How can we ensure our community serves the LORD like in Joshua 24:31? Reading the Snapshot from Joshua 24:31 “Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua and of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the LORD had done for Israel.” Why They Stayed Faithful • Strong, godly leadership—Joshua and the elders loved and feared the LORD. • First-hand knowledge of God’s mighty acts—crossing the Jordan, Jericho’s walls, sun standing still. • A public covenant renewal at Shechem (Joshua 24:14-27) reminded everyone of their commitment. Lessons for Today’s Community 1. Raise Up Tested Leaders • Select shepherds who “walk in the truth” (3 John 1:4). • Require visible obedience before public responsibility (1 Timothy 3:1-10). • Cultivate a plurality of elders, echoing Joshua’s peers who kept the people on course. 2. Tell the Stories of God’s Power • Share testimonies during gatherings (Psalm 66:16). • Mark anniversaries of answered prayer or deliverance, just as Israel set up stones from the Jordan (Joshua 4:6-7). • Keep Scripture reading central—“Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture” (1 Timothy 4:13). 3. Teach the Next Generation Relentlessly • Engrave truth on heart and home: “Repeat them to your children…bind them…write them” (Deuteronomy 6:7-9). • Encourage parents to lead family worship; the church supplements, never replaces, the household. • Engage youth in service projects so they experience God’s work firsthand. 4. Renew the Covenant Regularly • Celebrate Communion soberly—“proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). • Hold membership vows that echo Joshua’s “choose this day” call. • Periodically recite historic creeds or statements of faith to fix doctrine in memory. 5. Model Active Obedience, Not Passive Belief • “Be doers of the word” (James 1:22). • Offer tangible outlets—visiting widows, feeding the poor, standing for life and truth. • Encourage mutual accountability: “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24). 6. Guard Against Spiritual Drift • Practice church discipline lovingly yet firmly (Matthew 18:15-17). • Expose cultural idols; refuse polite coexistence with sin (1 John 5:21). • Pray for revival, knowing only the Spirit ignites lasting fidelity (Zechariah 4:6). Guardrails for Future Generations • Document your congregation’s core convictions in a written statement, updated only when Scripture requires. • Invest in theological training for emerging leaders. • Establish a pattern of elder succession well before current leaders step down, mirroring the continuity from Joshua to the elders who outlived him. The Outcome We Seek When leadership is godly, God’s works are remembered, truth is taught, covenants are renewed, obedience is practiced, and drift is resisted, the result is what Israel enjoyed in Joshua 24:31—an entire community serving the LORD together, for as long as each generation draws breath. |
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