It's been 2000 years since
the glorious light of the cross
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illuminated the world veiled in
darkness and confusion about the
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character of God. But
still today the greatest need of
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mankind is a revelation of God's
love as revealed in the life of
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Christ. Amazing Facts presents
the Everlasting Gospel with
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Pastor Doug Batchelor coming
to you each week from Sacramento
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Central Church in sunny
California. Discover hidden
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treasures in God's word today.
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Good morning friends. I'd like
to welcome our visitors that may
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be here with us today. I should
probably explain that if you are
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joining us midstream, we're
engaged in a study in the book
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of Joshua. A little background
again. We're exploring the many
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ways that Joshua is a type of
Christ. In the same way that the
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Old Testament Joshua was the
general who led the children of
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Israel from the wilderness into
the Promised Land, Jesus, our
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Joshua, is going to be leading
us into the promised land.
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So it's a story of victory and
conquest and rest and these are
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all parallels of the Christian
experience. And in case you've
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missed it, remember Jesus and
Joshua actually have the same
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name. It was a very common
name. Matter of fact, I should
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probably say, I think I
heard Richard Anger mention this
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during the offering appeal.
There is a little bit of stir
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that there's going to be another
TV special that ostensibly is
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going to be exploding the
Christian religion with some new
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discovery and what it amounts
to is they've found some tombs.
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They found them years ago
that have the name of Joseph and
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Jesus the son of Joseph. And
they said that proves that Jesus
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actually died and that he
was buried and that he wasn't
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resurrected. That is so
ridiculous and so absurd
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friends. I've been to Jerusalem
twice. It is totally honeycombed
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with tombs and graves. They
can't build anything over there
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without running into tombs. It's
one of the oldest cities in the
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world. And the name Jesus or
Joshua was as common in Israel
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as the name Joe or John in our
culture. I'm serious. It is one
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of the most common names. In
the New Testament there are many
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Jesus'. There are many Josephs.
And so the chances of this tomb
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they found for them to say that
this must have been the Jesus of
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the Christian religion is
totally absurd because it was a
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very common name. But in
the Bible there are only two
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prominent Joshua's that you
find. One was the general who
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led the children of Israel from
Egypt and it's the first time
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the word appears; Joshua the son
of Nun. Nun meaning the eternal
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one. He leads them from the
wilderness into the Promised
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Land. The other Joshua was the
high priest who led them from
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Babylon into the Promised Land.
Isn't that interesting? Those
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are the only two Old Testament
types. But by the time of Christ
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Joshua was such a hero everybody
got the name. So people did not
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turn their heads very much when
Jesus walked down the street
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and they said this is Jesus.
They'd say which one. That's
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Jesus the son of Joseph from
Nazareth. They had to specify
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because it was like the
name John or Frank or what other
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common names? Bill, Steve. Yeah
we've got a couple of those.
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Anyway you'll be hearing more
and more about this. I hope it
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won't shake your faith. It will
affect some people because some
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people are gullible and that's
what concerns me. But back to
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our story. When we left off
in our last study the city of
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Jericho had just fallen. Now
some of you have read... Well
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I'll ask for a show of hands.
How many have read or even
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listened to the tapes of the
classic Pilgrim's Progress. Did
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some of you read it? It's one of
the great classics. You owe it
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yourself. Next to the Bible it
is the most translated and read
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book of history, Pilgrim's
Progress. Three hundred years a
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best seller. John Bunyan wrote
it in prison. It's an allegory
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of salvation. There's
this character whose name is
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Christian and he is fleeing from
the City of Destruction. It's
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talking about this world that is
doomed. Our world is going to be
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a city of destruction. Well
there's something similar that
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we've found as we studied the
book of Joshua. Jericho was a
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cursed city. It was a city
of destruction. You remember God
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saved Rahab and everyone
in her house from this city of
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destruction because they
had made a covenant with Joshua.
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You and I are saved from the
city of destruction because we
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make a covenant with our Joshua,
Jesus. Now the other interesting
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thing about this is the bounty,
the booty of war, when the city
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was destroyed that all was to
be consecrated to God. This city
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was accursed. Now let me read
you some of the verses. Go back
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to Joshua please. I'm
going to back up into chapter 6
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and I'll be reading to
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you from verse 17. After they
blow the trumpets the seventh
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time and the people shout
Joshua declares now the city
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shall be doomed by the
Lord to destruction. This is
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representing the condition
of this world when Jesus comes.
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And it will be all who are
in it are doomed. Only Rahab the
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harlot shall live. She and all
who are with her in the house
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because she hid the messengers.
Only those who are in Christ
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and in the body of Christ
will be saved when this city of
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destruction is destroyed. And
notice verse 18. And you by all
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means keep yourselves from the
accursed things lest you become
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accursed when you take up
the accursed things. Notice
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accursed, accursed, accursed.
Some things are blessed and some
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things are not blessed. Jesus
begins his ministry by saying
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blessed, blessed, blessed.
But as they were coming to this
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world that was about to be
destroyed and Jericho, they
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called it the accursed. This
world is on death row. It is
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irrevocable. It is appointed to
be accursed. The things in the
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city were either to be burnt but
the real money, the silver, the
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gold, the treasure was to be
given to the house of the Lord.
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The only thing coming out of
Jericho that they could retrieve
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was the precious metals that
were to be given to the Lord.
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This is because it was
understood that the first city
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they conquered, the first fruits
went to God. The Jews had a law
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in harvesting. The first
harvesting, the first gleaning
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of the crops, the first picking
of the orchards was given to the
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Lord. Your first child in your
family, back then they had big
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families, was consecrated in a
special way to God. So the first
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fruits of Jericho were to
be dedicated to God. Anyone who
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took anything from the city for
themselves, if it wasn't to be
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burnt, it was to be consecrated
to God. There was a curse
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pronounced on it. It would be
declared as stealing because the
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first fruits went to the
maintenance and the upkeep of
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the temple of God. Matter of
fact, if that's not enough for
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you, read verse 26 again of
chapter 6. Joshua charged them
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at that time saying cursed
be the man before the Lord who
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rises up to build the city of
Jericho, to lay its foundation
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with his firstborn and with
his youngest he will set up it's
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gates. So the Lord was
with Joshua and his fame spread
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through the country. Oh, verse
18 one more time. Everything was
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to be cursed and it says if they
take of the accursed thing they
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will make the camp of Israel
a curse and trouble it. Now our
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sermon is about troublemakers.
If anybody in the camp, anyone
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in the army took any of the
booty from the war, the bounty
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or the war, there was to be a
curse upon the whole camp. It is
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true that we're in this thing
together and what one person
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does can affect the other.
All right now look at chapter 7.
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We're going to find out what
happened with more detail here.
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But the children of Israel
committed a trespass regarding
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the accursed things. Is children
a singular person or is a people
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group, the word children. It's
many. But you'll find out that
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it was one and because of
this deed of the one the many
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suffered. For Achan... You
know what the word Achan means?
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Troubler. The name Achan means
trouble of the worst kind. Achan
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this one covetous, greedy
person, son of Carmi, the son of
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Zabdi, the son of Zerah of
the tribe of Judah, it gives his
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genealogy, he took of the
accursed things. So the anger
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of the Lord burned
against the children of Israel.
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The disobedience of this
one brought the wrath of God on
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the group. Now you might be
thinking to yourself, that isn't
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fair. Why would many suffer for
one? There's a very important
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lesson I learned in military
school. Sometimes one person in
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our company or in our platoon
would misbehave and all of us
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would be punished. How many
of you were in the army and you
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were in the army and you know
what I'm talking about. And it
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taught that we need to take care
of each other, we need to care
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about each other and we're all
accountable to each other. We're
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in America right now
where everybody is such an
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individualist. You won't find
two people anywhere in this room
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wearing exactly the same thing
and I venture to say there are
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no two of you that have the
exact same car, color, make,
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model, features in the parking
lot. You won't find it that way
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in other countries. It's
changing but it used to be when
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you go to communist countries
and everyone kind of wore the
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green uniform and they all
had the same little book and in
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Russia everybody drove one of
two cars. But we all want to be
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individuals. Now it's good,
I mean it's a great country
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because of our individualism.
But we lose the idea that we are
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one body. We lose the idea that
you are your brother's keeper.
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We lose the idea that there is
corporate accountability. In the
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Lord's Prayer you notice it
doesn't say give me this day my
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daily bread. It doesn't say
forgive me, lead me. Me does not
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appear anywhere.
It's forgive us, lead us,
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deliver us, feed us, Right?
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We're in this thing
together. When Daniel was
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confessing his sin and praying
to God, he says while I was
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confessing my sin and the sin of
my people. Why would he confess
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the sin of a group. Because
we're all in this together.
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It does matter. Now it is true
the son does not suffer for the
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sins of the father and the
father does not suffer for the
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sins of the son when it comes
to your individual salvation.
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But when it comes to the
blessings and cursings that come
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in life it matters what happens
to us collectively. We should
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care where our brother is.
It does matter how we behave.
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I could say more about that.
When Isaiah was confessing his
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sin to God, he said I am a man
of unclean lips and I dwell in
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the midst of a people of unclean
lips. They remembered the
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corporate nature of sin. Now
this plays out in a more full
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way here. First it tells about
the sin of Achan and then it
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says they're getting ready to
take on the next city. They made
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a short word of Jericho didn't
they. They were with God's
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blessing, they had walls that
reached unto heaven but they
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didn't need to worry about
it because they were in the
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blessing of God. Nobody could
stand against them. It didn't
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matter if there was one of them
against a thousand, they were
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going to win because you and God
are always a majority, right?
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So now they're getting ready to
take on the next sequential city
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they needed to conquer in
the Promised Land, which is Ai.
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And you know it's a pretty small
city. As some of the leaders
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went and they looked over Ai and
after they were flushed with the
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victory from Jericho they said,
hey look, we don't even need
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...let the soldiers rest. You
know they're counting all their
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blessing right now and why you
just send a small contingent to
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fight against Ai. So about 3000
men went up there against this
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city of Ai. But they fled before
the men of Ai. And the men of Ai
00:13:07.72\00:13:13.55
came out against them and struck
down about 36 men. They were
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dying in battle. And they chased
them from before the gates of
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this little city of Ai as far
as Shebarim and they struck them
00:13:22.77\00:13:27.47
down on the descent; therefore
the hearts of the people of
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Israel melted like water because
of the disobedience of Achan.
00:13:33.46\00:13:38.46
The blessing and the protection
and the power of God had been
00:13:38.49\00:13:43.46
withdrawn from the group
and they could not stand before
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their enemies. God had warned
them. The whole camp would be
00:13:47.48\00:13:52.18
guilty if they disobeyed. Now
let me see if I can apply this
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to our lives in a more personal
way. Achan had a secret sin.
00:13:58.68\00:14:05.04
He stole something and I'll talk
a little more about that in just
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a moment. He took something that
he wasn't supposed to take. He
00:14:09.71\00:14:14.29
stole something and he thought
well that's between me and my
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family, probably his family
knew that he had buried this in
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the middle of the tent.
It's hard to hide that from your
00:14:20.82\00:14:24.47
family. But because of that
everybody suffered. If he had
00:14:24.50\00:14:27.55
known what the consequences of
his sin was going to be on the
00:14:27.59\00:14:30.01
great group, he would have
realized that's a terrible thing
00:14:30.04\00:14:34.45
to do. Your decision to follow
the Lord or to compromise with
00:14:34.48\00:14:40.24
the devil will react in blessing
and victory on others or cursing
00:14:40.27\00:14:45.44
and defeat on others. So as you
go through your day and you're
00:14:45.48\00:14:49.50
making choices each day about
whether to capitulate to the
00:14:49.54\00:14:52.86
devil and give in to temptation
or to fight the good fight of
00:14:52.89\00:14:56.07
faith and be obedient and you're
thinking what will this mean for
00:14:56.10\00:14:59.67
me, stop thinking that way. It's
not just what will it mean for
00:14:59.70\00:15:03.17
you. Start thinking what will it
mean for Christ and his church?
00:15:03.21\00:15:06.65
Because we're all a part
of Israel. We're part of God's
00:15:06.68\00:15:11.22
body and no man is an island.
It will certainly affect you, it
00:15:11.26\00:15:15.85
will affect your family,
those closest to you and it will
00:15:15.88\00:15:19.49
affect your people. And this
is what we see. They could not
00:15:19.52\00:15:23.42
stand before their enemies, they
could not be victorious while
00:15:23.45\00:15:27.52
there was sin in the camp.
Now God has blessed this church.
00:15:27.55\00:15:31.68
I often think God blesses. I
think he blesses you in spite of
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me. I think he blesses us in
spite of inconsistencies that
00:15:37.25\00:15:41.57
are no doubt in our midst. I
think we all are realistic in
00:15:41.60\00:15:46.17
that respect. But I think
how many more victories would we
00:15:46.20\00:15:50.70
have? How would God pour out his
Spirit on this church? Could we
00:15:50.74\00:15:54.97
experience what the apostles
had during Pentecost if all of
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us were resolved to be
particular about obeying God?
00:15:58.31\00:16:03.27
If we would get rid of the
accursed thing that we might
00:16:03.31\00:16:08.20
have in our homes. If we would
be determined to consecrate to
00:16:08.24\00:16:12.51
God what belongs to God what
kind of blessings would he pour
00:16:12.55\00:16:16.29
out upon his people. Well
he tells us there would not be
00:16:16.32\00:16:19.99
room enough to receive it. Isn't
that what he says? Let's read on
00:16:20.03\00:16:24.29
in our story. So Achan
had secret sin that he thought
00:16:24.32\00:16:30.34
nobody knew about. Is there
really such a thing as a secret
00:16:30.38\00:16:34.91
sin. When you think about it
there is a spiritual world that
00:16:34.95\00:16:39.41
is open. God sees everything you
do. Angels are able to watch and
00:16:39.45\00:16:45.45
see everything we do. Behold
there are probably the unfallen
00:16:45.48\00:16:48.56
worlds that desire to look into
the things that are happening
00:16:48.59\00:16:51.69
here on earth. They may not
be as involved as the angels but
00:16:51.73\00:16:55.10
this great controversy between
good and evil is not a secret to
00:16:55.14\00:16:58.43
the universe. Their commander
Christ has come to this world.
00:16:58.47\00:17:01.55
They know what's going on and
so because you and I live in the
00:17:01.58\00:17:04.45
three dimensions we're confined
to we think well you know what
00:17:04.48\00:17:07.93
you don't see with your physical
eyes nobody knows. But God sees
00:17:07.96\00:17:11.84
everything. There's nothing
hidden from the Lord. All things
00:17:11.88\00:17:15.59
are naked and open to the eyes
of him with whom we have to do
00:17:15.63\00:17:20.18
is what Hebrews tells us. Matter
of fact Moses had said... you've
00:17:20.21\00:17:24.73
heard this, in Numbers 32 verse
23, that's sort of backwards
00:17:24.76\00:17:29.18
isn't it three two, two three.
But if you do not do so then
00:17:29.22\00:17:33.46
take note you've sinned against
the Lord and be sure your sin
00:17:33.50\00:17:38.60
will find you out. You never
ever, ever, ever get away with
00:17:38.63\00:17:43.70
any sin. Now you might be
thinking, now wait a second
00:17:43.73\00:17:49.51
Pastor Doug, what about the sins
Jesus forgave me for. You didn't
00:17:49.55\00:17:54.72
get away with it. Somebody paid.
And not only does the Lord take
00:17:54.75\00:17:59.89
the penalty, you can't sin
without hurting yourself in some
00:17:59.92\00:18:02.71
way. There are things I've
done in my past I know God has
00:18:02.75\00:18:05.47
forgiven me for but my soul is
still scarred from those things.
00:18:05.51\00:18:09.07
And not until I get my glorified
body and the former things do
00:18:09.10\00:18:12.41
not come into mind. How many
of you remember sins that God
00:18:12.44\00:18:15.42
forgave you for. You still
remember them? They're painful
00:18:15.46\00:18:18.61
aren't they? So the idea that
you got away with something,
00:18:18.65\00:18:21.79
you're kidding yourself. No one
ever gets away with anything.
00:18:21.83\00:18:24.94
You might be able to speed
without getting a ticket. You
00:18:24.97\00:18:28.87
might be able to slip through
a stop sign without really
00:18:28.90\00:18:32.73
stopping. There are things that
we sometimes think that we get
00:18:32.77\00:18:36.34
away with in our social civil
laws that we violate, but that
00:18:36.38\00:18:39.85
is not true of the law of God.
It can never be broken without
00:18:39.88\00:18:43.52
consequences, never. I can say
that with authority based on the
00:18:43.56\00:18:47.17
word of God. It's always paid
for. Someone's going to pay.
00:18:47.20\00:18:53.21
Jesus paid and you all pay
in some way for everything.
00:18:53.24\00:18:57.61
There's no such thing as secret
sin. And here you might be
00:18:57.64\00:19:00.72
thinking you're hiding it from
the other mortals around you
00:19:00.76\00:19:04.44
but all heaven sees what's going
on. You know what I've often
00:19:04.47\00:19:08.12
thought separates real
Christians from hypocrites
00:19:08.15\00:19:12.11
and the lost is who you want to
impress. This is really a good
00:19:12.15\00:19:15.85
litmus test. Are you more
concerned with what people think
00:19:15.89\00:19:19.41
of you or what God thinks of
you. The genuine Christian is
00:19:19.44\00:19:22.50
not preoccupied with trying to
impress those around him. They
00:19:22.53\00:19:25.49
are interested in what heaven
thinks and they live their life
00:19:25.52\00:19:28.44
based upon that criteria,
what does heaven see, what does
00:19:28.48\00:19:31.55
heaven think and that's
what makes the big difference in
00:19:31.59\00:19:36.21
their life. In Luke chapter
12 verses 2 and 3, Jesus said,
00:19:36.25\00:19:40.11
For there is nothing covered
that shall not be revealed.
00:19:40.15\00:19:43.85
Neither is there anything
hid that will not be known,
00:19:43.88\00:19:47.51
therefore whatever you have
spoken in darkness will be heard
00:19:47.55\00:19:50.45
in the light and that which
you have spoken in the ear in
00:19:50.49\00:19:54.31
closets shall be proclaimed on
the housetop. There is nothing
00:19:54.34\00:19:58.77
secret. Now after they lost this
battle, all of Israel began to
00:19:58.80\00:20:03.20
mourn and wonder what had
happened. Well they'd only lost
00:20:03.23\00:20:05.32
36 men, you wouldn't think that
was a crisis but the very fact
00:20:05.36\00:20:09.63
that they had entered the
Promised Land, they had this
00:20:09.66\00:20:12.05
glowing victory with Jericho,
big city, now they go against
00:20:12.09\00:20:16.96
a little bitty city and
they are soundly beaten and they
00:20:16.99\00:20:21.79
realize they've got other big
nations they've got to take on.
00:20:21.83\00:20:25.02
They thought this is going to
embolden the other nations that
00:20:25.06\00:20:28.38
we are vulnerable. We wanted
them to think we were invincible
00:20:28.42\00:20:31.89
and now they know that we can
be beaten by Ai no less. Oh man,
00:20:31.93\00:20:35.04
now what's going to happen to
us? You know if Ai could beat us
00:20:35.07\00:20:38.19
they said, we can't take them on
what about the other big cities
00:20:38.23\00:20:41.32
that remain. So this is a real
crisis for them. I mean it's
00:20:41.35\00:20:45.11
like somebody who things
they've got a bullet proof vest
00:20:45.14\00:20:49.04
on and all of a sudden they
get hit and they're bleeding and
00:20:49.07\00:20:52.00
they realize we're not bullet
proof. That could be pretty
00:20:52.03\00:20:55.24
scary when bullets are flying.
Or they find out their bullet
00:20:55.27\00:20:58.72
proof vest is made out of silly
putty. This is how they felt.
00:20:58.75\00:21:02.17
They suddenly felt very
vulnerable, very mortal and
00:21:02.20\00:21:07.07
is God not with us anymore?
So in the midst of all this
00:21:07.11\00:21:12.93
Joshua chapter 7 verse 11 God
says, Israel has sinned. They
00:21:12.96\00:21:18.04
have also transgressed my
covenant which I commanded them.
00:21:18.07\00:21:22.85
You notice the plural nature
of this statement. For they have
00:21:22.89\00:21:27.06
even taken some of the accursed
thing and have both stolen...
00:21:27.09\00:21:31.56
Now how many people stole? One
man. What was his name? Achan.
00:21:31.60\00:21:36.77
What Achan mean? Troubler. This
one man whose name means trouble
00:21:36.80\00:21:42.04
became trouble for everybody and
they were all guilty because of
00:21:42.08\00:21:47.46
what he had done. Even God says
it that way. Israel, they, them.
00:21:47.49\00:21:51.72
So don't say Pastor Doug, you're
being a little harsh. This is
00:21:51.75\00:21:56.05
God! We are a church body. We
do need to care about each other
00:21:56.08\00:22:00.26
We're in this thing together.
My relationship with God affects
00:22:00.29\00:22:03.75
you. How many of you already
knew that. Hope you pray for me
00:22:03.78\00:22:07.02
and my devotional life and my
relationship with Jesus because
00:22:07.06\00:22:10.65
it may affect you. But maybe you
don't realize the person sitting
00:22:10.68\00:22:14.24
in the pew next to you, you
need to be concerned about their
00:22:14.27\00:22:17.76
relationship with Jesus. That
may affect you. Go ahead and
00:22:17.80\00:22:22.03
look at them for a minute.
Ask them how they're doing. Tell
00:22:22.07\00:22:27.05
them you better be doing okay
because it affects me. Are you
00:22:27.09\00:22:32.21
praying for them and they for
you? It's not give me this day
00:22:32.25\00:22:36.66
my daily bread, it's give us.
And the bread is not just the
00:22:36.70\00:22:41.54
physical food. It's the Bread,
Jesus is the Bread. We all need
00:22:41.58\00:22:45.95
to have that relationship with
Jesus and if all of us were as
00:22:45.98\00:22:50.23
passionate about each other's
relationship with Jesus as we
00:22:50.26\00:22:54.47
think about our own, what a
mighty church we'd have. I think
00:22:54.50\00:22:58.06
Central is an extraordinary
church. I do. I'm so thankful.
00:22:58.09\00:23:01.58
I travel, I hear about some of
the nightmares other pastors are
00:23:01.62\00:23:05.48
wrestling with and we
have our challenges but it's an
00:23:05.51\00:23:07.83
extraordinary church. I'm so
thankful for our church. But I
00:23:07.87\00:23:11.36
still realize the biggest room
in the world is the room for
00:23:11.40\00:23:14.94
improvement and we've got lots
of room and if we would love
00:23:14.97\00:23:18.05
each other the way the early
church did when God poured out
00:23:18.08\00:23:20.86
the Spirit. They had put aside
their differences. They knelt
00:23:20.90\00:23:23.65
down. Instead of vying for
the highest place they were
00:23:23.68\00:23:26.84
confessing their sins and
praying for one another and when
00:23:26.88\00:23:29.99
they had that attitude, then he
poured out the Holy Spirit. One
00:23:30.03\00:23:33.71
Achan in the camp. You notice it
was after Judas was eliminated
00:23:33.75\00:23:37.37
that God poured out his Spirit.
Did you ever think about it that
00:23:37.41\00:23:41.00
way? It wasn't until Jonah
was thrown overboard they had
00:23:41.03\00:23:45.07
peaceful sailing or converted.
You don't always throw them
00:23:45.10\00:23:48.41
overboard. You'd just as
soon they be converted, right?
00:23:48.45\00:23:54.99
Cursed or blessed. Which are
we? You know the Bible doesn't
00:23:55.02\00:24:00.95
give a third option. In
Deuteronomy chapter 28 God said
00:24:00.98\00:24:06.47
if you come into the land and
you obey my commandments, you
00:24:06.51\00:24:10.47
will be blessed. You ought to
read that chapter. You will be
00:24:10.50\00:24:13.50
blessed when you go out, you'll
be blessed when you come in,
00:24:13.53\00:24:15.86
you'll be blessed when you sit
down, you'll be blessed when you
00:24:15.90\00:24:18.22
rise up, you'll be blessed in
the field, you'll be blessed in
00:24:18.26\00:24:20.74
the store, your children will
be blessed, your family will be
00:24:20.78\00:24:23.23
blessed. Blessed, blessed,
blessed, blessed, blessed.
00:24:23.26\00:24:24.89
It's wonderful. But stop reading
there if you want to feel good
00:24:24.93\00:24:28.65
because then if you go on
to but if you turn away from me
00:24:28.68\00:24:33.57
and disobey you'll be cursed.
And the cursing, I don't like
00:24:33.60\00:24:37.35
saying this but it's true, that
he says a lot more about the
00:24:37.38\00:24:42.10
cursing than the blessing. Maybe
trying to mobilize them to be
00:24:42.13\00:24:46.76
good by wanting to trust him and
obey him. You'll be cursed when
00:24:46.80\00:24:49.98
you go out and you'll be cursed
when you come in and you'll be
00:24:50.01\00:24:52.44
cursed with you sit down, you'll
be cursed when you stand up.
00:24:52.47\00:24:56.01
You'll go out before your enemy
one way and you'll run before
00:24:56.05\00:24:59.94
him seven ways. Moses warned
them and that's what happened
00:24:59.97\00:25:03.83
with Ai. It does make a
difference if we surrender
00:25:03.86\00:25:08.51
to the Lord and trust the Lord
and resolve to follow the Lord.
00:25:08.55\00:25:11.22
God wants to bless us. Some
of his blessings are withheld
00:25:11.25\00:25:15.51
because we don't trust him and
obey him. I'm not saying we're
00:25:15.54\00:25:20.28
saved by obedience, we're saved
by faith, but trust and obey.
00:25:20.31\00:25:25.37
Faith leads to obedience.
Obviously Achan did not believe
00:25:25.40\00:25:30.39
what Joshua said. How many would
agree with that? Joshua said the
00:25:30.43\00:25:34.01
city is cursed and everything
in it. Don't take the accursed
00:25:34.04\00:25:37.19
thing. Anything of value
give to the temple of the Lord,
00:25:37.22\00:25:41.56
otherwise you'll be accursed.
Achan didn't believe him. Can
00:25:41.59\00:25:44.86
you imagine how he felt when
he saw these soldiers die. You
00:25:44.89\00:25:51.25
notice Achan didn't die in the
battle, but others did. It says
00:25:51.29\00:25:56.56
in Joshua chapter 7 verse 12,
Therefore the children of Israel
00:25:56.60\00:26:01.17
could not stand before their
enemies but they turned their
00:26:01.21\00:26:05.07
back before their enemies
because they had become doomed
00:26:05.10\00:26:09.00
to destruction. God says,
notice. I've underlined this.
00:26:09.04\00:26:12.75
It's a warning but it's
important. Neither will I be
00:26:12.79\00:26:16.43
with you anymore unless you
destroy the accursed thing from
00:26:16.47\00:26:20.88
among you. Just by chance some
of you missed that. There could
00:26:20.91\00:26:24.90
have been some distraction. I'm
going to read it two more times.
00:26:24.94\00:26:28.90
Neither will I be with you
any more unless you destroy the
00:26:28.93\00:26:33.97
accursed thing from among you.
How many of you want God to be
00:26:34.01\00:26:38.12
with you? Jesus said I am with
you always. Are there conditions
00:26:38.15\00:26:42.23
to God's being with us. He
says I will never leave you or
00:26:42.26\00:26:46.78
forsake you. But we can leave
him. And if we want him to be
00:26:46.81\00:26:50.31
in our midst, if we want him
to help us have those victories
00:26:50.34\00:26:55.19
neither will I be with you
any more UNLESS you destroy the
00:26:55.22\00:26:59.57
accursed thing from among you.
Didn't Jesus even say to Mary
00:26:59.60\00:27:03.72
go and sin no more lest a worse
thing come upon thee. Actually
00:27:03.76\00:27:07.28
he said that to another man,
go sin no more, I think that was
00:27:07.31\00:27:10.43
the pool of Bethesda, lest a...
He did say to Mary go and sin
00:27:10.46\00:27:13.26
no more. He said to the other
man go and sin no more lest a
00:27:13.29\00:27:17.45
worse thing come upon thee.
If we know there is something in
00:27:17.48\00:27:22.54
our life that we're living in
rebellion, defiance to God, some
00:27:22.57\00:27:27.41
secret sin that we've got buried
in our tent, we can't claim the
00:27:27.45\00:27:31.01
promises and the blessings of
God. Now keep in mind you might
00:27:31.04\00:27:34.33
say but Pastor Doug I've still
seen some good things happen.
00:27:34.36\00:27:37.67
I still experience some of God's
blessing. Yes. Keep in mind God
00:27:37.71\00:27:41.72
is good. He sends the rain on
the just and the unjust. So just
00:27:41.75\00:27:45.32
because you may still have food
in the refrigerator and money in
00:27:45.36\00:27:48.90
the bank and an element of
health does not mean that Christ
00:27:48.93\00:27:53.15
is with you. Some of us have
been self-deceived. It's the
00:27:53.19\00:27:56.76
goodness of God that gives
us so much but are you living a
00:27:56.79\00:28:01.12
blessed life where you're
walking with Christ and you know
00:28:01.15\00:28:05.41
that you are in the will of God.
Are you failing in your battles
00:28:05.45\00:28:09.68
with temptation? Would you like
victory in your battles? This is
00:28:09.72\00:28:13.92
all about winning battles,
losing battles. If you want to
00:28:13.95\00:28:18.04
be an overcomer, get the
accursed thing out of your midst
00:28:18.07\00:28:22.13
You know while we're on
that subject, don't miss the
00:28:22.16\00:28:29.13
connection between obedience and
victory. There are certain areas
00:28:29.17\00:28:34.39
where we know that we can
surrender and God will give you
00:28:34.42\00:28:37.95
the victory. I'd like to submit
some of us keep saying Lord give
00:28:37.99\00:28:40.77
me the victory and then I'll
surrender these things. That's
00:28:40.80\00:28:44.30
backwards. God says trust me.
Lay this on the altar. Present
00:28:44.34\00:28:47.83
yourself a living sacrifice,
then I'll give you the victory.
00:28:47.86\00:28:51.11
You make what efforts you can
to do God's will and he can give
00:28:51.15\00:28:54.37
you the victory. Let me read
something to you from Moses.
00:28:54.40\00:28:58.59
This is the mentor for Joshua.
Deuteronomy 7:26: Neither shalt
00:28:58.63\00:29:04.36
thou bring an abomination into
thine house lest thou be cursed
00:29:04.39\00:29:09.92
like it, but thou shalt utterly
detest it and thou shalt utterly
00:29:09.95\00:29:15.45
abhor it, for it shall be a
cursed thing. This is Moses,
00:29:15.48\00:29:19.69
don't bring any cursed thing
into your house. I can go a lot
00:29:19.72\00:29:24.79
of places with that. You bring
alcohol in your house, your
00:29:24.82\00:29:28.76
bringing an accursed thing into
your house. And what does he
00:29:28.79\00:29:32.63
say will happen? He says you
shall be cursed like that thing.
00:29:32.67\00:29:36.48
Some people bring books and
magazines. Some people bring
00:29:36.51\00:29:40.85
it into the house through the
internet. Thing they know are
00:29:40.88\00:29:45.02
cursed by God. It can happen
through the television. And we
00:29:45.05\00:29:48.75
bring a cursed thing into
our house and it's not just your
00:29:48.78\00:29:52.41
home. It's not like some kind of
voodoo that you bring something
00:29:52.45\00:29:54.87
bad in your home and your house
is under a curse. You body's the
00:29:54.90\00:29:58.10
temple of the Holy Spirit. You,
this house, do not bring any
00:29:58.14\00:30:01.31
accursed thing in your
house. What's here? You are the
00:30:01.34\00:30:04.95
property of God. And what we're
talking about, why I'm preaching
00:30:04.99\00:30:07.92
this sermon is because it's in
the Bible. It's because it's in
00:30:07.96\00:30:11.73
the story, but because I want
you to be blessed. It's talking
00:30:11.77\00:30:15.12
about here that had a blessed
victory at Jericho and now they
00:30:15.16\00:30:20.15
are overcome at Ai. Why? Because
they presumed that God was with
00:30:20.19\00:30:25.15
them they could do what they
wanted to do. It reminds me of
00:30:25.18\00:30:28.12
the story of Hophni and
Phineas They're living in total
00:30:28.15\00:30:31.79
disobedience to God. They're
sleeping with the women who
00:30:31.82\00:30:35.39
come to church. The Bible tells
us that. These are the priests
00:30:35.43\00:30:40.57
of God. They're selfish, they're
fat, they're bad behavior, vile
00:30:40.61\00:30:45.72
They go into battle with the
Philistines and they carry the
00:30:45.75\00:30:48.25
Ark with them and they think
because they're the priests and
00:30:48.28\00:30:51.16
because they've got the Ark,
I'm going to win. God said no.
00:30:51.20\00:30:54.26
You've got a curse in your
midst because you're disobeying
00:30:54.30\00:30:56.74
me. And he withdrew his
protection and the Philistines
00:30:56.78\00:30:59.15
absolutely trounced them and
stole the Ark. Some of us think
00:30:59.19\00:31:02.69
because we're members in the
church and our names are on the
00:31:02.72\00:31:05.20
book and our family is on
the book and we've got the truth
00:31:05.23\00:31:08.23
we've got the Ark in our midst.
That we're invincible. Doesn't
00:31:08.26\00:31:11.80
mean anything if you're not
obedient. To obey is better than
00:31:11.84\00:31:15.35
sacrifice. I always feel
like I've got to apologize for
00:31:15.38\00:31:20.92
talking about obedience because
there are so many people out
00:31:20.96\00:31:23.56
there, even in our church, who
think that any discussion about
00:31:23.59\00:31:26.16
obedience borders on legalism.
It can. It depends on the
00:31:26.19\00:31:29.73
context in which it's presented.
But the Bible is very clear. God
00:31:29.77\00:31:33.29
is asking us, God is commanding
us, to obey him. It's not a
00:31:33.32\00:31:37.92
recommendation, it's not a
suggestion. God is telling us
00:31:37.95\00:31:42.48
obey me. Trust me. He doesn't
say if you're in the mood, don't
00:31:42.52\00:31:45.86
do this, don't do that. He says
thou shalt not! I mean, it's
00:31:45.89\00:31:48.94
just so clear. And so when God
says don't touch the accursed
00:31:48.98\00:31:52.90
thing or you'll be accursed, he
means it. And don't forget when
00:31:52.94\00:31:56.60
you get discouraged and think
oh but Pastor Doug I'm so weak.
00:31:56.63\00:32:00.26
I'm addicted to alcohol.
I'm addicted to whatever this
00:32:00.29\00:32:01.48
accursed thing is. God'll never
ask you to do something without
00:32:01.52\00:32:05.61
giving you the power to do it.
Trust him. Take the first steps
00:32:05.65\00:32:09.73
towards obedience and see if
he doesn't bless you. Now I love
00:32:09.76\00:32:13.81
this part of the story.
In Joshua chapter 7 verse 6:
00:32:13.84\00:32:17.93
After God tells them what the
problem is, or actually I got
00:32:17.97\00:32:21.50
the sequence backwards a little
bit. When they lost the battle
00:32:21.54\00:32:26.62
it tells us then Joshua tore his
clothes and fell to the earth on
00:32:26.65\00:32:31.70
his face before the Ark of the
Lord until evening. Joshua is
00:32:31.73\00:32:38.65
now interceding for the people.
Did our Joshua, Jesus, intercede
00:32:38.69\00:32:45.58
for us? When the disciples
were misbehaving would Christ
00:32:45.61\00:32:49.84
intercede for them? Is our
Joshua in heaven now in the
00:32:49.88\00:32:53.92
presence of God interceding
in our behalf. And you know it
00:32:53.96\00:32:57.97
tells us that he tore his
clothes. Did they take away
00:32:58.00\00:33:01.62
Christ's clothes? Did they tear
his clothes and make four parts
00:33:01.66\00:33:04.47
of them and divide them among
themselves? Not his outer robe,
00:33:04.50\00:33:06.88
but his other clothes it says
they made four parts of them.
00:33:06.92\00:33:09.23
They tore them up but they would
not tear his robe. Now that's a
00:33:09.27\00:33:13.89
symbol for the righteousness of
Christ. He humbled himself, he
00:33:13.92\00:33:19.18
took our sin for us and here
is one of the beautiful pictures
00:33:19.21\00:33:23.84
where Jesus is our intercessor.
Well now let's go back to our
00:33:23.87\00:33:27.74
story here. I'm jumping back and
forth between my notes and the
00:33:27.78\00:33:32.99
passage in the Bible. So Joshua
is interceding and verse 10, I
00:33:33.02\00:33:38.00
like what it says: So the Lord
says to Joshua, Get up. Why do
00:33:38.04\00:33:42.74
you lie thus on your face? You
know there's no substitute for a
00:33:42.77\00:33:46.84
action. Some people are spending
all their time praying where
00:33:46.88\00:33:51.49
they need to just get up and
do something about it. There are
00:33:51.52\00:33:55.72
churches that are defeated and
they're whining and crying and
00:33:55.75\00:33:59.41
pining and God wants to say get
up. The reason you're defeated
00:33:59.45\00:34:03.27
is you have something accursed
in your midst. Deal with it and
00:34:03.30\00:34:08.55
then I can bless you. And the
Lord said to Joshua, Get up, why
00:34:08.58\00:34:12.81
to you lie on your face. Israel
has sinned and they have also
00:34:12.85\00:34:16.52
transgressed my covenant which
I commanded them. For they have
00:34:16.55\00:34:20.88
even taken some... You notice
it doesn't say all? They took
00:34:20.92\00:34:25.22
some. I'll get to that in
a minute... of the accursed
00:34:25.25\00:34:27.26
things and have both stolen...
When you take something that is
00:34:27.30\00:34:32.10
consecrated to God what does God
call it? Stealing. Ah, you know,
00:34:32.13\00:34:35.80
I'm a pastor. I can't let this
pass. This is a great place to
00:34:35.84\00:34:39.58
just put in a little plug there
for faithfulness in tithes and
00:34:39.61\00:34:44.38
offerings. Will a man rob
God? And you say wherein have we
00:34:44.42\00:34:49.41
robbed thee? In tithes and
offerings. If we hold back from
00:34:49.44\00:34:53.72
paying an honest tithe... You
might say well I pay tithe. Do
00:34:53.75\00:34:58.09
you pay all of it? Or do you
keep some back. Notice it says
00:34:58.12\00:35:02.39
some here. And if you keep some
is the other percentage that you
00:35:02.43\00:35:07.15
still have blessed or is
it cursed? What does it say in
00:35:07.18\00:35:11.53
Malachi? Bring ye ALL of the
tithes into the storehouse and
00:35:11.56\00:35:15.15
see if I won't open for you the
windows of blessing. Some have
00:35:15.19\00:35:18.44
paid some of their tithe and
wonder why the blessing didn't
00:35:18.47\00:35:21.47
come. You didn't follow God's
word. He didn't say bring some
00:35:21.50\00:35:24.47
of the tithe. I mean if
the tithe is 10 percent and if
00:35:24.50\00:35:27.66
you've been neglecting to be
faithful in returning your tithe
00:35:27.70\00:35:31.01
that belongs to God. By the way
100 percent belongs to God. Is
00:35:31.05\00:35:34.33
that right? He asks us
to demonstrate our faith by
00:35:34.36\00:35:38.02
returning a tenth. And you say
well all right I'm going to give
00:35:38.06\00:35:40.39
one percent of my tithe.
Have you paid tithe? That's like
00:35:40.42\00:35:43.50
saying I'm going to give one
percent of my tenth. The word
00:35:43.54\00:35:47.16
tithe means tenth. I'm giving
one percent of my tenth. Is that
00:35:47.20\00:35:50.92
paying tithe. No that's giving
some. That means you're keeping
00:35:50.95\00:35:55.11
back 90 percent that's cursed,
90 percent of the 10 percent.
00:35:55.15\00:35:59.28
Anyway so I just wanted to
insert that. It's certainly
00:35:59.31\00:36:02.86
fitting in the context, wouldn't
you say? For they have even
00:36:02.90\00:36:07.29
taken some of the accursed
things and have both stolen and
00:36:07.33\00:36:11.65
deceived and they have also put
it among their own stuff. Do any
00:36:11.69\00:36:16.15
of us have something that
belongs to God in our midst?
00:36:16.18\00:36:19.30
God has blessed you with
everything you've got. He's
00:36:19.34\00:36:22.39
asked you to return a tenth. If
you still have some of it among
00:36:22.43\00:36:25.30
your stuff you've God's
property. What does God call it?
00:36:25.33\00:36:28.43
Stealing. It's called thieves
and it's breaking one of the
00:36:28.47\00:36:32.03
10 commandments. Now I don't
talk about this often because
00:36:32.07\00:36:36.34
this church I'm so proud
of. We are usually the first or
00:36:36.37\00:36:40.28
second tithe paying church in
this conference. You folks are
00:36:40.32\00:36:43.55
faithful. That's why you don't
hear too many messages on this
00:36:43.58\00:36:46.37
subject but it's in the story
here. So I'm not going to go
00:36:46.40\00:36:48.98
back to Achan next month. We
may as well talk about it while
00:36:49.02\00:36:52.00
we're here, amen? I want to
thank you for your faithfulness
00:36:52.03\00:36:54.67
But there are probably some,
statistically there are some in
00:36:54.71\00:36:57.72
our midst who don't trust
God and they're clinging to that
00:36:57.75\00:37:00.94
which belongs to God and
wondering why there's a curse
00:37:00.97\00:37:04.09
hovering over their life and it
may not manifest itself in your
00:37:04.13\00:37:07.54
finances. It may be some
other area. But if you want the
00:37:07.57\00:37:10.88
blessing of God, if you want
to see those victories then be
00:37:10.92\00:37:14.16
faithful. Therefore the children
of Israel could not stand before
00:37:14.20\00:37:17.54
their enemies but they turned
their backs before their enemies
00:37:17.57\00:37:21.62
because they had become doomed
to destruction. You notice there
00:37:21.66\00:37:25.68
are two choices. Rest in the
Promised Land or be doomed to
00:37:25.71\00:37:29.80
destruction along with Jericho.
There's no middle ground. I want
00:37:29.84\00:37:34.46
to be blessed and rest
and inhabit and inherit the
00:37:34.49\00:37:37.51
Promised Land. Don't you? The
other alternative is we're in
00:37:37.55\00:37:41.54
the city of destruction and
we are doomed. There are two
00:37:41.58\00:37:45.76
choices. Life and death, good
and bad, blessing and cursing.
00:37:45.79\00:37:51.09
And this story contrasts those
two. Verse 12 the end it says
00:37:51.12\00:37:55.42
Neither will I be with you
any more unless you destroy the
00:37:55.46\00:38:00.00
accursed thing among you. Get
up, sanctify the people and say
00:38:00.03\00:38:04.53
sanctify yourself, be holy,
tomorrow because thus says the
00:38:04.56\00:38:08.58
Lord God. There is an accursed
thing in your midst. You cannot
00:38:08.62\00:38:12.57
stand before your enemies until
you take away the accursed thing
00:38:12.60\00:38:16.52
from you. I've said things
like this before but it hasn't
00:38:16.55\00:38:22.94
changed yet and I want to
be faithful to say it again.
00:38:22.98\00:38:29.30
We have not yet seen what God
can do with his church and his
00:38:29.34\00:38:32.83
people because we have not seen
the consecration in our age they
00:38:32.86\00:38:36.72
had in the early church. People
often say, why don't we see the
00:38:36.75\00:38:40.45
miracles we used to see. The
reason we don't see the miracles
00:38:40.49\00:38:44.46
that we used to see is because
we do not have the level of
00:38:44.49\00:38:48.39
commitment and consecration that
they used to have. We don't have
00:38:48.43\00:38:51.30
the degree of sacrifice they
used to have and God is still
00:38:51.33\00:38:56.15
waiting. The eyes of the Lord
run to and fro through the earth
00:38:56.18\00:39:00.20
looking for someone through whom
he can show himself mighty. God
00:39:00.24\00:39:04.23
is waiting to pour out
his Spirit and give us great
00:39:04.26\00:39:07.38
victories. We should go forth
conquering for Christ and the
00:39:07.42\00:39:11.22
reason we haven't seen that is
because the average Christian is
00:39:11.25\00:39:17.85
lukewarm. We're long on talk and
short on deeds. It says you must
00:39:17.89\00:39:24.46
take the accursed thing away
from among you. In the morning
00:39:24.49\00:39:27.97
you will be brought according to
your tribes and it shall be that
00:39:28.01\00:39:32.07
tribe that the Lord takes shall
come according to their families
00:39:32.10\00:39:36.13
and the family which the
Lord takes shall come by their
00:39:36.16\00:39:39.06
households and the household
which the Lord takes shall come
00:39:39.10\00:39:42.27
man by man. Then it shall be
that he who is taken with the
00:39:42.31\00:39:46.25
accursed things shall be burned
with fire, all that he has
00:39:46.28\00:39:49.92
because he's transgressed the
covenant of the Lord and because
00:39:49.95\00:39:53.71
he's done a disgraceful thing
in Israel. Whew, that's pretty
00:39:53.74\00:39:56.82
serious. Can't we just slap them
on the hand and say a prayer?
00:39:56.86\00:39:59.91
Isn't that the way we
often think that God deals with
00:39:59.94\00:40:04.01
disobedience. What is going to
be the final fate of the lost?
00:40:04.05\00:40:08.55
Burned with fire with all that
they have. Isn't that right?
00:40:08.59\00:40:13.06
There's to be a judgment.
They were to be singled out.
00:40:13.09\00:40:17.60
So Joshua rose early in the
morning and they brought Israel
00:40:17.64\00:40:21.03
by their tribes. They're casting
lots evidently and God is
00:40:21.06\00:40:24.33
directing them. Of the 12 tribes
the tribe of Judah is taken.
00:40:24.36\00:40:27.25
That's interesting it was the
tribe of Judah because the 12
00:40:27.28\00:40:30.10
apostles, which one was it that
betrayed Jesus because he stole?
00:40:30.14\00:40:33.81
Judas. Interesting. Judah was
taken. But the way Joshua was
00:40:33.84\00:40:38.76
not from the tribe of Judah.
Joshua was from the tribe of
00:40:38.80\00:40:43.32
Ephraim. And they brought
the clans of Judah and from the
00:40:43.35\00:40:47.85
clans of Judah they took
the family of the Zarathites and
00:40:47.89\00:40:52.32
he brought the family of the
Zarathites man by man, Zabdi was
00:40:52.36\00:40:57.03
taken. And then they brought
the households from the clan of
00:40:57.06\00:41:01.38
Zabdi and a man by the name of
Achan the son of Carmi the son
00:41:01.42\00:41:05.71
of Zabdi, the son of Zerah
of the tribe of Judah was taken.
00:41:05.74\00:41:09.96
Now suppose that you were Achan.
You stole, you know you've done
00:41:10.00\00:41:14.88
the wrong thing, you saw they
lost the battle, you heard that
00:41:14.92\00:41:18.83
the whole nation would be cursed
if you disobeyed and now all of
00:41:18.87\00:41:22.75
a sudden they have the solemn
gathering and they're casting
00:41:22.78\00:41:25.99
lots and they say Judah
is taken and you're in Judah.
00:41:26.02\00:41:28.13
You're Achan. Hoo, it's starting
to get focus here. And then they
00:41:28.17\00:41:34.36
take the clan within the tribe
the Zarathites and then the clan
00:41:34.39\00:41:39.80
within that clan, I forget the
name, Zabdi. It's all the same
00:41:39.84\00:41:46.19
to you. It doesn't matter. And
then Zabdi, the Zarathites and
00:41:46.22\00:41:51.07
then Carmi. And you know what?
It keeps narrowing closer and
00:41:51.10\00:41:56.25
closer to Achan. He had all that
opportunity to come forward, to
00:41:56.28\00:42:00.50
confess, to repent, but you
know he doesn't do it until he's
00:42:00.54\00:42:05.58
absolutely fingered. And finally
Achan is taken, verse 19. So he
00:42:05.62\00:42:10.63
is brought before them and
Joshua says to Achan, I'm in
00:42:10.66\00:42:12.93
chapter 7 verse 19. Joshua says
to Achan, My son, that's a term
00:42:12.97\00:42:21.51
of endearment. I mean,
think about it. Who are the two
00:42:21.54\00:42:24.66
oldest men in Israel right now?
Joshua and Caleb. Everyone else
00:42:24.70\00:42:29.26
died. Isn't that right? The two
oldest guys, in their 80s, are
00:42:29.30\00:42:33.85
Joshua and Caleb. And so he
was somewhat of a father at that
00:42:33.89\00:42:37.85
point. And he said, My son, I
beg you... and did Joshua love
00:42:37.89\00:42:41.70
the people like a father? By
the way is Jesus also called our
00:42:41.73\00:42:45.51
Father. His name shall
be Wonderful, Counselor, the
00:42:45.54\00:42:49.08
Mighty God, the Everlasting
Father. My son I beg you, give
00:42:49.12\00:42:54.94
glory to God. Be honest. Give
glory to the God of Israel and
00:42:54.98\00:43:00.11
make confession to him and
tell me now what you have done.
00:43:00.14\00:43:05.20
Do not hide it from me. Is there
going to be a day where there is
00:43:05.24\00:43:09.84
a judgment and we stand before
our Joshua. What does the Bible
00:43:09.87\00:43:14.96
say about that? Romans chapter
14 verse 11: For it is written,
00:43:15.00\00:43:19.73
as I live, says the Lord... By
the way that's the most solemn
00:43:19.77\00:43:23.77
oath in the Bible, when God
swears by himself. Can you tell
00:43:23.80\00:43:26.77
me any other oath that would
have more validity than God
00:43:26.81\00:43:30.28
swearing by his own existence?
If you can count on something
00:43:30.31\00:43:33.78
friend, count on this, if there
is a truth that you can be sure
00:43:33.81\00:43:37.25
of this is a truth; everybody
is going to stand before the
00:43:37.28\00:43:40.29
judgment seat of God, everybody.
Every knee shall bow to me and
00:43:40.33\00:43:45.72
every tongue shall confess
to God. Now will some make their
00:43:45.76\00:43:50.64
confession too late. Even
the wicked who are lost as they
00:43:50.68\00:43:54.40
stand outside of the New
Jerusalem, their knees bow and
00:43:54.43\00:43:58.08
they confess what they've done.
But that confession is not a
00:43:58.12\00:44:02.74
confession that will save
them. What tribe was Achan from?
00:44:02.78\00:44:09.20
Judah. Did Judas confess
before he hung himself? Was it a
00:44:09.24\00:44:13.42
confession that would save
him or was it too late for that
00:44:13.46\00:44:17.78
confession? You're all going
to confess, You're all going to
00:44:17.81\00:44:20.98
repent. It's like the sign out
in front of the Baptist church.
00:44:21.02\00:44:25.76
It says do it now and avoid the
rush. Right? Now at least there
00:44:25.80\00:44:32.46
is grace. Some people, they wait
till it's too late. And then he
00:44:32.50\00:44:39.13
tells what he did more
specifically. Notice here. I'm
00:44:39.16\00:44:41.44
still in chapter 7 and verse 20,
I believe. Tell me what you've
00:44:41.48\00:44:46.37
done. Make confession before
God. Indeed he says I have
00:44:46.40\00:44:49.79
sinned against the Lord God
of Israel and this is what I've
00:44:49.82\00:44:53.14
done. During the battle, he goes
into Jericho. They run over the
00:44:53.18\00:44:57.17
walls and after all the slashing
and killing is done and they're
00:44:57.21\00:45:01.17
burning things and they're
collecting what's valuable for
00:45:01.20\00:45:05.07
the temple here's what
Achan says: When I saw among the
00:45:05.11\00:45:08.91
spoils a beautiful Babylonian
garment. Let's stop right there.
00:45:08.95\00:45:14.32
What does clothing represent?
Clothing represents character.
00:45:14.36\00:45:19.70
I heard someone say
righteousness and sometimes it's
00:45:19.73\00:45:21.55
righteousness. It depends on
whose clothes. The Bible tells
00:45:21.59\00:45:26.86
us all of our righteousness is
like filthy rags. Babylon in the
00:45:26.90\00:45:32.14
Bible, is that good or bad?
Babylon is always sort of the
00:45:32.17\00:45:35.50
antithesis of Jerusalem. If you
are bad, you're carried off to
00:45:35.54\00:45:39.29
Babylon. Babylon was a city
cursed, never to be rebuilt.
00:45:39.32\00:45:43.26
That mystery mother of harlots
is called Babylon and what kind
00:45:43.30\00:45:48.84
of garments did she wear?
Scarlet and purple, symbols for
00:45:48.87\00:45:51.69
sin. And here he sees a
Babylonian garment. Achan
00:45:51.72\00:45:57.12
represents those in the church
who want the righteousness of
00:45:57.16\00:46:01.19
the world. It's a false covering
Did it do him any good? Did he
00:46:01.22\00:46:05.27
ever get to sport that? Wouldn't
it have been kind of suspicious
00:46:05.31\00:46:09.33
if after they've conquered
Jericho, somebody's walking up
00:46:09.36\00:46:12.36
and down the streets with a
Babylonian garment and it was
00:46:12.40\00:46:15.46
all supposed to be burned?
He'd never even get to wear it.
00:46:15.50\00:46:19.23
It didn't cover anything, but
it looked good, he coveted it.
00:46:19.27\00:46:22.97
I saw among the spoils a
beautiful Babylonian garment
00:46:23.00\00:46:26.90
and two hundred shekels
of silver and a wedge of gold
00:46:26.93\00:46:30.76
weighing 50 shekels. By the
way Judas sold Jesus for silver
00:46:30.80\00:46:36.00
didn't he? I coveted them and
I took then and there they are
00:46:36.03\00:46:40.23
hidden in the earth in the midst
of my tent and the silver is
00:46:40.27\00:46:46.08
under it. Covetousness. I
think that we have the door open
00:46:46.11\00:46:51.90
to talk about this. It's one of
those sins that's often winked
00:46:51.94\00:46:58.80
at in the church. Drugs, alcohol
adultery, a lot of things that
00:46:58.84\00:47:04.57
upstanding Christians just will
not stand for, but sometimes we
00:47:04.60\00:47:09.37
actually extol people for their
greed and it's something Christ
00:47:09.40\00:47:13.27
spoke against a lot. Over and
over again the Lord is telling
00:47:13.31\00:47:17.15
them to unload. A man's
life does not consist in the
00:47:17.18\00:47:20.47
abundance of things that he
possesses. It doesn't do any
00:47:20.50\00:47:24.87
god to weigh yourselves down
so you can't live the Christian
00:47:24.91\00:47:30.35
life. In the early church, after
God pours out his Spirit on the
00:47:30.39\00:47:35.65
early church, who are the first
Christians that died because of
00:47:35.69\00:47:40.92
hypocrisy? Chapter 5 Acts.
Ananias and Sapphira. What was
00:47:40.95\00:47:47.23
their sin? That they didn't give
to the church? No, they did give
00:47:47.27\00:47:49.32
but they held some back.
They purported to be giving a
00:47:49.35\00:47:54.40
faithful amount and they
actually kept some and they made
00:47:54.44\00:47:58.16
like they were giving everything
but they were really keeping
00:47:58.19\00:48:01.66
something. It was hypocrisy and
covetousness. What happened to
00:48:01.69\00:48:05.97
them? They died. It's a very
serious sin because it tells us
00:48:06.01\00:48:09.80
that our hearts are not really
yearning for more of Christ.
00:48:09.83\00:48:13.00
Our hearts are yearning to be
filled with more of the world.
00:48:13.04\00:48:16.98
And it will never satisfy. When
Alexander the Great was marching
00:48:17.02\00:48:20.93
across Persia preparing to
conquer. Small, comparatively
00:48:20.96\00:48:25.02
small army, Alexander and
his soldiers, they were going up
00:48:25.05\00:48:28.78
against probably statistics
of the Persian soldiers of
00:48:28.81\00:48:32.47
somewhere in the neighborhood
of one against a hundred. But
00:48:32.51\00:48:36.31
they were taking on the Persian
empire and as long as they were
00:48:36.35\00:48:39.56
traveling light and fast they
were winning. But they won so
00:48:39.59\00:48:43.50
many battles they began to load
themselves down with incredible
00:48:43.53\00:48:47.41
spoils from the Persian
cities they were conquering. And
00:48:47.44\00:48:50.19
Alexander noticed that
his soldiers could barely move
00:48:50.23\00:48:52.91
because they were carrying
so much of the bounty of war. He
00:48:52.95\00:48:56.46
ordered them all at one place
to stop. He said let's pile up
00:48:56.49\00:49:01.34
all of the bounty and he set
it on fire and it so enraged his
00:49:01.37\00:49:05.07
soldiers they could barely bring
themselves to listen to him
00:49:05.11\00:49:08.48
anymore. But after the second
day they were moving so quickly
00:49:08.52\00:49:11.62
they realized it was almost like
they'd been given wings and they
00:49:11.66\00:49:14.73
understood the wisdom of their
leader that they would never
00:49:14.76\00:49:18.31
have conquered the empire if
they hadn't learned to just let
00:49:18.35\00:49:21.87
go and keep on with the task.
Some of us have not been free to
00:49:21.90\00:49:26.30
work for Christ because we are
so burdened with the things of
00:49:26.33\00:49:29.99
this life that we're encumbered.
We can't get out and do mission
00:49:30.02\00:49:33.65
work because who's going to
stay home and guard my stuff?
00:49:33.68\00:49:39.25
And we just weighted down.
Covetousness. If we want to
00:49:39.28\00:49:44.78
have more victories it might
mean unloading. And they'd only
00:49:44.82\00:49:50.08
made a partial commitment like
Ananias and Sapphira I'm running
00:49:50.12\00:49:56.49
out of time here. Joshua 7
verse And Joshua said, to Achan
00:49:56.52\00:50:01.53
after he confessed, Why have
you troubled us? What's Achan's
00:50:01.57\00:50:06.90
name mean? Trouble. Trouble why
have you troubled us? The Lord
00:50:06.94\00:50:10.94
will trouble you this day. Here
he's making a play on words.
00:50:10.98\00:50:15.80
So all Israel stoned him with
stones. This is the judgment day
00:50:15.84\00:50:20.63
He confessed and then he
was judged. They stoned him with
00:50:20.66\00:50:25.34
stones. They burned them with
fire after they had stoned them
00:50:25.38\00:50:29.07
with stones. By the way, I left
out the previous verse. You know
00:50:29.10\00:50:32.76
who was in the pit when they
stoned him? Achan and his wife
00:50:32.79\00:50:39.31
and his children and his sheep
and his goats and his camels and
00:50:39.34\00:50:45.83
his donkeys and everything
he had was brought down to this
00:50:45.86\00:50:49.05
little valley, this pit, and
all of Israel by the millions
00:50:49.09\00:50:52.90
gathered around and he was
judged. He was stoned to death
00:50:52.93\00:50:57.42
and they burnt him with fire.
He wanted what Jericho had and
00:50:57.45\00:51:01.87
he shared in the fate of
Jericho. He was burnt and he was
00:51:01.91\00:51:05.96
doomed. Because he had troubled
Israel. I think the judgment of
00:51:06.00\00:51:09.42
Achan was so severe, one reason
the judgment came on his family
00:51:09.46\00:51:13.88
was I'm surmising his family was
privy to his deed and they could
00:51:13.91\00:51:17.94
have said something about
it but they didn't. They were
00:51:17.98\00:51:21.80
complacent with him. They were
accessories to his crime. They
00:51:21.84\00:51:25.51
knew where everything was
hidden, they were hiding it with
00:51:25.54\00:51:28.40
him. That's why it's important
to keep people in your family
accountable to God.
00:51:28.44\00:51:31.27
And so they were judged.
And after they piled up this big
00:51:31.30\00:51:39.04
pile of stones on Achan, nobody
knows where the grave of Achan
00:51:39.08\00:51:41.91
is today, do they? Nope,
it's all disappeared. Then the
00:51:41.94\00:51:46.44
fierceness of his anger was
turned away. Instead of cursing
00:51:46.47\00:51:50.44
and anger, now blessing and
favor because they'd dealt with
00:51:50.47\00:51:54.16
something that needed dealing
with. What happens now? They go
00:51:54.19\00:51:58.41
against Ai this little city and
they actually used a bit of a
00:51:58.45\00:52:01.82
diversion tactic. They have a
group of men to go against the
00:52:01.86\00:52:04.88
gate. They go through the same
motions as before. The men of Ai
00:52:04.91\00:52:08.30
come out, they come swarming out
of the city to fight. The men of
00:52:08.33\00:52:11.69
Israel made like they're
retreating from them. They draw
00:52:11.72\00:52:14.73
them down away from the hill of
the city. But what they didn't
00:52:14.77\00:52:17.68
know is that Joshua and his
soldiers, the bulk of the army
00:52:17.72\00:52:20.36
they were in the hills in the
other direction and as soon as
00:52:20.39\00:52:23.82
the city was vacated they came
down, they went into Ai, they
00:52:23.86\00:52:27.59
set the city on fire. So now
the soldiers of Ai, they hear a
00:52:27.62\00:52:30.84
shout and they've got soldiers
behind them and they see that
00:52:30.88\00:52:34.09
there's nowhere to retreat
to because their city is burning
00:52:34.12\00:52:38.17
and the Bible basically tells
us they looked before them and
00:52:38.20\00:52:41.92
behind them. There was no way
to escape. The men of Israel who
00:52:41.96\00:52:45.28
had been retreating now turned
and they basically came upon
00:52:45.32\00:52:48.55
them and just swallowed them
up, nobody survived, 12,000 men,
00:52:48.58\00:52:52.56
interesting number, were
destroyed in Ai. The point being
00:52:52.60\00:52:57.44
when they dealt with Achan, they
got the victory. Sometimes I
00:52:57.47\00:53:01.94
have been accused as a pastor
of being unloving and unfeeling
00:53:01.97\00:53:06.41
because we have periodically
dealt with people whose
00:53:06.44\00:53:09.24
membership is on the books
and they're living lives of
00:53:09.27\00:53:12.00
rebellion or they're not even
making any pretense of embracing
00:53:12.04\00:53:15.65
the teachings of Christ. And
it really hurts the whole church
00:53:15.68\00:53:18.84
when people can say oh I'm a
member of that church and they
00:53:18.88\00:53:22.33
live like the devil. And you
want to do everything you can
00:53:22.36\00:53:25.88
to reclaim and redeem but
sometimes the loving thing to do
00:53:25.91\00:53:29.55
is to say you've got to deal
with their membership. And you
00:53:29.58\00:53:33.32
know what it does? It opens the
door for God to bless those who
00:53:33.35\00:53:37.36
do take the name Christian. It's
not the unloving thing to do,
00:53:37.40\00:53:41.19
it's the loving thing to do.
Paul talked about someone who
00:53:41.23\00:53:44.53
was in the midst of the church
in I Corinthians and he said if
00:53:44.56\00:53:47.52
you want the blessing of God on
you, there's a man sleeping with
00:53:47.56\00:53:50.49
his stepmother. And Paul said
you need to deal with that or
00:53:50.52\00:53:54.96
God cannot bless you. Sometimes
the Achans need to be dealt with
00:53:55.00\00:53:59.29
Now you know what's preferable
is if there are any Achans in
00:53:59.32\00:54:03.58
out midst, if there is any
accursed thing in our midst,
00:54:03.61\00:54:06.21
you deal with it. We don't want
to know about it. Achan, his sin
00:54:06.25\00:54:10.61
was a secret. He could have done
something about it. Judas could
00:54:10.64\00:54:14.35
have come to Jesus before that
last night and said Lord, I have
00:54:14.39\00:54:18.06
sinned. Would Jesus have
forgiven him? There could be a
00:54:18.09\00:54:21.40
book in the Bible, some already
says there is, named after Judas
00:54:21.43\00:54:25.40
but it would have been a real
book and the gospel according to
00:54:25.43\00:54:28.84
Judas. He could have been a
man of victory like Peter. Peter
00:54:28.87\00:54:32.24
made mistakes but he came
to Jesus, Jesus forgave him.
00:54:32.28\00:54:34.92
Judas waited till it was too
late. It would have been so much
00:54:34.95\00:54:39.02
better if Judas would have
dealt with it early. Is there
00:54:39.05\00:54:43.45
something that you've allowed
in your home that's a curse?
00:54:43.48\00:54:47.83
Is there something that you have
allowed in your life, have we
00:54:47.87\00:54:51.57
allowed something in our church?
We've got to care about each
00:54:51.60\00:54:54.60
other and pray for each other
to get the victory that God can
00:54:54.63\00:54:58.20
bless us collectively. I want to
see God's Spirit poured out in
00:54:58.23\00:55:01.86
my life, but you know what? It
should be just as important for
00:55:01.89\00:55:05.40
me that his Spirit is poured out
in your life. I want victory in
00:55:05.44\00:55:09.25
my life, but it should be just
as important to me that you have
00:55:09.28\00:55:13.06
victory in your life. You
know, there's something else
00:55:13.09\00:55:16.35
interesting in the story
I didn't want to rush past.
00:55:16.38\00:55:19.56
After they conquered the city of
Ai you know what happened to the
00:55:19.60\00:55:25.23
king of Ai? Verse 29 of chapter
They took the king of Ai and
00:55:25.26\00:55:30.74
hanged him on a tree until
evening and at evening then they
00:55:30.78\00:55:36.22
took him down. What does
that conjure up in your mind
00:55:36.26\00:55:39.75
Biblically when someone is hung
between heaven and earth on a
00:55:39.78\00:55:44.22
tree? Picture of Christ. Did
Jesus become sin for us? Did he
00:55:44.26\00:55:48.72
take the curse of sin for us.
It's telling us that they got
00:55:48.75\00:55:52.83
the victory but someone hung
on a tree at the end of the day.
00:55:52.87\00:55:56.16
And that's reminding us that
that's how we get the victory.
00:55:56.19\00:56:00.10
Because Christ hung between
heaven and earth for you and me.
00:56:00.14\00:56:03.44
Well friends, there's more I've
got to say. Matter of fact, I
00:56:03.48\00:56:06.31
didn't even get as far through
Joshua as I wanted to today.
00:56:06.34\00:56:09.48
But we'll pick it up in our next
presentation on this subject.
00:56:09.51\00:56:12.61
I think the important thing
I could leave with you as we
00:56:12.65\00:56:17.37
consider this troubling story
about the troubler of Israel,
00:56:17.40\00:56:20.85
Achan, is that I think that
all of us have been a little bit
00:56:20.88\00:56:24.42
like Achan at times. We've done
something we knew we shouldn't
00:56:24.46\00:56:27.70
do and we've forgotten that it
affects not only us, it affects
00:56:27.74\00:56:30.92
our family, it affects our
people, it affects the glory in
00:56:30.96\00:56:34.74
the name of God. They couldn't
get the victories if God wasn't
00:56:34.78\00:56:38.24
with them and God says I can't
be with you if you're clinging
00:56:38.28\00:56:42.50
to that hidden accursed thing
that's in your tent. My appeal
00:56:42.53\00:56:46.72
is if there's anything in
your life, especially if it's
00:56:46.75\00:56:50.28
something you've robbed from God
that you'll make it right and
00:56:50.31\00:56:54.18
watch and see if God doesn't
open for you the windows of
00:56:54.21\00:56:57.36
heaven. He wants to bless his
people. He wants to bless his
00:56:57.40\00:57:00.57
church. We need to be willing
to not just be hearers but be
00:57:00.61\00:57:03.70
doers of the word. Be willing
by his grace to trust him and
00:57:03.74\00:57:06.98
obey him and the only way that
can happen is we just say Lord
00:57:07.01\00:57:11.59
I present myself a living
sacrifice. I am yours. I'm yours
00:57:11.63\00:57:15.21
my tent is yours and everything
in the tent belongs to you, my
00:57:15.25\00:57:18.80
family is yours. Take
my life as wholly thine.
00:57:18.84\00:57:23.57
Father in heaven, Lord, we
want to thank you for this story
00:57:23.60\00:57:26.93
talking about the blessings and
the cursings. We know it's there
00:57:26.96\00:57:30.83
because you want us to choose
the blessing. Lord I pray that
00:57:30.87\00:57:34.30
those of us that need to be
warned that we'll be warned,
00:57:34.33\00:57:37.70
Lord. If there's anything buried
in our tent that we've coveted
00:57:37.73\00:57:41.51
that belongs to you, the
things of this world that have
00:57:41.55\00:57:44.35
distracted us and made us take
our eyes off the Promised Land,
00:57:44.38\00:57:48.36
I pray you'll forgive us Lord.
Help us to lay those things on
00:57:48.40\00:57:52.50
the altar that we might seek
first your kingdom. Pour out
00:57:52.54\00:57:56.32
your spirit on your people.
I pray that we will be one
00:57:56.35\00:58:00.06
family, one body, knowing that
our life and our choices affect
00:58:00.10\00:58:03.76
the whole army. Give us victory
Lord and help us to be faithful.
00:58:03.80\00:58:07.43
We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:58:07.46\00:58:10.54