Remember! Resting in the Goodness of God

REMEMBER! RESTING IN THE GOODNESS OF GOD; Joshua 4:1-9, 20-24; MHAFB, 5 Jan 20 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Series: N/A / Topics: Remember; Memorial Stones; 12 Memorial Stones; Israel’s Memorial Stone; Remembrance; Stone of Ebenezer; Before Service: Pray with leaders! Opening Verse: Psalm 77:1–15, 78:40–43, 105:4–5 Songs for Worship: Forever, You Are My King, What a Beautiful Name ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SLIDE-Transition to Sermon, Ps. 119:105 Introduction 1. Attention: Happy New Year once more, and welcome to 2020! a. At the transition between years many turn their minds to the future… i. We consider what will be coming our way in the next 12 months. ii. Having the hectic nature of the holidays behind us, many begin to plan out the coming year. iii. We even make resolutions on what we want to accomplish over this time! b. It is a time of much looking forward. i. But today, I want to encourage us to pause & ‘look backwards’ for a bit ii. To remember who our God is & what He has done, especially in your own life & family c. This, breaking normal routines to pause & remember what God has done for you (to include special things He has taught you), is something that is done quite often in the Bible! i. Noah: Genesis 8:20 (Altar after God’s salvation from the flood) ii. Jacob: Genesis 28:10-22, 35:14 (Bethel), Genesis 31:43-55 (Heap of Witness w/Laban) iii.Joseph: Genesis 41:50–52 (Naming his sons in memory of God’s care for Him in Egypt), Genesis 42:9 (God’s dreams), Genesis 50:19–21 (encounter brothers w/God’s care) iv. Moses (& Israel): Exodus 13:3 (“Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt”), Ex 20:8 (Sabbath Day), Deuteronomy 4:10 (exhorting Israel to remember Sinai), Deut. 7:18 (God’s victory in Egypt), Deut. 8:2 (God’s care in wilderness), Deut. 8:18 (power to make wealth), Deut. 9:7 (how you provoked God & the wrath incurred), Deut. 15:15 (God redeemed you), Deut. 16:3 (Feast of Unleavened Bread for Egypt), Deut. 16:12 (Feast of Weeks, slavery), etc… v. And we could easily go on: Samuel (Ebenezer); David (1 Chronicles 16, Psalms, etc.); Solomon (Ecclesiastes 12:1ff); Nehemiah (Nehemiah 4:14, 9:17); Isaiah 12:4, 46:8–9; Jeremiah 15:15–16, 51:50; Lamentations 3:19–26; Ezekiel 16:61–63; Jonah 2:7–9; Micah 6:5; Zechariah 10:9–10; Malachi 4:4–6; Peter (Matthew 26:75; Acts 11:16; 2 Peter 3:2); Apostles (Luke 24:8; John 2:17, 12:16); Paul (Acts 20:35; Ephesians 2:12–13; 2 Timothy 2:8–9); Jude 17; d. Being such a consistent theme in the Bible—this must be an important thing for us to do! 2. Big Picture: And such is our focus today— a. SLIDE-Title: Remember! Resting in the Goodness of God i. While there are many stories in the Bible that we could look at for this, we will be focusing on what we see in Joshua 4 ii. While we do this, I also encourage you to consider how this relates to the Lord’s Supper, which we will celebrate afterwards. b. Do you want to better weather the storms of life, do you want to stay stronger, longer? i. Let's dig into God's Word this morning as we see better how to do this very thing— ii. Through seeing what God has done in your life. c. SLIDE-Thesis: As we do this, I hope that we will each see that… i. Regularly remembering God leads us to become a more faithful and growing people of God. 3. Passage: But now, let’s come to our key passages. a. Context: In this, we find Joshua leading the Israelites having just walked through the floodswollen Jordan River i. Israel is entering into a time of great conflict & challenges, ii. But one through which they will receive a great inheritance & a time of rest in the Promised Land— 1. If they trusted in God. iii. To help them toward this end, 1. God directs them to set up a stone monument as a memorial of God’s work, qualities, & relationship with them b. Verses-6 Slides: Now, please stand with me as we read Joshua 4:1-9, 20-24 Joshua 4:1–9 CSB 1 After the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the L ORD spoke to Joshua: 2 “Choose twelve men from the people, one man for each tribe, 3 and command them: Take twelve stones from this place in the middle of the Jordan where the priests are standing, carry them with you, and set them down at the place where you spend the night.” 4 So Joshua summoned the twelve men he had selected from the Israelites, one man for each tribe, 5 and said to them, “Go across to the ark of the LORD your God in the middle of the Jordan. Each of you lift a stone onto his shoulder, one for each of the Israelite tribes, 6 so that this will be a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 you should tell them, ‘The water of the Jordan was cut off in front of the ark of the LORD’s covenant. When it crossed the Jordan, the Jordan’s water was cut off.’ Therefore these stones will always be a memorial for the Israelites.” 8 The Israelites did just as Joshua had commanded them. The twelve men took stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each of the Israelite tribes, just as the LORD had told Joshua. They carried them to the camp and set them down there. 9 Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing. The stones are still there today. Joshua 4:20–24 CSB 20 Then Joshua set up in Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan, 21 and he said to the Israelites, “In the future, when your children ask their fathers, ‘What is the meaning of these stones?’ 22 you should tell your children, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the LORD your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, just as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up before us until we had crossed over. 24 This is so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD’s hand is mighty, and so that you may always fear the LORD your God.” 4. Transition: May the Lord bless the reading of His Word! Main Point 1: What We Remember Explain: Throughout these verses we see three key things that God wants Israel to remember… 1. MP1: God’s Mighty Works: vv6-7, 21-23; c.f. 3:5 a. In a manner similar to what this generation’s parents experienced with the parting of the Red Sea as they exited Egypt— i. God miraculously stopped up a wild river in the midst of the flood season! so that Israel could walk on dry land! ii. Imagine what Israel thought as they camped on the east side of this river… 1. “We can send over some of our best fighters, but how can we get our pregnant ladies, our elderly, our children, or even our livestock over this thing?” 2. Yet our “God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there’s...” “nothing my God cannot do, for you!” b. Throughout history God has done many wondrous things… i. MP1: Things for all people ii. Special things for His people iii. And for you (& your family), specifically! c. Do we take the time needed to remember God’s mighty works? Examples? d. Transition: We also see Joshua & the Israelites taking time to remember… 2. MP1: God’s Amazing Qualities: v24 a. MP1: Inferred throughout this story is the great power of God i. v24 makes it explicit, “…the Lord’s hand is mighty, and so that you may always fear the Lord your God.”” 1. A physical boundary unable to be crossed by such a multitude is no challenge for Him 2. He can cause water to pile up in a heap (v3:16) to open dry land for them ii. And consider the great power this generation’s parents witnessed in Egypt with the 10 plagues! 1. Great is our Lord & worthy of praise! b. And why was this power exercised on behalf of Israel but because of God’s faithfulness & love? c. Do we take the time needed to remember God’s amazing qualities? Examples? d. Transition: Now, let’s consider the final thing these verses highlight that Joshua & the Israelites took time to remember… 3. MP1: God’s Relationship With You: vv4:7, 23-24; 24:27 a. This focus can easily be missed if you’re not careful to pay attention to the language used… i. v4:7, “the ark of the Lord’s covenant" 1. The covenant established by God on Mt. Sinai 2. MP1: The covenant that defined the relationship between God & His people 3. This Ark represented God’s presence with them because He is their God & they are His people! ii. MP1: This concept is made explicit in vv4:23 when it highlights that YHWH is “the Lord your God” iii. Then v24 encourages them to “always fear the Lord your God.” 1. A fear which is very high respect, trust, & even awe of God— 2. Based on knowing Him through personal encounters! iv. Years later during Joshua’s retirement speech (24:22-28), he leads Israel to once more renew their covenant with God 1. During this he sets up another stone of remembrance sharing that it is intended to help them, “so that you will not deny your God” (v27) 2. Again we see this key reminder—we are to be a people that intentionally remember God’s relationship with us. So… b. Do we take the time needed to remember God’s relationship with you? Examples? c. Transition: As a final reflection, bonus thing the book of Joshua frequently reminds us to remember, but does not come up in this passage—we are to remember... d. MP1: God’s Word: i. God communicates this well to Joshua when he first takes over for Moses 1. Joshua 1:7–8, “7 Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. 8 This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.” (CSB) ii. Furthermore, 1. Only a short while later Joshua builds an altar to God that is meant to stand as another memorial stones (Joshua 8:30–35) 2. In accordance to God’s directions through Moses (Deuteronomy 27:1-3), Joshua leads Israel to renew their covenant w/God a. By reading through the entirety of the Law with them b. And then writing the Law of God on this altar iii. MP1: It is important for us to remind ourselves of God’s Word through reading it & using strategic visual & lifestyle cues to bring it back to mind 1. After all, it is through God’s Word that these other things are found! Transition: 1. Considering how full the Bible is with these exhortations to remember God, His works, His qualities, His Word, & His relationship with us… a. It must be very important for us to actually make special times to remember said things! b. So now let’s consider… Main Point 2: Why We Remember Explain: There are many ways to answer this question, let’s take an easy one first… 1. MP2: God directs us to! a. We see this come up throughout these stories through the Spirit’s inspiration & direction in Moses & Joshua b. Intentionally taking time to remember God’s works, qualities, word, & relationship with us is an element of simple obedience to (& trust in) God c. Of course we always like to know more of an answer than simply, “Because I told you to.” i. So, what else is there in these verses—why do we remember these things? 2. MP2: To encourage true faithfulness to God! a. As Joshua 4:24b shares, it is "…so that you may always fear the Lord your God.” b. Or as Psalm 78:40–43 shares, Psalm 78:40–43 CSB 40 c. d. e. f. g. h. How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert. 41 They constantly tested God and provoked the Holy One of Israel. 42 They did not remember his power shown on the day he redeemed them from the foe, 43 when he performed his miraculous signs in Egypt and his wonders in the territory of Zoan. As the old Hymn, “Come Thou Font,” reminds us, i. “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the one I love!” ii. MP2: We are prone to wander from God and into destructive sin cycles It is very natural for us as individuals & as communities to forget things i. Consider why communist ideology is so popular in our nation again— ii. The last 100 years has had cycles of interest in this that are mostly destroyed by historic examples of failure Take a survey at the book of Judges to see this cycle demonstrated by God’s people i. After the time of Joshua Israel was faithful to the Lord—until the elders who had grown up under Joshua’s leadership died… ii. Then Israel fell into unfaithfulness to God, 1. Resulting in discipline from the Lord… 2. Resulting in Israel crying out to God for help… 3. Resulting in God rising up a Judge to physically deliver & spiritually renew His people... 4. Resulting in deliverance & spiritual renewal! iii. But once that Judge passed away Israel again forgot what it truly meant to be faithful to God & they fell into unfaithfulness 1. Thus the cycle continued, and continued, and continued… 2. MP2: Like Israel, we forget what it means to be truly faithful to God If we are not intentional to remember God’s works, qualities, word, & relationship with us, i. We will enter into destructive cycles individually throughout the decades of our lives ii. And also as families & communities of faith over the centuries. This ‘reason for remembrance’ is very clearly emphasized in In the Joshua 8:30-35 covenant renewal and also the Joshua 24:14-28 covenant renewals—both of which involved setting up other memorial stones. i. In Joshua 8 they specifically remembered the curses that fell upon them if they were unfaithful to God as well as the blessings that fell upon them if they were faithful (v34)! ii. And consider in Joshua 24, after Israel promised to only faithfully worship YHWH, 1. Joshua exhorts them, “Then get rid of the foreign gods that are among you and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” (v23) 2. And Israel responded, “We will worship the Lord our God and obey him.” (v24) 3. And as vv26-27 share, “Joshua recorded these things in the book of the law of God; he also took a large stone and set it up there under the oak at the sanctuary of the Lord. And Joshua said to all the people, “You see this stone—it will be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words the Lord said to us, and it will be a witness against you, so that you will not deny your God.”" Even so, it was after the death of these elders that the faithlessness of Judges & that destructive cycle of unfaithfulness began. i. Remembering God individual, as families, & as communities of faith helps us avoid destructive sin by increasing our faithfulness to God i. Let us be a people that regularly choose to keep God’s works, qualities, word, & relationship with us i. And so keep our relationship with God as the #1 priority in our lives. j. Penultimately, why do we remember these things? 3. MP2: To raise up a godly family! a. God understood the great need for building regular routines that remind your children of God’s works, qualities, word, & relationship with us i. Consider His instruction to us in Deuteronomy 6:4–9 Deuteronomy 6:4–9 CSB 4 “Listen, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. 7 Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates. ii. We help each other love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, & strength by… 1. MP2: Using physical and lifestyle reminders that help us engage our family with our God iii. In Malachi 2:15 God explicitly says that a key desire of His in our marriages is this: Godly offspring iv. All 72 verses of Psalm 78 focus on remembering God’s work from Israel’s past that a future generation will know “the praiseworthy acts of the Lord, His might, and the wondrous works He has performed” (v4) b. Israel’s failure at doing this is one of the primary reasons they fell into destructive cycles like the book of Judges reveals i. And this was a struggle throughout Israel’s existence c. And so Joshua explicitly instructs Israel to set up these stones as a means to help them raise a godly family i. You know how often children like to ask “Why?” right? 1. Do any of you have a particularly curious child? 2. Perhaps you were one yourself? ii. Joshua highlights that when you’re walking along the Jordan River with your children, they will ask: 1. “What do these stones mean to you?” (v6) or 2. “What is the meaning of these stones?” (v21) iii. And the parents are to use this to their advantage to help their children better know God’s works, qualities, word, & relationship with us d. As families it is important for us to have strategic reminders of God’s works, qualities, word, & relationship with us... i. Because it provides an opportunity to help our children better understand these things, ii. It reminds us to disciple our children as God has called us to! iii. And children will naturally ask about these things— 1. Giving you an excellent opportunity to help them better know God! e. Learn to diligently remember God & boldly pass this memory on to your family f. And finally, why do we remember these things? 4. MP2: So that our world will know God! a. As Joshua 4:24b shares, “This is so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord’s hand is mighty…” b. Through Abraham all the nations were to be blessed i. Through the birth of Jesus we see how this blessing has come c. In these days it is upon us as God’s church to bring this blessing to the world i. To bring remembrance of God’s great works, qualities, word, & invitation to a relationship with Him d. MP2: This is the only reason we have come to know God— i. Believers who came before us remembered Him: His works, qualities, word, & invitation to a relationship Transition: 1. So, let’s wrap this up with some practical applications… Conclusion-1: Conclusion Reiterate: Regularly remembering God leads us to become a more faithful and growing people of God. 1. We remember His works, qualities, word, & relationship with us 2. We do it not simply because He commanded it, but also because it helps us to be truly faithful, to raise a godly family, and to help others know our God Apply: So, how should we respond? 1. Con-: Create changes that remind you and your family of God a. His works, qualities, word, & relationship with you b. There are so many ways you can do this, and they each require breaking your normal routines i. It could be how you decorate your home & arrange your space ii. It could be changes in your daily, weekly, monthly, or annual routines-iii. Whatever it is, a new year is a great time to make such changes! ! c. Every night spend time to thank God for things from that day i. Think about ways that God revealed Himself to you or cared for you ii. Think about what happened or didn’t happen for your family iii. Ask for His Spirit’s guidance in this, especially on the more challenging days! d. Regularly journal, focusing on your relationship with God— i. Reflect on current & past ways you have seen Him. ii. Keep track of your prayers & how He has answered them. iii. Write down spiritual things you are pondering or working through. iv. Then periodically go back & review these things. e. Put key meaningful Bible verses around your house i. Just Deuteronomy 6 encouraged the Israelites to do ii. Perhaps they are embedded with scenic pictures or simply written on sticky-notes & posted to your bathroom mirror f. Collect & display ‘Spiritual souvenirs,’ i. Reminders of key things God did for you or taught you g. Begin nightly devotions, individually and/or as a family i. Work your way through a book in the Bible or use a pre-made devotion from the many books & websites that are out there. ii. Take special time to reflect on who God is, what He does, & how it relates to your relationship to Him h. Do a weekly study on God’s qualities i. Find a list of these from online with key Bible verses that reveal them ii. Take one at a time to read about and reflect on iii. Consider how you have seen God reveal this in your life! i. Ask an older Christian to share stories of God’s faithfulness in his/her life with you i. You could even read a Christian/missionary biography to help see this more ii. Consider how you may have missed God’s similar work in your life 2. Con-: Correct unhelpful ways you remember your past a. Sometimes we remember the past in ways that are not helpful i. We sometimes fixate on these things & let them negatively define our present life ii. Maybe it was painful rejection, a crushing loss, powerful discouragement, a time of abandonment, or even a sense that God was not faithful to you b. The Israelites that fled Egypt struggled with this way of remembering when they considered the “good old times” back in Egypt (Exodus 16:1-5; Numbers 11:4-15) c. I encourage you to courageously approach these unhelpful ways of remembering i. As you do, invite the Holy Spirit to help you see the Lord through them ii. Consider how God must have helped the patriarch Joseph in this when he considered his slavery & imprisonment in Israel (Genesis 50:14-21) Appeal: 1. Brothers & sisters, as we have now entered into 2020, a. While we look to the future, let us also be those who well remember the past. b. And see to it that you haven’t forgotten what it truly means to be faithful to God. 2. When times are hard & we have your own raging river, crashing down at flood stage that you must cross… When it seems God is silent & you are walking through the “valley of the shadow of death”… When at a spiritually low point in life… When the whole world seems to be collapsing around you… a. Remember God! b. This will help carry you through such times! (consider Isaiah 43:1–7) 3. But when times are good & full of happiness… When you have a new promotion… When financially secure… When feeling good about your relationship with God… When all seems right in the world... a. Remember God! b. This will help you remain faithful & not fall into a destructive cycles of sin (consider Hebrews 6:13–20, 12:1-3) 4. In 2020 & beyond, set up new memorial stones as a testimony of God a. And find new rest in His goodness. Conclude: 1. Pray with me... Lord’s Supper Greatest NT example of remembering God!