??If you knew you had only one more day to live, what might be the last things you would want to do？And what would be the most important things you could say to those you know and love？In our Bible lesson today, we'll see what dear old Joshua had to say to the people of Israel before he went to be with the Lord.
??Body：God had brought the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, and He was giving them the land of Canaan for their new homeland. Joshua 11：19 says, "There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, except the inhabitants of Gibeon：all the others they took in battle." And Joshua 10：42 says, "And all these kings and their land did Joshua take because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel."
??The Lord had promised Joshua victory if he would serve the Lord. Joshua had made up his mind before he ever began to lead Israel that he WOULD serve the Lord! Joshua 11：15 says, "Joshua left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses." It must have pleased the Lord greatly to see a man who was so obedient! As Joshua won battle after battle, he saw the reward of that obedience! But now we go to Joshua 23 to hear some final words from dear old Joshua. Verse 2 begins：??"And Joshua called for all Israel, "and said unto them, "I am old and you have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that has fought for you. Be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses." Joshua warned the people that, as they continued to battle, they should be careful to love the Lord and obey His commandments, and to keep away from idols.
??In Joshua 23：14 we read, "And, this day I am going the way of all the earth：" Joshua spoke these words with no fear of dying. He was ready to die because he knew what would happen to him after he died. Do you know what will happen to you after you die？God's Word says in Hebrews 9：27, ？" it is appointed unto men once to die, ？" Who makes that appointment for everyone？The same God Who created the world and everyone in it! The true and living God Who loves you and knows everything about you, also knows the day you will die. When you die, God wants very much to take you to His wonderful home in Heaven forever. There is no dying in Heaven! Does everyone go to Heaven when they die？No. You and I were born with a sin nature, and sin cannot be in Heaven. Can you remember from our other lessons what sin is？it's breaking God's laws. it's choosing to serve ourselves instead of the Lord. it's living for pleasure instead of obeying the Lord's commandments. Romans 3：12 says ？" there is none that does good, no, not one." That means you can never do enough good things to get to Heaven. But God loves you and He wants you to be with Him forever. You and I could never make a way to go to Heaven, but God could! He sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to make a way for us to go to Heaven. Jesus came down from Heaven to this old sinful earth to take our punishment for sin. Hebrews 4：15 says the Lord Jesus'was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 5：8-9 tell us, ？" he suffered; And became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; ？The Lord Jesus suffered great pain, cursing, and then death as wicked men nailed him to a wooden cross. But Jesus loved us and willingly suffered for our sin. The 3rd day after the Lord Jesus died, He came alive again, and later went to Heaven. When you believe on the Lord Jesus, He will save you from the eternal punishment of sin. When you have His eternal salvation, you will go to Heaven when you die! Can you say right now that you know where you will go when you die？??Joshua knew that when he died, he would go to be with the Lord Whom He had loved and served for all these years. But Joshua wanted to be sure that, after he died, the people of Israel would continue to love and serve the Lord. He said, (Joshua 24：14) "Now..fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and truth：15) And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." And Joshua DID serve the Lord all the days of his life, and he knew it was worth it! He urged the people of Israel to continue to serve the Lord.
??Joshua 24 says, "And the people said unto Joshua, "The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey." And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it has heard all the words."
??Then, at 110 years old, after a life of faithful service to his Lord, dear Joshua died. But where did Joshua go when he died'so where is he right now？What do you think Joshua would tell you if he were here today？Exactly what he told the people of Israel in
??Joshua 24：15："Choose you this day whom you will serve; …but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
??小朋友们, 如果有人告诉你, 你的生命只剩下一天的时间, 你在这最后的一天中, 最想做的事情是什么呢？你有什么重要的话要对你所爱的人说呢？ 年老的约书亚要离开这个世界到神那里去了。在我们今天的圣经故事里, 我们要来看看在他生命中最后的时候, 他要对以色列百姓说些什么。
??神把以色列人从埃及为奴之地带出来, 并把迦南地赐给他们做新家。约书亚记11章19节说：除了基遍的希未人之外, 没有一城与以色列人讲和的, 都是以色列人争战夺来的。约书亚记10章42节记载到：约书亚一时杀败了这些王, 并夺了他们的地, 因为耶和华以色列的神为以色列争战。
??神应许约书亚只要他专心侍奉神, 他就会胜利。在约书亚成为以色列人的领袖之前, 他已经下定决心要来专心侍奉神！约书亚记11章15节说：凡耶和华所吩咐摩西的，约书亚没有一件懈怠不行的。约书亚这样顺服神的命令, 一定非常讨神的喜悦。他也看到因为他对神的顺服, 他可以赢得一个又一个的胜利。现在, 让我们去约书亚记23章, 看看年老的约书亚在他生命中最后的时候对以色列百姓所说的话。从第二节开始：约书亚就把以色列众人…都召了来，对他们说：我年纪已经老迈。 耶和华你们的神，因你们的缘故，向那些国所行的一切事，你们亲眼看见了，因那为你们争战的是耶和华你们的神。 所以你们要大大壮胆，谨守遵行写在摩西律法书上的一切话。约书亚又警告以色列人, 当他们继续争战的时候, 要分外谨慎，要爱他们的神, 遵守他的诫命, 还要远离偶像。
??在约书亚记23章14节, 我们读到约书亚说：我现在要走世人必走的路。"约书亚实在是不怕死的一个人。他已经准备好离开这个世界, 因为他知道在他死了以后会怎样。那么, 小朋友们, 你知道你死了以后会去哪儿吗？神的话在希伯来书9章27节说：按著定命, 人人都有一死。这个命是谁定的呢？就是那位创造了世界万有的神。这位又真又活的神, 他不但爱你, 他也知道关于你的每一件事, 包括你什么时候离开这个世界。当你死的时候, 也就是你离开这个世界的时候, 神希望能把你带到那天上的家, 就是天堂。在天堂里没有死亡！那每一个人死了以后都可以去天堂吗？不能。我们, 我和你, 生来就是有罪的, 而在天堂里是不允许罪的存在的。我们在以前的故事里已经讲过什么是罪, 你还记得吗？罪就是违反了神的律法。罪是选择来服侍我们自己, 而不侍奉神。罪是为自己活, 追求自己的快乐, 而不顺服神的命令。 罗马书3章12节说：…没有行善的, 连一个也没有!也就是说你不能凭著做善事, 做好事而上天堂。但神爱你, 他愿意你永远和他在一起。
??虽然我们自己没有去天堂的路, 但神却为我们预备了一条路。那就是他的儿子, 我们的主耶稣基督。耶稣从天上来到这个罪恶的世界, 为我们承担了对罪的惩罚。希伯来书4章15节说：他也曾凡事受过试探，与我们一样；只是他没有犯罪。 5章8-9节说：他虽然为儿子，还是因所受的苦难学了顺从。他既得以完全，就为凡顺从他的人成了永远得救的根源。主耶稣经受了极大的痛苦, 羞辱, 被当作犯人钉在十字架上。但主耶稣爱我们, 他情愿为我们的罪而忍受这一切。主死后第三天, 他复活了, 又回到天上。当你相信主耶稣, 他就会把你从罪的永远惩罚中拯救出来。如果你拥有这个永远的救恩, 当你死的时候, 你知道你将要去的地方就是神的天堂。现在, 当我再问你的时候, 你能告诉我你死了以后会去哪儿了吗？??约书亚知道当他死了以后, 他将要与他所爱, 所侍奉的主永远在一起。但他也要确保他死了以后, 以色列人还会继续爱主, 侍奉主。他说(约书亚记24章14节)：现在你们要敬畏耶和华，诚心实意地事奉他。 若是你们以事奉耶和华为不好，今日就可以选择所要事奉的….至于我和我家，我们必定事奉耶和华。" 约书亚的一生都在侍奉神, 他知道这是值得的。所以, 他也催促以色列人来侍奉神。接下去, 百姓回答约书亚说：我们必事奉耶和华我们的神，听从他的话。 约书亚将这些话都写在神的律法书上, 又将一块大石头立在橡树下耶和华的圣所旁边。 约书亚对百姓说：看哪!这石头可以向我们作见证，因为是听见了耶和华所吩咐我们的一切话，倘或你们背弃你们的神，这石头就可以向你们作见证。
??约书亚, 经过一生在神面前忠心地侍奉, 在一百一十岁的时候就死了。他死了以后去哪儿了呢？他现在在哪儿呢？如果今天约书亚在这里, 他会说什么呢？我想, 就是他在约书亚记24章15节对以色列人所说的话：今日就可以选择所要事奉的….至于我和我家，我们必定事奉耶和华。 |