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L o v i n g G o d and L o v i n g N e i g h b o r as O u r s e l v e s

Background: The TEXT: 24.1-15 Moses passed on the mantle of authority to Joshua prior to his death atop Mt. Nebo. We 24 Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at . He summoned are told that Joshua was filled with the Spirit the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented of Wisdom and was tasked with establishing themselves before God. the nation of Israel in the land promised. Joshua led the army of Israel as they made 2 Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: claim on the land, he administered the ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of and equitable division of the land among the Nahor, lived beyond the River and worshiped other gods. 3 But I people, and he was God’s prophet reminding took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him Israel of their covenant with Yahweh. This throughout and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac, 4 and becomes overwhelmingly clear in today’s to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but text as he urges the people to put away the Jacob and his family went down to Egypt. idols their ancestors had worshipped in and Egypt and follow his 5 “‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did example. there, and I brought you out. 6 When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and Theology Connection: horsemen[a] as far as the Red Sea.7 But they cried to the Lord for help, and he Luther in his Large Catechism writes that ‘to put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them have a god (idol) is to have something in and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the which the heart entirely trusts.’ A false idol Egyptians. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time. demands and yet does not deserve such 8 “‘I brought you to the land of the who lived east of the Jordan. trust. Like Joshua and the people of Israel, They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them we are continually being confronted by 9 various idols that grasp for our time as well from before you, and you took possession of their land. When son of as our loyalty. There is an old saying, ‘Show Zippor, the king of , prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for 10 me your calendar and your checkbook, and I son of Beor to put a curse on you. But I would not listen to Balaam, so he will show you what is really important in your blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand. life.’ It would seem that idolatry is not dead 11 “‘Then you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The citizens of Jericho today but alive and kicking. How about you, fought against you, as did also the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, , what idols are wrestling you away from the Girgashites, and , but I gave them into your hands. 12 I sent love of God in Jesus? the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you—also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow. 13 So I gave Application: you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live There are times when we are confident and in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’ secure in our faith, but there are other times when we are aware of our weakness. The 14 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the Apostle Paul reminds us that in our weakness gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and God’s strength is revealed (1 Corinthians 1). serve the Lord. 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then What does it mean to say we have a strong choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your faith? Is a strong faith always desirable? Or ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in does our strength get in the way of what God whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve is doing? the Lord.”

www.peaceaz.org October 14, 2018 ADULT YOUTH CHILDREN

Prayer: Dear God, please open my Open up your to Joshua 24:1- Read & Summarize: heart to hear and understand your 15! Joshua 24:1-15 word. I ask this in Jesus’ name. In this text, Joshua tells of the long • Joshua retold the Israelites their Amen. and complex history that the Lord has had with the Israelites. He history before they went to their In today’s passage, Joshua reminds them of the story of new home calls all of the tribes of Israel, and Abraham, the story of Moses and the • He told the tales of Abraham, all of its leaders together to hear Exodus, and many more. Why does Isaac, Jacob, Moses and Aaron the word of the Lord. Joshua does the prophet Joshua feel the need to • He wanted the people to not speak about himself. He is the remind the Israelites of this complex remember where they came voice of God, a prophet in this history? from (and how God protected instance. Joshua begins by saying, He continues to remind them how them) “This is what the Lord, the God of the Lord delivered them from harm. • He wanted to remind them of Israel, says.” He spends verses 1 – What harm is Joshua trying to deliver their history 13 retelling God’s story of his them from now? • Then he asks them to choose deliverance to the Israelites. At the end of his long speech he who they will serve: The Lord or In the story of the deliverance of encourages the Israelites to turn other gods. the Israelites, are the warriors or away from idols and false gods that THINK: any other gods credited with this their ancestors had worshipped. deliverance? What is God telling What does it even mean to worship • How did God protect his people the Israelites and us about himself? false gods? Can you think of an from this passage? Do you have a faith story of God’s example of a false god? According to • What does it mean to serve the deliverance in the face of the Luther, a false god is something that Lord? impossible? we trust completely, but is not • What is an idol? worthy. Do you agree with this • What did we learn about loving In verse 14, Joshua speaks for assessment? Who/what do you trust our neighbors from this story? himself. He urges the Israelites to in your life? Young people these throw away their other gods and days often turn to friends, significant • What does this lesson teach us serve the Lord. What does this others, or even celebrities to give about who God is? the Israelites and us about loving them advice on hard issues. God REMEMBER: our neighbor? Can we, like Joshua, often puts people in our lives to help point to God as our Deliverer? us, but how do we know who we can God wants us to choose to serve him. Then Joshua says in verse 15, “But trust and how can we make sure if serving the Lord seems those relationships do not get in the PRAY: way of trusting God? undesirable to you…” This is Father, help us, like Joshua, to be shocking! Who among the Prayer for the week: strong in our faith and to obey Israelites or us would say we DO Dear God, please help us to have our what your Word commands. In NOT want to serve the Lord? Never eyes on you this week. Help us to Jesus' name we pray. Amen. the less, Joshua continues, he asks turn away from those who may not the Israelites to make a choice. The be helping us show your love and be Israelites must choose this day your love. Amen. among the gods of your ancestors, Application: the gods of the Amorites, and the This week, intentionally think about Lord, the God of Israel. what you spend your time doing. Do Name some of the gods that vie for you spend a lot of your time your attention. watching celebrity figures on the internet, playing video games, or Once again, God is keeping the scrolling on Instagram? Ask yourself Israelites his chosen people going, why these things are important and blessing them to be a blessing to maybe try to carve out some time for the nations. those you love! www.peaceaz.org October 14, 2018