A synopsis of the sermon delivered by the Rev. David L. Hicks at St. Paul’s Reformed Episcopal Church on Trinity X, August 15, 2004. Please read Joshua 24:14-27.
The reading from Joshua comes at the end of the book, after the time of the conquest of the Promised Land, when Joshua is addressing the nation of Israel about God’s covenant. “Choose or yourselves this day whom you will serve,” Joshua says, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15). The people respond readily to Joshua’s challenge, and they affirm that they too will serve the Lord – “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods” (24:16). It is at this point that Joshua says something quite odd, something unexpected: “You cannot serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good” (24:19-20). Why would Joshua say something so discouraging after the positive response given by the people? Joshua realizes the power that sin has held over the human race, and he knows that God’s people are no exception. Reading through the rest of the Old Testament, it is apparent that Israel could not serve God, just as Joshua has said. Over and over again, God’s people failed to keep His commandments, and despite numerous warnings the people persisted in their rebellion against God’s law.
In looking at ourselves, are we any better than the ancient people of Israel? Our society has been working very diligently for many years to make humanity better; yet, we still suffer from greed, crime and all other ills that come from human selfishness. Even our individual attempts to live a holy life are frustrated by our failures and shortcomings in respect to God’s commandments. Thankfully, God has provided a remedy for the sickness that besets the world – our Lord Jesus Christ. God became man in the person of Jesus in order to rescue us from the slavery of sin. God knows that we are powerless of ourselves to change ourselves. It is necessary for God himself to work in our hearts that we might be enabled to live a life pleasing to Him. In St. John’s Gospel, Jesus teaches about the necessity of God’s power in breaking the yoke of sin: “Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore is the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (Jn. 8:34-35).
Are you discouraged by your failures and sins? Does it seem that trying harder to live a Christian life does not work? Perhaps you are trying to serve God in your own strength, just as the God’s people were doing in Joshua’s day. We cannot serve the Lord without the freedom from sin that is realized through Jesus Christ. This does not mean that coming to Christ results in instantaneous perfection, but it does mean that God begins the process (a life-time process) of making us more into the likeness of his Son. As we grow in our faith, we increasingly understand the freedom that is at work in our hearts and minds. We need not be discouraged with our temporary failures, for we have the Savior’s promise that whoever the Son sets free shall be free indeed. Amen.
