Joshua

Living with a Bad Decision

Joshua 9

 

Opening Words: During this summer we are looking at the story of Joshua. Are you starting to remember his story? Today we find ourselves in the ninth chapter. Do you remember what has happened in the first eight chapters? Let me remind you.

 

Upon Moses’ death, Joshua became the leader of the Israelites. He is hand selected by God to lead the people into the Promised Land. In order to have a clearer understanding of this foreign land he sent two spies. It is while they are in Jericho that they receive some unexpected help for a prostitute by the name of Rahab. She taught us about faith. Joshua and the people receive some more help from God. He stops the flow of the Jordan so the people can pass through on dry ground. When they got to the other side they did two things. First, they built a memorial to help the future generations remember that day. Second, they rededicated themselves by circumcising all the uncircumcised men. (That must have been a painful day.) God continued to lead them by defeating the people of Jericho and Ai. That brings us to this week’s story.

 

By the ninth chapter the secret is out. The inhabitants of the land respond to the conquering Israelites in two ways. Either they forged an alliance with their neighbors against the Israelites. That is what is happening in the first two verses. Or they try to deceive the Israelites. That is how the Gibeonites responded to the Jewish threat. May God give you ears to hear the ninth chapter of Joshua. These are the themes I want you to listen for today.

1. Beware! Bad decisions are often based on superficial evidence

2. Deceptions are often discovered.

3. Beware! You may have to live the consequences of your bad decisions.

 

Let me call this message Living with a Bad Decision.

 

Joshua 9 1 Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things—those in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Great Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites)- 2 they came together to make war against Joshua and Israel. 3 However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5 The men put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. 6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, "We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us." 7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "But perhaps you live near us. How then can we make a treaty with you?" 8 "We are your servants," they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, "Who are you and where do you come from?" 9 They answered: "Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. 11 And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, 'Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, "We are your servants; make a treaty with us." ' 12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. 13 And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey." 14 The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD. 15 Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath. 16 Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. 17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. 18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, 19 but all the leaders answered, "We have given them our oath by the LORD, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. 20 This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them." 21 They continued, "Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the entire community." So the leaders' promise to them was kept. 22 Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, "Why did you deceive us by saying, 'We live a long way from you,' while actually you live near us? 23 You are now under a curse: You will never cease to serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God." 24 They answered Joshua, "Your servants were clearly told how the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. 25 We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you." 26 So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. 27 That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for the altar of the LORD at the place the LORD would choose. And that is what they are to this day.

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I love this story. I don’t think it is true. A wealthy eccentric died and left a million dollars to his nephew, John. When the will was read, the lawyer said to John, “According to your uncle’s instructions, payment of your inheritance will depend on choices that you must make.” The lawyer held his two fists out in front of him and asked, “Do you choose what is in my right hand or in my left hand?” John decided to take what was in the attorney’s right hand. The lawyer opened his left hand to reveal a gold coin and a silver coin. “Had you chosen this hand,” he said, “you would have received a substantial share in a gold mine or silver mine in Chile.” Then he opened his right hand to reveal a nut and a coffee bean. “These represent a million dollars worth of nuts or coffee from Brazil,” said the attorney. “Which do you choose?” John decided on the nuts. A week went by before John arrived in Brazil to take charge of his holdings. In the interim, fire destroyed a huge warehouse where the nuts that John had inherited were stored and coffee prices doubled. Since John hadn’t gotten around to insuring his holdings, he soon was bankrupt. He barely had enough for his airfare home to New York or Los Angeles, where he could stay with a friend. He chose Los Angeles. Just before he took off, the New York plane came out on the runway—it was a brand-new super jet. For the connecting flight to Los Angeles, the plane was a 1928 Ford tri-motor with a sway back that took half a day to get off the ground. It was filled with crying children and tethered goats. Over the Andes one engine fell off. Our man crawled up to the cockpit and said, “Let me out! Give me a parachute!” The pilot agreed but said, “On this airline, anybody who bails out must wear two chutes.” John jumped from the plane and as he fell he tried to make up his mind which rip cord to pull. Finally he chose the one on the left. It was rusty, and the wire pulled loose. He pulled the other handle. The chute opened, but its lines snapped. In desperation the poor fellow cried out, “St. Francis save me!” Suddenly a great hand reached down from Heaven, seized the poor man’s wrist and let him dangle in midair. Then a gentle voice asked, “St. Francis Xavier or St. Francis of Assisi?” I tell you that sill story for one reason. To remind you that life is filled with choices! Not ever choice we make is right.

 

At the very heart of this weekend’s scripture lesson is a choice. Joshua’s army had defeated Jericho and Ai. The news of these victories was spending through the region. Some of the inhabitants made alliances among themselves against the Israelites. Others tried to defend themselves against Joshua’s army by deception. That is the story of the Gibeonites. Verse four says it clearly, “they resorted to a ruse.” They portrayed themselves as something that they weren’t. They appeared to be visitors from a far off land who were weak and defenseless. Without consulting the Lord they entered into a treaty with these people. Within our reading we find it was a treaty they lived to regret. Joshua made a mistake. He would have to learn to live with a bad decision.

 

Has anyone her ever made a bad decision? Is there some mistake in your past that you have to live with everyday? Maybe you are reminded of your bad decision on the fifth of every month. That is when the mortgage payment is due. You bought a house you really can’t afford and every month is a financial struggle. Maybe your bad decision is based on a bad marriage? Everyone told you not to marry him (or her) but you wouldn’t listen. In the name of love you saw the best but experienced the worst. Maybe your bad decision was during those wild college years? Did anyone here go to more parties then classes? Or maybe you decided to study the wrong thing because you only thought about pay day. Or maybe your bad decision is more personal in nature? You started smoking at a young age because it was cool. It is no longer cool and your lungs are worthless. You never thought you would struggle taking a simple breath. Maybe you have some regrets about how you raised your children? Maybe you have some regrets because you played life too safe? Maybe you have some regrets because you didn’t save for retirement and retirement is coming? Do I have to go on? Is there anyone here who doesn’t have a few regrets? Has anyone here ever made a bad decision? If you have ever known someone who made a bad decision say, “Amen!”

 

Several years ago I was in a small group study at the church. There were about twelve of us present. Bill Johnson, who was our Associate Pastor, was present. Usually I am the one who asks the questions but that evening Bill asked me a question. His question has haunted me for years. This was his question. Russ, what is your biggest mistake in the ministry? In other words, what do you regret? I really didn’t have answer for him that evening. I have been trying to answer that question for years.

 

I really have very few regrets in the ministry. I don’t regret going into the ministry. (This is what God has called me to do.) I really don’t regret being a United Methodist. (However, I wish they would eliminate itinerancy.) I don’t regret turning down larger parishes to stay here at Western Reserve. This church has become my identity. I don’t want to waste that question on some poor programming decision.

 

I have very few regrets about my personal life. I have a great life. I find fulfillment in my job. I love my wife as much as the day we met. I am proud and enjoy my children. I like my home and my community. I have had a hard time answering that question not because I have made so many bad decisions. I have had a hard time answering that question because God has blessed me in so many ways. However, this weekend I am forced to answer that question, what is your biggest mistake in the ministry? This is my answer.

 

The biggest mistake I have made in the ministry came on June 11, 1979. I had just graduated from college. My graduation day was a bitter/sweet day. I was glad to be out of school but I was sad to be leaving my friends. I had many friends in college but I really only had two close friends, Ron and Jim. We had a great time in college. We did everything together. That ended on June 11, 1979. They headed to Asbury Seminary to begin summer school. I stayed home to look for a job. Why didn’t I go on that day? The reason was simple. I lacked self-confidence. I have never questioned God but there was a time when I questioned myself. In those days I lacked self confidence in every corner of my life. I thought I would fail in the classroom and I thought I would fail in the church. Four years later I surrender to my call and enrolled at Asbury. It is sad but true. I arrived at Asbury on the day they were leaving. Ron and Jim stayed close through those seminary years but I drifted away. I experienced something else. I will always regret we didn’t go to seminary together. It would have been great! It doesn’t sound like much to you but it means a great deal to me. I value the relationships in my life. What bad decision do you regret in your life? If you have a few regrets in your life say, “Amen!” The good news is the story of Joshua does not end with his bad decision about the Gibeonites. The story continues. Let us look at the text together.

 

The story of the ninth chapter of Joshua ends with the people being upset with their government. The Main Street people were able to see what their leaders missed. They had been deceived by the Gibeonites. The law did not permit them to break the treaty with the Gibeonites. (Leviticus 5:4, 27:1, 28) So the people do the next best thing. They made the best of a bad situation. They give them the lowest position in their society, woodcutters and water carriers. Is the situation perfect? No! The Gibeonites were still present. However, it is the best they can do. In the big picture nothing has changed. The Gibeonites are nothing more then a pot hole on the highway of life. The story continues to move forward.

 

They tell me Film maker Walt Disney was ruthless in cutting anything that got in the way of a story's pacing. For example, Ward Kimball, one of the animators for Snow White, recalls working 240 days on a 4 1/2 minute sequence in which the dwarfs made soup for Snow White and almost destroyed the kitchen in the process. Disney thought it was funny, but he decided the scene stopped the flow of the picture, so out it went. Disney admitted that scene was a mistake. He regretted ordering that scene. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could eliminate all your regrets? I don’t know how to eliminate all of your regrets but I can encourage you to keep living! Your story continues to move forward. Don’t let your pot holes become sink holes. How many people do you know can’t get by a bad decision? Like it or not, life is always moving forward!

 

This year at Annual Conference I stood in the streets of Lakeside with Ron and Jim. (They had gotten old fat and gray. I, on the other hand, look just the same.) It was great to see them. Each one of us is an Elder in the church and each one holds many strong opinions about the present condition of the church. Each one of us is serving the church today. Each one of us has known success. Ron is in his second year and the Roxford United Methodist Church and has a passion for church camps. I am in my seventeenth year here. Jim went on to be a District Superintendent. I will be the first to admit it. Our relationships aren’t what they were in college. I like to think they are better. I will always regret not going to seminary with them but life is always moving forward. The best is yet to come! And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”