The Battle With Sin

Introduction

Thought about titles: the church and AI, the sin of AI, problem with AI

There is no neat way to package this.

Yes, this is a message on sin.

If you are only looking for something that affirms how you feel and offers you advice on how to live an easier life, that never challenges you to change into two hard things, then you are not looking for Jesus you’re looking for a mirror

You cannot win with hidden sin

Think about a battle with sin you’ve had.

Think about a battle with sin you are currently fighting.

Israelites had victory in defeating the city of Jericho

Joshua 6:27 ESV

27 So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land.

1 But

— This doesn’t sound good - quite ominous.

1 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.

Here we are given some narrator’s knowledge.

— There was victory BUT now the story is about to change and here is the reason why

Ever experience this - on a spiritual high only to free fall into defeat?

In this verse we are given the reason why the story following is going to be drastically different than the story preceding.

2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few.” 4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And they fled before the men of Ai, 5 and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water.

6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord God, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?”

10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. 12 Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.

13 Get up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord, God of Israel, “There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.” 14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. And the tribe that the Lord takes by lot shall come near by clans. And the clan that the Lord takes shall come near by households. And the household that the Lord takes shall come near man by man. 15 And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has done an outrageous thing in Israel.’ ”

16 So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was taken. 17 And he brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was taken. And he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18 And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. 23 And they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the Lord. 24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.

Nature of Sin

Sin is personal

Anyone here never have wrestled with sin?

If so, you are a liar and are currently wrestling with sin.

ILLUST: A minister told his congregation, "Next week I plan to preach about the sin of lying. To help you understand my sermon, I want you all to read Mark 17."

The following Sunday, as he prepared to deliver his sermon, the minister asked for a show of hands. He wanted to know how many had read Mark 17. Every hand went up. The minister smiled and said, "Mark has only sixteen chapters. I will now proceed with my sermon on the sin of lying."

Romans 3:23 ESV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Isn’t it strange that we ALL have sinned yet we all act as though we are not sinners? We never seem to want to talk about it?

Perhaps this is not because we have no shared experience in sin but rather that we have no practical solution for sin.

Sin = Missing the mark, A thought and / or action that seeks to glorify the self rather than God.

Different people wrestle with different sin:

Anger / Hatred - You want the worst in someone not their best

Gossip - you can’t wait to tell someone about the drama - even at the expense of someone else

Gluttony - lack of self-control regarding desires

Philippians 3:19 ESV

19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

Lust - Pornography is pervasive

Lying

Pride

Sin is never just personal

According to verse 1, who was the sinner?

Achan? Israel?

Achan. . . took and Israel broke faith.

1 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.

Personal sin never stays personal

Whether through connection or consequences, your sin affects others.

There is no such thing as a sin that “affects only you.”

Be Strong Chapter Seven: Defeat in the Land of Victory (Joshua 7)

Never underestimate the amount of damage one person can do outside the will of God. Abraham’s disobedience in Egypt almost cost him his wife (

1 Corinthians 5 Paul states that a little leaven leavens the whole lump.

The church is to be a place where sin is dealt with.

Achan’s “personal” sin was attributed to a covenant unfaithfulness to the whole of Israel.

Because of Achan’s “personal sin” the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.

Which do you think God honors more - the church that confesses their sin together or the one that consumes the service together?

Which one is the more common?

What parallels can be drawn between Achan’s hidden sin and modern-day attitudes towards sin in the church?

Danger of Sin

Hidden danger of sin happens when sin is hidden

Sin can quickly become and issue when you feel you’re “good.”

3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few.

The spies did not reach out to God because they thought they were good compared to Jericho.

Don’t compare your “goodness” to others. Compare instead with God.

Had the spies prayed before they went the defeat could have been avoid

ILLUST - in a band, tuning isn’t done like “Whisper Down the Alley” - You tune to the standard.

Sin brings you down

Sin always brings defeat.

6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads.

How can you tell if the issue you are facing is a result of sin or a trial from God?

You don’t need to know ahead of time because the process is the same:

Pray

Check for sin and confess

Turn to God and lean in

Joshua wasn’t sure what was happening. He gathered others around him and he got before God.

Sin holds you back

11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things;

12 Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction.

Harboring sin holds you back from victory.

God did not say that sin was the reason Israel DID NOT win against the city (though it was the reason). God said hidden sin is the reason Israel CANNOT stand (indicates future inability for victory).

You cannot win with hidden sin!!

How many times do you see times of confession in church - real confession? Is this because churches today are filled with people who no longer sin?

Many people cannot stand in victory because of hidden sin. Many families cannot stand because of hidden sin. Many churches are stuck because of hidden sin.

The focus is on what they (we) need to control instead of what we need to confess.

I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.

How do we get trapped into the sin?

Pattern of Sin

19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

(Look)

Temptation itself is not a sin - Achan couldn’t help but see the items

Covet

The problem was the second look.

Matthew 5:27–30 ESV

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

Justify

The items had previously been identified as “devoted things.” Achan describes them as “spoils.” Surely, he should be allowed to pick up the spoils of war, right?

Steal

The act of sin is only logical after we have fostered the desire.

James 1:14–15 ESV

14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Hide

Job 24:14–15 ESV

14 The murderer rises before it is light, that he may kill the poor and needy, and in the night he is like a thief. 15 The eye of the adulterer also waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No eye will see me’; and he veils his face.

Lies about Sin

Lie: My sin is no big deal

“Comparatively speaking, it’s not that bad!”

The standard of comparison is not other sinners, it is God!

If you are just looking to justify, rationalize, and qualify your sin  then you are simply trying to find a way to keep it or limit it’s consequences

Lie: No one knows my sin

Hidden sin is always revealed

because

God sees the hidden things of your life

This can be comforting or convicting.

I love how Achan just stood there as they whittled down tribe, clan, and family.

What was he thinking? Maybe there was another who had sinned and I can still get away with it?

v 14 - “Lord takes” indicates it is the Lord who knows

Psalm 139:12 ESV

12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

1 John 3:20 ESV

20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.

Deuteronomy 29:29 ESV

29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

How differently might we act if we lived out of this truth?

ILLUST - What would be your reaction if we could publish your thoughts on the screen? Your silent conversations? A recording of what your eyes have seen? Your browser history?

The natural posture of sin is to hide. The natural consequence of hiding is isolation.

The more sin that is hidden in your life, the more isolated you will feel

You cannot repent if it is not revealed.

End of Sin

Sin ends in death

Joshua 6:17–19 ESV

17 And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. . . 18 But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. 19 But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.”

Achan knew he was stealing from God and he knew the consequences.

24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.

This sounds harsh - did Achan’s family die with him? It seems likely but we aren’t sure. If they did, it seems likely that they were complicit.

Likely the family knew and was complicit in the sin. Here it is that the head of the family, Aiken is responsible for what the family does.

(Dad, are you leading your families and fighting sin in your own life and in the family?)

Whatever the case, it is clear that sin is serious, and

Sin must be dealt with

The weight or cost of our sin is so much greater than we generally acknowledge or talk about

For God, the removal of personal sin is worth any cost. The question is is that same true for us? 

Jesus confirmed that it is better to go into heaven with one eye than two eyes that cause sin

It is easier and far more likely that we sin rather than crucify sin

we are called to crucify our sin - KILL it!

It would’ve been easier for Joshua and the Israelites to justify Achan’s sin

Come on Josh, it’s just a little spoil compared to the rest

Everyone else around us takes spoil when they defeat a nation

It didn’t hurt anyone else, how many people really even knew it’s more of a personal thing

Perhaps our first thought is to think of God as cruel and unusual to require such a punishment

But that may be because we do not understand how rotten and offensive sin actually is

there is one major difference between how God interacts with sin during the time of Aiken and today, and that is that confession and repentance of your sin today no longer requires your life because the atonement for your sin was paid for by Jesus‘s life

Cornelius Plantinga warned, “To ignore, euphemize, or otherwise mute the lethal reality of sin is to cut the nerve of the gospel” (199).

“Christians embarrassed about the doctrine have lost their ability to explain what’s wrong with the world, and thus exactly what the good news of Jesus Christ announces.” (TGC Article)

In other words, the darker we realize sin is, the brighter we experience the joy of the gospel!!

10304 Fight with your own sin, and let that fight keep you humble and full of sympathy when you go out into the world and strike at the sin of which the world is full.

Phillips Brooks (Bishop of Massachusetts)

Where the full consequences of Achan’s sin was death so that Israel might be purified, the full consequence of your sin does NOT result in your death; rather, it results in the death of Jesus that you might be purified.

What sin are you justifying or just plain hiding?

The way to cover our sin is to uncover it by confession.

Richard Sibbes

What victory in your life has been delayed or impossible because of your unwillingness to reveal and repent of hidden sin?

What consequences is your family experiencing because of sin in your life?

How much are we as a church being held back because we are unwilling to become a confessing community rather than a consuming community?

1 John 1:8–9 ESV

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 32 ESV

A Maskil of David. 1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah 5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah 6 Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. 7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. 9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. 10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord. 11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!