Now our reading tonight is to be found in Joshua chapter 24. Joshua chapter 24 and we're going to read from verse 14 down to verse 21. Joshua 24 verse 14 down to verse 21. Let us hear God's word. Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in truth. and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt, and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Amen. May God add the blessing to the reading of his precious and holy word. Well, tonight, as we turn again to this series on marriage, family, and friends, and we begin to look tonight at the subject of family, I'd like us just to turn to those words at the end of verse 15. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua, not long before he died, reasons with the people and he presses home that they should faithfully be serving the Lord. And as he does so, he gives them a word of testimony. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. He reasons with them, who are you going to serve? If you think it is not good, if it isn't evil, or if you think it will be displeasing to serve the Lord, who are you going to serve? And then he reasons and gives this testimony. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Just note what he says, verse 15. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve. You choose. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. He and his family will be found serving the Lord. Dear congregation, all that every family would echo those words. Dear brethren, it's a privilege when we can echo those words. But all that every family in this country would be found saying these words, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Sadly, it is not the case. Many have not a concern to serve the Lord, and others though they would be found serving the Lord, other family members do not want to serve the Lord with them. Oh that families would be united in the gospel. Let's again pray for that tonight. Oh that many families would be united as it was for Joshua and his family in serving the Lord. here joshua speaks of his family or we could say his household notice verse 15 but as for me and my house we will serve the lord well i like us to begin tonight to look at the family and then the lord willing on two further occasions and then on the next occasion after that we'll look at the subject of friends to conclude this series but tonight i'd like us to begin to look at the family it's here isn't it but as for me and my house we will serve The Lord. Well, first of all tonight, my family. Secondly, a godly care for the family. And thirdly, a family engaged in the service of God. A family engaged in the service of God. My family, here's Joshua, he's thinking of his family, and so we think of our family. My family, secondly, a godly care for the family. And thirdly, a family engaged in the service of God. Well let's begin then by considering my family. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. He's reasoning with the people and he gives this testimony as he does and he speaks of his family, my house. Now Joshua here is considering all that are in his house, including the servants. But especially he thinks of his family. Now the Hebrew word here, can be translated as house, as we see here, or a palace, a place, but especially the Hebrew word is thinking of a family. Well, we all here belong to a family. It's an obvious thing to say, isn't it? But it's an important thing to say. And why do I say that? Well, because many forget that they are in a family. It's obvious, but it is important to underline. Joshua here thinks of his family. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Now for some in this world, they have been orphaned. A certain friend of mine many years ago out in Africa, he looked out to the orphans, over a hundred of them. and he with others cared for them, and those orphans were blessed by a church family. But let's just think of a family here. Yes, we thought of orphans being blessed by others, but think of the family and your family, but as for me and my house. As we do so, As we think of the family and the extended family we immediately think of those, do we not, that have passed away. Once we enjoyed time with them but now they are gone. On certain occasions of the year there is the empty places around the table. We've all got loved ones who've passed away. We think of the family, and we're thinking of our loved ones, aren't we, and those also who passed away, and their faces we have not seen for a while. However, they are not forgotten, and they remain in our hearts. Joshua thinks of his family, and so do we, and like Joshua, we can think of those who have passed away. But as we think of the family, I'd like us to consider firstly tonight under this first point. It is God that makes the family. It is God that makes the family. Now Joshua here is considering serving the Lord with his family. And he'd be the first to recognize that God had made his family. It's God that makes the family. When you think of our family, it is because of God. Psalm 68 verse 6, we're going to sing these words in a moment. God set up the solitary in families. Where there has been increase in the family, it is because of God. God set up the solitary in families. We're in a family because of God. Oh that everyone would recognize that in this nation. They're in the family because of God. Where there is increase, it is because of God. Now, for some in the providence of God, they have not been able to have children of their own. The other week, I was at a funeral service of my auntie, and I met there some of my cousins. And I was talking to one of them, and she's not been able to have children of her own. And I know it's not easy for her. However, having considered this, we have families today in this world because of God. There are families here upon earth because of the Creator. And consider this tonight, you were all given. You were all given. Now I know I caused my mum somewhat bother, but I was given, given by the Lord. It's because of the Lord there are families. You remember what Jacob said to Esau at their reunion, when he saw the children? This is what Jacob said, the children which God have graciously given thy servant. Genesis 33 verse five, which God have given. Matthew Henry wrote, he, that is God, is the founder of them, that is the family. And in another place he wrote, he must be acknowledged in the building up of our families. God is to be acknowledged. And we are in families, aren't we? And we acknowledge God. Yes, there may be difficulties in the family. There may be heartache, but still the family ought to acknowledge God. And then one may feel lonely in a family, but still let them acknowledge God. As we think of this subject of the family, we ought to acknowledge God. We are all in a family because of God. Now remember, God made man. and Adam and Eve were married and they were given a son called Cain. And we read this in Genesis 4 verse 1. And Adam knew his wife, knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bare Cain and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. I have gotten a man from the Lord. She acknowledged the Lord. God is to be acknowledged. However, so many families do not acknowledge God. As in many a marriage, so in many a family, God is not considered. Now we have witnessed an attack on marriage. We've also witnessed an attack on the family. And one of the reasons is this, it's God has been forgotten. God who is the founder of families is ignored. That's one of the reasons, isn't it? What has been an attack on the family and upon marriage, Because God the institutor of marriage has been ignored and God the founder of families have been ignored. Many couples live without considering him and so many families, and it burdens us doesn't it, in this country, more and more families are living without calling upon the name of the Lord. It's the sad reality. Oh this is a vital subject. Oh that every family in this country will call upon the Lord and seek Him. Many families do not. And we're seeing families break down. We must pray for marriages, we must also pray for the family, what is happening in our society, things that are deteriorating at an alarming rate, what we have witnessed and what is proposed for children. Oh, that many would seek the Lord. Oh, there would be a great concern to turn to the Lord who is the founder of the family. Oh, for many to be blessed. Oh, for many to be able to say, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. You know, there's some who are converted in the family. Oh, they just so want to say it. Oh, that they would have the joy yet of saying it, that their whole family is united in the gospel and serving the Lord. Now, before we move on, consider the spiritual family of which, dear brethren, we are privileged to be in. We're all in a family, aren't we? A natural family. But consider, dear brethren, we are in a spiritual family. the same family that Joshua was in. Joshua was a man of faith, so we are in a blessed family. Through the act of God's free grace, we were adopted into the family of God. How wonderful is this special adoption. What grace is displayed. The Puritan Thomas Watson wrote, adoption is a mercy spun out of the bowels of free grace. It's a free grace. We were not adopted because the Lord saw something good in us. No! It was of His free grace. we were adopted because of God's grace and through Christ's righteousness that being the meritorious cause Galatians 4 verse 4 and verse 5 and because of him we were given the privilege of being the sons of God or the children of God John 1 verse 12 but as many as received him to them gave he the power or the privilege or the right to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name what grace is displayed and what a blessed redeemer who has brought it about and given us the privilege because of him and as you think again tonight dear brethren we're in a wonderful family The family of God is because of God, and it's because of our elder brother, the Lord Jesus Christ. When faith was put within our hearts, we were found in the family. Faith may have appeared small to some, and we may have had our doubts, but when faith was put within, we were in a special family and blessed by God. Dear brethren, we're in the household. Ephesians 2 verse 19, Now therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. The household of God, and what a household it is. What a vast house it is, dear brethren. And if you think of the family, the blessed family we are in, we have a heavenly father, whom we address through the Holy Spirit as Abba, Father, Romans 8 verse 15. How blessed we are, we come to a time of prayer later and we can address God, He who is so holy, infinitely holy, so great as our Father. What a blessing, dear brethren, to address Him as our Father. Often those words, read or recited our father which art in heaven people know those words off by heart what a blessing to know the reality and to know the heavenly father dear brethren just think of him tonight you're in the family and he is your heavenly father through the holy spirit you can say our father we have a heavenly father whom we address as Abba Father through the Holy Spirit, and we have a wonderful elder brother. Song of Solomon 8 verse 1. See that Christ there is your elder brother. A wonderful elder brother who is not ashamed to call us brethren. Brethren, others may pass us by. Others may despise us. But Christ our elder brother is not ashamed to call you and me brethren. Think of Joshua, he's thinking of his family and he wasn't ashamed of them. Think of Christ the Lord Jesus, he's not ashamed of us. Hebrews 2 verse 11 and 12 for both he that sanctified and they who are sanctified are all of one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I would declare thy name unto my brethren. In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. He's not ashamed. He knows everything about me. There's no secret place in my heart before the Lord. We can keep secrets from others, but we cannot keep one secret from the Lord. He knows everything. He knows all our sin. But he's not ashamed to call you and me brethren. He's looking on us now. There are my brethren. And I am in the midst of them. And I will lead the singing. I will declare thy name unto my brethren. In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. There's the Lord, he's in the midst. And through his Spirit, the Holy Spirit, he makes known more and more the heavenly Father. Dear brethren, take comfort. He's not ashamed of you. He's not ashamed to call you brethren. Yes, at times he gets grieved. but he's not ashamed to call us brethren. What a family we are in. Oh, what a heavenly father we have. Oh, what an elder brother is alongside us. We're so privileged, aren't we? At times one may feel lonely. Oh, for them to remember their elder brother is with them. Dear brethren, we are a blessed people. We are the children of God. And as we think of that, we acknowledge God, don't we? As every natural family should acknowledge God, for he is the giver of the family, we dear brethren, we will acknowledge him again and again, that we are in the family, that we have been received into the number. We acknowledge him. We call upon Him, we address Him as our Heavenly Father, and we praise Him, and we admire His love. 1 John 3 verse 1, Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. Behold, just consider it, see it tonight, what love. He adopted us because of His free grace. He did not see anything good in us to adopt us. No, it was of His free grace, what love. What manner of love He hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. What love that we are called the sons of God, that we are in His family. Dear brethren, you were given faith. You're in the family. What love has been displayed to you. How God must so love us that we are found in His family. Now Joshua is in this special family, this family who know the Heavenly Father and so are we dear brethren. Well Joshua here thinks of his natural family. He would be found thinking of his spiritual family as well, but in the first place, he thinks of his natural family. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. But let's just go a step further before we move on to brethren, we're in the spiritual family, and we collectively say together, we will serve the Lord. As for me and my house, my family, my brethren, we will serve the Lord. Well, let's move on and consider secondly tonight. A godly care for the family. A godly care for the family. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Now you note here, he speaks on behalf of the family or the house. He was the head. He was the head over this house or over this family. And being head, he had an influence under God over that. He knew them. And in the remaining time that he had, he would seek to further lead them. And he would encourage them to serve the Lord alongside him. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. He had an influence. He had and he would continue. He had a care for them, that they would be found serving the Lord. He thinks of his family. And he had a particular care for them. They were under his eye and care. But as for me and my house, he turns to think of the family. And he has such a godly care for his family. And dear brethren, that's how it ought to be. Heads of families have a special responsibility. Do you know we see that here? But as for me and my house, Joshua's a head, he's a leader, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. He's sought to instruct them so far. He's had a concern for them, and he's got a concern for them in the future. He has this godly care. Heads of families have a special responsibility. They are to have a special care to do that which is right. to seek to influence the house for good. Let's be known for this. You think of those words that was said of Abraham in Genesis 18 verse 19, for I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him, for I know him. Abraham was known to the Lord as one who would seek to so lead in a right way, having a godly care of the household. Heads of families are to be known for such, having a godly care, seeking to lead in a right way. Brings us to consider the father, doesn't it? The father is to have a godly concern for those under his eye and care. If there's servants in the household, we don't just limit it to the family, the natural family. If there's servants in the household, the leader, the father, to have a concern with them as well, to teach them that which is right, a godly care. Now there is no perfect father, and I begin with myself, and I am fully aware of my shortcomings. However, I do have a concern. and all that every head of family, every father in this country and in this world would have a concern, a godly concern over their family. Particularly for the well-being of the soul. Ephesians 6 verse 4 the Apostle wrote, And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Bring them up, see that godly concern? Joshua had a godly concern. Paul encourages it. Ye fathers, bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Let the scriptures be read. Let the family be gathered for prayer. Let them be taught. John Gill, commenting on those words in Ephesians 6, wrote, the example of Abraham is worthy of imitation, Genesis 18 verse 19. And the advice of the wise man deserves attention, Proverbs 22 verse 6. Oh, for a godly concern, for a godly father. However, how many families in this country do not have a godly heart? Now we thought of the father particularly here because we're thinking of Joshua. But let's consider the mother as well, as we think of a godly care of the family. Think of the godly mother's care. Remember those words in Proverbs 31 verse 27. She looketh well to the weight of our household and eateth not the bread of idleness. She is busy in a good cause. Buying clothes. We know there in those days, we'd be particularly making clothes, but yes, clothes can be made today, but we can particularly think today of buying clothes. She's busy choosing the food and cooking. I know my children are so pleased that it's their mother that does that and not me. Busy with those things. She's concerned about the temporal well-being, that they are fed and clothed. It's a godly concern. 1 Timothy 5 verse 14, Paul writes to young woman, guide the house. He's giving advice there, that have a godly concern in the temporal things, but then also in the spiritual things. A godly concern for the spiritual well-being of the children. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 1 verse 7, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother. For they should be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and change about thy neck. Think of the head, the head of the family, the father, but we consider there the mother as well. Together, serving the Lord, that's how it ought to be, having a godly concern over those that are in the family, particularly the children if they have been given children. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother. I can remember many things my father told me, and times when we were gathered for family worship, particularly in the evening, and at the weekend, and on the Lord's Day particularly. But oh, I remember my mother's instruction often. Often she would read and pray with me. She had a concern there of the mother. Forsake not the law of thy mother. There is the godly mother there in Proverbs. She fears the Lord. The Puritan William Gouge wrote, whereby he implied that mothers should teach their children especially when they are young. My son, hear the instruction of thy father and forsake not the law of thy mother. The godly concern. Go over to the New Testament. 2 Timothy 1 verse 5, Paul wrote this to Timothy. When I call to remembrance the unfamed faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Louis, and thy mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also. Having that in mind, remember those words in 2 Timothy 3 verse 15, and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation. Now Timothy's mother was a Jew and a believer. Acts 16 verse 1. And she taught diligently the scriptures to young Timothy. That concern there. Consider also the godly grandmother. Paul thinks of Timothy's grandmother there. Which dwelt first in thy grandmother Louis and thy mother Eunice. Extended family. Others, grandparents. We could say even further, great-grandparents. Other brothers and sisters having a godly concern. Blessed is the family where the father has a concern, where the mother has a care, and the wider family. Now particularly heads of families like Joshua are to have such a godly care But let us all, dear brethren, have a concern for the good of families, of other families, and families outside and in this country. We have a concern, do we not? We see what's happening. We see the attack on marriage, and we're concerned, and we have a care. We see the attack on the family, and we're concerned, and do not we have a godly care? Our hearts are pulled, aren't they? Our hearts are moved at what we see in this country. We have a concern. Well, consider here the care for the family, where Joshua had this care, and he was an influence for good, he could say, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. It had been his concern, his care, and it would be to his dying day, and dear brethren, is that not our desire? To our dying day, we are concerned for the family, our own family, and for the families of others. We're thirdly and finally tonight, as we draw to a close, a family engaged in the service of God. A family engaged in the service of God. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. We will. Now note the response of the people, verse 16. And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods. And they speak on, and then Joshua says in verse 19, you cannot serve the Lord. For he is a holy God, he is a jealous God, he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt and consume you after that he had done you good. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay, but we will serve the Lord. Joshua's reasoning again, God is so holy, how can you? but they humbly desire, they will serve the Lord. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua would serve the Lord, and so would his family, and as we see later in the chapter, so would the people. We will serve the Lord. Now the Hebrew word, Obad, Translated to Serb here means to work, to labour, to do service, to be a worshipper. And we're thinking here that Joshua considers that religion is his delight and the delight of his family. Dear brethren, it's not always the case, is it? Not always to the whole family gather for family worship. Or for families to be complete in the gospel. That's our prayer, isn't it? Many a father and a mother have wept over their children. Oh, that there would be tears of joy hearing a testimony of conversion. The children would gather Oh, that more and more children will be able to say to their godly parents up and down this country along with Ruth, thy people shall be my people. And thy God, my God, I'm going with you and the people of God. And I'm following now thy God. Oh, let's pray for that tonight. That many young people like Ruth of old would turn to the true and living God and make certain ones in the family happy. As for me and my house, all of many young people would be found saying, as they are given families, if it's the Lord's providence. Dear brethren, do not we echo these words tonight. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Maybe somebody, their family's not complete, we've all got loved ones in the wider family who aren't saved. It's our desire to serve the Lord and to pray for them and to witness to them. It's our longing to see them come with us to Zion, that they might be able to join with us. But as for me in my house, we will serve the Lord. We will. I as an individual, and those who love the Lord with me, we will serve the Lord. We will seek to follow His way, to keep His commandments, to fear Him each and every day, making religion our delight. Oh, for this holy affection within the heart, this godly fear to be exercised. We will work for our gracious God. We will toil for our master. We will say to the Lord again and again, here am I, send me, because we will serve the Lord. I will serve him. I will seek to act for his glory. I will seek to do my best for him. I will seek to put him first in my life. We will serve the Lord. We will seek to live for Him all our days with such a holy affection in our hearts, religion being our delight. We will serve the Lord. Dear brothers and sisters, it's alright isn't it? We know these words so well and they come home to our hearts and we respond, we will serve the Lord. Now in this chapter the covenant is renewed. It's a blessing for churches to have covenants, isn't it? And we're thankful for our covenant. We can renew the covenant. And as we think of the covenant, are we not renewing that covenant with an eye to serving the Lord again through another year or through another six-month period? The covenant here is renewed, this covenant that had been made, we will serve the Lord. Verse 21, but we will serve the Lord. And Joshua said unto the people, ye are witnesses against yourselves, that ye have chosen you, the Lord, ye have chosen you, the Lord, to serve him. And they said, we are witnesses. renewed a solemn covenant yes we're going to serve the Lord and we do do we not dear brethren we hear these words and we humbly say we will serve the Lord I will live for him forever I will seek each and every day to worship him we will serve the Lord And this brings us to the subject of family worship, doesn't it? But as for me and my husband, we will serve the Lord. We're going to look at this in more detail next week. Worshipping the Lord as families. Let the families gather for family worship. And let the sweet psalmody be heard in our homes. Psalm 118, verse 15. The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous. The right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. The voice is heard. A number of years ago in Scotland, in certain seasons of blessings, you could hear the singing in the homes of the people. Oh, for a day again, when you walk through the village and you listen to people singing, and not just around the corner here, but down the whole village. Oh, for the Lord's days to go silent. What do I mean? The shops are closed and you hear the singing in the morning before public worship. And then you hear the singing in the families in the middle of the day. And as the day goes through, Oh, that singing would be heard again in our families, in this nation. The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous. Couples, families, praising the Lord. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. that families praise the Lord in the home and then in the public place. We sang those words in Psalm 122. I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord. Verse four, wherever the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. I was glad others said it to me. Are we not thankful for those in the family who encourage us to worship the Lord? We will serve the Lord. But in closing, dear brethren, we are a church family. We considered earlier tonight the spiritual family. Dear brethren, are we not blessed that we are in the spiritual family? Christ is our elder brother and he is not ashamed to call us brethren. Will we respond tonight before the Lord as for me in my house? We will serve the Lord. We will serve the Lord. It is our desire. It's in our hearts, isn't it? As a people here and it's our joy to live and be spent for him and to worship him. This is our resolve. We will serve the Lord. Now knowing our weakness, we are but men, we ask the Lord to help us. We ask the Lord, even afresh tonight, to look down on our hearts and see the desire within and help us to serve the Lord. It's our desire, it's our resolve, we want to serve him. We need thy help Lord, we say to him. We will serve the Lord. We may be a small congregation, but we have an elder brother with us who's not ashamed of us here. We will serve him. We will serve the Lord. May the Lord bless many a family. And may the Lord continue to bless the spiritual church family here in this place. Let's remember, dear brethren, we have a glorious and a great heavenly father, and we have a most precious elder brother who's in the midst of us. What a blessing to be in a family. But I say further tonight, what a blessing to be in God's family. and to be able to say together with Joshua tonight, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. There'll be storms, there'll be difficulties, discouragements, there'll be attacks, but we will serve the Lord. The Lord has a family in this place, and the family is ready to serve him.