Tonight, as you probably can
tell, I'm not very comfortable talking about it, but it's what
the Lord is doing. I don't know why it's that way,
but this is what the Lord is doing. Tonight I want you to
open your Bibles with me to Joshua chapter 4. Joshua chapter 4. And I want us to consider. In
this passage, the two monuments of the gospel. Joshua, chapter four, verse one,
and it came to pass when all the people were clean, passed
over Jordan. That the Lord spake unto Joshua
say. This gospel we preach, this gospel
we proclaim, this is my introduction. This gospel we proclaim is the
gospel of good news of judgment passed. Judgment passed. Judgment passed to all those
that come to God by the Lord Jesus Christ. Comfort ye, comfort
ye. This is the message of the gospel
in Isaiah chapter 40. Comfort me, my people. Speak
comfortably to Jerusalem. Tell them that they have received
double. Speak comfort to Jerusalem. Cry
unto her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity
is pardoned, for she has received of the Lord's hand double for
all her sins. It is an accomplished redemption. It is a finished work. And this
is where I get from this first verse, when all of the children
of Israel were clean, passed over, they passed over clean,
all cleansed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, passed
over Jordan. Jordan represents judgment and
death. And when all the people had passed
over, you know, our Lord said here in John chapter five and
verse 20, Four, verily, verily, I say unto you that he that heareth
my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting
life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed
from death unto life. This is the message that we proclaim.
Judgment is passed. Therefore, there is therefore
now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. Judgment
is passed. The Lord Jesus Christ, When he
hung on the cross, he took the death that was due his people
for the sins of his people. He was made sin. You know, like
I said, Jordan means judging. You remember when Rachel was
given a son, she said she called his name Dan. That's where judgment
comes from. Jordan. Jordan is, Jor is spreading
and Dan is judging. John the Baptist, when he came,
he preached the message of repent, repent ye. In other words, judge
yourselves. And those that did judge themselves
were baptized in Jordan River, symbolically, symbolically placed
in the watery grave. So let's go back here to our
text in Joshua chapter four. And all the people and it came
to pass when all the people. How important is that? All the
people, the glory of God, the glory of God is that I don't
say this as if it was a possibility, but the glory of God is at stake.
The Lord Jesus Christ said of all of the father, give me, I'll
lose none. None of his sheep will perish. None of those that
God the Father gave him in the Council of Eternity past shall
perish. All the people, that means every
single one of them, from time, from the beginning to the end,
not one of them shall be lost. And when all of them were past,
clean past over Jordan, the Lord spake unto Joshua saying, I'll
read to the last of the chapter now, take you 12 men out of the
people out of every tribe a man, and commend you them, saying,
Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where
the priest's feet stood firm, twelve stones, and you shall
carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place
where you shall lodge this night. Then Joshua called the twelve
men whom he had prepared of the children of Israel out of every
tribe a man. And Joshua said unto them, Pass
over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan
and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according
under the number of the tribes of the children of Israel. That
this may be a sign among you, that when your children asked
their fathers in time to come, saying, what mean ye by these
stones? Then ye shall answer them, that
the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant
of the Lord when it passed over Jordan. Before the ark of the covenant
of the Lord when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan
were cut off and these stones shall be for a memorial unto
the children of Israel forever. And the children of Israel did
so as Joshua commanded and took up 12 stones out of the midst
of Jordan. As the Lord spake unto Joshua
according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel
and carried them over with them under the place where they lodged
and laid them down there. And Joshua set up 12 stones in
the midst of Jordan and the place where the feet of the priests,
which bear the ark of the covenant stood. And they are there until
this day. For the priests which bear the
ark stood in the midst of Jordan until everything was finished
that the Lord commanded Joshua to speak unto the people according
to all that Moses commanded Joshua. And the people hasted and passed
over. And it came to pass when all
the people were clean passed over that the ark of the Lord
passed over and the priest in the presence of the people and
the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and half tribe
of Manassas passed over armed before the children of Israel
as Moses spake unto them. About 40,000 prepared for war
passed over before the Lord unto battle to the plains of Jericho.
On that day, the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel,
and they feared him as they feared Moses all the days of his life.
And the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying, Command the priest that
bear the ark of the testimony that they come up out of Jordan.
Joshua therefore commanded the priest saying, come ye up out
of Jordan. And it came to pass when the
priests that bear the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord were
come up out of the midst of Jordan and the soles of the priest's
feet were lifted up onto dry land, that the waters of Jordan
returned under their place and flowed over all its banks as
they did before. And the people came up out of
Jordan on the 10th day of the first month and encamped in Gilgal
in the east border of Jericho. And those 12 stones which they
took out of Jordan did Joshua pitch in Gilgal. And he spake
unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall
ask their fathers in times to come, saying, What mean these
stones? Then you shall let your children
know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. For
the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before
you. until you were passed over as the Lord your God did to the
Red Sea, which He dried up from before us until we were all gone
over. That all the people of the earth
might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that ye might
fear the Lord your God forever. Well, like I said, the title
of this message tonight is a two monuments of the gospel. Now, when they had all crossed
over, and this is the point I want to bring home, whether or not
I have liberty to do so or not, this is the truth. The salvation
is accomplished. And the memorials that were set
up had nothing to do with adding to this salvation. The memorials
that the Lord Jesus Christ has set up for his people have nothing
to do with what Christ himself did on the cross. He is the one
that saved his people. Now, if you don't get anything
else, pray the Lord to bless that to your heart. Sometimes
I feel like I'm just struggling. Other times, I think maybe the
Lord blesses when I struggle, maybe doesn't when I do. So,
I don't know. Joshua pitched two memorials
on that day. Two monuments or memorials As
it says there in Joshua chapter 3 in verse 5, Joshua said unto
the people, sanctify yourself for tomorrow the Lord will do
wonders among you. These two monuments were monuments
to the wondrous wonder, wondrous work that God, the Lord Jehovah
has done through Jesus Christ God was in Christ reconciling
the world unto himself. God performed this, the Lord
Jesus Christ performed this in the midst of his people, among
his people. Notice in the order, it appears
that there's, the first memorial appears to be the one where they
crossed over and they put the rocks on their shoulder, but
that's not it. The first memorial that was set
up, we see there in verse number nine. The first memorial that
was set up, Joshua himself set this up. Notice Joshua set them
both up. Joshua did this. Set up in verse
9. And notice that the memorial
was set up in the midst of the River Jordan. And this memorial
is there to this day. This memorial, these stones,
which Joshua set up in the middle of the River Jordan, where the
feet of the priest stood. That memorial is still to this
day. It was there. In the midst of
God's judgment. In the midst of God's judgment
that the Lord Jesus Christ stood and bear our sins in his own
body. There he bore the sins. He bore
all the wrath of God as he he stood and took the wrath of God
for the sins. It was he was made sin for us. Our Lord Jesus Christ stood until,
as it says in Psalm 42, all the waves of the billows of God's
wrath, all the waves All the indignation of God passed over
him. All the indignation. And you
know, here's the point I want us to consider. Those stones
were laid up in the middle of Jordan and the waters came over,
filled up again, and you can't see those stones anymore. You
can't see those stones anymore, but they're still there. They're
still there. They're still there to this day.
And the Lord Jesus Christ, when he died on the cross, he bore
all the sins of his people. He paid for their debt and his
blood is still effective today. It's still effective today. He
put away our sins by one sacrifice. You know, you can't see it. Even
the children of Israel. When they stood on the banks
of the Jordan, they saw Joshua up there about a half a mile
away. And there was Joshua by the priest standing up the stones.
After that, they saw that no more, but they knew it was there. They knew it was there. And we
know that God, our judgment is passed. Judgment is passed. The Lord Jesus Christ has made
satisfaction. And we see this. We see that
this all the all the judgment against our sins is passed. We
see that the same way they would stand on the bank and see it
after they see it by faith. They know it's there. We see
that all the all the wrath of God is consumed against our sins. We see it by faith. We see that. We can't see. All the wrath that
was due our sins passed over him. We can't see that with this
naked eye. We can't see that with this naked eye, but we can
see that he made satisfaction. We can see in the scriptures. It says in 2nd Corinthians chapter
5 and verse 21. He who knew no sin was made sin
for us. I'm having Difficulty remembering in English
right now, so bear with me. Corinthians, second Corinthians,
chapter five. For he has made him to be sin
for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him. He was made sin and he suffered
and died. He was made a curse. And we see
that we see that he who hung on the cross was cursed for our
sins. We can't see that with our physical
eyes, with these flesh eyes, but we see and we know that all
our sins were dealt with in the Lord Jesus Christ. The judgment
is passed. Judgment is passed. You know,
there's a secondary application I see here in this monument.
The second application is this. We believers are baptized into
Jesus Christ. We're baptized into the death
of Jesus Christ. That's what it says here in Romans
chapter six. We are baptized into the death
of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Romans chapter six, you know
the text well. Romans chapter six, verse three.
Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ
were baptized into his death? We're baptized into the death
of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is that's what we confess. That is what we confess when
we confess the Lord Jesus Christ and believers baptism. We follow
him. We believe him. And we confess
that when the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross, That's when
we die. When the wrath of God fell upon
him, my only hope is that that is wrath that fell on me. That's my only hope. Our baptism
does not save us, but his baptism does. His baptism does. In baptism, we identify with
the Lord Jesus Christ. We confess him that he is our
only hope. that he died and when he died,
he died for us. If he didn't, if he didn't die
for us, then we must die ourselves. He was, we were raised with him.
The old man is buried and now the new man lives. Look at Galatians
chapter two with me. Galatians chapter two, Galatians
chapter two in verse 20. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless,
I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. In the life which
I now live, I live in the flesh, live in the flesh. I live by
the faith of the son of God who loved me and gave himself for
me. I live by the life of the son
of God who loved me and gave himself for me. We do not live to ourselves. The second monument is this.
Joshua set up this first monument and it was in the midst of the
Jordan, and it represents God's judgment passing on all his people
and the Lord Jesus Christ. Joshua set up another monument
on the other side of Jordan. That's the monument that the
children of Israel could see. Joshua set up another monument
and Christ Jesus, our Lord, came not only to live in this world. He came not only to establish
righteousness in this world. His death put away the sins of
his people. And God is now satisfied. His
death actually accomplished something. If all he did, if he died, but
it didn't raise again from the dead. Then there is no salvation. And what I see here in figure
is. See here these 12 stones, see
here these 12 stones and they represent the 12 tribes. That's what the scripture says.
One stone according to the tribes. They represent the people of
the Lord Jesus Christ. And there they are in the midst
of Jordan and the waters pass over. The judgment passes over. Will they be seen again? Will
they be seen again? Will those stones come out? Will
those stones come out on the other side? Joshua erected another
monument in Gilgal with 12 stones, 12 stones. The Lord Jesus Christ
not only took our sins in his own body and he paid the death,
the sin debt of his people. But he rose again from the grave
on the third day. And there we see him on the other
side of judgment. You see him on the other. You
see all his people in there in the middle of Jordan. And now
you see his people on the other side of Jordan. You see them
on resurrection ground. He was raised for our justification,
it says in Romans chapter three, who was delivered for our offenses
and raised for our justification. Those 12 stones represent the
people of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ also instituted
the Lord's table. He instituted the ordinance of
baptism by which we identify with the Lord Jesus Christ in
his death, burial and resurrection. And when a person is baptized,
he confesses. He confesses the Lord Jesus Christ,
confesses that when he died, that's my only hope, that he
died for me. When he was buried, he took my sins to the grave
and they're no longer. He separated them as far as the
East is from the West. That's my only hope. And when
he rose again from the grave, he rose again without sin. And now I stand in him. My life
is in him and the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what the first
memorial is. And the second memorial, by the
way, a believer does this one time and he doesn't see it again. He doesn't see it again. But
there's another memorial, which is the Lord's table. And every
time the children of Israel would come by that place, Gilgal, and
they'd see those stones, they would remember. They would remember
that time when the Lord delivered them from Jordan. And every time
we come to the Lord's Table, we remember the death of the
Lord Jesus Christ. We remember His death. Now, our Lord Jesus Christ instituted
the Lord's Table not only as a remembrance of His death. Turn
with me there to 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Not only as a remembrance
of His death. Now, we are forgetful, but I
could just see every time Joshua told the Israelites, he said,
when you set these stones up so that when your children ask
you, what does this mean? You tell them this is how God
brought us over. He brought us over on dry ground.
He redeemed us, he saved us. And when the children asked,
what does this mean? What does this mean? We say,
and the Lord said, well, this represents his body that was
broken for us. This represents his blood. that
was shed for us. Without the shedding of blood,
there is no remission of sins. The Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal
Son of God, came into the world. The bread of life came down,
and we live by Him. Without Him, we have no life.
And He gave His life for us. We tell our children, and we
remember this. But it's not just a remembrance
of His death. Notice there it says in 1 Corinthians
11, Verse 26, for as often as you eat, as often as you eat
this bread, as often as you come by Gilgal, as often as you come
by this place and you see these rocks, you'll remember what God
did, this wondrous work, which God did for the children of Israel.
And as often as you eat this bread and drink this blood, you
do show forth You do show forth the death,
the Lord's death. But that's not where it finishes.
It says till he come. You see that issue for his death
with an anticipation that he's coming back because he didn't
stay dead. He rose from the grave on the
third day till he come. We're looking, we're looking
for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. We're looking for Him. We're
expecting Him. Notice here it says in 1 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians chapter 1. 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 and verse
9. And I want to look at the last
part of verse 9 and verse 10. For they themselves show of us
what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned
to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait
for his Son from heaven, who he raised from the dead, even
Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. Every time,
every time we partake of the Lord's day, we remember the Lord
Jesus Christ till he come. He delivered us from the wrath.
He went in. He went to the cross. He died. We show forth his death until
he come. We wait for him. The people saw Joshua set up
these monuments. It was Joshua that set them up
and he alone. And it's the Lord Jesus Christ
who has established these two ordinances. Baptism. He said, go, therefore, in all
the world, preach the gospel to every creature, baptize them
in the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. The Lord
Jesus Christ, on the night before he was betrayed, he set up the
institute of the Lord's table. One of those Or one of those
monuments, the children of Israel saw only one time and they never
saw it again. And the Lord Jesus Christ suffered
once for all to put away the sins of his people. He does not
suffer again. By one offering, by one sacrifice,
he has made perfect. I'm not quoting it right in English.
Por un sacrificio hizo perfectos para siempre los santificados.
Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 10. For by one offering he hath perfected
forever them that are sanctified. By one offering. And we don't
see that anymore. We don't see that anymore. We
don't see it with these eyes. We don't have little niches on
the wall. We don't have people hanging on on a cross, idols. If you see the Lord Jesus Christ,
you'll see him just like these people saw those stones in the
middle of the river. You see him by faith. God said
they're there. They're there to this day. And
the Lord Jesus Christ, his blood is affection today. It's today. And the other, the other side
of Jordan was that second monument. This monument would remind them
what God had done for them. would remind them of that monument
that was in the water. These are the two monuments that
I see that the Lord has set up. And I see this in picture here
in Joshua chapter four. And I pray that's been a blessing.
Thank you again for your thoughts and your prayers for us, for
your support.