THE CHOICE OF A MASTER

JOSHUA 24:1

A. BACKGROUND TO OUR TEXT
  1. A farewell message by Joshua:
    1. Reviews travel experiences of Israel.
    2. Points to guidance by God, in spite of their continuous rebellion against God's leadership - Josh. 24:2-15
  2. Israel, in themselves, their main difficulty:
    1. That was true when they entered into a covenant relation with God at Mount Sinai - Ex. 19:8; 24:3, 7
    2. And it was their situation in the closing days of the great leader Joshua - Josh. 24:16
B. THE CHOICE OF A MASTER
  1. All life is service:
    1. "No man liveth to himself" - Rom. 14:7
    2. Our influence, good or bad, leaves its mark upon others, regardless of what we may think or do - 2 Cor. 2:15, 16
  2. There are, according to the Bible, two Masters to choose from:
    1. Christ, or
    2. Satan.
  3. Man has it in his own power to choose one Master:
    1. Adam and Eve had that power - Gen. 2:16, 17; 3:1-6
    2. Cain and Abel made their choice - Gen. 4:1-6, 9
    3. Ruth and Orpah made their choice - Ruth 1:15, 16
    4. The Jews made an open choice - Matt. 27:21
  4. We can serve but one Master:
    1. Some attempt to serve Christ and the devil; they seek to serve God and also the world.
    2. Our Lord says, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon" - Matt. 6:24
    3. Ancient Israel sought to serve Baal, and at the same time they attempted to serve Jehovah also - 1 Ki. 18:21
C. THE CHOICE OF A MASTER IS URGENT
  1. "Choose you this day whom ye will serve":
    1. Today is the only God accepted time to make our choice between Him or sin and Satan - 2 Cor. 6:1- 3; Heb. 3:7, 8
    2. Tomorrow may never come to us - Prov. 27:1; Jas. 4:13, 14
  2. Our choice of a Master affects:
    1. Our present life.
    2. Eternity itself. EXAMPLES -
      1. Pharaoh chose to reject the plea of Jehovah; but Moses accepted it -- think of the difference now!
      2. Ruth accepted God's invitation to join Israel; Orpah rejected it -- note the difference now!
  3. What a decision for every one of us to make:
    1. It should not be difficult for us because to choose to serve the devil means servitude and eternal damnation.
    2. To choose Christ means the forgiveness of our sins; the deliverance from the power of sin; and in the world to come, eternal life - EXAMPLES - Look at the choice of the two thieves on the cross: they had the same opportunity to choose a Master, even when hanging on the cross; they made their choice, and think of it now - Luke 23:39-44
  4. Not to choose is a choice just the same:
    1. Christ came to save you and me from sin and death; to reject Him means eternal death.
    2. There is no neutral ground; we either make Christ our Master, or Satan will master over our lives.
    3. "Heard are the voices, heard are the sages, choose well: The world's and ages: Your choice is brief but endless" - Goethe.
    4. As for me and my loved ones, we will serve the Lord - Josh. 24:15


Design © John Bryant 2011