Text: Joshua 23-24

Introduction:

1. C. S. Lewis: "Can't just be 'a good egg.' A good egg must either hatch or spoil.
2. It is not enough to be "just a good ole boy." Not enough to say, "I'm not pregnant, immoral, on dope, drunk. So I must be OK." God expects much more than that. He wants commitment to Him and His plan, not just conformity to minimal Christian values.
3. The choice you make, not just about salvation, but about complete obedience, determines your destiny
4. illus. Charles Spurgeon on the possibility of going to college and the providential incident that kept him out of college and in the pastorate
5. illus. Investing

 In order to invest in God's bank, you must be saved

1. The Exhortation
1. No middle ground ("choose")
1. straddle the fence you will split your britches
1. illus. my decision to follow the Lord after straddling for a few months
2. illus. mugwamp. Has his mug on one side of the fence and his wump on the other
2. Personal choice ("you")
3. Timely choice ("this day")
1. no guarantees of tomorrow
1. illus. battery comes with a 60 month guarantee, life doesn't
2. missed opportunities today have a ripple effect throughout your life
1. consider the financial illus. I gave earlier
2. you neglect now, and you may lose the opportunity to win your kids
3. you waste now and you may lose opportunity for greater service down the road
4. Specific Choice ("serve")
1. sincerity
2. truth
3. sincerity w/o truth is heresy
4. truth w/o sincerity is hypocrisy
2. 3 Obstacles
1. Not conquer completely (23:5)
1. we are more than conquerors
2. we are not to serve sin, but be slaves to righteousness
3. cp. 23:13, sin becomes a snare when we don't get rid of all of it
2. Partial obedience (disobedience) 23:6
1. illus. King Saul "what meaneth this bleating of sheep in my ear?"
2. 1 Co. 10:31 "whether therefore ye eat or drink..."
3. Compromise (23:7)
1. No example of a Christian compromising his or her standards or convictions and coming out victorious
2. church history has taught us that those who compromised caused the destruction of the institution they were trying to preserve
1. illus. Presbyterians and Eerdman
3. 3 Motivations
1. Cleave to God (23:7)
1. Faithfulness to services and ministries
2. Love for God (23:11)
3. Remember (23:14)
1. No good thing failed
2. Gave victory ( v. 9 with 24:12-13)