Break the Ice.
- Are you the risk-taker or the scaredy cat?
- Are you the rule follower, the rule bender, or the rule breaker?
Bring the Word.
Israel is coming off a championship type win at Jericho. As the underdog, they’re living on the hype of victory and ready to blaze a victorious trail. However, the next battle awakens them to an important truth: disobedience to God cannot be tolerated.
Read Joshua 7:1-5
- What did Achan do?
- In verse 3, the spies say, “only about two to three thousand need to go up to Ai.” Do you think this displays their faith in God or their confidence in self? (This truly is an opinion question because in the end it doesn’t matter. Israel could have sent 100 men or 100,000 men. They experienced defeat for a different reason.)
- How many men did Israel lose in this battle? How many did they lose in the battle of Jericho, a much stronger city?
Read Joshua 7:10-15
- What sin was committed?
- What was the consequence of Achan’s sin? (verse 12)
- Did Achan’s sin effect more than himself? How so?
Read Joshua 7:16-26
- What rationalizations would Achan have given to himself before his sin was discovered?
- How does confession of sin “give glory to God” (verse 19)?
Read Joshua 8:1-2
- What’s the rest of the story?
Bring it Home.
- According to Luke 12:2, what does Jesus say will happen to our sin?
- How does our sin effect those around us?
- Why should we, as Believers, not live in fear of God’s judgement? (see Romans 8:1)
- How can we pray for one another?