In last week’s message “Sharing The Love Of Jesus Christ” which is the mission of the Church, we learned to be reminded of the basic purpose of the Church which is to distribute the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Today’s lesson is calling us all to realize the spectacular love that God has shown to us all, and to lead us to reaching greater devotion to God as we consider “Properly Assessing God’s Blessing”.
Old Testament Scripture Reading: Joshua 24:15 – 22 NASB
Jos 24:15 “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.”
Jos 24:16 The people answered and said, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods;
Jos 24:17 for the LORD our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did these great signs in our sight and preserved us through all the way in which we went and among all the peoples through whose midst we passed.
Jos 24:18 “The LORD drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. We also will serve the LORD, for He is our God.”
Jos 24:19 Then Joshua said to the people, “You will not be able to serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgression or your sins.
Jos 24:20 “If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you after He has done good to you.”
Jos 24:21 The people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the LORD.”
Jos 24:22 Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves the LORD, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.”
New Testament Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:43 – 48 NASB
Mat 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’
Mat 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Mat 5:45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Mat 5:46 “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
Mat 5:47 “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
Mat 5:48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Main Points To Emphasize:
1) Joshua 24 explains in a nutshell the blessing that God provided for the covenant people, Israel, who descended from the Gentile Abraham, whose ancestors worshiped false gods, and how The True God called him out and away from the heritage of his ancestors, to set him apart as the father of a new breed of people, which would come to be known as Israel.
2) It would be through the lineage of Abraham that God would send Jesus His Only Begotten Son Who would pay the sin bill for all people who believe God and trust In Jesus Christ, Who came to be punished for the sin of the world.
3) Each person has to properly assess whether they will trust in Jesus Christ, Who will provide them with a proper relationship with God His Father, and fill them with the Holy Spirit, Who will guide them away from a life of sin, and lead them into actual righteousness toward God and mankind.