RUSSELL SANDERS

11-12-2025

A HEAP OF STONES

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Genesis 31 tells of a heap of stones which established a covenant between Jacob and Laban. It was set up upon Jacob’s departure with Rachel, Leah, a large flock, and servants. It was not an amicable departure. The heap of stones represented a landmark of a new covenant. It would serve as a boundary which neither could cross over. It established territory.

When Abram sojourned his first ten years in Canaan, he would make an altar to the LORD using stones. It was his way of making his own covenant to Jehovah as his God. It was marking his territory.

When Joshua led Israel across Jordan to take the territory of Canaan, he established a heap of stones to testify of God’s covenant of giving this land to Israel. The twelve stones represented the twelve tribes. It was a covenant forever.

God has also established a covenant of stones for the church through Jesus Christ, who is the chief cornerstone. These are the twelve stones built upon the twelve apostles of the Lamb. We see it in the New Jerusalem. In Revelation 21:14 each of the twelve foundations (stones) were named for each of the twelve apostles. It is a covenant of eternal life established by God for us.

Some covenants are eternal, and others are conditional. An eternal covenant is ended only upon the death of one of the covenantors. God’s New Covenant sealed by Jesus’ blood and built upon the apostles’ is an everlasting covenant.

As a born-again believer, you are in a covenant relationship with God in Christ Jesus. It is an everlasting (age enduring) covenant. God will keep you and preserve you for all time and eternity. Your heap of stones is established in heaven, in the New Jerusalem.

HELEN SANDERS

11-12-2025

ABOUT THE FATHER’S BUSINESS

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In Luke 2:41-52 we see Jesus, who was twelve years old going with Joseph, and Mary to Jerusalem for the Passover feast, as was the custom for all males according to Moses.

When the days of the feast were fulfilled, his parents joined others to go back to Nazareth. They assumed Jesus was with some of their other family. When they could not find him, they went back to Jerusalem. They found him in the temple sitting among the teachers. He listened to their questions and answered them with great understanding.

When Mary and Joseph found him, they told him they were sorrowed when they realized he was not with them. His response was, “…How is it that ye sought me?  Wist [knew] you not that I must be about my Father’s business?”

They did not understand what he meant, but he left Jerusalem with them and was obedient to them. Luke 2:52 says, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”

So, just what does it mean that he was “about my Father’s business?” What is the Father’s business? 

To put it simply, Jesus explains his mission in Luke 19:10. He encountered Zacchaeus, a publican, or tax collector. He tells Zaccheus in verse 9-10, “And Jesus said unto him [Zaccheus] This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

He was sent by the Father to seek out those that were lost in sin and bring salvation to them. Jesus told us to do the same. We seek after those that are lost. We do not wait for them to come to church. We do not wait for them to come to us. We look for every opportunity to share the gospel with every person that is a non-believer so they can come to come to know the Lord through salvation. That is the Father’s business. That is why the Father sent Jesus, his only son, to die a horrible death. That is why Jesus rose from the dead, put his blood on the altar in heaven and commissioned us to “Go ye therefore into all the world” [Matthew 28:19] and do the same.

The question is this: Are you about your father’s business? That is your true purpose.