St. Aidan's Anglican Church
  • Home
  • Worship Online
  • The Preachers Blog
  • Easter Services
  • Bible in a Year
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • The Re-Gathering
  • Youth
  • Cords
  • Prayer Requests
  • Request Pastoral Care
  • Give
  • Grocery Pick Up
  • Statement of Faith
  • Video Archive
    • 2023 Videos
    • Real Lives
    • 2022 Videos
    • 2021 Videos
    • 2020 Videos
  • Sermon Audio Archive
    • 2020 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centered Eternities November 2019
      • The Real Joy of Easter - Holy Week 2019
    • 2018 Sermons
    • 2018 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centred Church Spring 2018
      • A Gospel Shaped Church Fall 2018
    • 2017 Sermon Series >
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
      • The Saviour King Lent 2017
      • The Victorious King Holy Week 2017
      • The Living King Easter 2017
      • The Brother King Fall 2017
      • Worship the King Advent 2017
    • 2016 Sermon Series >
      • Real Obedience Lent 2016
      • Unity of the Church
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
    • 2015 Sermon Series >
      • Real Gifts 2015
      • Real Mission 2015
      • Mission Discerned
    • 2014 Sermon Series >
      • Real Church 2014
      • Real Lives 2014
    • 2013 Sermon Series >
      • Real God 2013
    • Sermon Archive From 2014 - 2017
  • Christianity 101
  • The Psalms Blog
  • Bible in a Year
  • The Re-Gathering

the  Preachers  blog

Blogs are posted every Wednesday

Who do we serve? by Pastor Dave

3/10/2021

 
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
Deuteronomy 6: 5
 
Joshua 22-24 (Psalm 69)
 
Observe
  • Gad, Reuben and half of Manasseh return to the land east of the Jordan that they had chosen. They had promised Moses to support the remaining tribes (Numbers 32). Now their obligation was fulfilled Joshua releases and blesses them
  • Once there they build an altar which causes much consternation amongst the remaining ten tribes; is this idol worship and disobedience to God, does a war need to be fought? It transpired that the altar was to stand as a witness, a memorial, to ensure relations between the tribes and with God continue as they should for future generations
  • Joshua then bids farewell to the people. He reminds them that if they follow and obey God they will prosper, if they do not they will fail. He describes the boundaries for the Promised Land and then explains that he will go the way of all people, to his death
  • Joshua assembled the people and gave them a summary of their recent history; they were reminded that it was by God’s strength, not their own, that they were in the Promised Land. The Covenant is then renewed with the people answering Joshua’s famous words, “Choose you this day whom you will serve.” Another memorial stone is planted to stand as a reminder and witness
  • Joshua then did die and was buried. A promise made to Joseph was fulfilled as his bones were laid to rest as well
 
Interpret
     Chapter 22 in reality shows a maturing of the people; some lessons have been learnt. Gad, Reuben and half of Manasseh fulfil a promise in supporting the other tribes. They in turn are released from their obligation and are blessed. The altar they set up, however, caused real concern. The people remember what occurred at Peor where a plague took 25 000 because of idol worship (Numbers 25) and where the sin of one man affected the whole (Achan, Joshua 7). Ten tribes set out to put it right but thankfully listened first. The motives had been good and the placing of the altar an act to actually prevent what was feared. The importance of listening and checking facts before taking offence and acting are clear. The desire to glorify God and please Him needs to be the primary motive.
     As the Covenant is renewed the people are reminded of where they came from and given a stark choice to make, they are to choose who they will serve. Joshua reminds them though, that it is by God’s strength not their own, that they have the Promised Land (24: 12). Even more, they cannot fulfil their promise to obey and follow God in their own strength, God has to enable them (24: 19). The people are determined though and renew their commitment. In 23:16 we see that the people had been given a specific warning that breaking the covenant would result in the land being taken from them; we will go on to learn that this is what happened in 586 BC
 
Application
     Through our studies since January we have often seen individuals and the people of God pursue their own way believing they know best. They have chosen self-reliance, listened to others, worshiped gods they made and attributed to themselves works of God. Today we are reminded that it is by God’s strength that we achieve (“Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty,’ Zech. 4: 6) and that in serving Him we are blessed and find real freedom.
    
The Question of Application
      How do we love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and strength (Deut. 6: 5)?  
 
Prayer
Almighty God, you show to those who are in error the light of your truth, that they may return to the way of righteousness: grant to all those who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's religion, that they may reject those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
 
Praise
Lord, Whose love in humble service


Comments are closed.
    Picture
    Picture

    Preachers Blog

    In 2023, each week's blog is a follow-up reflection written by the preceding Sunday’s preacher to dig deeper into the sermon topic and explore engaging discussion questions.

    ​Thank you for joining us as we journeyed through the Bible in a Year in 2021 and the Psalms in 2022.  All past blogs remain available if you wish to catch up with any days missed.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    Who is Jesus?
At St Aidan's, it's our desire to know our Real God,
to grow as a Real Church and
​ to live Real Lives for Him.

Picture
St Aidan’s Anglican Church
274 Campbell Street | Winnipeg, MB R3N 1B5
Phone: 204.489.3390 Email: staidans.churchoffice@gmail.com
  • Home
  • Worship Online
  • The Preachers Blog
  • Easter Services
  • Bible in a Year
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • The Re-Gathering
  • Youth
  • Cords
  • Prayer Requests
  • Request Pastoral Care
  • Give
  • Grocery Pick Up
  • Statement of Faith
  • Video Archive
    • 2023 Videos
    • Real Lives
    • 2022 Videos
    • 2021 Videos
    • 2020 Videos
  • Sermon Audio Archive
    • 2020 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centered Eternities November 2019
      • The Real Joy of Easter - Holy Week 2019
    • 2018 Sermons
    • 2018 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centred Church Spring 2018
      • A Gospel Shaped Church Fall 2018
    • 2017 Sermon Series >
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
      • The Saviour King Lent 2017
      • The Victorious King Holy Week 2017
      • The Living King Easter 2017
      • The Brother King Fall 2017
      • Worship the King Advent 2017
    • 2016 Sermon Series >
      • Real Obedience Lent 2016
      • Unity of the Church
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
    • 2015 Sermon Series >
      • Real Gifts 2015
      • Real Mission 2015
      • Mission Discerned
    • 2014 Sermon Series >
      • Real Church 2014
      • Real Lives 2014
    • 2013 Sermon Series >
      • Real God 2013
    • Sermon Archive From 2014 - 2017
  • Christianity 101
  • The Psalms Blog
  • Bible in a Year
  • The Re-Gathering