September 9, 2007
Me: Life is full of some awesome memories. We like to capture them on video or in pictures so that we can reflect on them and tell others about them.
(Show Pictures)
You: What are some highlight moments from your life? What are the landmarks along the way that you reflect back on?
Today we are going to look at how God used landmarks to remind people of who he is and what he has done and also how he desires to use our lives today to be a landmark for others.
Ancient practice of erecting memorials. It showed that your god did something here and served as a reminder of the power and authority of your god.
YHWH did the same thing to have his people erect a monument to him.
“When the whole nation was finally across, GOD spoke to Joshua: 2 "Select twelve men from the people, a man from each tribe, 3 and tell them, ’From right here, the middle of the Jordan where the feet of the priests are standing firm, take twelve stones. Carry them across with you and set them down in the place where you camp tonight.’ " 4 Joshua called out the twelve men whom he selected from the People of Israel, one man from each tribe. 5 Joshua directed them, "Cross to the middle of the Jordan and take your place in front of the Chest of GOD, your God. Each of you heft a stone to your shoulder, a stone for each of the tribes of the People of Israel, 6 so you’ll have something later to mark the occasion. When your children ask you, ’What are these stones to you?’ 7 you’ll say, ’The flow of the Jordan was stopped in front of the Chest of the Covenant of GOD as it crossed the Jordan—stopped in its tracks. These stones are a permanent memorial for the People of Israel.’ " 8 The People of Israel did exactly as Joshua commanded: They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan—a stone for each of the twelve tribes, just as GOD had instructed Joshua—carried them across with them to the camp, and set them down there. 9 Joshua set up the twelve stones taken from the middle of the Jordan that had marked the place where the priests who carried the Chest of the Covenant had stood. They are still there today.” Joshua 4:1-9 (The Message)
The stones from the Jordan River represented what God had done for the nation.
The monument was not just another marker, but it represented spiritual significance in the life of the nation.
So, what does that mean for us today?
“As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him-- 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, 8 and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message--which is also what they were destined for. 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 1 Peter 2:4-10 (NIV)
God does not desire monuments of lifeless rocks. He desires monuments of changed lives.
To be a living stone is to declare the praises and glory of a victorious God.
You: In what ways are you becoming a living stone? What message is your life sending to those around you?
We: God wants to use us to build incredible stories of his love, grace and mercy to those around us. He has called us to live lives that allow other lives to be changed so that we can be a part of the incredible God-story.
Show my brick from Mexico. Reminds me of what God did on a mission trip.
