In Jos 24:14-15, at the end of Joshua’s life, he charged Israel with one final command.  He commanded them to choose this day whom they would serve. He said to Israel:

Fear the Lord.  If you had a dad or a boss or a commander that you feared, you did what they said.  This is the simplest way to explain the fear of the Lord.  He said it and we’re going to do it; because we’re not going to cross him.  

Serve him.  The Lord gave Israel specific instructions on how to serve him.  His commands were not arduous; they were beneficial.  And he gave them a load of promises that he would fulfill if they did serve him.  He said he would protect them, bless them, and give them good health and plenty of wealth.

In sincerity (w/o hypocrisy) and truth (according to his word).  The Lord wanted them to serve him with their whole heart, not with lip service.

Put away the gods.  They obviously had wandered in the wilderness with the strange gods of their past.  Aaron knew exactly what to make when they asked for gods to lead them back to Egypt. 

If it seem evil choose you this day whom ye will serve.  If they weren’t going to serve the Lord then they were going to serve the gods in Egypt or the gods of the Amorites.  These gods were obvious failures, since they couldn’t defeat a bunch of unarmed slaves who escaped or a bunch of untrained soldiers who attacked

Joshua said that you must choose.  Choose among the old gods of Egypt, the new gods of the Amorites, or the Lord God of Israel.  Those gods were statues and images that couldn’t even see, breathe, speak or walk.  The Lord God is the living creator of the universe and the deliverer of Israel.

Today, when you hear the gospel, you make a choice to trust what you already believe or what you want to believe.  Or else you choose to believe and trust Jesus.  

The hard part is that if you trust Jesus you’re going to put away what you have been trusting before.  People can be very reluctant to give up what they have been trusting to trust Jesus.  When they trust Jesus, they put away the religion of their family.  When they trust Jesus, they decide not to trust the gods of the new age in which we live.

The saved Jews in the New Testament quit trying to be justified by the law.  The Ephesians in Acts 19:20 built a bonfire out of the books they burned after they were saved.  Rahab turned her back on Jericho and followed the Lord God.

Once you are saved, you’re constantly faced with choices you make as you continue to fear and serve the Lord.  He asks you to put away many things to keep following him.

Keep this simple thought in mind.  In your Christian growth, you want to be content, but you don’t want to be complacent.  Always choose what God puts before you and keep following him.

The choice of whom you whom you will serve is yours to make.  Choose you this day whom you will serve.  I pray that you will choose the Lord. For more on this subject see You Choose.