HOW’S YOUR FAMILY?
JOSHUA 24:14-15
INTRODUCTION
*MAN WAS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD WITH A PROPENSITY TO WORSHIP GOD.
*EVEN THOSE WHO CLAIM TO BE ATHEISTS WORSHIP SOMETHING.
*WHETHER IT’S CARS,
MONEY,
PEOPLE
OR THEMSELVES,
THEY WORSHIP,
THEY SERVE SOMETHING.
*AND EVERYONE ONE OF US THIS MORNING WORSHIPS SOMETHING OR SOMEONE.
*AND WE BECOME LIKE WHAT WE WORSHIP.
*THE MORE WE WORSHIP JESUS AND BEHOLD HIS LOVING FACE,
THE MORE WE BECOME LIKE HIM.
*THE MORE WE WORSHIP MONEY
THE GREEDIER WE BECOME.
*THE MORE YOU WORSHIP YOUR CHILDREN,
THE HIGHER YOU PUT THEM ON A PEDESTAL
AND DOTE ABOUT THEM
THEY BECOME THE OBJECT OF YOUR WORSHIP.
TRANSITION
*IT’S TIME TODAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE ON THE LORD’S SIDE TO STEP TO THE FRONT
AND DECLARE IT BOLDLY AND UNASHAMEDLY THAT WE SERVE THE TRUE AND LIVING
GOD.
*LET THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD SAY SO.
*DON’T KEEP SILENT.
*DON’T HOLD YOUR PEACE.
*IT’S TIME FOR US TO SET A STANDARD OF HOLINESS FOR OUR HOUSEHOLDS
AND DECLARE THAT WE SERVE THE LORD.
*IN JOSHUA CHAPTER 24,
JOSHUA IS LAYING OUT THE CASE OF HOW THAT GOD HAD BEEN WITH ISRAEL
AND HAD BLESSED THEM.
*HOW THAT HE HAD BEEN THEIR DELIVERER;
THEIR PROVIDER;
THEIR DEFENDER;
AND THE ONE WHO FIGHTS ON THEIR BEHALF.
*BUT, HE CONTRASTS THAT THOUGHT WITH THE gods THAT THEY HAD MADE
AND WORSHIPPED.
*AND THE gods THAT THEIR FATHER’S HAD WORSHIPPED BEFORE THE FLOOD THAT LED
THEM TO DESTRUCTION.
*THEN JOSHUA MAKES THIS DECLARATION:
JOSHUA 24
14Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods
which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.
15And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve;
whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the
gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the
LORD.
I. WE NEED TO TEACH OUR FAMILIES WHAT IT IS TO FEAR AND SERVE THE LORD.
1. THE WORD FEAR USED HERE.:
2. IT MEANS to fear, revere, be afraid
to stand in awe of, be awed
reverence, honour, respect
to cause astonishment and awe, to be held in awe
3. EVERYDAY THERE NEEDS TO BE A RESPECT AND AWE FOR WHO GOD IS.
4. WE SHOULD NEVER TAKE HIM LIKELY.
5. HE’S THE AWESOME CREATOR
AND WE ARE CALLED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
AND STAND IN AWE OF WHO HE IS.
6. AND WE ARE CALLED TO PASS THAT DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.
7. TO TELL OF HIS MIGHTY POWERS
TO DECREE HIS AWESOME ACTS;
TO TELL OF HIS FAITHFULNESS.
8. BUT, WHAT IS OFTEN FOUND IN THE CHRISTIAN HOME IS THE OPPOSITE OF THE FEAR
OF GOD.
9. THE OPPOSITE OF REVERENCE AND STANDING IN AWE OF WHO HE IS.
10. WE OFTEN HEAR COMPLAINING,
MURMURING,
PEOPLE WHO ARE MAD AT GOD AS IF HE CAUSES THE TROUBLE WE FIND OURSELVES
IN.
11. BUT, THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US,
WHO HAS MADE OUR SPIRIT MAN NEW,
WANTS US TO PLEASE GOD IN ALL THAT WE SAY AND DO.
12. BUT, IF WE FOLLOW AFTER ANYTHING,
A STRANGE GOD OR A LUST,
A FAULT FINDING,
CRITICAL SPIRIT,
THEN WE ARE NOT BEING LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
AND THEREFORE WE CANNOT PLEASE GOD.
13. THE JAMISON, FAUSETT AND BROWN COMMENTARY SAYS, Joshua calls on them to
declare, in a public and solemn manner, whether they will be faithful and obedient to the God
of Israel. He avowed this to be his own unalterable resolution, and urged them, if they were
sincere in making a similar avowal, “to put away the strange gods that were among them”–
II. IT’S TIME TO MAKE A DECISION.
1. SO, OFTEN WE HEAR OF CHURCH PEOPLE,
AND MINISTERS FALLING INTO SIN
AND “DISGRACING” THE CHURCH
AND THE PULPIT.
2. AND OF COURSE THE LIBERAL MEDIA LOVES IT AND TELLS ALL ABOUT IT.
3. BUT, THE TIME HAS COME IN THAT WE THE CHURCH,
THE BRIDE OF CHRIST NEED TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND
AND DECLARE THAT WE WILL NOT CROSS IT.
4. WE WILL SERVE THE LORD OUR GOD.
5. WE WILL BE FAITHFUL TO HIM
AND HONOR HIM WITH OUR LIVES.
6. PAUL WROTE THE CHURCH AT ROME AND SAID THE MODERN RENDITION OF WHAT
JOSHUA SAID.
7. ROMANS 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
8. WE ARE NOT OUR OWN,
BUT WE WERE BOUGHT WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.
9. AND AS NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS WE NEED TO MAKE UP OUR MINDS NOT TO
SERVE ANYONE OR ANYTHING,
BUT, THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD.
10. IF YOU DO NOT HEAR ANYTHING ELSE THIS MORNING PLEASE HEAR THIS:
AS A BORN AGAIN BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST, WE ARE HIS REPRESENTATIVES ON
EARTH.
11. AND WHAT WE DO
AND WHAT WE SAY NEEDS TO BE A REPRESENTATION OF WHO HE IS.
12. BEFORE YOU ARE A PARENT,
A SPOUSE,
A SIBLING,
A CO-WORKER,
YOU ARE A CHILD OF THE MOST HIGH GOD.
13. ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE,
BEFORE EVERYTHING ELSE WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD.
14. AND OUR DECISIONS NEED TO BE MADE WITH THAT KIND OF MINDSET.
15. WHEN YOU’RE MAKING DECISIONS CONCERNING YOUR HOME IT NEEDS TO BE
FROM THE MINDSET THAT YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN.
16. WHEN YOUR CHILDREN DISAPPOINT YOU AND NEED TO BE CORRECTED IT NEEDS
TO BE DONE FROM A STAND POINT THAT YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD.
17. AND YOUR CHILD NEEDS TO SEE JESUS IN YOU; NOT THE BOOGEY MAN.
18. WHEN YOU’RE UPSET WITH YOUR SPOUSE AND YOU FEEL LIKE TAKING THE FRYING
PAN TO THEIR HEAD YOU NEED TO REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE: A CHRISTIAN.
19. WHEN THE CLERK AT THE STORE MAKES YOU ANGRY YOU NEED TO REMEMBER
WHO IT IS THAT YOU REPRESENT.
III. JOSHUA SAID AS FOR ME . . .
1. EVERY PERSON IN HERE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FOLLOWING JESUS AND SERVING HIM.
2. YOU’RE NOT GOING TO SKATE INTO HEAVEN ON THE PRAYERS
AND THE BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE OF YOU MOMMA,
DADDY,
GRANDMA OR SPOUSE.
3. WHEN YOU STAND BEFORE GOD YOU WILL GIVE AN ACCOUNT FOR YOURSELF.
4. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH CHRIST?
5. DID YOU SERVE HIM WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART?
6. OR DID YOU SERVE HIM SOMETIMES
AND SERVE MONEY AND GREED THE OTHER TIMES?
7. JOSHUA TOLD THE ISRAELITES, “CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHO YOU WILL SERVE”.
8. HE DIDN’T SAY LET MOM AND DAD CHOOSE OR YOUR WIFE CHOOSE BUT, YOU HAVE
TO DECIDE TO FOLLOW JESUS.
9. AND IF YOU HAVE AN UNBELIEVING SPOUSE YOU HAVE TO KEEP SERVING JESUS
BECAUSE IT’S YOUR ETERNAL SOUL AT STAKE.
10. AND A BELIEVING SPOUSE SANCTIFIES AN UNBELIEVING SPOUSE.
11. CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY.
IV. JOSHUA THEN SAID, AS FOR ME, THE SPIRITUAL LEADER OF MY HOUSE, I SET THE
LORD GOD AS THE ONLY ONE WHOM WE WILL SERVE IN THIS HOUSEHOLD.
1. YOU BETTER HEAR ME.
2. PARENTS, IF THERE ARE 2 OF YOU WHO BELIEVE IN THE HOUSE OR IF YOU’RE THE
ONLY ONE IN THE HOUSE WHO BELIEVES,
YOU SET A SPIRITUAL OVERTONE FOR YOUR HOUSEHOLD.
3. AND IF YOU ARE NOT ESTABLISHING THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS IN YOUR HOME THEN
YOU ARE FAILING AS A PARENT.
4. IF YOUR CHILDREN KNOW MORE ABOUT SPORTS AND CARS THAN THEY DO ABOUT
JESUS,
YOU HAVE FAILED AS A GODLY PARENT.
5. IF YOUR CHILDREN DO NOT KNOW THAT THERE IS AN IMPORTANCE TO COMING TO
THE HOUSE OF GOD,
MAYBE THAT IS THE OVERTONE THAT YOU HAVE SET FOR THE HOUSEHOLD.
Illustration: ON THE WAY HOME FROM CHURCH ONE SUNDAY MORNING A LITTLE BOY
WAS SITTING IN THE BACKSEAT.
HE WAS OBVIOUSLY UPSET.
HIS MOTHER ASKED, “HONEY, WHAT’S WRONG?”
HE SAID, “YOU HEARD WHAT THE PREACHER SAID THIS MORNING.”
“YES I DID. BUT, WHAT PART ARE YOU REFERRING TO?”
“HE SAID HE WANTED ALL THE CHILDREN TO BE RAISED IN A CHRISTIAN FAMILY.
BUT, I WANT TO LIVE WITH YOU GUYS.”
6. PARENTS, YOUR CHILDREN KNOW IF YOU’RE REAL OR NOT.
7. THEY KNOW WHO
AND WHAT IS IMPORTANT IN YOUR LIFE.
8. AND THEY’LL PATTERN THEIR LIFE AFTER YOURS IN SOME MANNER OR ANOTHER.
9. YOU CAN SEND THEM TO THE BEST SCHOOLS.
10. THEY CAN BE THE BEST DRESSED CHILD IN THEIR SCHOOL.
11. THEY CAN BE THE BRIGHTEST,
MOST POPULAR,
BEST LOOKING,
AND IF THAT’S ALL YOU’VE DONE FOR THEM AS A PARENT THEN YOU HAVE FAILED
THEM
AND FAILED GOD.
12. BUT, IF YOU TEACH YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT JESUS,
IF YOU ESTABLISH IN THE HOME THAT HE IS THE ONLY GOD
AND THAT AS A FAMILY WE WILL SERVE HIM ONLY,
IF YOU ESTABLISH THAT HE HAS FIRST PRIORITY IN OUR LIVES,
THEN YOU WILL HAVE SUCCESSFULLY PARENTED THAT CHILD.
V. I HAVE BEEN ANGERED AND SICKENED BY THIS TREND THAT I SEE IN THE CHURCH.
1. AND FOR WHAT I’M ABOUT TO SAY,
I’M TALKING ABOUT THE PENTECOSTAL,
TONGUE TALKING,
HOLINESS,
SUPPOSED TO BE SANCTIFIED PEOPLE.
2. WHO IN THE WORLD HAS TOLD PARENTS THAT IT IS OK TO HAVE THEIR DAUGHTER’S
BOYFRIEND SPEND THE NIGHT AND EVEN STAY IN THE SAME ROOM AS THEIR
DAUGHTER?
3. WE NEED SOME GODLY PROTECTIVE FATHER’S TO RISE AND BE MEN OF GOD ONCE
AGAIN.
4. IF SOME BOY WOULD HAVE SAID TO MY DAD, “WE’RE GETTING UP EARLY TOMORROW
MORNING TO GO TO CAROWINDS, SO I THINK I’LL JUST SPEND THE NIGHT HERE WITH
YOUR DAUGHTER. I PROMISE I WON’T TRY ANYTHING WITH HER.”
5. IF THEY WOULD HAVE SAID THAT TO MY DAD, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN SENT RIGHT
OUT THE DOOR AND MY SISTER WOULD NOT SEE HIM AT CAROWINDS OR ANYWHERE
ELSE.
6. BUT, IN THE CHURCH,
THE PENTECOSTAL CHURCH,
WE HAVE LESSENED OUR STANDARDS TO THOSE OF UNBELIEVERS
WHERE THE BOY FRIEND STAYS AT THE GIRLFRIEND’S HOUSE AND THE GIRL FRIEND
STAYS AT THE BOYFRIEND’S HOUSE
AND IN THIS CULTURE THEY SAY IT IS OK.
7. PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, THAT IS A TEMPTATION THAT A 14, 15, 16, OR 50 YEAR OLD
SINGLE PERSON DOES NOT NEED.
8. CHILDREN ARE MATURING EARLIER NOW THAN THEY DID WHEN WE CAME UP
AND THEY SAY IT IS BECAUSE OF THE HORMONES IN THE MEAT.
9. AND IF YOU THINK THAT TEENS TODAY DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THE BIRDS
AND THE BEES THEN YOU’RE WRONG.
10. WE AS ADULTS,
YOU AS PARENTS HAVE TO RAISE A STANDARD THAT THE WORLD AND EVEN THE
HOLINESS CHURCH HAS LOWERED.
11. I KNOW THIS ISN’T POPULAR,
BUT, IT’S THE TRUTH.
12. YOU BETTER MONITOR WHAT MOVIES YOUR CHILDREN SEE AND WHAT MOVIES YOU
DOWNLOAD OFF OF NETFLIX AND ALLOW IN YOUR HOME.
13. WHEN YOU GET A CALL FROM THE CABLE COMPANY THAT SAYS, YOU’RE SUCH A
LOYAL CUSTOMER WE WANT TO OFFER YOU 3 FREE MONTHS OF HBO, SHOWTIME AND
CINEMAX,
YOU BETTER THINK AGAIN.
14. I TOLD THEM I WOULDN’T ALLOW SUCH FILTH IN MY HOUSE.
15. BUT, IT’S FREE FOR 3 MONTHS.
I DON’T CARE IT’S TEMPTATION THAT I DO NOT NEED IN MY LIFE.
VI. WHEN I WAS GROWING UP WE HAD ALL KINDS OF CLASSES FOR KIDS AT CHURCH
ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS.
Illustration: Working at Taco Bell – eating services off
7. DO YOU HAVE A CONVICTION LIKE THAT?
8. DO YOU TAKE A STAND FOR GOD
AND HIS CHURCH?
CONCLUSION:
1. I’M TALKING TO EVERYONE NO MATTER WHAT YOUR AGE IS.
2. IT’S TIME TO DECIDE WHO YOU ARE GOING TO SERVE.
3. IT’S TIME FOR THE CHURCH TO STAND UP AND BE COUNTED.
4. IT’S TIME FOR US TO BE A VOICE IN DALLAS,
IN NORTH CAROLINA,
AND IN THE NATION.
5. IT’S TIME TO FALL ON OUR FACE BEFORE ALMIGHTY GOD IN HUMILITY AND
REPENTANCE AND GAIN BACK THE STANDARDS OF HOLINESS WE ONCE SO PROUDLY
STOOD FOR.
6. I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT AN OUTWARD APPEARANCE OF HOW LONG THE DRESS
OR HAIR IS,
OR NO MAKE UP AND JEWELRY.
7. BUT, IF THAT’S WHAT IT TAKES THEN LET’S GO BACK THERE.
8. I’M TALKING ABOUT A DECISION TO REPENT THAT CAUSES US TO LOOK INTO THE
HOLINESS OF GOD AND BE CHANGED IN OUR VERY BEING.
9. I’M TALKING ABOUT A HEART CHANGE WHERE THE WORLD CAN SAY, MAN,
THOSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WITH JESUS.
10. I’M TALKING TO SOME DRY BONES THIS MORNING.
10. IT’S TIME TO GET OFF THE FENCE.
11. IT’S TIME TO MAKE A DECISION.
12. IF IT SEEMS GOOD TO YOU TO SERVE THE LORD,
THEN SERVE HIM WITH ALL THAT IS IN YOU.
13. IF NOT, STOP BRINGING A REPROACH ON THE NAME OF CHRIST.
14. AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.
15. LET’S DEDICATE OUR LIVES AND HOMES COMPLETELY,
FULLY TO THE LORD.
16. LET’S LET OUR DECISIONS BE MADE WITH THE STANDARD THAT WE ARE A
CHRISTIAN.
17. LET’S SEEK THE FACE OF GOD AND IN SO DOING, WE’LL DRAW CLOSER TO JESUS.
18. THEN WE CAN SHOW A LOST AND DYING WORLD WHO JESUS REALLY IS.
