The Book: Rocks, Stones, & the Rock - Pastor-Elect Dr. Arliene T. Penn

Welcome to Life TV, the podcast of King of the Baptist, where we gather together to experience God's love, growing God's love, and give that love back to each other.

When I was very young, I loved the childcraft books, especially the stories and fables that make and do the poems and rhymes.

And I particularly love the one World and Space because I really love to look at rocks.

There was a time in my life where I wanted to be a geologist.

And about the age of four, I was taken to live with my teacher called Teacher Nesta.

And the story was told that I lived with her because, you see, I was reading at a very young age, and the kinds of questions that I was asking my parents at the time, they felt that it was important for me to live with the teacher because I was speaking beyond my years.

So I lived with her so that she could mentor me.

She would take me on the weekends to the moorings, across from the moorings back in the day, they usually would have, we had seawater.

That was all sea.

And there was a lot of baptism that used to happen there.

So at the age of four, five, six, seven, eight, I was able to witness baptism.

And for me, she always said, Arlene, I want you to sit on that stone.

Don't move, because if you move, you can fall on the rocks.

At the age of seven, I remember falling off the school swing when the rope busts.

You know, long ago, we in the swing is who could swing the highest.

You swing and you keep going.

And the chain jock and it keeps going and it jock.

Well, let me tell you one time, it busts.

And there I came like Humpty Dumpty, falling down, and I hit the back of my head, and I hit a sharp rock.

Blood gushing out everywhere.

I can remember it, and I can remember the feeling.

But you see, I didn't know that that would have come to impact me years later.

Pastor Hodge, it was your wife who recognized when I went to do that air test that something, a trauma had happened back in the day because of the work that she does.

But at the age of nine, after five years of raising me, I would be sent back to the environment I once called home, no longer living with teacher Nesta.

No clear explanation.

What did I do?

I never gave her any back chat.

I was never rude.

I was always an adventurous, yes.

But what was it?

Was my hair too long?

She was dealing with my hair.

Was I reading too much?

I just didn't know.

I know that I was heartbroken and confused.

And in my new environment, I remember living next to a gut.

And I would climb up into the gut every afternoon and I would sit on the rocks around the rocks, sit on the stone, but around the rocks, and I would talk to the stones and talk to the rocks.

Because in my mind, my little mind, I wanted to see my teacher Nesta.

Because you see, she had taught me about the rocks.

To me, the rocks was a place of safety.

The stones was a place of safety, and that's where I found my peace.

And I would go up there with my books, writing songs, writing poems, writing letters, hoping my teacher Nestor would return.

Then we moved.

When we moved, we moved to a place where there was another gut.

And the same thing continued.

I woke up the gut, and this time I found a friend.

And both my friend and I now we would go down the gut and we would bathe in the gut, wash in the gut, catch tadpoles in the gut.

We would climb the trees, everything we did in the gut.

And then one day I got the news.

She was killed in the gut by a familiar person among the stones and the rocks.

I was devastated as I began to dislike and fear rocks, because to me, then rocks started to represent death, loss, confusion, anger, abandonment, pain, the pain of not seeing my teacher Nesta and the death of my friend.

What a weight! And I was angry.

So I jumped into survival mode.

You see, the story of the Israelites reminds us that in life we carry memories and memories of pain, triumph, happiness, and memories that we are not to forget because the rocks and the stones in our lives have a significant purpose.

No matter where you are and where I am in life, the generation coming need to know what happened.

They need to know that you were able to cross over.

Because if I didn't tell you that story, you would think I would have crossed over without going through and climbing the rocks.

The book of Joshua, particularly chapter four, is about trusting God with all your heart and not leaning onto your own understanding.

It serves as a wonderful guide to write our book.

We all have a story to tell the future generation of how we cross over.

Are you ready now?

It's time for us to write the book.

Chapter one.

Here's the title.

The selection by Joshua was not a coincidence.

And how we know this?

Because in the word, the word says that God said, before I formed you what?

In the womb, I knew you.

Before you were born, God said, I set you apart, and I appointed you and I anointed you.

So when our future generation asks you what these stones you are chosen mean, tell them it's an honor to be chosen to carry the stones.

Tell them chosen means to be set apart for a purpose that God wants us to fulfill.

Tell them being chosen is not about privilege, it's about a purpose.

It does not mean that we are better than anyone else.

The 12 men were not chosen because they were better than the others or that they were more important than the others, but they were chosen to serve, to carry stones, to preserve the testimony of God's work.

Their gift is their physical strength.

That's what it was.

But we must also tell our children that sometimes it's not easy to be chosen.

We've got to be real with them about today's realities, that's why we must pray and stay connected to God.

Tell them that there will be instances where people genuinely rejoice when they are chosen because they do not see the calling or God's given gifts as a threat to their own because they understand and appreciate what it means to be set apart.

Tell them that others may become envious when they are selected, promoted, or recognized or given an assignment, but they are to stay focused on God's mission.

Being set apart can lead to comparison and criticism and resentment.

So tell them, stay away from that kind of toxic behavior.

Why them?

Why you, not me?

Tell them some people will question whether they deserve to be set apart because they deserve to probably be on the side because of their past.

Tell them, stay out of that.

Keep out of God's business.

Tell them some people will like to be called on, others do not want to be called on.

Some love the titles but don't want the work, and some love the work but don't want the titles.

Tell them each of them are coming with a unique gift, a unique talent, a unique experience, anointing, an appointment.

Tell them that the reality is that God is the one who chooses.

Tell them, make sure God calls them and don't go where they're not sent.

For many are called, few are chosen, others went where they were not sent.

So, like the 12 men, let's be obedient and step up to the plate to fulfill God's purpose.

To be chosen is not a privilege, it's to fulfill a purpose.

Chapter two, the decision.

What's your choice?

Let me invite you, minister, to come.

Because you see, God gives us choices, and we are to tell the future generation that when God chooses you, he gives you a choice.

And you know how we know that?

The word of God says this for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him, he's whosoever.

God gives us, God gives us choices, minister.

The instructions to the tribe is to pick up a stone.

That's the instruction that God gave.

Pick up the stone, pick up the rock, pick up the stone.

God said, pick up a stone.

Come on other side so they can actually see.

Pick up the stone.

God said to pick up the stone.

This is the stone.

This is a stone?

God asked you to pick up the stone.

God asked you to pick up the stone.

You see, sometimes when God gives us an instruction, we don't carry it out.

I asked the minister to pick up a stone.

You know what's the stone?

This is a stone.

This is the rock.

Right here.

You see, in the river, what happens is that the beating, the hitting of the rocks against each other chips off the sides.

It chips it and chips it and chips it over the years until it becomes smooth.

The rock represents the things that you would have gone through in life.

The twists, the turns, the ups, the downs, the diseases, the stress.

God asked you to pick up the stone, but we pick up rocks, and very often we go and we pick up what God told us to leave behind.

Because you've already gone through and climbed the rocks, but we're still trying to pick up where God told us.

Pick this up.

Because this here is what's going to bring you the success.

Not the rock.

I'm gonna call you back.

The rocks represent the past.

The stone represents the future.

The rocks represent slavery.

The stone represents what?

Freedom.

The rocks are the trials, the stones are the triumph, the rocks is the test, and the stone is the testimony.

The rocks, that's the exam, and the stones, that's the graduates.

The rocks is the diagnosis, and for me, the stone was the cure.

So I could be standing here today to say God is good.

So when God tells us to pick up the stones, let's follow the instructions.

Because sometimes we like to help God.

God ain't asked you for no help.

He tells you to pick up the stones, pick up the stones.

Because you see, when you pick up the right thing, success happens.

Moses struck the rock.

He was told to do what?

Speak to the rock.

And he, what happened?

Lost an opportunity to go into the promised land.

Jonah was told to go to Nineveh to go warn the people.

He decided to go where?

Opposite direction.

Where he ended up, in in the fish belly.

All right.

So tell the future generation do not pick up what God has elevated them from.

We can remember that rocks in our lives, it's important, you know.

But do not keep reliving it.

We must stop picking up what we already have victory over.

So tell them God wants to lead them to the Holy Spirit, the fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace.

But they gotta pick up the stone.

Chapter 3.

The weight.

Now that you know, minister, what a stone is, you will pick up the stone now.

And the instructions is to carry the stone on your shoulder.

Because Joshua instructed each of the men to take the stone and to carry it on their shoulder.

Well, good.

No shoulder.

I thought he was gonna carry it at the front of you because you see, carry it at the front.

If you carry the stone at the front, what happens is you're walking what?

Leaned over.

Right?

Obviously, you're picking up a stone.

Each member was asked to pick up a stone, so you will pick up the stone that you can handle.

So you're walking with the stone in the front, but God told you to walk with the stone where?

On your shoulder.

So walk with the stone on your shoulder.

Let him see what that looks like.

So you're walking with the stone on your shoulder, and you're walking with the stone.

There's a reason why you have to walk with the stone on your shoulder.

Where was the government placed on Jesus'?

Isn't it on the shoulders?

The problem is we carry too many weight and too much weight in our hearts when God is asking us to carry the weight where?

On your shoulder.

And the reason why sometimes God can't reach us is because we're carrying too much things in our heart instead of carrying the weight on your shoulder.

You know you're gonna carry the weight on your shoulder?

Put your hands out.

Because when you're walking, right?

With the rock, with the stone, you're gonna be sort of leaning, right?

Won't you lean in because you're gonna lean because it's too heavy?

Don't worry about the next side because you're leaning on the everlasting arms of God.

That's where you're leaning.

That's why you have the balance.

So you don't have to worry because you gotta take this hand, it's a big rock.

And you're walking, and we're walking, but you don't have to worry about you falling and tipping because Jesus said, I got you.

Lean on me.

That's what Jesus says to lean on me.

So, in other words, carry the weight.

Thank you.

Where it's supposed to be.

Stop carrying the weight of the world in your hearts.

Don't carry other people's pain and problems and expectations and mistakes and future outcomes in our hearts.

That's why some of us we walk around so burdened, and when we're burdened, the problem is we begin to speak negatively.

We begin to complain.

But as you decide to carry the weight in your heart.

And we know that you're not supposed to carry the weight in your heart because God said what?

Love me with all your heart, your soul.

He said, Love me with all your heart.

So why are you carrying the weight in your heart?

Leave that to be reserved for God because we have to love God with all our hearts.

Carrying a weight on the shoulder creates a natural lean.

Don't forget that.

Tell our children that they have to lean on the everlasting arms of God.

Chapter four the support.

Rocks need stones, but stones need stones.

Rocks need stones, but stones need stones.

We need each other.

Our future generation will go through rocks.

They will be tested.

Their loyalty to God will be tested, their choices will be tested.

They have to cross over too.

And that is why we have to tell them that the stones mean.

Taking the shortcut and not thinking about the process we have to go through.

We look at the stone, at others, and we tell ourselves, I want to be just like that.

But do you know you have to work hard to get there?

The rock needs the stone, because the rock needs the experiences of the stone, because the testimony of the rock is what helps shape the stone.

But the stone also needs other stones.

Because remember, there were 12 stones, and the stones are leaning on each other.

And there's a reason why the stones are leaning on each other, because if something is wrong with one, the next one can be there as a shoulder to lean on.

And sometimes we behave as though sometimes you see me and I see you.

We look good on the outside.

But you know sometimes there are rocks beneath the stones to be shaped, still to be fixed, still needs the love, still needs the appreciation.

We gotta stay focused because the reality check is that even the strongest stone needs somebody to lean on.

Never think that you can do life alone.

We gotta tell our future generation that I was reminded.

Arlene, I know you can do this.

So, no person, no one person, you can't do it alone.

You have to stand on the shoulders of others.

So tell them that the stones may be from different tribes, but you got one goal, and that is to work together.

Because all of us are aiming for the same place, and that is to go where?

To paradise, to see our Lord and our Savior.

So we must encourage one another and let us build up each other, bearing one another up, forgiving each other, for we want God to forgive us.

We must be genuine in our thoughts, words, actions, indeed.

Tell our young people, tell our future generation that rocks need stones, and stones need who?

Stones.

Chapter five.

The promise.

The rock stands.

When you become the stone, we have to keep on promise.

You see, God brought us over.

And we know that there's a promise to be fulfilled.

You know why?

Because in the beginning, God told Joshua to tell, you know, he gave him instructions of what needed to happen, but they have to tell the future generation what's going to happen.

You understand?

When you see these stones, tell them what they mean.

That alone tells you that there's victory in the end.

So you're gonna go because God already laid everything out.

That's why I love this chapter because God laid everything out for Joshua, and so they decided to be obedient.

Because if you know the children of Israel, man, they were hiding.

They were in the wilderness because they were hiding.

But God.

So we have to keep our promise to share with the future generation about the goodness of God.

Tell them to pass it on, and this book is what they gotta pass on, the book that you're writing.

But there's a twist to this final chapter because the memorial stones is evidence that God is the firm foundation upon which you and I stand.

Because remember, we spoke about rocks, stones, but now we're talking about the rock.

That is a special rock, a rock that carried and continues to carry the weight of our sins on his shoulders.

That rock is Jesus Christ.

What if Joshua didn't trust God?

What if the 12 men did not accept the call?

What if they picked up rocks, minister, instead of the stones?

What if they did not lay the stones?

What if Jesus did not come to teach us how to live right?

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law, man, they were interpreting the law, God's law, how they wanted.

But Jesus came so we could get it right, so that we can get into the kingdom of God.

But sometimes we take for granted the importance of telling our stories for others to survive.

Let me tell you about a journey I had to go through.

On the final leg of my doctrine in divinity, I had to complete twelve sermons based on key themes of the Bible and key themes that are happening in the world.

From Genesis to Revelation.

My own timeline.

Because you see, there were some things that were about to happen and I wanted to be a part of it.

So I'm trying to finish the work so that I don't have too many things working on.

The professor took two days to math.

Almost over a hundred and ninety pages.

When the grade came back, I got a D plus writing songs.

A D plus I didn't say A.

No B No C a D plus.

Pastor, you remember?

A D plus.

And I remember Seventeen percent D plus.

And the first thing I said was, You see, I don't tell Pastor really me controlled for this kind of thing.

Pastor have to confess.

My husband here and he was listening.

And I start in because you see.

So I start to talk to my husband and he said in his voice, just look at where you went wrong.

Just trying to fix the thing.

Well, what did you do wrong?

I boiled on the other side of the floor.

What did I do wrong?

I did everything.

You will get it, you will figure it out.

I expect Pastor to help me.

I expected my mentor to help me.

But he said, Essentially, quietly, you're on your own.

I wanted to quit.

I complained, I fret, I sighed.

No, I have to go back to the drawing board, and for three months, I'm in the wilderness.

Because I had to put it down now.

Because you see, I had my own timeline.

My own timeline.

The environments, I remember where I went sometimes to get support.

It was difficult because sometimes you would be in the environment and you're you're not appreciated.

Why are you here?

Don't come here.

So while you're going through the stone is going through rockiness.

I'm hearing already the pressure of the D plus because you gotta change that D plus because the school said to me, We're gonna give you an opportunity to fix that grade.

The pressure's still on me because I gotta get the work completed.

But God kept sending me back into environments where I didn't want to be.

Because you see, God was teaching me the fruits of the spirit, joy, love, peace, forbearance.

And I had one more to pass.

Patience.

Patience, patience.

Then one day sitting, fretting, complaining.

Change your perspective.

He said, You did a PhD before.

What you did different than that you do an adoption.

Now, what's the difference?

When he said that, then it clicked.

You see, my sermons were well researched.

I had what God said.

I had what they said.

Pastor, I didn't have what I say.

I forgot to put in my own testimony about how God brought me across.

Because you see, that's what the testimony is.

You gotta tell people about what God did, because that's what the Bible teaches us all the time.

How people got over to the next side, but you are writing sermons that are empty, and the professors saw through that.

You go and you fix that.

We took a month off.

My husband took me on a cruise to relax my mind, so I paused to go back to writing again.

We were on the ship on our way to Canada because you see, I had learned, Pastor, I had to go back into my memory bank and pull up some things I didn't want to.

I went to look for teacher Nestor.

After 39 years, I had learned that she was living in Canada.

And then we were sitting, remember about to chew that pizza when my husband again says, Well, you don't try to call teacher Nesta with the number you have.

I said, Well, I don't have her number because you see, I tried calling yes before, but I never got her.

He said, Well, just try.

I typed in her name and it came up under someone else's chat, and I found a number and I called.

I was frightened at that point.

Remember, tell you my heart was beating.

When I called, I said, I heard hello, and I knew the voice.

I remember that voice.

The little girl in me remembered that voice.

I say, Nesta, this is Arlene.

And the first thing she said was this: it is Pieter Nesta for you, Arlene.

It's Peter Nesta for you.

What a feeling that came over me.

I said, I'm coming to Canada and I want to see you.

But here the next roadblock, she was far from where I was.

It would take her two to three days to get to me.

So I said to her, I want you to come over to visit me.

Forty years on the 40th year, we reunited.

And the little girl in me was able to get all the answers.

I asked her, Why did you send me back?

Why didn't you keep me?

Why didn't you?

Why didn't you?

Why didn't you?

And she said, Well, God kept you.

She said, I prayed for you, I thought about you every single day.

And when we embraced, I will never forget that embrace.

Because you see, the little girl in me, I got the strength, the tenacity, because I went back and I started that sermon, all those 12 sermons from scratch, and I put in my story, and I remembered what I learned at the Institute of Biblical Studies that pastor leads.

What does God say?

What do they say?

What do you say?

And when I got my paper back, I got an A.

I got an A minus.

You know why I got the A minus?

I got the minus.

They wrote.

You got the minus because you have to make sure that when you're writing, someone needs to read your work to double-check and make sure that the typos are not there.

Pastor, you'll remember you were so busy.

I gave you the papers.

But Pastor was busy at the time and he said that to me.

Two weeks past me hearing from Pastor.

But in my mind, I won't get this over with.

So I click what?

Send.

So when I click the send and it came back, the minus.

All because I lacked patience.

The one thing that God asked me for, the fruit of the spirit, is patience.

I'm still working on it.

God is still working on me.

So in the final, final chapter of your book, I want you to give the future generation the final invitation.

Can I ask you to stand as we complete this book?

Because the final chapter is about how Jesus carried us over because the rock still stands.

God keeps his promise.

And he always guides you through the process.

So when you're speaking to the future generation, please write in that book.

Tell them about the Bible, tell them about the Holy Spirit, tell them about prayer, tell them about past fasting.

Tell them how you crossed over.

And invite them to get to know Jesus, the Son of God.

Maybe you have been carrying your pain, your disappointment, your guilt, your mistakes, or your past all by yourself.

And your story does not have to end with what happened to you.

Because in Christ, God can give your story a new beginning.

If you have never, never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

And if you have wandered away and you're ready to come back, today is your day to come home to the rock.

Because it is so sweet to trust in Jesus.

You don't have to fix yourself first.

You can simply come.

Come to the rock where you are guaranteed to cross over to write your book for generations to come.

Is there anyone who wants to say, God, I love you?

God, I thank you for moving me from a place where I've been a rock.

I'm tired of picking up rocks.

And I'm ready to become a stone.

Say Jesus.

We thank you for carrying us through every rocky season and for turning our experiences into testimonies.

Help us, God, to never forget what you have done.

Give us the courage to share our stories with the next generation and point them to Jesus.

May we stand firmly on your word.

Just trust in your promises and carry only what you have called us to carry.

We thank you, Jesus, and we praise your name.

As we all say, Amen.

Remember, the firm foundation is your Bible, the rock on which you are to stand.

You are the stone.

The rock.

Standing on the firm foundation.

Amen.

Hallelujah.

Thank you for worshiping with us today.

If you'd like to go deeper in your walk with Christ, we invite you to contact us at 284 442.

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