Rahab

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Have fun.

You should ask her to sing for you some more.

Hey Manuel, again. Thanks for being here. And wish you want to wish you a Merry Christmas coming up for you and your family and We will be. Heading south to warmer weather. At the close of this service, but I have we have some special guests coming for you. This next couple weeks Brandon James that he shared for The Gideons a couple of months ago. He's going to be friction Force next week and then Scott plas from up North trip and Rigby. He'll be here the following week. And so yeah come on down and support them and they're very excited to share God's word with you and I just thankful that we have other brothers that are around that are willing to to fill in and that way you guys don't get so sick of me. I'm not preaching all the time right down and they support them and if everything goes well, it should be online as well. So if you can if you are uncomfortable with the current situation, then please feel free to just watch online. But I just know that we miss you and we can't wait for the day that lets you feel that you're able to come and worship with us again. I'm in person. Even I know all of you desperately want that. So we're going to go ahead and finish our series our Christmas series for 20/20. This Series has been called The Hope for the Hopeless the hope for the Hopeless. It's pretty easy in 2022 be discouraged. If you use your senses and your physical eyes and you see look around this world. We have political of people. We have a pandemic that's affecting a lot of families. A lot of people businesses churches. All those things many reasons to be discouraged, But the great news about being a Christian is that we have a hope that is beyond this world. And there's a hope in the promise is given to a fire lord that salvation and eternal life is to come through what Christ is done and as Christians we had by faith believe and receive that as truth and we aren't that is our hope. And we just use the last couple weeks to go into dive in the God's word and to see different people that are recorded in God's word as those who had very many reasons to happy hopeless or to be discouraged and yet they they they as we looked into their Lies We saw that they had a faith in God and have faith in his promise and that their Hope was not fixed on the thing of their circumstances or this world, but their Hope was based on the Promises of God. and As Christians, right? We we have that hope that this world is just temporary that we are pilgrims just passing through our true life is coming. I want a message this world needs right now the hope that is found in Jesus. And so we have the message the hope for the Hopeless in this world. And so as we celebrate and we look into God's word and we see God again and again,

Fulfill what is promised? And we see his faithfulness demonstrated in human history again and again it to encourage aspadol. So it should also encourage us to be bold and 11 way to give this message out to those across the street. Or your co-workers or your family is real sit across the Christmas Eve dinner table. Maybe a time that the Lord gives us courage Seasons with grace to be able to share the good news the hope that those found in Jesus. And so that's what we've been looking at until we leave the first I was just haven't had three sermons in this this December Before Christmas starts until the first one was Zacharias. Zacharias

we saw that God had used him and and and I won't repeat preach the sermon but we saw him. I see gospel filaments and his joy and the message that that John the Baptist was to prepare that the Messiah was coming and just at that beautiful story and then last week we we saw a Anna and Simeon who got to see the Messiah with their own eyes. That Simeon wants was told by the spirit of God that he would not die until he saw the Messiah with his own eyes and the spirit led him to the temple and the spirit told him as Mary and Joseph brought baby. Jesus to the temple for the dedication in the Fulfillment of the Old Testament law. The spirit says that is in the sky and we saw last week to me and raising. baby, Jesus to the sky and saying I've seen the Messiah and Anna seen Zacharias Simeon do that. And so did this that wonderful story of Hope fulfilled that there hope their faith in simeon's faith in God's promises were still filled it. It came became of hope that that was just a hope that became realize that he was able to see the Messiah face-to-face and what a great story ideas for us because our hope will one day be realized we will see our Messiah face-to-face there's coming a day and that is the hope that we have in this morning. We're going to dive into the Old Testament. A person that's recorded in the Old Testament in Joshua. We find her her name is Rahab. Rahab the Harlot Rahab the prostitute

and we'll see how she played has a role in the Christmas story as well or going let's go and go to the Lord in prayer of grace and mercy Lord thankful for this opportunity Lord to open up your word to see what you've done in human history of your faithfulness the Lord your steadfastness year, you're changing attributes father. We're so grateful that we not only know who you are how you revealed yourself. You've made a way to have a relationship with you guys that we can be your children do what Jesus has done until we give you praise this morning. We give you honor and adoration father. Not just merely with our words, but with our time as we take this opportunity to dive into your words to learn more about your goodness soon. Do you are more trusting God that your spirit would do a work in our hearts that you would make us more like Jesus and if there's anyone that's outside of Jesus that your spirit God would do a convicting work that only you can do. Demonstrate to those their need to turn from their own ways and receive and believe Jesus alone. Would you bring yourself glory in that God? We ask bring glory to yourself during this time. We ask it in Christ precious and Powerful name. Amen. So last week, I'm sure everyone watched the sermon online right so I can start off where I left off last week. All right. I got Chuckles last night for them from that that no shock was this morning? Anyway, I just joking the last week. We stopped off at Hebrews chapter 10. We we ended our sermon with Hebrews chapter 10, the writer of Hebrews his writing to a group of people that's undergoing persecution their doubting that their decision to follow Christ. They were Jews and they were in the traditions of men. They heard the gospel message that Jesus was the Christ they begin to follow after him and and walk away from the law and keeping the trying to keep their account clean before a holy God by obeying the law. But trusting in Jesus alone in that persecution begin to be built in heaped upon them. The Jewish leaders did not like this because they were losing their power and their Sway in the Jewish community. And so people begin to doubt and wonder if Jesus truly was a messiah the letter written to Hebrews. I got to slow down there tripping over my tongue Gracie. Letter written to Hebrews is a beautiful letter demonstrating how Jesus is the Fulfillment of the Old Testament? All the Old Testament pictures the temple in the high priests and all the priesthood all that stuff was pointing to Jesus as the Fulfillment. And he's trying to demonstrate that to them hold fast to the confession of your of your face when she out here in verse 19 of Hebrews 10, therefore brothers and sisters since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus. He has inaugurated for us a New and Living Way, not the Old Testament in a temple with a veil. That was a material valve. This New and Living Hope is found in the living Christ. He has an auger Esprit for us a New and Living Way Through the curtain that is through his flesh. And since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a True Heart in full Assurance of Faith trusting and believing that what God has promised he will do. That's my adding to the to the word that I wasn't in God's work with our hearts sprinkle clean from an evil conscience in our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of Our Hope without wavering since he who promised is faithful God is faithful in his promises and he closed last week saying let us when it's really easy to be discouraged in 2020 and we don't know where in certain of the country in the political stuff going on in the pandemic. It's easy to be discouraged. But the call for scrum scripture for us is that we hold fast to the confession of our hope our hope that is found in God's promises and we are not to waiver because why he who promised is faithful faithful And let us consider he goes on one another. In order to provoke love and good works meeting together having church together doing life together having Community together is important. It's been the biggest struggle for me as a pastor. Because I know people want to stay safe. But I also know that people suffer spiritually. When they're unable to meet with fellow believers.

And so I'm praying. The God within this and that if anything will no matter what happens as long as the Lord tarries so he can meet together. We can do life together. God's word calls us to that. Let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works not neglecting together to gather together. As some are in the habit of doing but encouraging each other and all the more as you see the day approaching.

receipt there in Scripture Yes, we have to wait out the health fears. But we also need to everyone needs to examine. God's commands in though and though in his word. And everyone must make their own decision for themselves, but we we can't neglect the fact that God calls us to to meet together to gather to do life together. We're supposed to encourage one another and we can't do that if we're not meeting on a consistent basis.

So we go on here verse 26 poor if we deliberately go on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth. There's no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. And so he's talking to a people that are thinking about going back to the Jewish Old Testament law and the traditions of their fathers instead of clinging to Christ and he saying look if you that is not a good thing at all. He has a Stern warning for them. And if they were to return then did that the sacrifice that Jesus made was never evidence was never a reality in their lives because their hope is in something else other than Jesus.

We go on here.

I was confident that I got the rest of this verse Talbot I didn't.

So he closes up here in Hebrews 10 this chapter that we just have to had gone through a little bit. He says there's some verse 38 but my righteous one will live by faith. We are to live in this world by Faith by trusting and believing God and his promises and if he draws back, I have no pleasure in him God's very serious about our Walk of Fame.

Where do not draw back where to press on with your to hold fast to the confession?

But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed but those who have faith and are saved. Salvation is found in those who have faith in God and his promise of Salvation through Jesus Christ. And it was we will see it has nothing to do with how right this we are. How good we are how good we can keep a list of Commandments?

It has everything to do with what your pace in your faith in. Or more precisely who you're placing your faith in.

to those who have faith Those are those who are saved. Now Faith is the reality of what is hope for he goes in Hebrews 11 Hebrews 11 is the Great Hall of Faith. It's the Hall of Fame for the for the football and everyone. That's really good at all the records they're placed into the Hall of Fame and in football in other sports and stuff like that in God's word. God has made it a point in the loud that inspired the writer of Hebrews to devote this entire chapter Hebrews 11 to these people in the Old Testament that had Faith to provide these people who were struggling and for us some two thousand years later who might be struggling in our walk-in might be discouraged. He's provided for us a whole list of people who trusted in God and his promises. And I remember when I first got saved I was like I want to be like these guys. I want to be that guy want to have that kind of Faith like, you know, I was going to be up to me the must have that kind of faith and I could I could be excluded.

But then I begin to study all these people that were in this in this chapter of faith. And I found out something they're all broken. They're all humans. Just like us. They didn't do things perfectly. They didn't have a long list of righteousness to add and show God how faithful they were. The reason why they're in the chapter of Faith the Great Hall of faith is because no matter what faith they had their faith was placed on God and his promises that is that for us as well today.

The writer of Hebrews gives us this definition of phase now Faith is the reality of what is hope for we are have a hope the faith that we have is a reality this hope because we are placing our faith and trust in God's promises. And faith is also the proof of what is not seeing. We don't have eternal life right when I got saved. I didn't have someone come up and hand me tickets to heaven with the gold stamp saying right Jesus appearance Me by faith trusting that what God has promised to preserving this word is what will get me. We'll have to go purchase from eternal life. So it's the faith that we have is the hope that we have is the proof of what is not seen But as we talked about last week this coming a day when our faith will be a reality I get excited I start to smile when I think about that. You know what? I don't know when Jesus is coming back, but I know we're one day closer. There's coming a day. Can't wait to see Jesus.

The proof of what is not seen or by this our ancestors were proved. He says look. The people the Old Testament they were proved not by their goodness of their good work. They were proved by their faith and trust in God. Ancestors were proved by their faith. It goes on Amber Street by faith. We understand that the Universe was created by the word of God, right? We looked around we see this billions and billions of stars and you know, the scientist say that if the Earth was tilted like one half a degree to more to the left or to the right that we wouldn't be here. God in his words that he spoke it into existence. That's how powerful an amazing is. Our God is in by faith. We trust that because that's what he's recorded for us by faith Ministry and that the Universe was created by the word of God. So that what is seen was made from things that are not visible. And then we jump to this. Person Ray have the prostitutes who's listed in the Hall of faith. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down. This is recorded in Joshua. No Testament by faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being marched around by the Israelites for seven days. And then the writer of Hebrews introduces us to Rahab by faith Rahab The Prostitute welcome the spies in peace and didn't perish with those who disobey. ICU Rahab listed here. It was a prostitute. I think that's just a beautiful thing that got to preserve this in the library have to be written in the scriptures because I think across well more than likely if we were going to try to win God's favor with our works and how good and how righteous we were. I think everyone would conclude that a prostitute is probably pretty low on the list of things that you're doing good to have peace to Holy and just God.

But this is the beautiful part of the Gospel. Rahab is just a representation of all of us. But we all have sinned. fall short of the glory of God

the beautiful picture that God surely doesn't say this fire Merit or how good we might be. Can only say this by the faith that we have in his promises. Faith in Christ and we'll see Rahab why she's listed here and Joshua as we open up the Old Testament. Going on over 72 and what more can I say time is short for me to tell about getting Brock Samson just so he's concluding all these different people in the Old Testament that had faith in the promises of God, but in Joshua see the story of Rahab and so Joshua was chosen by God to lead God's people into the Promised Land. The promise he gave to Moses that I'm going to deliver you out of Egypt. I'm going to give you a while and I will I will prepare the land I will make you settle in it at all on me. Don't you worry about it?

and because the unfaithfulness on trusting nature of the children of Israel even Moses couldn't go into the promised land because he doubted God. God allow them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years to build them up. custom to establish their faith in ultimately it comes to the structure Joshua's chosen. God says the Joshua you're going to plead the chip my people into the Promised Land. It's a Joshua here in Joshua chapter 2 since two spies in the land of spy it out. And to check out the opposition and what's going on and all that stuff until we find the story of the two spies being coming into Jericho here. And we'll see what God's word says Joshua Joshua chapter 2 verses 1 through 7 until we first see her introduction rahab's introduction to God's word Joshua son of nun secretly sent to two men s pies from from the Asia Grove saying go and Scout the land especially Jericho. So they left and they came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. So these two spies go to the house of Rahab The Prostitute and stayed there the king of Jericho was told look some of the Israelite men have come here tonight to investigate the land. So the king of Jericho is like, oh no, They're coming. We seen him across the other side of the river and we'll see why they're so fearful of God's people of Israel. here in the words of Rahab the king of Jericho was told look some of the Israelite men have come here tonight to investigate the lamp. Then the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said bring out them in so they know that those spies went into rahab's house bring out the man who came to you and then search your house where they came to investigate the entire line This is the king of Jericho. This is like the ARP the equivalent of the president of the United States that you must do this. And no doubt her disobeying the king of Jericho with the ultimate lead to a death sentence. Like if she was found out that she disobeyed and she as we will see instead of obeying the king hid the spies. This this was huge rehab was a real person. She had to weigh these things out she had fear.

That she had to overcome.

with her faith

as all of us 2

Bring up the man who came to you and entered your house for they came to investigate the entire line was for but the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said yes the men did come to me, but I didn't know where they were from. At nightfall when The City Gate was about to close the men went out and I don't know where they are going. So she's ultimately out light lines and I don't know where they chased after them quickly go. Chase after them and you can catch up with them, but she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had arranged on. The roof and the men pursue them along the road to the Fords of Jordan and as soon as they left for sue them The City Gate was shut. Before the men fell asleep Rahab goes up to them. She went up to the roof and said to them until this is not her confession. We have our introduction. We know who Ray have is and this is her confession to these men. I know that the Lord has given you this land. And it's a terror of us falling on us and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you. Everyone in Jericho was afraid of the two people of Israel. And she comes to them it's her confession is as I know the Lord. Has given you this land what she's confessing is that she understands that God has promised his people a land and that he who promised is faithful. And so she instead of choosing to obey the king of Jericho. She's choosing instead to have faith. That although she was a Canaanite woman a prostitute of a cane in the Canaanite woman. Canaanites were the people that God commanded the children of Israel to wipe out because of their sin. as punishment She was one of those people that God said because of their sin.

When you cross into your due to the into the blind that I've given you wipe them out.

She sees her that the Lord has given you this land and that's a terrible has fallen on us and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you or we have heard how the Lord dried up the water in the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt. They know who this God is. Rahab especially knows that this is what she will say. the god of heaven and of Earth we have heard the Lord dried up the water. They know what this God has done for these people and they're across the river Jordan and she knows what's coming. His mighty hand will be extended.

And the people are fearful because of him when you did what you did to Cheyenne dogs, the two Amorite Kings you completely destroyed across the Jordan. So they're their reputation precedes them when we heard this we lost heart and everyone's courage failed because of you for the Lord your God is God in heaven. and on earth below he is. the only God sore confession is

I Now understand who got is who your God is and I know that unless this God extends Mercy to me. I know I will be wiped out along with every other person in Jericho. So her confession turns into her plea. She pleads to this men have mercy. No, please swear to me by the Lord that you will also show kindness to my father's family. Because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign. So she's asking look I've extended kindness to you. I've hidden you. Willian likewise return kindness to me that you will spare the lives in audible only her butt of her father and her mother and her brothers and her sisters and all who belong to them and save them to save us from the death. That has become. The man answered or we will give our lives for yours.

Their answer is yes Mercy. We will give in fact we will give our lives for yours. If you don't report on Mission, we will show kindness and faithfulness to you when the Lord gives us the land. don't you let them down by a rope through the window since you live in a house that was a built into the wall the city so walls of Jericho she's got Window view of the countryside. She allows them down Sprite by a rope. Go to the Hill Country so that the men pursuing you won't find you.

We know we know where that ruins of Jericho are in so we know that there's a mountain range that goes up 12 12 ft outside the city walls of Jericho. And I got mountain is called the amount of quarrel quarrel on Tina. quarrel on Tina And it's the root word. There's tens of for 4:10. So it's the the mountain of 40 it basically the rupture English translation and they call it that because history says that that is the mountain that Jesus went up and fasted and did his 40-day into a bit in the wilderness. Scriptures don't say that exactly where he's done that but the tradition would say that that's where that happened until they call that healed amount of quarrel and Tina and I was reading that sounds kind of like a word that were often using. Let me see here in Jericho that that Rahab tells these these guys know if you need to hide you need to separate go to the top of this mountain choir Lenten and this is where tradition says that insofar Latina is the root word of the same root word that we use today of quarantine. to isolate just a little fun fact for you. So this is where they go to hideout. Lemon said to her we will be free from this oath you made us wear unless we enter the land you tie this Scarlet scored this red cord to the window through which you let us down. He's like look, but I like looking less you put this red cord on the window that you let us down. We're going to go tell the armies when you come. to wipe out the Canaanites this family that's in this house with the red cord.

You must pass over.

Rahab and her family have their own Passover. Just like as God delivered his people out of Egypt in the last plague. The last thing was the death of the firstborn for every Egyptian family. And God said slay lamb apply the blood over the post and when the death angel comes and sees the blood he will pass over your hound family and by faith they did that they applied the blood of poor above the doorpost in the end. They are they're first born where she was spared and and God commanded his people to every year celebrate the Passover that when God demonstrated his mighty power,

But a Canaanite woman.

As she pleased for Mercy to a God. She understands is the god of Heaven and the Earth. Has her own pass over the red Scarlet above her window would be the cause. birthday

children of Israel Passover her family and deliver them If anyone goes out of the doors of your house, his death will be his own fault or like look stay in the house. You're under that red Scarlet sign. Nothing will happen if you go outside your house, that's all your own fault. We will be innocent but if anyone with you and the house should be harmed his death will be our fault. And and if you report our mission, we are free from lotf. That sounds like if you tell on us or report, what we're going to do, then we're free of this over that we've made to you. Do we have this beautiful story of Rahab the Harlot The Prostitute to understood who their jugar God is our God is her Creator. God gender stood her. Position to a holy and just God she understood that the penalty that was to come to the Canaanite people. Was deaf and so we can see these pictures of the gospel for all of us in the story of Rahab and instead of siding with the king of Jericho and hoping that their armies would somehow out do the children of Israel and said that to you by faith Play Store faith in the mercy of God. but hiding the people allowing them to escape telling them we're too high to And as The Story Goes On for Rahab, her family is saved God is faithful. Her family is saved and she's married into the Jewish Nation. to become a simulated until God people the beautiful story

she had lots to be discouraged about.

She has some decisions to make. She was probably fearful of either outcome right uncertain. But she decided to place our faith in the god of heaven and of Earth.

It's became part of God's people. the gospel message

if you placed your faith. And what rice is done and his accomplice work of his payment he applied for you on the cross. That although you deserve death. Eternal separation from your God He's also God of Mercy. And he's made a way. Replacing our faith and trust in his promise of the Messiah and what Jesus has done? The reason for the season that Jesus has come to be our sacrifice to be our vicar to stand in our place to take the penalty that we deserve.

So that we too. movie pass over of the second it is to come.

An amazing story Rahab have faith. That's why she's in the Hall of Faith. But why do I bring it up this Christmas season?

She also has a role to play. and the birth of our savior cuz not only did she become a part of the goth people She is forever listed in the genealogy of the birth of the Messiah. Matthew's record the genealogy of Jesus Christ and he does this opens it up because it's so important for the Jewish mind to understand that the Old Testament prophets prophesied that that the Messiah would rain and sit upon the throne of David David would be the lineage of Virginia have a genealogical tie to King David. And so he starts off with this Messiah as Jesus and he says this is his lineage to prove to you that what God has promised and prophesied in the Old Testament has been fulfilled. Vs6 verses are in Matthew an account of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David the son of Abraham the promise to David the davidic Covenant. We've been talking in the series and Galatians of the abrahamic Covenant. The promise salvations always been by what God would do. Not through what we could do. And so he says he's the son of David the son of Abraham Abraham father dies, except he gives us the agenda layout genealogy Isaac father, Jacob Jacob father Judah and his brothers Judith father Perez and zerah by Tamar Paris father has Ron and Hazard father Dameron fathered a minute ab in a minute bad father Nation Nation bothered salmon. Salman fathered Boaz by Rahab

a beautiful picture

a relationship and what God can do in our lives has nothing to do with who we are or what the world identifies with swim and has nothing to do with our past. God took a Canaanite prostitute. And allowed her to be in the genealogical line of the Messiah demonstrate to us the god uses broken people because we're all broken. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and got his preserve the story like Rahab for us to stay. God can do anything he desires to do with us. If we but have faith. and Trust but no matter what's going on in this world no matter what can present to us to be discouraging. God can use us for his glory in an amazing in Mighty way. and the story of Rahab shows us this Church, he who promised is faithful. I'm not a prophet not a son of a prophet. I don't know what's going to be happening this coming year the years to come before Jesus comes. But I have the opportunity to post to tell you, hold fast. Hold fast the promises of God for he who promised is faithful me that give you hope. Met by this opportunity no matter what happens before the Lord's return May provide us the opportunity to give the hope of Jesus to a hopeless world. What is the recycle plastic things? Father God we thank you for your goodness with thank you for salvation. Redemption

we thank you Lord. Oh, that's not based on how good we are how righteous we are.

Thank you Lord for showing us that none of us measure up to your holiness.

And it just makes Jesus all the more amazing.

That he did that for us to make a way. But you look on this not with her our righteousness or unrighteousness, but you look on us those who have placed their faith in Christ. You look on us with his righteousness.

but a gift God help us to to be your ambassadors. Give us courage and boldness sugared with Grace Lourdes. To give this message of Hope to those around us to receive glory and saving Mini. before the Lord's return

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