When I first became the pastor at South Park Presbyterian Church in Charleston, WV, I knew we had some really hard choices to make in moving forward. This was the church that had 5 people in it on my first Sunday as their pastor. In our very early conversations, we had to choose if we would live or die. In order to die, we would have begun the process of care, celebrating the life and mission of the congregation, and prepared to close the doors in a way that gave glory to God. In order to live, we would have to take chances, make changes, and embrace what would happen. But I learned something in this process that has changed my perspective on how ministries grow. In order to live, we have to accept death as an option. You see, the South Park church had voted the year before I arrived to close their doors during a merger conversation. They were already prepared to die, meaning celebrate their ministry of 60 years and close the doors of their church.  When the merger conversation fell through, their doors stayed open, and they weren’t sure what would happen next. Then for some crazy reason, they chose to call me to be their pastor. The process I learned and understood was the importance of accepting death before being able to truly experience transformation and growth. In the same that the resurrection is the turning point for growth in the first church, death must happen before something new, exciting, transforming can happen.  

All of this involves making a choice. We need to choose to die, so that we can choose to live. Crazy, right? Well, it’s been over 12 years since the South Park Church chose to die. And it has been over 10 years since they have been living into being the church in their community. This church has transformed themselves and their community in ways that were completely unimaginable 12 years ago. But because they made two really hard choices, their faith has strengthened and God has been made known over and over again.  

One of the things I shared last week was the following, “If the change inside the church isn’t equal to or greater than the change outside our walls, greater irrelevance is inevitable.” South Park took that seriously. One of the things they were experiencing was a congregation getting older and a surrounding community getting younger. Another was that people in the congregation had more than enough, but the surrounding community was barely getting by. And lastly, they experience community within the walls of the church, but the surrounding community was broken, hurting, and falling apart. So, they made a choice. They chose to minister to the children in the community. And their choice has allowed for the surrounding community to experience other generations, gain more of the basic needs, and experience more healing with those gathered together on Sunday morning. Choices have impacted that ability for transformation and moving forward in every way.  

Some choices in life are easy, while others are hard. Some are fruitful, while others are discouraging. Choices impact every aspect of our lives, every day of our lives. If we think back just to our new year’s resolutions, if we have hope to lose weight this year, then we have to make a choice to eat differently, exercise more, stress less, and love more. Because those things are all connected. My brother-in-law shared this story about his mama over Christmas. Mrs. Edna had decided it was time to lose some weight. So she decided to drink the slimfast shakes. After a couple weeks, she called Albert and said she wasn’t loosing any weight. He asked her what she was eating. She had I have a slimfast with my bacon and eggs and toast for breakfast; I have a slimfast with my lunch and my dinner. Albert told his mama that in order to lose weight, she was suppose to just drink the slimfast…not have it with her meals. Mrs. Edna chose to stop drinking the slimfast and just to eat her regular meals. It was too hard to only have a drink as a meal. So, her choice led her to not loosing weight or changing any habits. We also know that many choices we made when we were younger impact us still today. Our choices impact us in the ways we are able to not able to live our lives today.  

The people of Israel were faced with challenges too. They had many different things happen to them in their lives and they were constantly paying the consequences for their choices. Our scripture lesson for today is about choices. But more importantly it is about faith and commitment. The book of Joshua picks up after Moses had died and authority to lead the people has been given to Joshua. God chose Joshua to lead the people into the promised land. Throughout this book, there is tension between what God expects from the people and what the people are able to do. There are many wars and fights that show the people the power of God and how they will succeed in what is to come. Sometimes they listen, other times they don’t. Just like all of God’s children! As we listen to the scripture, I am going to add a few comments during the reading for greater clarification on the importance of choices.  

“Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God.” 

At the end of the book of Joshua, the people receive a summary of everything God has done. Shechem was the religious center and the place of covenant renewal. It is why they presented themselves before the Lord. After folks present themselves, the chapter continues with a little historical credo that sums up the record of God’s mighty acts for the chosen people. This chapter serves as a brief statement of faith to be used in connection with covenant renewal. After the historical credo that Joshua shares, he continues with these words.  

14 “Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” 

As soon as the history memory is shared, Joshua tells the people they have to make a choice. They can choose to serve the Lord. Or they can choose to serve the gods of their ancestors. When the word serve is used it is a direct correlation with worship. And worship involved everything in their lives. Not only is Joshua asking the people to make a choice on who they will worship and serve, Joshua is asking them to worship and serve the Lord with sincerity and in faithfulness. And as Joshua is asking for the people to make a choice, he tells them the choice his family has made. “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”  

16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; 17 for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; 18 and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.” 

After Joshua has made this declaration, the people gathered respond by remembering the history, thinking back to their time of slavery for their ancestors, and acknowledging God’s provisions. The people make the choice to serve the Lord and claim the Lord as their God.  

19 But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.”  

But Joshua challenges the people in their choice. Joshua knows what they have said and done. Their words and deeds aren’t matching up with their choices. Joshua is reminding the people of the importance of their choice to be sincere and faithful…and if they don’t there are consequences for them. Joshua is almost playing devils advocate here. The decision they are about to make is a huge decision.    

21 And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the Lord!”  

I can almost hear their response. It is like the persistent 2-year-old that says No! It is the persistence of a teenager who has made up their mind. It is said with energy, force, and total conviction.   

22 Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him. And they said, “We are witnesses.”   

Joshua then reinforces the new covenant the people are making, the new choice they are making to serve the Lord. Those gathered, all the tribes of Israel, and the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. They had presented themselves to the Lord. They are witnesses to one another about the covenant they are choosing.  

23 He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 24 The people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey.” 

Joshua and those gathered made the choice to serve and worship the Lord, not the foreign gods. Joshua makes one final emphasis with the people…“Incline your hearts to the Lord.” Joshua is reminding the people of the importance of faith and commitment, that they are the ones making the covenant renewal and that God is the one that covenant is with. The people respond to their choice by affirming that they will obey.  

Friends, what choices are you facing today? What choices are you facing that challenge you to change? Are the choices that are being made healthy or harmful? Is there are choice that you need to make in order to be transformed fully into the real you? Are you in a place where you are ready to let the old you die and let the new you be transformed? What do you need to let go of to move forward? All of this reminds we of this verse from 2 Corinthians 5:17:  

“17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” And we remember that all things are possible with God.  

As we think about this year, what choices is God leading you to make that will change you in ways you need, but might not know you need? As a congregation, what choices is God leading us to make that will challenge us to grow in ways we can’t even imagine? As we face decisions each and every day, are the choices we make bringing new life and energy to our families, our friends, our faith community, and our community at large? Or are the choices we are making, detrimental to those around?  

Joshua shares, “as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” I invite you to turn to your neighbor and share with them the ways you feel you are choosing to serve the Lord and how that impacts you and those around you.