Final Words

Introduction

a. Ever thought about what you might say to your family if you knew it was the last time you would talk with them? Certainly that will happen. More than once we have heard, "If I had known...." I remember the last phone conversation I had with my mom. It was short and repetitive. I told Barbara, that's it. I will never talk to her again as my mom. Sometimes the final words are not dying words. They are words spoken with the purpose of making them final. This is what we have with Joshua 23 & 24. Joshua's final words. Spoken with intent and purpose but not from his death bed. Words spoken because he knows his time on this earth is short.

b. I have read these two chapters several times in the last two weeks. They can penetrate your heart if you will let them. And in so many ways, their focus is on the important and essential parts of this life and the life with God in eternity. What would your final words be to your family? And what is keeping you from sharing those words now? Maybe you can't say them, but you can write them. Don't wait until there is a more convenient time. Write them, say them, express them, make them plain. Don't assume people will know. Make it obvious. Joshua did. His words inspired. So will yours.

Meeting

a. For 30 years Joshua has led the people of God. According to chapter 24, Joshua is 110 when he dies. My assumption that these last two chapters are near the end of his life. In chapter 23, he meets with Israel's leaders. In chapter 24, he meets with God's people. Two meetings with similar thoughts and words. Chapter 23 focuses on leadership and the role of God's leaders for the people. In the first five verses, he reminds the leaders of what they have seen and experienced. While all those 20 years of age and older died in the wilderness, there were plenty of younger people who could remember the parting of the Red Sea and the entry into the land. There would have been 8 year old boys who walked hand in hand with their parents across the dry sea bed and they would have seen the huge stacking of water allowing them to cross. They would have experienced 40 years of manna and quail. And when they entered the land, they would have had their own sons fighting the battles even as they engaged as they could.

b. This meeting wasn't just an old man telling stories. He reminds them of their own experiences. And then with the wisdom of years of walking with God, Joshua gave them a plan for making sure that generations after him would walk with God as well. Look at Judges 2:8-14: Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord's anger because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.

A Plan

a. A generation after Joshua's death, the nation began to worship other gods. Joshua's final thoughts start in verse 6 -- Stay in the word. Joshua repeats the words God spoke to him 30 years before. Be very strong and courageous do not turn from the word to the left or to the right. Stay in the word. The new year is coming up. This is the time of resolutions. Start now with the conviction to stay in the word. We are in a time when feelings matter more than doctrine. When Tik-Tok and Instagram occupy more and more of our time. I'm not against either, but do not let them keep you from the word. And before you tell me that there are a lot of good reels about scripture on both, those are not substitutes for the word itself. I've read lots of books that help me, but it is not substitute for God's word. Quoting great authors is wonderful, but can you quote God! There is no substitute for God's word. Don't take God's word for granted. Don't assume it will always be there.

i. On April 16, 1966, Sam Johnson was shot down over North Vietnam. He sustained terrible injuries including a broken back, right arm and left shoulder separation. He was a POW for 7 long years. 42 months in solitary confinement. Threatened, tortured, and starved - Johnson suffered unimaginable things during his imprisonment.

ii. Johnson began to return to memories of his childhood and found that he could remember a lot of scripture. He began to tap out words of encouragement to other prisoner using Morse Code and would tap out verses of the Bible and other prisoners would tap out the ones they could remember.

iii. As negotiations for release of prisoners began, Johnson and his fellow prisoners would hold worship services and Johnson would lead singing. No Bibles. No preachers. Just military men who had faith and were aware of God's presence.

b. Temptation is real - verse 7. Israel was surrounded by the opposition. So are we. Israel wanted to get along with the opposition. They found themselves aligning with them so that they would fit in. They became complacent about their faith and about what they let into their sphere of life. They compromised their walk with God by allowing others to set the tone and agenda for life. I'm not talking about refusing to engage others. Jesus said that his people would be in the world but they would not allow the world to set the agenda. Complacency leads to spiritual decline. Jesus said you can't serve two masters (Mt. 6:24). Jesus said that if you love me, you will keep my commands (Jn 14.15). Temptation is real. We live in a world surrounded by things that we see, touch, and experience. It is easy to allow the world to occupy us rather than allowing Jesus to occupy us. So hold on to God (v. 8).

c. Love God and only Him. (V. 11) Twelve times in this chapter Joshua repeats the same four words - the Lord your God. Not Joshua's God. 12 times "your God." Reading through this passage it jumps out. Twice in verse 3, twice in verse 5, verses 8, 10, 11, twice in verse 13, 14, 15, 16. Love the Lord Your God. Love him and him alone. Love God more than you love anyone else and your love for another will be deeper than you can image. Love God more than riches. Love God more than life. Love God more than what you see. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love God because your life depends on it. Become an expert in Jesus. Become an expert in God's truth and love. You know who your God is. You know who you are giving your energy, money, passion to. New Orleans and Bourbon Street.

Follow Jesus

If you'd like to respond to this message or learn more about following Jesus, please reach out.