Sermon Tone Analysis

LIVING A LEGACY

Bro.

Kenneth Harrison

Joshua 23

November 2, 2008

Shiloh Baptist Church

Deer Park, Alabama

 

This mourning we come to Joshua 23.

Now remember though the journey had been long and hard for God’s chosen people, they have finally come to receive the promises of God.

They were finally into the land of “milk and honey”, Joshua has divided the land in proportions appointed by God.

And it’s about time that they have received the promised rest from God that was promised to them in the desert through Moses and then again at Joshua’s inauguration as Israel’s new leader.

All is well and Joshua knows his journey on earth is about to conclude, and that he needs to address his people for the future times that he won’t be there for.

Here we find yet another example of discipleship in God’s Word.

Moses was discipled by God, Moses then intern discipled Joshua, and now it’s Joshua’s turn to pass on the torch to those who will follow him.

It is important to notice however, that here in chapter 23 is not the point in which discipleship began.

Discipleship has take place all along the way.

Joshua had been discipling them in prayer, scripture, being faithful to God and instructing them of all the spiritual disciplines that go along with being a disciple of God.

Just as Moses had reproduced himself in Joshua, Joshua had been reproducing himself in his followers all along the journey into the promised land.

ILLUSTRATION ON DISCIPLESHIP

 

The name Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators, will forever be associated with discipleship, because discipline others became the passion of his life.

It happened like this.

One day early in his ministry Dawson was driving along and he saw a young man walking down the street on his way to caddy at the golf course.

Trotman often picked up hitchhikers, for it gave him a chance to witness.

The hitchhiker on this day swore as he got into the car; Dawson reached into his pocket for a gospel tract and handed it to him.

The man glanced at the tract, then looked at Dawson and said, “Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?”

Dawson looked at him closely.

As it turned out, the two men had met on the same road the previous year.

Dawson had witnessed to him, led him to Christ, and had “sped on my merry way” confident that another soul had entered the kingdom.

But now, a year later, there was no more evidence of the new birth in this young man than if he had never heard the gospel.

“After I met this boy the second time on the way to the golf course, I began to go back and find some of my ‘converts.’

I want to tell you, I was sick at heart.”

Motivated by that experience, Dawson Trotman began working on follow-up, on developing ways of mentoring those whom he was winning to Christ.

“Before I had forgotten to follow up on the people God had reached through me,” he later said.

“But from then on I began to spend time helping them.…

You can lead a soul to Christ in anywhere from twenty minutes to a couple of hours.

But it takes from twenty weeks to a couple of years to get him on the road to maturity.”

[1]

* *

1.   REMEMBER GOD (vs.

1-5)

a.

In times of doubt recall God’s Goodness—Deut 8:7, Num 23:19, Ps73:1

b.   God’s methods, but his character doesn’t—Mal 3:18, James 1:7

2.   STAY WITH GOD (vs.

6-7)—1 Cor 15:58

a.    Keep God’s law and do it—James 1:23, Mal 3:18

b.   Don’t associate with “bad company”—1Cor 15:33

c.    Steps that lead to worship

                                                          i.

Association

                                                         ii.

Mention by name

                                                      iii.

Swear by God

                                                      iv.

Serve them

                                                         v.

Worship

3.   CLEVE TO GOD (vs.

8-10)

a.    Same word as “cleave to spouse”—Gen 2

b.

Cleve means diligence, persistence, commitment

c.    God has been committed to them, and they need to return the favor

d.   Joshua says “you’ve done good” “Keep it up”

e.    Be good to God b~/c He’s been Good to you

f.     God fights for you

4.   LOVE GOD (vs.

11-13)

a.    Diligently Love God—Jn 14:15, 28

b.

No mixed marriages—2 Cor 6:14

c.

Not racial purity, but spiritual purity

5.   SERVE GOD (vs.

14-16)

a.    God or Wealth?—Matthew 6:24

b.   Night & Day—Acts 26:7

c.    Distinguished Service Medal—Malachi 3:18

d.   Reverently Hebrews—Hebrews12:28

\\ This chapter is about Joshua giving his people his final charge.

He is addressing the people in which he had been discipling all along the way.

We see a commander giving his people these final commands to obey.

Do you know why they listened so intently?

It’s because Joshua was not only leaving a legacy to be remembered, but because he /LIVED A LEGACY/ all along the way!

These commands are not coming for a soldier un proven and un tested, but by a soldier who was un-shakeable, un-breakable, and undeniably a servant of the Most High God.

This impels me to ask you this question, What kind of legacy are you living today?

Daddy’s what kind of legacy are you going to leave for your son?

Workin’ man…What kind of legacy will you leave in your place of work when you retire or move on from this life?

Ladies, what is your life telling those who will one day follow in your foot steps?

Deacons, what kind of legacy are you and I leaving for the future leaders of this church?

But Bro.

Ken how do I make sure to leave a good legacy?

Simple live a good legacy!

REMEMBER ALL THAT GOD HAD DONE, STAY WITH GOD, CLEVE TO GOD, LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOU GOD, SERVE GOD EVERY CHANCE YOU CAN…..LIVE A LEGACY.

 

Nichole C. Nordaman expresses her desires in this way

i wanna leave a legacy .. how will they remember me.. did i chose to love.. did i point to you in love... to make a mark on things...i wanna leave an offering... child of mercy and grace who blessed your name.... unapologetic-ally...to leave that kind of legacy....

 

well Nichole, well brother and sister, start today on LIVING YOUR LEGACY

 

*4273 A Charge To “Mayflower” Pilgrims*

John Robinson gave this charge in 1620 to the Pilgrims as they were about to board the /Mayflower/ for America:

“I charge you before God that you follow me no further than you have seen me follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

If God reveals anything to you by any other instrument of His, be as ready to receive it as you were to receive any truth by my ministry, for I am verily persuaded that the Lord hath more truth yet to break out of His Holy Word.”

 

 

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[1]Morgan, Robert J.: /Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes/.

electronic ed.

Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000, S. 225