Sermon Tone Analysis
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rahab, an unlikely hero
When I was growing up there was a guy in my church who’s name was Jimmy Hall.
When I was in middle school/and even in to high school Jimmy was the guy who was always at church, and was always friendly to us kids.
Jimmy was probably about 30 or so when he would invite us onto his family’s land to camp.
We would fish, we would hike.
There were other times when he would take me and my other three or four friends to go skiing, or go to the movies.
He was an awesome guy to have around.
One of the greatest things about Jimmy was that he worked for Sentman distributers which supplied coca cola products.
So that meant that whenever we hung out with Jimmy we got to have free sodas.
He even had a fountain drink dispenser in the back of his pick up truck which was awesome!
We would get out of our tents after a night of camping and would pour our morning coca cola.
Jimmy was also our high school Sunday School teacher.
You need to understand that Jimmy was just a normal guy.
He wasn’t exactly a theologian, he didn’t have all the answers, he was about as perfect as us teenagers but he was willing to be used by God.
He gave our class a challenge one summer.
If we could come to Sunday School every week for 10 weeks in a row, he would give us a 6 pack of coke.
That was a really big deal.
It got me and all of my friends in Sunday School every week.
I think he even had some bible memorization motivation there too.
I want to stress the fact that maybe he didn’t have all the answers, maybe Jimmy wasn’t perfect, but Jimmy was there!
He made time for us, and I guarantee doesn’t know the impact that he had on 4 teenagers who grew up at the North East United Methodist Church.
I tell you that this morning for a simple reason:
God can use whomever He wishes to carry out His plan.
No matter how small, weak or obscure.
God will use just normal, sinful people to accomplish His plan.
Too many of us think that we have to be this or that to be used by God when in fact, the only thing you need to be used by God is to be willing.
To be willing to be used by God.
This morning as we continue this series on Joshua we are going to look at a really cool story that illustrates that fact.
Remember that the time in the wilderness is coming to a close.
We talked last week about how God has told Joshua to get ready.
They are headed to the promised land.
This is it, this is what it is all about.
Rahab was a prostitute, doesn’t make it right
Rahab was a double agent
The fist thing Joshua does in preparation for taking the promised land is to send some guys, secretly into the first city they come to before they cross the Jordan river.that
city is Jericho.
The Jordan river is the boundary of the city.
Funny that only two spies are sent, and sent in secret.
Rahab was a liar.
But Rahab was also a hero.
That is right, a hero.
Why?
But the spies, who aren’t named sneak into the city for some recon.
Rahab recognized who God was, His Power etc.
Honestly, I don’t think they are very good spies at all.
It appears that people know what is going on.
Verse two says that reports came to the king that there were men of Israel in the city.
Rahab heard and believed
Those guys are holding up in the house of a prostitute named Rahab.
She submitted herself to the Lord
Now Rahab is an interesting character.
We really don’t know much about her except this story and a couple of references.
Somehow, God’s providence leads them to Rahab (prostitute) Some suggest it is God’s grace that such a woman would be used by God but God can use anyone He chooses.
V1
Need to get through Jericho to get to the promised land.
To take the city they need information.
We call it reconnaissance today.
So the whole city is on edge.
They are terrified because of the history.
The actual history.
From what we see later in this chapter Rahab tells the spies she wants to help them because she fears God.
Two spies were chosen (names?)
She fears God.
She isn’t part of Israel, she isn’t part of the chosen nation but she is obviously smart.
See, everyone in that city knew that there were hundreds of thousands of people camped on their border.
The whole city had heard about the parting of the Red Sea 40 years earlier.
That whole city heard about the battle that happened with two other nations.
They were scared and Rahab is an opportunist and a quick thinker.
God’s providence leads them to Rahab (prostitute) Some suggest it is God’s grace that such a woman would be used by God but God can use anyone He chooses.
By her astute grasp on reality and quick thinking, she is able to assure the safety of her family and the continued existence of her descendants.
Rahab is in control here.
She could give them up but she fears the Lord.
She hid them in some flax that was drying on the roof.
They used it for making cloth.
They would soak it for three or four weeks and then dry it which would make it able to be made into cloth.
v5
Rahab sends the men on a wild goose chase.
This was incredibly faithful on her part.
The New Testament writers even list her as a faithful servant who feared the Lord.
Hebrews 11
Both parts of scripture applauding her.
Rahab was an intriquil part of Israel getting into the promised land.
She feared the Lord, she recognized the power of God.
But we do have to address something that has been talked about for years.
She lied.
There has been a lot of ink spilled on this subject.
Was it right for her to lie?
Because she did.
Are there any special situations where it is okay to lie? Do the ends justify the means?
I will tell you that this is really hard, and the question we need to as is ‘can God accomplish His plans without someone sinning?’
But, can God accomplish His plans without someone sinning?
Why would the NT guys give such celebration to her?
There is another area in scripture that talks about something similar.
In the beginning of Exodus the two midwives—who were supposed to kill newborn, male Hebrew babies let them live and were confronted.
They were asked by the King of Egypt how this happened, why did you let the babies live?
And they lied and said that the mothers were vigorous and had the babies before they got there.
It wasn’t true..
But They are commended too.
But they aren’t commended for lying, they are commended for their faith.
Their fear of the Lord.
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