RENEWING OUR COVENANT WITH GOD

: JOSHUA 24.1-31

JOSHUA 24

: A TIME OF CRISIS AND AN INSIGHT INTO THE HEART OF A DYING LEADER. Here is one of the great chapters of the Bible, making a vital moment in biblical history. Joshua is 110 and these are his last recorded words. About to die, this great spiritual leader makes one last plea and issues a final challenge. This is a key moment in the nation’s spiritual life. With his death, the last link with the age of Moses is gone. What will the people do? It is a huge moment. Joshua uses it to issue a stirring challenge that impacted the hearts of God’s people of the day and those of his people ever since. Will it impact yours?

• How often is it the days of crisis (national or personal) that the Lord uses to challenge us? What sort of crises does he use? And why are such moments so effective?
• Any personal experiences?

• 24.1-13: JOSHUA APPEALS TO THEM TO REMEMBER.
• 24.1: How does it describe the assembly that Joshua summoned? (end of verse 1). How do we regard our assemblies?
• What exactly does God call them to remember? (What is the key fact emphasised throughout?) And why is this so important?
• Why is the continual recollection of such things so vital to our spiritual lives? (Is the danger of forgetting them real?
• What is the impact on your heart of remembering all God’s grace and goodness to you?

II. 24.14-18: JOSHUA ROUSES THEM TO CHOOSE.

• 14-15: The awful freedom they had! How do Joshua’s words bring home the awesome freedom we are given? How does this thought affect you?
• How do his words (15) urge us to wholeheartedness? (See Revelation 3.15-16) Is this a challenge to you?
• 16-18: The actual obligation they felt! Although free to reject him, what is there to impel us to chose him? Do you feel this?

• 24. 19-24: JOSHUA STRESSES THE IMPLICATIONS.
• In what striking and forceful way does Joshua emphasise the far-reaching implications of a decision to serve the Lord? Did Jesus do this?
• What are the implications stressed? How do these apply to us? Is this a challenge?
• Today, do we stress the implications enough? What might lead us to down-play them?

• 24.25-27: JOSHUA RATIFIES THE COVENANT.

• In what two ways did Joshua ratify the covenant made on that important day?
• How would these 2 things help the people to keep their covenant promises?
• How about us? Do we have anything like them?

CLOSING THOUGHT: Is your heart in a covenant relationship with God?