You’re Gonna Serve Somebody

Joshua 24:14-24

Sometimes profound theology comes from very unlikely sources. What kind of person do you imagine when you think of a theologian? You know children are often wonderful theologians.

And Bob Dylan did some pretty good theological work when he gave us the song, “Gotta Serve Somebody.” Do you remember that one? The key line is: “It may be the devil or it may be the Lord but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.” He’s right, you know. Every one in this room bends their knee to a god. Even the atheist or the agnostic serves a god of some kind—probably self.

I make some assumptions when I come into this sanctuary on a Sunday and preach the Word. One assumption I make is that not everyone here has bowed their knee to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I believe some here today know a lot about God, or perhaps you are seeking to know more about God, but you have not yet crossed the line and confessed your personal faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.

I want you to know right now that before this service is over, I’m going to ask you to consider crossing the line. I am going to give you an opportunity to choose the way of Jesus. I want you to have a chance to become truly a child of God. The reason I’m telling you that now is because I want you to be thinking about it as we are taught by this text we just read. Because that’s the issue being raised by this story. You have a choice to make. You cannot avoid the choice. “You’re gonna serve somebody” either by purposeful choice or by default. Who is it going to be?

This final chapter of Joshua is the last of three great assemblies of the people before Joshua passes away. In the first part of the chapter, Joshua gathered the people together and he reviewed with them their covenant history. Joshua was a good historian. He knew the story well. And he recited for the people the wonderful and amazing story of how God carved out this people when they were not a people, and gave them a land and an inheritance. He reminded them of their slavery in Egypt and their deliverance through Moses. He reminded them of all we have seen in walking through this book—coming to the river, finally crossing over into the new land, and taking possession of it through the mighty acts of God. It’s an amazing history. It is an incredible history that never should have happened, and only did happen because of the grace and love and intervention of Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

As Joshua rehearsed this great story of redemption there was a powerful sense of God’s ownership of these people. He is a jealous God. He laid claim to these people and He poured out His grace to bring them to this point. It’s the kind of thing the apostle Paul talks about over in 1 Corinthians 6 when he says, “You are not your own; you were bought with a price.” That kind of love calls for a response. You cannot be neutral with that kind of a God. Some kind of decision is called for. Some kind of response is necessitated.

So Joshua called his people once again, here at the very end of his life, to respond to God’s great covenant love with fidelity and with returned love. He threw down the challenge and called for a commitment. This morning I just want us to see what kind of commitment is being called for and ask the simple question: “Have I made that kind of commitment to God? Have I crossed the line and responded to what God has done for me?” And if you haven’t yet made that kind of commitment, you’re going to have a chance to make that decision in just the next few minutes. You cannot be neutral about this. Deciding not to decide is a decision—and it’s not one with which I would want to face eternity.

I want us to see three simple things about this commitment. First, it is a logical commitment. As Joshua reminded these people of all that God had done for them to bring to this point, as he reminded them of God’s undying love even in their rebellious times, there was a sense that any response other than loving Him back was utterly ridiculous. Israel was clearly being held in the grip of His grace and they were compelled to love Him back. As Paul says it in Romans 12:1: “In view of God’s mercy, present yourselves to God.”

But second, this was to be an exclusive commitment. And this is where the challenge to make a decision became very real. After all these people had been through, and after all that God had done for them, Joshua asked them to make a definite choice about serving God. In fact, look carefully at the challenge he placed before them. He called them to serve the Lord, but then he said, “Listen, if you don’t want to serve Yahweh then you still have to choose to serve somebody.” And he gave them a choice between pagan gods. He said to them, “Either serve the gods your forefathers served beyond the river, or serve the gods of the Amorites.” Can you believe that?

Now the conservatives among them might pick the old Mesopotamian gods they knew way back when. The liberals, on the other hand, might go for the new Amorite gods they discovered when they came into this land.

But Joshua said to them, “You have to make a choice. Who’s it going to be?” Now this is offensive. How could Joshua actually hold out these pagan gods as a real choice next to the One who had given them so much? But you see, in spite of all these people had experienced and all God had done for them, they still suffered from the spiritual malady of double-mindedness. They wanted it both ways. They wanted the power and promise of Yahweh but they also wanted the ease and convenience of the other gods. Not much has changed, has it? We are so much like these people.

We really like to hang around Jesus and we sense we really need for Him to hang around us, but our loyalties are divided. We still want it both ways. We want the gods of this age and of this world in addition to the Christ. Joshua was pushing Israel for a decision. He said, “If you’re not going to serve Yahweh, then serve one of these other gods.” But how could this be a choice? Perhaps that’s the point. He’s arguing from absurdity. He’s saying, “If you reject the one true God, you are only left with stupid choices.”

The kind of commitment to which you and I are called in Christ is an exclusive commitment. Jesus calls us to serve Him and no other. He calls us to surrender everything and take the way of the Cross. Joshua was still the leader at this point. He was out in front of these people showing the way. He said to them, “You’ve all got a decision to make, but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.”

But not only is this commitment a logical commitment and an exclusive commitment, it is a total commitment that is being called for. Listen to this. After Joshua laid out the challenge, the people responded and they responded well. They said, “Far be it from us to forsake Yahweh for other gods.” Sounds like they were getting it.

But then listen to Joshua’s response. He said to them: “You are not able to serve the Lord.” How’s that for confidence in your people? The people cheered, “Yes, we will serve the Lord.” And Joshua answered back, “You can’t do it!” In other words, you’d better count the cost. Don’t profess your faith lightly. This is no time for emotional commitments; it’s time to get off the fence and make a serious decision about which direction your life is headed.

The God we worship today has always called His people to that kind of commitment. It’s rooted in the Ten Commandments: “You shall have no other gods.” Can you honestly say that about your life? Is it really true you have no other gods in your life than the One who made you and gave His Son to die for you? You may acknowledge God and believe in Him, but have you made a total commitment?

It’s like the old story about the hen and the hog. The hen and the hog were walking one day past the church and noted the pastor’s sermon title on the bulletin board outside. It read: “What can we do to help the poor?”

The hen and hog began to discuss this question as they walked. At last the hen had an idea. “I’ve got it,” she said. “We can help the poor by giving them a ham and eggs breakfast.”

“Oh, no you don’t,” shot back the hog. “For you that only means a contribution but for me it’s a total commitment.”

Believe me, when you are dealing with the God of the universe, there is no chicken’s way out. If we are really going to follow this God, then all other gods, all idols must be put away. We must serve Him with what Joshua calls here “all faithfulness.” The word there really gives the sense of “with total integrity and faithfulness.” There must be a congruence of what we profess and what we live. Or to put in popular language, “If you’re going to talk the talk, you’d better walk the walk.”

This is really a simple episode. Joshua reminded them of their story, reminded them of what God had done and on that basis, called them to cross the line of faith and serve God exclusively and totally.

You know what? We have a story like these people. It’s a story we rehearse every time we gather in this place. A story of what God has done out of His great love for us. It’s a story beautifully summarized in our confession of faith that we sometimes recite together, the Apostle’s Creed. [recite]

There is a sense in which you can believe everything in the Creed and still go to hell. It’s more than agreeing in your mind that there is a God or even that Jesus really did die and rise again. What’s called for here is a commitment of your heart, mind, soul, and body. What’s called for here is a definite response to what God has already done for you.

And that response—that total commitment—can only be embraced through the grace of God. You will never be able to rack up enough points with God to get to heaven. It doesn’t work that way. God has done the work through Jesus Christ. And the only way to have life is through a heart-deep faith in Jesus Christ. Confessing your need and your sin. Asking Jesus to forgive your sin and come into your life to drive out all other gods and take complete leadership of your life.

And when you invite Jesus to come, He has promised to forgive you for your sins and wipe away your guilt. He has promised to make you new inside. And He has promised to make you a part of God’s great family, so that from now on you can live with the assurance that when this life is over, you have an eternity in heaven waiting for you.

This is the gospel. This is why we exist as a church. This is our mission as Christians. To tell the great story of how God has saved us and then to ask the question: “What are you going to do about it?” What’s your decision? When are you going to cross the line and give your life over to Jesus?

“It may be the devil or it may be the Lord, it may be money or power or pleasure. It may be your self, but you’re gonna’ serve somebody.” I lay before you this morning the challenge of Joshua. “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.”