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(Joshua 4:1~9) 1. All of us has more than one ‘very positive, great, encouraging and God performed’ memories in our life and faith journey. Obviously, for me the internship is one of them, which makes me keep going for the glory of God. 2. Of course, I’ve had very negative and discouraging experiences in my ministry. But these kinds of great memories or rather landmarks in faith have become driving forces for us to move on. As Romans 12:21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” 3. This is what I see as I read today’s reading Joshua 4; God led His people out of Egypt, throughout the wilderness God protected and provided. And now God is leading them into the land he promised. This is not what Moses did or could do, this is not what Joshua did or could do, but Only God did and could do for His people. 4. So in today’s reading verse 7, God said, “tell your children that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before ‘THE ARK of the covenant of the LORD,’.” 5. This is important. The river was cut off NOT when the priest waded in the water, but when ‘The ARK’ arrived, the river was cut off. 6. This is what we must not fail to tell the next generations. “If God is for you, who can ever be against you! (Rom 8:31)” Jehovah Jireh (God provides), Jehovah Nissi (God wins), Jehovah Lafa (God heals) 7. Two weeks ago, I received a very unpleasant, or rather sad call. He said, “I heard you’d been doing prayer meetings in one of blue care centres. We cannot have prayer meeting in public where people can see and hear. You may have it in chapel on the second floor, otherwise, those residents will keep complaining about your prayer group.” 8. I did not react, but I offered him, “Morningside UC and I are praying for your ministry and people.” 12. Blue Care, Uniting Care, Uniting Church. We all are the body of Christ, worshipping, witnessing, and serving God and his people, aren’t we all? 13. But somehow and somewhere, we got confused with whom we are serving. 14. Do you know the first question of the shorter catechism? “What is the chief end of man? “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” 15. Indeed, we are here to glorify God, to please God, and to enjoy the everlasting fellowship with Him through Jesus Christ. 16. Galatians 1:10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. 17. 1 Thessalonians 2:4b We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 18. However, somehow, somewhere, we started creating ‘confusions.’ What is ‘essential, a must’ has become secondary, and what was the secondary has become the top priority. 19. From time to time, I listen to a southern Baptist preacher, Effreim Smith from Chicago. In one of his messages, he said this, kind of eye opening and ear clearing, “The world teaches you how to prioritise your life including your faith by setting up what is the first priority, what is the next, and what is the next. But in this relationship with God, there is no first priority, no second priority because God is our only priority. Amen! He is the alpha and Omega, he is the beginning and the End, he is everlasting, He is who he is. 20. Let’s go back to today’s reading, these 12 stones remind people of the ark of God that made the river cut off. So verse 7 continues to say, “These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” But people failed to remember not only the meaning of the 12 stones, but the power and strength of our faith in God. Along the way, we got lost, and not even realise it. 21. In Matthew 17, when Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, they saw how glorious Jesus became and heard the voice saying, ”This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” 22. They were the ones who were with Jesus Christ, but still failed to listen and follow him until. Until his body was broken, his blood was shed, and shared with us in remembrance of him. 23. The essence and the core in our faith is God. He is the way, the truth and the life. So in order for us to continue to be a multi-generational church for the glory of God, we must pass the way, the truth and the life onto our next generations in remembrance of him. 24. As I conclude today’s message, I would like to sing a hymn together. This is my grandmother’s favourite, and soon became my favourite. Every time I sing this hymn, I remember Jesus Christ as the way, the truth and the life. And I pray my children remember Jesus in the same way. AMEN.