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Joshua 24:15
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.

Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Life has been defined as the sum total of all of a person's choices. From the cradle to the grave, we are faced with many important decisions--the choice of friends, the choice of a career, the choice of a college, and a thousand other things. No, we don't choose to be born or who our parents will be. We don't choose to die; nor do we choose the circumstances of our death. But as Joseph Epstein stated: "We do choose how we will live: courageously or in cowardice, honorably or dishonorably, with purpose or adrift.

•	We decide what is important and what is trivial in life
•	We decide what makes us significant is either what we do or what we refuse to do
•	We decide - We choose
•	As we decide and choose, so are our lives formed
•	We make our choices and then our choices make us
•	Our choices produce acts which produce character
•	Character eventually becomes permanent

Today we are going to consider life's greatest choice. As important as the choice of vocation - education, even the choice of a mate may be, none of these are the greatest choice of all. Life's greatest choice has to do with our relationship with God. That choice is made first of all when you come to grips with one question:

"What will you do with Jesus who is called the Christ?"

This is life's greatest choice because it doesn't just affect us in this lifetime -- it affects us for eternity. I want you to notice some things about this choice. First, it is a choice every person has to make. The verb "choose" is an imperative. It is a command that cannot be avoided. Remember that Joshua was a military commander. He was accustomed to giving orders and having people respond immediately. In this passage of scripture, he is not making a request that the people can accept or reject. He is giving an order. They have no choice at this particular time but to choose. They must decide.

The people of Israel were required to make a choice. They were summoned to Joshua and he recited for them the history of God's dealing with them beginning with Abraham and continuing through the bondage of Egypt - the Exodus with its trials and set-backs - and to that very moment. God had blessed them - guided them - protected them - provided for them. Now the ball was in their court. How would they choose in reference to God?

Joshua set a clear Mandate before them, saying,

VS. 14-15 -- "NOW, THEREFORE, FEAR THE LORD AND SERVE HIM IN SINCERITY AND TRUTH; AND PUT AWAY THE GODS WHICH YOUR FATHERS SERVED BEYOND THE RIVER AND IN EGYPT, AND SERVE THE LORD. AND IF IT IS DISAGREEABLE IN YOUR SIGHT TO SERVE THE LORD, CHOOSE FOR YOURSELVES TODAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE: WHETHER THE GODS WHICH YOUR FATHERS SERVED WHICH WERE BEYOND THE RIVER, OR THE GODS OF THE AMORITES IN WHOSE LAND YOU ARE LIVING: BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD."

As Joshua's life was coming to an end, Joshua very methodically showed the people of Israel the only possible choices they could make in their relationship with God and the inevitable consequences of those choices. You see, Joshua didn't have the right or the authority to decide for everyone in Israel. But notice with me, when it came to his family, Joshua offered no choice. He had made the decision -

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

•	People are free and able to make choices. God so ordained it. He did not pre-program us.
•	People have a responsibility to choose. God will hold us accountable to make intelligent, informed decisions.
•	People will inevitably make choices. We can't escape it. No matter which direction we decide to go - we have made some choice in the matter

Christian Author - Max Lucado wrote:

because of Calvary, I'm free to choose.

•	I choose love - no occasion justifies hatred
•	I choose joy - I will invite God to be the God of circumstances
•	I choose peace - I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live
•	I choose patience - I will overlook the inconveniences of the world
•	I choose kindness - I will be kind even to those unkind to me
•	I choose goodness - I will go without a dollar before I'll take a dishonest one
•	I will be overlooked before I will boast
•	I will confess before I accuse
•	I choose faithfulness - today I will keep my promises
•	My debtors will not regret their trust
•	My associates will not question my word
•	My wife will not question my love
•	I choose gentleness - nothing is won by force
•	I choose to be gentle
•	I choose self-control

Joshua next calls for an exclusive choice. Consider once again what Joshua presents to the Israelites -

"PUT AWAY THE GODS YOUR FATHERS SERVED, BUT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SERVE THE LORD, CHOOSE WHETHER YOU WILL SERVE THE GODS BEYOND THE RIVER OR THE AMORITE GODS."

He was not suggesting that they could serve Jehovah and other gods. It is either the one true God Jehovah or the gods of the heathen! "Either - or", not both. This exclusive choice can be found all throughout the Bible.

•  Elijah called for such a decision on Mt. Carmel -

I KINGS 18:21
"AND ELIJAH CAME UNTO ALL THE PEOPLE, AND SAID, HOW LONG HALT YE BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS? IF THE LORD BE GOD, FOLLOW HIM: BUT IF BAAL, THAN FOLLOW HIM, AND THE PEOPLE ANSWERED HIM NOT A WORD."

He called for an "either - or" choice, an exclusive choice.

•  Jesus called for an "either - or" choice -

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."

He called for an "either - or" choice, an exclusive choice.

We all make exclusive, "either - or" choices.

•	We will either be truthful or we will be dishonest
•	We will either be generous or we will be selfish
•	We will either be dependable or we will be unreliable
•	We will either work for a living or we will try to live off of society
•	We will either be faithful in our marriage covenant or we will be adulterous
•	We will either serve Jesus or we will not!
•

We must: SEIZE TODAY

Joshua also expresses the urgency of the call. "Choose you this day." Can you hear the urgency in that Proclamation! You don't have time to wait until tomorrow - next week - next Sunday - Christmas Sunday - Easter - or Mother's Day. You must make a decision today.

SEIZE TODAY

1 Timothy 6:12

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Hebrews 6:18

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Jacob wrestling with the angel of the Lord would not let him go.

Jesus said, "No man having once put his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 11:12

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.