“Stepping Into the Miracle: Remembering What God Has Done”
TEXT Joshua 3:7–4:11
An elderly woman walked into the local country church.
The friendly usher greeted her at the door and
helped her up the flight of steps.
“Where would you like to sit?” he asked politely.
“The front row please.” she answered.
“You really don’t want to do that”, the usher said,
“The pastor is really boring.”
“Do you happen to know who I am?” the woman inquired.
“No.” he said.
“I’m the pastor’s mother,” she replied indignantly.
“Do you know who I am?” he asked.
“No.” she said.
“Good,” he answered as he quickly exited to the back of the building.
Back in the 1920’s the US Govt began talking about
controlling the flooding of a river in the West
called the Colorado. They intended to build
the largest dam ever constructed in the US,
and they also wanted this dam to supply electricity
and a stable water supply to the growing population
in the 7 states in that surrounded this river.
Thus, in 1928 President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill
authorizing the building of this dam …
and work began in 1931. It took 5 years to build
this huge project, involving 6.6 million tons of concrete
(6.6 million tons of cement would be enough
to pave a 16 foot wide highway from San Francisco to NYC).
They also had to build a city from scratch
just to house the 1000s of workers that were employed
for the 5 years it took to complete the project.
The Dam was such a monumental structure that it
has stood for nearly 90 years and receives upwards
of 7 million visitors every year.
I am obviously referring to the Hoover Dam.
Now, remember … it took the US government 5 years,
using 1000s of workers who laid 6.6 million tons of concrete
to stop the flow the Colorado River.
Do you realize, God could have done that in a single day.
In fact, He did do something like that several 1000 years ago … at the Jordan River.
Imagine standing at the edge of the Jordan River.
Behind you is the wilderness—years of wandering,
waiting, and wondering. Ahead lies the Promised Land,
the fulfillment of God’s covenant.
But between the two is a river at flood stage. Impassable. Intimidating. And yet, God says, “Step in.”
This is where Israel finds itself in Joshua 3.
And it’s where many of us find ourselves today—
on the brink of something new, something promised,
but something that requires faith to cross.
“And the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.’” — Joshua 3:7
God tells Joshua that He will exalt him before the people cross. Why? Because leadership in God’s kingdom is not about status—it’s about trust. God is affirming Joshua’s role
so that the people will follow with confidence.
whether in your family, workplace, or ministry—
He equips you with affirmation and authority.
But you must be willing to step forward
before the waters part.
Just like the priests had to step into the Jordan River
before it parted, we’re often called to move forward
before we see results.
In our story today… the Israelites had been led by God
to the edge of the Jordan. We’re told that
when the priests carrying the Ark stepped into
the flooded waters of the Jordan River
the waters coming down from (upstream) stood
and rose up in a heap quite a distance away.
The waters literally stopped. It was as if someone
had built an invisible dam that created a wall of water
towering over the Israelites as they crossed on dry ground.
The waters backed up as far back as a town named Adam
which was about 10 miles North of them
(the distance from here to the Painesville courthouse).
And they walked across the riverbed of the Jordan
like walking on dry ground.
For the next few months they’d be fighting Canaanite armies
on their home turf, and Israel needed to be shown God’s power. So, God brought them to the Jordan river…
for a little Show And Tell.
In Joshua 3:10- Joshua said, “Here is how you
shall know that THE LIVING GOD IS AMONG YOU
and that he will without fail DRIVE OUT FROM BEFORE YOU
the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites,
the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth
is passing over before you into the Jordan…
and when the soles of the feet of the priests
bearing the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth,
shall rest in the waters of the Jordan,
the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing,
and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.”
The priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant
had to step into the water before it stopped flowing.
The miracle didn’t happen until their feet got wet.
We often want confirmation before commitment.
But God calls us to move in faith.
The waters won’t part until we step in.
What river are you standing before today?
What step is God asking you to take?
So, as soon as they’re at the edge of the Jordan,
God leads them into the waters.
The feet of the priests touch the Jordan,
and the waters pile up in a heap on their right.
Then, the Priests stepped out into the middle of the riverbed - and that’s where the priests stood until all the Israelites
crossed the river and reached the other side.
Then a man from each of the 12 tribes picked up a big rock
from the riverbed and carried it out of the riverbed
to be set up as a memorial to God’s power.
And another 12 huge stones were piled at the place
where the priests had stood in the riverbed
and THAT pile of stones was also a memorial.
Then Israel made camp at a place called Gilgal
not far from the mighty city of Jericho.
Now, that’s a cool story… but what difference does it make to us? Why should we care what God did there?
Well, Romans 15:4 tells us that
“whatever was written in former days (the Old Testament)
was written for our instruction, that through endurance
and through the encouragement of the Scriptures
we might have hope.”
So, what could God possibly have meant to teach us in this story of the crossing of the Jordan. (PAUSE)
WE ARE TO ALWAYS Remember What God Has Done
One group of 12 huge stones were picked up from the riverbed and made into a memorial on land…
and there was another 12 stones set up
in the middle of the Jordan – also as a memorial.
And when this 2nd group of stones were placed
IN the waters of the Jordan and the
waters were released by God… those stones
would be buried in water. And that part of the story bothered me.
Why would God want 12 stones in the river as a memorial?
You’d never see them there! That didn’t make any sense.
And so that troubled me, until another minister pointed out
that when Israel crossed the Jordan…
they left their past behind them.
All the hardships of their former life were going be buried
in the cold waters of the Jordan… just like those stones.
After the crossing, God commands twelve stones to be taken from the riverbed and set up as a memorial. Why? Because we forget. We forget the miracles, the provision, the faithfulness.
Years ago, an old time minister baptized a man
in Lake Superior. It was late October and about 9:00 PM.
The minister had been studying with the man and his wife about what the Bible taught about baptism
The man was hesitant for a long time and then finally said, “Yes, I want to be baptized tonight –
RIGHT NOW in Lake Superior.”
In case you don’t know… Lake Superior is a cold lake.
Average temperature (year-round) is about 38 degrees
AND this was late October. The waves were running
3 feet high. The water was very cold.
They intended to walk out waist deep into the water,
but only made it about knee deep.
The minister laid the man down into the water
as the waves washed over him. And the man
was baptized that night… into Christ.
When they got back to the man’s home for hot cocoa
and a hot soak for their cold feet
the minister asked the man why it was so important
that he wanted baptized that night in Lake Superior.
The man boldly answered:
“I was in the army, an officer in the infantry
during the Viet Nam war. I saw and did things
that no man should see or do.
And I wanted my sins buried in the deepest
and coldest place…”
· That’s what God told us takes place in baptism.
· Romans 6:3-4 tells us “Do you not know that all of us
who have been baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death,
in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father, we too might walk
in newness of life.”
· When we rose from the waters of baptism,
our sin and shame stayed in the water.
And that’s why the 12 stones were set up
under the waters of the Jordan.
All of Israel’s past REMAINED under the waters
of that mighty river. So that made sense.
That explained why the stones were set up
in the middle of the riverbed and would be buried
under its waters.
· But then (the next question would be)
· why set up the other 12 stones on land?
· Well… Joshua told the 12 men who carried these stones: “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 those 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." Joshua 4:5-7
So, what was the purpose of the 12 stones
they brought out of the riverbed to set up on land?
It was a Memorial. A place to remember
what had been done that day at the Jordan.
You know, Jesus gave us a way to REMEMBER
what He had done for us. Paul wrote the Corinthians
and told them that
“The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’” I Corinthians 11:23-25
· COMMUNION IS OUR MEMORIAL.
· When we take of it each week, we are REMINDED
of what Jesus did for us. When we eat of the bread
we should remember that Jesus’ body was broken for us.
His body was wounded and bruised, and His flesh and skin were torn.
As Isaiah 53:5 tells us “he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace.”
And the bread reminds us of that suffering.
The priests stood in the middle of the river until everyone crossed. Their obedience created a path for others.
When you trust God, you create space for others to follow. Your courage can be someone else’s confirmation.
Conclusion:
Joshua 4:11 says, “And when all the people
had finished crossing over,
the Ark of the Lord and the priests came to the other side.”
The journey ends with God still in the center.
This story isn’t just about a river—it’s about a rhythm.
God calls.
We step.
He moves.
We remember.
FINAL Questions
Closing Prayer
“Lord, thank You for going before us.
Help us to step into the waters with faith,
knowing You will make a way.
May we never forget the miracles You’ve done in our lives.
Let our stories be stones that testify
to Your goodness for generations to come.
Amen.”
