Title prime and majority (Josh 7:3-5)
Content Humans individually believe in Jesus and receive salvation, but without me, a family, a country, or a church cannot be conceived.
We must not forget that the 'minority' called me is not just me, but I am a member of the community that determines the fate of the 'majority' of the family, the nation, and the church, and I have a great responsibility and mission.
Therefore, the secret to being a strong majority is that nature becomes a powerful majority when each minority that makes up the majority is healthy.
If this is the secret to becoming a healthy church, I hope today's message will be a time to deeply realize once again that we must be a small elite armed with healthy faith, correct values, and a life free from shame for the sake of our country and church. .
1. Defeat of Ai
It was because Almighty God was with the Israelites that they destroyed Jericho, the first gateway to Canaan. The next goal of the Israelites was the city of Ai.
The spies' report was very optimistic. Therefore, unlike when Joshua captured Jericho, he sent only 3,000 men to attack the city of Ai.
As a result, Israel experienced the first devastating defeat when entering Canaan. “(Joshua 7:5) The hearts of the people melted and became like water.” Unlike the conquest of Jericho, the devastating defeat of Ai made not only the hearts of the people of Israel but also the leader Joshua frustrated.
Through Israel's defeat and Joshua's frustration, we come to realize that Israel's victory is the grace of God, and that Joshua is an ordinary human being just like us.
2. The cause of defeat
Regardless of success or failure, there is always a cause for everything. If so, what was the cause of Ai-seong's defeat?
First, it was pride. Unlike Jericho, when they attacked the city of Ai, they had no choice but to lose because it was an improvised attack without prayer, unity, or mental preparation.
Therefore, we must not forget that the proud 'majority' cannot defeat the humble 'minority'.
The second was because of Achan's transgression. God was angry because Achan fell into greed and disobeyed the word of God and committed the sin of hiding things.
Through this, God awakened the awareness of sin in all Israel. This is what sin is.
It is a very small thing, but it must not be taken lightly, and it must not be forgotten that it has serious consequences.
3. Glory to the Lord Achan The 'minority' How great is the influence and responsibility of the few that the crime of one man not only led to the defeat of the 'many' people of Israel, but also to the despair of Israel's leader Joshua? make it feel real.
When Joshua was desperate, God had Joshua sanctify the people before attacking the city of Ai and get rid of things that had not been offered to God.
The first was to clear away the sin of disobeying God's command, and the second was to reveal the hidden sin of Achan, leading to repentance.
Even today, we also need to look back to see if there are any sins that are deeply hidden before God and cut them off with a burning heart.
In doing so, we can find freedom from guilt and remorse. This is what pleases God the most, and it is to the glory of Jehovah.
*Today, we must not forget that I am not a 'minority', but a 'minority' with a great responsibility to the majority of the Church, the body of the Lord.
We Christians must keep in mind that our actions have a great impact on the glory of God and the prosperity of the church, as well as the spiritual condition of the people of the world.
Sin begins with worldly temptation, and it grows into a deceptive and cowardly man.
As the saying goes that the pay of sin is death, by sinning, we do not gain anything, but in the end we lose everything.
Therefore, before complaining about the country and criticizing the church in front of the reality that our nation faces today, look back on whether I am like Achan and have no sins and faults like Jonah through the Bible. Do not hide the shameful sin of living wrongly before God like Achan, but repent I pray that today will be the day to prepare for the new history of the 21st century as our nation and church are changing.