Theme: Plan for your victories
Text: Josh 5:1-15
Introduction: bringing up a pet(dog)-You give good name, love him so much, take him a ride by your bike and car. But if he is affected by rabies, he becomes mad. Then he growls, barks and saliva froths, then started to bite including the owner. Then you do mercy killing. You cry for him after killing. That was the situation for God during wilderness journey.
Circumcise in your heart(vv.1-7)
It was a blood covenant between God and his people ordained at Gen.17 then followed by them. Powerful act of Consecration to God.
Unfortunately, by this time. All males, all warriors, all circumcised, in other words all the saved ones, all disobedient, all bad examples, all lethargic followers, all rebellious group, all proud, have died on the wilderness.
They all were baptised; all ate the spiritual
food, all drank the spiritual rock nevertheless God was not pleased with most of them – why? some were jealous, some became idolaters, some indulged in sexual immorality and some enjoyed eating, drinking and playing.
As per: 1 Cor.10:8 around 23000 fell in a single but Nu.25:1-9 says 24000 died), 250 consumed in a single day(Nu.16:35), 36 died in a single day(Josh.7:5), all the warriors perished because of they did not listened to the voice of the LORD(5:6).
Why God was so particular about the circumcision at this hour? God doesn’t own a grandchild. There is no such relationship in the Bible.
These children were nurtured, grown up in midst of unbelief, rebellion, ego, jealous, anger, greed, backbiting, murmuring, complaining, stiff-necked. How to cleanse them only with sharp, flint knives. What about your children? How you all make up your home? Cleanse with sharp knife or sword nothing but WORD.
Circumcision is covenant with God, an agreement to be a God and a Devotee (Gen.17). Agreement with blood (Ex.4). Salvation experience. Knowing God personally as saviour. Fresh commitment by everyone. Dt.10:16- leave your stubborn, 30:6- foreskin of your heart obey-love God, Jer. 4:4- stop the evil doings, Rm 2:29-spiritual no more literal, Col.2:11-a circumcision made without hands in the hearts.
Eat the Crops of Canaan(vv.8-12)
How to enjoy the blessings of God. By remaining in the Lord till you are healed (v.8), being redeemed from the disgrace (v.9), by keeping the Passover (v.10)- night prayer, night vigilance, strictly observing and fulfilling the expectation of the Lord. They became independent, the Lord blessed their efforts. They enjoyed the blessings of their hard work (v.12).
God is allowing you to eat the fruit of the labour of your hand (Ps.128:2, Is.3:10).
Crown Him (v.13-15)
When we are circumcised in our hearts, when we draw very nearer to God, we see the glorious Lord in our Lives. Those who have accepted Christ, who had had the circumcision in their hearts, they are blessed by crops of Canaan.
They experience the presence of God. They worship God individually, worship as family and worship as fellowship and finally they crown him in Church.
We are gathered week after week, day after day in the Church for the only AGENDA of Crowning HIM. Believers are gathered to crown HIM, exalt HIM, worship HIM. They say praises and honour to HIS name.
Can you live without a mobile? can you keep yourselves away from WhatsApp and Instagram. Can you keep a day from gadgets? Can you be ignorant of the social media? If not.
A true Christian can’t live without Christ, without church, without crowning HIM, without worshipping HIM.
