Title: “God’s Prescription for an Achan Home”
Topic: Tonight, I am speaking on the subject of “Spiritual House Cleaning”
Text: [Please Stand] Joshua 7:10-26
Introduction: Tonight’s text follows a very well known Bible story: The fall of Jericho. After Israel had defeated Jericho, God gave them explicit instructions to not take any of the city’s riches, but to leave everything behind.
Not long after, Joshua, the Israelite leader, sent spies to scope out the next city of war: Ai. The spies returned and said that they would need very few men to beat such a weak city as Ai. So Joshua sent only a few thousand men to fight.
The men of Ai killed 36 of the Israelite men and chased the rest away. Joshua was heart broken. He tore his clothes and fell to the earth in front of the Ark of the Covenant.
Joshua asked God why He would allow the Israelites to pass through the Jordan, defeat Jericho and then be beaten by a small and insignificant city like Ai!
God’s answer was simple. There was sin in the camp.
One of the Israelite men named Achan had ignored God’s command to leave everything behind in Jericho and had taken some of the “accursed things” and put them among his own belongings.
The blessing of God had left the camp because of the harboring of sin. Subsequently the army failed in its mission because it lacked the power of God it held when it had defeated Jericho.
Achan was forced to confess his sin, and was then taken along with his family and all of his flocks and herds, and stoned to death.
An amazing story, to say the least…
One might even go as far as to say that the story shows that God is unfair. They might say that Achan’s punishment did not really fit his crime.
But I want you to consider this tonight:
Because of Achan’s sin thirty-six men died…
Thirty-six sets of children lost their fathers…
Thirty-six mothers lost their sons…
Thirty-six wives became widows.
The story of Achan truly points out the potency of sin. It also uncovers some of the myths that surround sin. I am going to share those with you tonight:
I. Myth #1: One Sin Won’t Hurt
a. Achan probably thought his sin was so small and insignificant, that it would not be that important.
b. Illustration: “Just a Little One” How often do we justify the sin in our life by passing it off as just a “little sin”. We tend to believe that God judges sin in amounts. As long as it is only once, and I try not to enjoy it (he he), it won’t bother God.
c. The truth is one sin does hurt
i. Just ask:
1. Adam and Eve (Caused eternal separation from God with a single sin)
2. Moses (Forfeited entering the Promised Land on account of a single sin)
3. Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron (Died by fire because of a single sin)
4. Uzzah (Died instantly for improperly touching the Ark)
5. Ananias and Saphira (Died instantly for lying to the Holy Ghost)
d. Let me ask you a question: Would it be OK for you to cheat on you spouse one time?
i. Could you imagine trying to justify yourself to him or her by saying it was only ‘one time’!
ii. When we choose to allow continual sin in our lives, we are cheating on God
iii. We often forget that when we transgress the law, we are sinning against God
1. David, who broke all of the laws of God – didn’t say, “Oh, I have sinned against my friends, against Bathsheeba, against Uriah”. David said, “I have sinned against God!”
2. Psalm 51:4 “Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight-That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.”
3. Joseph, when tempted sexually by his Potiphar wife, didn’t say, “I couldn’t sin against Potiphar” but he said, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:9)
e. We need to see sin how God sees sin
i. Not as a little thing at all
ii. But as a transgression against him – cheating on Him
iii. If we see it that way, we will feel the same way He does – He hates it and so will we!
II. Myth #2: One Person’s Sin Doesn’t Affect Anyone Else
a. Achan’s sin affected the entire nation
i. All Israel suffered rebuke from God (v.1)
ii. All Israel suffered defeat (v.2-5)
b. Illustration: “My life, my choice” is an all too common cry from some that believe what they do has no affect on anyone else.
i. Tell that to the:
1. Estimated 17,419 people who died in alcohol–related traffic crashes in 2002
2. Parents of 239 children ages 0-14 who died in 2002 because they were riding with someone who was under the influence
3. 4000 children who die in the womb everyday at the hands of doctors who care more about money than they do about morals
c. Many of us refuse to see that there are others who often suffer consequences for our sins
III. Myth #3: One Can Keep Their Sin Hidden
a. Achan really thought that the darkness of his tent would hide his transgression
i. The Bible declares in Numbers 32:23 that our “sins will find us out” because…
b. Sin is never hidden from God
i. Hebrews 4:12-13 “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
ii. You may think that you are pulling one over on God if you have sin in your life, or that he doesn’t care – but you’re not and He does!
c. Sin is not often hidden from others either
i. Remember when Moses killed the Egyptian? He didn’t think anyone knew
ii. But the next day, he found out that he was known for being a murderer
iii. Just remember, your sins will find you out
1. If you’re a gossip – most people know you’re a gossip
2. If you’re a mean person – most people know you’re a mean person
3. If you’re a drunk – most people know you’re a drunk
iv. And you shouldn’t worry about what these people think because you fear their judgment
1. But because you say you love God, and you wear the name of Christ
2. And what you do in life mirrors who you are in Christ
d. So if you’re not able to hide from God – and you’re not really able to hide from others – All you’re doing is really kidding yourself when you try to hide your sins
Conclusion: I would never tell anyone that a trial is evidence of sin in his or her life. I have heard pastors who say that if I am sick, or hurting or going through some difficulty it is because of some unrepentant sin that I have yet to confess.
This is not always true, because God tests us at His will – Just remember the trials of Job, a man the scripture called blameless
However, if your going through a trial, you may want to give yourself an inventory, and see if you are out of God’s Will.
Example: Man: Yes, pastor, I am having trouble in my life and don’t know why
Pastor: Well, why don’t you start by telling me about your home life
Man: Well, you know, I have my daughter and her boyfriend living together in my spare room because they’re ‘in love’, and …well, I spend about half my check on alcohol, but I make good money, so that’s OK, and, oh yeah… I am sleeping with my secretary, but its Ok because my wife is cool with that sort of thing. BOY, I sure wish I could figure out what’s wrong!
Pastor: [Thinking but not saying: Well, Duh! This is what we call a Biblical no-brainer!]
So I ask you: Is there sin in your camp tonight?
Are you transgressing the law of God at home? At work? At play?
Or maybe it is not you who are living in sin, but you are allowing sin in your home.
Whatever the situation, God’s prescription is not that we cover up this transgression in our life, but that we get rid of it!
Invitation: [Heads bowed, eyes closed]
