"WHAT DO THESE STONES MEAN?"

JOSHUA 4:1-9

Over the past few weeks we have been journeying with the people of Israel as they come again to the threshold of the promised land. They've been here before, but they failed to enter it.

Consequently, the people spent forty years wandering in the wilderness. But then God did a new thing in their midst. He gave them a new leader and soon they seemed to have new determination. The time finally had come after all these years to cross over and enter in to what God promised so long ago.

We heard the wonderful story last week of how God gave them evidence of his power and presence by stopping up the Jordan so they could cross on dry land. What a sight it must have been.

What a sign of God's power and what a reminder of his providential care! There must have been a great spirit of celebration and awe as those people walked dry riverbed. Finally they were in the land of promise.

During these weeks of reflecting on the book of Joshua, we have been taking their story as a metaphor for our own spiritual journey. God calls each of us to enter a new land, spiritually. It's a land of freedom, joy and peace.

Yet sadly, many are unable or refuse to enter. Some are simply disobedient to move away from the comfort of what is into the challenge of what could be. Others are paralyzed by fear, terrorized by the barriers that seem to lie between them and spiritual health. Still others are immobilized by the past, tragically allowing the future to be defined by the hurts and failures of the past.

So we've heard God's call to cross over. We've heard his call to get up and dust ourselves off and move on. We've heard his call to keep our eyes focused on what he can do instead of what we cannot do.

But before these people leave the river and move on into the land, there's one more thing God wants them to do. And this morning, I'd like us to follow along.

As the whole nation of Israel was crossing the Jordan, God instructed Joshua to have one representative from each of the twelve tribes pick up a stone out of the riverbed on their way across.

Joshua understood their purpose. He had seen this before. He told the people that with those twelve stones they were going make a memorial on the other side. Just a pile of stones, nothing special. Yet it would become a sign to the people of what God had for them.

It was not only to help them remember, but that marker would become a catalyst for telling the story of God's faithfulness and deliverance. So this morning I'd like for us to build an altar of remembrance.

Let's consider together the twelve stones and stories of God's faithfulness to us. I want us to look at twelve stones and ask the question: "What do these stones mean?" What are the signs and markers of God's power and presence in our life together?

[Note: each of these "markers" should be personalized to specific stories within the congregation that are signs of God's presence and power].

The first stone is the marker of God's healing power. We have witnessed some amazing signs of god's power to deliver and heal. We have witnessed together true miracles of God's healing grace in the lives of people right in this congregation. I don't know why God doesn't do it every time but we dare not be shy to praise him for the miracles of healing that do come.

There has also been healing of other kinds. Marriages have been healed. Broken family relationships have been restored. Shattered self-images have been lovingly put back together by the Creator. Let us remember that we serve a God whose business it is to bring life where only death would be expected.

The second stone is the marker of stewardship. I don't ever want us to forget what God has done literally to transform this congregation in its stewardship. For much of our thirty-eight year history we struggled with finances. Five years ago however, we decided by the grace of God to align our practice of stewardship with the biblical principle of putting others first. From that day forward, God has abundantly blessed us.

But it's larger than finances. Some have experienced the misfortune of losing what seemed to be secure jobs only to discover the truth of God's promise to meet all our needs. And many in this congregation are responding to God's call to simplify their lives so they will have more to invest in others.

The third stone is the marker of missions. The global mission enterprise of the church of Jesus Christ has become foremost in our thinking as a congregation. We are developing much more of a global mindset, taking seriously the responsibility that we have to our brothers and sisters in other lands.

The fourth stone is the marker of new life and growth. There are several ways to celebrate this. Much of our new life has been physical. In the past several years we have witnessed the birth of dozens of new babies born to the families of this church. What a responsibility!

We have also experienced growth numerically. Membership and attendance have risen significantly. But the most important kind of new life and growth is seen in the persons whose lives have been transformed by the redeeming power of Christ Jesus.

Many people have come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Many others have gone to a new level of spiritual life through the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. These altars have regularly been wet with the tears of repentance and joy. Thank be to God!

The fifth stone is the marker of prayer. We've been talking a lot more about this lately and it seems that God is calling to a new and deeper place in prayer.

But this move of God's spirit among us is not new. Some years ago, God put it in the heart of one of our men to organize the men of this church to pray daily for our pastors, a practice which continues to this day. Now many of the women of the church are praying daily for the pastor's wives. Beyond that, I am thrilled whenever I hear of spontaneous pockets of prayer springing up throughout our church.

The sixth stone is the marker of worship. Let's be careful, loved ones, to never take for granted the way God meets with us here in this sanctuary week after week. He is utterly faithful to speak to us and show us his mercy and power.

The seventh stone is the marker of our teens. We are blessed with a terrific group of teenagers. The wonderful thing is that they are more than a separate ministry off to themselves but they are vitally connected to the whole life stream of this church.

Many of them are asking important questions and taking momentous steps in their discipleship, preparing themselves for a life of service to Christ and his church.

The eighth stone is the marker of our children. What a blessing is ours to have a church filled with active and joyful children. If you aren't sure about that blessing, try being part of a church without the vitality of children. We have made a significant investment in ministry to children realizing that the stakes are very high.

We have such an amazing task to provide for our children an authentic reflection of the kingdom of God in the way we live together as a church. We praise him for helping us to rise to the task.

The ninth stone is the marker of those sent out. Across our history we have had the wonderful privilege of investing in the lives of men and women who have gone on to give their lives in the proclamation of the gospel around the world.

Today there are pastors in every corner of the country whose pastoral ministries have been shaped by the life of this congregation. There are missionaries around the world who were nurtured by this church during their seminary days. We are also sending people out weekly into area ministries to make a difference in our community. Dozens, for example, are involved in ministry to imprisoned persons and their families.

The tenth stone is the marker of lay ministry. One of the most exciting things to me is when people take initiative to develop their gifts for ministry and just put them into service. It has been exciting to discover the many ways that you are providing ministry to one another. Many of you are providing wonderful pastoral ministries of counsel, care and prayer.

I believe god is teaching us deeper lessons of what it means to be priests for one another. We are learning that the work of ministry does not reside with the clergy but is given to the whole community of faith.

The eleventh stone is the marker of vision. Our purpose is that we would be an authentic reflection of the kingdom of God in the way we live and work together as a community of faith. That means we should increasingly be a people whose life together is characterized by grace, acceptance, forgiveness, challenge, help, and safety.

Christ calls us to lay down our lives for one another. This is a radical departure from the message we hear every day from our world telling us to care for ourselves. We are learning deeper lessons of kingdom life.

The final stone is the marker of hope. This is for those who are still on the wrong side of the river. This stone of hope is for those who haven't yet crossed over.

This is for the ones whose answer to prayer is still on the way. This is for the generations to come who will carry on through the ministry of this church what we have carried on from those who passed it to us.

This is the marker of what the prophet Jeremiah was talking about when he said, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

As we look at this memorial we should remember that we are indeed a blessed people. Look and remember all that God has done for us. He has moved among us with his mighty power and provision. He has gone before us and prepared the way. He has helped us to cross over into the new land.

It's not over, though. After Israel crossed the Jordan they still had a lot of work to do in order to actually possess the land. And we still have a lot of work to do.

Our future is bright. Crossing over is only the beginning. Once you cross over, you still have to possess the land. There are challenges and conquests ahead. It will take great sacrifice, a sacrifice that I believe God is calling some of you to make. I pray that you will listen and obey.

Will we be faithful to follow the lead of Jesus in radical obedience to his call to lay down our lives for the sake of the gospel?
These stones remind us that God is able. These stones remind that God is faithful. These stones remind us that nothing much happens until we step out in faith and cross over into the new land that God is calling us toward.

Let's cross over into the next era of our journey together as a congregation. Let's follow hard after Christ. Let's possess the land he is giving to us as our inheritance. "Follow me as I follow Christ!"