Joshua

Conquering Your Ai

Joshua 8:1-8

 

Opening Words: During this summer we are looking at the story of Joshua. Are you starting to remember his story? The story of Joshua began at a funeral. The great leader and law giver Moses died. There is a void in leadership and Joshua is selected to lead the people into the Promised Land. At first he proves to be a cautious leader. He spends in two spies to explore. They are to explore all the land but in particular the city of Jericho. The scripture tells us these two unsupervised soldier end up at the local brothel and receive some help from a prostitute named Rahab. She taught us about faith. The Israelites received more help from God on the day they entered the Promised Land. God, Himself, divided the Jordan, as He divided the Dead Sea for their ancestors. When they got to the other side they did two things. First, they built a memorial to help the future generations remember that day. Second, they rededicated themselves by circumcising all the uncircumcised men. (That must have been a painful day.) God continued to lead them by defeating the people of Jericho. Their second military action was directed at the city of Ai. It should have been an easy victory but at first the people are defeated. The reason they lost was one man’s sin. That man’s name is Achan. Does any of this sound familiar? That brings us to this week’s story.

 

May God give you ears to hear this weekend’s scripture lesson, Joshua 8:1-8. Joshua tries once again to defeat the city of Ai. As you listen to these words look for three divine truths that run through this story.

 

1. God never forsakes us. There has never been a moment in your life when God didn’t love you.

2. Learn from past mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. However, only the wise learn from those their mistakes.

3. Return to the scene of the past defeat. Sometimes it is necessary to revisit the scene of a past defeat so you can more forward without pain.

 

Let me call this message Conquering Your Ai.

 

Joshua 8:1-8 1 Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. 2 You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city." 3 So Joshua and the whole army moved out to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night 4 with these orders: "Listen carefully. You are to set an ambush behind the city. Don't go very far from it. All of you be on the alert. 5 I and all those with me will advance on the city, and when the men come out against us, as they did before, we will flee from them. 6 They will pursue us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say, 'They are running away from us as they did before.' So when we flee from them, 7 you are to rise up from ambush and take the city. The LORD your God will give it into your hand. 8 When you have taken the city, set it on fire. Do what the LORD has commanded. See to it; you have my orders."

 

For almost one hundred years a huge piece of marble sat in the courtyard of the cathedral in Florence, Italy. The experts said it was damaged beyond repair. But in 1505, a young sculptor by the name of Michelangelo was asked if he could do something with it. He measured the block and carefully noted the imperfections caused by the bungling workman of an earlier day. To his mind came the image of the young shepherd boy, David. So he carefully made a sketch of that biblical character as he envisioned him. For 3 years he worked steadily, his chisel skillfully shaping the marble. Finally, when one of his students was allowed to view the towering figure, 18 feet high and weighing 9 tons, he exclaimed, "Master, it lacks only one thing, and that is speech!" That one time useless piece of marble is now consisted to be a true masterpiece. How many of you can relate to that block of marble? You are sitting around just waiting for someone to tap your potential.

 

The story behind Michelangelo’s David reminds us that things aren’t over until God says it is over. With God nothing is impossible. How many Biblical examples do you need? There is the story of Abraham and Sarah. God had promised to make him the father of a great nation. That is a great promise when you are young but the years pass quickly. It is it not a promise for the old. The 90 year old Sarah and the 100 year old Abraham have no children. It appears God has not kept his promise but God never breaks his promises. One day Sarah tells Abraham to sit down because she has some big news. She is going to have a baby! It isn’t over until God says it is over. With God nothing is impossible?

 

There is the story of Abraham’s descendants. Joseph led them into Egypt and saves them from the famine. At first life is good but in time life is bad. The population of the Israelites grows to the point that they become a political threat. They find themselves enslaved and they cry out to God. He responds to their prayers and sends them a liberator. His name is Moses and in time he leads them into the wilderness. Everyone is happy until the Pharaoh changes his mind. He sends army out to bring the Israelites back. By the time the army reaches the Israelites they are standing on the shore of the Red Sea. The people are standing in the worst possible position. They have no where to turn. They can’t go back because the army is there. They can’t go forward because of the water. Things look bad. Even the most optimistic person said, “We are all going to die!” However, it is not over until God says it is over. Moses raises his staff and the water divides. The people pass through on dry ground. With God nothing is impossible.

 

There is the story of Jesus. On Friday they executed him on the cross. Everyone is crying because they don’t see any hope. The ministry had died. They place his lifeless body in a tomb and roll the stone in front of the mouth because so no one will have to smell his decaying body. On Saturday nothing happens because it is the Sabbath. However, on Sunday something happens. It isn’t over until God says it over. A handful of women show up and make a wonderfully terrifying discovery. Jesus has come back to life! How do you bring a dead man back to life? It isn’t over until God says it is over. With God nothing is impossible.

 

There is the story of the battle at the city of Ai. Do you remember this story from last week? According to the military experts it should have been an easy victory. The entire army will not be needed, only two or three thousand men. However, the military experts were wrong. The Israelites are defeated and run away. Thirty six soldiers die that day. Joshua doesn’t take the news well. He is the model of a suffering servant. They lost that battle because of sin. Achan had taken some of the plunder and damaged the people’s relationship with God. If you wanted to attach a color to last week’s story then the color would be black. When we last left Joshua it looked like the story is over. However, it is not over until God say it is over. With God nothing is impossible.

 

This week’s story is for anyone who can relate to that damaged block of marble. It is for anyone one who feels like they are running out of time or anyone who feels like they have run out of options. It is for anyone whose hopes have been dashed or feels like they have been defeated in the battlefield we call life. This is the good news! My goal is to encourage you today by reminding you it isn’t over until God says it is over. With God nothing is impossible. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

 

I have read this piece of scripture countless times this week. The one verses that stands out to me every time is the very first verse, “Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land.” Those words speak to me because they are encouraging words. Joshua was afraid and discouraged. God speaks to Joshua and reminds him that it isn’t over. The best is yet to come. What did Joshua need the most? Did he need another military strategy? They need to “Rethink Ai.” Or did he need a word of encouragement? Have you ever felt completed defeated and needed someone in your life to say, “It is going to be ok. Just try again!” I have and that is what God is saying Joshua.

　

In the fall of 1983 I began my seminary career at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. It is a fine school and I could give you many logical reasons why I enrolled. However, none of those things matter. The bottom line is it wasn’t were God wanted me to be. It was difficult year. Everything seemed to go wrong. Everything was a struggle. One of the worst things in that horrible years was my job placement. I wanted to pastor a small membership congregation but there were no such jobs to be found. Instead I served as a Youth Director at the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Frankford. I had a wonderful relationship with the youth in that church but I had a difficult relationship with the church’s senior. His name was Mark Richardson and he became the greatest negative role model in my life. He was rigid and lacked warmth with the congregation. He was more concerned about his next vacation then he was winning the world for Jesus Christ. I was sure he saw me as a young man who would never be effective in the church and offered me little guidance or support. Every time I was with the man I was completely intimidated. It was a great day when I decided to transfers schools and leave old Mark Richardson behind. I celebrated the fact that I would never see him again. I don’t know how Christian this sounds but it is true. He was a jerk! I not only left that school, I left that denomination. I left that church defeated. However, it isn’t over until God says it is over. With God nothing is impossible. Fast forward the clock seventeen years.

 

My niece Emily was planning her wedding and I was thrilled to be asked to officiate at her wedding. The wedding was to take place in Emily’s home church, the Stow Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). I would be working with her new minister. You guessed it! I couldn’t believe it. His name was Mark Richardson. I was honored to be asked by my niece but I dreaded working with him. In many ways I was returning to my Ai, my place of defeat. When I walked into the church before the rehearsal I was filled with nerves. I saw him as soon as I walked into the church. There was Mark. He was as awkward with the people as he was seventeen years earlier. When I walked up to him he still intimated me. I felt like that young seminary student again. I stuck out my hand and said, “Hi.” Without acknowledging my presence he simple told me how he ran wedding rehearsals. I remember being nervous as I officiated at Emily’s wedding. I didn’t want to mess up in front of him. I was going to show him I wasn’t incompetent. I wanted to prove that he was wrong about me.

 

When the wedding was over I stood in the back of the church as the pictures were being taken. Mark came and stood next to me. He said, “Can I ask you a question? Did you work with me for a year in Frankford, Indiana?” I said, “Yes!” He said, “I thought so. You did a really good job today. I bet you are a fine pastor.” In my mind I had built this whole case against me. I thought I knew what he was thinking but I was wrong. He didn’t even remember me. Those words, I bet you are a fine pastor, were healing words to my soul. It was like putting new ointment on an old wound. On that day I felt like Joshua. I learned that day what Joshua learned 3500 years ago. It isn’t over until God says it is over. With God nothing is impossible.

 

Where is your Ai? I don’t mean your eye. I don’t mean those two things stuck on your face. I mean your Ai, that place were you experienced defeat. Your Ai maybe that house where the marriage came to a painful end. Your Ai maybe that funeral home where you said that final, “Good-bye.” Your Ai maybe that courthouse where the bankruptcy was made final. Your Ai maybe that the business where your were fired. Your Ai maybe that school where you flunked out. Where is your Ai? Where is your place of defeat? Joshua had his Ai. I have never known a person who didn’t have their Ai because I have never known a person who hasn’t experienced defeat. Let me give you some encouraging word. It isn’t over until God says it is over. With God nothing is impossible! And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”