{"id":2867,"date":"2018-10-10T17:45:39","date_gmt":"2018-10-10T21:45:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jkitchen.org\/?p=2867"},"modified":"2018-10-11T08:39:03","modified_gmt":"2018-10-11T12:39:03","slug":"you-cant-serve-the-lord","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jkitchen.org\/?p=2867","title":{"rendered":"You Can’t Serve the Lord!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It was presumably sometime shortly before his death at 110 that Joshua called the people of Israel around him to hear his final sermon. It contains that familiar call: \u201cchoose this day whom you will serve \u2026 But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD\u201d<\/span> (Joshua 24:15).<\/p>\n

But it also reveals a confusing and perhaps disconcerting strategy.<\/p>\n

Obviously, Joshua called the people to make a choice, a choice to serve the Lord (v.15).<\/p>\n

To this the people responded with a promise to serve the Lord (vv.16-18).<\/p>\n

But Joshua was not satisfied. He told them they were incapable of truly following the Lord (vv.19-20)!<\/p>\n

The people\u2014a bit taken aback\u2014cried out that they were serious! They would indeed follow the Lord (v.21).<\/p>\n

In the face of their insistence Joshua redoubled his call and demanded that they choose to serve the Lord (vv.22-24).<\/p>\n

So why the hard sell, Joshua?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Why did he respond to the people\u2019s pledge this way?<\/p>\n

I hear Joshua here as saying something like this \u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, I\u2019m an old man. I\u2019m about to die. I don\u2019t have time to mess around with you or play religious games. I\u2019m going to stand before God just a few breaths from now, so I\u2019m calling you to Judgment Day honesty and seriousness! I\u2019ve seen and experienced more than you can imagine. I\u2019ve seen it all \u2026 from agony in the brick factories of Egypt \u2026 to miracles in Pharaoh\u2019s court \u2026 from the death angel passing over my home \u2026 to the waters of the Red Sea opening up before us \u2026 from the manifestation of God\u2019s holy fury on Mt. Sinai \u2026 to the folly of idol worship at the foot of the mountain \u2026 from desert wastelands \u2026 to a river flowing from a rock \u2026 from following a man most people called crazy \u2026 to being called to step in and lead in his place \u2026 from wars on the east side of Jordan … to wars on the west side \u2026 from impenetrable walls falling down at a shout \u2026 to the sun standing still in the sky \u2026 from graces untold \u2026 to the ground opening up and swallowing liars and thieves \u2026 I\u2019ve seen life given through miraculous provision \u2026 and lives taken through divine plague. Don\u2019t you mess with me! I need to know you are serious when you say you will follow the Lord!\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As I was contemplating this possible motive behind Joshua\u2019s final and somewhat strange sermon-strategy a Johnny Cash song came to my mind.<\/p>\n

Yes, that\u2019s what I said \u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

I suddenly heard a weathered, aged Johnny Cash singing, \u201cI\u2019ve Been Everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not familiar with the song, take a refresher course here: I’ve Been Everywhere<\/a><\/p>\n

So here is the weathered, worn, weary, soon-to-be-in-heaven Joshua mustering his last breaths to call God\u2019s people to faithfulness. Only I hear the words going like this \u2026<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve Seen Everything<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Joshua<\/p>\n

I was toting my pack along the long dusty desert road<\/span>
\nWhen along came a man with a high and canvas covered load<\/span>
\nIf your goin’ to the Promised Land, Josh, with me you can ride<\/span>
\nAnd so I climbed into the cart and then I settled down inside<\/span>
\nHe asked me if I’d seen a road with so much dust and sand<\/span>
\nAnd I said, \u201cListen, Yo! I’ve traveled every road in this here land!”<\/span><\/p>\n

I’ve seen everything, man<\/span>
\nI’ve seen everything, man<\/span>
\nI\u2019ve seen what the deserts bring, man<\/span>
\nI’ve been carried on eagle\u2019s wings, man<\/span>
\nI\u2019ve drank from rocky springs, man<\/span>
\nI’ve seen everything<\/span><\/p>\n

I’ve seen,<\/span><\/p>\n