A Story and a Legacy
’So I gave you a land…’
Joshua 24:13
‘God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply.’
Hudson Taylor
‘Few of us are tempted today to dream too big. Rather, our vision shrinks to the size of our limited experience. Yet, all things are possible for those who believe in the God who created the heavens and the earth. In our disbelief, we can ask God for inspiration to believe. Then he may give us a vision of divine size.’
Collin Hansen
Throughout the book of Joshua, we see how God has taken the people of Israel on an amazing journey. They have stepped into the land, and yet there is still so much to do. At the end of the book, they face a choice - trust in the God who has provided so much so far, or turn away and place their faith in other gods.
As we approach a pivotal milestone in the life of Riverside, we face a choice. Do we take God at his word and humbly follow wherever he has called, or do we take matters into our own hands and follow a different path?
The legacy that we have inherited is testimony both to those who have gone before us at Riverside, and to those who have invested in this land over the last century. We stand on their shoulders. And so, before us lies a defining moment. We have the privilege of carrying forward a remarkable legacy - rekindling what has dimmed, building on what has endured - and trusting God to use us in ways that will impact this city for generations to come.
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None of us starts from scratch. We all stand on ground prepared by someone else's prayers, sacrifices, faithfulness, and vision.
In Joshua 24, God reminds his people of a remarkable reality: they are enjoying the fruit of work they did not do and receiving blessings they did not create. But this isn't merely a moment for gratitude - it is a call to action.
Because every generation must decide whether it will simply inherit a legacy, or carry it forward.
Bible passage: Joshua 24:1-13
Study Questions
1. Have you ever inherited something unusual, meaningful, or unexpected?
Read Joshua 24:1-13.
2. In verse 2, Joshua says “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says.” How do you think Joshua understood God’s message, and why do you think it was important for Joshua to remind Israel that this was God’s story, not just their own history?
3. Between verses 4 and 5, God skips over hundreds of years of Israel’s history, much of which included slavery and suffering in Egypt. What do you think God was doing during this period, and how can this help us in times when it seems God is absent?
4. God reminds the Israelites of how He was faithful to their ancestors before they ever entered the Promised Land. How might this have changed the way they viewed their future?
5. Why do you think humans are so quick to believe we deserve the blessings we have received? How would Israel’s attitude have changed if they believed the Promised Land was something they had earned?
6. Read verse 13 again. God says He gave them things they did not work for and places they did not build. How is this true for our Riverside family?
7. The talk said we are stepping into a story rather than starting a new story. How does that change the way we view our purpose, our gifts, and what God has entrusted to us?
8. Have you ever looked back and seen ways God was preparing you before you understood why? Could God be using your story “for such a time as this”?
9. Pray: Ask God to forgive us for the times we have acted as though we earned what He has given us, and help us live with gratitude as part of His bigger story.
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Most defining moments don't feel dramatic at first. They often begin with a decision - a quiet but significant choice about who we will trust and what we will build our lives around.
In Joshua 24, God's people are challenged to respond to the faithfulness they've experienced. Not with guilt or obligation, but with wholehearted commitment.
Because a legacy comes alive again when it moves from being something we inherited to something we choose to carry.
Bible passage: Joshua 24:14-28
Study questions
Is there a moment in your life when a decision changed your future?
Read Joshua 24:14-28.
Joshua says “choose this day whom you will serve”. Why do you think Joshua presents serving God as a choice that has to be made?
Joshua says “you are not able to serve the LORD” (verse 19). What do you think he means?
In our Bibles, when we see LORD in capitals, the translators are showing that the original Hebrew says Yahweh - God’s personal name. Why might serving Yahweh have felt undesirable to the Israelites? Why might people today find serving Jesus difficult?
Read verse 28. What do you think this means? Why do you think the chapter ends with a choice rather than a command?
Joshua talks about “foreign gods”. What are some of the things that can compete for our worship and attention today
The talk said: “A practical response reflects a spiritual choice.” What do you think this means? Which is more important?
Read Ezekiel 36:26-30. Do you remember a time before this was true for you? How does this promise help us understand Joshua’s words that we cannot serve God by ourselves?
Can you trace your faith back to someone else’s sacrifice, generosity or faithfulness?
As we think about Riverside’s future, PRAY for those who will one day trace their salvation back to this moment.
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What if success isn't finishing the work, but faithfully passing it on?
As the book of Joshua closes, we're reminded that every generation stands on the shoulders of those who came before. Some plant, some build, some carry, and some harvest - but none of us are the whole story.
The invitation is not to do everything, but to play our part. To live faithfully, trust God with what remains unfinished, and leave behind something that can flourish long after we're gone.
Bible passage: Joshua 24:29-33
Study questions
Read Joshua 24:29–33.
What do you hope people will remember you for after you die?
Read Genesis 50:24–25. Why do you think Joseph wanted his bones carried into the Promised Land instead of being buried permanently in Egypt?
When Joseph made his family swear this oath, do you think he imagined it would take over 400 years before it was fulfilled? What does that tell us about his faith?
Our culture often focuses on short-term success, or at least success within our own lifetime. Do you find it more challenging or more exciting to sow seeds that you may never see harvested? Why?
Joshua's generation served the LORD, but the following generation largely didn't (see Judges 2:10). Does that mean Joshua's leadership was a failure? Why or why not?
The talk described legacy as 'laying foundations for centuries.' What are some ways we can build a legacy that outlives us, whether through family, church or community?
Verse 31 says Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the elders who outlived him. Why do you think faith is often 'caught' through the influence of older believers? Who has been an example to you?
Joshua, Joseph and Eleazar all die in this passage, yet God's story continues. How does that encourage or challenge the way you think about your own role in God's kingdom?
Pray that God would help us build a kingdom legacy that outlasts us, and give us joy in faithfully playing our part in his bigger story.