The challenges faced by God’s people in this passage remain largely unchanged today. They allowed their identity to be shaped by events. “We remained in the wilderness because of an event. We lost our confidence because we came from Egypt, where we were slaves.” However, slavery was merely an event, not their true identity.

(00:36) There are people right now who have experienced a divorce, had an abortion, struggled with suicidal thoughts, or faced difficulties holding a job or managing money. These are all events, not identities. Our true identity comes from within—it is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is your rock.

For those who have been rejected, let’s fast-forward to 1 Peter 2:7, where Peter quotes the prophet, saying, “To you who believe, this stone…” referring to Christ, “is precious. But to those who do not believe, ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.'” Stop letting the rejection of others define you. They are not your rock. Human ingenuity is so limited that they tried to discard Jesus, rejecting the very stone upon which God built everything.

(02:01) God is my rock. But first, something must happen right where you are, at the point where you feel stuck. Something must happen where you have faltered or given up. Something must happen where you remain unhealed. Change must occur at this place.

(02:31) Isn’t it amazing how everything with God seems to be opposite? A cross, which symbolizes death and suffering, brings life. Rocks bring down giants. And just to encourage someone, I want to add something that might be for you, even if I don’t know who it’s for. The speed of the ripple doesn’t always indicate how far it will go.

(02:59) Some aspects of your life may be moving slowly because God is building something much larger. That slow ripple could eventually spread far and wide. You don’t know how far it will go. Perhaps someone packed the little boy’s lunch that fed the crowd that day. You might be a mom packing a lunch that will be remembered across the world in places like Boise, Ballantyne, and Botswana.

(03:32) That’s how God works. He takes something as small as a stone and makes it significant. Even the smallest pebbles have great purpose. There was a widow in church who gave two mites, two small coins, in the offering. Jesus said, “That’s the biggest ripple in the temple today.” The wealthy made no impact, but Jesus noticed the tiny pebble and said, “That’s all she has.”

(03:52) The smallest pebble can serve a great purpose. If the right person holds it and gives it enough momentum, it can create a powerful impact. We preach about David every Sunday—he killed Goliath with a small stone, but with great purpose.

(04:13) Let’s look at Joshua 4:20. This story is different. Joshua tells the people, “Take twelve stones from the Jordan River.” Normally, ripples occur when a stone is thrown in, but in this case, the ripple goes in reverse. “You will tell your children about what I have done.” Sometimes a ripple doesn’t come from a stone being thrown in, but from one that is taken out.

(05:01) After everything I’ve been through, after all that God has done for me, after all the reasons I shouldn’t be here, this ripple won’t come from a stone thrown in; it will come from the removal of a stone. There are ripples that can only happen through letting go.

(05:41) Get rid of bitterness. Let go of regret, bias, judgment, prejudice, and insecurity. This ripple, this reversal, is how God’s kingdom works—the first shall be last and the last shall be first. Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.

(06:25) Stop waiting for God to add something new. God says, “I will reveal what you need when you remove what is holding you back.” God removes to reveal. Through this story, this moment, and what you may perceive as burdens, God wants to show you something. Even through your challenges, God uses your enemies to draw you closer to Him. This ripple is in reverse—don’t wait for something new to come. Remove what is standing in your way of believing.