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Joshua Study 3.

Making memorials

Read Joshua Ch 4

The people had crossed over the Jordan and now this chapter picks up the story from the priests leaving the river bed to a command God gives to Joshua.

An important lesson in our walk with ‘amazing God’.

God had proved himself to the people but He knew they would quickly forget what had happened. He also wanted to use the experience to tell others about what had happened so that they could know about this amazing God.

V 2- 5 take 12 stones one for each tribe and place them in the ground.

Markers in the ground to remind the people.

Q Are we quick to forget what God has done for us in the past ?

Take time to recall an incident within the past 12 months where God has done something quite amazing in your life but it=s gradually slipping away from your memory. Sharing these things is very important as it increases each others faith in God.

Take time to pray for each other and thank God for the way he was at the heart of the particular situation.

V 6 When your children ask what do these stones mean ?

God wanted a permanent reminder to speak out of His greatness and power and love.

Q Have we ever told someone else, maybe not a Christian, of the amazing thing God did for you ? Why not ?

Frightened ? Ashamed ? Not sure it was God ?

 

V 18 As soon as the people and the priests were on dry land the river flowed back.

God had again proved His greatness and power.

 

V 21 to the end

Joshua explains the need to tell the children of what God had done just as he led them across the Red Sea with Moses earlier (Exodus 14). He didn’t want them to forget.

Q Do we find it difficult to trust God even when we know He has done amazing things for us in the past ?

Q How can we learn to trust God more ?

By talking about what he has done ?

By drawing strength from the past experience - confidence for the future.

Suggestion.

Communion is a memorial or reminder of what Jesus did on the cross for us. It’s something that stops us forgetting. (This is just one aspect of Communion)

Take time to share communion together remembering what Jesus did for you. Take time to thank Him for His incredible sacrificial love. Worship Him and praise Him.

Take time to pray for each other particularly those who are struggling generally or in a particular situation.

Ask God to give you the faith to step out, see amazing things and then tell others about them.

 

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