Sermons on Ai:

Your Hidden Sin Series

Contributed by Brad Beaman on Jul 25, 2022

Chapters 1-6 of Joshua the children of Israel go from strength to strength. Then there was an unseen problem that would ruin everything. It was the hidden sin of Achan recorded in Joshua chapter 7.

It was an unusual situation. One evening the president of our fraternity called a special unplanned meeting. When everyone came to the room the doors were shut. He explained the problem. Wallets were disappearing from the rooms. They were disappearing at such a rate and at such unusual times that ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 7:1-26

Denomination: Baptist

Our Encouraging God (Joshua 8:1-29) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Dec 31, 2021

After the setback at Ai, God encourages Joshua, and nudges him back toward Himself, and the job at hand. God is good, and loving, and encouraging.

Many of us can read the exact same words in the Bible, and draw completely different understandings from it. Some of you, when you hear me say this, think I'm talking about how Christians argue over meaning and interpretation. But I'm actually talking about tone. Let's open to ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 8:1-29

"How To Fall Into Defeat”

Contributed by Dave Mcfadden on Oct 6, 2008

The factors that contributed to Israel’s defeat at Ai are the same which contribute to the defeat of God’s people today.

The people of Israel had just experienced a miraculous victory over the city of Jericho. The next city for them to conquer was the city of Ai. The forces of Ai were much smaller than were the forces of Jericho, but much to the surprise of the army of Israel, rather than defeating the army of Ai, ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 7:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

Victory In Disguise

Contributed by Guy Caley on Jun 26, 2003

The battle of Ai is an exampleof how God often uses what seems like defeat to bring ultimate victory

Introduction: Graphic Illustration of the Battle with people acting out the parts The battle of Ai is a perfect example of a biblical theme that I call "Victory in Disguise." What looked like defeat, set the stage for a stunning triumph over the enemy--it was in fact the retreat that made the ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 8:1-7

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Blessings And Curses

Contributed by Duke Jeffries on Oct 18, 2000

A. INTRODUCTION Israel's total annihilation of Jericho and Ai had the strategic military effect of cutting Canaan in two.

A. INTRODUCTION Israel's total annihilation of Jericho and Ai had the strategic military effect of cutting Canaan in two. There would be a northern campaign and a southern campaign but, as we shall see in our study this morning, there would be yet another "pause" in the conquest of the Promised ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 8:30-35

"An Achan, Breakin' Heart"

Contributed by Ray Scott on Jul 19, 2004

Through the sin of Achan, and the defeat at Ai, we learn some valuable lessons on the process of temptation to sin, and dependence on God.

“An Achan, Breakin’ Heart” Joshua 7:1-26 INTRODUCTION: This morning, we are going to take a look at “An Achan, Breakin’ Heart”. Turn with me to Joshua 7:1-26 – (READ in NLT). Israel had just come from 40 years of watching God work: • God led them out of the bondage of Egypt. • God opened the ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 7:1-26

Denomination: Baptist

Doing Life Together Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Aug 19, 2024

Be intentional about connecting with others because we are made for community.

Doing Life Together Ecclesiastes 4:1-16 Rev. Brian Bill August 17-18, 2024 In May 2023 the U.S. Surgeon General released a report titled, “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation.” In it, he detailed the effects of loneliness on the American population, claiming that “lacking social connection ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

The Door To Hope Series

Contributed by Gordon Pike on May 17, 2020

Sin can sometimes pounce upon you and destroy you in one fell swoop … or it can quietly, silently eat away at your heart and soul. Achan's story in Joshua 7 can show us what happens when we try to hide or bury our sin.

We’ve all heard the question: “How do you boil a frog?” And the answer is: “One degree at a time.” Now … scientifically, it turns out that that’s not true. When the water gets hot enough, the frog will jump out of the water. How do you destroy a person’s soul? Answer: One sin at a ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 7:22-26, Joshua 6:24, Joshua 7:7-26, Hosea 2:14-15

Denomination: United Methodist

The Family Who Stole From God Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Mar 21, 2011

Achan stole from God... but all of Israel was guilty? How did that happen? And what can it tell us about our responsibility before God?

A man told this story at his first AA meeting: He’d gone to a party and had too much to drink. His friends pled with him to let them drive him home but he said no, he only lived a mile away. About 5 blocks from the party, the police pulled him over for weaving and asked him to get out of the ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Memorial At Mount Ebal Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 2, 2021

Joshua built an altar to the LORD near Mount Ebal in Canaan. This happened after Israel had defeated Ai. Something unique to this altar was that Joshua wrote parts of the available Word of God on it.

Introduction: Israel, under Joshua’s leadership, defeated the people of Ai. After that, Joshua built an altar to the LORD, God of Israel, placing it in about the middle of the country. Israel had built two other memorials as recorded in Joshua chapters 3-4, but the altar Joshua built here had a ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 8:30-35

Denomination: Baptist

Turning Our Failures Into Victories Series

Contributed by Manny Salva Cruz on Oct 25, 2015

Failures can be transformed into victories if we only learn how to persevere and correct our mistakes. In this study, we will look on how Joshua faced his past failure and conquer that small city of Ai resulting into deeper commitment to serve God.

Have you ever failed before? Of course, we all do because we are human beings of flesh and blood. We all face failures in life. We all have failed at some point in life. But it is what you do after you failed that counts. Because there are people after failing lose sight of the goal, never correct ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 8:1-8

Denomination: Nazarene

Success And Failure

Contributed by Andrew Dixon on Dec 23, 2025

God allowed the Joshua and the Israelites to be defeated by the people of Ai the first time and then gave them the victory when the next time when they set things right before God. There are some godly principles we need to follow so we can have success and avoid failures in life.

Today’s meditation is based on Joshua 7:4, “So about 3,000 men from the people went up there, but they fled before the men of Ai.” (TLV) When the people of Israel were confronted with the mighty city of Jericho, they trusted God, obeyed His counsel, and thereby experienced an astounding victory. ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 7:2-3, Joshua 7:4-5, Philippians 4:6, 1 Samuel 14:6, Proverbs 21:31, Genesis 24:7, Joshua 7:7-9, Ecclesiastes 5:2, Joshua 7:10-11, Psalm 139:23-24  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Other

Conquest Series

Contributed by Roshelle Brenneise on Sep 25, 2025

The Conquest started on a great high – Jericho’s walls fell down and the army walked right in. The rest of Canaan seemed a little less scary and the camp was riding a wave of total victory – then came Ai.

September 27, 2025 The Conquest started on a great high – Jericho’s walls fell down and the army walked right in. The rest of Canaan seemed a little less scary and the camp was riding a wave of total victory – then came Ai. The Ai spies reported that it would take 3,000 men MAX to take the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 15:16, Exodus 23:23-33, Deuteronomy 7:1-4, Deuteronomy 9:3-5

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Rematch Series

Contributed by Pat Cook on Aug 6, 2005

15th in long series on Joshua. This speaks of gaining victory over Ai, after losing to them the first time around. How do we regain spiritual victory after failure in our lives? Topical/expository.

Joshua 8:1-29 – Rematch James Abram Garfield was born November 19, 1831, in a log cabin in the back woods of Ohio. His father died at the age of 2. Young James somehow earned enough money to go to college. He graduated from college in 1856, and he became a professor and president of Hiram ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 8:1-29

Denomination: Baptist

Digging Up Sin Is A Difficult Thing

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Mar 7, 2019

Achan's sin is exposed after Israel is routed at Ai. What does it teach us? How do we respond to his destruction?

3.10.19 Joshua 7:16–26 16 Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was taken. 17 The clans of Judah came forward, and he took the Zerahites. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was taken. 18 Joshua had his family come forward ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 7:16-26

Denomination: Lutheran