Intro:When the waters of the Jordan rolled back
allowing the Priests to cross on dry land as they
carried the Ark of the Covenant, they were instructed
to gather stones as a commemoration of the event.
In explaining this, Joshua said "your children
will come in the future and ask ’WHAT DO THESE
STONES MEAN?’ Then you can tell them aboutwhat
God did here and what it means." (paraphrase)
Now, our church building was completely destroyed
by fire less than a year ago. Today we sit in a beautiful new facility. It amazes me. While we know
that the building is NOT the church...the building
represents some things...WHAT DO THESE STONES MEAN?
I. THEY REPRESENT THE WONDERS OF GOD:
1. We have seen amazing and exciting provision
coming directly from God from the most unlikely
sources to help us re-build.
2. Time does not permit me to delineate all the
"wonders He has performed", but we all can
remember the question "WHAT WILL WE DO NOW?"
that was on our mind this time last year...
3. From a larger than expected Insurance Company
coverage amount, to the many gifts, large and
small, to the contractor God placed in our
pathway, GOD PERFORMED SOME WONDERS, Amen???
4. What we are sitting in today is a result
of the WONDERS OF GOD....let us never forget
the WONDERFUL ways in which God has provided
this Holy place.
II. THEY REPRESENT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE:
1. While God was doing great and mighty wonders
to provide for us, there were many who put
"feet to prayers" and banded together in a
spirit of cooperation and accomplishment
to design and see this building come to pass.
2. Sacrifices of time, talent, muscle power,
money, and materials on the part of many
in this congregation enabled this to become
a reality.
3. Fund raisers, bake sales, carnivals, etc.
take much work and time.
4. Everyone chipped in to do their part...and
WORKED TOGETHER IN COOPERATION, EXCITEMENT
AND ENTHUSIASM...AND THE RESULT IS EVIDENT.
III. THEY REPRESENT THE WAY TO THE PROMISED LAND:
1.The stones in our Scripture commemorated
the wonders of God, and the Work of the
people who followed the leadership of God.
2. They symbolized "crossing over" into the
promised land.
3.*MAY THIS BUILDING ALWAYS SERVE TO POINT
TO A LOST AND DYING WORLD THAT JESUS CHRIST
OF NAZARETH IS THE WAY TO THE PROMISED LAND.
4. THE ONLY REASON WE EMBARKED ON RE-BUILDING
WAS SO THAT THIS COMMUNITY COULD CONTINUE
TO HAVE A PLACE TO WORSHIP AND BRING OTHERS
TO JESUS.
5. THESE STONES REPRESENT JESUS: the way TO
THE PROMSIED LAND.
CONCLUSION:
What do these stones represent? Many things...
but among them are the WONDERS OF GOD, THE WORK
OF THE PEOPLE, AND THE WAY TO THE PROMISED LAND.
