Joshua Chapter 2
Rahab, A Faith That Works
Intro: Here in
the 2nd Chapter of the Book of Joshua we are introduced to an
interesting person – Her name was Rahab
A)Rahab is one of only 2 women listed by name in
Heb. 11 the great hall of Faith – Chapter list the exploits of those who ……
faith in the Lord
B) The other woman listed by name in that Chapter is
Sarah – the wife of the great Patriarch Abraham – founder
of the Hebrew race
1)
Sarah
was a godly wife – whom the Bible holds up as a example to women of how to support their
husbands
C) Rahab on the other hand was a Gentile Prostitute
who worshipped pagan gods & sold her body for money
Humanly
speaking – these 2 women had nothing in
common - but from a divine perspective - shared a lot!
A)Sarah was barren - by grace of God her womb became
fruitful!
B) Rahab led a barren life - but by the grace of God
- she was saved & HER life - became useful!
1)
Both
Sarah and Rahab are example of women who exercised saving Faith in God
C) In
fact James in his epistle uses Rahab as an example of working Faith
James 2:25-26 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works
when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26 For as the
body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
D) James point is this: We know that a person is Saved -not by their works but by Faith – But our Faith is to be a working faith
1)In other words – Our
works { the way that we live our lives in obedience to
God & to honor God } are evidences that we have faith in the Lord
E) Talk all we want – but
our Faith will truly be seen by our actions/ Choices
Today
we want to consider the Faith of Rahab: See what we can learn from her example
about our faith in the Lord – Note 4 things
A)1st She had a Confession of Faith : We see here in our text that Joshua sent 2 spies into the city of Jericho – 1st Foe –
B) They go to the House
of Rahab She hides the spies – on the roof of her house – it is there that we
hear her confession of Faith RDv. 8-11
C) What a confession of faith from the lips of a woman whose life had been imprisoned in pagan idolatry!
1)She believed in one God, not in the multitude of gods that populated the heathen temples.
D) She believed He was a personal God (“your God”), who would work on behalf of those who trusted Him.
1)She believed He was the God of Israel, who would give the land to His people.
E) This God whom she trusted was not limited to one nation or one land, but was the God of heaven and earth.
1) Rahab believed in a great and awesome God!
Romans 10:17 We are told that Faith comes by hearing & hearing by
the word of God
A)The inhabitants of Jericho had heard how the Lord
delivered his people from Egypt – how He led them thru the Red Sea – Defeated Pharaohs army
B)When they heard that these people were headed in
their direction – their hearts were filled w/ Fear
1)But something else happened in the heart of this woman Rahab
– She believed that the God of Israel was the one true God v.11
C) Her faith is very innocent – she didn’t know a
lot – but she what she heard she believed to be true !!
D)My own
Conversion: Heard the word – of the need to ask Christ into my heart – I didn’t
want to go to hell
1)
Seen
God work this Change in my Father!!
E) So when Rahab heard about the Exploits of this
God of Israel she believed that He was the one true God –
1)
When
she had the Opportunity to Confess that she does
A)Identification: Rom 10:9
if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
"Therefore whoever
confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in
heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before
men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
B) Rahab was identifying herself w/ the God of
Israel
C) 2nd Reason why it is important is for
Protection: Rahab would be Protected from the Plight of the rest of the people
in Jericho
D) Protection from the World – Go on Record – I am
taken
1)
Invite co- workers to Church on Sunday less likely to invite you to
party w/ them on Sat.
So First she had a
Confession of Faith / 2nd Courageous Faith
A)It took great Courage for her to hide the spies –
there in her house knowing full well that the king would be on the look out for
these men
B) Courage:
MISSIONARIES
C)
Rahab’s faith was courageous in that it propelled her to take a risk to go
against the Grain –
1) That is what Courageous faith does
Peter
Cartwright, a nineteenth Methodist preacher, was an uncompromising man. One Sunday morning when he was to preach, he
was told that President Andrew Jackson was in the congregation, and warned not
to say anything out of line.
When
Cartwright stood to preach, he said, "I understand that Andrew Jackson is
here. I have been requested to be
guarded in my remarks. Andrew Jackson will go to hell if he doesn't
repent." The congregation was shocked and wondered how the President would
respond. After the service, President
Jackson shook hands with Peter Cartwright and said, "Sir,
if I had a regiment of men like you, I could whip the world."
Rahab
had a courageous faith that led her to go against the grain! She Also had
concerned faith - v.12-14
A)She wasn’t just concerned about herself and her
salvation: But she wanted to see her family saved as well
B)Mark of a true conversion is a genuine concern for the lost
1) Andrew - fount Peter - brother
C) 2 Kings 7: 3-11 Interesting Illustration of this -the city of Samaria was surrounded by Syrian forces led by King Benhadad /
1) at that same time there was a great famine in the Land !
D) This put the people in a
very vulnerable position / they couldn’t leave the city & no one could get
into the city to bring food !
1)As a result the situation looked pretty grim / in fact we read in Ch. 6 v. 25 25There was a shortage of food in Samaria. It was so bad
that a donkey’s head sold for about two pounds of silver, and half of a pint of
dove’s dung sold for about two ounces of silver.
The world today is in a similar place
spiritually / they are starving
A)Hungering for something to bring lasting fulfillment & Satisfaction in their hearts – something to Fill the Void – the emptiness –
B) They go from one thing to another – still remain empty -
1)Isa. Made note of this problem in ch. 55 Where
the Lord says Why do you
spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself
in abundance
C) The Lord’s Solution to the Problem - Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who
have no money, Come, buy and eat.
The Samaritans were starving to death ! but
there were these 4 Lepers
who were Outside the city /
A) Now these 4 lepers say / "Lets go to the Syrian camp "/ die one way or another / The miracle / Wow !
B) In the middle
of their feasting & celebrating they Catch themselves "This a day of goodnews
how can we remain silent/ This is Not
right!
1) Guys we should feel the same way ! We live in a world that is starving /
hungry and thirsty / We Know where there is bread ! Bread of life
C) We know Him who declared If anyone is thirsty let him come unto Me
& drink / he who comes to me will never hunger / believes will never thirst
!
D) We come into
this Sanctuary to Celebrate the Lord – to feast upon His goodness – but we must
also see beyond these walls – world hungry
E) Things are getting
tense in our world – War w/ Iraq / North Korea –
Ezk 38 - We have good news there is hope in JC
1)Don’t’ Know
what the Future Holds but we know Him who holds the Future
A)It was Risky for Rahab to share w/ her family- What if they rejected - what if they turned her in
B) Didn’t
matter – She would rather take the risk than see them be destroyed- That is what a Courageous and Concerned
faith does -
C) Risk to share our
faith might be
rejected/not get promotion; lose friend
But what if they get saved! Worth the risk
1) Just think we can be used by God to affect a persons life
for eternity !
4th thing we want to Consider: Covenant Faith
A)They gave to her a SCARLET CORD to hang from her window that would be her saving mark. Assurance of Security { That would set her apart
19 So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of
your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be
guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head
if a hand is laid on him.
C) Now Imagine the number of chances she had to walk away from the place of safety.
1) A number of days would pass before the armies of Israel would come.
"Hey Rahab,
what's that silly scarlet thread in your window?"
D) She could have said: "I'll walk
away from the security of the scarlet thread and come back before the judgement
comes."
1) But If she was going to be Secure she couldn’t walk away – And She COULD NOT make any SUBSTITUTES.
E) "Well I like BLUE, not scarlet"- Blue WOULD NOT be recognized as the saving token.
1) If she decided to try to do secure her deliverance by any other way than by abiding under the mark of the scarlet thread would spell destruction.
Here we have a great PICTURE of
salvation.
A)See There is one thing that marks us out as the saved of God.-
B)One thing that God sees in our lives that separates us from the rest of the world that awaits judgment.
C) It is not that we go to Church / Not that we are good people / not that we are Religious – None of that
1) It is the THE BLOOD OF JESUS.... The Father sees the blood of Jesus applied to my life.
D)God has made a COVENAT with us based upon the blood of Jesus Christ.
1) Just as Rahab was SECURE by abiding under the mark of the scarlet thread so ALL who put there trust in Jesus are SECURE.
E) Same holds true for us – Abiding under the Blood of Christ
If her family was to be saved they would have
to have the same faith as Rahab.
A)There was no such thing as being saved by relation.-They needed to exercise their faith in the same way Rahab had to.
B) Same for our Friends and Family – Salvation thru the Blood of Christ
C) The message of salvation through faith in the blood of Jesus is a truth that runs like a scarlet thread throughout all of Scripture.
D)It begins in the Book Genesis when the blood of animals was shed by God to make skins to cover Adam and Eve.
1) It ends with the Saints singing in Revelation 5 the SONG OF THE LAMB in heaven.