The Destruction of Secret Sin

Joshua 7

Hey Church, grab your Bibles, and make your way to Joshua 7.

We got a lot of ground to cover so let’s get to it.

If you remember- last week we discussed the Fall of Jericho and how the walls came tumbling down.

And everything was destroyed and everyone was killed except for Rahab and her family.

The Israelites were told by Joshua right before the trumpets were blown and the people shouted and the walls came tumbling down not to take anything that was devoted to destruction.

Joshua 6:18–19 ESV

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.”

So they weren’t allowed to collect anything for themselves and everything valuable was to be set apart for the Lord. Its all going to go into the treasury for the Lord to use as He saw fit.

Pretty simple instructions, right?

Somebody didn’t listen and because they did not listen to Joshua who was giving them the instructions God gave to him- the people of Israel will have their first defeat.

Actions have consequences.

Today we are looking at the very next chapter and the effect sin has in our life.

Here’s the thing- We can do things our way or God’s Way.

Things typically go better when we do things God way. I didn’t say easier. I said I better.

Like if we just do the basic things- don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t steal- life tends to just go better.

But what if we did everything God’s Way?

Like our finances? What if we took our finances and did them the way God told us to do them?

That we brought our first and our best to God unto the Lord.

That we bring the whole tithe to the storehouse, a tithe is a tenth. so 10%.

When I said something about this one time- I had a guy come to me afterwards and tell me if he were to tithe 10% he would have to completely change his lifestyle and center it around Jesus. And I just looked at him and it clicked. That’s the whole point.

We bring our first and our best. We don’t bring what’s left. That’s not trusting in the Lord. Thats giving God the left overs after you have had your fill.

Which, if you call yourself a Christian, is insane to do it that way.

Because it all belongs to God anyways. It all comes from God according to the Bible- so we are giving Him what is rightfully His anyways.

I worked my butt off for my income. I went and did this and did this and did this.

Who do you think gave you those personal characteristics- who gave you those parents to instill hard work in you? Who gave you the opportunity to be born in this country to where you can move up the corporate ladder and not be in a caste system or some communist hell hole?

Thats one of our problems- we don’t truly think like that.

We think God helps those who help themselves. Ya’ll realize that's not in scripture, right?

As Christians, we cannot do anything without the Lord. We don’t initiate a task without going to the Lord first and foremost. Everything, we do is done with Christ at the center of it.

James 1:17 ESV

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

That means all those great things about you are from the Lord.

Another issue is no one thinks they are greedy. I have never in my life met a person who thought they were greedy. They just think its all theirs and they are free to do with it as they please.

But that is not the case for the Christian- we are to trust God in all things because it is all His.

JI Packer says "​The secular world never understands Christian motivation."​

Because we are supposed to be doing everything God’s way.

According to Health Research funding- The average giving amount per churchgoer is $17 per week (Health Research Funding). That's $73.67 a month per giver. That's $884 a year per giver.

But no one thinks they are greedy.

And don’t here what I am not saying. The church is doing great. This isn’t about the church needing more money. This is about your heart.

And Jesus said in Matthew 6:24

Matthew 6:24 ESV

24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

You can either Lord God or you can love money. But you can’t do both.

You can serve God or you can serve the almighty dollar but you cannot do both.

Why am I telling you this? Because your robbing God of what is rightfully His. and your heart needs to be devoted to the things of God.

and it is exactly what is going on in Joshua 7.

He didn’t listen to Joshua’s instructions- and he saw- he coveted- and he took.

and its a tragedy.

Last year- two IMB missionaries- a married couple- Davy and Natalie Lloyd- were serving in Haiti. A Haitian gang shot and killed them both. Davy was 23 and Natalie was 21. Is that a tragedy?

For the Christian- to be absent from the body is to be in the presence of the Lord. My Bible tells me that for the Christian death is gain.

Thats not a tragedy- here’s a tragedy- when people die without knowing Jesus as Lord and savior. When people squander their life chasing after the things of this world instead of pursing a relationship with God.

Joshua 7 is a tragedy. We are going to read verses 1-13 and 18-25. Look at this tragedy.

Joshua 7:1–13 ESV

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. 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.”

Joshua 7:18–25 ESV

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.

Lets pray.

That’s a true tragedy.

and you might be sitting there going- that seems a little extreme for roughly $5,000 worth of stuff.

To disobey God is sin and sin requires punishment.

Charles Spurgeon once said, “There is no little sin, because there is no little God to sin against.”

Think about that for a moment—there is no such thing as a “small sin.” Why? Because every sin is ultimately an offense against a holy, infinite, majestic God. And when the One we offend is infinitely holy, then even what we call “small” becomes infinitely serious.

R.C. Sproul puts it this way: “Sin is cosmic treason. Sin is treason against a perfectly pure Sovereign. It is an act of supreme ingratitude toward the One to whom we owe everything, to the One who has given us life itself.”

Sin isn’t just breaking a rule. It’s rebellion against the Ruler. It’s not just being disobedient to a man—this isn’t about Joshua. This is outright defiance of the Lord God Himself. It's cosmic treason. It’s saying to the God who gave you breath: “I don’t care what You say, I’m doing it my way.”

And here’s the thing: all sin must be punished. God cannot overlook sin. He will not sweep it under the rug. If He did—if He simply shrugged at sin—He would cease to be just. He would have to deny His own character. And God cannot deny Himself.

Sometimes people read the Old Testament and say, “Man, Old Testament God was harsh. I like New Testament God a lot better—He seems nicer, more loving.”

But if that’s your mindset, let me lovingly tell you: you do not yet understand the cross.

Because on the cross, the full weight of God’s wrath—the wrath we deserve for our sin—was poured out on Jesus, the only sinless person to ever live. Jesus, the one who kept every law, fulfilled every command, obeyed perfectly, died in the place of sinners. Why? So that we might be clothed in His righteousness. So that when God looks at us, He doesn’t see our sin—He sees His Son’s perfection.

He is our substitute. He bore the wrath so we wouldn’t have to.

Our sin is so severe, something has to die for it.

In the Old Testament, it was bulls, goats, lambs, birds—sacrifices repeated over and over. But that was just a temporary solution to a permanent problem. Then Jesus shows up—the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world—once and for all.

And still, we must remember: all sin must be punished. That’s the point of Joshua 7.

Achan sinned—not just against the people, not just against Joshua—but against a holy God. And that sin had consequences that spread like poison throughout the camp.

They had just defeated Jericho—walls came tumbling down, victory from the Lord. But then? They go up against this tiny, insignificant town called Ai—and get defeated. It's like winning the Super Bowl and then losing to a JV high school team. Something was wrong. Sin had infected the camp.

And Achan thought he could hide it. Like God wouldn't notice.

But this is exactly what we’ve seen before—in Eden.

When Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the one tree God had forbidden, the serpent came and whispered, “Did God really say?”

Eve responded, “We’re not even supposed to touch it or we’ll die.”

Then the lie came: “You will not surely die.”

And in that moment, she believed the lie. She took. She ate. Adam took. He ate. And when they heard God’s footsteps, what did they do? They hid.

Sin always leads to shame. Sin always leads to hiding.

And if you trace every sin back to its root, you’ll find the same pattern—just like 1 John 2:16 says:

“For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.”

Lust of the flesh. Lust of the eyes. Pride of life. They saw. They wanted. They took. That’s what Eve did. That’s what Adam did. That’s exactly how Achan explains it in Joshua 7.

He said, “I saw… I coveted… I took.” Same pattern. Same sin. Same rebellion.

The names change, but the heart doesn’t. And just like then, sin still brings destruction. It still separates us from God. It still has to be dealt with.

Joshua 7:21 ESV

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.”

Maybe- and this is conjuncture on my part- maybe he didn’t take Joshua’s word for it.

Maybe he thought God wasn’t really with Joshua like He was with Moses.

“That’s not how we did it with Moses.”

This is not how we did things under Moses! In the last battle we fought with Moses, when Moses led us against the five kings of Midian—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—after the Lord delivered them into our hands, we took everything.

In Numbers 31, Moses instructed us to kill every man, yet we kept the women, children, cattle, flocks, and all their goods as plunder. and we got to divide it all up.

So what’s the big deal, here?

I mean what was the harm of Achan only taking a few items?

Here is the difference- Moses acted under the Lord’s command, and the plunder of Midian was divided by divine decree. And the Israelites in Joshua 7 were commanded by God not to anything devoted to the Lord.

Its not like he killed anybody- it didn’t harm anyone- or so he thought.

36 men lost their lives in battle against Ai. Which they should have won easily.

He dies and his entire family is killed because of this sin.

And understand- His family was not punished for the sins of the father- they were complicit in it.

There is not such thing as a harmless sin.

All sin has ill effects. Even the Hidden sins.

Hidden Sin Always Comes to Light

A.W. Tozer once wisely remarked, "No sin is private. It may be secret, but it is not private. Its consequences flow in streams too broad and far-reaching to be dammed up by personal repentance alone."

Achan’s story vividly illustrates this truth.

The impact of his sin extended tragically to his family and to the community of Israel, revealing the far-reaching consequences when sin is hidden and unaddressed.

God's judgment upon Achan was severe, yet necessary to restore purity and holiness among His people (Joshua 7:25-26).

Actions have consequences.

Think about this in light of this church.

According to the Annual Church profile- The church has been revitalized to its 2018-2019 attendance. Praise God for that.

Our average attendance has increased tremendously over the last year.

We have a couple of kids, couple of teens, we got some folks original color in their hair.

And we might be tempted to go- we’re good.

We are good now- any bigger- and it will be a burden on the way we do things in the church- it will change up my social dynamics within the church. it will change up how the church will function. We’re good. We’re big enough now to function.

Now if we sit back in our laurels and just stop revitalizing the church, are we are doing what the Lord has called us to do?

We may not think of it this way, but that would be sinning against God to just sit back and not do what we are called to do.

If we stopped walking in obedience, which is what Achan did, we will face the consequences.

We will stop growing, and eventually this church will cease to exist- it will be killed by our failure to follow the Lord’s instructions- and some business or other church will buy the property if we do not walk in obedience of the Lord.

As long as I am the pastor at Cedar Bay Baptist Church- we will always be a church of 1 more and a church that is always looking and seeking ways to reach people and share the gospel with others.

How many of ya’ll will get bent out of shape when this church has to go to 2 services to accommodate the growth?

It’ll be like having two different churches because we all won’t be together.

Lord willing, we will grow to need two services and that’ll mean you won’t know everyone in the church anyways, so what does it matter.

And I’m just using that as an example- but don’t let your preferences dictate what the Lord is calling us into.

You know when this church will be good? When the trumpet sounds and He has come again.

Until then- we march forward- I refuse to sit back on past achievements. This church has yet to see its best days.

How can I say that? Because God is still using this church to advance His kingdom starting right here in San Mateo.

And here is the thing- Joshua was working into the Lord and he faced resistance. This is resistance from the inside of the camp.

Clearly Achan and his family did not believe what Joshua said because he did exactly the opposite.

They wanted to keep some things for themselves just in case. Because Achan saw, he wanted, and he took.

Maybe they were questioning Joshua’s motive on taking all the treasures and not dividing it all up.

This is the same thing that happened in the book of Nehemiah when Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. People inside and outside were giving him resistance. Questioning his motive.

Anytime you are working unto the Lord you will face resistance- from within and from without.

The question we should ask ourselves is- are we the resistance or are we working unto the Lord?

Do you find your security in your bank account number? Or in the Lord? Does this church find it’s security in its bank account number or in the Lord?

When I was still the Student Pastor at FBC Oceanway- We went through a big renovation to the fellowship hall because University Christian wanted to lease the building to put a school there.

When talking to the congregation, he used a story that has stuck with me. He was talking about how another pastor went out after putting the church into a difficult situation if something didn’t work out- and someone looked at the pastor and said “you’ve really put your church out on a limb now.” He went home and retold the story his friend and his friend stopped him mid-sentence and said don’t you understand- on the limb- that’s where the fruit it.

We as individuals and we as this church- if we aren’t willing to go out on the limb to get the fruit- will never get the fruit.

And we will never climb the tree to get onto the limb to get the fruit- if we have the Lord’s treasures tucked away instead of doing what the Lord has called us to use it for.

And this isn’t just finances- this is time, energy, and effort.

Think about the parable of the Talents that Jesus taught His disciples.

A man who was going on a journey had three servants- To one servant he gives five talents, to another two, and to the third one talent, each according to their ability.

Understand- one talent was equivalent to about 20 years' wages for an ordinary laborer.

The first two servants get busy, investing wisely, hustling hard, doubling their master's money. The master comes back, and these guys run up excitedly, like, "Boss, look what we did!" And the master says, "Well done, good and faithful servants!" They’re rewarded with joy, responsibility, and celebration.

But that third guy—man, he just buries it in the backyard. Why? Fear. Laziness. Maybe insecurity. So when the master returns, this guy basically says, "Hey boss, good news—I didn't lose it!" But the master isn't impressed. He says, "You wicked, lazy servant!" and tosses him out into darkness.

Now here’s the point: Jesus isn't really talking about money here. He's talking about the gospel, your life, your calling.

Everything you have—your time, your relationships, your resources, your talents, even your story—is entrusted to you by God.

He didn't put you here just to survive, play it safe, and coast quietly into heaven. He entrusted you with these things to use them, multiply them, and pour them out for His glory.

Listen, when the master in this story hands out talents, he expects growth. He expects faithfulness.

He's not rewarding caution or comfort—he rewards risk-takers, kingdom-builders, those who trust Him enough to step out even when it's hard, uncomfortable, or scary.

The greatest tragedy isn't failing while you're boldly following Jesus—it's failing to do anything at all because you're afraid.

Fear whispers, "What if it goes wrong?" But faith shouts, "But what if God moves?"

So let me ask you, church—what are you doing with what God gave you? Are you investing in the lives of people around you, sharing the gospel courageously, serving sacrificially, pouring yourself out for others, or are you burying your gifts because you’re too worried about what could happen if you mess it up?

Or you’re like Achan refusing to fully trust that God in all things.

Don’t bury it. God didn’t call you to safety—He called you to faithfulness. Step out in faith, go big, risk boldly for Jesus—because He's absolutely, completely worth it.

I tell this to the students all the time- we don’t follow Jesus because He makes life better- we follow Jesus because He is better than life.

And we cannot fully follow the Lord if we have hidden sin in our lives.

And here is the things about sin, even hidden sin- Adrian Rogers put it this way- "Sin will take you farther than you ever expected to go; it will keep you longer than you ever intended to stay, and it will cost you more than you ever expected to pay."

Do you think Achan thought taking those things would have ended his life and the lives of his entire family? I can only imagine he wouldn’t have even looked at the stuff if he knew how it was going to end.

But that’s the problem when people think they are doing things no one else knows about- they don’t think anyone will find out- they don’t think of the consequences- they don’t think of the ways it will completely ruin and reshape their entire lives.

Its just one hit of this- its just one shot of this- its just one night with this person- and before they even realize it- that sin has them in a death grip and has ruined everything they once held so dear.

Sin will take farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.

But here is the good news for us- third truth:

Repentance Leads to Restoration, but Not Without Cost

Grace is free, but it’s not cheap.

The sin problem in the Israelite camp had to be dealt with and dealt with it was.

In Joshua 7:25–26, after Achan’s sin is exposed and he is judged, the text tells us that “the Lord turned from His burning anger.”

The punishment of sin resulted in the restoration of God’s presence and favor among His people.

But that restoration did not come without pain. Achan’s sin cost him everything—his possessions, his family, even his life. This moment is sobering. It reminds us that while God is merciful, His mercy never cancels out His justice.

For the Israelites to be in right relationship with God- Achan had to face the punishment.

This event in Joshua, where Achan’s sin is exposed and judged, is more than just a moment of divine discipline—it’s a foreshadowing event pointing us straight to the cross.

Achan’s judgment reminds us that sin cannot be ignored or swept under the rug.

It must be dealt with. God's justice demands it.

But here's where the gospel shines in glorious contrast: in Joshua 7, the guilty man bears the weight of his own sin. But at the cross, the sinless Son of God bears the punishment meant for us.

R.C. Sproul put it like this- "The most violent expression of God's wrath and justice is seen in the Cross. If ever a person had room to complain for injustice, it was Jesus. He was the only innocent man ever to be punished by God. If we stagger at the wrath of God, let us stagger at the Cross. Here is where our astonishment should be focused."

The full weight of sin—the wrath, the judgment, the righteous anger of a holy God—was poured out, not on the guilty, but on the innocent. Jesus, the spotless Lamb, stepped into our place.

This is the heart of the gospel: atonement always requires judgment. Sin cannot simply be excused—it must be paid for. Either we bear the consequences of our sin, or someone else bears them for us.

And Jesus, in love, chose to bear them for us. On the cross, He took our shame, our guilt, our punishment. Isaiah 53:5 says it clearly: “He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities… and by His wounds we are healed.” That’s substitution. That’s grace.

Paul David Tripp puts it powerfully: “The cross guarantees that even in your darkest moment God will never turn in disgust and walk away. Grace will always run toward you, not away from you.”

Think about that. The cross guarantees our acceptance—not because we’ve earned it, but precisely because Christ earned it for us. When we say grace is free, we’re not saying it’s cheap. Far from it. Grace is free to us, but it was unimaginably costly to Him. The cross cost Jesus everything—His comfort, His dignity, His blood, His life. He bore the full fury of divine wrath so that we could stand blameless before the throne of God. And because of His sacrifice, restoration is possible—not just for individuals like you and me, but for families, for churches, for entire communities.

The cross tells us two things simultaneously: sin is more serious than we ever imagined, and God’s love is more extravagant than we ever dreamed. The story of Achan shows us what sin deserves. The life of Jesus shows us what grace provides.

Even as God restores, He doesn’t lower the standard of holiness. Forgiveness is not a license to sin; it is a call to obedience. We aren’t free to sin- we are free from sin.

Achan’s story warns us of the seriousness of sin, but it also shows us the path back—through confession, through repentance, and through the mercy of God. Holiness matters, because God is holy. And obedience matters, because relationship with Him is too precious to jeopardize.

This should make us more take the sins in our life way more seriously- too many Christians treat sin like a house pet instead of the dangerous killing monster it is.

The temptation to sin is not a one-time battle—it’s a lifelong war.

In the life of Achan and the defeat at Ai, we see the devastating consequences of giving in to that temptation. But the roots of that warning go all the way back to Genesis 4, when God confronted Cain.

He told him plainly: “Sin is crouching at your door; its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” That image is haunting—sin as a predator, crouched like a lion, ready to pounce. The same is true for us today. Sin doesn’t play fair. It doesn’t sleep. And if we don’t learn to master it, it will absolutely master us.

Paul picks this up in Romans 6, teaching that we were created to be mastered by something. Either we are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or we become slaves to righteousness, which leads to life. There is no neutral ground.

Achan chose slavery to sin—he saw the riches of Jericho, coveted them, and took them for himself, even though God had made it clear those things were off-limits. His decision didn’t just affect him; it brought disaster on the whole community. That’s what sin does—it promises personal gain but brings communal pain. It deceives, it devours, and it always leads to death.

But the good news is, God doesn’t leave us powerless. Just like He told Cain, “If you do what is right, you will be accepted,” God always gives us the grace and strength to obey.

Mastery over sin comes not from willpower, but from surrender—surrender to Christ.

It’s only by obeying Jesus, by walking in the Spirit, that we can resist sin and walk in righteousness. The gospel isn’t just the way we’re saved—it’s the way we fight. And every time we say yes to Jesus and no to sin, we declare that sin is not our master—Jesus is.

As we are about to enter into a time of invitation and consecration- my hope and my prayer today is that through this tragedy we see our need as individuals and as a church to fully and completely trust in the Lord.

We can’t hold anything back from him- we can’t hide it from him- and Christ died so we don’t have to hide our sins from Him. We can go to Him and he is faithful and just to forgive- he took our sins and casted them as far as the east is to the west.

And if you have never surrendered your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ- I pray that today would be the day that your eternity is changed forever.

But as we sing one last song- whatever the Lord is calling you to do- let me encourage you to do it. Because Delayed obedience is disobedience. and we want to be people obedient to the Lord.

Lets pray

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