Serious Business

Serious Business

Theme: Covenant Faith

Objectives (from the D6 Fusion SSL guide):

Know: From the days of Abraham, God provided for and fought for the Israelite people. In response, Joshua led the people to make a covenant with God to serve Him and obey His decrees and laws.

Think: Cultivate a great appreciation for all God has done, and let that drive your commitment to worship and serve Him.

Do: Reflect on God’s goodness in your life, and chose to serve and walk with Him, setting aside anything that hinders.

Scripture: Joshua 24:1-28

Notes and questions:

B1 Outline

• History Reviewed Joshua 24:1-13
• Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob Joshua 24:1-4
• Moses and Aaron Joshua 24:5-7
• Israel, Amorites, Balak, and Balaam Joshua 24:8-10
• The Canaanites Joshua 24:11-13
• Covenant Renewed Joshua 24:14-28
• No other gods Joshua 24:14-24
• Memorial made of agreement Joshua 24:24-28

B2 General questions

• When is it good to review the past?
• When is it appropriate to review the “heroes” of the faith (ancient or local)?
• When is it helpful to review God’s dealings in our lives?
• When is it necessary to review our committment to God and His ways?

B3 Shechem

• http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2010/06/25/Shechem-Its-Archaeological-and-Contextual-Significance.aspx The narrow pass where ancient Shechem is located at the modern city of Nablus, view west. Mt. Gerizim is on the left and Mt. Ebal on the right. Dr. James C. Martin.
• Map: http://holylandphotos.org/browse.asp?s=1,2,6,438,477

B4 Joshua (from the D6 SSL 26 Mar 17)

• “He had not sought to be in charge, but had humbly carried out the responsibility placed upon him as Moses’ replacement.
• “He had communed with God before major battles or turning points, and had obeyed what God instructed him to do.
• “He prioritized where he should devote his attention, and then came back to important issues he had needed to postpone.
• “He developed strategy and tactics that God used to great effect.
• “He took a stand for God and challenged Israel to commit formally to following the Lord.
• “He grounded their future as a nation in their past. They needed to know where they had come from before they could live obediently in the land they had been given.
• “He provided a challenging example for Israel to follow.”

B5 Joshua 24:1-5,

• Who is the one who initiated the things listed in this portion? Who is the “I” here?
• How can we apply that truth to our life?
• Who choose this good land for Israel?
• Did Israel plant the gardens, build the cities, or care for the grooves?
• Why did the Canaanites lose all this? Can this apply to us?
• Note that Abraham was an idolater before God initiated salvation.
• Idolatry comes from within: Matthew 15:18-19 (NKJV) “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”
• Is a fruit of the flesh of which we all have: Galatians 5:19-21 (NKJV) “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” [Note: Wilbur Pickering has this note–”Perhaps 5% of the Greek manuscripts omit “adultery” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). This statement holds also for “murders” in verse 21. This is one of several lists containing both ‘adultery’ and ‘fornication’, side by side, which indicates that they are distinct concepts.”
• They cannot save: Isaiah 45:20 (NKJV) "Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you who have escaped from the nations. They have no knowledge, who carry the wood of their carved image, and pray to a god that cannot save.”

B6 Joshua 24:6-13,

• Who does Joshua emphasize is/was the deliverer?
• Does that ever change?
• Ephesians 3:20-21 (NKJV) “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
• When we compare Joshua 24:7 with Joshua 24:10, we see answered and unanswered prayer. Why was one prayer answered while the other was not?

B7 Joshua 24:14-15,

• Whom are we going to serve? Why?
• Was this a real choice?
• Why should we serve the God of the Bible?

B8 Joshua 24:16-18,

• What was the reason that Israel gave to serve the Lord?
• Do people serve Him today because God might bring them some benefit as a better job or money? See John 6:26-27 (NKJV) “Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

B9 Joshua 24:19-24,

• God is holy.
• The Bible definition of holy is “separation.”
• It is the total opposite, separation, from the world’s way in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. The list in Galatians 5 shows this total difference. Galatians 5:19-26 (NKJV) “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” [Most modern versions leave out the word “adultery” in Galatians 5:19, but Wilbur Pickering states in his notes on this verse–”Perhaps 5% of the Greek manuscripts omit “adultery” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). This statement holds also for “murders” in verse 21. This is one of several lists containing both ‘adultery’ and ‘fornication’, side by side, which indicates that they are distinct concepts.”]
• So should we: Ephesians 4:20-24 (NKJV) But you have not so learned Christ,  if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:  that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
• Why is obedience to God important?

B10 Joshua 24:25-28,

• How would that stone be a witness? What would be witness for the Christian?
• What covenants do we make today towards God, His church, family, etc.?

B11 Some questions from the D6 Fusion teaching guide:

• What are some things that sometimes hinder people’s devotion to God in our culture?
• How can even non-sinful things work against us when it comes to serving God?
• What might you need to set aside in order to walk with God in full devotion?
• What changes could you make this week in order to walk with God in full devotion?

B11 Next week

• Exalted, Yet Humble
• Theme: The Humble King
• Scriptures: Matthew 21:1-11