Joshua and he recited for them the history of God's dealing with them beginning with Abraham and continuing through the bondage of Egypt, the exodus with its trials and set-backs, and to that very moment. God had blessed them, guided them, protected them, provided for them. Now the ball was in their court. How would they choose in reference to God? Joshua set a clear demand before them, saying, Verses 14-15: "Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Does the text pertain to us? If so, what does it have to say?

• JOSHUA IMPLIES THAT WE CAN, AND MUST, MAKE CHOICES:
• Joshua was not a Calvinist. He didn't believe in predestination. He was a "free-willer" and called upon the people to exercise their free will!
• The plain application is three fold:
• People are free and able to make choices. God so ordained it. He did not make us programmed robots.
• People have a responsibility to choose. God will hold us accountable to make intelligent, informed decisions.
• People will inevitably make choices. We can't escape it. Any way we go, we have made some choice in the matter.
• Max Lucado said, "Because of calvary, I'm free to choose. And so I choose. "When God Whispers Your Name."
• I choose love ... no occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love.
• I choose joy ... I will invite god to be the god of circumstances.
• I choose peace ... I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.
• I choose patience ... I will overlook the inconveniences of the world.
• I choose kindness ... I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.
• I choose goodness ... I will go without a dollar before I'll take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I accuse.
• I choose faithfulness ... today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love.
• I choose gentleness ... nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle.
• I choose self-control ... I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control.
• We can and must make choices, but not impulsive or careless ones. Jesus commends wise and thoughtful choices. To troubled Martha complaining that Mary wasn't very helpful, Jesus said, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:41-42.

So Joshua urged upon his people the necessity to make a choice, but not just any sort of choice.

• JOSHUA CALLS FOR AN EXCLUSIVE CHOICE:
• Joshua said, "put away the gods your fathers served, but if you don't want to serve the Lord, choose whether you will serve the gods beyond the river or the amorite gods." He did not suggest that they could serve God and gods! No! It is either God or gods! Either - or, not both - and!
• The exclusiveness of the choice is reinforced by:
• Elijah who called for such a decision on mount carmel: "And Elijah came near to all the people and said, 'How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.'" 1 Kings 18:21. He called for an "either - or" choice, an exclusive choice.
• Jesus who called for an "either - or" choice: "no one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon." Matthew 6:24. He called for an "either - or" choice, an exclusive choice.
• We all make exclusive, "either - or" choices.
• We will either be truthful or we will be dishonest.
• We will either be generous or we will be selfish.
• We will either be dependable or we will be unreliable.
• We will either work for a living or we will try to live off of society.
• We will either be faithful in our marriage covenant or we will be adulterous.
• We will either serve Jesus or we will not!
• Walking in the market place of Athens Paul encountered a plethora, a mish-mash, a conglomeration of idols. He was provoked by the idolatry. They even had an idol there to the unknown god just in case they missed somebody; they didn't want any divine hurt feelings. Paul took the unknown god and introduced him as the one true Living God who made Himself known in Jesus christ. His sermon is recorded in Acts 17:22-31 "and Paul stood in the midst of the areopagus and said, 'Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'To an unknown god.' What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things; and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, ..."

Paul called for an exclusive choice and so did Joshua. But there is more to his appeal.

• JOSHUA DECLARES THE URGENCY OF THE CHOICE:
• "Choose for yourselves today!" This is exactly in line with Paul, for he says, "at the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you'; behold, now is 'the acceptable time,' behold, now is 'the day of salvation'" 2 Corinthians 6:2.
• Jesus encountered some "would-be" disciples and pressed upon them the urgency of choice.
• "And walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.' And they immediately left the nets, and followed Him. Matthew 4:18-20.
• "And He said to another, 'Follow me.' But he said, 'permit me first to go and bury my father.' But He said to him, 'allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of god.'" Luke 9:59-60.
• Paul met with governor Felix. "And as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, 'Go away for the present, and when I find time, I will summon you.'" Acts 24:25. As far as we know, he never found time to receive Christ!
• D. L. Moody regretted losing sight of the urgency. He said that his "greatest mistake" occurred October 8, 1871. On that night his message was based on Pilate's question, "What shall I do then with Jesus?" Matthew 27:22. As he concluded, he said, "I wish you would seriously consider this subject, for next Sunday we will speak about the cross, and at that time I'll inquire, 'What will you do with Jesus?'" Ira Sankey then sang the closing hymn, which included the lines, "Today the Savior calls; for refuge fly. The storm of justice falls, and death is nigh." Little did anyone know that these words would be the last ever heard in that huge hall. Even as they were being sung, the soloist's voice was nearly drowned out by the sound of clanging bells in the street. That was the night of the great Chicago fire which almost destroyed the entire city. Among the hundreds who died were some who earlier had been in moody's audience. The evangelist was greatly distressed by this and lamented his tragic error in not asking men and women to receive the Lord that evening. "Now, whenever I preach," he said later, "I press for a definite decision. I would rather lose my right hand than give people even a day to decide for Christ, for I don't know if I'll ever see them again." The gospel invitation is a "today only" offer!

We, too, must decide, we must make an exclusive choice, and it is urgent. But one more point becomes clear in this text. This is a personal choice. "Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve." Your husband can't choose for you; your wife can't choose for you; your parents can't make the decision for you. You, personally, will decide about Jesus. You, personally, will stand before God to give account of your decision. Choose. Choose today. Choose today for yourself. Choose today for yourself whom you will serve! As we sing, let your choice to surrender to Jesus be known as you make your way forward.

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