… A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:7—9

The Joshua Generation

Joshua 24:14-15

[14] “Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. [15] But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served 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.”

The Joshua Generation

Joshua 24:14-15

What marks out this generation?

“But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

[Joshua 24:15]

Those that outlived Joshua

Judges2:6-7

[6] After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance. [7] The people served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel.  [Judges 2:6-7]

What marks out this generation?

They never drove out [the enemy] completely.

[Judges 1:19-35]

Generation that did

not know Joshua

Judges 2:8-13;

17:6

[8] Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of a hundred and ten… [10] After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. [11] Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD… [12] They forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, … They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. [Joshua 2: 8-13]

Generation that did

not know Joshua

Judges 2:8-13;

17:6

What marks out this generation?

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. [Joshua 17:6]

The Joshua Generation

Those that outlived Joshua

Generation that did

not know Joshua

Joshua 24:14-15

Judges2:6-7

Judges 2:8-13;

17:6

“As for me and my

household, we will

serve the LORD.”

Everyone did what was right in his own

eyes.

They never drove out [the enemy] completely.

The Joshua Generation

2nd Generation

3rd Generation

Commitment

Compromise

Confusion

Knew God Knew about God

Didn’t know God

Whole heart Divided heart

Hard heart

Relationship Religion Rejection

1. Attitude towards God

The Joshua Generation

2nd Generation

3rd Generation

First-hand faith

Second-hand faith

No faith

Seen works of God

Heard about works of God

Didn’t know works of God

2. Experience of Faith

Power of Spirit

Spirit & Self Self

The Old

I promise that I will do my best

to love my God

to serve my Queen

and my country

to help other people

and to keep the Guide law.

The New

I promise that I will do my best

to be true to myself

and develop my beliefs,

to serve the Queen

and my community

to help other people

and to keep the Guide law.

The new Guides oath is a fascinating insight into cultural change…

The set menu of established religion is replaced by the buffet of “spirituality”….

The prevailing pressure on girls is towards introspection…

The Joshua Generation

2nd Generation

3rd Generation

Submits to Bible

Respects Bible

May own a Bible

Shaped by Word of God

Shaped by other

believers

Shaped by society

3. View of Bible

Know & understand

Know; don’t understand

Don’t know or

understand

The Joshua Generation

2nd Generation

3rd Generation

Pursuing God

Looking good,

obeying rules

Don’t know what they

believe

Clear vision & purpose

Know the landmarks;

forgot purpose

Never were told;

Never asked

4. Lifestyle

“But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” [Joshua 24:15]

What to do?

Set an Example

• Hold fast• Lead!• “As for me

and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Tell & Teach

• Declare God’s power to next generation

• Tell the stories

Prove God for Self• Encourage

“Faith projects”

• Let them make mistakes

What to do?

Jack

Reuben

Asher