REMEMEBER: The word remember is more than just to recall from memory. It means to bear in mind with regard, to keep as sacred, to observe.
Why should we remember? Human nature indicates that we have a tendency to forget important stuff…and that includes God.

OPENING SCRIPTURE:

BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DO NOT FORGET THE LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. (Deuteronomy 6:12 NIV)

• Figuratively speaking we all have an “Egypt” in our lives. A place, a situation where God has freed us from.
• In the OT, when people wanted to remember what God had done, they would stack up stones and build a memorial.

So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing … So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. (Joshua 3:14-16 NIV)

• The ark of the covenant represents the presence of God. As soon as the priests’ feet touched the water, the water parted.
• God drained the whole river Jordan all the way back to the Dead Sea – 43 miles.

The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. (Joshua 3:17 NIV)

• The presence of God was with them. God went before them.

When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.” (Joshua 4:1-3NIV)
• Why?

to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord …These stones are to be A MEMORIAL to the people of Israel forever.” (Joshua 4:6-7 NIV)

Why was that memorial so important to God?

• God wanted this new generation to remember Him.
• God was nurturing this new generation to become a generation of faith.

Why are memorials in your life today still important to God?

1. TO REMEMBER HIM

• God wants you to look at those memorials in your life and to always remember Him. It was all about Him. He wants you to cry out: “God did this!”
• God wants you to remember that your faith journey started with Him and will end with Him.

LOOKING UNTO JESUS, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2 NKJ)

2. TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT HIM

• God expects you to pass your heritage of faith along to our children.

TRAIN UP a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6 NKJ)

3. TO CELEBRATE WHAT GOD HAS DONE

I WILL TELL of the LORD’s unfailing love. I WILL PRAISE the LORD for all he has done.
I WILL REJOICE in his great goodness… (Isaiah 63:7 NKJ)

• Sunday Gatherings.
• Communion: Jesus Himself instructed us: “Do this in remembrance of Me”.

Joshua built a personal memorial.

Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day. (Joshua 4:9 NIV)

• Why? Joshua’s memorial was not meant to be seen by anyone else but God. I believe it was personal for Joshua. His memorial was more of a statement of his faith in his God.

CONCLUSION
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message?