Wayside Bible Chapel

Can one man’s sin affect an entire nation? The account of Achan’s theft and violation of Israel’s covenant with God did. He tried to hide what he did, but our sins always find us out. God is ruthless with sin because He is holy, and He loves us. Sin is destructive to us. Its earned wages are death. But in mercy and love, Jesus took the punishment we deserved.

What do you do when it seems like God has abandoned you when His promises don't seem to come to pass? What should we think? The defeat of Israel by the little town of Ai gives us some insight into what we should do and what we must be careful not to do.

The Bible gives us a clear description of mankind's problem but also tells us the solution. It isn't about being good enough for God, as no one can be holy as He is holy. There is a dilemma presented to us in Scripture. God must be just and judge us for our sins, yet He loves us and is full of grace and mercy. Centuries before Christ the answer was given through the prophet Isaiah. This sermon addresses the answer and how we should respond to it.

Join us as Elder Kip shares from the abundance of his heart the need for us to take hold of the power and calling bestowed to each of us as new creations of God.

In the final instruction from Joshua regarding the battle over Jericho, the soldiers were warned that the entire city was devoted to destruction. Only the metals were to be saved for the Lord, which would later be used to build the temple. We find the Old Testament full of instructions to separate things: food items, materials, etc. The Lord was teaching them to not be defiled with the pagan influences. In the same way, we are called to separate ourselves from the ungodliness in the world. James tells us not to be polluted/stained by the world (James 1:27). While we are in the world, we are not to be of this world.

While Joshua was wondering how the Lord was directing him in to conquer Jericho, he suddenly encountered the Commander of the Lord's army. This being was the voice of YHWH. We refer to Him as a Christophany. That is to say Jesus before His incarnation. The battle plan was odd, to say the least, but Joshua did what we should do. He obeyed. The pattern is to get God's direction and do it regardless of how impracticable it seems.

Have you ever thought of Jesus as an alien invader? He did say Satan was the prince of this world and that He was not of this world. In that sense, He invites us all to be aliens in this world. While it was made by Him, He came from outside space and time and entered this world as a baby.

What do we do with all the shame we have from our past wounds, failures, and compromises? Our past can become a heavy weight. Our passage in Joshua this week tells us how to begin anew. We need to cross this milestone before we face the bigger battles that lie before us.

Remembering is an important task for Christians. We read the Word throughout our lives to remember the teachings. We take communion regularly to remember the great price Jesus paid to redeem us. We should also remember the times when God has met us in ways that transformed our lives. We can and should record them and share them with our children and grandchildren. Declare the wonderful acts of God.

"But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 9:24