I Need You… – Pastor Martin Childs Jr. D. Min.

TITLE: I NEED YOU…

TEXT: JOSHUA 7:1-8:3

INTRODUCTION

1. Initially, God interacted with individuals (Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac,

Jacob, Joseph)

1. After Jacob’s family went to Egypt with Joseph, God interacted with the people

as a collective group through a leader (Moses)

1. Since that time, God has continued to interact with His people as a collective

group delivering collective consequences

A WINNABLE CHALLENGE

1. Israel should have easily won the challenge against Ai (`Ay = ah'ē)
2. God has given us challenges
   1. Every challenge that God gives us is easily winnable – every challenge
   2. Would God give us a challenge that we could not win?
   3. God has empowered us – we do not know the power that we possess
   4. God has given us each other – we have become individualistic and selfish
   5. Remember: “When God gives me something today, He is already in the

future watching it happen”

A WINNABLE CHALLENGE LOST

1. Israel is beat up, beat back, beat down, broken and cry out to God
2. We sometimes lose winnable challenges and cry out to God
   1. Remorse – “God, we trusted you”
   2. Regret – “If only…”
   3. Release - “It’s over”
   4. God’s Reputation – “People will think that You cannot do it”

A WINNABLE CHALLENGE LOST BECAUSE OF WHOM?

1. Who is responsible for Israel losing the challenge? God? Israel? Achan?
2. 7:1 – The Children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things
3. 7:10-11 – Israel has sinned… They have taken some of the accursed things…

                 They have put it among their own stuff…

1. 7:12 – Therefore, the Children of Israel could not stand before their enemies…

           They are doomed for destruction… I will not be with you any longer…

1. 7:20-21 – Achan, “Indeed, I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this

is what I have done…”

1. Collective Consequence
2. We are One Body [Pilgrim Rest]
3. Because we are one body, what one member does or says affects every other member in the body – even though they did not do it or say it
4. Collective Consequence vs. Collective Judgment (Judges 18)
5. Cancer in the Body of Christ / One rotten apple spoils the whole basket
6. Individual indiscretions must be dealt with
7. God has a plan

CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK: I UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT I DO AFFECTS YOU