Leading Beyond Your Lifetime
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Introduction
Introduction
These Sunday’s are special days. Communion Sundays that is. It’s a 1 x/ month gathering where we come together as a church body and worship through prayer, the teaching of God’s Word, singing, and - particular to these Sunday’s alone - through communion. It’s a special day because it’s the only Sunday of the month when we are celebrating one of Jesus most sacred commandments given to His church. You might then, ask, why would we finish the book of Joshua on a day when we are celebrating a commandment given by Jesus to His Church? Well… I’m glad you asked!
Turn with me to the final 2 chapters of the book of Joshua.
Now, direct your attention to the screen. If you’re watching online, be sure to focus on the PowerPoint slides to the left of me. I want to give you a very brief run-down of what Ben and I have covered. That will settle us into these two chapters and give you a good lead into our material. Otherwise, we’ll only have a few slides to accompany today’s look at Joshua 23-24.
Tell me the three primary themes we’ve talked about during our time in Joshua. (Another Moses, Transition as a people, Strength, Courage and Obedience) Very good! While not as frequently stated, BUT, explicitly named - these themes have also been stated. God is a gracious God (Rahab and The Gibeonites). God is a covenant keeping God (Remember what we studied about Jericho, Ai, and the Gibeonites - they lied to Israel but God, through Joshua and the Israelites, defended them when they were under attack anyways). Finally, God keeps His promises. Whether He needs to extend a day to help the Israelites or distributing land to all the tribes of Israel - He fulfills His promises to a “T”.
As we look at these final 2 chapters, I’ve broken them down in the bulletin outline in a way that should keep clear what are the goals of the sections:
The title and outline speak for an introduction themselves. These are the final moments in Joshua’s life. Old and advanced in years, he calls together his leaders and God’s people and delivers his last commissioning message to them.
Chapter 23 is a picture of successful succession.
· The Facts (1-5)
· The Figures (6-13)
· The Failure (?) (14-16)
Chapter 24 is Joshua’s “State of the Union” Address
· Addressing the people (1-2)
· Unifying and inspiring them (2-13)
· Israel’s commitment and witness (14-28)
· The next chapter in Israel’s History (29-33)
Today, I want you to tuck away that outline. It’s a good one. And it breaks down the segments in an applicable way. However, I want to focus on a question about leadership. I’ve titled the message “Leading Beyond Your Lifetime”.
I think most of us would agree. We would like to be considered by others as someone who is able to lead beyond our lifetime. We would like to think that our life choices, family values, work ethic or contribution(s) to our community are such that… when we are dead and gone, the things we did, the way we treated people and our character… outlast these earthly bodies.
The closing segments of this book are picturesque examples for living a life such as that. They aren’t prescriptions for leading beyond our lifetime. The meaning is much more than that. However, they are strong descriptions and a robust narrative of how Joshua lead beyond his lifetime.
Chapter 23 is the farewell address of Joshua to the people of Israel - particularly the elders, heads, judges and officers. In the opening passages - verses 1-5 - Joshua calls everyone together so he can say a final goodbye. You see this in the section of your outline titled “The Facts”. Old, long-aged by the task of leading an entire nation - you imagine a man tired, satisfied, and somehow still eager to lead… letting go. So, how does a leader begin this process?
He recounts what his people have been led through!
Verses 6-13, I’ve given the section heading of “The Figures”. Here, Joshua draws the leaders (and the nation), to a specific theme. It was NOT they who took the land… it was God. He began the theme in the opening verses saying things like...
- “you have seen all that the LORD your God has done...” and it is the LORD your God who has fought for you” v. 3
- “God will push them back” and “just as the LORD your God promised” in v. 5
Now, he begins to give stern warnings about how they should continue onward after he dies.
Notice the very first word of encouragement he gives Israel - “Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses...” the very command given to Joshua in chapter 1:8-9! IT RESONATES with all Israel and ECHOES Joshua’s life of leadership.
Joshua also gives stern warnings in this section - not to mix with the nations they are still driving out (the fear was not that they couldn’t be with another nation… rather that they would inherit the practices of worshiping another god from them!) So, no mixing.
Joshua is careful to ground their continued obedience in the only thing… the only aspect of all human devotion strong enough to keep them commited from beginning to end… LOVE!
Joshua 23:11 “11 Be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God.”
Joshua pleads with them to love the LORD their God and be confident that if they love Him, He will continue to drive out the peoples before them. BUT, if they cling to the remnant of the nations they’re overtaking, God will not drive out the rest of the nations.
He reminds them in verses 14-16 that God has been utterly faithful to His promises. If there is any failure, it would only be on their part. Not on Gods. His final moment with the people in this chapter is an unnerving warning that God will let them have what they want. If they obey - they will continue to experience His power to overtake the land. If they choose to turn away from Him… He will treat them as He did the nations they were dispossessing… and they too will perish.
How does one lead beyond their lifetime?
They lead by looking back at the non-negotiables.
Chapter 24 unwinds similar to chapter 23.
The focus of chapter 23 was more directed toward the leaders… the focus of 24 is more directed toward the people of Israel. I want to spend a little more time in this moment than we did in the previous chapter. Primarily because this portion includes a dialogue… whereas the previous section was a monologue.
First, the opening passages show that Joshua is going to address all of Israel at a significant location in Israel’s history - Shechem - a place where both Jacob and Joseph set foot back in the book of Genesis for different reasons. Shechem is a place of covenant-making. Jacob’s family buried their idols in Genesis 32:2-4. Even when the covenant sent Israel into a period of subjection… like what we see with Joseph when bidden to take his brothers into Egypt.
I want to highlight these moments and applications in particular before we celebrate communion as a church body.
Joshua leads beyond his lifetime by reconnecting Israel with their past and inspiring them through it!
He draws all of the attention to the acts of God and makes sure they note that GOD DID ALL THE WORK. (v. 2-13)
Patriarchs
Deliverance from Egypt
Presence in the wilderness
Conquest and distribution of Canaan
Joshua leads beyond his lifetime by recommitting Israel to serve and worship God (Yahweh) ALONE.
Remember the great fear of the tribes west of the Jordan River last week? They were afraid the tribes east of the Jordan were building an altar to false gods. So they freaked out… Sent folks for the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth… and called off a Holy War. And left happy!
Perhaps the most famous passage of Joshua - Joshua 24:15 “15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.””
Joshua leads beyond his lifetime by setting up memorials to which all Israel can look in the days ahead. Those memorials are a “witnessing tool”… but not necessarily for “evangelism”… they were for conviction!
The memorials could testify to the work of the LORD in Israel’s life and so drive others to follow Yahweh. BUT, the primary purpose was to convict Israel if THEY WERE TO GO ASTRAY! Those memorials were evidence of Israel’s agreement to follow God and God alone. There was no way to vilify God if He punished them when they didn’t hold up their end of the covenant. If they didn’t, they would be convicted by their own witness.
NOW…
Joshua dies. The book is finished. The final question remains. Who. Will. We. Serve. Today?
What are we willing to do as a church body that is like what Joshua did to lead beyond his lifetime?
Remember this: The church is not an individual organization… it’s a body made up of many parts. It’s a collective whole. Christ didn’t just die for you and me… He died for ALL. And ALL who confess with their mouth and believe in their heart that Jesus is Lord will be saved.
If collectively we are going to lead beyond our lifetimes… we must individually lead beyond our lifetimes. We have to lead our families that way. We have to lead ourselves that way. We have to lead in the organizations and businesses where we serve that way.
Questions:
Are you willing to take note from Joshua?
Will you reconnect with and be inspired by what GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU IN YOUR PAST? Not your great works! Shoot… even our BEST MOMENTS are miserable attempts at “GREAT THINGS”. But, God’s done some amazing things in your past - saved you from sins that should have killed you, rescued you from abuses that should have ruined you, He’s redeemed you from disobedience that should have disqualified you… NAME THOSE THINGS! RECONNECT WITH THEM AND BE INSPIRED BY GOD’S WORK IN YOUR LIFE.
Do you need to set up some “memorials” that hold you accountable? My most impressionable memorial is my wedding day! (Tell them how Steve would challenge the congregation and unify the witnesses to hold us together when we wanted to drift apart, separate, or wax and wain out of the work needed to keep 2 once separate as ONE!)
Do you need to recommit to worship the LORD your God… ALONE! Is there something standing between you and Christ? Something leveraging for your loyalty, fealty, worship and adoration? Is it the promotion your job may provide and the pay that accompanies it? Is it the relationship you swear will make you whole? Is it the new… fill in the blank… you believe will set you above others? IT’S ALL A LIE! It is in Christ and Christ alone that we have fullness of joy, redemption, and the forgiveness of sins.
COMMUNION…
Those questions actually lead us to this moment. Communion.
Did you notice that Joshua didn’t end with his death? That’s NOT the end of the book. The last picture we have in this book is not a succession to a new military leader! It’s actually a new emphasis. Phinehas, son of Eliazar the priest, is the last person we encounter. It’s at best symbolic! Phinehas is a PRIEST! It wasn’t a military leader that would take Israel where they needed next. That time was finished. It was necessary that a priest would reconcile Israel and all mankind to God. So Phinehas, a levitical priest, looks forward to THE ONLY GREAT HIGH PRIEST who could understand and save His people… HIS NAME IS JESUS.
Step to the table.
Read from 1 Cor. 11:23-25 “23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Pray.
Pass bread.
Return and take bread.
Speak v 25.
Dave Goddard to pray.
Pass cup.
Take cup.
Sing, “Hallelujah, What A Savior!”
Pray.
Sing, “Doxology”
Note: (perhaps to begin the closing of the sermon)?
When Joshua issues the final portion of the treaty to Israel, unlike Jacob’s monument that is erected in Genesis 35:2-4. There, Jacob’s descendents gave up their deities by burying them. Here, however, the people of Israel give a verbal commitment… but do not follow up with action to show they are immediately and unequivocally committed to Yahweh. If we are going to lead beyond our lifetime, we have to make a commitment - in word and deed. And the immediacy of our actions is often the measuring rod of our true commitment.