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Joshua 24:1-25
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• Reading the Text:
  • NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
  • Hebrew Interlinear Bible, WLCv, WLC5, CHES, AV.
  • The Bible Gateway: NRSV, RSV, NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
  • The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Hebrew text with concordance, commentaries.
  • The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary, exposition and sermons.
  • Yehoshua 24: Massoretic, Hebrew, JPS.
• Historical References, Commentary and Comparative Texts:
  • Chapter II, On Modesty, Tertullian (c. 217)
  • Rashi's Commentary, c. 1075. chabad.org.
  • From the Geneva Notes.
    • "This [v 15] teaches us that if all the world would go from God, yet every one of us particularly is bound to cleave to him."
  • From Matthew Henry's Commentary.
    • "We must never think our work for God done, till our life is done."
  • The Great Duty of Family-Religion: sermon by George Whitefield.
    • "If neither gratitude to God, love to your children, common justice to your servants, nor even that most prevailing motive self-interest, will excite; yet let a consideration of the terrors of the Lord persuade you to put in practice the pious resolution in the text."
  • From Wesley's Notes.
    • "They that are bound for heaven must be willing to swim against the stream, and must do, not as most do, but as the best do."
  • Of Family Religion (Joshua 24:15). Sermon by John Wesley.
    • "And suppose, after you have done this, after you have taught your children from their early infancy, in the plainest manner you could, omitting no opportunity, and persevering therein, you did not presently see any fruit of your labour, you must not conclude that there will be none."
  • From the Commentary on the Whole Bible (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
    • "It is generally assumed that the ark of the covenant had been transferred on this occasion to Shechem; as on extraordinary emergencies it was for a time removed ... But the statement, not necessarily implying this, may be viewed as expressing only the religious character of the ceremony."
• Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
  • Commentary, Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25, Dennis Olson, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2017.
    • "God had commissioned the Israelite leader Joshua to accomplish a two-part mission: 1) to conquer the Canaanites (Joshua 1-12) and 2) to settle the Israelite tribes in their allotted territories "
  • The Center for Excellence in Preaching, resources from Calvin Theological Seminary: Comments & Observations, Textual Points, Illustration Ideas, 2017.
  • Commentary, Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25, Scott Shauf, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2015.
    • "Today's passage contains one of the most familiar lines from the Old Testament, Joshua's charge to 'choose this day whom you will serve,' combined with his own response, 'but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord' (Joshua 24:15)."
  • "Do I Choose or Am I Chosen?" Janet H. Hunt, Dancing with the Word, 2015.
    • "Do we choose or are we chosen? What do you think? What stories from your own experience shape your thinking on this?"
  • Commentary, Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25, Sara Koenig, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2014.
    • "Joshua is providing the people an opportunity to reaffirm their choice."
  • "Organ Donation, Persecuted Churches, Choice," John C. Holbert, Opening the Old Testament, 2014.
    • "If YHWH is God of all, then my choice of YHWH bids me pray for all who call on the name of God, whether that God be called YHWH or Allah or Vishnu."
  • Pulpit Fiction, plus podcast. Reflections of lectionary text, pop culture, current events, etc. Robb Mc Coy and Eric Fistler, 2014.
  • "Keep Calm, Choose God," Faith Element, 2014.
  • "Choose," Lynn Miller, Art & Faith Matters, celebrating our creative and living God by generating art and architecture resources for congregations and individuals. Art and Faith Matters facebook page contains additional resources.
  • Commentary, Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18, Anathea Portier-Young, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2012.
    • "Bondage to a lie, or freedom's integrity."
  • ON Scripture, Joshua 24, Walter Bruegemann, 2011.
  • "Whom Will You Choose?" John C. Holbert, Patheos, 2011.
  • The African American Lectionary Commentary, Joshua 24:14-18, Otis Moss III, 2010.
    • "The central concern of this passage can be framed from the underside. An examination of economic, social and cultural factors will help nuance the text from the vantage point of the disinherited."
  • Commentary, Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18, Sara Koenig, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2009.
    • "The reason to serve God is because of what God has done for them. They were listening to Joshua's sermon! They echo back the history that Joshua himself recounted in detail for them. The second reason emerges naturally from the first. If God has done this for us, then he is our God. This affirmation becomes more profound when it is set against the background of polytheism."
  • Commentary, Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25, Ralph W. Klein, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2008.
    • "The verb 'serve' is evocative in these verses. 'Serve' can mean 'worship' or it can mean 'show loyalty toward,' or, as v. 24 notes, it can also mean 'obey.'"
  • Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
  • The Old Testament Readings: Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25. Weekly Comments on the Revised Common Lectionary, Theological Hall of the Uniting Church, Melbourne, Australia.
    • "Temptations to unfaithfulness can also be extremely subtle...Deep traditions within the community?s history, even if no longer held, can be persuasive still, pulling at almost invisible cords of family and community loyalty."
  • Joshua 24:1-25, Pentecost 26A, Commentary, Background, Insights from Literary Structure, Theological Message, Ways to Present the Text. Anna Grant-Henderson, Uniting Church in Australia.
    • "I found it interesting that Joshua was not convinced by the people's affirmation that they would serve only the Lord. He really pushed them to repeat their response as though this will help them to embed it within them."
  • Desert Scribblings, Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25, Geoff McElroy.
    • "The God of Israel demanded much more than just proper worship and ritual, but demanded justice within the community, concern for the poor, widow, and orphan, concern for the stranger, alongside proper religious practice."
  • "Choose Today," from Joshua and the Promised Land, Interactive Bible Study on the Web, A Resource from the Women's Division, General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church.
  • Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18, Studies on Old Testament texts from Series B, Ralph W. Klein, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
  • "The Cost of Faith," Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com: A Lectionary Resource for Catholics.
• Recommended articles from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are linked below. ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices. Annotated list of "starting place" articles at ATLAS for this week's texts (includes direct links).
  • Arnold, Talitha, "True Grit," The Christian Century, 2002.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Brueggemann, Walter, "The Liturgy of Abundance, the Myth of Scarcity," The Christian Century, 2008.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Bugg, Charles B., "Joshua 24:14-18 - The Choice," Review and Expositor, 1988.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Chester, Ray F., "Covenant Types," Restoration Quarterly, 1966.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Edelman, Diana, "Are the Kings of the Amorites 'Swept Away' in Joshua XXIV 12?" Vetus Testamentum, 1991.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Giblin, Charles H., S.J., "Structural Patterns in Joshua 24.1-25," The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 1964.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • House, Paul R., "Examining the Narratives of Old Testament Narrative: An Exploration in Biblical Theology," Westminister Theological Journal, 2005.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Norfleet, AgnesW., "Between Text and Sermon, Joshua 24:1-28," Interpretation, 2012.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Sperling, S. David, "Joshua 24 Re-examined," Hebrew Union College Annual, 1987.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
• Sermons:
  • "Serve the LORD," Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson, Dim Lamp, 2008.
• With Children:
  • Worshiping with Children, Proper 16B, Including children in the congregation's worship, using the Revised Common Lectionary, Carolyn C. Brown, 2012.
  • "Storypath Lectionary Links: Connecting Children's Literature with our Faith Story," 2015, Union Presbyterian Seminary.
  • "Joshua Leads Israel," Illustrating the Story (lessons, children's sermons), coloring pages, activity sheets, crafts, children's songs. MSSS Crafts.
  • "Kookaburra Smart," MSSS Animal Tale, Joshua 24:15.
  • Joshua 24:15, Joshua 24:15, memory verse activity, MSSS Crafts and Resources for Bible Stories.
• Drama:
  • "Looking Out for Number One," Erina Caradus, dramatix.
  • "Choices," a musical by Robin & Delwyn McKenzie, dramatix.
• Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
  • Images for this week's readings, Pitts Theology Library Digital Image Archive.
  • PowerPoint Slides for Joshua 24:15, Will Humes, Word & Table.
• Hymns and Music:
  • "Choose This Day The One You'll Follow," a hymn by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, based on Joshua 24 that challenges us today to think about God's place in our families. Tune: W ZLOBIE LEZY 4.4.7.4.4.7.4.4.4.4.7 ("Infant Holy, Infant Lowly").
  • Hymnary.org, hymns, scores, media, information.
  • Hymns with Scripture Allusions: Joshua 24:15, 21. The Cyber Hymnal.
  • Hymn Selections, The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship.
  • "Rivers," Brenton Prigge, NewHymn, new, relevant hymn set to traditional tunes.
• Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
• Movies scenes with the following themes, listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
  • Decision
    • see especially American Beauty
• Study Links and Resources for the Book of Joshua

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• Maundy Thurs Apr 14
• Good Friday Apr 15
• Easter Day Apr 17
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• Easter 3 May 1
• Easter 4 May 8
• Easter 5 May 15
• Easter 6 May 22
• Ascension May 26
• Easter 7 May 29
• Pentecost June 5
  

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