{"id":1041,"date":"2018-08-26T15:28:19","date_gmt":"2018-08-26T22:28:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/?p=1041"},"modified":"2018-08-26T15:53:03","modified_gmt":"2018-08-26T22:53:03","slug":"commitment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/26\/commitment\/","title":{"rendered":"Commitment!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><font color='black' size='2' face='arial'><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <w:WordDocument>   <w:View>Normal<\/w:View>   <w:Zoom>0<\/w:Zoom>   <w:TrackMoves\/>   <w:TrackFormatting\/>   <w:PunctuationKerning\/>   <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas\/>   <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false<\/w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>   <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false<\/w:IgnoreMixedContent>   <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false<\/w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>   <w:DoNotPromoteQF\/>   <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US<\/w:LidThemeOther>   <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE<\/w:LidThemeAsian>   <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE<\/w:LidThemeComplexScript>   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\tmso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; \tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; \tmso-fareast-font-family:\"Times New Roman\"; \tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; \tmso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; \tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; \tmso-bidi-font-family:\"Times New Roman\"; \tmso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} <\/style>\n\n <![endif]--><\/p>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;color:#212121\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-1041-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Pentecost-14-08-26-18.mp3?_=1\" \/><source type=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/FILELINK?_=1\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Pentecost-14-08-26-18.mp3\">http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Pentecost-14-08-26-18.mp3<\/a><\/audio>&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">August 26, 2018<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">Joshua 24:1, 2a, 14-18<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">Commitment!<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoBodyText\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Joshua said to all the people, \u201cThis is what the L<\/span>ORD<span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">, the God of Israel, says:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>\u201cNow fear the L<\/span>ORD<span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"> and serve him with all faithfulness.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the L<\/span>ORD<span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>But if serving the L<\/span>ORD<span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"> seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>But as for me and my household, we will serve the L<\/span>ORD<span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then the people answered, \u201cFar be it from us to forsake the L<\/span>ORD<span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"> to serve other gods!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It was the L<\/span>ORD<span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"> our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And the L<\/span>ORD<span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"> drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We too will serve the L<\/span>ORD<span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">, because he is our God.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(NIV1984)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">Commitment.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Commitment is a word that people use on a fairly regular basis.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And yet, while commitment is a word that many people use, I am not so sure that commitment is a concept that many people understand or put into practice.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>According to Webster\u2019s dictionary commitment very simply means, \u201cTo pledge or promise to do something.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>To me that definition is rather vague.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>In a marriage class that I have taught in the past I emphasize that at least when it comes to a Christian marriage commitment is, \u201cThe desire of an individual to maintain or improve the quality of the relationship for the joint benefit of the partners.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It is evidenced by both a desire and actions to not only continue in the relationship and to improve it, but to sacrifice for it, to invest in it, to link personal goals to it and to seek the partner\u2019s welfare.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Now to me at least that is a much more in-depth definition of commitment.<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">Our sermon text for today, my friends, very clearly and very emphatically speaks to us about:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">Commitment!<\/i><\/b><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Our goal then this morning is to look at commitment from two different perspectives.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>First, we want to look at God\u2019s commitment to us.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then, in light of God\u2019s commitment to us we want to look at our commitment to God.<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">Our text for this morning takes place shortly before the death of God\u2019s servant Joshua.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>By God\u2019s grace and under Joshua\u2019s leadership the Children of Israel had now entered into the Promised Land.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>By God\u2019s grace and under Joshua\u2019s leadership the Children of Israel had taken possession of the Promised Land and broken up much\u2014 but not all\u2014 of the Canaanite resistance.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>By God\u2019s grace and under Joshua\u2019s leadership the twelve tribes of Israel had each been given a portion of the Promised Land as their inheritance for the generations to come.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>While many of the hardships and difficulties were now behind them, Joshua knew that the Children of Israel still had some very difficult days and some very difficult tasks to overcome. <span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp;<\/span>Joshua also knew just how fickle, just how rebellious, just how stiff-necked God\u2019s people could be!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Therefore, Joshua assembles the Children of Israel at the city of Shechem and he speaks to them about:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">Commitment!<\/i><\/b><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>First and foremost, however, Joshua reminds the people of <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">God\u2019s<\/b> commitment <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">to them<\/b><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">!<\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">&nbsp;<\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">Since our text for today skips verses 3 through 13 of our text and since I consider those verses to be extremely important for a proper understanding of our text, I have included an insert in your bulletin that includes all of Joshua 24:1-18.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I invite you to take out that insert.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>In Joshua chapter 24:2 we hear Joshua say to the people of Israel, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cThis is what the L<\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:10.0pt\">ORD<\/span>, the God of Israel, says\u2026.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then Joshua recounts for God\u2019s people all of the ways in which the Lord their God evidenced<b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"> <\/b>His commitment to His people through <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">actions<\/b>.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Look at verse three, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cI took\u2026I gave.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Verse four, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cI gave\u2026I assigned.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/span>Verse five, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cI sent\u2026I afflicted\u2026I did&#8230;I brought.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/span>Verse six, \u201c<i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">I brought.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Verse seven, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201che <\/i>(the L<span style=\"font-size:10.0pt\">ORD<\/span>) <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">put darkness\u2026he brought\u2026what I did\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/span>Verse eight, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cI brought\u2026I gave\u2026I destroyed.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Verse ten, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cI would not listen\u2026I delivered.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Verse eleven, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cI gave.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Verse 12, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cI sent.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Verse 13, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cI gave.\u201d <\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp;<\/span>As the L<span style=\"font-size:10.0pt\">ORD<\/span> has Joshua recount the history of God\u2019s Chosen People from the days of Abraham to the days of Joshua how many times does He emphasize what He has done to evidence His commitment to His people?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>That\u2019s right!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Twenty-one times!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Twenty-one times in just eleven verses the L<span style=\"font-size:10.0pt\">ORD<\/span>, the God of Israel, says to His people, \u201cThis is what <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">I<\/b> have done<b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"> for<\/b> you!\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Why?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Why does God do this?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I think the answer to that question is quite simple and quite important.<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">As the people of God gathered there in the Promised Land at the city of Shechem the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, reminds them of His <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">commitment<\/i><\/b> to them\u2014 a <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">commitment<\/i><\/b> that was evidenced in not just words but also in actions.<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">Does God we do anything like that for us as we gather together as the people of God today, my friends?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Absolutely!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>In fact, if the Holy Spirit chose to continue the list of ways in which the Lord God has evidenced His commitment to you that list would be quite long, wouldn\u2019t it!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Just think about it for a moment.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The God of heaven and earth evidenced His <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">commitment<\/i><\/b> to you when the virgin conceived and gave birth to the eternal Son of God.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He evidenced His <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">commitment<\/i><\/b> to you by living an absolutely perfect life <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">for <\/b>you\u2014 in your place.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He evidenced His <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">commitment<\/i><\/b> to you by enduring the rejection and the ridicule of many of the people of Israel\u2014 as we saw in our Gospel Lesson for today.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(See John 6:60-69)<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>But more than anything else the Lord, the one and only true God, evidenced His <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">commitment<\/i><\/b> to you on the hill called Calvary.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(Pointing to the cross)<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Could there possibly be a more powerful evidence of God\u2019s <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">commitment<\/b> to you than the sacrifice of His own Son on the cross as payment in full for the debt of sin that you owed to God?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(Pointing to the cross)<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">What does this mean then, my friends? What practical application does God\u2019s commitment to you have in your day-to-day life?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Think about this:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Every single morning when you get up and look at yourself in the mirror, God\u2019s commitment to you assures you that no matter what may or may not happen today, no matter what is happening in your world around you, no matter what is happening in the Middle East, no matter what is<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>happening in Sacramento or in Washington, no matter what is happening in the economy, no matter what is happening at home, no matter what is happening at school, no matter what is happening at work\u2014 no matter what!\u2014 you can look in the mirror and by the grace of God you can say\u2014 I am saved!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I am saved for all of eternity!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I am a dear child of God!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And if anyone ever dares to try and rob you of that certainty remember the evidence that God Himself gives to you to remind you of His commitment to you!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Remember the baptismal font where God evidenced His commitment to you by completely washing away all of your sins and adopting you as His dearly beloved child.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Remember the holy Supper where God evidences His commitment to you by giving you His true body and blood as undeniable proof that all of your sins are completely forgiven.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Remember the inspired Scriptures where the Lord your God evidences His commitment to you by not only reminding you of everything He has already done for you, but by also revealing to you the eternal blessing that He has stored up waiting for you in His heavenly home.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Remember the most powerful evidence of God\u2019s commitment to you\u2014 the cross of Jesus Christ.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(Pointing to the cross)<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">In the light of what God has done <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">for<\/b> you, in the light of the evidence of God\u2019s commitment <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">to<\/b> you, the L<span style=\"font-size:10.0pt\">ORD<\/span> your God comes to you today and He says to you the exact same thing He said to the Children of Israel through Joshua:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cNow fear the L<\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:10.0pt\">ORD<\/span> and serve him with all faithfulness\u2026choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It is critically important for us to remember that just as God spoke these words to His Chosen People of old, people who had already been brought into a covenant relationship with Him, so also God speaks these words to you\u2014 people who have already been brought to faith in Jesus as your only Savior from sin!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>These words are <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not <\/b>spoken in the context of Justification, how we were \u201cDeclared:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Not Guilty!\u201d by God Himself.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Our Justification is purely the work of God the Son alone.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>These words are <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not <\/b>spoken in the context of Conversion, how a person <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">becomes <\/b>a<b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"> <\/b>Christian.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Our conversion is purely the work of God the Holy Spirit alone.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>No, my friends, these words are spoken in the context of Sanctification, how we openly <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">live <\/b>the faith that God has created in our hearts.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Each and every day we <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">choose <\/b>whom or what we are going to <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cserve\u201d<\/i> as our God.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>As we live our lives, as we spend our money, as we use our talents, as we set our priorities, as we live as a child of God in this sin-filled world we are not only choosing whom or what we are <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cserving,\u201d<\/i> but we are also giving <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">evidence<\/b> to others as to whom or what we are <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cserving\u201d<\/i> as our God!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">With that in mind, let me suggest this:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>As you stand in front of that mirror in the morning and remember God\u2019s commitment to you, as you stand in front of that mirror and know deep down in your heart that purely by grace through faith you are a saved child of God\u2014 saved for all of eternity\u2014 daily recommit both your heart and your life to your Lord.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Start each and every day of your life by saying to yourself, \u201cToday I will give testimony to the fact that I am a Christian.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>As you go through your day ask yourself, \u201cHow can I faithfully serve my Savior today?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>What can I do to humbly show my commitment to my God?\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And when you lay your head down on your pillow at night and reflect upon your day remember the cross of your Savior.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(Pointing to the cross) Remember that even if, even when we stumble in our commitment to God, our God <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">never<\/b> stumbles in His commitment to us.<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">Tragically, the Children of Israel who gathered here at Shechem, the very same people who boldly said to Joshua, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cFar be it from us to forsake the L<\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:10.0pt\">ORD<\/span> to serve other gods&#8230;We too will serve the L<\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:10.0pt\">ORD<\/span>, because he is our God,\u201d<\/i> tragically, it did not take long for God\u2019s own people to lose sight of their commitment to their God.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Almost as soon as Joshua and his generation of Israelites had died the Children of Israel abandoned the promise they made here at Shechem.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>One of the re-occuring laments in the book of Judges is found in the words, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cThe Israelites did evil in the eyes of the L<\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:10.0pt\">ORD<\/span>; they forgot the L<\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:10.0pt\">ORD<\/span> their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs\u201d<\/i> (Judges 3:7).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Don\u2019t let that happen to you, my friends.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Don\u2019t let your commitment to your Lord slip away.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Whatever you need to do to remind yourself of God\u2019s commitment to you, do it!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>If that means having a cross in every single room of your house\u2014 then do it.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>If that means writing down on a piece of paper the words, \u201cI am a saved and baptized child of God!\u201d and then placing that note in your desk or in your pocket or in your purse or taping it to the bathroom mirror where you can\u2019t help but see it over and over again\u2014 then do it.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Do whatever it takes to keep your heart and your life focused on God\u2019s commitment to you so that like Joshua here in our text you too will always have the commitment that empowers you to say, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cBut as for me and my household, we will serve the L<\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:10.0pt\">ORD<\/span>.\u201d<\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">To God be the glory!<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">Amen<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<p> <\/font><\/p>\n<div class=\"postie-attachments\">Download sermon audio ::  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Pentecost-14-08-26-18.mp3\">Pentecost-14-08-26-18.MP3<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost August 26, 2018 Joshua 24:1, 2a, 14-18 Commitment! &nbsp; Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem.&nbsp; He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.&nbsp; Joshua said to all the people, \u201cThis is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says:&nbsp; \u201cNow [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1041","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1041","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1041"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1041\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1041"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1041"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1041"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}