Choose Your Legacy: Joshua's Call to Serve the Lord

Devotional

Day 1: Altars at Shechem: Choosing Your Covenant Ground

The same patch of earth where Abraham first heard God’s promise became a place of decision for Jacob and later Joshua. Shechem’s valley held altars built by generations who chose to stake their lives on God’s covenant. These stones weren’t monuments to past victories but markers of present surrender. Every believer stands in such valleys, where blessings and curses echo from mountainsides, demanding a response. Legacy begins when we build our own "altar" here, now, in the dirt of our daily choices. [33:14]

“Abram traveled through the land to the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’ So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.”
(Genesis 12:6-7, ESV)

Reflection: What “altar” have you built recently—a habit, relationship, or commitment—that visibly marks your choice to follow God? How might it guide those who come after you?

Day 2: Breaking Chains, Building Stones: When Legacy Requires Fight

Jacob bought land at Shechem after reconciling with Esau, breaking a cycle of deception. Centuries later, Joshua buried Joseph’s bones on that same plot, closing a loop of slavery and redemption. Legacy isn’t inherited passively; it’s seized through gritty obedience. Every generation faces its own Labans and Pharaohs—entrenched patterns demanding courage to disrupt. New stones of faithfulness are laid only when we wrestle free from old shackles. [01:00:46]

“Then Joshua said to the people, ‘…Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.’”
(Joshua 24:14-15, ESV)

Reflection: What generational chain have you been called to break? What “stone” of intentional obedience can you set in its place today?

Day 3: The Law’s Curse, Christ’s Cure: Grace Carved in Stone

At Shechem, Israel recited blessings and curses, a cycle no one could sustain. Centuries later, Paul would declare Christ became the curse so we might inherit Abraham’s blessing. The same valley where law once exposed failure now points to the cross. Our legacy isn’t built on perfect compliance but on Christ’s finished work—a grace so costly it redefines every altar. [54:37]

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us… He redeemed us so that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.”
(Galatians 3:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you been striving to earn a blessing God already secured for you? How does Christ’s cross free you to leave a legacy of grace, not guilt?

Day 4: Shortsighted Altars vs. Eternal Inheritance

Modern culture worships the immediate—the quick fix, the viral moment. But Shechem’s stones remind us: legacy thrives where we plant trees we’ll never sit under. Every choice to pray, repent, or serve in obscurity lays bricks in a spiritual house outlasting empires. The enemy whispers, “Live for now,” but the faithful dig foundations for eternity. [58:04]

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.”
(1 Peter 1:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: What daily decision feels insignificant but might actually be shaping an eternal inheritance? How does this truth reframe your view of “ordinary” obedience?

Day 5: “As For Me and My House”: A Declaration Carved in Time

Joshua’s final words at Shechem weren’t a sermon—they were a battle cry. Surrounded by the bones of Joseph and the altars of patriarchs, he forced Israel to choose. Legacy isn’t a family tree; it’s a line drawn in the sand. Every “as for me” moment—a parent praying, a worker honoring Christ, a friend forgiving—etches a line others can step across. [01:05:34]

“Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua… Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land Jacob had bought.”
(Joshua 24:31-32, ESV)

Reflection: What “line in the sand” have you avoided drawing? How might declaring it today shift your legacy—and someone else’s future?

Sermon Summary

God’s covenant drives the story. God meets Abram at Shechem, promises a land to his offspring, and receives an altar as Abram believes before there is any outward proof. The place matters because Shechem becomes a kind of meeting ground where promise, worship, and decision collide, a spot the text keeps circling back to across generations.

Abraham’s obedience sets a path, but Jacob’s journey shows that grace keeps pulling the family back to God’s word. Jacob, spared from Esau, arrives safely at Shechem, buys a plot, and names an altar El Elohe Israel, signaling that the God who spoke to his grandfather is still writing the story in the same place. Moses then hands Israel clear directions before his death: cross the Jordan, set up stones, build an altar on Mount Ebal, read the law, and place blessing on Gerizim and curse on Ebal. The geography becomes a classroom for the heart.

Joshua honors that charge. The ark stands in the valley, the people split across the two slopes, and blessing and curse are read aloud. The scene puts responsibility on living shoulders. Legacy is now. Faithfulness and obedience cannot be transferred; the choice sits with those who are breathing. The law is heavy and exacting, and Shechem’s liturgy of blessing and curse exposes the need for mercy.

The new covenant answers that need. Jeremiah’s promise that God will write the law on hearts comes alive in Jesus, who lifts the cup and says, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood.” Christ bears the curse to give Abraham’s blessing to the nations. Grace, not self-rescue, brings sinners into the true promised land of fellowship with the Father. Faith receives what works can never earn.

The call to choose still stands. Shortsighted living drains conviction, but Shechem’s valley summons patience, repentance, and daily faith. Chain breaking is real but costly; opposition comes, yet Christ has overcome the world. Joshua models how to finish: gather at Shechem, throw away the old gods, and choose this day whom to serve. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Israel serves through his lifetime, Joseph’s bones rest at Shechem, and a worthy legacy takes root. Communion, like those stones, becomes a present-tense altar of remembrance where hearts renew covenant loyalty and decide again to serve the Lord.

Key Takeaways

1. Legacy is chosen, not fated The story insists that background is not a prison. God situates people inside a larger history, but present obedience sets the trajectory. Even a painful inheritance can become a launchpad for a new path of faithfulness. A life can decide, today, what gets handed forward. [30:45]
2. Faithfulness cannot be inherited Spiritual capital does not transfer like property. God calls living people to living trust, not borrowed credentials. Honoring godly forebears means building upon their foundation with present-tense obedience. The decision to serve the Lord lands on each person’s heart. [48:57]
3. The law exposes, Christ redeems Shechem’s blessings and curses teach that the law is good and weighty, but it also unmasks inability. Christ steps under the curse to give Abraham’s blessing to Jew and Gentile alike. Grace resets the covenant on the ground of Christ’s finished work, received by faith. [54:13]
4. Stand in Shechem and choose today The valley scene places God’s promises, warnings, and people face to face. That same clarity presses on modern hearts: competing allegiances must be thrown away. Decision is not theoretical but practical, embodied in worship, repentance, and loyal service. [65:07]
5. Remember with stones and supper God gives tangible reminders because hearts forget. Altars, inscribed stones, and the Communion cup fix memory to mercy so faith can endure in the grind. Regular remembrance keeps grace present, softens pride, and turns repentance into a steady rhythm. [68:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[27:42] - Joshua’s call and bold leadership
[28:55] - What legacy really means
[32:09] - Abraham meets God at Shechem
[36:01] - Jacob returns and buys the plot
[37:30] - Moses’ last directions for the land
[41:25] - Stones, altar, and clear remembrance
[42:59] - Blessings and curses in the valley
[49:42] - Promise of a new covenant
[51:19] - The cup of the new covenant
[54:13] - The law pointing to Jesus
[55:35] - Saved by grace through faith
[58:50] - Choosing faithfulness over shortcuts
[65:34] - Choose this day whom you will serve
[68:09] - Communion as covenant remembrance

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV)
“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Observation Questions

In Joshua 24:15, what specific choice does Joshua present to the people, and what two alternatives does he contrast?
The sermon highlights Shechem as a recurring location where covenants were renewed (Genesis 12:6-7, Genesis 33:18-20, Joshua 8:33). What actions did Abram, Jacob, and Joshua take at Shechem to mark their commitment to God?
According to the sermon, why did Moses instruct Israel to set up stones and an altar at Mount Ebal (Deuteronomy 27:4-8)? [41:25]
How does Jeremiah 31:33-34 describe the difference between the old covenant and the new covenant?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think God repeatedly used physical locations like Shechem, altars, and stones to reinforce His covenant with His people? What might this teach us about human nature?
The sermon states, “Faithfulness and obedience cannot be transferred” [48:57]. How does this idea challenge common assumptions about spiritual inheritance (e.g., relying on a family’s faith tradition)?
Joshua 24:14 commands Israel to “put away the gods your fathers served.” Why might clinging to past idols (literal or metaphorical) hinder a person’s ability to choose a new legacy?
How does the tension between “blessings and curses” at Shechem (Deuteronomy 11:26-28) ultimately point to humanity’s need for Christ’s redemption? [54:13]

Application Questions

Joshua declared, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” What specific, practical step could you take this week to intentionally shape the spiritual legacy of your household or relationships?
The sermon emphasizes that “legacy is chosen, not fated” [30:45]. What is one area of your life (habits, attitudes, priorities) where you need to break a negative cycle to create a new legacy for others to build on?
Communion is described as a “present-tense altar of remembrance” [01:08:30]. How could you incorporate regular moments of reflection or repentance into your routine to keep God’s faithfulness fresh in your mind?
The sermon warns against “worship[ing] at the altar of shortsightedness” [58:04]. Where are you most tempted to prioritize immediate gratification over long-term faithfulness? What would it look like to resist that temptation today?
Jacob built an altar at Shechem to mark God’s faithfulness (Genesis 33:20). What “stone of remembrance” (e.g., journaling, prayer rituals, shared traditions) could you establish to remind yourself or others of God’s work in your life?
The sermon challenges, “Breaking chains through God’s strength is painful but worth it” [01:00:46]. What unresolved pain or generational struggle do you need to bring before God for healing, and who could support you in this process?

Sermon Clips

48s

#FaithBeyondNow

“``One of the great lies of the enemy is to convince us that right now is all that matters. Right now, this moment. But here's what I've learned myself. When we worship at the altar of shortsightedness, we lose all point of reference for where god has brought those before us and where he wants to take us. We lose all sense of conviction and grounding because we're shortsighted. All we can see is here and now, and we lose sight of the future reward, the future peace, and everlasting life. We lose sight of it. Delayed gratification in our culture is a curse word.”

39s

#GraceThroughJesus

“``the curse. The new covenant of Jesus is by faith through his grace. Salvation, rescue, redemption is found in no other name but the name of Jesus, king Jesus. We cannot, by our own works, satisfy the law, and we cannot avoid the wrath of God on our own. We need the grace of God or we are doomed. But through Jesus Christ and his sacrifice on the cross, we can enter the promised land. We can have fellowship with the father.”

34s

#NeedJesusNotWorks

“``The law of god, though, ultimately pointed us to our great need for Jesus. Do you understand that? Because we recognize and understand this whole obedience and cursing and blessing. Man, I'm gonna fail every time. No matter how hard I try over the course of time, I'm not gonna get it right. I need God to step in and give me his grace, or I won't make it. And Jesus says, now you've got the point. Amen. That's it. And that's the point.”

44s

#RememberGodsFaithfulness

“``Now here's the thing, what I've learned about life as a pause in the story. I think and it's not just because I'm getting older. I think we all need lots of reminders. All of us do that we have to be told a few times or a lot of times about certain things. Because somehow, someway, we forget. We choose other things. And I believe that in order to make choices of faith that are good, that we need to be reminded of the presence of God and his faithfulness of the past, and we need to be reminded of it over and over again. Because when we're in the moment,”

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Choose Your Legacy: Joshua's Call to Serve the Lord

Devotional

Day 1: Altars at Shechem: Choosing Your Covenant Ground

Day 2: Breaking Chains, Building Stones: When Legacy Requires Fight

Day 3: The Law’s Curse, Christ’s Cure: Grace Carved in Stone

Day 4: Shortsighted Altars vs. Eternal Inheritance

Day 5: “As For Me and My House”: A Declaration Carved in Time

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Choose Your Legacy: Joshua's Call to Serve the Lord

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