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"THE MARKS OF A CHILD"

JOSHUA 5:1-12

Our study of Joshua has been significant. This old story has spoken to us about our task of following the Lord. Now with chapter five, we begin a new part of the story.

Up this point in the story, Israel has been consumed with crossing over into the promised land. Now that it's done, it's time to possess land. Israel has come to a most significant moment. A national history that had begun with Abraham some 800 years before was now entering a new stage.

The people crossed over the Jordan as the floodwaters were held back by the Lord. And the memorial stones have been placed as a reminder of God's goodness. Now these Israelite nomads are encamped at Gilgal preparing to attack Jericho. We'll hear that story very soon and we would expect it to follow immediately.

Now is the time to strike. The people of Canaan are recoiling in fear. (v 1). But amazingly, God has another priority. Isn't that just typical? How often is God's agenda different than ours? We want conquest, he wants transformation. We want results now, but he has eternity on his side.

So, God asks them to stop (for some days) and go through the process of re-establishing the covenant sign of circumcision. Now God and Israel had long ago sealed the covenant with this sign. I suppose it would be fair to say, "A lot of good that did!"

They had the marks of covenant - they bore in their bodies a visible reminder that they belonged to God. But the people still lived as though they did not belong to God. We know the story of their disobedience and we are reminded here that a whole generation died in the desert because of their disobedience.

It's amazing how quickly a whole family system can be set on the wrong path by the selfish and sinful choices of one generation. There's a lesson there. We think we live so independently, but our choices truly impact generations to come.

It's also true that one generation can set future generations on the right path. You are not doomed to the past. So now, the generation that was born and raised up in the desert come to be circumcised and receive once again the sign of covenant in their bodies.

Beyond that, God gives them another sign. The manna (that they relied on for food all these years) stops coming. God instead provides for them from the produce of the new land. That's what he promised so long ago.

God's provision is no longer extraordinary and miraculous. Now his provision is normal. But it is still his provision! We are grateful for the special provisions of God. Why aren't we as grateful for the "normal" provisions of God?

So, this new generation of God's people, having successfully crossed over into the new land, have received some marvelous sacraments of God's grace. We might be tempted to say: "No big deal. It didn't seem to help the first generation much, so why should expect it to help these folks?"

Well the truth is that the same thing is true of this generation that was true of the first - the signs of God's presence, the marks of discipleship in themselves are not enough. They are still required to live in obedience to God.

The group that wandered in the desert had everything they needed to be successful. They had God's promise, they had powerful signs of presence, they had his daily provision and sustaining grace.

What they did not have, was a spirit of obedience. They did not have a determination to live their lives aligned with God's will instead of their own.

Now it's forty years later, we're on the other side of the river, great possibility lies ahead, but the core issue is not different. Obedience to the Lord is still the very heart of being his people.

God's marks them again with the sign, but he knows it's not enough. He stops the manna and gives the fruit of the land, but he knows it's not enough. Obedience is still required.

And in this simple story, that almost seems out of place in the narrative, I think there is an air of warning even to us. You can have all the marks of a child of God but lack the response of a child of God. You can receive the sacraments but have no faith. Paul was right in 1 Corinthians: You can experience the exodus, eat the manna, drink water from the rock, and still remain in unbelief.

They had it all, Paul says, nevertheless God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. You may hold membership among God's flock but have not relationship with the shepherd. You may live in the King's country but reject his sovereignty.

This is an issue for every new generation of those who follow the way of Christ. Many of us in this room tonight have been given a wonderful heritage of faith. We've been raised in the church and in Christian homes. We've been taught the gospel and have received the sacraments. We're "in" - we are part of it.

But the story of these people reminds us that the marks of a true child are not those external things. The mark of a true child is obedience to the will and way of God.

Here's my simple question for you tonight: "You may have all the external marks of a Christian, but do you have the true mark of obedience? Do you have a real, vital, personal relationship with the living Christ?

Children, you can't "borrow" the faith of your parents. It has to become your own. Teens, you can fake it now, but it will not last if it is not real. Adults, is your discipleship more a matter of habit or genuine faith?

How "real" is it with you? Do the "marks" of your faith get lived out in an authentic life of radical obedience to the Lordship of Jesus Christ