Sermon Tone Analysis

Oct 5, 2008

“The Remembrance of God”      Josh 5:1

 

*God’s people*  *…  *the *Israelites*                                                     are *now* on the *other side* of the *Jordan River**                                     */  they have *literally ..* *walked thru* the *Jordan*                                          & *into* the *Promised Land *that *God* *gave* them  /                                                   & *they* are *now* *called  ..  *to *conquer *the *land*                                             

 

As *we* shall *find out*                                                  *Gilgal becomes* their *base* of *operations*                              a *place* of  * “holy ground”*   *so* to *speak*  * *

*but* it also *has become                                                    */“their *place* of *remembrance*”/                                                      

 

The *remembrances* of *what God did* for them                                                    *when* they *crossed*  *.. * the *Jordan River*                               (  */which/*/ God *parted* for them/  )                        

 

We *saw* that *God *told* Joshua*                                            to *take 12 stones* *out* of the *River*                                              & *build* an *alter* to *Him* in *Gilgal*                                        & *also one  .. * in the *middle* of the *River*                                 *where* they *passed* on *dry ground* 

 

*& why*  *..*  so they *could tell* their *children*                                   *when* they *asked*  *..*  *what are these stones*

Joshua 4:21-24

 

v21  he /~/ Joshua/ said to the sons of Israel                                                          when your children ask their fathers in time                       to come saying .. what are these stones

v22  then you shall inform your children saying Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground

v23  for the Lord your God dried up                                             the waters of the Jordan before you                                             until you had crossed .. just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea .. which He dried up before us until we had crossed

v24  that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty                                              so that you may fear the Lord your God forever

 

/& to *look* at the *beginning* of   /*Ch 5:1*/                                *we see ..* that their *remembering *this* event*                                   *served* its *purpose*  /

 

v1  now it came about when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west & all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea .. /( note what took place //..// when they )//                                                        /heard how the Lord had dried up                                           the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel                                                 until they had crossed .. /( note ) /.. that their hearts melted & there was no spirit in them any longer                         /( they had great //fear// )  /because of the sons of Israel

 

*When* we *look* at   *Ch 4*   we *see*                                         a *great reminder* of *what God did* for the *Jews* (  /His *love* & *care* for them/  )

 

/& *one might ask  …                                                                     but .. what* does *that have* to *do* with *me                                     * in *my world  ..  where I live* *today* /

/ /

/& *Scripture* is *here* to *teach us  …                                       *it has* *a* great deal *to *do* with us *today*  /

 

 

*/All/*/ we *have* to *do* is *search *&* study scripture*                        & with *patience*  *.. * *we* will *find                                                    * the *reason* for *everything *that *happens                          * in *God’s most glorious Word*/

 

*/You see  ../*/  the *best commentary*                                     on the *Bible  ..  *(* *is what )  *..*  the *Bible itself*/  

 

To *look *at  *N.T. revelation* of this *O.T. story*       *we* shall be *brought face to face*                                     with the *central theme* of the *whole Bible                                     *

/& that is/  *..*  the *death *&* resurrection* of J.C.

 

/The *stones* were *put* in *Gilgal* & the *River*                         to *symbolize *the *death *&* resurrection * *                                                       * of their *coming Messiah   *                                     /

* *

*Did* they *know that* at the *time  *                                               (  /I *don’t believe* so  *..  *I’m *not* *sure*/  )                                                         *but* as *we look back *upon this *event*                                    the* revelation *is* *very *clearly seen*

 

( /you see/ )*  ..  when J.C. died*                                                        upon *Calvary**’s Cross  ..  *we *realized*                                                     that He* accomplished everything*                                                  that *The Father commanded* Him to *do  …   *                                       as *Jesus cried out  ..  **“it is finished”*

 

*But Christian  ..*  it is *upon Calvary*                                               that* not only *did* *Jesus* die*                                                    *but *where* all* who *believe* in Him                                       *also died * 

 

The *perfect work* for our *salvation                                 happened* *there* at the *Cross  ..  once *& for* all*

the *cross * /~//  *grave  */~//  *resurrection  … */ /                                                      

 

With the *stone* *rolled away* & Jesus *alive*                                       the *question* of* sin *was* settled  …*                                         (  /that is  *..*  for *people* of *faith*/*  *)                                               

 

*Here* is *what* we *noted  * in   *Josh 4*                                          we *see* that *not only* the *priests                                    go down* into the *River  */~/  & *thru* it/*                                                         but* the *people went thru* the *water* as *well*

 

And the *deepest meaning */~// *core* of *Calvary*                                                    is *just that*                                                                             *not only* did *Jesus die* there for *our sin*                                  *but we *too*  ..  symbolically* *died* with* Him                               *(* */like in the *Jordan* *..* we *like* the *Jews*                                         *walk thru* it *with Him* /)  *…*

*listen* to *Paul’s words                                                  about* our *going thru death* with *Christ*

Gal 2:20

 

/( Paul says )  /I have been crucified with Christ                                                                 & it is no longer I who live .. but Christ lives in me                                                 & the life which I now live in the flesh                                              I live by faith in the Son of God                                                  who loved me & gave Himself up for me

 

 

2 Cor 5:14-15

 

14)  for the love of Christ controls us                                                     having concluded this .. that one died for all therefore .. /( what )/ .. /we /all died

 

15)  & He died for all .. so that they who live                               might no longer live for themselves                                                                                        but for Him who died                                                                         & rose again on their behalf

 

*/Please listen/*/  *..  *I *would like* to *make                                                               one* of the *strongest statements                                            *I have *ever made* to you                                 /

 

*/Without/*/ a *true understanding* of *this truth*                                    /

/ /

(/  /*that we died with Christ/  /*)*                                                              *

* *

*/we/*/ will *never* *be  ..  *& *never live                                                                * the *victorious Christian life*                                   that *we ought* to *live  …                                              we* will *always fall short* *  */

 

*We must* come to *grip* with the *truth *of*                                                            **Gal*  &  *2 Cor  *&*  **Joshua**  ..*  (/  & that is  /)                                                               that *Christ died *& *lives* for us                                        /the *Cross* & the *River* are *symbols* of *life* & *death                                                                  */

* *

(  /you see/*  *)*                                                                   Jesus* was *not alone* on the *cross  …                         /like/*/ the *people* who *walked thru*                                        the *Jordan River**  ..  *with the *priests*                                       (  they walked thru the waters with them  )*  */                                                                                   */we/*/ too were *there *with* J.C.*/*  *                                                       & *all *who *believe* in *Christ                                              symbolically died *with *Him*

 

 

/My *finest moments* as a *Christian                             mostly* came *when* *I* *felt invincible                                 */(  /that is *..* *when I felt dead to myself*/  )*/                                    therefore I reasoned  /*/~/  /*/what could man do to me                                         they /*/could *not embarrass* me ~/ *hurt* me  *diminish* ~/ *lessen* ~/ *weaken* ~/ *reduce *me/

*/because  ..  I /*/was* already dead *in* Christ*/

/ /

 

/&* I *have to *remind myself  ..  over* & *over                         *that *nothing* can *hurt  *~/  *harm* me                                                for I am *already dead  …*/

/& that *didn’t happen* just *once  …  but daily*                                       I *have* to *remind myself* of this *truth*                                       /

 

/You see *Christian  ..*  that *thought  …*                                             /

(/  that *Christ* & *we died* on the *Cross                                  *& *when* He *rose* from the *dead*                                          *we *too* rose* with *Him*  /)/                                                   /

/ /

/This *truth* is the *only* *sane *~/* real meaning*                                              of a *true *& *real* *saving* *faith*                                                    /

 

*God’s best* for *you *&* me*                                                           is to *live* a *life* that is *dead *to* ourselves  …*                                  */God’s best/*/ for *us*/  *..  *is to *die* to *ourselves*                                 & *live* for *Him*       

                      

*You see  ..  before* God *takes people up*                                                      to the *heights* of *victory  …*  * *                                                    He *usually *has to *take us down                                                 * to the *bedrock* of The *Jordan**  */~//  the *cross*                              (  */asking us/*/ to *die* with Him/  )

John 12:24

 

truly, truly I say to you                                                              unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth & dies it remains alone .. but if it dies .. /( what )/                                       /if it dies /.. it bears much fruit

 

*Once* we *die* to *ourselves* & *live *for* Christ*                                            *Gilgal becomes  .. * our *place* of *remembrance*                           *but* *Gilgal  ..  isn’t only* a *place* of *death                                      but* it is *also  .. * a *place* of *resurrection */~//* life                                */ *stones both* on *land* in *Gilgal* & in the *Jordan*   /

 

*You see  ..*  *Gilgal* *means/                                                         /* “the *reproach* has been *rolled away*”

 

What does that mean to us  ..  just this                                                     

 

Eph 2:4-10

 

4)  but God being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us

 

5)  even when we were dead in our transgressions made us alive together with Christ                                           ( by grace you have been saved )

 

6)  & raised us up with Him & seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus

 

7)  so that in the ages to come He might show                               the surpassing riches of His grace                                               in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus

 

8)  for by grace you have been saved thru faith                     & that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God

 

9)  not as result of works, so that no one may boast

 

10)  for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them

 

*/You see/*/  *..*  *we* are *identified* with *Christ*                              in His *death*  *..*  *but we *are *also one* with *Him*                                   in His *ascension* ~/ *eternal life *~/ *resurrection*/

 

*As we go* to *communion*                                                         I *want us* to *think* of *this  … * *                                                          *

*if* any of the *Israelites* had *gone back*                                       *over* the *Jordan**  ..*  *back toward Egypt */~// *sin*                                             the *rocks* would have *been there* in *protest*                           

 

So *today  ..*  the *Cross* & *empty tomb* of J.C.                                        *cries out* for *us  .. * to *walk* in *newness* of *life*                                     & *not *to *go back  ..  *to* our old* *life* of *sin* * *                     

 

*Gilgal* is a *place* of *resurrection*                                      /“the *reproach* has been *rolled away*”/                                                     the *stones * /~//  *altar* is a *reminder                                       * of *what* was *done *for *Israel*  /~/  *all* of *them*/                                                     as they *crossed* the *Jordan* on *dry ground                                                                          *

& the *cross* is *our place* of *resurrection*                                       as we *remember Christ* & His *life */~//* death*                            & *resurrection  .. * for *all* of *us* who *believe*

 

Verses:

Gal 2:20

2 Cor 5:14-15

John 12:24

Eph 2:4-10