Mere Stones/Reminders-11 Series

MERE STONES/Reminders-XI—Joshua 4:1-24(:15-24)

Reminder/Recall/Memorial/Symbol/Post-it notes/String on finger

Seemingly insignificant reminders can make all the difference in a Christian‘s life!

Joshua had twelve stones removed from the Jordan River as a memorial to the crossing.

Memorials or Spiritual Reminders hold a great deal of significance to God’s people.

What significance can spiritual reminders offer?

Achievements of spiritual reminders.

Previously we have found that...

Mere Stones/Reminders, can transport us to a Position of...

1. UNIQUE ACCOMPLISHMENT(:3, 5)

2. BLESSING(:3)

3. IMMINENT DANGER(:5)

4. RESPONSIBILITY(:5)

5. INFLUENCE(:6)Envision

6. REFLECTION(:7-9)

7. COMPLETION/End(:10-11)

8. OPPORTUNITY(:10b)

9. COMMITMENT(:12-13)

10. PROMINENCE(:14)

11. NORMALCY/The Mundane(:15-18)

12. CONFIDENCE(:19)

13—Mere Stones/Reminders can transport us To a Position of...

READINESS(:21-22)

Explanation:(:21-22)Discipler/Testifier

: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’;”

Joshua reminded Israel of the significance of the stones for their own children’s sake(cf.--:6-7).

*Children need direction from their fathers! Fathers are not merely ‘sperm donors!’ You are a necessary part of God’s plan for the well-being of mankind, thru the family.

God’s plan is that fathers might have a direct, positive, bodily, face-to-face influence on the choices of their children!

The stones were a memorial/reminder for future generations. They were to recall/memorialize & immortalize—for their very children—how the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry land.”

They were to recount for their children, how that crossing was accomplished by the awesome & powerful hand of God.

They were to recount for their children, that God’s power was experienced simply because He was allowed to work thru the faithful competence of family relationships, as well as thru congregational leadership & cooperation.

Argumentation:

2Tim. 4:2—“Preach the word! Be ready in season & out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering & teaching.”

Lk. 12:11-12—“Now when they bring you to the synagogues & magistrates & authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Lk. 21:12-15—“But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you & persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues & prisons. You will be brought before kings & rulers for My name’s sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth & wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.”

Mat. 21:18-19—“Now in the morning, as He[Jesus] returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it & found nothing on it but leaves, & said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.”

The fig tree’s lack of fruit is a picture for us, of the personal insecurity of personal unpreparedness.

Jn. 4:7-10, 11-26, 28-30, 39-42—“A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered & said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, & who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, & He would have given you living water.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, & the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? “Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, & drank from it himself, as well as his sons & his livestock?” Jesus answered & said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, & come here.” The woman answered & said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, & the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, & you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, & now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit & truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, & those who worship Him must worship in spirit & truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming”(who is called Christ). When He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”.....“The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, & said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city & came to Him.”.....“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; & He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him & we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”