What Mean Ye By these Stones?

INTRODUCTION.

Joshua 4:6 KJV 1900

That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?

Luke 22:19–20 KJV 1900

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

Illustration -

How many of you remember singing a song on the church bus or in Sunday School that went like this:

How many of you remember singing a song on the church bus or in Sunday School that went like this:

“I’m inright, outright, upright, downright happy all the time… (repeat)

Since Jesus Christ came in, and cleansed my heart from sin,

I’m inright, outright, upright, downright happy all the time!”

In this message, let’s do some communion contemplation, and consider some sights that we see from the various gazes that a believer naturally takes when engaged in meaningful partaking according to Jesus’ command for this wonderful Ordinance He gave to His blood-bought church. Of these two passages that we read in opening,

—The first reference is to one of many monuments left along the path of the past. The second is to the monument set up by the Lord in memory of their ascended Lord. It is good that we come to these high places for reflection, meditation and survey. Let us note the view seen from the communion. [Lappin, S. S. Lappin’s Sermon Outlines. Cincinnati, OH: Standard, 1925.]

INTRODUCTION.—The first reference is to one of many monuments left along the path of the past. The second is to the monument set up by the Lord in memory of their ascended Lord. It is good that we come to these high places for reflection, meditation and survey. Let us note the view seen from the communion.

I. The Backward Gaze.

“This do in remembrance of me.”

Note - Jesus must be the focus point of this gaze - “in remembrance of ME”

Note - the point of reference when He made this statement was the anticipation of His disciples gathering in His physical absence, after His ascension, to keep the faith He once delivered unto them as they continued in the Apostles’ Doctrine, and in fellowship, and in breaking of bread. At that future point, though His disciples couldn’t see it in its fullness when He said it to them, in His omniscience, Christ looked forward, past the Cross, past His death and burial, according to the Scriptures, and past His three-day journey into the heart of the earth, past His breaking the chains of death and winning the keys of death and hell, past His resurrection and physical exiting of the tomb He would borrow from Joseph of Arimethea, past His many appearances as recorded in the Gospels and Acts, past His Great Commission, past His promises of empowerment to His disciples, and past His glorious ascension into the clouds… to that yet future day, when His followers would sit down with the Apostles, and look back… Jesus said: “Remember ME!”

Note - There are many things that we could look back on, but don’t get distracted by all the details so that you forget to see how it all ties back to Jesus. It’s not just a memorial slideshow of all of our great accomplishments (because we never look for our failures to highlight and put in our slideshows…), no, we are to look back at Christ’s great accomplishment! Who He is, as God’s only begotten Son, and what He’s done, in all His redeeming grace! Take a look backward, and make sure you look close enough to see Jesus.

II. The Forward Gaze.

“Ye do show my death till I come.”

Note - When you’ve looked back, don’t stop there, because you also need to turn around and gaze forward.

Christ Is Coming

Christ is coming, He is coming,

And we do not know the hour.

O Sinner, you’re not ready

Till you taste His saving pow’r.

As He went up into heaven,

So He cometh from the sky.

O Christian will you serve Him?

O Christian will you serve Him?

For redemption draweth nigh.

He will come in pow’r and glory,

And the dead in Christ shall rise.

Then we who still are living,

Shall be caught up in the skies.

Lord Jesus, come quickly,

And take Thy children home.

Are you ready for His coming?

When Jesus claims His own.

Note - Look forward, and consider that you might have some days filled with sunshine, and how pleasant those will be.

Note - Look forward, and prepare yourself to wait on the Lord, no matter what comes, because there may be some darkness and shadow, and storms that you’ll need to endure as you’ve put your hand to the plow.

Note - Look forward, because as the seasons come and go, the season of the summer’s pleasures of this world’s sin will pass away, and winter set in, and this old world will be purged and judged. With a forward look, you’ll not want to waste any time to let those you love pass through judgment without hearing of God’s saving grace and you’ll get busy redeeming the time, for the days are evil.

Note - With a forward look, you can be prepared to face persecution for serving Christ, “yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

Hebrews 12:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Heb. 12:

III. The Inward Gaze.

“But let a man prove himself and so eat and drink of this cup” ().

[DBT -] 8477 self-examination - Reflection on one’s own character, motives and actions, in order to judge whether they are truly in accordance with Christian values.

8477

self-examination

Reflection on one’s own character, motives and actions, in order to judge whether they are truly in accordance with Christian values.

8478 self-examination, teaching on - Self-examination should take place on the basis of God’s revelation of himself and the example he sets believers in Jesus Christ. It is especially important before confessing one’s sins.

self-examination, teaching on

Self-examination should take place on the basis of God’s revelation of himself and the example he sets believers in Jesus Christ. It is especially important before confessing one’s sins.

The importance of self-examination

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Haggai 1:5 KJV 1900

5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

Haggai 1:7 KJV 1900

7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

Haggai 2:15 KJV 1900

15 And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, From before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord:

Haggai 1:5 KJV 1900

5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

Hag. 1:5

Haggai 2:18 KJV 1900

18 Consider now from this day and upward, From the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, Even from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider it.

Haggai 2:15 KJV 1900

15 And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, From before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord:

2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV 1900

5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Hag. 2:15

Hebrews 3:12 KJV 1900

12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

Psalm 4:4 KJV 1900

4 Stand in awe, and sin not: Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

Psalm 77:6 KJV 1900

6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: And my spirit made diligent search.

A lack of self-examination leads to pride and self-delusion

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1 Corinthians 11:28–29 KJV 1900

28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

Matthew 7:5 KJV 1900

5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

John 8:7 KJV 1900

7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

Romans 2:1–4 KJV 1900

1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Self-examination is not easy because of humanity’s fallen nature

See also

Psalm 19:12–14 KJV 1900

12 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. 13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me: Then shall I be upright, And I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth, And the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Jeremiah 17:9 KJV 1900

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

This now leads us to take:

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The purpose of self-examination is to lead people to God and amendment of life

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Self-examination is especially important when ministering to others

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Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies (London: Martin Manser, 2009).

IV. The Upward Gaze.

“I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.”

God helps believers in their self-examination

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Psalm 26:2 KJV 1900

2 Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my reins and my heart.

Job 7:17–18 KJV 1900

17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? And that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? 18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, And try him every moment?

Job 13:9 KJV 1900

9 Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

Job 13:23 KJV 1900

23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin.

Psalm 11:4–5 KJV 1900

4 The Lord is in his holy temple, The Lord’s throne is in heaven: His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men. 5 The Lord trieth the righteous: But the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.

Psalm 139:23–24 KJV 1900

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

Ps. 139:

Proverbs 5:21 KJV 1900

21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, And he pondereth all his goings.

Pr. 5

Jeremiah 17:10 KJV 1900

10 I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Jeremiah 20:12 KJV 1900

12 But, O Lord of hosts, that triest the righteous, And seest the reins and the heart, Let me see thy vengeance on them: For unto thee have I opened my cause.

The purpose of self-examination is to lead people to God and amendment of life

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Lamentations 3:40–42 KJV 1900

40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. 41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. 42 We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.

Psalm 42:5 KJV 1900

5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him For the help of his countenance.

Psalm 42:11 KJV 1900

11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, Who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Psalm 43:5 KJV 1900

5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, Who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Ps. 42:11

James 1:23–25 KJV 1900

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Self-examination is especially important when ministering to others

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Galatians 6:1–4 KJV 1900

1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

Galatians 6:1 KJV 1900

1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Romans 14:4 KJV 1900

4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

1 Timothy 4:16 KJV 1900

16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

James 3:1 KJV 1900

1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

[Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies (London: Martin Manser, 2009).]

Conclusion:

When you gaze backward, do you see Jesus? Promised as coming, born of virgin, sinlessly living, compassionately healing, agonizingly dying, vicariously buried, powerfully resurrected, and gloriously ascended?

When you gaze forward, do you see Jesus, the Author and Finisher?

When you gaze inward, do you see why Jesus had to come and die for your sins?

1 John 1:5–10 KJV 1900

5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1 John 1:

When you gaze upward, do you see Jesus, inviting you to find rest for your sin-weary soul?

Matthew 11:28–30 KJV 1900

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Are you: “inright, outright, upright, downright happy all the time?”