WEBVTT

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 This week, we will think together about the need for healthy families.

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 Healthy families.

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 Now, as you will see, I have chosen the particular text I had you join me in

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! Because we will see Joshua deciding to lead his family in the way of God,

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 regardless of what the larger society decided to do.

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 But I'm going to do something odd, because we're not going to look at the text until my conclusion.

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 Which I don't normally do.

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 So I usually just get up and read the text, and then talk about the text.

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 But in order for us to get a clear picture of the significance of the family,

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 we're going to have to do some biblical theology together.

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 We're going to have to do kind of a flyover of the scripture.

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 And then it helps us to understand why it's so important that Joshua makes this decision.

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 So, you can do what you want with Joshua 24, if you want to put your ribbon bookmark in it,

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 or the finger.

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 And if you want to try to join me, you're welcome to.

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 But I'm going to move pretty fast for the sake of our time together.

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 Okay.

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 The Bible teaches that a primary purpose of the family is to help humanity understand three massive truths.

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 Number one, God's triune nature.

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 Number two, the gospel.

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 And number three, the beauty of the church.

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 In the family, God has embedded pictures of himself, of his plan of salvation, and of his redeemed people.

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 Now, I can't just make a claim like that to you without showing you where we find it in the Bible.

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 So, where is that in the scripture?

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 Well, we'll need to start with the biblical connection between marriage and having children.

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 Recall one of the first things that God does for Adam.

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 He creates a helper suitable for him.

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 Right?

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 He says it's not good that the man is alone.

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 Amen?

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 Men.

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 Right?

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 So, God creates for him a helper suitable for him.

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 Right?

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 Brings them together into a new family unit.

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 He presides over that first marriage.

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 And he gives to them a command found in Genesis 1.28.

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 Be fruitful and multiply.

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 Have children.

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 And this was not just a pre-fall ordinance.

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 God tells Noah the same thing after the flood in Genesis 9.7.

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 Be fruitful and increase in number.

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 Multiply on the earth and increase upon it.

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 Good job, Christ Family Church.

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 You're fulfilling the mandate.

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 I love it.

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 At this point, it is important that we are clear.

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 Some are blessed with the gift of singleness.

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 1 Corinthians 7.7.

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 Some in God's mysterious providence are unable to have children.

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 But for the rest, it would seem families with children aren't optional.

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 It seems to be the normative pattern that we see coming out of these commands in the Bible.

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 I believe that the procreative mandate still matters, at least in so much as not having children should not be the normative thing.

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 It should be less normative than having kids and many of them.

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 Why is God so insistent that humans multiply?

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 Well, the answer is found when we consider that he created Adam and Eve in his image.

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 Genesis 1.26-27.

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 They're meant to show forth something of who he is.

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 Not perfectly, but some measure of our God.

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 So he wants his image bearers to multiply because he wants more of his image spread throughout the world.

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 We go forth as image bearers.

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 And he decided to graciously share the privilege of creating humans made in his image with us.

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 He didn't have to do it this way.

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 Bruce Ware writes,

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 It is as if God said,

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 I created the first and original pair of human beings in my very image,

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 and I could continue creating them unilaterally so that you would have no part to play.

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 But instead, you are not to bring about human beings.

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 You are to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth with my greatest of all creations,

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 humans made in my very image.

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 So we're invited to procreate as being image bearers of God,

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 as being creators of image bearers.

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 You see what's happening there.

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 Kostenberger, in his book, God, Marriage, and Family, which I would commend to you,

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 said,

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 This is remarkable.

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 God commanded Adam and Eve and us to bear and multiply his image in part by procreation.

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 But God was not finished.

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 He also gave the multiplying family massive significance in the history of redemption.

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 We see this most immediately in the family of Abraham,

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 whose lineage, his family, God used to point to his plan of salvation for the nations,

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 for the whole world to be blessed through the family of Abraham.

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 We also see it in the New Testament,

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 especially as Paul shows how husbands and wives resemble Christ and the church.

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 And there are more portraits embedded in the family.

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 Portraits that display, as we'll see in a moment,

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 God's triune self, the gospel, and the church.

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 So let's look at each of those individually.

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 Number one, the family presents a portrait of God's triune self.

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 Specifically, the family provides us with a portrait of the father-son relationship within the Trinity.

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 This is why Paul could write in Ephesians chapter 3, verse 14 and 15,

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 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

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 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.

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 The relationship between heavenly father and son is the ultimate reality.

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 The relationship between earthly fathers and sons and parents and children generally

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 are small, at times distorted, but yet meaningful pictures of this ultimate reality.

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 Now, it's not an absolute analogy.

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 I know this to be true.

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 The relationship of the heavenly father to the son is unique.

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 For instance, the son was eternally begotten, not created in time like our children are.

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 But for all the differences, the analogy remains.

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 In the Bible, we cannot get around the fact that the essential relationship

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 between these two members of the Godhead is as father and son.

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 We see this repeated again and again and again.

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 And so, examples.

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 God the Father, twice from heaven, spoke audibly and declared Jesus as his beloved son.

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 At his baptism and at his transfiguration.

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 Matthew 3, 17 and chapter 17 and verse 5.

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 Jesus at age 12 referred to his father's house.

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 Luke chapter 2 and verse 49.

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 Later to his disciples, Jesus explained his relationship with the father in terms of a human son copying his dad.

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 John chapter 5, verse 19 says,

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 Truly, truly, truly, I say to you, the son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the father doing.

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 For whatever the father does, that the son does likewise.

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 So, all that said, here's the point.

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 It is difficult to speak of the Trinity accurately without speaking of God the Father and God the Son.

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 Consider the enormous implications for our families and our church in understanding that God intends to project his image in part through parent-child relationships.

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 If we get our minds around this, it's going to do some things for us.

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 First, it's going to keep us from viewing children as idols.

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 Some of us are tempted to worship our children, to put them at the center of everything that we do.

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 Fathers and mothers or even singles who put children on pedestals need to be reminded that God did not give families the divine image so that we can worship them,

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 but so that we can worship him.

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 Your identity is not derived from your children, how well they do or how poorly they do.

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 By all means, let's build up our homes, but as a means of glorifying God, as displaying this relationship within the Trinity.

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 Also understanding this keeps us from viewing children as tools.

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 Others will argue that children and families are important because they are the building blocks of society and the church.

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 And it is true, families are used by God as secondary means for keeping the church and the world from just flying apart.

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 But that's not the whole story.

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 They're secondary means.

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 Families are not simply social glue.

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 They are an actual display of our triune God.

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 Thirdly, it keeps us from viewing children as obstacles.

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 Still others may be tempted to think that having children is not that important

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 and can be a barrier to godly ambition and valuable Christian service.

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 Treat them as a burden to the mission of God.

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 But if parent-child relationships are commanded and bear witness to God's very nature,

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 then nothing could be further from the truth.

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 Children are not obstacles to ministry.

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 They themselves, their very presence is a ministry.

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 Sometimes that's hard to wrap our minds around.

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 Fourthly, it keeps us from overlooking children.

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 Without a theological understanding for the role of children, many of us simply overlook them.

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 If we're single, we view them as someone else's responsibility and unimportant to our life as Christians

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 and our life as a church.

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 I don't think we're guilty of that.

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 Perhaps some of us are tempted to it.

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 If we're parents, we may simply view children as little more than objects of evangelism.

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 They're meant to do more than that, although they are those things that are meant to help us see the nature of our triune God.

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 Secondly, the family presents a portrait of the gospel.

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 The family also provides a profoundly personal picture of our salvation.

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 In salvation, God adopts us.

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 Don't you love the doctrine of adoption?

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 We were not gods and then we are made gods.

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 He makes us his sons and daughters.

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 God referred to Israel as his firstborn son in Exodus chapter 4.

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 And the people of Israel were encouraged to sing of God's fatherly compassion.

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 Psalm 103 verse 13.

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 But Israel as a son merely pointed to Christ the true son.

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 The good news is that Christ came to effect our adoption and to make us fellow heirs.

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 Sons in the son.

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 Paul wrote in Galatians chapter 4 verse 4 and following.

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 But when the time had fully come, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law that we might receive the full rights of sons.

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 Because you are sons, God sent the spirit of his son into our hearts, the spirit who calls out Abba, Father.

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 So you're no longer a slave, but a son.

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 And since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

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 Ladies, you want to be sons in this biblical language.

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 And you are, right, heirs of God.

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 The perfect son, the Lord Jesus Christ, was not ashamed to call us brothers.

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 Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 11.

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 So he taught his disciples to pray to our Father in heaven.

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 Matthew 6 and verse 9.

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 And reminded them not to be anxious about food and clothes because your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

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 Matthew 6, 32.

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 He also promised them that his Father would not abandon them as orphans.

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 John chapter 14.

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 Rather, we have been adopted in Christ.

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 Parent-child relationships are no accident or small part of God's plan.

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 They are designed to teach us by analogy of our precious relationship to God, our true Father in Christ.

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 You may have heard me read this quotation before, but I think it's a good one that needs to be repeated.

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 J.I. Packer once wrote,

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 If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity,

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 find out how much he makes of the thought of being God's child and having God as his Father.

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 If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life,

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 it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all.

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 End quote.

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 Our culture knows that Christians refer to God as the Father and to Jesus as the Son,

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 and they are watching us.

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 In a time of great family turmoil,

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 it is more rare now to meet a young person with a healthy, functional family

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 than with a disjointed, dysfunctional family.

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 We're going to welcome college students back soon.

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 It's rare when a college student comes from a really healthy, vibrant Christian family.

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 It's more normative that they don't.

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 So how our families function matters a great deal.

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 Husbands and fathers, much of this charge falls to us.

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 We are to display the divine love of our Heavenly Father in the way we serve our families.

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 Men, let's make complementarianism attractive.

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 Let's not let anybody argue against the complementarianism that exists in our fellowship.

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 Consider a few implications for our families and our church

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 in understanding that God intends to teach us something of the gospel

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 through parent-child relationships.

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 First, it keeps us from being complacent.

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 God is not satisfied with our current state,

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 but actively works to conform us to the image of His Son.

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 Romans 8.29

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 God's purpose is that, like Jesus, we would imitate Him.

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 Ephesians 5.1

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 Paul says,

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 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children.

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 God calls us to instruct and to disciple our children.

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 We are to call them to conform to righteous and wise living

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 and teach them concerning the good authority of God.

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 That's at least in some measure what we do

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 when we invite children to be part of our gathering together.

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 We are saying to them,

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 The world does not revolve around you.

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 We come together and there is a greater authority

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 that resides over us and our lives.

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 I was really grateful as we were just getting ready to start.

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 And those moments are always chaotic

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 and people are getting in here

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 and we kick off with a song.

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 And James Knight, who's a six-year-old, ran past me.

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 And he didn't say it for me to hear it,

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 but he said,

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 Church is starting!

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 Hooray!

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 Praise God, right?

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 He's been sitting in here

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 and he's excited to be sitting in here with us.

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 We are meant to be growing up our kids in this way.

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 And parents, it is a long-term thing,

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 a long-term work that we are doing together.

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 Having this picture also keeps us from being impatient.

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 We must be patient with our children

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 as God is patient.

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 And I am thankful for this.

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 Psalm 103 and verse 13 says,

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 As a father has compassion on his children,

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 so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.

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 God is endlessly patient with me

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 as he views me in Christ.

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 If we display the gospel well in our parent-child relationships,

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 it will be consistent,

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 but careful,

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 and compassionate,

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 and kind.

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 It also promotes formal and informal adoptive practices.

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 Because our adoption in Christ is precious to us,

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 we ought also care about,

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 participate in,

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 and support adoption.

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 I'm so thankful for the many people in our fellowship

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 or have come through our fellowship

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 that have adopted.

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 It's a wonderful, wonderful thing.

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 Such a display of the gospel.

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 And I say formal

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 because we need to welcome children into our homes

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 and declare to them,

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 you belong to us

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 with all the formality of the legal process,

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 and no one's taken you away.

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 And I also say informal

00:19:18.900 --> 00:19:20.599
 because there may be children

00:19:20.599 --> 00:19:22.640
 and adults for that matter.

00:19:22.740 --> 00:19:24.500
 We talked about adopting college students

00:19:24.500 --> 00:19:26.380
 during the announcements

00:19:26.380 --> 00:19:28.460
 who need to be told,

00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:29.700
 you belong to us,

00:19:29.700 --> 00:19:31.720
 even though circumstances won't allow

00:19:31.720 --> 00:19:33.940
 or just aren't necessary.

00:19:34.380 --> 00:19:37.000
 They're just people that we give ourselves to

00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:39.400
 that they might know that they belong.

00:19:40.400 --> 00:19:42.160
 I want to say so much more about this,

00:19:42.259 --> 00:19:43.460
 but time will not permit me.

00:19:43.740 --> 00:19:46.240
 I'll conclude this point by simply saying,

00:19:46.740 --> 00:19:49.859
 what a blessing it is to be part of God's family.

00:19:50.779 --> 00:19:52.700
 The love we have for our children,

00:19:53.400 --> 00:19:54.599
 biological or otherwise,

00:19:55.259 --> 00:19:57.599
 the privileges they have as our children,

00:19:58.019 --> 00:19:59.519
 the care we show to them,

00:20:00.259 --> 00:20:01.099
 is an imperfect,

00:20:01.720 --> 00:20:03.160
 but a marvelous picture

00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:04.460
 of what we have in Christ

00:20:04.460 --> 00:20:05.720
 through the gospel.

00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:08.359
 Thirdly,

00:20:08.980 --> 00:20:10.740
 the family presents a portrait

00:20:10.740 --> 00:20:13.180
 of the beauty of the church.

00:20:13.740 --> 00:20:14.740
 Finally,

00:20:14.859 --> 00:20:16.019
 the family draws

00:20:16.019 --> 00:20:17.759
 an equally stunning portrait

00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:18.660
 of the church.

00:20:19.819 --> 00:20:20.900
 Peter calls the church

00:20:20.900 --> 00:20:22.140
 the family of God,

00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:23.700
 1 Peter 4, 17.

00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:25.660
 Paul calls the church

00:20:25.660 --> 00:20:26.859
 God's household

00:20:26.859 --> 00:20:28.339
 in 1 Timothy 3.

00:20:28.339 --> 00:20:30.839
 How is it that we belong

00:20:30.839 --> 00:20:31.759
 to the same household?

00:20:32.359 --> 00:20:34.679
 Because being united to Christ

00:20:34.679 --> 00:20:38.339
 brings us into this household.

00:20:38.459 --> 00:20:39.619
 Ephesians 2,

00:20:40.299 --> 00:20:41.379
 verses 1-10.

00:20:42.119 --> 00:20:43.159
 It means that we've been united

00:20:43.159 --> 00:20:43.899
 to one another.

00:20:43.899 --> 00:20:45.779
 Ephesians 2, 11-20.

00:20:46.459 --> 00:20:47.459
 As we have seen,

00:20:47.539 --> 00:20:48.220
 we've been adopted

00:20:48.220 --> 00:20:50.039
 as brothers and sisters.

00:20:50.039 --> 00:20:52.440
 Paul tells all Christians

00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:54.180
 to love our fellow church members

00:20:54.180 --> 00:20:55.779
 as siblings.

00:20:56.779 --> 00:20:57.879
 He consistently refers

00:20:57.879 --> 00:20:59.200
 to members of the church

00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:00.059
 under his care

00:21:00.059 --> 00:21:01.659
 as brothers.

00:21:02.599 --> 00:21:04.039
 The word for brothers here

00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:06.099
 is gender neutral.

00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:08.039
 It means siblings.

00:21:08.599 --> 00:21:08.680
 Right?

00:21:09.019 --> 00:21:09.720
 I'll start calling you,

00:21:09.859 --> 00:21:10.359
 hey, sibling.

00:21:11.720 --> 00:21:12.819
 He also writes

00:21:12.819 --> 00:21:13.759
 to the Thessalonians

00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:15.119
 in 1 Thessalonians 4,

00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:16.159
 verse 9 and 10.

00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:18.500
 Now about brotherly love,

00:21:18.560 --> 00:21:19.720
 we do not need

00:21:19.720 --> 00:21:20.440
 to write to you,

00:21:20.540 --> 00:21:21.259
 for you yourselves

00:21:21.259 --> 00:21:22.420
 have been taught by God

00:21:22.420 --> 00:21:23.680
 to love each other.

00:21:24.420 --> 00:21:25.040
 And in fact,

00:21:25.100 --> 00:21:25.779
 you do love

00:21:25.779 --> 00:21:26.560
 all the brothers

00:21:26.560 --> 00:21:27.519
 throughout Macedonia.

00:21:27.620 --> 00:21:28.779
 Yet we urge you, brothers,

00:21:28.900 --> 00:21:32.779
 to do so more and more.

00:21:33.700 --> 00:21:35.019
 That would be my encouragement

00:21:35.019 --> 00:21:35.880
 to you today

00:21:35.880 --> 00:21:36.759
 as I've seen you all

00:21:36.759 --> 00:21:38.240
 love each other so well.

00:21:38.380 --> 00:21:42.080
 Do so more and more.

00:21:43.140 --> 00:21:44.620
 Paul also commanded the Romans

00:21:44.620 --> 00:21:45.700
 in Romans 12,

00:21:45.700 --> 00:21:46.440
 well in verse 10,

00:21:46.539 --> 00:21:47.840
 to love one another

00:21:47.840 --> 00:21:50.980
 with brotherly affection.

00:21:52.500 --> 00:21:53.640
 Because of the great

00:21:53.640 --> 00:21:54.880
 horror of sin,

00:21:55.580 --> 00:21:57.319
 I know that not all families

00:21:57.319 --> 00:21:59.259
 are united in the kind of love

00:21:59.259 --> 00:22:01.279
 that we all long for.

00:22:02.380 --> 00:22:03.759
 We don't really have,

00:22:03.799 --> 00:22:04.480
 some of us,

00:22:04.580 --> 00:22:06.920
 this analogy beautifully portrayed

00:22:06.920 --> 00:22:08.860
 in our upbringing.

00:22:09.500 --> 00:22:12.480
 But the analogy still holds true.

00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:14.920
 You love your family.

00:22:15.720 --> 00:22:16.839
 Even when your family

00:22:16.839 --> 00:22:17.500
 is difficult

00:22:17.500 --> 00:22:18.779
 and uncomfortable,

00:22:19.559 --> 00:22:21.339
 you work out those differences

00:22:21.339 --> 00:22:22.360
 and you work through

00:22:22.360 --> 00:22:23.039
 the discomfort,

00:22:23.640 --> 00:22:25.360
 not just to tolerate

00:22:25.360 --> 00:22:25.980
 one another,

00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:28.259
 but to love one another,

00:22:28.460 --> 00:22:29.620
 to have affection

00:22:29.620 --> 00:22:30.400
 for one another,

00:22:30.500 --> 00:22:32.000
 to seek the highest good

00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:34.099
 of the other

00:22:34.099 --> 00:22:36.299
 because they're your family.

00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:38.360
 And maybe why this analogy

00:22:38.359 --> 00:22:40.099
 is so clearly used

00:22:40.099 --> 00:22:40.819
 of the church.

00:22:41.899 --> 00:22:42.500
 The family

00:22:42.500 --> 00:22:44.639
 is the first

00:22:44.639 --> 00:22:46.859
 and foundational institution

00:22:46.859 --> 00:22:47.939
 created by our Lord.

00:22:48.479 --> 00:22:50.119
 And it is the foundation

00:22:50.119 --> 00:22:52.579
 of any healthy church.

00:22:52.579 --> 00:22:54.119
 I don't know that we're

00:22:54.119 --> 00:22:54.919
 going to really get

00:22:54.919 --> 00:22:56.059
 our minds around

00:22:56.059 --> 00:22:57.279
 what a healthy church

00:22:57.279 --> 00:22:57.879
 should look like

00:22:57.879 --> 00:22:58.639
 if it's not full

00:22:58.639 --> 00:23:00.659
 of healthy families.

00:23:01.659 --> 00:23:02.699
 Healthy families

00:23:02.699 --> 00:23:05.220
 will certainly be indispensable

00:23:05.220 --> 00:23:06.179
 if our church

00:23:06.179 --> 00:23:07.339
 is to be resilient

00:23:07.339 --> 00:23:09.199
 in the years to come.

00:23:10.220 --> 00:23:11.119
 I suggest to you

00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:11.779
 that this is why

00:23:11.779 --> 00:23:13.339
 the enemy is so bent

00:23:13.339 --> 00:23:15.259
 on destroying the family.

00:23:15.939 --> 00:23:17.339
 This is the front line

00:23:17.339 --> 00:23:17.980
 of attack

00:23:17.980 --> 00:23:19.339
 in our nation.

00:23:19.939 --> 00:23:21.039
 If he can get

00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:21.639
 at the family,

00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:23.159
 he can get

00:23:23.159 --> 00:23:23.720
 at the church.

00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:25.339
 And he has.

00:23:26.059 --> 00:23:26.779
 And he does.

00:23:27.960 --> 00:23:28.899
 Let's not let that

00:23:28.899 --> 00:23:30.759
 be so amongst us.

00:23:31.960 --> 00:23:33.119
 On your bulletin

00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:33.539
 this morning,

00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:34.359
 the historic,

00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:35.079
 quote,

00:23:36.059 --> 00:23:37.039
 17th century

00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:38.539
 English pastor

00:23:38.539 --> 00:23:39.339
 Thomas Risley

00:23:39.339 --> 00:23:40.519
 said,

00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:40.839
 quote,

00:23:40.879 --> 00:23:41.759
 the lack of religion

00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:42.339
 in families

00:23:42.339 --> 00:23:43.279
 is the decay

00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:44.000
 of churches.

00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:46.059
 The degree of piety

00:23:46.059 --> 00:23:46.819
 in families

00:23:46.819 --> 00:23:47.940
 directly determines

00:23:47.940 --> 00:23:48.859
 the strength

00:23:48.859 --> 00:23:49.720
 and prosperity

00:23:49.720 --> 00:23:50.579
 of the church.

00:23:51.039 --> 00:23:52.440
 And Christ's kingdom.

00:23:53.720 --> 00:23:54.740
 So the family

00:23:54.740 --> 00:23:55.579
 is important.

00:23:56.299 --> 00:23:57.720
 And it displays

00:23:57.720 --> 00:23:59.039
 these beautiful things.

00:23:59.119 --> 00:23:59.899
 The triune nature

00:23:59.899 --> 00:24:00.420
 of God.

00:24:00.940 --> 00:24:02.180
 The gospel itself.

00:24:02.379 --> 00:24:03.200
 The beauty

00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:04.879
 of the church.

00:24:06.359 --> 00:24:07.159
 And so let me read

00:24:07.159 --> 00:24:08.599
 Joshua chapter 24

00:24:08.599 --> 00:24:10.220
 verse 14

00:24:10.220 --> 00:24:11.899
 and 15.

00:24:12.420 --> 00:24:13.259
 And remind you

00:24:13.259 --> 00:24:13.859
 before I read,

00:24:13.960 --> 00:24:14.139
 beloved,

00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:15.019
 that this is God's word

00:24:15.019 --> 00:24:15.639
 to us written

00:24:15.639 --> 00:24:16.460
 for his glory

00:24:16.460 --> 00:24:17.579
 and our good.

00:24:17.579 --> 00:24:18.859
 we would all

00:24:18.859 --> 00:24:19.599
 do well to listen

00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:20.059
 to it

00:24:20.059 --> 00:24:20.819
 in order to believe

00:24:20.819 --> 00:24:21.399
 its promises

00:24:21.399 --> 00:24:22.679
 and obey

00:24:22.679 --> 00:24:23.299
 its commands.

00:24:25.939 --> 00:24:26.439
 Now,

00:24:26.519 --> 00:24:26.919
 therefore,

00:24:27.539 --> 00:24:28.319
 fear the Lord

00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:29.159
 and serve him

00:24:29.159 --> 00:24:29.980
 in sincerity

00:24:29.980 --> 00:24:31.519
 and in faithfulness.

00:24:32.119 --> 00:24:33.359
 Put away the gods

00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:33.939
 that your father

00:24:33.939 --> 00:24:35.119
 served beyond the river

00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:35.799
 and in Egypt

00:24:35.799 --> 00:24:37.399
 and serve the Lord.

00:24:38.259 --> 00:24:39.199
 And if it is evil

00:24:39.199 --> 00:24:39.659
 in your eyes

00:24:39.659 --> 00:24:40.419
 to serve the Lord,

00:24:41.099 --> 00:24:41.859
 choose this day

00:24:41.859 --> 00:24:42.839
 whom you will serve,

00:24:42.939 --> 00:24:43.639
 whether the gods

00:24:43.639 --> 00:24:44.480
 your father served

00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:44.980
 in the region

00:24:44.980 --> 00:24:45.720
 beyond the river

00:24:45.720 --> 00:24:47.019
 or the gods

00:24:47.019 --> 00:24:47.880
 of the Amorites

00:24:47.880 --> 00:24:48.519
 in whose land

00:24:48.519 --> 00:24:49.019
 you dwell.

00:24:49.980 --> 00:24:50.980
 But as for me

00:24:50.980 --> 00:24:52.460
 and my house,

00:24:53.100 --> 00:24:54.000
 we will serve

00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:55.019
 the Lord.

00:24:59.100 --> 00:24:59.940
 This chapter

00:24:59.940 --> 00:25:00.700
 closes out

00:25:00.700 --> 00:25:01.559
 the book of Joshua.

00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:03.519
 Israel has accomplished

00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:05.519
 their quasi-conquering

00:25:05.519 --> 00:25:06.220
 of the land

00:25:06.220 --> 00:25:06.940
 of Canaan.

00:25:07.500 --> 00:25:08.100
 But because of

00:25:08.100 --> 00:25:09.140
 their disobedience

00:25:09.140 --> 00:25:09.839
 to conquer it

00:25:09.839 --> 00:25:11.000
 on God's terms,

00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:12.360
 they're about

00:25:12.360 --> 00:25:13.000
 to encounter

00:25:13.000 --> 00:25:13.920
 much trouble

00:25:13.920 --> 00:25:14.740
 and will share

00:25:14.740 --> 00:25:16.160
 much of the land

00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:17.519
 with these Canaanites

00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:17.819
 here,

00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:18.720
 a group of them

00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:20.620
 called the Amorites.

00:25:22.019 --> 00:25:22.539
 Joshua here

00:25:22.539 --> 00:25:23.160
 calls them

00:25:23.160 --> 00:25:23.740
 to choose

00:25:23.740 --> 00:25:24.740
 whether or not

00:25:24.740 --> 00:25:25.519
 they will serve

00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:26.099
 the God

00:25:26.099 --> 00:25:27.440
 who has delivered

00:25:27.440 --> 00:25:28.279
 them time

00:25:28.279 --> 00:25:29.559
 and time again

00:25:29.559 --> 00:25:31.019
 or the worthless

00:25:31.019 --> 00:25:31.980
 idols of the people

00:25:31.980 --> 00:25:33.400
 of the land.

00:25:34.339 --> 00:25:35.440
 The simple point

00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:36.000
 to be made

00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:37.299
 is this.

00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:39.180
 For us to build

00:25:39.180 --> 00:25:40.259
 a resilient church culture

00:25:40.259 --> 00:25:41.839
 and to continue

00:25:41.839 --> 00:25:42.319
 in the work

00:25:42.319 --> 00:25:42.720
 of building

00:25:42.720 --> 00:25:43.279
 as a resilient

00:25:43.279 --> 00:25:44.200
 church culture,

00:25:45.240 --> 00:25:45.980
 heads of households

00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:47.000
 will have to decide

00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:48.460
 who we will

00:25:48.460 --> 00:25:49.640
 serve.

00:25:50.680 --> 00:25:51.720
 We will have to decide

00:25:51.720 --> 00:25:52.819
 not to bow

00:25:52.819 --> 00:25:53.380
 at the feet

00:25:53.380 --> 00:25:54.819
 of cultural norms,

00:25:55.700 --> 00:25:56.519
 leading our children

00:25:56.519 --> 00:25:57.000
 to worship

00:25:57.000 --> 00:25:57.539
 the idols

00:25:57.539 --> 00:25:58.600
 of this land.

00:25:59.100 --> 00:25:59.860
 And we will have

00:25:59.860 --> 00:26:00.319
 to decide

00:26:00.319 --> 00:26:01.220
 to lead our children

00:26:01.220 --> 00:26:02.380
 to the worship

00:26:02.380 --> 00:26:03.940
 of the Most High God

00:26:03.940 --> 00:26:05.779
 who is the only one

00:26:05.779 --> 00:26:06.539
 worthy

00:26:06.539 --> 00:26:08.059
 of our worship.

00:26:08.059 --> 00:26:11.119
 So let's continue

00:26:11.119 --> 00:26:11.720
 to be about

00:26:11.720 --> 00:26:12.379
 the work

00:26:12.379 --> 00:26:12.980
 of building

00:26:12.980 --> 00:26:13.599
 a resilient

00:26:13.599 --> 00:26:14.539
 church culture

00:26:14.539 --> 00:26:16.279
 by God's grace

00:26:16.279 --> 00:26:17.960
 and to God's glory

00:26:17.960 --> 00:26:19.919
 by working on,

00:26:20.299 --> 00:26:21.200
 taking up,

00:26:21.659 --> 00:26:22.619
 thinking about

00:26:22.619 --> 00:26:23.919
 clear mission,

00:26:24.720 --> 00:26:25.539
 robust theology,

00:26:26.359 --> 00:26:27.319
 accurate histories,

00:26:28.200 --> 00:26:29.519
 sacrificial hospitality,

00:26:30.279 --> 00:26:31.319
 and healthy families.

00:26:31.899 --> 00:26:32.500
 Let's pray.

00:26:32.500 --> 00:26:32.539
 Let's pray.

00:26:32.539 --> 00:26:32.539


00:26:32.539 --> 00:26:32.539


00:26:32.539 --> 00:26:32.539


00:26:32.539 --> 00:26:32.539