4th Sunday In Lent, Year C. Series

Joshua 5:9-12, Psalm 32:1-11, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Luke 15:1-3, Luke 15:11-32.

A). THE BLESSING OF PARTICIPATION.

Joshua 5:9-12.

The LORD spoke metaphorically of having “rolled away the reproach of Egypt” (Joshua 5:9). Egypt stands for the place of captivity. In like manner Jesus, by taking our reproaches upon Himself (cf. Psalm 69:9), sets us free from the captivity of sin and death (cf. Romans 8:2).

As the church reaches a crossroads in its life it is important that the signs of our covenant with God are celebrated. The dedication of a child has the potential to set them up for life, whereas in baptism a new convert makes public a personal commitment to the Lord. When the communion is celebrated, we are equipping ourselves for spiritual warfare.

In the Providence of God, it just so happened that the anniversary of the Passover coincided with the time of Israel’s healing in Gilgal (Joshua 5:10). As with our Communion, it was a time to look back, to see what God has done hitherto, and a time to move forward into the promises before us.

The children of Israel could reflect on the (now historic) Exodus, the Crossing of the Red Sea, the sustenance in the wilderness; upon early victories, and now the crossing of the Jordan. They could look forward to taking possession of the land: “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Joshua 5:6).

We can look back to Jesus’ ‘exodus’ (cf. Greek of Luke 9:31) which He accomplished in Jerusalem, to His death for our sins and his resurrection for our justification (cf. Romans 4:25); and to His ascension into heaven, and His continued intercession on our behalf. All this in anticipation, as we break the bread and drink the cup ‘until He comes’ (1 Corinthians 11:26).

The blessing of participation was in evidence the very day after they had eaten the Passover. They began to eat the food of the promised land (Joshua 5:11). What ministries of provision, both spiritual and physical, might we be missing when we neglect to participate in the Communion?

Then the manna ceased (Joshua 5:12). The need for the extraordinary provision of the wilderness had passed, and now the LORD would provide through more ordinary means. There was no use in their looking in the old place: it would not be there. We do not always need to be looking for the miraculous in answer to our prayers: often it is for the more mundane that we fail to return thanks to God.

B). A HIDING PLACE FOR THE REPENTANT.

Psalm 32:1-11.

The beatitudes of Psalm 32:1-2 remind us of Psalm 1:1-2, which describes the righteous man and proclaims him blessed. Yet, since the fall of Adam, no mere man has been born with original righteousness. The second Psalm leads us to the place where we can find this righteousness: in Jesus Christ (Psalm 2:12).

Psalm 119:1 speaks of the blessedness of the undefiled. Who are undefiled but those whom God has declared righteous in Jesus Christ? We cannot begin to walk this way without Him: but when we are clothed with Christ, God looks upon us and sees not our sins, but the very righteousness of Christ.

Before we can enter into the blessings which follow forgiveness (Psalm 32:1-2), we must first admit our sin (“not keep silence” Psalm 32:3), and acknowledge our responsibility before God (Psalm 32:5).

The testimony of King David (the author of this Psalm) is that unrepentant silence was detrimental both to his physical and mental health, and to his spiritual well-being (Psalm 32:3-4). So David confessed his transgression (overstepping the mark), owned up to his iniquity (distorting of the truth), and acknowledged his sin (violation of God’s will).

The result was immediate: “you forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:5; cf. 2 Samuel 12:13). When the Prodigal Son determined to return to his Father, with pleas for forgiveness and offers of penance: he found that the Father, in His love, was already running out to receive him (Luke 15:18-20). All at once David’s transgression was forgiven, his sin was covered, and his iniquity was no longer counted against him (Psalm 32:1-2).

The Apostle Paul tells us that this ledger was balanced with the crediting of righteousness on account of faith (Romans 4:5-8). Furthermore, David’s spirit was purged of guile: the kind of cunning deceit which seeks to cover one’s own sins and hide them from God (Psalm 32:2). Now David’s hiding place was in God Himself (Psalm 32:7; cf. Psalm 130:4).

Repentance does not just belong to the beginning of our Christian walk, but is an ongoing activity in our lives. Both Scripture and experience remind us that we need to be vigilant (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:12). Faith and repentance are twin graces, and they both need exercise.