Short Reflection from Joshua 5:9-11 to approach the Lord's table

There were a number of passages I thought about for this morning, but as I prayed it was Joshua 5:1-12 that the Lord kept putting on my heart - so I pray that the Lord will use it to give us a deep delight in Jesus this morning as we come to the table.

I wonder if we ever feel like we need a system reboot.

[old laptop] - eventually need factory reset. back to core progams.

I often think point of Lord’s supper is because like that laptop we need to regualrly come back to core truths of gospel. How easily other things clog up our Spiritual life.

This is what is at the heart of Joshua chapter 5:1-12.

New generation of God’s people who after death of Moses, are living under new leader. It’s new era. But though they are free the still seems to be living under the shame of being slaves. Though they are in the promised land still seem to be living in shadow of parents disobedience. The experience of wilderness would have been all to raw. Here they are, next generation in the promised land, yet uncircumcised and unknown. Though the is an excitment as they cross the jordan, there is this shadow of shame hanging over - will they just repeat sin of parents, will they just been know as those slaves that escaped to wodner the desert. So often one of things that keeps us from going on in Christian lfie is shame. Feeling that our past or our sin stops us coming to God.

Here in chapter 5, amoung big stories - the Crossing of the Jordan, the conquest at Jericho comes this pause - a Spiritual reboot - as they go back to basics, and at heart of it God deals with their shame.

But pause in chapter 5 brings this incredibly important moment

Joshua 5:1–12 NIV

Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites. At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth. Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age—died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt. All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord. For the Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed. Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal to this day. On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.

People experience a Spiritual reboot.

Circumcised - this should have been done by parents in desert, but seems that unbelief ran pretty deep. But here God re established his covenant with them. Physical sign that they are God’s people. We are told they celebrate passover. Remembering what God did in Egypt, passover them his judgement, and rescueing them from slavery.

We get this note about the manna - reminder that even in the wilderness God did not abandon his people but provided all they needed to see them through.

Joshua is taking us back to basics - reminders of God’s faithfulness to his promises. But as we come to table this morning I want us to focus on verse 9.

V9 reproach is rolled away

What does God for new generation - his peopel still living under shadow of their parents, and shadow of slavery. literally he rolls away their shame. Here as they come in faith, they are marked as his people, it is a fresh start. No shadow of sin or slavery hanging over them. In promised land no longer eating manna but enjoy fruit of beginning of God’s promises realised.

Verses speak wonderfully into what Jesus has done at the Cross.

What happens at the cross, Jesus the true passover lamb is slain, and willingly accepts the shame, facing God’s judgement so that we might be set free.

Love language of v9 becuase it points to empty tomb - just like stone, our shame has been rolled away - as with Christ are raised to new life -children of God. No longer define by the shaows but by his blood, his body, his death and his life.

So as we come to the table this morning let us reset - by rembering these things:

We who were once uncircumcised are now sealed by the Holy Spirit

We who were once living in the shadow of shame - slaves to Sin are now children of God

We who were once subject to God’s wrath have been redeemed and made clean by the blood of the lamb

And just as he provided manna in the desert - he has and will provide all that is needed to see us safely home, after all, Romans 8:32

Romans 8:32 NIV

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Let me pray and then we will come to the table.

PRAY

1 Corinthians 11:23–24 NIV

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

BREAD GIVEN OUT

THANK JESUS FOR YOU BODY - BROKEN FOR US. We thankyou that we are united to Jesus in his death and ressurection and in newness of life.

Read 1 Corinthians 11:25-26

1 Corinthians 11:25–26 NIV

In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Thank you Jesus our passover lamb, who bore our shame that we migth know forgiveness and freedom as children of God. And as we drink this cup we proclaim his death until he comes - help us to live in light of who we are in Him

WINE GIVEN OUT