Choose Today Whom You Will Serve: Put Away Idols

Idolatry names the elephant hiding in plain sight. Exodus 20 makes the first move and sets the line in the sand: no other gods, no images, no rivals, because the Lord is jealous for a whole-hearted people. That priority matters. If the first word at Sinai guards worship, then every other command rides on who actually sits first in the heart.

Jesus’ own contrast presses the issue. The pull between two masters exposes that a life cannot split the difference. Joshua then steps into view. At the end of his days he gathers Israel, rehearses God’s faithfulness from Abram to conquest, and drives the point home: “fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth… choose for yourselves today whom you will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” The choice cannot stay theoretical. Israel answers with a strong yes, and Joshua slows them down so they can count the cost. A holy and jealous God will not be managed or shared; vows must match obedience.

Joshua’s charge lands in two commands that answer idolatry at the root. First, “put away the foreign gods.” The language is concrete: discard, remove from view, get the bait off the table. Temptation feeds on proximity, so practical separation matters. Second, “incline your hearts to the Lord.” The Hebrew carries a posture: stretch, bend, bow. The heart must yield, not to a mood, but to the Lord’s will. Proverbs 3 names this bend: trust in the Lord with all the heart, refuse the draw of private understanding, acknowledge him in all ways, and he will direct the path.

Romans 1 explains the drift when acknowledgment dies. When people exchange the truth for a lie and refuse to honor or thank God, God gives them over to what they insist on. Ignoring the divine GPS is not a short cut; it is a slow surrender to a depraved mind. Romans 12 answers with renewal: do not be conformed, be transformed, so that discernment of God’s good and perfect will becomes the new reflex.

Finally, Joshua sets a witness stone beneath an oak, a visible reminder, like a ring after vows, to keep the memory of the yes alive. Memory guards fidelity. So the call moves from altar to calendar: choose God, daily put away the rivals, bend the heart toward his voice, set reminders that pull attention back to who actually gets served, and do the work of obedience.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Idolatry is anything before God Idolatry is not just statues or crystals; it is whatever sits in the seat that belongs to the Lord. Good gifts become bad gods when they outrank his will. That includes family, career, ministry, or the private script that keeps winning arguments in the heart. Naming the rival is the first mercy, because only what is named can be put away. [41:30]
• 2. Choose today whom you will serve Neutral is not a lane on this road. The Lord honors a real yes and a real no, but he will not bless spiritual double-mindedness. A decision clarifies loyalties and exposes what gets sacrificed next. Saying “as for me and my house” is not decor; it is a line in the sand. [52:45]
• 3. Put it away, for real Joshua’s verb is practical: discard, remove from reach, close access. Proximity fuels relapse, so wisdom rearranges environments before emotions change. When the bottle, the app, or the secret stash is gone, the body has to find a new habit, and the soul gets room to breathe. [61:48]
• 4. Bow your heart to Him “Incline” means bend, stretch, bow. Trust replaces self-management when the heart yields to his command over personal preference. That posture shows up in choices where his word outranks the hunch that feels right. Obedience bends first and understands later. [68:13]
• 5. Acknowledge Him or drift Romans names the slide that begins when God is no longer acknowledged. Silence toward God becomes consent to lesser lords, and the mind slowly conforms to what it repeatedly chooses. Daily acknowledgment re-centers the soul, and over time renewal makes discernment normal, not rare. [71:35]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [24:31] - Holy stirring and greeting
• [27:28] - Cheerful giving and prayer
• [38:06] - Series recap to idolatry
• [41:09] - What is idolatry?
• [42:15] - First commandment priority
• [45:13] - Exchanging truth for a lie
• [49:22] - Choose whom you will serve
• [51:02] - Joshua gathers Israel
• [52:45] - As for me and my house
• [57:12] - Count the cost of yes
• [61:48] - Put away foreign gods
• [68:13] - Incline your heart to God
• [71:35] - Acknowledge Him or drift
• [93:49] - Closing call and blessing

1. What two specific actions does Joshua command the Israelites to take in verse 14 and 23?
2. How does Joshua respond when the people initially declare, “We will serve the Lord” (v. 16-20)?
3. What practical example was given in the sermon about removing temptations (like cake or phones) to avoid relapse? [01:06:10]
4. What visible reminder did Joshua set up to help Israel remember their commitment (v. 26-27)?

1. Why does Joshua warn the people about God’s jealousy and holiness after they agree to serve Him (v. 19-20)? What does this reveal about the cost of commitment?
2. The sermon compared idolatry to “good gifts becoming bad gods” (e.g., family, career). How might even positive things unintentionally compete with God’s place in our lives? [41:30]
3. Proverbs 3:5-6 says to “trust in the Lord… and lean not on your own understanding.” How does this connect to Joshua’s command to “incline your heart” to God?
4. Romans 1:21-25 describes a “drift” when people stop acknowledging God. Why is daily gratitude and worship critical to avoiding this spiritual decline? [01:11:35]

1. Joshua said, “Choose this day whom you will serve.” What decision have you been avoiding that requires a clear “yes” or “no” to God? How can you act on it this week? [52:45]
2. “Put away the foreign gods” might mean deleting an app, ending a habit, or setting boundaries. What specific step could you take to remove a recurring temptation? [01:01:48]
3. The sermon mentioned creating reminders (like a stone or sticky note) to stay focused on God. What tangible reminder could you place in your home or workspace to recenter your heart daily?
4. “Inclining your heart” involves bending your will to God’s. Where do you most struggle to trust His direction over your own preferences? What would obedience look like in that area? [01:08:13]
5. Romans 12:2 calls believers to renew their minds. What daily practice (e.g., prayer, Scripture, worship) could help you “acknowledge Him” more consistently to avoid drifting? [01:11:35]
6. The Israelites quickly declared loyalty but needed accountability. Who could you invite to honestly ask you, “Are you serving God wholeheartedly?” in the next month?