Memorial Joshua 4 Dr. Joseph Chang 6/2/2013 BOLGPC

1 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, 2 "Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight." 4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 5 and said to them, "Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, (Josh 4:1-5)

6 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.“ 8 So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. 9 Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day. (Joshua 4:6-9)

I. Man’s memorial forces your attention, God’s memorial requires your seeking. Stalin/ 史達林 Monument to Stalin stood in Gori, Georgia until 2010 when it was demolished.

I. Man’s memorial forces your attention, God’s memorial requires your seeking. Saddam Hussein (Iraqi leader— )

I. Man’s memorial forces your attention, God’s memorial requires your seeking. Saddam Hussein (Iraqi leader— )

I. Man’s memorial forces your attention, God’s memorial requires your seeking. Saddam Hussein (Iraqi leader— )

I. Man’s memorial forces your attention, God’s memorial requires your seeking. Chiangkaishek/ 蔣介石 45,000 statutes, 153 streets named after him. 38 residences.

I. Man’s memorial forces your attention, God’s memorial requires your seeking. Chiangkaishek/ 蔣介石

I. Man’s memorial forces your attention, God’s memorial requires your seeking. 4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace." (Dan 3:4-6)

How big was the stone of memorial in Joshua’s time? I. Man’s memorial forces your attention, God’s memorial requires your seeking.

How big was the stone of memorial in Joshua’s time?

I. Man’s memorial forces your attention, God’s memorial requires your seeking. How big was the stone of memorial in Joshua’s time?

II. Man’s memorial forces us to recognize that he is god. God’s memorial reminds us that we can come for help. 19 On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. 20 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, "In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?' 22 tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' 23 For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God." (Josh 4:19-24)

III. Look intently God’s miracle in our lives, and know the meaning of the memorial. 45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. 47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night (3-6am) he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, (Mark 6:45-48)

III. Look intently God’s miracle in our lives, and know the meaning of the memorial. 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. (Mark 6:49-52)

III. Look intently God’s miracle in our lives, and know the meaning of the memorial. 5 loaves and 2 fish

52 這是因為他們不明白那分餅的事，心裡還 是愚頑。 ( 可 6:52) 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. (Mark 6:52)

III. Look intently God’s miracle in our lives, and know the meaning of the memorial. A. Jesus asked them to Bethsaida is to provide them rest.—He cares for our eating and our resting. B. What was Jesus doing? He prayed for the disciples—He cares about their spiritual lives. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, (Mark 6:48) 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. (Matt 14:32)

III. Look intently God’s miracle in our lives, and know the meaning of the memorial. C. If Jesus takes care our food, can he keeps us safe in coming in and going out?

Conclusion

We have many memorials in our lives. Have we looked for them? Do we understand the meaning of the memorials? Have we come to Him for help, in our time of trouble?