Preschool
Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13
The Choice of Complete Commitment
Memory Verses
Primary
Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13
Junior
Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13
Background Scripture: Joshua 1; 24
Lesson Scripture: Joshua 1:1-9; 24:19-22, 31
Introduction
The invitation to eternal salvation has been a clarion call from God throughout time, and it is still being extended today. God continues to call humankind from one end of the earth to the other. There are two choices but only one decision; either we choose the one, true God or the gods of this world. Each person who becomes accountable will choose, for it is impossible to not make a choice; to not choose God is to choose the world.
Key Verse
And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of (Gen. 28:15).
Lesson Scripture
Joshua 1:1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying,
2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
24:19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
20 If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.
21 And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord.
22 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.
31 And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel.
Studying the Lesson
The Bible refers to Joshua as Moses’s minister (Exod. 24:13). Joshua was commissioned as a general by Moses to lead in the fight against Amelek, and he was successful in that campaign. He was with Moses on the mountain when the Ten Commandments were received and was present when the commandments were broken. He stood near the tabernacle as God talked with Moses and showed him His glory. Joshua remained a trustworthy servant of Moses and was unwavering in his commitment to God, even in times of uncertainty, discord, and trouble.
When the host of Israel finally reached the borders of the promised land, Moses sent spies to scout the country before them. A principal man from each tribe was chosen, and two of these were Joshua and Caleb. These two men believed that God could give them victory no matter how mighty the enemy appeared to be. The other ten spies did not share that conviction, and their lack of commitment and trust in God brought discouragement and doubt to the congregation.
Because of the people’s unbelief, all those twenty years old and older were condemned to die in the desert. Except for Joshua and Caleb, only those who were younger would be allowed to enter the promised land. When they finally came to Canaan, Joshua and Caleb were the oldest men in the congregation; no others were more than fifty-nine years of age. What a consequential price to pay for failing to make a complete commitment. This account is recorded in the New Testament (Heb. 3:7-19) as an example of the peril of unbelief and demonstrates with precision that belief is a choice. It also illustrates the tremendous influence those in a responsible position have on others.
In general, the book of Joshua chronicles the first forty years of the Israelite’s conquest of Canaan. As the book closes and another generation assumes the challenges of keeping God’s covenant, Joshua reminds them to “fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth” (Josh. 24:14). It takes a conscious effort to make the right choice and sincere determination to stick to it.
Practical Truths for Today
When the time of Moses’s departure was at hand, he prayed God to set a man over the congregation so they would not be as sheep without a shepherd (Num. 27:17). God’s people had been successful because Moses faithfully followed his calling. God’s people in our day need to pray that God will provide committed leadership for the church and for our homes. An important work of those in leadership positions now is to prepare the leaders of tomorrow.
A true leader must bear the responsibility of being a humble example to the flock by putting other people’s needs ahead of his own. To seek the welfare of others takes a deliberate effort of self-denial. Self-love is incompatible with this vision. When those who follow see these attributes, it inspires confidence in them. There is much we all can do to encourage each another. Children can pray for their parents, and the church can pray for their leaders. Support them and share in their labors. Giving a compliment will refresh their spirits!
Joshua sought to awaken the people’s desire to make a genuine commitment. He told them they could not serve God unless they put away the gods their fathers served. Understanding God’s righteous jealousy helps man find his proper place in his relationship with Him. God is holy and endeavors to separate His people from all impure worship. Proper fear of God is prerequisite to making a real commitment to serve Him.
An undivided commitment is not made in a half-hearted fashion. Jesus instructed His disciples to count the cost (Luke 14:28-29) and be fully aware of the implications and consequences of making a commitment. The preacher says, “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay” (Eccles. 5:4-5).
A compete commitment is more than mere human determination. In order to commit my way unto God, I must abandon my selfish interests. A genuine commitment is a binding covenant to obey God regardless of future hardships. True belief in Him and complete surrender to Him brings heaven’s blessing down on my commitment. When we are surrendered to God, our overriding goal is to trust Him completely and to obey Him as our King.
When we earnestly pray for a particular need and receive help and direction, we are convinced God has heard and granted our petition. As we experience God’s goodness, it inspires us to trust Him with all our heart. Even if our prayer is not answered as we hoped, we can be assured that God is faithful to His promises, even if His will is different than our desire. Because of His faithfulness, we can sincerely commit everything to Him.
The gate into salvation is strait, and the way to heaven is narrow. It takes a diligent effort to go through the gate, and it will take persistent consecration to stay on the narrow way. It takes courage to stand for the right and to take the way of humility, but it is only here that the blessings of God are found. Those who make an unflinching commitment to God and keep it are rewarded with eternal peace and happiness. A complete commitment must be a lifelong commitment.
Questions
- Is there ever a time to delay making a choice? Or is that already a choice?
- If there is a weakness in leadership, is it the result of a weak congregation? Or vice versa?
- Does a middle road ever exist, or must we only choose between right and left?
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).