In this message, Dr. T.V. Thomas speaks about the importance of remembering the work of the Lord, and how it should spur us on to future faithfulness and obedience.
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65th Anniversary Message: “What Do These Stones Mean?”
Scripture Reference: Joshua 3 & 4
Location: Valley Alliance Church
Introduction: God is Good, God is Great
One of the things God’s people say everywhere is, “God is good all the time.” But there is another truth we must add to it: God is not only good, but God is also great. If He isn’t great, He isn’t good enough for our deepest needs.
So let us declare both truths together:
- God is good all the time. * God is great all the time.
It is a profound honor to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Valley Alliance Church. This church has a rich history of faithful leadership—pastors like Ross and Susan Prou, Mike and Blanche Least, Jake and Mavis (who served as missionaries in South America and faculty in Regina), Arnold and Beth Cook, Neil and Marilyn Foster, Mike and Dalian Ganon, and Elden Andrew Thompson.
Every single one of these leaders learned how to trust God while they were here. Because of their faithfulness, you are able to step into and join this ongoing ministry today.
A Tale of Two Crossings
In the history of Israel, there were two momentous water crossings, both of which were absolute miracles of God led by spiritual men:
- The Red Sea (Led by Moses): This opened the way out of Egypt—out of slavery, bondage, and oppression.
- The Jordan River (Led by Joshua): This opened the way into Canaan—into the promised inheritance of God’s people.
The crossing of the Jordan involved a brand-new generation of Israelites. Aside from Joshua and Caleb, the vast majority had never seen the plagues of Egypt or the Red Sea splitting. They had only heard about the power of God from their parents.
Similarly, many of you have joined this fellowship more recently. You have only heard about the early struggles, the financial challenges, and the spiritual breakthroughs that formed and built Valley Alliance Church.
Standing Before the Impossible
In Joshua 3, Joshua led the people to the very edge of the Jordan River. Under normal circumstances, the Jordan could be crossed at certain shallow points. However, Scripture notes that the Jordan overflows all its banks during the days of harvest. It was at a dangerous flood tide.
Joshua made the people camp by the edge of this flooded river for three straight days. Why? So they could stare at the roaring, cascading water 24/7. God wanted them to look at the total human impossibility of the situation. The Hebrews were a “boatless” people; they had no natural way across.
The Source of the Miracle: The Ark of the Covenant
The instructions were precise: the Levitical priests were to carry the Ark of the Covenant 1,000 yards ahead of the people.
- The Ark was not just showing the way; it was making the way.
- The Ark represented the very presence of the invisible God.
God promised that the moment the priests’ feet touched the water’s edge, the river would completely cut off and pile up in a heap. And it did. The waters backed up more than 20 miles to the city of Adam, leaving a massive, dry riverbed. Two million people were able to march across in perfect order on firm, dry ground. The moment they stepped onto the other side, the floodwaters instantly rushed back into place.
The Ultimate Requirement: Consecration
How do we experience this kind of divine breakthrough? Joshua 3:5 gives us the sole condition:
“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
God requires consecrated followers. He calls His people to purity, holiness, trust, and obedience. If we consecrate ourselves to God, He will draw close to us and perform His wonders among us.
A Wake-Up Call for the Modern Church
As someone who has spent over 50 years in public ministry traveling the globe, I have a sobering observation: Much of the church in the West operates as if the Holy Spirit is on vacation or a sabbatical. We are often so organized that we look almost dead. We are so efficient that we become ineffective. Structure and efficiency are not bad things, but are we operating in our own human strength?
The vision prayer of the Christian and Missionary Alliance is this:
“Oh God, with all our hearts, we long for you. Come transform us to be Christ-centered, spirit-empowered. Then we will become mission-focused people multiplying disciples everywhere.”
If we are Christ-centered but not Spirit-empowered, we will never accomplish the mission. We must be a church directed by the Holy Spirit so we can multiply disciples right here in Fort Qu’Appelle, across Saskatchewan, and throughout the world.
What Mean These Stones? Four Lessons from the Memorial
After the crossing, God commanded Joshua to choose 12 men—one from each tribe—to pick up a large stone from the exact middle of the riverbed where the priests stood. They carried these stones to their campsite at Gilgal and arranged them into a monument.
Why did God want a memorial? Joshua 4:21–22 explains:
“When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ then you shall inform your children, saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.'”
Memorials serve four vital functions for the church today:
1. They Alert Us to Remember God’s Wonders
In our modern busyness, we tend to get trapped in the immediate “now” and forget what God has done. Remembering ensures we see the continuity of God’s great goodness. When we reflect on His past faithfulness, it opens our eyes to see the wonderful things He is doing right now.
2. They Prompt Heartfelt Praise and Thanksgiving
We can easily become so preoccupied with our current difficulties that we forget to praise God. True praise requires a grateful heart; otherwise, it is empty and phony. This 65th anniversary celebration is a public, grateful declaration that God has been completely faithful to this congregation.
3. They Provide a Reminder for Future Generations
Our God is multi-generational. He knew that future children and grandchildren would look at the Jordan River, take a few pictures, yawn, and walk away with no concept of the miracle that happened there. The stones were designed to provoke questions. It is the strict responsibility of every generation to pass the baton of faith to the next, reminding them that we stand here not because of our own ingenuity, but because of Almighty God.
4. They Testify to Our Corporate Unity
God ensured that everyone crossed over—leaders, children, teenagers, and the physically handicapped. The 12 stones represented all 12 tribes. Unity is a powerful witness. We do not have to “create” unity—Jesus already bought it for us—but we must demonstrate it and handle it with velvet gloves. Our corporate unity is the ultimate proof to a watching world that Jesus Christ is real.
Looking to the Future
Our God is the Lord of all the earth. He is not a local, isolated deity; He is a global, sovereign, and creator God. He has been faithful to Valley Alliance Church for 65 years, and He is already in charge of your future.
May God find us faithful in the big things and the small things, in public and in private, for His ultimate glory. Amen.