Someone Rather Unexpected

Intro

Has someone ever surprised you? I don’t mean like a jump scare, but someone did something unexpected? You know them, you know what they are like, you know how they act, and then they do something totally out of character.

In college, I was good friends with someone who wanted nothing more than to go oversees and do missionary work. With his great singing voice and heart for lost souls, it was the perfect plan! He thought.

One day, I encouraged him with this thought “I know you want to be a worship leader, but it may be good practice to try your hand at preaching, you never know when you may need that skill on the mission field!”

This offended my friend! He was no preacher, he thought, so how dare I assume upon him such a role.

Years later, after graduation, my worship leader/missionary friend is pastoring a church right over the boarder in Canada. His fears and expectations were overruled by God and His grace and he is doing something rather unexpected.

As we finish James 2 this morning, we are going to talk about someone rather unexpected doing rather unexpected things. As we talk about Rahab, let’s hear the Word and do it, let’s see the radical faith of the prostitute and model that in our own lives.

James 2:25–26 KJV 1900

Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Rahab’s Radical Faith

Last week we talked about Abraham in Genesis 15 and 22 and how his belief and obedience to God caused him to both stand and live righteous before God.

But, when we think of Abraham, the Father of the Faith, we don’t stand too surprised by the fact that James, or any Scripture write under the inspiration of God, would use his account.

However, if you were to jump to Joshua 2 (we aren’t going to read it) and read, you would hear of another, one, as we mentioned, rather unexpected to be included not only in God’s family, but in the lineage of Christ, and in a chapter which talks about saving faith.

In Joshua, as God’s people were ready to take the promised land for God’s glory, they sent in spies to the first major city they came across, Jericho.

While there, they came across a prostitute who hid them and protected them from death. Rahab in her immoral profession, was also an inn keeper of sorts, as was common for someone in her profession. People would stay in her home often. However, God’s people didn’t just receive hospitality, they recieved salvation from their enemy through Rahab. So, Rahab and her household were spared when God’s people would come in Joshua 6 and destroy the city.

Why is James talking about Rahab when it comes to radical saving faith?

She was a Recipient of God’s Grace

When you compare the two individuals in this chapter, Abraham and Rahab, you will find that they were very opposite one another.

Abraham was the patriarch of the Jewish people while Rahab was a prostitute in the middle of hostile Gentile nation.

Abraham was the friend of God while Rahab lived in the middle of the enemies of God.

Abraham was a great and known leader while Rahab was a common citizen.

And Abraham was at the top of the social order while Rahab was at the very bottom.

You can hear in Jame’s tone when talking about Abraham that it is no shock to include him in this chapter, however, when he mentions Rahab you can nearly hear the shock. “Was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous?

We know from Matthew 1 that Rahab is an important character in the lifeline of Christ. She was Ruth’s mother-in-law which makes Jesus the direct descendent of a prostitute!

How truly incredible is that, that our God would take “someone like Rahab” and set her in the line leading to the only perfect person to ever live!

This is the grace of God.

Exalting Jesus In James She Was a Recipient of Scandalous Grace

[A] grace that shocks by reaching down into the least likely of lives and pouring out mercy.

Exalting Jesus In James She Was a Recipient of Scandalous Grace

Praise be to God that He has reached down past our gross immorality, extended His arm across our filthy sinfulness, and brought us into His family. We are recipients of scandalous grace. This is the whole picture of justification. How can a holy God be just and yet include you in His family? By pouring out the just wrath due your sin upon His Son. God is just—He punishes sin to the fullest extent—and He justifies those who have faith in Jesus (

Rahab received grace.

Why else is she mentioned here?

She Feared and Revered God

Joshua 2:11 “And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.”

How did Rahab believe? How did she know that Yahweh is the One True God?

She heard.

Up to this point, God’s people have been traveling through the ancient near east conquering smaller places and, if you remember, crossing the Red Sea, defeating Egypt’s military.

They were known.

And what came with those stories was how the power of God led those conquests and victories.

She had heard about God, so she believed. She believed, in a city full of pagans, that YHWH was the only God of heaven and earth. She believed in His sovereignty.

Because of this bold decision to believe and trust God, she, as unexpected a player she was in this story, risked it all to serve God. She was obedient simply because she had faith.

She feared God and that led to radical obedience. Radical obedience can be risky sometimes. Are you willing to allow yourself to be at risk to follow Jesus? Do you have saving faith like Rahab?

She Risked it All for the Spread of God’s Glory

Rahab, if caught with these spies, would have been killed along with her whole family. No doubt.

But, her belief prompted her risky behavior and she hid them anyway.

The Book of Hebrews even includes Rahab as a Hero of the Faith.

Why?

Exalting Jesus In James She Risked It All for the Spread of God’s Glory

is she a hero of faith because of her rituals or religious activities? No, she is a hero of faith because she put her life and everything dear to her on the line for the Lord, trusting Him without hesitation, qualification, or reservation. She risked it all, going against everything in the culture around her. She risked it all so the people of God might take Jericho for the glory of God, and according to James she was considered righteous for what she did.

Are you up for the challenge? To serve God so boldly that you do crazy things for Him? You do things that make sense to nobody but you and God. You follow God despite the culture around you. You follow Jesus despite your friends and family/ Are you ready to boldly follow Jesus to the ends of the world spreading His glory each step of the way?

Are you ready to risk it all because Christ gave His all for you?

Christ is the Source of that Radical Faith

So, we see why Rahab was included in the book of James.

But, do we sit here and give her or Abraham the glory because of their faith? No! Why? Because we know that the source of this strength, this faith, this bold behavior is Jesus Christ our Lord and God. So, like Rahab, we must realize…

Christ is the Reason for Justification

Remember, salvation is still by faith in Christ, our works are just necessary evidences of a change. But, salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ only because of His grace!

Rahab didn’t stand before God justified by her own works, there was nothing she, or Abraham for that matter, or you can do to earn or merit salvation. We are unrighteous to our core.

We need someone else, we need a substitute. Someone righteous to the core. To come, live that righteous life out. And make a payment on the cross, so that we can be redeemed and stand righteous before God.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

You don’t save yourself. You don’t live “good enough” to go to heaven. You are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ which covers your sin with His very righteousness so that when the Father looks upon us, He sees the righteousness of His Son!

Faith is STILL the means!

I know we have talked about this for 3 weeks or more now, but know this still: Faith is the means for your salvation!

Your works don’t save you. Christ does.

Exalting Jesus In James Three Realities

However, such faith is not mere intellectual assent. Faith is not merely, “Yes, Jesus died on a cross.” Demons believe that, and they don’t have faith. Faith, according to Scripture, means turning from yourself and trusting in Jesus as your Savior from sin and as the Lord of your life. It’s the moment when God opens your eyes to see His glory, to see your need, and to see His provision, and in faith you confess your need for Christ and you submit your life to Him. This is faith, and in the words of Paul in

Works are the Evidence

Faith saves you. Works are the overflow, the result.

They don’t save you.

But, if you are not living out biblical faith and modeling Jesus, you have to wonder if you are truly saved.

Abraham and Rahab didn’t work their way to heaven, they were justified by faith, but their faith produced good works.

Two Reminders

As we round out this chapter, let me leave you with two reminders

This is Only Possible because of God’s Grace and Mercy

You need to remember who you are and how you stood before God before you were saved. Some of you need to know how you stand before God right now if you are unsaved.

You are not guaranteed heaven just because you live and breathe.

The Scriptures tell us from the very beginning that we are all sinners, this became a worldwide reality the moment that Adam and Eve sinned in the perfect Garden of Eden. They sinned, they disobeyed God, and sin entered the world.

Not only did sin enter the world, it automatically entered the heart of every human being from then on out the moment we know right from wrong.

That includes you.

You sinned before God and because of such sin, you are bound for eternal punishment in Hell. This is a reality. This is how you stand prior to salvation.

However, the Scriptures tell us that Romans 5:8

Romans 5:8 KJV 1900

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Why does that matter?

You see, sin, since the very first one, has required a sacrifice to atonement, forgiveness.

You cannot sacrifice anymore for forgiveness, that ended 2,000 years ago.

It ended when Jesus became the one sacrifice for all mankind for all time. Because He died, you don’t have to sacrifice animals for forgiveness and you don’t have to pay the price for you sin.

If you believe and repent. You must have faith.

Exalting Jesus In James Two Reminders

The faith that says, “Father, I have nothing in me to stand on. I trust wholly in the righteousness of Christ to stand for me. You opened my eyes to Your holiness and my sin, and You opened my eyes to Christ as my Savior and my Lord. By grace you did this, and faith is the means.”

Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”

This is a Judgement Matter

Finally this morning, this is so important because this is a judgement matter.

The only way you will enter heaven when you stand before God on Judgement Day is by the grace of God imparted on you by faith through grace.

The only way you will be with the Savior forever is if you stand before God and live before God changed, living out your faith. Trusting in God for salvation.

Exalting Jesus In James Two Reminders

Therefore, if you have not truly believed in Jesus Christ for salvation, I urge you to do so today

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Conclusion

Exalting Jesus In James Two Reminders

Look to Christ crucified as the only basis by which you can be declared righteous. By God’s grace admit your need for Christ and trust in Him. Do not give mere intellectual assent or perform a religious exercise. Cast yourself in faith on Christ. For when you do that, the God of the universe will look down on your sinful heart and save you. He will clothe you in the righteousness of Christ and you will have peace with God. And through such faith, Christ will come into your life and change it from the inside out, for your good and for His glory. He will transform your life into one that demonstrates His grace and love and mercy to the world around you. This is the faith that saves, and this is a faith that works.

It is only by and through Christ that man can be saved.

As we finish this up I want to invite all who can and will to join me at the altar for prayer. Let’s pray that we will be the people to live out real faith. That we will live out the fruit of the Spirit. That we will live like Rahab did after she believed and risk it all for the cause of Christ and the spread of His Glory. That we will be encouraged and inspired to live changed lives and lead people closer to Christ.