The words “slow down” have very much been on my heart recently.  We know about the pace of life.  We know about wanting to be continually distracted or constant input from our screens or whatever.  We see it in ourselves.  We see this out in public.  We see it driving. “Slow down” is what I’m hearing.

In Joshua chapters 3 and 4, the story slows down.  We take our time over the crossing of the Jordan River.  It’s a big-deal event in God’s story.  We’re going to slow down today and take our time with it.  We can’t read this story without thinking of the crossing of the Red Sea - the event that changed the status of the Israelites from being slaves to being free – one of God’s mighty acts of deliverance, of freedom, of salvation.  Crossing the Jordan signals the end of wandering.  It signals the entry on the part of the Israelite nation of the land of promise, the land that had been promised so long ago, and the fulfillment of that promise.

We’re remembering God’s mighty acts of deliverance, and if there’s one thing we like to do, dear church family, it’s to remember God’s mighty acts of deliverance.  It’s what we do.

It’s a big-deal story, and we’re going to take our time with it.  It’s time to cease wilderness wanderings.  This is the command which is being extended to the nation of Israel.  One era in the life of Israel is coming to an end; a new one is beginning.  For the church, the crossing of the Jordan has taken on meaning particularly around the end of life, as we said last week.  Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah.  The story also speaks of the nature of God and what this means for Jesus’ followers every day as we look at this big deal day.

We heard a couple of weeks ago God’s promise to Joshua that God would be with him, just as he was with Moses.  God is being faithful to his promises.  The presence of God here is symbolized by the Ark of the Covenant – the representation of God’s presence with Israel.  Just as the pillar of fire and the cloud had shown them the way after the exodus from Egypt, the Ark of the Covenant will show them the way into the land of promise.  Look at the command in v. 3 – “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place.  Follow it, so that you may know the way you should go, for you have not passed this way before.”  Joshua tells the people further in v. 5 – “Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”  God has promised to go with Israel, and when God is present, amazing things will happen!  There is this great promise that goes back to the days of Moses – see Exodus 33:13-14.  Follow it; the people are told of the symbol of the Lord’s presence, so that you may know the way you should go, for you have not passed this way before.

Have you ever felt that you’re on a way that you’ve not passed before?  We go through much of our lives like this, don’t we?  Set out from your place, was the command, follow it.  We hear those words, and we remember the one who invites us to follow him.  We remember the one who said Step out of your place, leave aside your nets, for I will make you fishers of people.  The one who promised that those who followed him would do all the works that he had done and even greater works than these.  This story reminds us of that when God is present, wonders happen.  Miracles happen.  For the ancient Israelites, the Ark of the Covenant was symbolic of God’s presence with them.  This presence caused miracles.  In this case, it causes a river to stop.  It creates safe passage, the invitation to cease wilderness wanderings.  To enter into a land of peace, of wholeness, of right relationship with God.  How can we think of this and not think of the one called Emmanuel – God with us?  Have you known the presence of God?  Has it caused the miraculous for you?  I’ve heard it said that if you’re wondering if something in your life is the work of God, think of something that could not have come from within you.  Perhaps it’s peace in the middle of a storm of uncertainty and the unknown.  Perhaps it’s been the ability to extend forgiveness, to extend grace in a place or to a person.  What has God done in you that has surprised you?  God’s presence with us will cause wonders.  It will cause us to wonder.  It will cause others to wonder! 

Unity

The second thing that I want to look at from this story is what it says about the unity of Israel throughout this crossing.  Look at the reference to “all Israel” (3:1, 7, 17; 4:14). Look at the inclusion of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh.  “Why is this something to note?” you ask.  These three tribes are known as the Tranjordanians.  In Numbers 32, they had seen that the land to the east of the Jordan was good for cattle, which they had, and they asked to be allowed to settle there, provided that they would arm themselves and help the rest of the Israelites take the land when the time came.  Here we see them fulfilling that promise – “As soon as all the people had finished crossing over, the ark of the Lord, and the priests, crossed over in front of the people.  The Reubenites, the Gaddites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the Israelites, as Moses had ordered them.”  The people are united under Joshua in a way that they never will be again before the monarchy is established in Israel. 

Joshua is not a king per se, but in the figure of Joshua, though, we have someone who is a unifier.  One writer describes it like this – “… the figure of Joshua… is presented as a royal figure…this sense of unity is part of Israel’s self-identity at the time of the writing of Joshua, and therefore it becomes a part of Israel’s memory of its foundation.”  Israel was unified under this leader, who was exalted because he sought God, because he sought to do God’s will.

Again, how can we hear these words about Joshua and not think of the one we call our prophet, priest, and king – Yeshua?  Yahweh saves.  We want to be unified as a church, don’t we?  We’ve been praying about that specifically and intentionally for some months now, particularly as we seek to know God’s will for us as a family of faith. It’s something Christ prayed for those who would come to know and follow him, that they may be one.   What are the actions which we are called to take together to deepen our unity in Christ?  Let us always remember how Luke describes the early church as continuing in the apostles' teaching, in fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers in Acts 2 – that he describes the early church in Jerusalem holding all things in common.  Let us continually remind one another of the koinonia, the sharing, the fellowship that is ours in Christ.  This sharing of the fellowship that exists eternally between God the Father, the Son and Spirit.  As Israel begins this new era united, we are reminded of what unites us.

Take 12 Stones

In 3:12, we hear that Joshua is instructed to select twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.  We don’t know why right away, but we find out in the following chapter.  “Then Joshua summoned the twelve men from the Israelites, whom he had appointed, one from each tribe.  Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take one stone on his shoulder, one for each of the tribes of the Israelites, so that this may be a sign among you.”  Don’t forget what God has done.  Slow down and remember.  Keep God’s great acts of deliverance before you all the time.  Remember and tell others about God’s great acts of deliverance.  Remind one another.  Tell the young people who haven’t heard.  Tell the children.  What do these stones mean? “When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of the covenant of the Lord.  When it crossed over Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.  So these stones shall be to the Israelites a memorial forever.”

Isn’t that great?  The importance of memory to faith.  Someone has said, “Without memory, there is no identity,” and I find it hard to disagree.  Without remembering together, there is no community of faith.  The importance of acts of remembrance and symbols which call to mind God’s saving acts.  God’s wondrous acts.  Anticipating the question of a child.  Keep on reminding one another about God’s great acts of deliverance because otherwise we’ll forget.  If I lose my memory, then remember for me and remind me. The first time these stones are mentioned, it is so that the Israelites will remember.  The second time, though, their role is expanded - look at v 21-24 – “saying to the Israelites, ‘When your children ask their parents in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we crossed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, and so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.’” So that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty.

Living Stones

To answer the questions of a child.  Why is that large cross at the front of the room?  Why do you pass around this plate of bread?  Why is that man holding up that cup?  Why is that woman tearing that loaf of bread in two? We do the same things with objects such as these - to be reminded of God’s saving acts.  To be reminded of how God dried up the ground beneath our feet so that we might cross over not only to new territory, but as people with new identities.  As beloved children of God, for that is what we are.  To know him and make him known.

And this is the other function that these stones serve.  “So that all the peoples of the earth will know that the hand of the Lord is mighty…”  The stones are not just for us, you see.  They are to be a marker – a sign that points toward the God who saves, who redeems, who restores, who makes whole, who gives rest.  For followers of Christ, it’s not just about setting up such a monument.  It’s about being such a monument.  Let’s look at 1 Peter 2:4-5Open in Logos Bible Software (if available) “Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals and yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”  To be living monuments!  To step out in faith; a holy priesthood like those priests in our story; crossing boundaries and facilitating transit across boundaries for others.  Becoming living signposts.  For what purpose?  Going back to 1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”  It’s time to cross the Jordan.  It’s time to follow the one who dries up the riverbed beneath our feet.  It’s time to cease wilderness wanderings.  To come out of the darkness and into the light.

I want this.  I want this for myself.  I want it for our church.  I want it for the people who make up this community of faith.  I want it for the people whose lives we touch.  The people in our circles of love and care.  Who wants this with me?  Who wants to answer the call to set out from your place?  To follow the one who has opened the way to rest, to peace, to life.  It’s a big deal.  It’s the biggest deal there is, despite what you might hear to the contrary.  It doesn’t matter if you’ve made the decision before or you’re making it maybe for the first time.  The whole nation crossed over.  Even those Ruebenites and Gaddites who were already settled.  They all crossed over together.  They took 12 stones to mark the fact that God saves, God heals, God restores.

I have a basket here of river stones.  If you’re saying yes to these questions, I invite you to take one.  Keep it in your purse.  Your car.  Your dresser.  Your desk. Wherever you’d like to keep something to remind you of God’s saving power, his saving will.  Of God making us living stones built into a spiritual house – together! – founded on our cornerstone.  Let them be a reminder that we go in the presence of God, that we are united in Christ, and that it is our desire to be living stones.

Amen