A Farewell Address

There have been many noted farewell addresses by generals, kings, presidents and others, maybe none more famous, none more moving than the farewell address of George Washington. At the end of his second term as president in 1796, he addressed the nation. This address was never actually spoken to the nation. It was printed in newspapers. It was only a printed copy that anybody ever saw, but it was an amazing, an amazing farewell address. Everybody wanted Washington to run for a third term. They wanted him to be president as long as he lived. Yet he realized the danger in setting a precedent that might lead to a monarchy here in our country, much like what we had left in Europe. He addressed the nation through this farewell address, and after explaining his reasons for not running for a third term and describing that he was retiring, he warned the nation about several things, an amazing foresight and vision that George Washington had. He warned the nation against the party system which he said would ultimately divide the nation. He stressed the importance of religion and morality in government. I think we need to go back and read that address again today. He warned against the government accumulating debt and said that would ultimately destroy the nation. He warned against permanent foreign alliances and he warned against a two powerful military that would then use her authority and run the country. He warned foresight that he had as he warned our nation of things that could potentially happen in this farewell address. We come this morning to Joshua chapter 23. We come toward the conclusion of the book of Joshua. We find in Joshua chapter 23 and 24 a farewell address by Joshua to the nation of Israel. And actually it comes in two parts. First scholars believe it was actually delivered on two separate occasions. Chapter 23 verse 1 says after a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them. Joshua by then a very old man summoned all Israel, their elders, leaders, judges and officials and said to them, I am very old and then he goes on to challenge them in regard to several things that are on his heart to remind the nation of. Chapter 24 begins this way. Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem and it's a different address. So many believe these are two separate addresses, almost like part one, part two. This is farewell address, farewell address sequel that Joshua gives to the nation of Israel. These are some of the most famous words by way of farewell addresses in all of the Bible. We're going to take chapter 23 today and look at what it has to say to us as a church. Next week Pastor Dan will be finishing his series on Luke 15. Two weeks from today on June 10th we'll look at Joshua chapter 24 and the second farewell address. Father's Day, June 17th, Pastor Dan will preach to our fathers and men of the church and then my last Sunday here will be June 24th and I want to deliver a more personal farewell address at that time. But I want to still look at what Joshua does in giving a farewell address as he concludes his ministry and life with Israel. As verse 1 tells us many years have passed. Actually, if you do the math looking through the book of Joshua you know that 25 years have passed. Joshua was 110 years old as he will tell us later. He was 85 when the other events of this book have come to pass. The same age as Caleb, 85. So 25 years have passed with very little being recorded. Maybe chapter 22 right at the beginning of those 25 years. So Joshua now knows that it's time for him to die. Verse 14 he says now I'm about to go the way of all the earth. He's talking about the fact that he knows he's going to die. And so he takes time to address the nation. He uses his age and his experience as a platform from which to address the entire nation. And these are not just casual remarks. This is not just some kind of been good. This is it folks. Goodbye, not that. These are the passionate words of a man who knows what Israel needs to hear. These are last words they carry added weight just like last words do today. Joshua is summarizing what he is most passionate about and what he believes Israel most needs to hear. And so what I want us to do with these two chapters is we close out the book of Joshua. And I want us to draw close and listen well to these three crucial challenges. The three that we will see today in chapter 23. I feel these same burdens. I feel the same passion for what I want the church to hear before I leave. And so I want us to listen to these three challenges coming from Joshua. I want them also to come from me to you as Johnston Chapel. What are these challenges? What are the pressing issues on Joshua's heart that he believes the nation needs to hear before he turns the reigns of leadership over to someone else? The first challenge is this. Depend on God's power. Now that may sound like the given. That may sound like okay we know that we know we're supposed to depend on God's power. Well remember these are last words from Joshua. These are things he's passionate about. These are things he knows could be taken for granted because they are so common in our knowledge. And so he impresses on the hearts of the people of Israel. Depend on God's power in verses three through five. Notice how he reminds them first of God's power in the past. Verse three. He says, you yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake. It was the Lord your God who fought for you. And they would be able to remember all that God had done. They would remember that he had defeated significant armies on the east side of the Jordan before they ever went into the land. They would remember that God protected the two spies that had been sent to spy out Jericho, the first major military outpost that they would encounter once they got into the land. They would remember that God parted the rivers of the Jordan so that they could cross over into the land on dry ground. They would remember that God miraculously gave them a victory at Jericho. They would remember that as Joshua led the armies into that amazing military campaign right through the center of the land of Canaan, which would divide north from south and keep those armies from gathering together against Israel. And he did that major central push through the nation in chapter 10 and 11. Five kings had come together to fight against him. And God rained down huge hailstones out of heaven to decimate those armies. They would remember that. And they would remember that Joshua wanted to finish that battle that day. So he cried out to God to give them extended time. God calls the sun to be still for 24 hours. They would extend a daylight to be able to finish that battle. Yes, they would remember the Lord your God fought for you. They would remember all that he had done in the past. And God wants us to remember his power in the past. I'm grateful for all that God has done in our past here at the chapel. I'm thankful for the 37 years of preacher Jimmy's ministry and the amazing things that happened in those 37 years of God bringing together a church from really nothing to a wonderful church. I'm grateful for what God has done to demonstrate his power in these last 28 years. And I want to reflect more on that in my closing reflection to you on June 24th. But let's remember God's power in the past. But we don't live there. And Joshua is quick not to camp there. He reminds them of it. He wants them to remember God's power in the past. But he then hastens on to remind them of the need for God's power in the future. Look at verse four. Remember how I have allotted as an inheritance for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain the nations I conquered between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea and the West. The Lord your God himself will push them out for your sake. He will drive them out before you and you will take possession of their land as the Lord your God promised you. There's something very interesting going on here. Joshua reminds the people that the land has really been conquered as far as the major military armies of the land. But there are still significant pockets of resistance among Canaanite tribal peoples who remain in the land. The major battles have been won but the tribes need to finish the work. And when I look at that I'm reminded of the fact that the work is never really done. The work of God is never really done. Even in transition it's not like I'm tying up a nice tidy package of everything's been done and we start with a clean slate. No no. That's not the way the work of God goes. I mean as far as I'm concerned I look at what has been done. I'm grateful to God but there is no ultimate sense of completion. There is no sense of ultimate fulfillment and that the work is done. I mean there's there's never that even in our Christian lives. There shouldn't be. There's never any ultimate sense of completion till we get to heaven. There's always more ground to take. There's always more growth that we need. There are always more people to reach. There are always more weaknesses and simple tendencies to overcome in our personal life and the same is true of ministry. We never wrap it up in a tidy package. There are hopes and dreams that I have had over the past 28 years that are still unfulfilled here. There are things that I had hoped to accomplish goals I had set that have not been reached. There is still a lot of work to be done. I'm just not going to be able to hang around to see it done or to at least do it be a part of it hands on. But I have great confidence, great confidence in our great God. We must look to His power in the future. I have great confidence that God brought Pastor Dan and his family back to the mission field six years ago and landed them here. I have great confidence that then God led us to Him as our new lead pastor. I have every confidence in the Lord that that is His will, that is His purpose. I believe that God will continue His good work in this place because it's not about me and it's not about Dan. It's about God. It's about His power. It's about what He wants to do. And Joshua was so careful to remind the people of that. He says in verse four, you know, I've won the major military victories by God's grace and strength. Now the work that still needs to be done, He says in verse five, the Lord Himself, the Lord your God Himself will push them out. He will drive them out. You will take possession as the Lord your God promised you. You see, it's not up to Joshua. It's not up to the next leader. It's not up to the tribes. It's up to God. And He was calling them to recognize their need for utter dependence upon God's power. That is what is essential. Joshua is not essential to the work of God going forward. God is. I'm in no way essential to the work of God being done here. God brings people and then moves them on. The one constant is God Himself and His glory and His power. And we must keep our minds on that. Joshua is drawing the people's focus to God. And I would draw your focus to Him this morning. I'm reminded of what Paul said to the Philippians in Philippians chapter one, where he talked about his past with them and then he talked about the future and the future has to do with God. Notice what he says to the Philippians when he says, I thank my God every time I remember you in all my prayers for all of you. I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. Now that's all the past. He's rejoicing in the partnership they've had. But then he points to the Philippians to the future. He says, being confident of this and now the future. That He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. You see the past is a rejoicing in the partnership in the gospel that we have had. The future is all about what God will do because He is the one constant. He never moves off the scene. And so as my time comes to an end as your lead pastor, I remind you, depend on God's power. Pray for God's enablement for Pastor Dan and those who serve alongside Him here and passionately seek earnestly, pray for and strive for God's glory and power to be demonstrated in this place. More than anything else we need God's power. The state of Kentucky realizes that, believe it or not. Back in 2002, by the way, just a 11 year battle with the court system over what happened in Kentucky that started in 2002. And Department of Homeland Security was developed after 9-11. And in Kentucky, it was set up as it was in every state, a state division of it. In Kentucky, they set up the headquarters in the capital city of Frankfurt. And they decided to post a plaque at the entrance to the state's emergency operations, the city of Frankfurt, that had very prominently displayed Psalm 1271. Unless the Lord builds the city, the labor's built in vain. Unless the Lord watches the city, the guards keep watch in vain. And under that verse, Psalm 1271, they put this statement, the safety and security of the commonwealth cannot be achieved apart from reliance upon Almighty God. Well, you know what happened. A group called the American atheists took them to court to have that removed. And they won at the first level of the court system. And so it started moving up through the appeals system. And eventually, when all the way to the Supreme Court, this all started in 2002. The suit was brought in 2006. In 2013, our Supreme Court ruled against the American atheists and for the state of Kentucky, admitting that we cannot keep this nation safe apart from Almighty God. I applaud them for that. I applaud the state of Kentucky. I applaud our Supreme Court for that. We ought to all recognize that. There is nothing good that will ever be done in the future, either by we have safety and security or by we have progress in the Lord's work without His power. And so I challenge you. On my heart this morning is to challenge you depend on God's power. Why is that reminder needed? Well, I know why it was needed for Israel. I know why the reminder was needed for them. In fact, Moses many years before warned the people of Israel that they would tend to forget God in their good times. Listen very carefully as I read a part of Deuteronomy chapter 8. This is almost a hundred years prior. And Moses in the wilderness is telling the people of Israel in Deuteronomy chapter 8, be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe His commands, His laws and His decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and walks grow large and your silver and gold increase, and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud. As you will forget the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt out of the land of slavery. He led you through this vast and dreadful wilderness that thirsted in waterless land with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of the hard rock. He gave you man to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, my power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me. But remember the Lord your God for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth and so confirms His covenant which He swore to your ancestors as it is today. You see, Moses knew that it would be a temptation for the people when they got into easy times to forget that it was God's power that had given them everything they had and to think that they were responsible for it and it's easy for us to do too. In times of hardship and difficulty we remember that we need the Lord. I mean that's right in front of us. It's in our face. But when things start going well, when God's blessings multiply and we have more than we need, there is a tendency to forget our dependence upon God's power. We don't feel the sense of urgency of our need of Him and so we are going to be warned against that. There is no lasting victory or blessing apart from God's power. There is no lasting success apart from God's power. What is true, it is true in the Church today. I think May the 6th, 2010 was a watershed day in our nation's history but it has gone largely unnoticed. May the 6th, 2010 was the largest, most dramatic, one-day stock market plunge in history. In 16 minutes the stock market plunge the thousand points, trillions of dollars vanished just like that in people's portfolios. What happened? Stock market analysts examined what was going on and never could pinpoint a reason for it. But interestingly enough, I don't think this was coincidental. May the 6th, 2010 was also the national day of prayer. But on that particular national day of prayer, US district judge Barbara Crab had declared the day of prayer unconstitutional. I find that to be very interesting. I don't think it's a coincidence. On the very day that our judicial system says it is unconstitutional to pray to God. And to admit our need of dependence on Him, God says, I'll show you how shaky you really are. I'll take trillions of dollars away from you today in 16 minutes. Maybe God was reminding us of our need of dependence on Him. When things are going well, we have a tendency to think it's all because of us. Don't ever forget, no matter what God does here, you will always need to depend on His power. I believe that, I know Pastor Dan believes that, I know our whole pastor or staff believes that, I believe you believe that. Don't ever forget it. Don't ever forget it. Depend on God's power. That's the first challenge. Joshua gives the nation. Second challenge is this. Obey God's Word. Again, this may seem basic. And it is. It is basic. That's why it's so important to focus on it and remember it. Obey God's Word. In verse 6, Joshua points out the importance of God's Word. Look at verse 6. Be very strong. Be careful to obey all that is written in the book of the law of Moses without turning aside to the right or to the left. The importance of God's Word. He stresses the importance of obedience to all of the Word of God in existence at that time, which was the law of Moses, for five books. And not to turn from it at all, not to the left or to the right, not to be pulled away in either direction, but to stick with the Word of God. That's the importance of the Word of God. Now, if that verse sounds familiar, it's because it is. It is almost the Word for Word. The challenge God gave Joshua himself back in Joshua chapter 1 verse 7. When he told him to be strong and courageous and obey the law of Moses and don't turn from it to the left or to the right. So Joshua had been challenged. He had taken that challenge seriously. And now he challenges the nation with the very same challenge God gave him when he first took leadership. And that is don't ever forget the importance of the Word of God. If our minds and parts are filled with the Word of God, that means we can then continually evaluate all that the culture throws at us. We can resist being pulled off to the left or the right. And we can stay with the path of the Word of God. It means that we will live a biblical lifestyle. A biblical mindset if we know and obey the Word of God. It is so critical, so crucial. Only if we stick with this book. Only if we know and obey this book, will we be able to live lives of wisdom and insight and power. So don't ever loosen your hold on the Bible. Whatever loosen your hold on God's Word individually or as a congregation always keep the Word of God central. I believe you will. I know Pastor Dan believes that as much as I do. I want to challenge you. Never let go of the Word of God. It is so crucial for our church. It is also crucial to remember that that is the main focus of the pastor's ministry. And this has been said before. I said it many times when we went through first and second Timothy before I go and want you to hear it again. Because it is the congregation's responsibility to assure that the lead pastor is able to focus his life and ministry on the Word of God. The apostles understood that in Acts chapter 6 very quickly. The church is growing and they are getting pulled into all kinds of ministry type things. The widows are complaining. Some of them are not getting fed properly. So the food program is running into problems. And it was a good ministry, a needed ministry. And the apostles said, man, if we start getting pulled into every ministry, we will not have time for what God really called us to focus on. So they said in Acts chapter 6, we will not leave the Word of God in prayer. What's happening over here is important. But we can recruit other people to do that. It is our job to be in the Word and in prayer and shepherd the flock through feeding the flock the Word of God. Paul understood that. That's why he constantly challenged Timothy, first Timothy 4. Give yourself diligently, he said, to the reading of the Word of God, to preaching and teaching. Don't get that up. Give yourself diligently to that. That's why he would say in 2 Timothy 2, study to show yourself approved unto God a workman that doesn't need to be ashamed. What kind of workman? What's your tools? What are you to work in? Rightly dividing the Word of God. That's why he called Timothy in 2 Timothy 3. But continue now in the things that I have to learn. Knowing of whom I have to learn that from an infant you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make me wise in the salvation. For all Scriptures given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof, for correction, for instruction and righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, through the furnish unto all good works. I charge you therefor before God and our Lord Jesus Christ, before whom we will stand in judgment, preach the Word, be faithful in season out of season over and over and over again that emphasis is pounded into Timothy. And as a church we must continue to recognize that is the core duty of the lead pastor, to be in the Word so that he can feed the flock and shepherd the flock with the Word of God. I've mentioned this to you before. I want to remind you of it again before I leave. If I ever get called back to preach here again sometime 10 years down the road, I'll probably say it again. I want to remind you of this key truth. Years ago as the church was growing through the decade of the 90s and there was much more counseling and more visitation needed and hospitals almost every day and surgery several times a week. And I was finding that the study time was quickly dissipating and the opportunity to prepare was going away. And as a church you recognize that too and you understood that we needed help and so we hired Jim Simmons in 1999 to be the point man for counseling and visitation. Now his ministry has taken some other directions of his own choosing but his main reason for being here is to counsel and visit so that the lead pastor is not at the hospital every morning for someone's surgery or visiting the hospital every day and is not doing six to 10 counseling sessions a week as I was doing back in the 90s. So that the focus can be at least for half of the pastor's ministry lead pastor's ministry on the word of God. Now there are all kinds of other pastoral duties administrative duties meetings coming out your ears but there has to be time to get into the word and focus on the feeding of the flock and the church must safeguard pastor Dan. And the other pastors must safeguard him so that he is not pulled back into all of that the responsibilities are clear the challenge to you should be clear the importance of God's word on the part of the church and on the part of the lead pastor. But in challenging the people to obey God's word notice if you will that Joshua goes on to give the negative side of obedience there's a negative side to this obedience and it has to do with separation look at verse seven. Do not associate with these nations that remain among you do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them you must not serve them or bow down to them. Now interesting God tells the nation of Israel you know there's still these pagan nations pockets of them still living in the land of pain it don't associate with them. But the reason he says not to associate with them is quite clearly so that they will not be enticed to idolatry that's what the real focus of the verse is the whole verse basically is you don't want to adopt these the gods of these nations don't he says don't invoke their names don't swear by them that is to make promises and commitments and covenants based on the name of those gods. Don't serve them don't bow down to them the emphasis is no idolatry don't accept the worship system and the lifestyle system of these pagan nations so don't associate with those with those folks now what does that mean to us. It's obviously intent is not to be led into idolatry so how do we apply that to us today. This whole idea of separation admittedly there are some who believe separation means that we should stay away from unsafe people and boy if we get close to them then we're going to become like them and that's not what the New Testament teaches. Listen to Jesus prayer in John 17 before he went to the cross he prayed for us. Pray for his disciples and then for us and this is what he prayed in John 17 my prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one from Satan. They are not of the world even as I am not of it sanctified and by the truth and it was set them apart by your truth your word is true now there's a beautiful balance here in Christ's prayer and he himself says I'm the model of this balance we are to be as often said in the world but not of the world. Jesus was in the world Jesus interacted with unsafe people all the time he ate in their homes he went to their parties he spent a lot of time with them so that they would understand what it meant to see him and to come to him. Jesus interacted with unsafe people all the time he was in the world he did not isolate himself from unsafe people but he was not of the world and he says we should not be of the world in other words we should not. In by the lifestyle the philosophy the way of living the world view of this world. So in the world but not of it contact with unsafe people involvement in the lives of our unsafe neighbors getting to know them develop relationships with them yes. But just be careful to always let yourself be set apart to God through his word so that you're not beginning to adopt the lifestyle the way of thinking of unsafe people. Paul reinforces that in 1 Corinthians 5 when he's dealing with a church discipline issue and he's warning the church to break fellowship with people who begin living like styles of open sin but he says this in 1 Corinthians 5 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral or the greedy and swimmers or idolaters in that case you would have to leave this world. So he's saying listen I told you not to associate with sexually immoral people but that doesn't mean withdraw from centers you've got to be involved in the lives of centers building relationships to get the gospel to them he's he's saying in this context I'm telling you that doesn't belong in the church. And so you need to know what it means to break fellowship in the church with people who call themselves believers but are no longer living like believers. That's the issue in the world not of the world. You see it is possible for us to develop genuine authentic relationships with unbelievers to yes associate with unbelievers to live the life of Christ before them to be good salt and light to our unbelieving neighbors but always in that process being careful not to it. Being careful not to adopt the value system that is the opposite of what the Bible teaches and what is that value system specifically the Bible thankfully tells us it tells us what the world's value system is in 1 John 2 verse 16. For everything in the world there is all the foundational beliefs of the world system flow from these three pillars the last of the flash less the eyes pride of life that's all that's in the world practically every ambition every commitment every value system of the world can trace its way back to one of those three belief systems or practices lust of the flesh is the desire to let sinful passions rule you. Lust of the eyes is the desire to have everything your eyes see desire lust of the eyes whatever you see you lust for you want you desire its possessions it's a like style that is domineered ambitions that are driven by having more and more and more of this world stuff and then the pride of life the desire to be recognized for everybody to know who you are and do what you want. Whatever it takes to be number one to get to the top of the ladder regardless of what you have to sacrifice your commitment to God your commitment to your family your commitment to to righteous lifestyle it all goes out the window when you desire to be number one and be recognized and have recognition and fame. It's what drives the world that's what drives the world system and what the Bible is telling us is not exactly the same thing that that Joshua told Israel there were reasons for them not to associate with these pagan nations because of the danger of idolatry for us it is more a matter of the heart. The end of world reaching lost people but making sure your heart is guarded and set apart by the truth of God's word and that you do not allow reversed evangelism to take place. Reverse evangelism is where you are converted to a lifestyle that works against your commitment to Christ. So it's a delicate balance it's a tightrope that we are called on the walk in the New Testament and I challenge you be in the world. Continue to reach out to lost people have contact with lost people be out there reach your neighbors don't be afraid of them don't shy away from them reach them get into their lives. Just make sure you guard your heart and your mind with the truth of God's word so that reverse evangelism doesn't take place and you adopt the value systems of the world that's the negative side of obedience now look at the positive side of obedience in verses 8 through 11 there's a positive side as well and this can surprise some folks because a lot of people believe the Old Testament is all just don't do don't do don't do don't associate all these laws. But there is a heart side of the Old Testament too that mirrors what God tells us about our hearts two things in these verses look at verse 8 that you are to hold fast to the Lord your God as you have until now. Hold fast it's an interesting word it's the same word that used in Genesis 2 24 of a marriage relationship where God says after he brought eat Adam and Adam with that are and said whoa man I mean said woman this is woman I'm going to name her woman. King John translation got in there I guess this is what God said about this relationship that is why a man leaves. He's his father and mother and is united to his wife the word united same word we have here hold fast the King James uses the word cleave to be glued to stuck to the idea is not that you're stuck with somebody but you're stuck to somebody that you are glued to somebody that there is a closeness and a oneness that is profound where you you you share your deepest joys and your deepest sorrows everything about your life. Is shared with this person your heart is knitted together with them and that is the relationship we're to have with our father with God that our hearts are knitted with him that we hold fast to him that we share everything in our lives with him that's the positive side of obedience. But there's even more to it than that. Look at verse 9 the Lord is driven out before you great powerful nations. So this day no one has been able to withstand you one of you routes a thousand because the Lord your God fights for you just as he promised. So be very careful to love the Lord your God. Hold fast to him and love him. Have a heart oneness with God a close relationship that is the deepest commitment you have in life. You've given your heart to him your heart is his so you cannot be drawn away. Hold fast love him that's the positive side of obedience. Obedience is not just a list of do's do this do this do this obedience is a relationship with God that says I love you I love you my heart is knitted with you and the way you want me to live I want that I long for that I desire that I don't want to just please you that's the relationship positive side of obedience. But then Joshua draws in stark detail the consequences of disobedience. What are the consequences of this is verse 12. But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you enter Mary with them and associate with them hold on just a second. Isn't it interesting that he he throws in enter Mary's here you know Israel was forbidden to enter Mary with the Canaanite nations that inhabited the land and it had nothing to do with ethnicity or race had nothing to do with that. It had everything to do with bringing the idols of their husbands and wives into their home. The easiest way for the nation to slip into idolatry would be on a home level in the home you marry someone who worships idols they bring their idols with them Satan knows how easy that is to then influence the whole nation. So no intermarriage with the pagan tribes the pagan nations so that they would not become idolaters. That was the purpose here but notice what he says will happen if you break down these walls of separation he says verse 13 then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead they will become snares and traps for you. Quips on your back and thorns in your eyes until you perish from this good land which the Lord your God has given you. Here's the point if you do not obey the word of God if you decide that the way of this world looks more appealing and more alluring and you decide to go that direction. Then this gradual process this gradual process of consequences will begin to invade your life and notice he first describes them as snares and traps. You know snares and traps are deceptive aren't they? I'm not a hunter but some of you some of you set snares and traps don't you catch animals. And for my understanding what you do is you try to make it alluring so that the animal is drawn toward it. Some food maybe looks like a place of shelter something good that attracts them and then all of a sudden they're caught. You see the snare and the trap looks alluring and draws you toward it but once the snare is sprung once the trap is sprung then you begin to feel the pain. And the pain is described as whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes. Wow. That's the consequence of disobedience to God's word. What starts out first of all looking innocent and just alluring and maybe something you ought to try will end up dominating your life and destroying your life. And will lead the pain and brokenness in your own life and in your relationships. Start living the ways of the world. You'll end up with a broken life. Consequences of disobedience. Quickly the third challenge depend on God's power obey God's word. Finally remember God's faithfulness versus 14 to 16. Remember God's faithfulness. In verse 14 remember his faithfulness to bless. He says now I'm about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled not one has failed. God is faithful. God is faithful to bless. Whenever there is failure and there is. At times I have failed. At times I have failed people in this church. But whenever there is failure it is not due to God. He keeps all of his promises. He never fails. Remember his faithfulness to bless. But also remember his faithfulness to judge. Verse 15. But just as all the good things the Lord your God has promised you have come to you. So he will bring on you all the evil things he has threatened until the Lord your God has destroyed you from this good land he's given you. If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God which he commanded you and go and serve other gods and bow down to them the words angle were brought against you and you will quickly perish from the good land he's given you. Friend it is easy to lose all the blessings of God. Never forget his faithfulness to judge as well. His faithfulness to chasing if we do not follow him if we do not obey his word you say well John I'm not going to go after other gods I'm not going to set up a little shrine in my house worship some little idol I'm not going to do that. Probably not I doubt that anyone here would do that. But are there things in your life that you give devotion and allegiance to above God your work. Cars houses lands pleasures entertainment bank accounts investments. Anything. So this could go on and on anything. That takes your focus away from the Lord and begins to become the focus of your life and the ambition of your life if it is not God. It will lead you to experience God's judgment God's chasing and disciplining of his children. God takes serious our relationship with him God takes seriously our commitment to him. We need to take it seriously too. We need to make sure that we understand what's really important what is really basic. What is really basic is to depend on God's power. To obey God's word and to remember God's faithfulness these are the passionate words of a man delivered from his heart as he knows he's leaving the nation that he's led in love. This is what's most important to him. He knows that the greatest danger for Israel is not military. They still got some military stuff to do but the greatest danger for Israel is not military. It is spiritual. Don't ever forget Johnston Chapel. The greatest danger for this church is not what happens in our country politically. We get so bent out of shape and we argue constantly over politics. The greatest danger to us is not what happens in our country politically. The greatest danger to this church is not who does or does not get elected. The greatest danger to this church is not what decision the Supreme Court makes or what laws Congress will or will not pass. The greatest danger to this church is not what happens in Iran or North Korea or Russia. That occupies so much of our attention and concern. Those are all important things. I'm not negating the importance of those things. But the greatest danger is what happens in our hearts. The greatest danger to Johnston Chapel or any church or any Christian is what happens in our hearts. Our relationship with God. Are we careful to recognize we can't do this on our own. We must depend on God's power. Are we careful to remember that we must obey God's word? Are we careful to remember that God is faithful? He is faithful to bless but yes, He is also faithful to chasing us if we're not faithful to Him. Those are the basics. Don't ever forget them. Don't ever forget them. Let's pray together. Father, help us to never forget the basics of what it means to follow you. The things that are of most importance. The things that are really crucial. The things that we dare not leave behind. And I pray that the things that Joshua reminded the people of Israel of before he left. It would be the very things that we're reminded of today and every day. It's really important. Depend on your power to obey your word and to remember your faithfulness. By your grace may it always be true here in this body of believers. And in each of our lives, in Jesus' name we pray. Amen, please.