The Story beyond the Stones

Context

Joshua new leader and is now in charge of leading the Israelites over.

40 year anniversary since leavng egypt. God closing that chapter (they are almost at the end).

Chapter 3:15 tells us that the waters were OVERFLOWING and it was HARVESTING season.

Chapter 3:17 The priest took the ARK OF THE COVENANT and STOOD in the MIDDLE of the Jordan on DRY GROUND.

Joshua 4:1–24 NKJV

1 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: 2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’ ” 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; 5 and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” 8 And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the Lord had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day. 10 So the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the Lord had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and crossed over. 11 Then it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over, that the ark of the Lord and the priests crossed over in the presence of the people. 12 And the men of Reuben, the men of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses had spoken to them. 13 About forty thousand prepared for war crossed over before the Lord for battle, to the plains of Jericho. 14 On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life. 15 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, 16 “Command the priests who bear the ark of the Testimony to come up from the Jordan.” 17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, “Come up from the Jordan.” 18 And it came to pass, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord had come from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet touched the dry land, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks as before. 19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. 21 Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; 23 for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

Joshua 4:1–9 NKJV

1 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: 2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’ ” 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; 5 and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” 8 And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the Lord had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.

The God of the “Middle”

Joshua 3:3–4 NKJV

3 and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. 4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”

Joshua

Loving God is easy when its at the beginning of your journey and also and the end. We get super excited when we get baptised, or when we are on our death beds.

illustration: How many know that the first time you went on a date it was exciting. Then you get to a stage when you have the opportunity to go on a date and you question whether you have enough energy to enjoy it. lol. Sarina and I went on a date this week, we had baby sitters (Although we are around eachother, we hardly talk to eachother) because Sarina is running around and always on the phone to ADRA or the conference, and I am talking to the conference or chasing up grants for church members and community members. We were so tired but we went anyways...

Love is beyond the hype and feelngs. Its more than the excitement at the beginning when you first see your family for the first time in a long time or at the end when you know you havn’t spent much time with them. It exist in the hard places. I thank God that He knows how to LOVE in the MIDDLE. He knows how where to be…He knows where to wait.

It exists in the unknown

It exists in the unknown

the uncertain

the uncertain

unpredicable

unpredicable

unsure times

When you have no control

unsure times

In the hardest places.

When you have no control

In the hardest places.

IN THE MIDDLE

In the MIDDLE

Chapter 3:3 “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.”

The ark of the covenant = the presence of God. When you are unsure and are uncertain, just you sit and wait for the PRESENCE OF GOD and then go after it.

The New American Commentary: Joshua (1) Instructions for Crossing: Stage One (3:1–6)

3:3 The ark of the covenant is mentioned here for the first time in the Book of Joshua, and it is an important focal point in this chapter.177 The ark was the most holy physical possession of Israel since it symbolized God’s very presence (Exod 25:22; Num 7:89; 10:35–36; 1 Sam 4:4), and it contained three symbols of Israel’s relationship with God: (1) the tablets of the Ten Commandments, (2) Aaron the high priest’s rod, and (3) a jar of manna (Exod 25:16, 21; 40:20; Heb 9:4).

The ark of the covenant = the presence of God. When you see it GO AFTER IT!

Link: It is the safest place to be

Why is it the safest place to be? Because....

Chapter 3:4 He will show the WAY in the MIDDLE because YOU HAVE NOT PASSED this WAY BEFORE.

The Israelites have never come passed here before. Rememeber they traveled around in circles for many years.

Not only have they never been here before physically but also spiritually. NEW LEVELS.

Joshua 3:17 NKJV

17 Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.

Joshua 3:

Story beyond Stones

Joshua 4:3 NKJV

3 and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’ ”

Joshua

Joshua 4:6–7 NKJV

6 that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.”

Verse 3 “Take for your

How many of you have things that are precious to you? Like an antique posession or a priceless items. I know from visitinig some of you who were ready to evacuate that you seperated what was important to that which was less important?

Here is God asking Joshua to tell your leaders to take these HEAVY & ORDINARY STONES “which they carried on thier shoulders” from the middle of the Jordan to where they lay down.

I love how God can draw out beautiful reminders of His love and grace, peace that is beyond all understanding, in the darkest places!!!

illustration: How many have some amazing testimonies of answered prayers? The Geelong call. Feeling pulled in another direction. Praying about it. Getting this overwhelming sense that I have to reach people the way I have been gifted in. I was really feeling like I wasn’t fitting…and I was in a pretty tough place…praying to God. God you called me here, but it feels like I am pushing up HILL. I never felt this weight like this. So questions start pouring in…WHAT AM I? WHAT IS MY PURPOSE? WHAT …God speaks to me by saying YES you are gifted here and here…I don’t want you to be used in one area but both… YOU WILL BRING GLORY TO ME THROUGH THIS...etc… (Bible says that they had to dip thier feet in first to see the miracle.... So I shared my concern with Christian…and started to have this conversation about not knowing if I can continue to do ministry on only half cylinders etc.... that evening we have this ADFIT meeting..

The New American Commentary: Joshua (4) Memorializing the Crossing: Stage One (4:1–10)

The stones’ purpose was to be a testimony and a memorial to Israel’s descendants that God had worked a great miracle in stopping up the waters of the Jordan. They were not to be an altar for sacrifice, but a pile of stones for a “remembrance.”225

In other words these stones were to remember a story. Not just any story but the STORY OF SALVATION.

How many of you received gifts @ your baptism? How many remember the moments on when you were baptised? How about he moment when you recieved Christ, and accepted HIM into your life?

These stones were so that people, future generation “children” when they come to play by the water on a hot day they will ask the queston. Why are these stones here?

illustration: Do you know anyone who ask a lot of question? like a lot of questions? I remember Justin Epps taking a walk around some farm at our Elders retreat and he took poor old EZRA… I believe Justin talked EZRAs ear off. lol

These stones tell a story. It was a conversation starter about a God who is there at the begnning, middle and end of the journey and one who will always be there.

God specifically ask Joshua and the leaders to put the stones there so that people WOULD REMEMBER the story. Remember the WHY they worship every week. WHY they pray, WHY they get together as a family and sing together about a God who saves.

Link: But as people do, when the feelings go down, and we are no longer in need of God what do we do?

What do we do? We forget :(

Judges

Judges 2:7–10 NKJV

7 So the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord which He had done for Israel. 8 Now Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died when he was one hundred and ten years old. 9 And they buried him within the border of his inheritance at Timnath Heres, in the mountains of Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaash. 10 When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.

illustration: Do you know anyone who ask a lot of question? like a lot of questions? I remember Justin Epps taking a walk around some farm at our Elders retreat and he took poor old EZRA… I believe Justin talked EZRAs ear off. lol

They forgot all about God...

These stones tell a story. It was a conversation starter about

People stop needing God because I am not needing him right now. But when everything crashes and things hit the fan ill come running bacl.

People stop telling the story to their children. People stop having converstions about God because He is irrelevant.

Why is it important that we remember? Once you forget what God has brought you through, then you have nothing significant to stand on.

Link: Sometimes

illustration: Adolf hitller tries to destroy art so that he can destroy the countries history. You get rid of history, you get rid their identity.

Link: The devil is alive and well is seeking to destroy...

But don’t miss out of the journey with God by forgetting what He has done for you!

Jesus says....

Luke 19:40–41 NKJV

40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” 41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it,

Link: Its a sad but exciting time for me because and the family because YES we leaving but we know that you are in wonderful hands. I am going to leave with fond memories of you all! I have a positive memory of each and everyone of you! Being here in TUMUT, I was able to experience the middle of things, the start of things and even the end. And can say that in all the good memories, God was behind it. An the bad ones, God used them to strengthen me…so eventually became good memories of how God can restore...

Living stones

1 Peter 2:4–5 NKJV

4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Jesus here is called the livng stone;

Then scripture points to us to also be “living stones”.

-

Don’t forget that you are a “living stone”.

Create new stories with God!

You are a STONE and there is a STORY in you about JESUS CHRIST!

YOU ARE THE LIVING STORY!

The Middle/The story/ The living stone

God is in the beginning and end, however, where we need him most He is there too. In the Middle.

God is asking us just like he did with Joshua and the Israelites to keep

You are living stones....you are the STORY!