Learning on the way
Sermon Summary:
This sermon addresses one of the most overlooked dangers in the Christian life: spiritual drift during ordinary, comfortable seasons. Drawing from Joshua 23, the pastor emphasizes that most Christians don’t fall during major crises but during mundane stretches when nothing dramatic is happening. Joshua, knowing he is about to die, gathers Israel for a final charge, reminding them of God’s faithfulness while warning them of the danger of gradual compromise. The sermon calls believers to maintain spiritual vigilance by remembering God’s past faithfulness, responding with careful obedience, and recognizing that the real battle is staying faithful over the long haul when nothing dramatic is happening.
Key Points:
The greatest spiritual danger is not the crisis but the coast, the ordinary seasons when we let our guard down
Remembering God’s faithfulness is critical for maintaining spiritual vigilance
God calls us to careful obedience, not careless obedience, in all seasons of life
Spiritual compromise is gradual and subtle, never announcing itself
God’s faithfulness cuts both ways: He is faithful in blessing and faithful in discipline
Practical steps for maintaining spiritual edge: build memorial stones, saturate yourself in God’s Word, stay in community, identify areas of compromise, and cultivate love for God
Small Group Questions:
1 The sermon states that most Christians don’t fall during major crises but during comfortable, ordinary seasons when they’re coasting. Can you share a time when you found it harder to maintain your spiritual discipline during an easy season than during a difficult one? What made the ordinary time more challenging?
2 Joshua repeatedly reminds Israel, “It is the Lord your God who has fought for you” (Joshua 23:3, 10). When you look back at victories in your own life (overcoming sin, restored relationships, answered prayers), how does remembering that God fought for you change the way you approach current struggles?
3 Joshua calls Israel to “be very strong to keep and to do all that is written” (Joshua 23:6). The sermon distinguishes between “careful obedience” and “careless obedience.” In what areas of your life might your obedience be becoming careless rather than careful? What would it look like to move from careless to careful obedience in that area?
4 The sermon explains that spiritual compromise never announces itself; it’s “a series of small compromises that lead to captivity.” Can you identify a pattern of small compromises in your life right now that could lead you away from God if left unchecked? What specific step could you take this week to address it?
5 Joshua 23:14-15 reveals that God’s faithfulness cuts both ways: blessing and discipline. The sermon suggests that when God disciplines us, it’s not because He hates us but because He loves us and knows where our compromises will lead. How does viewing God’s discipline as an act of love change your perspective on difficult seasons you’re currently experiencing?
6 The sermon offers five practical steps for maintaining spiritual vigilance: building memorial stones, saturating yourself in God’s Word, staying in community, identifying areas of compromise, and cultivating love for God. Which of these five is most neglected in your life right now? What is one concrete action you can take this week to strengthen that area?
7 Joshua 23:11 says, “Be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God.” The pastor asks, “Do you love the Lord your God? Not do you know about him? Not do you serve him out of duty. Do you love him?” How would you honestly answer that question today? What evidence in your daily life demonstrates your love (or lack of love) for God?
Key Verses
Joshua 23:3-5, 9-11, 14-16; Joshua 21:45; Philippians 1:6
Application On The Way
This week, create a “memorial stone” by writing down three specific ways God has fought for you and provided for you in the past. Keep this list somewhere visible (phone notes, journal, bathroom mirror) and read it daily. Each time you read it, pray, “Lord, just as You were faithful then, I trust You to be faithful now.” At the end of the week, share one of these memorial stories with someone in your small group or a fellow believer.
Want to Go Deeper?
Additional Passages:
Deuteronomy 6:10-12, 8:11-18, Psalm 78:5-11, Hebrews 2:1-3, Hebrews 3:12-14, Revelation 2:1-5, 1 Corinthians 10:12, Proverbs 4:23-27, James 4:8
Personal Reflection Questions:
Read Deuteronomy 8:11-18. Moses warns Israel that when they become prosperous and comfortable, they will be tempted to say, “My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.” In what areas of your life right now are you most tempted to take credit for what God has done? What would it look like to actively remember and acknowledge God’s role in those blessings?
Hebrews 2:1 warns us to “pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” The imagery is of a boat slowly drifting from its mooring without anyone noticing. What spiritual disciplines or practices have you been neglecting that once kept you anchored? What is one step you can take today to begin re-establishing that anchor point?
Read Revelation 2:2-4, Jesus’ message to the church in Ephesus. They were doctrinally sound, hardworking, and persevering, yet Jesus says, “You have abandoned the love you had at first.” It’s possible to do all the right things for the wrong reasons. If Jesus were to evaluate your heart today, would He commend your actions but challenge your motivations? What would it look like for you to return to your first love?
Consider Proverbs 4:23: “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” What influences (relationships, entertainment, thought patterns, habits) are you allowing into your heart that might be slowly poisoning the “springs of life”? What practical boundary could you establish this week to guard your heart more carefully?