Remember

Some of you who are baseball fans know that in 2016 the Cubs won the world series which if you know baseball you understand that this was a huge deal for the cubs.

Because the last time they won the world series was 1908. So it took them 106 years to get back to the top.

And I remember I was at a world series party in the Chicago area when they won.

And the whole area was going crazy, people were running around in the streets chanting. People were hugging each other stores were opening at 2:00 AM to sell cubs world series merchandise.

I mean I was not even a cubs fan and I was going crazy about this.

And really all of this was happening because of this 106 year long journey that the cubs had been on to win the world series.

But you know whenever there is a major victory (especially after a long journey or trial) there is a way we respond to that victory.

And really if you have been with us the past few weeks in our series “Into the Unknown” this is where we are today.

Because the Israelite people have been on this long journey, where they have wondered in the wilderness for 40 years. (about half a life time)

and if you were with us last week we saw that one of the biggest obstacles that they faced was this river which separated them from the place that God called them.

But God created a way for them to cross this impossible obstacle.

And because of this we see the people of Israel having this huge breakthrough and victory.

And today what we are going to be looking at is when God moves and we see these huge breakthroughs or victories in our lives. how do we respond to that victory?

So we are going to be around Joshua 4 today and we will not be reading the entire chapter but jumping around a little.

So

Joshua 4:1–3 (NIV)

When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, (after this huge victory happened) the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

So the whole nation finished crossing the Jordan and God instructs Joshua to have the people pick up 12 stones from the middle of the Jordan and He tells them to place these stones where they are staying tonight.

Kind of a odd thing to ask the people. Are they going to use the stones to take the promise land? Are they going to use it to build a structure?

Why are they getting stones out of the river and placing them where they are staying?

And really if you look at why God is asking them to do this it is because there is no other way for the Isralites to get these rocks other then if the river got clogged where they could cross it.

And what I believe one of the reasons God has them stack these rocks was for themselves.

Because every-time they pass those rocks they remember that God got them through this impossible obstacle.

Its almost like how we have milestones in our lives.

When Arika was pregnant we got an ultra sound and we have that in a frame in our house.

When Liam was born they gave him hospital bracelet and we have that in a baby book.

When I graduated college I received an expensive piece of paper that was a milestone.

We have milestones in our lives and they remind us of an important event.

But the thing that is so neat about this pile of stones is that it was not just a pile of stones that showed an accomplishment, but it was a pile of stones that showed how great God was.

and this is something you have heard me say before and I want this to be engraved into you is that if we recognize that God was faithful in the past then we will know he is faithful in the future.

But we need to recognize it. And this is a very practical note. Find ways to remember when God moves.

Maybe Journal, maybe find your own stone type of symbol, whatever it find ways to remember God’s faithfulness,

because it is amazing how quickly we forget and really you see that with the Israelites in their 40 years that they were in the wilderness, because God does somthing amazing and then it seems like the next momment they forget.

and we are the exact same.

Find ways to remember God’s faithfulness.

But look at the second part of this, because the stone was for the people who were there, but possibly the main focus was actually for the next generation.

Look at verses 6 and 7 because it says that they do this:

Joshua 4:6–7 NIV

6 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

You know the stones were not just a memorial for the people who were there, but they were a way to tell their children about God in the future.

Can I just take a moment to say this is something we really need to understand.

Because this passage does not say so when your kids are in church or in children's church and they ask the small group leader or pastor what do these rocks mean.

But it says when your kids ask you what these rocks mean you can tell them.

basically this passage is saying is while your kids should come to church and grow, you are ultimately the one who has the greatest impact on your kids.

And it is so important for you to share with your kids how God has moved in your life.

You need to share the Jordans you have crossed the blessings God has given you and how He has moved in your life.

And you might think that sounds a little awkward... and if that is the case I really want to challenge you to just start trying to talk to bring up ways that God has moved to your kids, or grandchildren.

Because think of it like this

If you knew there was somthing that could harm your childs life wouldn’t you want to talk to them about it?

If you lived on a busy road you would make sure to talk with them about staying out of the road.

If you are grilling you would say do not touch the grill. Its hot.

And it really is the same thing when we think about talking to our kids about God.

Because we have something in our life called sin that has caused destruction, pain, and hurt in our lives.

But we have someone called Jesus who came to bear that burden and make it so we can be free from the sin in our life.

Isn’t that something you want your child to know?

And bringing your kid to church is great. in fact one of our churches values is families

And part of the reason is that we want to be a church that reaches the next generation, but can I fill you in on a secret… The best way to do that is not what happens in these 4 walls, but its what you do in the 4 walls of your home.

And we would love to walk that Journey with you, but it is so vital for us to tell how God has moved in our lives to our kids and grandkids.

And the middle of this passage actually tells them exactly what we read last week. I mean it includes almost all of the details.

And in a way it is saying do not leave out anything about just how faithful God has been to you let them know.

And look at this last part of the passage because its coming to a close and it actually repeats itself and give us one more point of why God uses these stones. It says:

Joshua 4:21–24 (NIV)

21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”

You know he says the stones are for your yourself, your kids but then verse 24 tells us the last person they are for and its everyone.

It says the stones that we have are for every single person to know about how great our God is.

Because we live in a fallen world. right?

A world where sin has entered which separates us from God.

and a world where things are different from how God intended

But in the middle of that if you have accepted Christ, then His light is in you.

And that light transforms you, but it also has the ability to change the world.

Because darkness can never overcome light.

If you look at a flame there is no shadow from the flame, and the reason is because light always overcomes darkness.

And so when we talk about or show the light of Christ we get to be part of what God is doing in building His kingdom here.

Can I ask you do you have a pile of stones in your life this morning?

Do you have something that reminds you of how God has moved in your life?

Do you have ways that you share it with your kids?

Do you have ways that you share it with the world?

Because we see this huge victory take place in the story and God does not want us to keep it for ourselves.

You know when I was in Chicago area for the world series after this huge victory no one just said that was great and went to bed, but they said I want to tell as many people as possible

and thats really what God wants. He does not want us to keep the victory to ourselves, but he wants that victory to be the thing that leads to others.

And this morning we are closing in a little bit of a unique way. Everyone should have recieved a stone this morning.

I want you to take that out and hold it up.

Maybe this morning you are thinking that you do not have many milestones in your walk with God for others or even yourself.

I want to invite you to make this one of your first.

And maybe you have something else in mind, but what would happen if you said God this stone represents how you are moving in my life and this stone is a reminder for me to remember your faithfulness in my life.

Will you pray with me?