Introduction
Let me begin with a discipleship question: how will you follow Jesus in prayer and dependence on God this week?
Main Points
In this lesson shaped by Calvary Boise's teaching on JOSHUA: Faithful in All He Has Said, Christ invites us to receive truth with humility, practice repentance, and walk in faithful obedience.
Mission and Witness
We're gonna do a three-part study in the second chapter of Joshua and this is where the trends the vision that's given in Joshua. Ones who take the land there's stuff that God's still doing in a new generation for this generation for our generation vision is chapter.
- One of Joshua chapter two is the mission the first steps of going towards what God has last week we looked at this through.
- The lens of the spies we're going to read a verse in the beginning of Joshua chapter 2 this starts with Joshua sending spies.
- Into the Promised Land which is still Canaan and Jericho they're going to go in and look to see what God is doing to.
- Give them the land now this morning we're going to look at part two of this which is through the lens of Rahab the.
Unlikely heroine the unlikely hero of the story happens to be a woman from Canaan or the enemy camp that will shift her allegiance. From the Canaanite people and Jericho towards God and his people incredible story we're gonna look at this story and we're gonna study it.
Faith and Obedience
Is not simply to tell you how to believe or tell you how to live out that life your story is going to be. Different but every story asks a question we're gonna ask a very important question this morning and it's a question that becomes a crosshair.
- Of whether or not you see the movement of God or not whether or not you follow God with excitement leading you towards joy.
- And satisfaction or whether or not this seems like an empty shell this is the crossroads the story the question of the morning is.
- How can we can study this woman named Rahab and see in her faith that is alive faith that is doing things faith that.
- Is so on fire that she would risk her life let's start in chapter 2 verse 1 now Joshua the son of nun sent.
Out two men from acacia Grove to spy secretly saying go view the land especially Jericho so these spies are going into this land. That God is giving the people across the Jordan they're going into Jericho specifically as it is a strategic gateway to the land they've.
Faith and Obedience
Examples of how the Word of God has been revealed through the stories of people who are living out radical faith and who would. Show up in Hebrews 11 but this woman that we're gonna study this morning Rahab it says in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 30 by. Faith the walls of Jericho fall down when they encircled the camp seven times by faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those. Who did not believe when she received the spies with peace how does she do that let's get into the story so the context. Here is that Joshua is sending on spies to look at the land and they land in a house of harlotry run by this. Woman named Rahab at verse 2 it says they lodged with a harlot named Rahab now we're in church so let me explain to. You the harlotry of Rahab the word there harlot Rahab was a harlot that word really means harlot okay we're not going to clean. That up what we want to you read the commentators and they say okay let's explain this story and tame it we're not gonna. Tame it this morning this is a messy story this is how God uses people this is how God intervenes to show us what. Radical faiths looked like he's gonna use a harlot so they've come into her house and they're lodging there on this mission and lo. And behold what's happening their reputation precedes them and the word gets out that they are in this house of harlotry run by Rahab. And they're there to seek out and to spy the land and the word travels quickly through the grapevine all the way up to. The office of the King and it says in verse 2 and it was told the king of Jericho saying behold men have come. Here tonight from the children of Israel to search out our country the children of Israel they're here and they've come to figure out. Our land they have come to spy us out the King gets word and it says in verse three the king of Jericho sent. To Rahab saying bring out the men who have come to you who have entered your house for they have come to search out. Our country the king wants Rahab to partner with him to defend the land to call out the spies and to begin to protect. The border of his city and now we get the.
Faith and Obedience
Example of why Rahab in the book of Hebrews is used as an example of faith because she actually welcomes them in she has. A moment where faith will put her to the test does she want to defend with the king the city of Jericho or will. Sheets shift Alliance to protect these spies and the answer is and should be surprising it says in verse 3 so the King sent. To Rahab saying bring them out and verse 4 it says then the woman took the two men and she hides them and she. Says to the people sent from the from the King yes the men came to me but I did not know where they were. From and it happened as the gate was being shut when it was dark that the men went out where the men went I. Do not know you better pursue them quickly for you may overtake them but that was actually alive now the Hebrew here explains this. Really well a liar here this means liar she's actually deceiving the King again it gets messy she is using a tool of deception. To actually shift her allegiance towards the god of these children of Israel now what do we do with that a harlot that's being. Deceitful in a house of harlotry we'll come back to that but I want you to know that this story can't be tamed I. Want you to know that we're not trying to clean this up for our Sunday version of this is a messy story with messy. Characters she has deceived them man the men looking for the spies and what's more it says that it works in verse 6 she. Had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. Then the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan to the Fords and as soon as those who pursued them and gone. Out they shut the gate she had fooled the king's men they are now out looking for the spies who are actually hiding in. Rahab's house now the question is what on earth is Rahab thinking Rahab has committed an act of treason against the Jericho King she. Has shifted her alliance and it could cost her life why would she do this what kind of motive is she operating under and. That is the question that will begin to answer.
Faith and Obedience
The other question which is what is living and living faith look like we better get this question right because we are now at. The crosshairs of what it means to believe in God or to not actually do anything with power or purpose and to represent just. A shell of religion there's a cross where's that faith real living faith will see God move and then there's also something that can. Easily happen that were accused of often in these type of settings a skeptic would come in and say you save faith but what. You really mean is that you don't know you say that you have faith in God and that you believe in a higher power. And you believe he's on the move but what that really is that you have no idea what actually you believe you lack evidence. And reason here's how it's put by one of the critics of our day Sam Harris who's often elevated as one of the henchmen. Of atheism because he can so easily pick apart the actual motives of religious people and this is what he says on the topic. Of faith it is time that we admit that faith is nothing more than the light the license religious people give one another to. Keep believing when reasons fail faith is actually something that religious people do we gather together as a religious act on Sundays and when. We leave and it's actually not reasonable to continue to believe in God or to wait on God or to hope for God because. It's not real we just say let faith cover all of the gaps in the story of course he's right in some ways of. Course there is a version of what is a faith claim that is actually an empty shell of religion we grant that to him. We all go through seasons of our life where faith does not seem fueled by something reasonable but when the Bible gives an elevation. Of a story that is an example of faith that's alive it gives stories like Rahab and Rahab as we will learn this morning. And be reminded of she gives us reason for her faith when we study Rahab the three things that will draw out of this. Are the three things that absolutely fueled her to risk her life in a change of Allegiance from darkness to light from Jericho to. Israel she is risking her neck to shift towards this.
Faith and Obedience
God that she now believes in why and why would you do that why would you look to a story in the Bible and. Say I want that to be real in my life the Bible says that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. There is a reward there is a promise there is something that Rahab is hoping for that her faith is the gateway to and. It is true of all of us the crosshairs of what we're doing is that you're being called to live by faith but you. Are walking a tightrope of religion this all is only as good as we leave here and we are fuel to live a radical. Faith and trust in God that he really is on the move and he's really up to something and we really have a part. To play that's what we're drawing from this morning here's the first way that I asked you to look to the life of Rahab. And say how we doing on this one this is the moment now of the movie that is going to bring us a little. Bit of an explanation if the story so far has set the stage we've gotten to this strange tense moment where Rahab surprisingly has. Decided to side with the spies sent by Joshua from the children of Israel and she's rejected her own country and now we come. To the point in the movie or the or the play or the passage of scripture where we get this reveal this is always. An exciting part of the story why did she do that we should be asking that question and now she's gonna tell us it. Says in verse 8 this the spies sent from the king have gone out they've been fooled they're out looking for Joshua spies in. The inn in the outside of the wall they're still inside there up on the roof and it says in verse 8 now before. These spies laid down Rahab comes up to them on the roof she's already hidden them and now she's gonna come up to them. And she's got something to tell them she wants to let them know what she's up to why is she doing this and she. Says in verse 9 I know that the Lord has given you the land that the terror of you has fallen on us and. That all the inhabitants of the land are faint-hearted because of.
Faith and Obedience
You that's point number one it's right there you reread it and there's something about the motivation of her faith that all of us. Can cling to she says in verse nine I know that the Lord has given you the land I know what God is going. To do that's what Rahab says and that is now the test of our faith whether or not is a shell of religion or. Whether or not we are walking with power and excitement towards the reward of those who diligently seek God do you believe what you. Already know that's a question for the believer and this is something that is dangerously close as a trap for all of us to. Walk in there are things that God has said that he is going to do that haven't happened yet and faith says according to. The example of Rahab faith says I know that God is gonna do it all throughout the story of the promised land God has. Been reminding the generations that are getting closer and closer to inheriting this land he reminds them over and over again I'm giving you. The land I promised it to Abraham I promised it to Isaac and Jacob I promised it to Moses and now Joshua you're gonna. Take it's already a foregone conclusion the land is yours now it's just a question of how now this is a very important moment. That Rahab is reminding these spies of the land is a foregone conclusion for God's people he's already done it he's just waiting for. The moment that they get to enjoy it but we forget this all the time oftentimes we don't believe what God has already told. Us he's going to do and I used the previous generation in number 14 to contrast as a negative way the generation underneath Moses. That didn't get to go to the land what happened they didn't believe that God would actually do what he said he was going. To do numbers 14 gives us insight into why they never grabbed hold of the promise God redeemed them from Egypt showed them how. Strong he was he cared for them in the wilderness showed them how faithful he was and then he called them into the Promised. Land and said I'm giving it to you and they pumped the brakes and they said but wait a minute there's giants in their. Land and next to them we look like grasshoppers what's.
We return to the opening teaching: discipleship is not just information, it is transformation through faith and obedience to Jesus. If we receive His Word and walk it out, He will shape us into people who endure and bear fruit.
Lord Jesus, help me hear Your Word, obey it with faith, and grow as Your disciple. Amen.
Conclusion
We return to the opening teaching: discipleship is not just information, it is transformation through faith and obedience to Jesus. If we receive His Word and walk it out, He will shape us into people who endure and bear fruit.
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, help me hear Your Word, obey it with faith, and grow as Your disciple. Amen.