Opening:

What a joyous occasion it is to gather here today, as we commemorate the 251st Homecoming of Dover Baptist Church! Over two and a half centuries, the Lord has faithfully shepherded this congregation, blessing generation upon generation with His grace, mercy, and steadfast love. What a marvelous testimony it is to the enduring power of the Gospel and the unwavering faithfulness of our God! 

This morning, I would like to direct our thoughts to the ancient words of Joshua, recorded in chapters 23 and 24. Here we find Joshua, the faithful servant of the Lord, addressing the people of Israel in his final days. As we open the Scriptures together, may the Lord grant us ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to obey, that we might honor the legacy of faith handed down to us and continue to walk steadfastly in the path of righteousness.

Scripture Reading:

Joshua 23:1-24:27 (ESV) - A long time afterward, when the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years, Joshua summoned all Israel, its elders and heads, its judges and officers, and said to them, “I am now old and well advanced in years. And you have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you. Behold, I have allotted to you as an inheritance for your tribes those nations that remain, along with all the nations that I have already cut off, from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west. The LORD your God will push them back before you and drive them out of your sight. And you shall possess their land, just as the LORD your God promised you.

Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them, but you shall cling to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day.  For the LORD has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day. One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the LORD your God who fights for you, just as he promised you.  

Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God. For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the LORD your God has given you.  

“And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed.But just as all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the LORD will bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land that the LORD your God has given you,  if you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land that he has given to you.”

Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God. 

And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods.  Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac.  

And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. And I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and afterward I brought you out.  

“‘Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. And when they cried to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time.  

Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you.  

Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. And he sent and invited Balaam the son of Beor to curse you, but I would not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I delivered you out of his hand.  

And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand.  

And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow. I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.’  

 “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”  

Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods, for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. And the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”  

But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.”  

And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the LORD.” 

Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.”  

He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel.”  

And the people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.”  

So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.  

And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.”  

Opening Prayer: 

O Lord, our gracious and mighty God, we adore You for Your majesty and sovereignty over all creation. You alone are worthy of all glory, honor, and praise. From everlasting to everlasting, You are God, full of mercy and truth, and we worship You for Your holiness, Your power, and Your unchanging faithfulness. 

As we stand in Your presence, we acknowledge that we have often failed to trust You as we should, choosing our own way instead of walking in Your commandments. Forgive us, O Lord, for our pride, for our doubts, and for the idols we have allowed to take root in our hearts. Cleanse us by Your grace and renew a right spirit within us, that we might follow You with pure hearts and undivided devotion.

As we gather here today, we humbly ask for Your blessing upon this time of worship. Open our hearts and minds to receive Your Word. Strengthen our faith and deepen our trust in You. Help us to remember Your past faithfulness, and give us the grace to walk in obedience and holiness. Lead us by Your Spirit, O Lord, and make us a people who live for Your glory. In the precious name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

A Call to Remember God’s Faithfulness (Joshua 23:1-13)

In our passage this morning, we find Joshua, the great leader of Israel, now an old man, standing before the people he has led so faithfully. With the end of his earthly journey drawing near, Joshua gathers all Israel—their elders, leaders, judges, and officers—to give them one final exhortation. His words are not simply a farewell but a call to remembrance. Joshua’s heart is filled with a deep concern for the spiritual welfare of his people, and so he urges them to reflect on their past, to see the hand of God in every victory, and to remember that all their achievements are the result of God’s faithfulness, not their own might.

Joshua reminds the Israelites that it was the Lord who fought for them. When they crossed the Jordan River, faced the fortified city of Jericho, and confronted the mighty armies of Canaan, it was the Lord who gave them victory. It was God who drove out nations before them, often by means beyond their understanding. 

“One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as He promised” (Joshua 23:10, ESV). 

He wants them to see that their success was not due to their own military prowess, clever strategies, or sheer numbers. No, their victories were solely by the mighty hand of God, who had promised to be with them and had kept His word.

This call to remember is not just a call to nostalgia or a fond recollection of past glories. It is a call to recognize the living presence of God in their midst. Joshua is reminding them that their God is a covenant-keeping God who had fulfilled His promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. God had proven Himself faithful to His word, time and time again, showing that He is trustworthy and powerful. By remembering God’s past faithfulness, Joshua hoped to inspire present obedience and future trust among the Israelites.

For us at Dover Baptist Church, our history is also marked by the unmistakable hand of God. Think back to the earliest days of this church, when a small group of believers gathered in faith, with no guarantees of success, but with a firm reliance on God’s provision. Those early days were filled with challenges, uncertainties, and fears. Yet, God was with them. He guided them, provided for them, and caused this congregation to flourish. It was His Spirit that filled their hearts with courage, His Word that illuminated their path, and His presence that sustained them.

As the years went by, Dover Baptist Church faced its share of trials. There were seasons of hardship, times of conflict, and moments of doubt. Yet through it all, God’s faithfulness remained constant. He raised up leaders when they were needed, provided resources at just the right time, and granted wisdom to navigate difficult circumstances. He brought people into this church who would serve, teach, and minister, each according to their calling. Every chapter of our church’s history testifies to the fact that it is God who has sustained us. He has been our stronghold in times of trouble, our guide through the wilderness, and our joy in seasons of celebration.

As we celebrate this milestone of 251 years, let us not be tempted to think that our longevity is a testament to our own strength, wisdom, or ingenuity. Let us not attribute our survival and success to mere human effort. Instead, let us humbly acknowledge that every success, every blessing, and every step forward has been a gift from God’s hand. It is by His grace that we have come this far, and it is by His grace that we will continue.

Just as Joshua urged the Israelites to remember the Lord’s deeds, let us also pause to reflect on all the Lord has done in our midst. Let us take time to recount the stories of God’s provision, to share testimonies of answered prayers, and to acknowledge the ways God has worked in our lives and in our church. Let these memories strengthen our faith, renew our commitment, and inspire us to trust God with the future. The same God who was faithful to Joshua and the Israelites, the same God who has been faithful to Dover Baptist Church for 251 years, is still faithful. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us, and He is with us, leading us onward.

A Call to Obey God’s Commandments (Joshua 23:6-11)

Notice, however, that Joshua not only calls them to remember God’s faithfulness but also to remain obedient to God’s commandments. This call to obedience is not a suggestion; it is a command that carries the weight of life and death, blessing and curse. Joshua’s words are clear and emphatic: 

“Therefore be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left” (Joshua 23:6). 

Joshua understood that the future of Israel's prosperity, their security, and their relationship with God were directly tied to their obedience. Joshua’s plea was for the people to cling to the Lord their God, just as they had done in the past. He reminded them that it was their faithfulness to God that had brought them victory, and it would be their faithfulness that would secure their future. Joshua knew that disobedience would lead to disaster, that turning away from God’s commandments would result in the removal of God’s blessing and protection.

For us today, the same call to obedience rings true. In a world that is increasingly hostile to the truths of Scripture, we must be a people who hold fast to the Word of God. Our culture is filled with voices that seek to pull us away from the path of righteousness. The temptation to conform to the world, to water down the gospel, and to compromise on biblical principles is ever-present. Yet, just as in Joshua’s day, the future of God’s people depends on our faithfulness to His Word.

We are called to be strong and courageous, not in our own strength, but in the strength that comes from a deep, abiding relationship with God. We must not turn to the right or to the left but remain steadfast in our commitment to the teachings of Scripture. The foundation of Dover Baptist Church has been built upon the solid rock of God’s Word, and as we move forward, we must continue to stand firm upon it. 

We are called to be a holy people, set apart for God, living lives that reflect His character and His will. This means we must be vigilant in guarding our hearts against the idols of this world. We must be careful not to allow the values and practices of the world to infiltrate our lives and our church. Whether it is the idol of materialism, the lure of power, the pursuit of pleasure, or the desire for acceptance, we must resist anything that would take the place of God in our hearts. 

Obedience to God’s commandments is not a burdensome duty but a joyful response to His love and grace. It is an expression of our trust in Him, our gratitude for His salvation, and our desire to honor Him with our lives. As Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). 

Our obedience is a testimony to the world that we belong to God, that we are His people, and that we live under His rule. It is through our obedience that God’s blessings flow, that His presence is felt, and that His glory is revealed.

As we celebrate the rich history of Dover Baptist Church and look forward to the future, let us renew our commitment to obeying God’s Word. Let us hold fast to the truth of Scripture, teaching it to our children, proclaiming it to our community, and living it out daily. May our obedience be a light that shines brightly in a dark world, drawing others to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

A Call to Choose Whom You Will Serve (Joshua 24:14-15)

The climax of Joshua’s message comes in chapter 24, where he issues a challenge to the people of Israel. In his final address, Joshua gathers all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. It was here that God first promised Abraham the land of Canaan, and it was here that the Israelites now stood, having seen the fulfillment of that promise. With the weight of their shared history pressing upon them, Joshua calls the people to a moment of decision:

 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:14-15).

Here, Joshua does not shy away from confronting the people with the reality that they must choose. There is no room for half-hearted devotion or divided loyalties. The time has come for them to declare, once and for all, where their allegiance lies. Joshua’s call to choose is a call to total commitment, a call to exclusive worship of the one true God.

Every generation, every individual believer, must make a conscious decision to serve the Lord. We cannot rest on the faith of our forefathers, nor can we be complacent in our own walk with God. The choice to serve the Lord is not a one-time decision but a daily commitment, a continual turning away from idols and a turning toward God. It requires intentionality, resolve, and a willingness to stand apart from the prevailing culture.

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” is a powerful declaration. Joshua did not wait to see what others would do. He did not base his decision on the trends or the popular opinions of the day. He chose to serve the Lord regardless of what others might choose. His example calls us to be leaders in our own homes, to set the standard of faithfulness, and to guide our families in the way of the Lord.

Choosing to serve the Lord means making Him the center of our lives and the Lord of our church. It means that our decisions, values, actions, and priorities are all shaped by our commitment to Him. It means living out our faith in practical, tangible ways—through acts of love, service, and obedience. It means standing firm on the truth of God’s Word, even when it is countercultural, and being willing to be different, to be a light in the darkness. 

In our church, it means that everything we do is driven by a desire to honor God and to fulfill His purposes. Our worship, our ministry, our outreach, our fellowship—every aspect of church life must reflect our commitment to serve the Lord. We are called to be a community that is distinct, not because of our programs or buildings, but because of our unwavering devotion to God. When people see Dover Baptist Church, they should see a people who have chosen to serve the Lord, who live out their faith with integrity, and who shine the light of Christ in a dark world.

Joshua’s challenge is God’s challenge to us today: “Choose this day whom you will serve.” Will we serve the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength? Will we turn away from the idols of our time and dedicate ourselves wholly to Him? The choice is before us, and it is a choice that will define our lives, our families, and our church. As we stand at this significant moment in the life of Dover Baptist Church, let us echo Joshua’s words with renewed conviction: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” 

Conclusion: A Call to Renew the Covenant (Joshua 24:25-28)

After Joshua’s challenge to the Israelites, they responded, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey Him.” To mark this moment, Joshua set up a stone as a witness to their promise—a symbol of their commitment to live under God’s lordship.

This act of covenant renewal foreshadows the New Covenant through Jesus Christ. While Joshua used a stone, we look to the cross—the ultimate symbol of God’s grace. Through Jesus’ perfect obedience and sacrificial death, we are forgiven, reconciled to God, and given new life.

As we celebrate 251 years of Dover Baptist Church, we are called to renew our covenant with God—not by our own righteousness, but through faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross. Let this homecoming be more than a reflection on the past; let it be a renewed commitment to live out the gospel. The cross is our daily reminder of God’s love, calling us to respond with faith and obedience.

Renewing our covenant means recommitting to God’s service—not out of obligation, but in response to Christ’s love. As Paul reminds us in Romans 12:1, we are to offer our lives as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. It also means embracing God’s mission, the Great Commission, to make disciples of all nations. As a church, we are called to share the gospel boldly, live it authentically, and serve others with love.

If you have not yet entered into this New Covenant through faith in Christ, today is the day of salvation. Come to Jesus, who offers forgiveness and new life. For those who have already believed, today is a day to renew your commitment—to serve Him wholeheartedly and live out the gospel boldly. May we, like Joshua, say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” trusting that God will complete the work He has begun in us. To Him be the glory forever. Let us pray.

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we lift up our hearts in adoration to You, for You are the Almighty God, the Rock of our salvation, and the faithful keeper of every promise. We honor You for Your boundless love, Your infinite wisdom, and Your steadfast righteousness. You are worthy of all our praise, and we bow in awe of Your greatness.

Yet as we come before You, we also confess our shortcomings. We have not always obeyed Your Word or walked in the path of righteousness. Forgive us, O Lord, for the times we have doubted Your goodness, for the moments we have turned aside from Your ways, and for the idols we have allowed to creep into our hearts. Cleanse us by the blood of Christ, and restore in us a deep love and devotion to You.

We give You thanks, O God, for Your unfailing faithfulness throughout the generations. We are grateful for the countless ways You have sustained us, guided us, and provided for us. Thank You for the blessings of this day, for the rich heritage of faith, and for the joy of knowing that You will never leave us nor forsake us.

As we prepare to leave this place, we offer our supplications to You. Strengthen us in our resolve to serve You faithfully. Give us the courage to stand firm in obedience to Your Word. Lead us by Your Spirit as we seek to walk in holiness, and grant us the grace to be a light in this dark world. Keep us from temptation, and protect us from the snares of the evil one. May our lives and our church always testify to Your great faithfulness and bring glory to Your holy name. In the powerful name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we pray. Amen