Remember Who You Are... Joshua 3:14- 4:7

“You can't go back and change the beginning but you can start where you are and change the ending.”- C.S. Lewis

Looking Back...

Some excerpts from my Senior Yearbook...

Remembering can be one of the hardest things we do from day to day...

‘Say some funnies about my crazy memory moments’

I. Remembering God- Joshua 3:14- 4:7

MEMORIAL Something which serves as a reminder. Scripture witnesses to God’s participation in human history for the salvation of God’s people. Memorials to such events reinforced faith and provided opportunities for teaching. God’s covenant name (Yahweh) was to be a “memorial name” (Exod. 3:15 NASB), a reminder of God’s liberation of God’s people. The Passover served as a similar reminder (Exod. 12:14; 13:9). The 12 stones taken from the Jordan’s bed served as a reminder of God’s provision of passage across the Jordan (Josh. 4:7). In the NT the Lord’s Supper serves as a reminder of Christ’s sacrificial death and an encouragement of His future coming (Matt. 26:13; Mark 14:9; 1 Cor. 11:25–26). All these memorials serve to “proclaim” the good news of what God has done.

Joshua 3:14–4:7 (ESV)

14 So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), 16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan. 1 When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’ ” 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. 5 And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

A. Providence

19 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. 21 And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, 24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

He made the way possible. He held back the waters so the nation could walk over on dry land. The promised land was there for them to take because God has said it was theirs. This whole crossing was the ‘reset button’ from 40 years of unbelief and a lack of faith.

What were they remembering.

1.‘That God is mighty’

2. ‘that you should fear Him for all your days’

The word fear here is ‘ a verb in the second person (perfect) tense, 2nd tense meaning ‘you’ that the action is being done too. perfect meaning- the perspective of seeing or thinking of the action of the verb as a whole and complete, without respect to the time of the action

Michael S. Heiser and Vincent M. Setterholm, Glossary of Morpho-Syntactic Database Terminology (Lexham Press, 2013; 2013).

What this is saying is that the fear that you experience is some action that is done through you. In this case a complete reverent fear by an ‘awe’ inspiring God.

Think about the things these people have seen. Pillars of fire and smoke, now the river being held back, and soon to follow walls collapsing by sound.

This kind of fear sets up other ‘fear of God’ verse we see in the Bible. I will bring up one.

Proverbs 1:5–7 (ESV)

5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, 6 to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

This ‘fear’ we have here is a noun. This ‘fear’ is a state of being. For all tense of purpose the fear that has been shown through you has now set up a memorial in your heart and mind and you remember and revere the Lord of Creation.

B. The Journey

From the Jordan to Gilgal was about 6.5 miles to carry these large stones...

Your life be burdensome, (if you haven’t figured that out already). There will be times when your character will be molded and shaped. But those burdens don’t have to be carried alone. It wasn’t just one man to carry that stone but his tribe helped carry that load. Then pass on what you have learned to those who are younger that you. This is a great verse on discipleship. Passing on what you know to someone younger in the faith.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 4

those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal—Probably to render them more conspicuous, they might be raised on a foundation of earth or turf. The pile was designed to serve a double purpose—that of impressing the heathen with a sense of the omnipotence of God, while at the same time it would teach an important lesson in religion to the young and rising Israelites in after ages

GET THE GRADUATES TO COME TAKE A STONE

II. Remembering what God has done for you

A. Heir- Romans 8:17

Romans 8:17 ESV

17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Because of your unyielding faith and willingness to suffer with Jesus on this side of life, you will also share in His glory as well. Now when I first realized this I was taken back and unworthy, just life my salvation experience. But this is what He does for us. He is the most worthy of all adoration and glory and praise on the other side of life and He still wants to share it with us.

B. Priesthood- 1 Peter 2:9

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

You are set apart. Different from this world. You are to tell the world what wonders the God of Heaven has in store for you and them if they would turn to Him. Tell them your story! Your testimony of God intervening in your life, and saving it.

C. Temple- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 ESV

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

The most special and sacred space in the old testament was the Holy of Holies in the (tabernacle)temple, God decended and met with mankind there. The shear presence of holiness would kill any unclean priest that would enter. That Holy presence now resides in you. You are the temple! Which was the plan from the beginning by the way.

Have you ever had the thought, ‘why a curtain?’ All of these massive walls and doors, decorated ornately with precious jewels and gold and silver, but for the most sacred and Holy place in the complex, are three walls and a curtain. Granted, it was a massively thick curtain. Because it was never meant to be PERMANENT! That giant curtain tore from the top down when Jesus ‘said it is finished!’

D. Adopted- Ephesians 1:5

Ephesians 1:5 ESV

5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

You were chosen. We don’t have time to unpack fully. But if you are saved and the Holy Spirit dwells inside you, that means God chose you. How special does that make you feel?

E. Ambassador- 2 Corinthinans 5:20

2 Corinthians 5:20 ESV

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

You represent someone else. Your actions as a Christian show the world who you say you represent. YES, you are actively pursuing people to convince them they need God and be saved by His Son.

F. Body- 1 Corinthians 12:27

1 Corinthians 12:27 ESV

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

The reason Jesus died was to save His bride, to make the body of the kingdom of God functional, for the universal church to have purpose. You are part of that ‘body’ find your place in it and get to work. WE NEED YOU!

G. Citizen- Philippians 3:20

Philippians 3:20 ESV

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

If you love Jesus this is not your home. This life will kick you in the teeth and it hurts sometimes. Know that there is a future for you in heaven with our Father.

H. Workmanship- Ephesians 2:10

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

God has a purpose for you. You exist for a reason. And if He started a good work in you, let him finish it. Philippians 1:6 tells us that.

III. Application

All of these wondrous gifts that we are given and don’t deserve are not ours until we accept Jesus’ gift of salvation.

Give the Gospel Presentation.

Remember what God has done for you. Let His faithfulness be the fuel that powers you into the future, and let Him finish what He has started.