SERMON SERIES: "Life Is Too Short..."
Text: Joshua 4:20-24
20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua
pitch in Gilgal. 21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying,
When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying,
What mean these stones? 22 Then ye shall let your children know,
saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. 23 For the LORD
your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were
passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried
up from before us, until we were gone over: 24 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 for everb.
SUBJECT: "LIFE IS TOO SHORT NOT TO LEAVE A LEGACY"
The African-American culture is different from every other culture in
this nation of ours. We have different ways about us. We view
things differently. We respond to things differently. We evaluate
situations with a different perspective.
There is a part of our African-American culture that is sadly dying
and fading away. It is how we communicate and deal with our legacy.
Specifically, how we pass down information from one generation to
another.
We are more removed from each other unlike any other generation.
Although we have more methods of communication than any generation in
history - cell phones, PDAs, blackberry devices, e-mail, instant
messaging, newspaper, radios, television, satellites, Global
positioning services - we don't communicate well with each other in
our homes. Some people know more about people they meet on AOL than
the do at H-O-M-E.
However, as African-American, our historical narrative was passed
down from generation to generation not by large volumes of books -
but we passed down our history through communication. WE are oral
historians. We didn't write books - we didn't own printing presses -
so, we talked about Big Mama, Aunt Sookie, Miss Jones, Grandma Sally,
Uncle Luther - and the names of our past were kept alive from
generation to generation because we passed it down.
We didn't pass down written records. Sometimes it would be nothing
more than a tattered picture, a funeral program, or maybe a birth
certificate - but we talked with our children. This generation has
uncles that they have never heard of. This generation has aunts that
they have never heard of. This generation has grandparents that they
never heard of. They don't know why their hair is so coarse. They
don't know why their skin is so fair or so dark. They don't know why
they're so tall. They don't know why they're so "big boned." We
passed down the legacy - but not anymore.
However, the largest legacy we left was that of the relationship of
our parents with the Lord. Grandmamma and "them" never hid their
walk with the Lord. Granddaddy and "them" never were ashamed about
their relationship with God. Those old folk not only were visible in
church - but you could feel a special presence being around them.
They took their walk with God seriously. Mind you, they weren't
great theologians, but they knew God. They didn't know eschatology,
but they knew the Holy Ghost. They didn't know soteriology, but they
knew they were born again. They didn't know zoelogy, but they knew
that they needed to live the life they talked about.
We've stopped communicating and passing down some principles. It's
sad. Our children have become victims of different religious
cultures - because we didn't insist on some things with our children
like our parents insisted upon our lives.
They insisted that we go to church.
They insisted that we sung in the choir.
They insisted that we went to Sunday school.
They insisted that we went to BTU and YPWW.
They insisted that we went to Prayer Meeting.
They insisted that we learned our Golden Bible Verse.
They insisted that we went to Associations.
They insisted that we went to Conventions.
They insisted that we went to Church - morning, noon and night.
They insisted that we read our Bibles before we went to bed.
They insisted that we got on our knees and prayed before we climbed
into bed.
However, there has been a disconnect - a deconstruct - that occurred
between grandmamma and them and us and them - our children are not
like we were:
They don't have the zeal for the Lord that we had.
They don't shout like we use to shout.
They don't sing like we use to sing.
They don't get before God like we use to.
They don't dance in church like we use to.
They don't wave their hands like we use to.
They don't show spiritual emotion like we use to.
It is not their fault! The fault is that somewhere down the line -
we have forgotten to tell our children and we have failed to
demonstrate before them - that there is joy in serving God. Back in
the day - if your grandmamma was a shouter, your momma was a shouter,
you were a shouter. If your granddaddy cried in church, your daddy
cried in church, you were a crier too. If your grandmamma
danced "the holy dance" in church, your mama danced too, and you were
a dancer as well. However, it still exists, but it's gone a strange
direction:
If your granddaddy was dead in church, your daddy was dead in church
and you are now sho' nuff dead in church.
If big mama didn't praise the Lord, your momma didn't praise the
Lord, and you don't even lift up your hands.
If Papa didn't have the Holy Ghost in his life - you didn't have show
no sign either.
There has been a deconstruct. Physicians say that anomalies happen
in the DNA of a person when certain essential molecules are missing.
However, that cycle can restored. Our text demonstrates there can be
hope for THIS generation.
The Children of Israel are now under the anointed leadership of
Joshua. For 40 years, Moses has led their fore parents from the
depth and depravity of slavery, into the Wilderness and now they are
about to enter the land of promise. Moses told them that they will
go into a land that's flowing with milk and honey. Moses told them
that they will enter into a place that will have trees they won't
have to plant and houses they won't have to build. However, Moses
because of his own personal disobedience is not entering the land in
life but his remains go into the new land.
Joshua, the apprentice of Moses is now leading the children of Israel
into the Promised Land. They now have one more river to cross to
enter into this land. They must cross the treacherous Jordan River.
However, they are not about to cross this River by themselves - God
is going to do great things in their midst. My brothers and sisters,
I have learned that when the Rivers of life look rough - it's good to
have God on your side.
Grandmamma and them faced obstacles - but they held on to their
faith. They would sing songs of faith - "Hold to His Hand, God's
Unchanging Hand," "I'm a Soldier in the Army of the Lord," The Lord
will Make a Way Somehow," "Just a Closer Walk with Thee," and the
hymns of the faith. Joshua and them found out it is good to have God
on your side. In the previous chapter, Joshua calls the people of
Israel together and says to come and listen to what God has said.
Today you will know for sure that the living God is among you."
We need to talk to those in our homes, in our families, in our
circles - somebody needs to tell this generation - that God has did
some talking - and you will know for sure that the living God is
among you! He is not slack about his word, as some men count
slackness, but he's able to talk and he's able to back up what he
says. We need to tell this generation that you may wear Sean John
and Fubu and Timberlands and you may have earrings in your ears and
eyebrows - but you will know for sure - that the Living Lord is among
you.
When the priests put their feet in the water, the water pushed back
and formed a wall for the Children of Israel to pass through safely.
They descend from what use to be the banks of the river that God has
now changed to the ramp to the River floor.
The River Floor in some spots runs some 1,000 feet below sea level.
God has changed the River into a Valley. But it's okay. You do
understand that you can be up today and down tomorrow - but its
okay. You can be higher and lifted up today and low and crawling
tomorrow. You can be flying high as a bird in the morning and
creeping like a worm by the evening - but its okay. Because see when
God is leading you - when your seas become your valleys - you
understand that yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow
of death, I will fear no evil, for the Lord is with me.
Watch them travel down the embankment and they begin to travel across
it. God has not only pushed back the water, he has also reconfigured
the ground that they walk on. Oh my brothers and sisters -1 don't
mean to stop here - but I have to - when God is in the picture of
your life - we need to recognize that not only will He lead for us -
He will provide everything we need for the journey. He won't lead
you where His grace can't keep you.
As they make the journey, on the east side of Gilgal, Joshua says to
the men, grab some stones from the River bed floor. Representatives
from each tribe of Israel - the twelve tribes - were to grab a stone
and pile it together with other stones - in the midst of Israel.
Without a label and without a plaque. Without a sign and without a
marker. Look at what Joshua says - when your children ask you - and
they're not going to ask you now - but later on - they're going to
ask you - what do those stones mean? Now, check this out:
Some of them may be young watching you put the stones in order. Some
of them may be too young to say a word. Some of them may not be
concerned now - but after while, their inquisitive nature is going to
make them ask - what do those stones mean?
I need to spiritually suggest that some of the things that you're
going through - you might need to let your children see some things -
until they ask you - what does that mean?
They might need to see you lift up holy hands - until they ask - what
does that mean?
They might need to hear you praying in the midnight hour - until they
ask - what does that mean?
They might need to see you praising God in the sanctuary - until they
ask - what does that mean?
They might need to see you walking by faith and not by sight - until
they ask - what does that mean?
They might need to see you pay your tithes and offerings - until they
ask - what does that mean?
Joshua says that when they ask - God is going to give you an
opportunity to talk to them about what you've been through. Look at
what Joshua says:
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, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be
for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
I want to tell us that God is going to give us an opportunity to tell
this generation about what God has done in our lives. Notice here
that the primary responsibility is not just placed upon the women,
the grown women, the big mamas, the mamas - but Joshua says you
fathers need to testify.
Can I suggest that you better tell them how good God is before
somebody else gets to them....
You better tell them about the joy you have - before the Bloods get
there.
You better tell them about the peace you have - before the Crips get
there.
You better tell them about the God you serve - before the Muslims get
there.
You better tell them about the ways God has made - before the
Atheists get there.
You better tell them about how you were saved by God's power - before
the so-called Great Thinkers get there.
You better tell them how Jesus died - before the Buddhists get there.
You better tell them how He was put in a borrowed tomb - before the
cults get there.
You better tell them how He got up with all power in his Hand -
before the tennis shoe pimps get there.
You better tell them how you were saved by His power - before the
haters get there.
You better tell them how you love the Lord - before the drug pushers
get there.
And then we can change this generation...
Grandmamma may not have praised him - but you can praise him.
Daddy may not have praised him - but you can praise him.
Uncle Pookie may not be saved - but I'm saved.
I want to leave a legacy
I want to leave a record for my family....
I want the record to state that I love the Lord...
I want the record to state that He is my everything...
Let the record state I love the Lord...
Let the record state that He is my all and all...
Let the record state can't nobody do you like Jesus
(CLOSE)
