SCRIPTURE: Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
TEXT:23He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” THEME: Inclining our hearts to God makes us peculiar. Commit a weekly amount to give as an act of worship to God. INTRODUCTION There are peculiar people who have chosen acting, as their profession. They seem to be picked to play characters in movies that are also peculiar; Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Dianne Keaton, Sarah Silverman, Joaquin Phoenix, Helena Bonham Carter, Johnny Depp, John Malkovich, come to mind. From all of the people in the world, the Israelites are to be peculiar in worshiping one God instead of many. But when Joshua gathers them to inhabit the Promised Land, their family gods are hidden in their saddle bags, making them just like everyone else, and God, as an add deity among many. SCRIPTURE They started out just like everyone else worshiping all kind of things to get what they need. They had a god for every situation, a god for every human need, a god for help in every problem, and a god for every celebration. But long ago, when their ancestor Abraham lived across the River, beyond the Euphrates, God took him to the land of Canaan and secured a promise with the birth of Isaac. Now as they stand at this ancient land, they must choose to have God inhabit their lives as they move in. Regardless of what the rest of Israel may think, as for Joshua and his household, they will serve the Lord. Regardless of what the rest of Canaan believes, as for Joshua and his household they will serve the Lord. Regardless of all of the other gods that are worshipped out there, as for Joshua and his household they will be peculiar in the world, by serving the Lord. The Israelites answer Joshua by recalling their common ancestors in faith. They recite the signs of God delivering them out of Egypt, and pledge themselves to the service of the Lord. “Hold on now” cautions Joshua, “God loves you passionately and there are boundaries to this passionate love to keep. These boundaries, of passionate love, are impossible for us to keep on our own, they are to be lived in relationship with God and each other.” Journeying with God through the wilderness was to shape and form a peculiar people whose lives witness to living in relationship with God. A peculiar people whose lives witness to a God who passionately loves them. And a peculiar people whose lives witness that there are no other gods, only this God, who address all of their needs. A peculiar people whose lives witness that there are no other gods to appease, no other gods to run errands for, no other gods to manipulate, petition, bargain with, just this one God, to know and wrestle with. The Israelites were okay with this, so Joshua tells them to put away the foreign gods and incline their hearts to the Lord. Joshua made a covenant with the people that day with statues and ordinances that reflected their intent. APPLICATION As we incline our hearts to God, what makes us peculiar to our neighbors? This passage lends itself to make a list of all of the needs a person might have and what gods they might enlist to get the help that they need. Gods for prosperity, health, beauty, protection youthfulness, gods for agriculture, materialism, weather, money, success, gods for power, fame, prestige, fertility, shelter, gods for victory, safety, longevity, healing, death, liberation, gods for deliverance, love, popularity, sex and merriment. In Waimea Valley, there is a Buddhist church, with rows and rows of stone markers with Japanese Calligraphy on them. It looks like a miniature cemetery. I was told that those were gods that we could pray to for whatever we needed. You just had to pick the right god to pray to, for the problem that you had. What if the god that we needed wasn’t there? Then we would have to find out where the shrine for that god was so we could go there to make our request known. Praying to gods to do our bidding, in a sense makes us our own god, as we are able to get what we want and create our own destiny. This is exactly what Joshua wants the people of God to leave at the border. Peculiar to the rest of the world, the Israelites worship only one God, who is always with them, and can answer all of their prayers according what God knows is best for them. So, although they may want a certain outcome, God cannot be manipulated to do something outside of the Passionate love that God has for us and all people. So, part of the peculiarity of the Israelites, is wrestling, complaining, seeking, searching, and praying with their God. Inclined hearts to God, trust instead of fear, speak the truth instead of lie, serve instead of be served, love instead of ignore, our choice for God has consequences, it changes our lives. Care instead of neglect, share instead of hoard, worship instead of ritualize, pray instead of incantations, have faith instead of manipulation, inhabit instead of occupy, our inclination towards God is transformational and makes us devout instead of religious, honest instead of fraudulent, humble instead of proud, we tithe instead of keeping everything for ourselves, we pursue justice instead of leaving the status quo, we forgive instead of seeking revenge, we celebrate with others instead of envy, and we appreciate instead of criticize. We make a covenant with God, with statues and ordinances because we have a relationship with God with give and take, rather than just contractual. Choosing God has implications, that make us peculiar to our neighbors. CONCLUSION Even though there wasn’t a presidential candidate like Martin Sheen’s Josiah Bartlet, on the series, the West Wing, the way our Nation chooses its leaders, is peculiar to the rest of the World. So, the world watched the American election, and the tallying of votes on bated breath. Whether we voted for one candidate or another, the American people were in agreement of the sanctity of the election of our leaders and that each property submitted ballot must be counted. Although the results may be contested, we witnessed a democratic process. At the election we got to choose and discern the rhetoric of a fractured fairytale against hateful and toxic actions. Our choice gives us a chance to have a new narrative of our country. Our choice can replace the values of affluence and prestige, with those of humanity and community. Our choice for God, can give the Church a message beyond prosperity and one of humanity. Our choice for God, inclines our hearts, towards a peculiarity of actions that witnesses to the world, that we are passionately loved by God. As for me and my household, our inclination is to be peculiar for the Lord.
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