CHURCH OF CHRISTat

Gospel MeetingJuly 26-29

Pleasant View

Ye Serve the Lord— Joshua 24:19

Cannot

I. What this statement does not mean

II.What this statement does mean

Notice the statement closely:

Joshua 24:19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.

Ye cannot serve the Lord He will not forgive your

transgressions

What the statement does not mean

1) It does not mean that we cannot serve the Lord because of some unpardonable sin

– Challenge: Find a specific sin too great to be forgiven

– I Corinthians 6:9-11 …fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners…

What the statement does not mean

• But what about the “sin unto death”?– I John 5:16-17 If any man see his brother

sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

What the statement does not mean

• Consider these points:– I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful

and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. •God forgives every sin that is confessed

– I John 5:16—there is a sin God will not forgive– That sin must be a sin that has not been

confessed

What the statement does not mean

2) It does not mean that we cannot serve the Lord unless __________– Everyone has the capacity to serve

the Lord– Joshua 24:15 …choose you this

day whom ye will serve…

What the statement does mean

1) Ye cannot serve the Lord with sin present in your life

– Joshua 24:23 Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel.

– They were pledging allegiance to God with idols still in their homes and hearts!

What the statement does mean

• I Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived…

• I John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth

• I John 2:4 He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in HIm.

What the statement does mean

• Notice what persistent sin will ultimately do:– Isaiah 32:6 For the vile person will speak

villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy

– I Timothy 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy…– Luke 12:1 …Beware ye of the leaven of the

Pharisees, which is hypocrisy– I Timothy 4:2 …having their conscience

seared…

What the statement does mean

• But what about my status as “a sinner”?– I Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful

saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief

– I John 1:8, 10 must be balanced with I John 1:7, 9 and 2:1-2

What the statement does mean

• Ye cannot serve the Lord half-heartedly– Judges 2:2a And ye shall make no league

with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars…

– Judges 1:28 …they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out…

– Judges 2:2b …but ye have not obeyed My voice…

What the statement does mean

• Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

• James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

What the statement does mean

• Consider Peter:– Luke 22:31-32 And the Lord said,

Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

What the statement does mean

• Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

No matter what is in your past, you can serve the Lord…

…but you cannot if:• there is sin still in your life

• you are not willing to do it 100%