What a privilege to worship with the Chestnut Mountain family this day, and a day of celebration it is. I'm going to be installing D as you heard, and that's a milestone event for this church family. Let's turn our attention to the reading of God's Word today. It's our privilege to look at it together, to know that it is truth, that it directs our path, it lights our way, It guides us as we move along as believers in this journey of life as we seek to honor the Lord. So Joshua chapter 4 this morning is our passage. We're actually going to begin for context just a few verses prior and then our sermon text actually is taken from the fourth chapter of Joshua. So Joshua 3 beginning at verse 14. This is God's Word. So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests, bearing the Ark of the Covenant before the people, and as soon as those bearing the Ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priest bearing the Ark were dipped in the brink of the water, now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout this time of harvest. The waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan. And those flowing down toward the Sea of the Araba, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. Now the priest bearing the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan. and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan. When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, take 12 men from the people, from each tribe a man, and command them saying, take 12 stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan from the very place where the priest's feet stood firmly and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodged tonight. Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. And Joshua said to them, Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. 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 before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.' And the people of Israel did just as Joshua commanded and took up 12 stones out of the midst of the Jordan according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, just as the Lord told Joshua. And they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priest bearing the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day. For the priest bearing the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished, that the Lord commanded Joshua to tell the people according to all that Moses had commanded to Joshua. The people passed over in haste. And when all the people had finished passing over, the ark of the Lord and the priest passed over before the people. The sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and a half tribe of Manasseh passed over armed before the people of Israel, as Moses had told them. About 40,000 ready for war passed over before the Lord for battle to the plains of Jericho. On that day, the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they stood in awe of him just as they had stood in awe of Moses all the days of his life. And the Lord said to Joshua, command the priest bearing the ark of the testimony to come up out of the Jordan. So Joshua commanded the priest, come up out of the Jordan. And when the priest bearing the ark of the covenant that the Lord came up from the midst of the Jordan and the soles of the priest's feet were lifted up on dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks as before. The people came up out of the Jordan on the 10th day of the first month. And they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan Joshua set up at Gilgal. And he said to the people of Israel, When your children ask their fathers in times to come, what do these stones mean? Then you shall let your children know Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground. For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over. as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever. The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God will stand forever. Let's pray together. Father, thank you for this precious word We pray, Holy Spirit, your application of it to our hearts and minds today. Lord, may we not leave here exactly as we entered. We pray that you would remind us of the faithfulness and kindness of our Savior. Thank you for your word, for it is truth. Apply it richly, we pray in Jesus' name, amen. The Old Testament of people of Israel had now at long last entered into the land of promise. We jumped right into the story, but you remember what happened before. There were slaves in Egypt, of course. They'd been wandering for decades in the wilderness, and now, finally, they're making their way into the land that God had promised them so far, so many years before. They're beginning a new chapter. It's a military chapter. It's a time of conquest and time of entering into a place that they're claiming as their own by God's promise, as we said. But nonetheless, there will be many difficulties. There will be many challenges along the way, not unlike the challenges that we face. No, we don't participate in military conquest most often, but we have difficulties and challenges as well. Today's main concept for us to consider is God's faithfulness and also God's kindness. We're going to see an amazing thing that happened. I think we might have read right over it as we read that long passage from Scripture. But I hope when you see it in clarity that it will be a special encouragement to you and remind you of the Lord's kindness to you. And today's another indication of that very kindness and faithfulness, isn't it? Dee's installation as associate pastor is a reminder of that faithfulness and kindness of our God. Yes, to Dee, certainly. that God has called him, has confirmed his call in many ways, and most recently by this congregation's vote. It's an encouragement of God's faithfulness and kindness to this congregation as well, that you have a special gift in Pastor D. that he is with you as a leader, as a pastor, as a servant, and he ministers among you by God's call and your call. We do see a recurring theme of God's faithfulness all throughout scripture. If you read with those eyes, it's just remarkable to see how God provides and cares, and very kindly so. This morning we're looking at an amazing account from the Old Testament as our sermon text. But in all fairness, there really is, from page one to the very end, a picture of faithfulness. Over in 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul, glorying in God's kind gift of Paul's personal faith in the resurrected and living Savior. Go ahead and turn there. 1 Corinthians 4 this morning. And you'll see that Paul, even in the face of great difficulty, is praising God and recognizing that faithfulness and kindness. I'm sorry, 2 Corinthians. My bad. That never happens. 2 Corinthians 4 verse 6. You're there. For God who said, let light shine out of darkness, has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Speaking of his own testimony of conversion. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way but not crushed. Perplexed, but not driven to despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Struck down, but not destroyed. Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. The Apostle Paul glories in God's transformation in his life. He'd been changed. He'd been blinded by that light of Jesus' presence. And with that came a call to persevere in the face of grave persecution, serious difficulty. And even in the face of that degree of persecution, trial, and difficulty, the Lord is faithful and kind to His people. So I just want you to join with me in thinking that not only in this Old Testament passage that we're going to be studying, But in the New Testament, all the way through, beginning to end, we see the faithfulness of God, and we celebrate that today. Sometimes we need that reassurance, especially when things are hard. Martha and I, my wife and I, attended a funeral yesterday. This was of a friend who had suffered with cancer for about a dozen years, and initial diagnosis was six months. And in answer to her and her family's prayers, she was granted much longer than that, but now she's in the presence of Jesus. And her testimony was faithful to the end, and that was the theme of the funeral service, was God's faithfulness to her and through her. She touched many lives. We're not promised that life will be carefree and easy. In fact, we're promised by our Savior that we shouldn't be surprised when things come that are hard. So we do need reassurance, especially when things are hard. Sometimes we ask, where's God in all of this in a time of trial and difficulty? And I wonder, as the Old Testament people were entering into the land, Yes, they've seen God's provision, but they wondered, they had to be somewhat concerned about this commission of conquering and occupying a land. In answer to that question of where is God in all of this, our text this morning reminds us that it's vital for our spiritual health and growth that we see and remember that our sovereign God has been, is, and will be at work in our world. We know that. We know it. But we need a constant reminder of it, particularly in the face of challenge. In the book of Joshua, powerful things are happening as God fulfills that longstanding promise that we mentioned, the promise of moving the people of Israel to their new homeland. Now, after 40 years in the wilderness, wandering, as they cross the boundary, the Jordan River, there's a miraculous provision. You saw it as we read the text. I think it reminded them very specifically of their parents leaving Egypt decades before. The waters of the river stopped flowing just like the waters of the Red Sea parted and they made their way across on dry land. The end of chapter four tells the purpose of this miracle. Down in verse 24 it says, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty. I'm thinking the conquered people are going to be aware of that as they hear. But not only that, all of the peoples of the earth, including the peoples of our own land and all of the lands today, that you may fear the Lord your God forever. So we see God's faithfulness there. We'll also see an aspect of kindness that may surprise you. Here's where we're headed this morning. We're marking milestones of God's faithfulness, and that builds confidence for the future. We'll consider the importance of recognizing, if you're a note-taker, here you go, the importance of recognizing, remembering, and recounting God's actions in His world and in our lives. The importance of recognizing, remembering, and recounting God's actions in His world and in our lives. So, first off, recognizing God's action. Look back at verse 17 of Joshua 3. Verse 17. Now the priest bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan. and then at 18 of chapter 4. And when the priest bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord came up from the midst of the Jordan and the soles of the priest's feet were lifted up on dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks as before. God is at work in surprising ways. When you read or watch news accounts, know that even What's going on behind the scenes is being guided by his hand. He's sovereign. He controls. He's powerful and his purposes are being accomplished. Sometimes it seems so much the opposite. The things are so out of control and the things aren't going well or according to what's best. But know that God is sovereign and his will is being accomplished. The country of North Korea, sometimes called the Hermit Kingdom, is much in the news today. It's an isolated, impoverished country led by a harsh, power-hungry dictator. It's no wonder that many of its citizens would love to defect and that they attempt at great cost. Armed North Korean guards patrol the border with China, which is a favorite crossing point for defectors. They're told to shoot to kill anyone attempting to leave. It's serious when you have to keep people in your country by threatening their death. North Korea is on the same latitude as Scandinavia and Alaska and is dark and cold for much of the year. So when the coldest weather hits, the border river freezes solid. And that provides the prime opportunity for escape. Besides, it's so cold that the border guards don't want to spend a lot of time outdoors. But here's the curious thing. In the snow covering the frozen river, the Tumen River, are often footprints going in both directions. Think about that. It's certainly understandable that escapees would exit into China, but why would anybody enter into North Korea? Most people wouldn't, especially with the threat of execution for Christians. That's exactly who's entering, Christian believers from China. are entering and bringing food and other aid along with the message of the gospel to the desperate citizens of North Korea. God is at work in stirring up hearts and mercy in his people in China as they reach out with hope and love. China, a communist country itself. His mercy calls for personal action in response. God shows mercy through his children. It's an amazing story. The world often ridicules a faith approach to seeking answers and direction, doesn't it? A real challenge and danger for us all is the concept of naturalism, the idea that everything that happens can be explained by natural causes. So when you read this account that we read this morning, maybe you were asking, did the Jordan stop flowing for a brief time due to natural causes? Perhaps a landslide. Maybe. God could certainly have caused that to happen. But we have to ask ourselves, then, why did the flow of the river resume at the exact moment that the priest's feet exited? There's a miracle there somewhere. And God's use of natural or otherwise means accomplished His purposes. Just like in our own lives. We're all thankful for great medical care. But it's possible that we can become too dependent on medical care, for example, and forget to pray. Certainly to praise God when our prayers are answered. So don't fall into the trap of naturalism. Recognize God's sovereign, kind, and faithful hand at work in our lives, in our church, in our country, in our world. So we're recognizing God's hand in our lives. and in the world around us, but we also want to remember God's action. Look back at 2 and 3 in chapter 4, verses 2 and 3. Joshua tells the people, take 12 men from the people, from each tribe a man, and command them saying, take 12 stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priest's feet stood firmly. Bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodged tonight. So there's to be a remembrance. It's not just recognition, but it's remembrance as well. These memorial stones, 12 tribes, 12 stones. God intervened here. Don't forget. Remember it. It can be puzzling to us that the Bible tells us about people who forgot God's remarkable provision so easily. Can you think of an example of that? In just the short span between Exodus 14 and 16, we see the Israelites delivered from slavery generations before this event. And then shortly after, there's what? There's massive grumbling. Because there's not enough food to eat, we think, what? Don't you remember? But then we do the very same thing sometimes. When struggles come, we find ourselves complaining as well. But remembering, There's plenty of opportunity to see God's faithfulness over the years. So we recognize it, but we also remember what God has done in our own stories. There's plenty of opportunity. Answered prayer, unexpected blessings, God's provision, God's timing, God's care. If you've been walking with the Lord for very long, you have stories of his kindness and care. I'm certain, I certainly do. Spiritual milestones and landmarks along the way are such an encouragement to us. Sometimes believers who are struggling with a terrible disease like Alzheimer's light up when a favorite scripture passage is read or a hymn is sung. These have been and are meaningful even when other memories fade. Notice something interesting about the timing of the crossing of the Jordan. So there be no question, Psalm 121.2 says this, it's very appropriate here. Our help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. The creator is the one who helps us. He provides for us. The Lord sometimes gives us special encouragements. Don't miss this. He did that for the Israelites when they stopped to realize something pretty special about the date of their river crossing. Joshua 4.19 says, the people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. I don't know about you, but when I read a passage like this, that just is extraneous detail, often. I don't pay attention to it, but it's there for a reason. You know, so much of the detail of Scripture is like the rest of the story, as Paul Harvey used to say. And it just, it reminds us of something very, very special here. It was on that same date on the calendar, the same date, 40 years before that Israel had begun to prepare for going out of Egypt on that Passover day, the first one, the setting apart of the Passover land. This calendar date had started God's redemption process, and now the other bookend is in place as the people enter into the promised land, just as God had assured them that they would. the same date on the calendar. I wonder if they caught it. Maybe they did. Maybe it caught up with them later as they realized. But then fast forward to Palm Sunday, centuries later when the Lamb of God, Jesus Himself, would present Himself right around that same time of the year. That particular Passover would be the specific provision of Jesus's sacrifice and his death on the cross just a few days later. And then, of course, his glorious resurrection from the dead on the third day following his crucifixion. What difference does it make to remember God's faithful action on our behalf? Our sovereign, powerful Father calls us to venture with him in his plan to reach the nations with the best news possible. And I love that Chestnut Mountain has a missions pastor in D. It's very, very good. We don't have to know all the details of how this plan will work out, but we have assurance from Jesus that there's a plan and it's being accomplished and we get to be involved. That's part of D's calling is to keep that before the church here. At the beginning of the book of Acts, we read the final instructions that Jesus gave his disciples. In Acts 1-6, the disciples were gathered together with Jesus just before his ascension. And verse 6 says, So when they come together, they asked him, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? He said to them, it is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria until the end of the earth. And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven, as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes and said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." Don't you love the promises of God like that in Scripture? Romans 8, 32, he who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? So we recognize, we remember, but we're also called to recount God's actions. Just very briefly, let's consider this this morning. Verse 20 and down to 24, the idea is, let the next generation know. Let the children know. These milestones, spiritual heritage of letting your own story be known to your family, to your neighbors as well, even to the nations. You're personally giving thanks as a result. Recognition of a growing relationship with the Lord. Psalm 9 verse 1 says, I will give thanks with my whole heart. I will recount all of his wonderful deeds. the people of Joshua's day could look back to a physical reminder of God's rescue as they saw the memorial stones in the Jordan, at the Jordan. We have a physical reminder of God's intervention for us too. On those Sundays when we celebrate the Lord's Supper, we have a physical reminder. We can touch, smell, and taste a reminder that Jesus's death was for us. It was for you individually. As we take the elements in our hands, we receive Jesus's designated food and drink for showing his death in our place. He's removed our sin and guilt. Perhaps you have something that's come to mind for you as far as the Lord's specific kindness in your life. Maybe it's just recently, maybe it's something even in the distant past. Today, we recognize, we remember, and we're called to recount God's faithfulness and to look to the future with anticipation and with hope. Specifically, today we celebrate the Lord's faithfulness in growing his local church, his global church, in fulfillment of his longstanding promises. Chestnut Mountain has such a special legacy in this regard. Brothers and sisters, our God is faithful. He's involved in his world and in our lives. I love Paul's benediction prayer at the end of his first letter to the Thessalonian church. He said, Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful. He will surely do it. Let's pray together. And as we pray, I want you to think of a kindness of the Lord and thank Him personally for that. I'll give you a moment of silence to do that. So a kindness of the Lord to you, and you thank Him right now. So Father, we thank you for every evidence of your blessing and kindness in our lives. Thank you for D. Pray that you would make this day very special for him. Make it a milestone to remember in the life of this church. We pray with thanks in Jesus name. Amen.