Outsider to Insider - Rahab

Connection

B-Team intro — we know that society celebrates the ones in the spotlight. The ones that get all the attention. But as we learned last week the A-Team needs a B-Team.

Tension

How many of you have ever done something bad before? Show of hands.

We’re judging you. JK. Yeah me too.

Now, pause for a moment, don’t raise your hand… have you ever felt that perhaps that behavior or decision disappointed God?

Have you ever wondered if God still has a place for? I mean come on remember what you did...Or that he would still have a plan for your life and for you family?

If you’ve been there then you’ve been where our B-Team person has been today.

Word

Turn we me in your Bibles to Joshua 2:1

Moses has died — Joshua is in the lead position.

Moses the leader — Joshua is the warrior/general of Moses army.

They have come to the first major city they need to conquer.

Joshua 2:1–7 NIV

1 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. 2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.” 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5 At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” 6 (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) 7 So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.

This was an incredibly bold decision and it was a dangerous one. If she is found hiding the spies she is dead and everyone who is close to her is also.

She is taking a huge risk. I mean what would cause her to take such a risk? She’s not an Israelite. She’s not in Joshua’s army and she doesn’t seem to gain anything if your city is conquered.

Joshua 2:8–11 NIV

8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

What drove me to do this?

Fear of the Lord.

I have heard of the works he has done. Not just me but the entire city and I am confident that if God wants this city, then this city will belong to him. There is nothing I can do, and I want to be on the winning team.

Now fear of the Lord sometimes messes people up,as in why would you want to fear the Lord? Why would God want you to fear him?

Really what this means is respect.

Fathers, isn’t true that your sons need to have a healthy fear of you when they speak to you wife? Not that you’re going around hurting them or anything like that, but that they need to have that respect of you.

Same is true for God, you and I need to have a healthy respect for the Lord, not b/c he’s going to mess us up (although he can) but a respect b/c we’ve seen His power. We’ve seen what he can do.

Rahab continues her monologue.

Joshua 2:12–16 NIV

12 “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.”

Promise me that my family will be safe.

Joshua 2:12–16 NIV

14 “Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.” 15 So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 16 She said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.”

INSERT PICTURE

They would build the houses into the walls to save space and provide protection from invading armies. More wall to break down and it created desirable living spaces b/c you could overlook the outside of the city. Created a bunch of city watchers.

Joshua 2:17–21 NIV

17 Now the men had said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us 18 unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. 19 If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads; we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on them. 20 But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.” 21 “Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.” So she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

A deal had been struck and her marching orders were clear. Keep silent and hang a red cord outside of your window so our soldier know not to attack the people in that house.

The spies return to Joshua and give him the intel that he was searching for on the city and it’s inhabitants.

When the city was invaded, rahab and her family where indeed sparred, in fact, they were the only ones.

Rahab —> Ruth —> Jesus.

The prostitute found her name in the lineage of Jesus.

Application

Why do I tell you story of Rahab today? B/c her story demonstrates that you’re never too far for God’s plan in your life. God has a plan in your life and if you haven’t figured it out...then it’s probably not what you think it’ll be. Rahab had no idea that she would be in the lineage of the savior of the world, no idea.

Rahab is also listed in the hall of faith

Hebrews 11:31 NIV

31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

And you have idea what God will do through you.

Through your obedience and faith.

Let me free some of you today...

Your past doesn’t define your future.

That red cord acted as a reminder for her the rest of her life that the Lord wasn’t done with her. It reminded her about it.

God sees your past and wants to use you and has a plan for you despite your past.

If we’re being honest, that is the Gospel (Good news of Jesus). That God will use you and has a plan for you regardless of how bad you’ve messed it up.

But there is a kicker, or a thing that you need to do — turn away from the way your currently living.

Like Rahab, turn away from “it” whatever it is and turn towards God.

Inspiration

Isn’t it true that some of the worst decisions in your life involved you?

Why not be like Rahab, You see all the things God is doing you’ve watched from afar.

Non believer — person who has simply fallen away.

Invitation.