Commitment To Serve Joshua 24:14-15

introduction • Joshua 24:1* Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned
the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. • He
reinforced his appeal with the POWER of a GOOD EXAMPLE. • “As for me and my house, we will serve
the Lord.”

I. A Call to Commitment to Serve God v.14 • -Joshua calls • A. the people to commitment • - To “fear the
Lord” • - to serve Him with all “faithfulness.” • God is calling for a commitment from His people.

I. A Call to Commitment to Serve God v.14 • -Joshua calls • B. the people to make the choice • - to serve
God, throw away other gods • - do not serve God and continue to serve other gods • Joshua was telling
them that once and for all, you need to choose who you are going to serve and worship.

II. A Promise of Commitment to Serve God • A. personal commitment • – as for me • B. partnership

commitment • – and my house • Joshua commits TO MAKE his HOME God’s HOME • WELCOME HIS
PRESENCE in OUR HOMES

“Christ is the head of this house,The unseen guest at every meal,The silent listener to every
conversation.”

Conclusion: • The next thing we see here is that Joshua • called for a way to commemorate this day. • -
Joshua placed a stone under a tree in order for the people to see and remember what they had
committed to that day. • - He wanted a way to commemorate the fact that they had decided to serve the
Lord.

Conclusion: • - what will remind you of your commitment to that every time we see this, it will remind us
of our commitment to God. • - It should remind us of the choice that we made when we chose to serve
God here in this church. • - brothers and sisters in the Lord , I challenge you this day.

Conclusion: • - GOD CALLS US TO COMMITMENT - CHOOSE THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE. • - Can
you say that you and your house will serve the Lord. • - Will you commit to serving God this day. • - Will
you make the choice today to use the gifts and talents that God has blessed you with to serve Him.
Prepared to Serve 2 Timothy 2:20-26

Must Be Vessels Of Honor • Purged from dishonor • Sanctified for Master’s use • Prepared to good work
• Flee from lusts • Follow after righteousness, faith, love & peace with a pure heart • Refusing foolish &
ignorant strife

The Lord’s Servant Must...

Not Strive • Contention and faction forbidden • 1 Corinthians 1:10 • 1 Corinthians 3:3 • Galatians 5:15,
20 • Proverbs 6:16-19; 16:27-28 • Proverbs 25:8 • Quarrelsome spirit is not of Lord

But Be Gentle Towards All • Demands subordination of self to good of another or the cause • Titus 3:1-3
• James 3:17 • Must have salvation of sinner & good of kingdom as our goal • Note this is “towards all”

Apt To Teach • Christianity is a taught religion • Mark 16:15 • Matthew 28:20 • John 6:45 • 2 Timothy 2:2
• If we are to win people to truth, we must be ready & able to teach them

Forbearing • Only time this form used in N.T. (compound of “patient” + “evil”) • Word denotes patiently
enduring evil or wrongs done to us • 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 • Matthew 5:10-12 • Requires putting
truth above self

In Meekness Correcting... • Correction may take place when teacher subordinates self to message from
God • 1 Peter 3:15 • 2 Corinthians 4:5 • Error opposes proponent of it • 2 Timothy 3:13 • Correction of
error that condemns one’s soul is loving, not hateful or destructive

Goal: Recovering of Souls • Text shows essentials to this end: • Repentance to knowledge of truth •
Recovery from devil’s snare • Escape from devil’s captivity • If no difference seen, recovery is not
possible – must detect & expose error • Galatians 2:11-14

Transformed to Serve Chapter 12 John 21

Reasons for Chapter 21 • Peter returning to apostleship • Refuting the foolish rumor • Showing us how
to relate to the risen Christ • 3 images of believer & responsibility • We are fishers of men • 7 of
disciples were fishermen • Why fishermen followed Jesus • Courageous • Dedicated to one thing & not
easily distracted • Don’t quit • Know how to take order & work together

Toiling all night with no fish • “Move the net to the other side”: 153 fish • John recognized Jesus & told
Peter • Peter ran in the water to see Jesus • Fisher of men persuade man & catch them with truth •
Living fish caught & died • Dead “fish” (dead in sins) are caught & made alive • Fishermen have courage,
faith, patience, persistence, not quit, know how to work & how to cooperate with one another • We are
Shepherds – Love Him (21:9-18) • Invitations • Come & see (1:39) • Come & drink (7:37) • Come & dine
(21:12)

Jesus encouraged Peter His commission • Key issue is Peter’s love for Jesus • “More than these” •
Disciples? loyalty • Fishing? Vocation • More than disciples love me? • Love • Agape love: God’s love for
men (John 3:16) • Philo love (John 5:20) • John 13:34 vs. John 15:19 • Three admonitions to Peter • Feed
my lamb • Shepherd my sheep • Feed my sheep Sheep are by nature ignorant, defenseless, prone to
wander, need protections & guidance

Jesus • Good Shepherd (John 10:11) • Great Shepherd (Hebrews 20-21) • Chief Shepherd (I Peter 5:4) •
Pastors – love Jesus Christ & love for Jesus will help pastors love His sheep & tending care for them •
Sheep in 21:7 means dear sheep • We are the Disciples – Follow Him (21:19-25) • Peter was crucified
upside down as he desired for he felt unworthy to die exactly as Christ • Death brought glory to God

“Follow Me!” – “keep on following me” • Peter’s experiences • He took his eyes off the Lord Jesus • He
look at himself after the first catch of fish: “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord “ (Luke 5:8) •
He looked at circumstances such as wind & waves (Matthew 14:30) • He looked at others like John;
distraction instead of following Jesus • Our business is to follow Jesus as He leads John’s life • John lived
the longest of all disciples • Witness is the key theme in the gospel of John: 47 times • Peter & John
followed Jesus even into Acts

If you were going to paint a picture of a believer, what would it look like? • Read John 21 where John
paints three pictures of believers. How did Peter’s going fishing again fit his personality? • Why didn’t
the disciple recognize Jesus on the beach? • What did the disciples learn about obedience from this
incident?

What is significant about Jesus sharing a meal with His disciple? • What do we learn from the second
picture of believers in verses 9-19? • Why did Jesus compare His followers to sheep? • How does the
command to “feed my sheep” constrast and compare with Jesus’ previous command to be “fishers of
men?

Why did Jesus raise the matter of Peter’s death at this point? • What’s wrong with Peter’s question
about John in verse 21? • What is entailed in following Jesus as a disciple? • How can you be a disciple of
Jesus this week?

1. Gifted to Serve 1 Corinthians 12 & 1 Peter 4

2. 1) You are supernaturally gifted 1 Corinthians 12:7 “to each one” – to every
believer (v13) “the manifestation of the Spirit” Spiritual gifts = supernatural
abilities to serve the church
3. 1) You are supernaturally gifted 1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a special
gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of
God.
4. 1) You are supernaturally gifted2) Your gifting makes you unique Healing
Miracles Apostle Prophecy Distinguishing spirits Tongues Interpreting tongues
Wisdom Knowledge Faith Teaching/speaking Helps/service Administration
Exhortation Giving Leadership Mercy Evangelism Pastor
5. 1) You are supernaturally gifted2) Your gifting makes you unique 1 Peter 4:10
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good
stewards of the manifold (“multi-colored”) grace of God.
7. 1) You are supernaturally gifted2) Your gifting makes you unique3) Your
gifting is essential to us Ephesians 4:15-16 …speaking the truth in love, we are to
grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the
whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according
to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for
the building up of itself in love.
8. 1) You are supernaturally gifted2) Your gifting makes you unique3) Your
gifting is essential to us4) Your gifting glorifies God 1 Peter 4:11 …whoever serves
is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all
things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and
dominion forever and ever. Amen.
9. Resolve to Serve Identify your gifts Develop your gifts Use your gifts