BIBLE TEXT: JOSHUA 7:1- 26. Memory Verse: PSALMS 101:7

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THE SIN OF HYPOCRISY

• BIBLE TEXT JOSHUA 71- 26. Memory Verse PSALMS
  1017

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WHAT IS HYPOCRISY?

• Hypocrisy is not just making a mistake but a
  deliberate plan to pretend, deceive and cheat. He
  is natural but artificial. He is dirty inside and
  clean outside. He could imitate the speech,
  mannerisms and conduct of character portrayed. It
  is like living iodine in the fridge. This is a
  great killer. Ananias and Sapphira deliberately
  told lies and tried to distort the truth. They
  changed the truth and presented it as if it was
  wrong. They were however exposed by GOD!
• AIM OF THIS LESSON To study the faithfulness in
  the Church.
• Memory Verse He who works deceit shall not
  dwell in my house he who tells lies shall not
  continue in my presence, Psalms 1017

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BIBLE TEXT JOSHUA 7 1 - 26

• 1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass
  in the accursed thing for Achan, the son of
  Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the
  tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing and
  the anger of the LORD was kindled against the
  children of Israel.
• 2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which
  is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel,
  and spake unto them, saying , Go up and view the
  country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.
• 3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him,
  Let not all the people go up but let about two
  or three thousand men go up and smite Ai and
  make not all the people to labour thither for
  they are but few.
• 4 So there went up thither of the people about
  three thousand men and they fled before the men
  of Ai.
• 5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty
  and six men for they chased them from before the
  gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the
  going down wherefore the hearts of the people
  melted , and became as water.
• 6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the
  earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD
  until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel,
  and put dust upon their heads.
• 7 And Joshua said , Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore
  hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan,
  to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to
  destroy us? would to God we had been content ,
  and dwelt on the other side Jordan!

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• 8 O Lord, what shall I say , when Israel turneth
  their backs before their enemies !
• 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of
  the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us
  round , and cut off our name from the earth and
  what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
• 10 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up
  wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
• 11 Israel hath sinned , and they have also
  transgressed my covenant which I commanded them
  for they have even taken of the accursed thing,
  and have also stolen , and dissembled also, and
  they have put it even among their own stuff.
• 12 Therefore the children of Israel could not
  stand before their enemies , but turned their
  backs before their enemies , because they were
  accursed neither will I be with you any more ,
  except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
• 13 Up , sanctify the people, and say , Sanctify
  yourselves against to morrow for thus saith the
  LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in
  the midst of thee, O Israel thou canst not stand
  before thine enemies , until ye take away the
  accursed thing from among you.
• 14 In the morning therefore ye shall be brought
  according to your tribes and it shall be, that
  the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come
  according to the families thereof and the family
  which the LORD shall take shall come by
  households and the household which the LORD
  shall take shall comeman by man.
• 15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with
  the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he
  and all that he hath because he hath
  transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and
  because he hath wroughtfolly in Israel.
• 16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and
  broughtIsrael by their tribes and the tribe of
  Judah was taken
• 17 And he brought the family of Judah and he
  took the family of the Zarhites and he brought
  the family of the Zarhites man by man and Zabdi
  was taken

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• 18 And he brought his household man by man and
  Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the
  son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken
• 19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give , I
  pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and
  makeconfession unto him and tell me now what
  thou hast done hide it not from me.
• 20 And Achan answeredJoshua, and said , Indeed I
  have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and
  thus and thus have I done
• 21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly
  Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of
  silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels
  weight, then I coveted them, and took them and,
  behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of
  my tent, and the silver under it.
• 22 So Joshua sentmessengers, and they ran unto
  the tent and, behold, it was hid in his tent,
  and the silver under it.
• 23 And they took them out of the midst of the
  tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all
  the children of Israel, and laid them outbefore
  the LORD.
• 24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, tookAchan
  the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the
  garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and
  his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and
  his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had and
  they brought them unto the valley of Achor.
• 25 And Joshua said , Why hast thou troubled us?
  the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all
  Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them
  with fire, after they had stoned them with
  stones.
• 26 And they raised over him a great heap of
  stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the
  fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of
  that place was called , The valley of Achor, unto
  this day.

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BIBELE TEXT REVIEW JOSHUA 7 1-26

• All of us have names, relations and relationships
  known to GOD including marital status vs. 1
• Only Achan sinned but the danger of the LORD was
  against the whole Israel - vs. 1
• The spies concluded that the nation of Ai was
  small and could easily be defeated by Isreal
  vs. 2 -3
• The recommendation was followed but Israel
  suffered physical and emotional casualties vs.
  4 5
• GOD deals with us generationally and when a man
  sins, his lineage sins (sometimes in the case of
  Achan, the nation sins) Exodus 205, 347
  Proverbs 1434
• Joshua and the leaders became depressed vs. 6
  9
• GOD revealed the secret sin vs. 10 -11

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• The only solution was for sin to be put away in
  the camp vs. 12
• The one who sinned was identified as directed by
  GOD, vs. 13 18
• Achan was confronted by his sin vs. 20 21
• Sin was finally put off from the camp and the
  people vs. 22 26
• There will always be liars who will survive but
  only for a period vs. 6 10
• The fear of the LORD is to depart from sin vs.
  11, Proverbs 37 166
• Miracles will happen when hypocrisy vs. 12
• GOD is never part of confusion and hypocrisy
  vs. 12
• One main we can learn from this is that hypocrisy
  can tarnish a Church, a nation and a lineage.
  (Read up the Revelation Churches).

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CLASS TEST/ACTIVITY

• CAN YOU NAME PEOPLE IN THE PEOPLE WHO AFFECTED
  THEIR LINEAGE BY THEIR ACTIONS.
• WHAT DID THEY DO AND WHAT WERE THE CONSEQUENCES?

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All of us with our wonderful faces
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WHY PEOPLE ENGAGE IN HYPOCRISY

1. There will always be people who wants the honour
   of men rather than repent of their sins, and be
   good before GOD. 1 Sam 1513, 20 25 30. They
   want to be respected in the Church but secretly
   they are committing sins. They want their Pastor
   and leader to think that they are good but GOD
   sees their inside and knows better.
2. People want to reap where they have not sown.
   Ananias and his wife wanted a similar praise that
   was given to Barnabas even though they were not
   as faithful, Acts 4 34 Acts 5 1 -10
3. The urge to get rich by cheating, as a Christian,
   the means do not justify the end. This insults
   GODS intelligence. People who declare false
   records and inaccurate tithing fall under this
   category, Prov. 111

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• A major reason for hypocrisy is pride, glorifying
  self and putting the flesh first. JESUS CHRIST
  said that they love chief seats in Church and
  public places but cannot pay the price for being
  in this positions. Matt. 232, 6
• To cover their inability to live a holy life.
  They give promises which they cannot keep. They
  make appointments and would have double booked
  themselves and cannot keep time appointments.
  Those who claim to operate African time are a
  good example. This is clear irresponsibility and
  it is of the devil. Matt. 537
• Failure to love and keep GODS word. Luke 649

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YOU CANNOT DECEIVE GOD

• You can deceive man not GOD. HE knows all things
  and can do all things. No one can hide from HIM.
  Psalms 139 7 13
• GOD KNOWS
• The secrets and deceits of the heart, Psalms
  4421, Jeremiah 179, 1 Samuel. 167
• The thoughts of man, Psalms 9411, 1392, Isa
  6618
• All hypocrisies. Ezekiel 121 -2
• All the ways of man, Job 31 4 Psalms 16

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GOD IS NOT MOCKED

• GOD is not mocked, what a man sows he will reap,
  Gal. 6 7 8. The good thing is that the one who
  sows wind will reap whirlwind, Hosea 8 7a
• Those that mocked GOD and the HOLY THINGS OF GOD
• They are cursed, Isaiah 29 15 -16
• They are desolate, Job 29 34 35
• They die before their time and are declared
  unclean before GOD. A good example is our Bible
  passage. Those who are dead physically are dead
  spiritually. Job 36 13 -14
• Their shame will not be hidden, Jer. 2340
• Hypocrisy is a sin and will not go unpunished.
  Pro1121

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Summary and Conclusion

• Summary
• GOD hates hypocrisy and wants us to live above
  lies and deceits.
• Conclusion
• Hypocrisy is a deadly sin that can kill and lead
  to hell. People give laws or say and preach what
  they cannot do. They give appointments they know
  they are not going to keep. GOD knows all
  hypocrisy because no one can hide from HIM.
  However, those who confess and forsake their sins
  will have mercy.

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PRAYER

• Spend time with the LORD and talk to HIM that you
  do not want the sin of hypocrisy in your life.
  Tell HIM to reveal all areas of hypocrisy in your
  life and grant you the grace to forsake them.

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• May the LORD bless you as you keep HIS word
• Amen