Stones of Tribute

Luke 19:37–40 ESV

As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Don’t forget to pray

The arrival of Christ comes with shouts of joy and celebration

The disciples were exclaiming the greatness of God and what He had done in Christ

The world around them and the religious system wanted to shut them down

“Rebuke the disciples”

Stones as they relate to “memorial” “testimony” or “precious and bearing witness” some 72x

Important to the Lord to bear Memorial Witness Testimony

The disciples could be silenced but these stones of testimony will never be silenced

The stones of testimony we leave behind will tell a story of the greatness of God.

Memory of the Impossible Made Possible

Joshua 4:4–7 ESV

Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

The people from each tribe must carry their own stone

They will tell generations to come of when the impossible was made possible

Your story is one of epic proportions which is why you have to carry your stone

your friends, family, children and all who see will know your God is a great God

They speak forever; You will cause the people to enter into the promised land

Ministers Called to Remember

Joshua 4:9 ESV

And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.

The people took up stones from the river to commemorate of How they were delivered

Joshua takes stones from the banks to place back into the river to commemorate the fulfillment of a promise

Cause the people to enter

not just this people but the generations to come

Do not forget where you came from… “do not despise the days of small beginnings...” The Lord rejoices in the work begin...

Elijah later went back and was guided by these stones… Elisha later went back and was guided by these stones...

There is a reason for why we are pressed to the brink… until we are solely dependent on God

Be a Stone of Testimony

Matthew 16:15–18 ESV

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Peter’s confession is the rock being spoken of..

yes Peter means rock “not” what is being spoken of

Confession Jesus the Christ Son of the Living God

In this confession the impossible has been made possible and the gates of hell cannot prevail.

Our confession is the rock as it tells of the greatness of God and His kingdom

Become a Living Stone

1 Peter 2:4–5 ESV

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

We the living stones place our hope in the cornerstone that is Jesus Christ

The victory is not for us but to cause others to enter into the promise

More than just a part of the church we are called to be priests of the House of God.

Not just hear the promise

Operate in the promise

Just as Joshua was so we must stand in the Grace given to us by Jesus Christ

We no longer offer physical sacrifices but spiritual sacrifices.

Prayer, praise, worship,

Our very bodies that our life is no longer our own

When we commit to the promise we give our bodies to the Lord… We no longer live for ourselves we live for the one who has called us His own.

It doesn’t mean you wont have other desires but this is the work of surrender where we submit all of our ways before the Lord not to build our empire but to build HIs Kingdom in this we proclaim

Your will; Your Way; Build your kingdom here and use me Lord as your vessel.