Homeward Bound: Remember the Stones

Introduction: We were in our first appointment and living near the North Carolina/Virginia state line. It was a cold December that year and it started snowing right after Christmas. For three days we watched the lovely white blanket of snow grow as the plants and grass which had long since retreated into their winter slumber could be seen no longer. Finally the snow stopped and our tranformed winter wonderland was calling to those of us in the house, begging us to come outside and build a snow man. Our youngest was very sick with a cold so, much to his disagreement, Gail remained inside with him while I took our two older children out to guide them through the process of developing our latest version of Frosty the Snowman. As we began the process I turned away from the children for a moment, probably trying to locate the appropriate appendage for Frosty’s arms, when I heard Heather, our odest say, “Look dad.” I turned and saw my four year old future seminarian with her bare hand squeezing a handful of snow. As she closed and opened her hand repeatedly she said over and over again, “This is snow.”

It occurred to me at that moment our children had never touched snow. Oh, I’m sure they had seen it in story books we shared, or perhaps in magazines, or maybe even on TV. But they had never experienced it by touching it or being touched by it. Of course, we all know that there is a tremendous difference between hearing about something, or even seeing it and living in it.

That my friends is exactly the story of our text today. Remember the context of our Scripture today. In order to fully understand this part of the story, you have to first of all go back to Numbers 13. At that point in time, They had left Egypt a relatively short time before. It was there that God told Moses to send spies into the land to determine what the land and its inhabitants were like. However, the spies came back with a report different from what God had commanded them to do. All but two of them came back and said, the land is full of Giants, there’s no way we can defeat them. The only problem with this is the fact that God didn’t ask for their critique of battle potential. That matter had already been settled because God had already given them the land.

Isn’t it interesting how we humans are constantly trying to fix that which God has already taken care of. We keep trying to save ourselves but the problem is that God is the only one who can do that and he did that years ago. It is called grace. Paul said it this way in Ephesians 2, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and that is not of yourself. It is the gift of God, not of works lest any person should boast.”

As a result, God told Moses that no one who was 20 years or older would be allowed to enter the Promised Land, except for Joshua and Caleb, the two spies with favorable reports. So, for 40 years they wandered. During that time they told the stories of the Promised Land. Can’t you see them sitting around the camp fire at night telling the stories of the land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Finally the day came in which all of the people died who were older than 59 years old, except for Joshua and Caleb. Moses has died and Joshua has been made the leader of the nation. They arrive at the Jordan only to discover that the river is at flood stage. Doesn’t that sound like bad luck. There they were, having heard the stories and survived all of the trials and difficulties of the wilderness, only to discover that the river was at flood stage and there was nothing they could do about.

I feel for Joshua. How unfortunate it is for him to face his first major event without Moses and the river is at flood stage. We read this and tend to think, “surely God could have done a better job of planning than to bring the people after all this time to the Jordan which is now spilling out of its banks.” However, I do not believe that this is the result of poor planning. I think God is about to teach his people, and by doing so us as well, a major lesson in faith.

A. God gave Joshua very specific directions. God did not simply tell Joshua to lead the people across the Jordan River. God said that they were to follow the Ark of the Covenant into the water after the priests who were carrying the Ark put the soles of their feet into the river. While this doesn’t seem all that significant at first, I think there is a specific reason for this.

First of all, remember these people had been in the wilderness for 40 years. Many of them had never known anything but wilderness wandering. Imagine how horrifying it was for them to face the raging waters of a flooding Jordan. Tell me, where in their wilderness wandering did they ever learn to swim? In order to cross the Jordan, they were completely and totally dependent upon God. Just as it had been 40 years earlier, it was not going to be their own strength and might to get them into the promised land it was going to take total reliance upon God.

Have you ever known someone who lives their lives this way? Have you ever found yourself living this way? You know that God cares for you and will provide for you but somehow you just can’t bring yourself to relinquish control over to God.

I am reminded of the old story of the little country church back before the days of air conditioning. They were in need of serious repairs for there little chapel. They knew that they didn’t have much money but they also knew that that they had to get their building repaired. So, they went out and hired the services of a local contractor who agreed to do the work and let them pay him later. His work was more than satisfactory and it accomplished exactly what the little church needed. However, months after the work had been done, the church still hadn’t paid what they owed the contractor. Finally, about this time of year, the church held its homecoming at which they took up a huge offering but still sent the contractor no money. After several reminders and outright demands for payment, he dicided to take matters into his own hands. As it turned out, they were in their Fall revival at the time. The church was packed with people, so much so that they had to raise the windows to let some air in. That helped the contractor solidify his approach. He dressed up like the devil and hid in the bushes outside one of the windows until the revival preacher got wound up and was preaching really good. At that exact moment, the contractor now devil, leapt through the window. Suddenly the church vacated quicker than bad news circulates through social media. So rapidly did the people leave that only one rather large woman was caught between the pews. As she tried to go one way he’d run around and head her off. As she reversed her direction, so did he. Finally it bacame apparent that she could not escape him so she stopped, held up her hand toward the devil and said, “Now look here Mr. Devil. My name Ms. Gertrude and I’ve been a member of this church my whole life. I was raised in this church and taught the scriptures in this church. I’ve been the president of the UMW, Chairperson of the Church Council, Worship Chair and why I have even headed up the Altar Guild and the Prayer ministry, but I’ve been on your side the whole time.”

Sometimes we seem to be hedging our bets. When God called Abram to leave home and family and follow God it was a call to total commitment. When God told Moses to climb Mt. Nebo and look over into the promised land that he would not be entering, it was a call to total commitment. When Jesus said, “Anyone who would follow me must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me” it was a call to total commitment. Let me ask you a question, are we still hedging out bets or have we surrendered ourselves over to God. You see, for God to be Lord of our lives it means more than just the hour or two we spend here in worship, whether in person or on line. Total commitment involves every aspect of our lives, from how we spend our money to how we spend our time. So, how’s it going?

I believe this is what God was getting at when he said that the priests’ soles needed to rest in the water. You see it was more than just checking the temperature. It was total commitment. It’s kind of like sky diving, there comes a point of no return. You either is or you ain’t gonna go. God wasn’t looking for a partial commitment. He expected, yea even demanded the whole thing. That is why the stones are important. They represented the depth of God’s saving acts.

B. The Salvation that God offerred was for all people from the most desireable to the most undesirable.

The amazing thing about God’s grace is that it is readily available to all people. “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13

C. The stones were reminders of the story they had to tell.

Illustration: The stones of stone hinge. Stones without a story.

Having the story to share is what changes this church from a monument to a memorial. That is what we celebrate on All Saints’ Sunday.

They could not have done so without putting their faith into action, especially on the part of the priest.The waters separated only after their feet were in the Jordan. Joshua 3:13 “When the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan flowing from above shall be cut off; they shall stand in a single heap.”Just any stones wouldn’t do. They had to be stones from the middle of the river.How far can a bear run into the woodsRegardless of how worthy a person may or may not be, Jesus came for all of humanityJohn 3:16 does not contain the word except. It says, all whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

a. They represented the point of no return, the point of commitment

b. Remember these people, including the priests had lived in the wilderness for the last 40 years so, not only could were they facing a river at flood stage but in all likelihood, none of them could swim. Where would they have learned such a skill.

b. They represented the depth of God’s deliverance

i There was no place too deep or too great for God to deliver them from.

c. They represented the full scope of God’s Salvation, all had crossed over

3.The stones were reminders not just of what God had done but the importance of telling the story.

i. Can you imagine an elder responding to a child’s question regarding what the rocks mean by saying, “They are just some river rocks that have been piled up by someone.”

ii. These rocks signified their entrance into the Promised Land and the fulfilled promise of God.

Illustration: The stones of Stonehenge